Negotiation Guidelines.doc (24 KB) (Log in or Register to download.)
My answer to the "ruining friendships for fifty years" motto. This document is a set of rules or guidelines for negotiation that can be given to new players who may not otherwise understand the emotional dimensions of the game. I use it in my classroom when I teach the game to generate discussion over each of the items so that players understand how to play without taking things personally.
Nice idea - thanks for this. But surely an important point to be upfront about is that while you need to co-operate and show yourself to be trustworthy to get ahead, you *will* have to stab someone in the back to be the (sole) winner.
While your guidelines are a good start I think something more practical might need to be given. There are some very good examples in the "advice to new players" section of the advanced Civilization game.
#1 A good rule of thumb is never make an open ended treaty or contract, always put a time limit or clause of some kind on it (as in "in 3 turns we will revisit this agreement").
#2 If you find yourself in an situation where you have to break a treaty and it will not win the game for you OR it will not keep you from being eliminated from the game YOU MADE A BAD TREATY!!!(see #1)
While Civ is a completely different game than diplomacy These concepts have much merit in any game with negotiation. If you want to have a good reputation never stab someone in the back for a short term gain. If you have to back stab make sure it's a solid move, The kind of move anyone (including the person just stabbed) would say "yea, If I were you I'd have to be a fool not to make that move."
While your guidelines are a good start I think something more practical might need to be given. There are some very good examples in the "advice to new players" section of the advanced Civilization game.
#1 A good rule of thumb is never make an open ended treaty or contract, always put a time limit or clause of some kind on it (as in "in 3 turns we will revisit this agreement").
#2 If you find yourself in an situation where you have to break a treaty and it will not win the game for you OR it will not keep you from being eliminated from the game YOU MADE A BAD TREATY!!!(see #1)
While Civ is a completely different game than diplomacy These concepts have much merit in any game with negotiation. If you want to have a good reputation never stab someone in the back for a short term gain. If you have to back stab make sure it's a solid move, The kind of move anyone (including the person just stabbed) would say "yea, If I were you I'd have to be a fool not to make that move."
Just my 2 cents
I hear you, but that is completely contrary to my purpose.
Some background: I am a public school teacher who designed these guidelines originally to be used in my classroom while introducing the game. Thus, they are more a set of clear behavior expectations--something that all (good) teachers constantly need to provide, especially when an experience or activity breaks standard social norms in the way that Diplomacy does.
Your suggestions would fall under a different category: one of advice on how to negotiate effectively. That is something I wanted my kids to learn themselves, and indeed the #1 and #2 you list are some of the very things they report they've learned by the end of the experience.
