Ok, so on to the rules.

There are very few. Basically it is important to maintain a level of civility when talking to your fellow players. Understand that it is part of the game to betray you, they are not doing it out of malice, they are doing it because it's what the game is about. Sending an abusive message to someone is not necessary, not reasonable, and not acceptable. Also, if Licurg threatens to "Fuck you up if you're lying to me", remember that he always says that stuff, he doesn't mean it.

On that note, don't take any bitterness away with you from the game, it's a closed game, and once we're done we're all friends again. As I said, it's part of the game to be nasty, after the game wipe that slate clean.

There's only really one other rule, and this is more of a request. Please keep in the "Spirit" of the game. You see, once the codes are out there, I can't actually stop you from doing whatever you want to. However keep in mind that I have 2 weapons at my disposal if I find that you're doing something that isn't part of actually playing, it's simply abusing my generousity, I will use them.

An example. In the first game, only 1 copy of every fragment was released, so one player sat on his fragment, never revealing it to anyone. He then acquired the other three. However he didn't really want the game, just considered it his property then, and decided to do a giveaway of the code on the forum. I was not pleased about this. The code was there to play with not to just be your property by default. If everyone had taken this approach the game would have been a wipeout. As a result I revealed his fragment on the forum, another player then redeemed the game. I know all the codes, and I want you to play the game!

Equally so, I object to trading other "out of band" games for fragments or complete codes. This is for two reason, both equally important:
1) it means that a richer player can skew the balance in their favour, which is against the all equal philosophy of the game.
2) It means that you may get scammed out of valuable property in the game. The fragments are transient things that we are there to play for, but if you get scammed of a $10 game through participating in my giveaway, there may well be official protests and my giveaway suddenly becomes a real focus of nasty attention.

There was one instance of this that I know of in a previous game, and I think one guy offered a complete set he'd acquired up for trade for a different game. In the latter case I just published his code, in the former I think the person got lucky and did get a fair trade. However I ask that you do not attempt this as a practice.

I think that sums up the rules. As I said, the main ones are just basic principles. Be nice (even when being nasty), and treat a giveaway that someone has heavily invested in with a bit of respect.

So... in short we can be as bastardly dastardly as we want - though the setup is likely to have a backfire effect on such players and may well reap greater benefits through conferral / collaboration unless you're really damned sneaky.

i bet on sachys to be the first one flinging poo :P

Yes, It's all about finding the balance, such that at the very end, everyone hates you. However by then you've won all the games.

Heheh!
Knowing my luck I'll end up with no games and 31 other people covered in chimp poo waving pitchforks!

thats exactly the way i pictured it when you signed up :P

Wait... so abusive messages are out? This is startings to sound more like a "semi-nasty" giveaway.

Anyone wanting to join with me on skype or irc (same server as the gog channel is on) tommorow and team up, pm me.

and afterwards we have cookies and tea and say sorry to eachother.

Finally, some strategy ideas:

These are just some suggestions that I've noticed from other games, you're free to find your own strategy.

Have a game plan

It's a good idea to have a game plan. Decide the games you're after, and trade actively for then, however if you're too obvious about this, those with the same game plan may withhold fragments they otherwise might have traded. This is where a bit of politicking comes in, perhaps chat and declare your interests otherwise to your real intentions. It can be worth trading for a code that you know if valuable to someone, and also identifies you as after something you're not. You can trade that code on more than once, and also get the other player at ease to share their useful code with you.

Keep notes

It's worth keeping some notes. What games other players are after, who has certain codes, who has lied to you. There are many other things you might want to note, but I've observed that the note takers tend to be the more successful. If it were me playing I'd have some big fuck off spreadsheets in play, but then that's pretty much me all over.

Get a good start

The early game is important. This is where you get the codes that are still not regularly in play. There comes a point where a code is "saturated" and everyone knows it, so no-one will trade for it. Early on you should try to get a really good run on the game. It's why in my opinion people don't take enough risk with their fragments for games they actually want. It may become a saturated code before long. You might also be willing to burn a few bridges early to get that quick run into a game.

Be nasty at some point

There is no nice person prize. At some point you have to make a call to lie to someone to get that code you need. Generally it's the guy / girl that is sitting on a fragment and will not budge.

Misinform

There are many ways that misinformation could be spread in this game. Suggesting that people have been cheating you - sewing doubt into everyone's minds about a competitor could help to stunt a trade and help get you there first. Could backfire though.

Equally so, if you really want a game, you could tell people it's been redeemed and is in the 20 minute window. People may not believe you, but then if you've just been screwed over for said game you would also want to inform people, as your screwer is currently cashing in on a wealth of apparently valid tickets.


So there you go, a few ideas on how you might take the upper hand in this game. The real strategies are up to you guys.

or any plan you have turns out it doesn't work at all, and you end up with a game that wouldnt have been your first choice and you get your second choice basically thrown in your lap. :p

anything can just happen really.

I love your summary on how to properly end the game :) And thanks for the writeups, very helpful.

You still get a good game. I'm not suggesting your game plan should be exclusive, in fact I'd suggest that would be a bad game plan.

Will we know which game our piece comes from when you give them to us. For example Moebius G7 and we have to figure out the order. Or do we have to figure out the game and the order?

Ah cool. I loved doing this last year. If I can still be in, put me in :)

Has it been decided how many game copies and which games will be in play?

Edit: I assume this is final (?)...