Fake (black) Press Poll

[Lola]

Just curious on people's thoughts on games with fake press. (those familiar and unfamiliar with it alike).

"The player can choose to impersonate another player and to have the message claim to be to a different set of recipients than those to whom it is actually sent."

For example, I am playing Turkey in a fake press game. I can send press to Russia which will appear (to the Russian) as having originated from Austria:

"You worthless czarist mother-boinker. I wish only to see your livestock raped and your women pillaged before I die!"

Or, if I want to actually accomplish something (besides making Russia mad/laugh), I can send press to the Russian, which appears to be from Germany, offering Russia assistance against England in the north, thus, perhaps, influencing Russia to open A MOS-STP instead of A MOS-SEV.

You can never trust any press you receive completely - you never know who it's REALLY from, and that is part of the fun.

The problem is, this variant requires a *very high* level of commitment from the players. If the idea of writing press several (or several dozen) times every turn doesn't appeal to you, then black press isn't for you.

Also, for obvious reasons, IRC communication is not allowed - only press through the judge.

So the question is, how many people feel like they have the time/energy/creativity required for this sort of thing?

[Vidmer]

Emphatic yes from me

[Argonah]

I'd be interested, but I'd like to get in a couple normal games first to get a little experience under my belt...

[Kattoo Tacit]

In this version.... You can say whatever you want in the press as long as all comunication is in press?

[Lola]

In this version.... You can say whatever you want in the press as long as all comunication is in press?

Yes.

[Talas]

I think this communication type is awful and will severely impact the game! Thumbs down from me!!

PS: By the way, this is not Talas, this is Vidle. You should heed my warnings!
PPS: No, this is really Vader posting as Vidle posting as Talas.

PPPS: Sounds cool! :p

[Aalenu]

I love black press games, but before we start one, we need to be very sure people are willing to do the work.

There can't be any communication outside of press. No IRC, no IM, no anything.

I've played a few black press games, and it requires a lot of work. You need to start right from the begining to set up your communications. It's very hard to just jump in in '03 and try to fake being someone else. By then the country your sending to will have already been talking with other people and will likely notice the change, and discard your message.

I played in 3 black press games. One was a joke, I think myself and one other person made any effort, it was clear by '02 who was who. Another was so-so, several people made an effort, but it only lasted for a few years, then people quit working at it, and it went back to a normal game basically.

The other game I played was awesome. I got 10-20 presses a turn. I was England, and would routinely get 4-5 messages from both Germany and France every turn. This started from the very begining, before the first move. The game ended in a draw, and right up to the end it was a guessing game in terms of press.

Black press is a blast, if people play it that way. I'm all for it, but I don't want to start and then have people drop out, stop working in a year or two (or when things start to go bad for them).

Aal