http://www.dipsters.org/forum/ First please read the post, "Welcome! Using the Forum". en-US Sat, 31 Jul 2010 21:18:32 +0000 http://bbpress.org/?v=1.0.2 q http://www.dipsters.org/forum/search.php http://www.dipsters.org/forum/topic/testing-my-rss-feeders#post-230 Sat, 31 Jul 2010 01:22:25 +0000 Mark Gallagher 230@http://www.dipsters.org/forum/ <p>FYI: Both myyahoo &amp; feedmyinbox can be configured to deliver a free 'digest' version of any posts on this forum. Works well, with at least a few sentences displayed from each individual post in the subject line (nobody has posted anything of substance yet, so I haven't seen if there is a character max.) Also, hyperlinks to the actual thread are provided.</p> <p>Thought the digest format crowd would like this news.</p> <p>Okay, back to lurking. </p> http://www.dipsters.org/forum/topic/devil-observation-game-just-started#post-229 Sat, 31 Jul 2010 00:24:41 +0000 Jonathan Powles 229@http://www.dipsters.org/forum/ <p>As you know, I've been running a re-staging of the famous "carebear" and "cut-throat" email games of 1993. See <a href="http://www.dipsters.org/forum/topic/new-very-old-games" rel="nofollow">http://www.dipsters.org/forum/topic/new-very-old-games</a> for more details.</p> <p>The carebear game, 'koala' on USAK, is at S1907 and, depending on who you listen to, is about to end in a solo (as did the original 'carebear') or, much more caringly, in a seven-way draw. If that seems like an odd sort of position for a Dip game, then I suggest you look at the history on floc.net at <a href="http://www.floc.net/observer.py?judge=USAK&amp;game=koala&amp;page=game" rel="nofollow">http://www.floc.net/observer.py?judge=USAK&amp;game=koala&amp;page=game</a> or, even better, sign up to the comments group at <a href="http://games.groups.yahoo.com/group/koala_USAK/" rel="nofollow">http://games.groups.yahoo.com/group/koala_USAK/</a> and look at the crucial press and EOG discussion as it unfolds.</p> <p>The partner game, played according to the 'cut-throat oath', is 'devil' on USAK. We're only in F1901, and a sea of intrigue awaits. Sign up now to follow all the press and commentary at <a href="http://games.groups.yahoo.com/group/devilusak/" rel="nofollow">http://games.groups.yahoo.com/group/devilusak/</a></p> <p>Cheers</p> <p>Jonathan </p> http://www.dipsters.org/forum/topic/teachme5-coaches-wanted#post-228 Sat, 31 Jul 2010 00:08:33 +0000 Jonathan Powles 228@http://www.dipsters.org/forum/ <p>In January I wrote:</p> <p>&lt;Hi Chris; I'd be happy to coach. If rugby is anything to go by, I talk a much better game than I play. :-) </p> <p>"Bumping" this too, for the sheer 'I told you so' enjoyment ... some will know I broke my ankle in three places in March: two weeks in hospital, two operations, nine screws and a plate in my leg ...playing rugby.</p> <p>I should have listened to my own advice, and stuck to opinionating. </p> http://www.dipsters.org/forum/topic/testing-my-rss-feeders#post-227 Wed, 28 Jul 2010 22:14:26 +0000 Mark Gallagher 227@http://www.dipsters.org/forum/ <p>Been playing with myyahoo and feedmyinbox.com in an attempt to find something to emulate the convenience of the yahoo group email alert and/or digest.</p> <p>Please disregard unless you are interested in having the best of both worlds (this forum and the yahoo group.) </p> http://www.dipsters.org/forum/topic/teachme5-coaches-wanted#post-226 Wed, 28 Jul 2010 14:01:19 +0000 Ben Harris 226@http://www.dipsters.org/forum/ <p>Hi guys. </p> <p>Bumping this to test current level of interest in (a) this subject &amp; (b) this board. Not sure what to expect... </p> http://www.dipsters.org/forum/topic/help-with-abandoned-dipsters-game#post-225 Tue, 27 Jul 2010 13:37:27 +0000 Alan Mennel 225@http://www.dipsters.org/forum/ <p>The position has been filled. Thank you all for your prompt response!</p> <p>Alan </p> http://www.dipsters.org/forum/topic/help-with-abandoned-dipsters-game#post-224 Tue, 27 Jul 2010 10:22:35 +0000 Alan Mennel 224@http://www.dipsters.org/forum/ <p>I need a replacement Ukraine for the abandoned Dipsters game, flyboy01 on usak.<br /> It is a 24 hour (weekdays only) No Press game - Modern variant with Wings:</p> <p><a href="http://www.floc.net/observer.py?judge=USAK&amp;game=flyboy01&amp;page=game" rel="nofollow">http://www.floc.net/observer.py?judge=USAK&amp;game=flyboy01&amp;page=game</a></p> <p><a href="mailto:usak@asciiking.com">usak@asciiking.com</a></p> <p>signon Uflyboy01 &lt;pw&gt; gunboat modern<br /> signoff</p> <p>Thanks in advance for your help.</p> <p>Alan Mennel </p> http://www.dipsters.org/forum/topic/usdd-judge#post-223 Tue, 06 Jul 2010 20:11:09 +0000 Alan Lange 223@http://www.dipsters.org/forum/ <p>USDD has been closed down. If anyone is looking for data from games on USDD that are not available from floc.net, please email me at the USAL JK address. </p> http://www.dipsters.org/forum/topic/replacement-12-unit-russia-needed-f1910r#post-222 Tue, 06 Jul 2010 20:08:05 +0000 Alan Lange 222@http://www.dipsters.org/forum/ <p>Novice queue game. Turkey just stabbed Russia after long cooperation.<br /> USAL:halifax.</p> <p>Thanks,<br /> Alan </p> http://www.dipsters.org/forum/topic/24-hr-no-press-7-days-per-week-game-forming#post-221 Thu, 01 Jul 2010 00:34:05 +0000 Eric Hunter 221@http://www.dipsters.org/forum/ <p>For a quick and dirty game, this is sure taking a long time to fill, but we have six. Anyone care to step up for a little afternoon delight? </p> <p>Thanks,</p> <p>Eric. </p> http://www.dipsters.org/forum/topic/dipsters-moderator#post-220 Tue, 29 Jun 2010 09:39:05 +0000 Alan Mennel 220@http://www.dipsters.org/forum/ <p>Hi Everyone:</p> <p>Time to get serious.</p> <p>If you are interested in replacing me as Moderator of this Group and in taking this Group to the next level, please email me privately as soon as possible at:</p> <p><a href="mailto:alan.mennel@dipsters.org">alan.mennel@dipsters.org</a></p> <p>If you would like to nominate someone to replace me as Moderator of this Group and to take this Group to the next level, please email me privately as soon as possible at:</p> <p><a href="mailto:alan.mennel@dipsters.org">alan.mennel@dipsters.org</a></p> <p>Let's move this along promptly!</p> <p>Thank you in advance for your help.</p> <p>Alan Mennel </p> http://www.dipsters.org/forum/topic/dipsters-revisited#post-219 Tue, 22 Jun 2010 19:53:07 +0000 Chris Babcock 219@http://www.dipsters.org/forum/ <p>I think that installing the Wordpress Email Notification Plugin could go a long way towards settling the issue about returning to Yahoogroups. I have some experience also with the negativity of which the "old guard" judge hobby is no less capable than any other community.</p> <p>I can't speak for other judgekeepers, but I can confirm that I would be a poor choice to follow Alan Mennel as Dipsters leader. I am thoroughly overcommitted and actively pruning activities outside my core. Practically speaking that would mean I would set up a dedicated judge for Dipsters with automated creation of club games and tight integration with Dipsters accounts on floc.net... and the less I did after that, the better. I just wouldn't have the time to be both innovative and sensitive to the existing culture if I take any more on.</p> <p>I do agree that the nomination of Alan's replacement should be soonest. Although it would be good if there could be a transitional period, if Alan has health concerns then that need to be respected. </p> http://www.dipsters.org/forum/topic/the-dawn-of-dipsters#post-218 Tue, 22 Jun 2010 19:39:29 +0000 Mark Gallagher 218@http://www.dipsters.org/forum/ <p>Just clicking around the myYahoo page and I found that after setting it up to read the forum (via RSS) I could also set an alert. Now I haven't tested this out, however, it appears that it is possible to create a Digest email alert from there. 2 steps, and you basically have your yahoo group and MORE. </p> http://www.dipsters.org/forum/topic/the-dawn-of-dipsters#post-217 Tue, 22 Jun 2010 19:19:01 +0000 Mark Gallagher 217@http://www.dipsters.org/forum/ <p>Is it possible to do both? What would be the effect of having the forum subscribe to the yahoo group and vice versa? Some forum programs will send mail on postings. </p> <p>...or is it a matter of cash? </p> http://www.dipsters.org/forum/topic/pp-gunboat-game-forming#post-216 Tue, 22 Jun 2010 19:09:17 +0000 Mark Gallagher 216@http://www.dipsters.org/forum/ <p>sorry...USAL. Happy gaming, folks. </p> http://www.dipsters.org/forum/topic/dipsters-revisited#post-215 Tue, 22 Jun 2010 16:35:06 +0000 Alan Mennel 215@http://www.dipsters.org/forum/ <p>When I think of the many great games and the past camaraderie within this group, I have to say that Dipsters is a great group.</p> <p>Although most of our members are skilled in this game, virtually all of our members (whether skilled or not) are respectful of other members and just fun to play with.</p> <p>Still we do not seem to be as vibrant a group as we were. </p> <p>Is it the fault of switching to dipsters.org from YAHOO! Groups? I am not so sure. If you look at the number of messages on all the Diplomacy Groups on YAHOO Groups, you will see that the number of messages in every group is down dramatically from one and two years ago. In addition, the total number of games on all combined Ken Lowe judges has decreased as well.</p> <p>If you are looking for a reason why Dipsters is less vibrant than before, look at me. Unfortunately, the biggest negative about Dipsters is that it has and apparently still does rely upon me to move it along.</p> <p>Checking the hundreds of completed Dipsters games and Dipsters tournament games, you can see that I was the GM for probably 95% of all games:<br /> <a href="http://www.floc.net/observer.py?login=DipComplete&amp;password=&amp;other_public=&amp;page=login" rel="nofollow">http://www.floc.net/observer.py?login=DipComplete&amp;password=&amp;other_public=&amp;page=login</a></p> <p>That's a problem because I have not had a good year. My mother had to enter an assisted living facility in August; my sister-in-law, with whom I was very close, suddenly lost her battle with cancer in November; and I have seen my own health problems become considerably worse this year.</p> <p>The bottom line is that I have had neither the time nor the inclination to work on this group as I had in the past.</p> <p>Only a few members have tried to help us out. Only a few have created or offered to Gm new games. And the one person who had offered to run our variant tournament has basically disappeared now that it is time to get the tournament running (I am ill and don't have time to do it myself so this will probably be a tournament that will never start).</p> <p>I admit that there are problems with the dipsters.org site because I have not had the time to work on it, but it still has advantages over YAHOO! groups. YAHOO! Groups is not really conducive to setting up:</p> <ul> <li>showcase games</li> <li>tournament sites</li> <li>local F2F message boards</li> <li>game and tournament listings</li> <li>and more</li> </ul> <p>We can certainly go back to YAHOO! Groups for our message board but I think that would be a backwards step and not really the right step to take. But if the majority of members want to do it, we will.</p> <p>I have to tell you that I was thoroughly disheartened by the response from some members when we switched from YAHOO! Groups to the dipsters.org message board. I had hoped that everyone would work with me during the transition. Some members actually gave me ultimatums about the change. That really took the wind out of my sails after devoting so many years to dipsters.</p> <p>The bottom line is that I am not going to be around as I had been in the past to push this group. Just switching back to YAHOO! Groups is not going to be the answer. </p> <p>The bottom line is that all members need to finally step up and do what is necessary to keep this group going. Asking everyone to GM just one game a year is not too much to ask...yet hardly anyone is doing it. And that is sad.</p> <p>I also think that it is time to select a new moderator, the sooner the better.</p> <p>If I were to pick a successor, it would be someone who is devoted to this hobby but who does not have a personal agenda. </p> <p>A few names pop into my mind but I am sure that this is not the complete list. </p> <p>People like Russ Blau, Yves Grosdidier, Ben Harris, Eric Hunter, Adam Lang, Martin Moore, Ken Navarro, and Jonathan Powles would all do a great job as the new moderator for Dipsters.</p> <p>Although any of our JKs (Alan, Chris, Millis, Sam, Todd) would also be excellent, I think that it is very important that the Dipsters Group treats all judges equally. Having a JK as the Group's Moderator would make that goal almost impossible to attain.</p> <p>Anyway I would like to get your reaction to these issues.</p> <p>All the Best!</p> <p>Alan </p> http://www.dipsters.org/forum/topic/the-dawn-of-dipsters#post-214 Mon, 21 Jun 2010 11:53:03 +0000 Andre "Nick" Gumiero 214@http://www.dipsters.org/forum/ <p>It´s sad to see that there are only 3 dipsters games running right now, and one of them was abandoned by one player recently.<br /> There are a lot of forming games that can´t get players to start.<br /> The forum is almost silent.<br /> .<br /> Since I entered this group I´ve only played here and I love the concept of this group.<br /> How can we save dipsters from a slow death ?<br /> .<br /> My suggetion:<br /> - Return to yahoo groups! (at least the forum!)</p> <p>Let´s face it! Since the group moved to it´s own site, it´s declining!<br /> There is a lot of benefits from having a site, but, let´s face it, it didn´t work!<br /> I think that returning to yahoo groups may bring this groupt to life again. And I really hope it survives.</p> <p>Nick </p> http://www.dipsters.org/forum/topic/replacement-needed-for-abandoned-dipsters-game#post-213 Fri, 18 Jun 2010 11:51:25 +0000 Alan Mennel 213@http://www.dipsters.org/forum/ <p>Hi Everyone:</p> <p>The position is filled.</p> <p>Thanks for your help.</p> <p>Alan </p> http://www.dipsters.org/forum/topic/replacement-needed-for-abandoned-dipsters-game#post-212 Wed, 16 Jun 2010 14:44:40 +0000 Alan Mennel 212@http://www.dipsters.org/forum/ <p>I need a replacement Germany for the abandoned Dipsters game, Bendover on usal.<br /> It is a Partial Press 1898 variant standard (not gunboat) game:</p> <p><a href="http://www.floc.net/observer.py?judge=USAL&amp;game=bendover&amp;page=game" rel="nofollow">http://www.floc.net/observer.py?judge=USAL&amp;game=bendover&amp;page=game</a></p> <p><a href="mailto:usal@dip.game-host.org">usal@dip.game-host.org</a></p> <p>signon GBendover &lt;pw&gt; 1898<br /> signoff</p> <p>Thanks in advance for your help.</p> <p>Alan Mennel </p> http://www.dipsters.org/forum/topic/how-to-create-and-gm-dipsters-games#post-211 Sat, 05 Jun 2010 22:48:28 +0000 Chris Babcock 211@http://www.dipsters.org/forum/ <p>I really want to encourage GMs to use USAK.I know there's "How to GM" material out there still that tells people to contact Ken Lowe if the want to start a game, but that's not USAK. I will mentor, train, shadow... anything to get more GMs using the judge for their games as long as they fill and complete.</p> <p>The math is real simple. It costs just over $1000 a year to run the server. If there are 250 players, the average cost per user is $4 a year. If there were twice as many players the average cost per player would be half that. The only way to double the number of active players is to double the number of games.</p> <p>I run the USAK house games so that players can always find a forming game in the most popular configurations on USAK. That means USAK doesn't lose players because they can't find a game when they want to join one. Retaining players better and having a "go to" judge to find a forming game should make it easier for GMs to fill their games quickly. So the house games seed a positive spiral. It will work better for forming games once I have more game information on the listing page, but it's already been great for finding replacements. The average time to replace an opening in a novice game on USAK went from 10 days to 1 day when I placed the replacement positions on the USAK game list page. I think I can have a comparable improvement for forming games with the next improvement. </p> http://www.dipsters.org/forum/topic/pp-gunboat-game-forming#post-210 Sat, 05 Jun 2010 21:54:47 +0000 Chris Babcock 210@http://www.dipsters.org/forum/ <p>What judge? </p> http://www.dipsters.org/forum/topic/pp-gunboat-game-forming#post-209 Fri, 04 Jun 2010 00:04:25 +0000 Mark Gallagher 209@http://www.dipsters.org/forum/ <p>Please keep an eye out for and join Monaco. Yes, the first of a series of great auto race venues, and also my first game as GM (?!?) Hopefully it will be a great experience for all.</p> <p>M </p> http://www.dipsters.org/forum/topic/how-to-create-and-gm-dipsters-games#post-208 Wed, 02 Jun 2010 12:15:11 +0000 Alan Mennel 208@http://www.dipsters.org/forum/ <p>Hi Mark:</p> <p>It is very nice to contact the GMs prior to creating a game on their judges but I do not think that it is necessary. </p> <p>There are a number of JKs who run very reliable Ken Lowe judges and who are also members of Dipsters.</p> <p>USAL: Alan Lange<br /> USAK: Chris Babcock<br /> USAZ: Todd Lawson<br /> DEDO: Millis Miller</p> <p>Sam Tyler, who I believe subscribes to this list, currently runs USDP, which is probably the most popular judge but not a Ken Lowe type judge.</p> <p>There are also reliable Ken Lowe judges where the JKs are not members of the Dipsters Group:</p> <p>USOS: Nightshade (Dejan Milosavljevic)<br /> FROG: Philippe Lalande</p> <p>This is not a complete list by any means but it represents the judges I use most of the time.</p> <p>Best Regards,</p> <p>Alan Mennel </p> http://www.dipsters.org/forum/topic/how-to-create-and-gm-dipsters-games#post-207 Wed, 02 Jun 2010 12:02:09 +0000 Alan Lange 207@http://www.dipsters.org/forum/ <p>USDD judge has one game waiting to fill. If it hasn't filled by the time it has waited a year, it will be deleted, and the judge will be shut down. If it does fill, then the judge will be available until the game is complete (plus a little time for EOGs.</p> <p>USAL is open and available for new games: <a href="mailto:usal@dip.game-host.org">usal@dip.game-host.org</a></p> <p>Alan </p> http://www.dipsters.org/forum/topic/how-to-create-and-gm-dipsters-games#post-206 Wed, 02 Jun 2010 01:23:48 +0000 Mark Gallagher 206@http://www.dipsters.org/forum/ <p>Back from a series of vacations and looking to GM my first game EVER. Haven't seen much in the way of Judge selection. Seem to recall reading awhile back that it was polite to ask a judgemaster for permission prior to setting up a game on their judge. Is there a shortlist of Dipster friendly JMs? What's the story on that USDD judge?</p> <p>Perhaps I'm over analyzing the situation. However, I don't want be guilty of any GM faux pas. </p> <p>Thanks and sorry about the noob question.<br /> Mark </p> http://www.dipsters.org/forum/topic/announcement-7x7-gunboat-tourney#post-205 Mon, 17 May 2010 00:03:45 +0000 John Bush 205@http://www.dipsters.org/forum/ <p>Any news about the completed tourney? </p> http://www.dipsters.org/forum/topic/usak-down#post-204 Sun, 16 May 2010 20:59:12 +0000 Chris Babcock 204@http://www.dipsters.org/forum/ <p>There was an issue for about 7 hours - not a couple days. I got the error report through a mailing list, which took 4 hours longer to reach me than it would have taken to get a direct mail. </p> <p>The problem took 10 minutes to fix. </p> http://www.dipsters.org/forum/topic/usak-down#post-203 Thu, 06 May 2010 18:44:19 +0000 MartinMoore 203@http://www.dipsters.org/forum/ <p>Are there new problems with the judge? The openings list shows it as up, but I haven't been able to get any mail from it for a couple of days now.</p> <p>Thanks,<br /> Martin </p> http://www.dipsters.org/forum/topic/dipsters-spring-variant-tournament#post-202 Wed, 05 May 2010 16:13:04 +0000 Alan Mennel 202@http://www.dipsters.org/forum/ <p>Hi again, everyone!</p> <p>This is just a warning to those of you who want to play in this tournament but have not yet joined the queue.</p> <p>In the first 24 hours we had 50% of our quorum sign-up. </p> <p>If you do want to play in this interesting variant tournament, I suggest that you join the queue right away, before the registration suddenly closes.</p> <p><a href="http://www.dipsters.org/dvt.html" rel="nofollow">http://www.dipsters.org/dvt.html</a></p> <p>Hope to see you all in the tournament! Good luck!</p> <p>Alan Mennel </p> http://www.dipsters.org/forum/topic/dipsters-spring-variant-tournament#post-201 Tue, 04 May 2010 15:00:15 +0000 Alan Mennel 201@http://www.dipsters.org/forum/ <p>Now that it is May, it is time for the annual Dipsters' Group Variant Tournament.</p> <p>All tournament games are 24 hour no-press games with weekday<br /> (Monday through Thursday) deadlines. The tournament games start<br /> under a staggered schedule with the last game beginning<br /> approximately 12 weeks after the first game starts. </p> <p>This year we are playing a variant which we call 'Open Build'. </p> <p>There are two special settings for this tournament variant:</p> <p>1) Players may build in any owned (home or non-home) center during a build phase.</p> <p>This is an interesting setting because it allows strong governments in exile even after one's homeland is overrun.</p> <p>2) Players may disband any unit during a build phase (and thus gain the option to rebuild on a buildable center if desired). </p> <p>If interested, please join the queue right away:</p> <p><a href="http://www.dipsters.org/dvt.html" rel="nofollow">http://www.dipsters.org/dvt.html</a></p> <p>You may access the tournament rules through this page.</p> <p>Since we are starting this tournament a little late (as usual),<br /> please join right away as we may start as soon as we reach a quorum.</p> <p>To play in this tournament, you must<br /> - be a member of the Dipsters' Group, or<br /> - be a member of Diplomacy Direct, or<br /> - have an ontime record of 90% or better on the Ken Lowe judges with no willing abandonment. </p> <p>Best of Luck,</p> <p>Alan Mennel </p> http://www.dipsters.org/forum/topic/replacement-france-needed-newbie-game-usosalberta#post-200 Tue, 27 Apr 2010 01:43:00 +0000 Rian Mitra 200@http://www.dipsters.org/forum/ <p><a href="http://www.floc.net/observer.py?page=game&amp;judge=USOS&amp;game=alberta" rel="nofollow">http://www.floc.net/observer.py?page=game&amp;judge=USOS&amp;game=alberta</a></p> <p>Our France has gone abandoned, playable position.</p> <p>Appreciate the help<br /> Rian </p> http://www.dipsters.org/forum/topic/replacement-needed-for-newbie-game-india7-on-usaz#post-199 Fri, 16 Apr 2010 16:13:13 +0000 Russ Blau 199@http://www.dipsters.org/forum/ <p>A replacement player is needed for Italy in the game 'india7' on USAZ. This<br /> is a newbie queue game (Standard, full-press) that is now in F1911R. Italy<br /> has to retreat 1 of its 7 units. You can see the map and game history at<br /> <a href="http://www.floc.net/observer.py?judge=USAZ&amp;game=india7&amp;page=game" rel="nofollow">http://www.floc.net/observer.py?judge=USAZ&amp;game=india7&amp;page=game</a>.</p> <p>I suspect this game is near its end, but the position still has a bit of<br /> play in it. You do <em>not</em> need to be a newbie to take over this position.<br /> To join, send your SIGNON message to <a href="mailto:usaz.judge@cox.net">usaz.judge@cox.net</a>.</p> <p>Russ Blau (GM) </p> http://www.dipsters.org/forum/topic/usak-down#post-198 Fri, 09 Apr 2010 06:35:01 +0000 Chris Babcock 198@http://www.dipsters.org/forum/ <p>Or less... </p> <p>It's back up. </p> http://www.dipsters.org/forum/topic/usak-down#post-197 Tue, 06 Apr 2010 23:02:43 +0000 Chris Babcock 197@http://www.dipsters.org/forum/ <p>I had some issues with the domain registration. It'll be about a week before everything is back to normal. </p> http://www.dipsters.org/forum/topic/usak-down#post-196 Tue, 06 Apr 2010 09:07:22 +0000 John Bush 196@http://www.dipsters.org/forum/ <p>I *think* USAK seems to be having difficulty. I've had a few knockbacks when trying email orders and it seems that the website is down too. Could it be the domain asciiking.com?</p> <p>Chris - help!</p> <p>Cheers,</p> <p>John </p>