did Paradox remove the Paradox from Diplomacy?

[unmerged(47606)]

http://www.diplom.org/DipPouch/Zine/F1999R/Debate/paradox.html

i don't know if this has come up before, but searching the forum for "Paradox" didn't seem like it was going to get me too far... :rofl:

so, if this issue hasn't been taken care of, what will my computer do in the (admittedly uncommon) stituations, such a described in the article?

crash?

shoot green flames?

emit a high-pitched whine, and begin to levitate?

:wacko:

 

[David E. Cohen]

i don't know if this has come up before, but searching the forum for "Paradox" didn't seem like it was going to get me too far... :rofl:

so, if this issue hasn't been taken care of, what will my computer do in the (admittedly uncommon) stituations, such a described in the article?

crash?

shoot green flames?

emit a high-pitched whine, and begin to levitate?

:wacko:

There is a bit of controversy in the Dip community as to whether the latest edition of the rules may have eliminated all, or almost all, of the varous types of convoy paradoxes. For those who want their heads to hurt, you can take a look at the Diplomacy Adjudicator Test Cases web site,

http://web.inter.nl.net/users/L.B.Kruijswijk/

which has examples of each known type.

 

[Gothmog]

There is a bit of controversy in the Dip community as to whether the latest edition of the rules may have eliminated all, or almost all, of the varous types of convoy paradoxes. For those who want their heads to hurt, you can take a look at the Diplomacy Adjudicator Test Cases web site,

http://web.inter.nl.net/users/L.B.Kruijswijk/

which has examples of each known type.

That link doesn't work, at least for me...but I guess that may be an in-built function to spare my head from needless pain.

 

[David E. Cohen]

That link doesn't work, at least for me...but I guess that may be an in-built function to spare my head for needless pain.

Try it now, from my orginal message. There was an extra "http" in there that didn't show visually.

 

[Gothmog]

Try it now, from my orginal message. There was an extra "http" in there that didn't show visually.

Reminds me of those really old Avalon Hill games...only much worse in some areas...I guess there's a point to be made here about simple games being not so simple after all, but I can't come up with any nifty way to spell thaat out at the moment...

 

[unmerged(8351)]

This would be worrisome except...

From what i remember of the Diplomacy Paradoxes they never actually occur in real play (at least thats what I remember the verdict being).

 

[unmerged(26876)]

...From what i remember of the Diplomacy Paradoxes they never actually occur in real play (at least thats what I remember the verdict being).

Never is a very long time

In any game design you should always consider the "possible" as well as just the "probable". Especially when dealing with computers.
If it is possible to play Paradox Diplomacy 'hands off' then you can bet people will.
In fact, 'hands off' play would be a good way to "Monte Carlo" test the AI.

So, if the paradoxes have not been addressed then you can bet there will be complaints.

Besides which, many people will test them out in 'sandbox mode'.

 

[David E. Cohen]

It is evidently exceedingly rare, but not unknown. I have never seen one occur in actual play, other than in one instance where a really complicated one was set up on purpose, as a joke.

That said, I have heard of a some instances where one of the simpler ones occurred. I can't remember exactly where, but I recall believing the person who told me.

If Paradox gets everything exactly right except paradox (small "p") adjudication, then I think everyone would be very happy.

This would be worrisome except...

From what i remember of the Diplomacy Paradoxes they never actually occur in real play (at least thats what I remember the verdict being).

 

[Gothmog]

It is evidently exceedingly rare, but not unknown. I have never seen one occur in actual play, other than in one instance where a really complicated one was set up on purpose, as a joke.

That said, I have heard of a some instances where one of the simpler ones occurred. I can't remember exactly where, but I recall believing the person who told me.

If Paradox gets everything exactly right except paradox (small "p") adjudication, then I think everyone would be very happy.

I've only glanced at that document as of yet, but from what I browsed through I can only think of one similar situation to what's in that document that I've encountered during 15 years of on and off play of Diplomacy (mostly off these days) and while I'm sure other that have played more years and longer games would have more such situations to report, it shouldn't cause that much trouble.

Then again, the fact that this is a computer game might complicate things a bit. First of all, it might (if it does well) increase the number of games being played quite a bit, which, given whatever basic law of probability one might be inclined to quote, will increase the risk of improbable situations occurring. Second, while such Paradoxes can (hopefully) be rather easily resolved in the regular boardgame through civilised discussion and common sense, it might well cause a CTD or some such in the PC version.

Then again, I'm probably worrying too much here...