The Game Diplomacy Online - Essay Example

Diplomacy online Diplomacy online can be described as a web based implementation that is multiplayer and is based on a strategy game by diplomacy by Avalon Hill. The aim of the game is to try and conquer Europe, and in order for one to win one should be strategic as well as diplomatic. This can be done by one making deals as well as alliances with other players. Sometimes one has to stab another in the back when it suits them in order for them to advance and gain more power. My team consisted of five students and I was appointed as the group leader. In the game we decided to play as the British Empire and we decided to create a strategy where we would mostly create alliances with other countries and when it suited us to stab them in the back. It is imperative to understand that despite this being our first game we were able to better understand the different dynamics that came with it and the different perspectives that we could see the game through in order to better understand it. How I learned how to play the game of diplomacy The internet has changed a lot and over the years it has been able to provide the masses with a lot of information regarding various subjects. For this reason, some of my group mates suggested that it was best first to look into the internet for clues on how to play the games. Therefore, we conducted different researches in the internet on how to play the game. As a group, we were able to gain enough information regarding how to play the game especially from the site itself. However, there were a few challenges regarding how to create alliance with new teams. This was because this was not easily identified in the game menu and consequently it became hard for us to better understand the game. Secondly, we visited youtube videos in a bid to understand how the game was played. Using the youtube videos were able to gain a deeper understanding of how the game was played and how to play to win. The videos came in handy as we were able to better understand the rules of the game, the do’s and don’ts and what constituted a well organized game. Lastly, in order to better uplift our game, we shared information amongst ourselves on what we had learnt and what would constitute a better game. Interestingly, there were several persons in the group who had a lot of insight on how to effectively play the game in order to increase the alliances and decrease enmity. This was a key factor that we put in when we started to play the game and in fact, it can be said that this helped a lot as it enabled us to better our understanding of the game and know exactly what we wanted and how we could be able to achieve with ease. The game was very interesting and it enabled us to better our understanding of diplomacy and how it should be handled. How your team came up with strategies to play the game After sitting down as a group and discussing it, we saw that the best strategy would be coming up with different strategies to play the game. The first strategy that we agreed on as a team was to create alliances with other teams. The alliances would enable us to better protect the empire and also the relations with the allies would automatically help the empire expand. With enemies, it would have been very difficult for the empire to expand as required; this is because there would be unnecessary friction with the neighboring empires. However, with accurate diplomacy, it would mean that different empires will agree to enable trade and therefore, create very positive relations that will help in expansion. However, we also agreed that when it was imperative to drop an empire as ally it would be done in a fast manner in order to ensure that the empire does not get information about the news and compromise our ability of surprise which in turn means unpredictability in the territory. However, it is imperative to understand that this was not the main strategy that we started with as the main strategy that the game was started with included making alliances with other empires. This was the main way in which we thought that our empire would be able to go through in order to succeed. How the strategies changed as the game progressed As we continued to play the game, our strategies started to change; this is because we started to get experience about how to play the game. Initially, all we had was the way people had played the game and how they had been able to advance through the stages. However, after playing, we realized that each and every game was unique and consequently, one could not be able to juxtapose other different solutions to this particular game. For this reason, we had to come up with different strategies on how to effectively manage the game and defeat our opponents. We realized that there were at times where alliances were not necessary and in fact there was a need to create enmity. Further, there were at times where there was no option but to surrender and give in for co-operation. This was especially when it comes to situations where the opponent empire is stronger, in order for one not be annihilated, there is a need to create an alliance. Further, there were times when backbiting was appropriate, especially for empires that were equal to ours. These appropriate times had to have perfect timing and ensure that that the repercussions that came from the backlash were small or nonexistent. This in turn made sure that the empire was on the right path towards success. Therefore, as we progressed there was a need for us to effectively revise our strategies in order to fit the dynamic game. Importance of alliances and negotiation with other teams in the game Without alliances and negotiations one cannot survive in the game. This shows that indeed negotiations are very important and that it helps in gathering information about the other team and coming to a compromise regarding an important issue. The negotiations with other teams helped use to reach what can be described as a common agreement. It therefore, helped us to deal with one situation and finish it and see it to conclusion and therefore, free us to deal with other pressing matters regarding the empire. The alliances were important as they enabled us to get a better understanding of the landscape by having alliances with different empires in different region. Further, they also gave us power because we understood that having different powerful alliances was an asset as they could offer protection as well as other important amenities that we would not offer on our own. Further, the alliances were important as they helped us expand our territories, there were at times we made pacts with different empires in order to expand our territories in certain areas. For this reason, it can be seen that indeed negotiation and creating alliances was an important aspect when it came to the playing of the game. In conclusion, the game was highly educative in terms of giving one negotiating skills and diplomacy techniques. The art of making alliances was especially important as it also helps in the day to day life be it in social gatherings on in business. Works Cited http://www.playdiplomacy.com Read More