World DipCon

[Blackfish]

Well, the 23rd World Diplomacy Championship is coming up, starting on Friday 23rd August and will take place in the quaint little village of Paris, France.

So, does anyone here attend World DipCon?

According to this list, it jumps around the world without any discernible pattern, save for having Great Britain and United States as the top hosts of the tournament.
The last time it was in Australia was 2011. I wasn't deep into the diplomacy scene so I had no idea that the tournament even existed, let alone that it was in Sydney.
Did anyone go to 2011? Considering how far Australia is from the US and UK, I wouldn't be surprised if no one did.
2012 World Dipcon was in Chicago, so people from playdip.com would be more likely to have gone. Did anyone go then?

Next time it is in Australia, I intend on going. Anyone else planning to go or has gone to World DipCon?

[Niakan]

They've generally tried to alternate between North America and Europe each year, while allowing Australia to host once in a while as the activity of the hobbies there rose, and to make World DipCon more accessible for players in other parts of the world. One person I know went to Worlds (as far as I know) in 2011. I went to the 2012 Convention in Chicago. Alan Calhamer visited us there; it was a real treat to be able to meet him in person. Am glad to have done so before he passed.

I had hoped that I would be able to make the trip to Paris this summer, but it's not in the cards. Generally speaking, these conventions have the reputation of all being memorable, and is well worth the trip. Expect an extraordinarily high level of play, and plenty of international players. Each hosting hobby determines their own scoring system for that event, and so you get to see the differences in the values or attitudes held by players from different parts of the world towards certain aspects of the game.

If you haven't yet, check out diplomacycast.com, a podcast site ran by two American players. In one of their episodes from last year they talk about Chicago's World DipCon. You may find it interesting.


It may not come to Australia for some time.. rumor is that 2011's showing was small, which will likely make its bids for hosting in the near future less attractive.

[Fatmo]

According to this list

I just noticed something funny on that list, and I hope it's what I think it is.

That article lists everywhere that lots of major annual Diplomacy events took place. For the North American DipCon in 2005, it lists the host city as "At Sea" and the host countries as USA, Mexico, and Belize.

Was the North American DipCon for that year on a cruise ship or something? I'm just imagining all the die-hard American Diplomacy players chilling out on the deck, grooving to the smooth jazz of the ship's band, and getting into food fights at the all-you-can-eat buffet to vent their frustrations at the day's actions.

I'd also guess that there was at least one threat of keelhauling the guy who's about to solo or of sending the guy who stabbed you to the bottom of Davy Jones locker with some fashionable lead boots.

[Blackfish]

Yeah, I saw that in the list and even googled "North American Dipcon 2005" and "Dipcon 2005" but I still don't know what happened that year!

I assume that after a brutal stab, players must have been thrown overboard or tied to the ship's mast and left there for days.

[petermcnamara]

Yes the 2005 DipCon was held on a cruise ship. This was a dumb idea and few people showed up (15 to be precise, number obtained from the world diplomacy database), presumably cost and an inconvenient location drove most people away.

Anyway about the original post concerning World Dipcon, I'm going (from Sydney).

Information is at http://www.worlddipcon.com/en/world-dip ... p-2013.php which includes details such as reduced price or even free accommodation depending on your continent of origin. There's also some facebook banter chiefly run by Toby Harris (who you just have to meet) over at https://www.facebook.com/groups/471071716271852/ (I apologise but you'll have to log in to see this, if I had my way we'd be off at a more open platform)