Diplomats

[Irgy]

I'm starting this thread to discuss who our diplomats are going to be.

One thing we need to sort out is how many diplomats we plan to have. I'm assuming below that we want to have a separate diplomat for each other team (with potentially some people doubled-up), but it might be better to have one single person in charge of all diplomacy (while for instance other people worry about micro, military plans, research strategy etc.), or have one person globally in charge with some designated helpers, have no-one in charge and do everything collaboratively, or any number of other ideas. Feel encouraged to express your opinion on that here.

My personal opinion is that it is important to have a single point of responsibility for diplomacy with each team (even if it's the same person for different teams). I also think it's too much work for one person to look after all of it. This is why I think one per team is ideal.

Currently, I consider myself to be filling in (squatting as it were). On the whole, so far the following people are potential diplomats:
* Irgy (currently squatting the position with AMAZON)
* GoSkins (although claims to be more of a warmonger)
* T. Claudius (happy to role-play, unable to start immediately but will be free by the end of the month)
* DaveShack (didn't volunteer but in a backwards and indirect way kind of implied that he might have considered it if AMAZON weren't such a role-play team)
* Lord Parkin (hasn't volunteered to be a diplomat directly but did volunteer to write something which is the next best thing).

Sorry if I left anyone off, but anyone is free to volunteer here. The main requirement is time and enthusiasm, everything else the team can help with. The key responsibility is really just to keep on top of what's going on, and make sure things keep happening when they need to be.

We should also consider who we'd each likely work best with. Personally I expect I'll work best if I'm able to be frank and direct. I can participate in roleplaying-style text but I'm not great at it. I don't really know anyone on any of the other teams, but I am currently developing something of a good working relationship with a member of the CDZ team in the "MTDG Warmup" pitboss game.

 

[DaveShack]

My availability tends to be irregular due to work and family. I'm willing to have a designated non-roleplay role but there has to be a backup for the occasional times I just drop out completely.

 

[Trystero]

My schedule can be like DaveShack's, for similar reasons (although it has been OK for this game so far). I should be able to fill-in for Dave during his absences.

 

[T. Claudius]

I'm quite willing to serve as a diplomat, although it probably would be a good idea for me to partner up with somebody, in part because I'm still not very good at the game, and in part because although I should almost always be available daily, I can usually only check the forums once a day.

 

[Lord Parkin]

I'm usually available, although last week I got a bad cold while simultaneously getting a large workload, which didn't work out too well. Hopefully I'll be around more in the future.

 

[Irgy]

So, we will apparently be contacted by Quatronia in about 9 or 10 turns (see the latest AMAZON diplomatic message). I expect we will also be encountering another civ (at about the same time as AMAZON do), via our own exploring workboat heading around to the east. So fairly soon we will need more volunteers for diplomats.

There's a common theme so far to the vounteers which is that they all want to have something of a backup. I'm quite happy to be that backup, I just don't have time to both a backup for everyone and in charge of one of the embassies.

 

[grant2004]

I'd be interested in volunteering as a diplomat for the team we'll meet in the east. However I will be moving in early July, and am not sure what impact that will have on my activity. If someone else wants the position they should take it, I'll fill in if it's needed.

 

[Irgy]

Well, we've met the team in the east, and they're Merlot. They're looking like a team we're unlikely to form a strong alliance with but also unlikely to come into direct conflict with. Grant2004 is the most specific volunteer for this team:

I'd be interested in volunteering as a diplomat for the team we'll meet in the east.

So I'd say if nothing else it's his by default until someone else speaks up. If anyone else does particularly wants to be involved with Merlot then say so.

Someone should at least write a greeting to them fairly soon.

 

[Irgy]

So, do we have any takers for the CDZ diplomat?

Trystero has volunteered to do them as well, but he is already doing Quatronia (and looking after the test game and playing a lot of the turns and figuring out most of the micro).

 

[pindicator]

I'm willing to take the role, but i fear i may not be able to be on top of things quite like you and trystero have been. Some days I'm not able to get to my PC after work.

 

[Irgy]

I'm willing to take the role, but i fear i may not be able to be on top of things quite like you and trystero have been. Some days I'm not able to get to my PC after work.

The only requirement is that you're able to let people know in advance of any times you're not going to be around for significantly more than about 24hrs. I'm not entirely sure whether you fit that or not from the quote above.

The response time is not that critical given how slow they are to respond themselves. Also, you can leave Trystero, who seems to be around a lot, as both the backup in general, and the default respondant for urgent things, while still at least taking a bit of the workload off his shoulders.

 

[pindicator]

I can notify the team for planned absence. I'll just make it a rule to check Diplomacy before I can play my pitboss turns for the intra-team game. Besides, it appears CDZ isn't exactly on the ball when it comes to response time as well, so maybe I'm the perfect fit

 

[Trystero]

pindicator: I'd be happy for the help. Thanks for the offer. I'm not sure how much diplomacy we will have with CDZ, so it shouldn't be too much work. I can always serve as your back-up as well. Just PM me if you have questions.