Secret Alliances: game idea discussion.

[Fantomen]

I have an idea for a game I´d like to organize.

It would be a kind of team game, but you have one official partner and one secret.

You can win with one or the other, but in order to win with your secret ally you have to go puplic at some point and break your official alliance. Broken alliances cannot be mended.

I´m thinking both alliances should be randomly assigned. Perhaps nations too? Obviously we would need a volonteer which isn´t playing to to the randomizing and keep a list of the secret allies for cheat prevention. I´d take the role of ingame admin. If there is enough interest for two games then this service could be traded between the two admins.

I´m thinking a medium size nervously intense game, 10 players or so. Less than usual provinces per player, like 10-13 or such. Quite strict about delays. Roleplay heavily encouraged.

Can you trust your partner? who is his secret ally? What schemes are planned behind your back? You and your secret ally have a foolproof plan, but will he keep his word or let you down in the last minute?

Normal Machiavellian diplomacy as well, no metagame whining (wtf he broke our nap3! blah blah...you know the kind)

Who wants in? Age? Map? Changes to the rules and other things?

[PsiSoldier]

You could take the whole secrecy theme to the extreme and keep it secret who is playing what nations. or at least try to.. Its probably not entirely possible to keep everyone from figuring out who is playing what nation but there have been other games of that nature from what I understand.

[GrudgeBringer]

I like the idea, my question is when would you 'have' to make your secret alliance known and chose your true affiliation known.

I can see a scenario where I could wait until we where the last Three and then make it known (if you where skillful enough in diplomacy).

Also it would have to take into account where allies where placed on the map.

If they where too far apart it may not make any sense to even worry about one of them.

If they where together it wouldn't take long before some sort of 'order' was figured out.

ALSO, when pairing you would have to take nations into account..you wouldn't want 2 otf the strongest nations together and the 3rd Strongest nation his other ally.

I would imagine there ara a LOT of things that would have to be ironed out but I think it could be done.

I might suggest that you look at the Darheaven map it has 24 starting locations and its not only a good map but is easy on the eyes.

I would vote for Early Era.

Just an opinion

[Fantomen]

Originally Posted by PsiSoldier

You could take the whole secrecy theme to the extreme and keep it secret who is playing what nations. or at least try to.. Its probably not entirely possible to keep everyone from figuring out who is playing what nation but there have been other games of that nature from what I understand.

Sure, but it would be another type of game. The point of this isn´t to make a RAND kind of game.

What I´m after is a team game with the added element that you need to mistrust your partner and make secret plans in case you´re backstabbed, and the option to backstab yourself.

[Fantomen]

Originally Posted by GrudgeBringer

I like the idea, my question is when would you 'have' to make your secret alliance known and chose your true affiliation known.

Well I´d like to keep it as simple as possible. I´m thinking the only occasion where you really "have" to go public is when/if you are scoring your allied victory. But there would be many situations when you might do it for in game or roleplaying reasons. And you´d be free to post your suspicions of who´s allied to who. Or if you think you know use it to blackmail someone. Few rules, lots of options.

I can see a scenario where I could wait until we where the last Three and then make it known (if you where skillful enough in diplomacy).

That would indeed be a great feat to aquire. Perfectly in line with the feel I´d like the game to have.

Also it would have to take into account where allies where placed on the map.

If they where too far apart it may not make any sense to even worry about one of them.

If they where together it wouldn't take long before some sort of 'order' was figured out.

ALSO, when pairing you would have to take nations into account..you wouldn't want 2 otf the strongest nations together and the 3rd Strongest nation his other ally.

That´s worth chewing on for a while. You *could* just leave it to chance and ditch the balance. I mean just to get going before hell freezes and pigs fly.

Or set it up with balanced teams, start locations and secret allys. And then assign the players randomly. Might be better but that would require some assistance and map modding skills.

I would imagine there ara a LOT of things that would have to be ironed out but I think it could be done.

I might suggest that you look at the Darheaven map it has 24 starting locations and its not only a good map but is easy on the eyes.

I would vote for Early Era.

Just an opinion

I´ll check that map out. Myself I was thinking late era actually but any would do.

[Torin]

I would like to play but neing the judge... who wold like that?

[Omnirizon]

the secret alliances sounds like that one game on stardock... what's it called? Massive Assault?

[Fantomen]

Originally Posted by Torin

I would like to play but neing the judge... who wold like that?

All we would need is someone willing to randomize the teams for us.

[GrudgeBringer]

Cleveland is the MAN when you need something like that done...

And usually willing to help!!!

[Fantomen]

Thanks for the tip, I might ask him later on then. Lots of helpful people on this forum I´ve noticed.