Everybody wants to rule the world...

November 14, 2008 6:45 PM

Enjoy Risk? Then you may like Strategy Game Network [requires registration.] Strategy Game Network has similar gameplay and in addition to the classic map, there are many alternative maps. With 24 hour turn limits it isn't a huge time sink, just play a few minutes a day.
posted by schyler523 (18 comments total)

Compare and contrast with Warfish, please.
posted by a robot made out of meat at 6:57 PM on November 14, 2008

Well, since I've never heard of warfish until now, or been invited, I'd say the one obvious difference is no need for an invitation.
posted by schyler523 at 7:08 PM on November 14, 2008

I enjoy Battleground States 2008, personally. No registration required but potentially a big time sink.
posted by XMLicious at 7:09 PM on November 14, 2008

Oops, link
posted by XMLicious at 7:09 PM on November 14, 2008

You might also like Conquer Club which appears to have more maps and more variety of gameplay.
posted by kc8nod at 7:18 PM on November 14, 2008 [1 favorite]

I don't think it's possible to simply "enjoy" Risk. Even the people who like it also hate it.
posted by aubilenon at 7:23 PM on November 14, 2008 [3 favorites]

What do they mean, "doesn't know any geography"? I can see the whole of Eurasia in my mind's eye. I know just exactly where Irkutsk and Yakutsk are.
posted by jfuller at 7:30 PM on November 14, 2008

Eh.. I'd prefer Risk's underrated brother, Diplomacy.
posted by drpynchon at 8:44 PM on November 14, 2008 [2 favorites]

Dominate is pretty good. Many maps and different game play styles.
posted by Kudos at 10:23 PM on November 14, 2008

Diplomacy isn't underrated, it's just hard to get together seven people who hate each that much.
posted by Caduceus at 11:07 PM on November 14, 2008 [6 favorites]

I have been a member of Conquer Club for about a year now, and at first glance it looks a lot more polished than this Strategy Game Network. Same general idea though.
posted by barc0001 at 11:49 PM on November 14, 2008

Caduceus, it's hard to find seven people who hate each other sufficiently to play Diplomacy properly.

For people who don't know the game, Diplomacy is a turn-based game where all players move simultaneously by writing down their orders before each turn. Simultaneous movement makes it very easy to betray an ally and very hard for them to recover if they're taken by surprise. For that reason, it's very hard to have only one enemy at a time, and you need to be constantly negotiating with everyone else. The game is fun for the nebulous web of lies you need to spin just to get by from turn to turn.

Here's some general information about Diplomacy. To play Diplomacy online-by-email, this is the site you want, though unfortunately it's a very awkwardly designed site. The rules of the game, and the rules wiki.

Writing email in character as Tsar Nicholas II is a good way to go if you still have some unchecked squares on your nerd bingo card.
posted by justsomebodythatyouusedtoknow at 2:33 AM on November 15, 2008 [1 favorite]

All the cool kids play on Landgrab.
posted by exhilaration at 5:18 AM on November 15, 2008

Well, yes, justsomebody, that is what I meant.
posted by Caduceus at 10:00 AM on November 15, 2008

Thirding the love for Diplomacy: at a pure design level, it's impressive to see a game that gripping with no luck, no hidden information, and rules mechanics about as complex as checkers. On an emotional level, it is the only boardgame I have ever seen turn into a fistfight. It is awesome.
posted by ricochet biscuit at 11:41 AM on November 15, 2008

I have two friends who've not spoken since a game of Diplomacy went badly. That was five years ago. They're in the same social circles and everything.
posted by scabrous at 1:19 PM on November 15, 2008 [1 favorite]

Freshman year of college a friend of mine and I, both Diplomacy lovers, bought a copy of the game to teach our floor how to play.

Many weeks after the first game we were still analysing the outcome. And we hated each other a little more.

I still play by email occasionally, though its popularity has waned with time. There are a couple attempts at making the game more friendly (friendly Diplomacy is an oxymoron) through PHP.
posted by spamguy at 6:30 AM on November 17, 2008

Dominate is pretty good. Many maps and different game play styles.

I just attempted to figure out how to play that for 20 minutes and have now given up: it's just too unintuitive for it to be worth my while. I still love the idea of playing live (i.e. not time-delay) Risk online - can anyone recommend a better site?
posted by HaloMan at 10:58 AM on November 17, 2008