I only replied to Mike, but essentially I'm with Fletcher.

Warren

Date: Tue, 27 Nov 2007 13:05:23 -0800
From: tfletch33(at)yahoo.com
Subject: Re: FOG info
To: mike(at)southwall.com; variants(at)diplomaticcorp.com; caleb.edwards(at)utoronto.ca; clockheardt(at)yahoo.com; dc122(at)diplomaticcorp.com; derekthefeared2(at)yahoo.com; diplomaticcorp(at)yahoogroups.com; isaac.zinner(at)gmail.com; jorgesaralegui(at)verizon.net; leewarrentaylor(at)yahoo.co.uk; mgdip(at)yahoo.com; mrh(at)panix.com; rolfloschek(at)yahoo.de; stevelytton(at)hotmail.com; afretired(at)charter.net; dc118(at)diplomaticcorp.com; eric.grinnell(at)yahoo.com; felixkamchung(at)mac.com; former.trout(at)gmail.com; Garry.Bledsoe(at)alltel.com; kielmarch(at)hotmail.com; catsfather(at)gmail.com; m_don_j(at)hotmail.com; rjroddayjr(at)yahoo.com; alwayshunted(at)hotmail.com

.ExternalClass DIV {;} Well..first of all, I'm a fan. Its add a very challenging wrinkle to hide the map. I like the idea that you don't know who is who, until you meet them...but can also see you point.

How about THIS for a mechanism. You have to go out and meet you neighbors (sure, some chance involved here--like Age of Empires). Only when you are Adjacent to their unit to you or them have the OPTION of exchanging email address. Then, once your neighbor knows who you are...he/she is free to pass on that info.

I really think this will work. You can horde up all your intel..or chose to barter it out for more intell like people do with maps now. There could even be quite a lot of creative misdirection....

You could call it Fog of War: Caveman Era. Only communications with those you meet....

Fletcher


----- Original Message ----
From: Michael Sims <mike(at)southwall.com>
To: variants(at)diplomaticcorp.com; caleb.edwards(at)utoronto.ca; Christopher Lockheardt <clockheardt(at)yahoo.com>; dc122(at)diplomaticcorp.com; Derek eyler <derekthefeared2(at)yahoo.com>; diplomaticcorp(at)yahoogroups.com; Isaac Zinner <isaac.zinner(at)gmail.com>; Jorge Saralegui <jorgesaralegui(at)verizon.net>; leewarrentaylor(at)yahoo.co.uk; mgdip(at)yahoo.com; mrh(at)panix.com; Rolf Loschek <rolfloschek(at)yahoo.de>; stevelytton(at)hotmail.com; Trent Woodruff <afretired(at)charter.net>; dc118(at)diplomaticcorp.com; eric.grinnell(at)yahoo.com; Felix Kam Chung <felixkamchung(at)mac.com>; former.trout(at)gmail.com; Garry.Bledsoe(at)alltel.com; kielmarch(at)hotmail.com; catsfather(at)gmail.com; m_don_j(at)hotmail.com; rjroddayjr(at)yahoo.com; tfletch33(at)yahoo.com; alwayshunted(at)hotmail.com
Sent: Tuesday, November 27, 2007 11:57:08 AM
Subject: FOG info

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So what do ppl think. Thus far w the FOW3’s my first impression is to try FOW4 starting gunboat and only negotiate w who you discover. But some have mentioned an aversion to such…

The concept of gunboat diplomacy is you can see all the units but you can’t diplome. In fog, you can’t see your enemies, but you can diplome. So to deprive one of both vision and diplomacy… well what have you got left but some random chance orders? It’s not Diplomacy at that point.

I think I’m leaning back toward having fow4 when it launches, be open diplomacy… Otherwise what’s the point of an 18-player game, if you can only ever negotiate w your 3 or 4 adjacent neighbors that you meet? There has to be some mechanism to encounter other players, so that you can negotiate w ppl a few nations away… For example we all know that although E/T are rarely adjacent, they always have plenty to discuss in the standard game.

-mike