Obviously the premise of the variant - the rules not being revealed and needing to be discovered - makes it a one-shot, so it can't really be played again. But it was a blast to run and to watch the players explore!
Very excited to finally share this project! I made a Rule-Discovery Diplomacy variant, heavily inspired by puzzle/exploration games like Outer Wilds.
youtu.be/-MYyc3sicAo?...
Depressing read, but a really good article.
The former most popular website for playing Diplomacy had this exact same thing happen. The frontpage has been plastered with crypto/gambling ads since 2021.
A comic of two foxes, one of whom is blue, the other is green. In this one, Blue comes home carrying a massive box on top of his head. Blue: Check out this board game I got for us! Green: It's huge! Once the box is opened, Blue reads the rule book that was inside. Inspecting the game pieces, Green is halfway in the box himself. Blue: The rules are vast, but at least they're clearly written. Several hours later, the foxes sit next to the box, with a partially set tabletop game in front of them. Both of them look visibly exhausted. Blue is reading out loud from the rule book, while Green is laying on his back on the floor. Blue: ...And in the 28th step of the reconstruction phase, you recalculate the storage capacity... Blue looks up from the book, and Green tilts his head slightly to look at him. Blue: I think I need an eight hour nap. Green: It's 9 pm.
I hadn't heard of it, but it looks like it'll be a great time. Thank you for the rec, it's going on our list!
100% ! I play detective games with a group of friends, partially for fun and partially so we can bounce ideas off one another. Contradiction in particular was just so much fun, it was the favourite of most of the group that year.
Jenks is such an icon.
From the comments it sounds like you've already played everything I'd recommend, but I wanted to say I loved Contradiction and this is the first time I've ever seen anyone mention it!
I finally have an excuse to link this: youtu.be/yHMRn3XhJ68?...
🚨NEW DOC ALERT🕹️
The Making of Disco Elysium - Part One: Foundations
www.youtube.com/watch?v=eH6m...
After over 18 months of research, interviews & editing our Disco Elysium series is here.
In this first episode we focus on the cultural and personal foundations of the world of Elysium.
The allegiance flipping leads to so many great moments, I absolutely adore that game
Oh geez I forgot Arcs
Real answers off the top of my head
Ticket to Ride: Europe
Diplomacy
Root
Escape the Curse of the Temple (such a fantastic ridiculous game)
Azul
Pax Pamir
Millennium Blades (also completely ridiculous)
Hive
Blood on the Clocktower
Wingspan
diplomacy
I went to meet the 'Rockstar 31', the developers who were suddenly fired from their work on GTA 6 for what the studio has described as gross misconduct.
That's not what the workers call it though. They have another couple of words they prefer to use: union busting.
www.youtube.com/watch?v=c9nO...
No takers for my Reverse Mrs Doubtfire screenplay in which an elderly Scottish woman pretends to be fast-talking improvisational stand-up Robin Williams.
A black background decorated with gold illustrations of branches, stars, swords, ravens, and tiny ghost shapes. In the centre, bold text reads: “BIRDS BUT THEY GET SPOOKIER EACH TIME.” Two ravens perch on bare branches at the bottom, with candles glowing beside them.
Birds but they get spookier each time. 🎃👻
Enter if you dare...🚪
www.youtube.com/watch?v=HUMq...
www.youtube.com/watch?v=HUMq...
Imperial Diplomacy board at Carnage Con
Imperial Diplomacy is at Carnage!
It's the first time this giant 25-player variant has been played in person over a board. And when I say giant I mean it - it's 9 meters lengthways!
Very sad I couldn't be there but I'll be following the commentary - will link that when it's up
October 2025 Deadline News from DBN has debuted, with a panel discussion on scoring systems, an interview with back-to-back UK Champ Dan Lester, and headlines from around the world of Diplomacy.
youtu.be/7-KzqHy3RYM?...
Excited to share that my first published game design has been officially announced!!
Diplomacy: The Golden Blade card game is a new twist on the classic. Plays 2-7 and ~15 minutes per player but keeps a lot of the backstabbing fun!!
renegadegamestudios.com/diplomacy-th...
#LEGO #Diplomacy board. Over 21,000 pieces. So large it's split into six sections underneath the map.
I'm not sure if this was the worst first turn anyone has ever had but it's got to be close
I may be slightly addicted to megagames at the moment. Den of Wolves was incredible
To the 20 other people who stuck with Genius Game UK through episode 7, I made an Extreme Ways edit for the reveal of Ken's move since there was finally a moment deserving of the song
So incredibly happy that #GeniusGameUK is airing - it might be too niche to be a hit here but man it's exactly my kind of show. And they seem to be sticking pretty close to the Korean version!
My early winner pick is Amanfi, feels like he's doing a great job on the social side.
I'm really enjoying the Yogscast delving into the world of negotiation games with BOTC then this!
Two rooms and a boom is fantastic, I'm very hyped.
A promotional still of David Suchet as Agatha Christie's Poirot, with (I think) an anti-aircraft gun peeking over his shoulder.
My favourite episode is the one where Poirot gets a shoulder-mounted cannon.
Damn, think of how many tiktoks we could split that into
I'm over the moon with how much enthusiasm there's been for the variant design contest; I think it's really acted like a game jam or Nanowrimo in encouraging people to bring their ideas to life.
Creating a video that'll do 40+ variants justice is going to be one heck of an undertaking though.
Shoutouts to @diplostrats.bsky.social, so happy to commentate with them (and have them record the footage after I overslept lol)
youtu.be/C28DEVBXBZE?...
