Interview with Chris Martin about 2018 WorldDipCon

Our first arse-end episode! Aired the wrong way around deliberately, Amby interviews face-to-face player Chris Martin about World Dip Con 2018 in Washington DC before they discuss their current games.

Intro

• The guys explain this episode is recorded arse-end around (0 mins 15 secs)
• Kaner laments his Microsoft troubles and how it prevented him participating in the interview (0 mins 30 secs)
• Amby explains how the interviewee, Chris Martin, is more a face-to-face player and is the host of World Dip Con in Washington DC in October (1 min 45 secs)
• Kaner talks about what interested him in the structure of the tournament (4 mins)
• The guys talk about their drinks - Kaner has an El Calavera Mexican Hot Chocolate Stout from Ballistic Beer in Brisbane, Amby has a d’Arenberg The Anthropocene Epoch Mencia from McLaren Vale, Australia (5 mins 45 secs)
• They then turn to American politics (from an Australian perspective) (8 mins 45 secs)

Interview with Chris Martin about World Dip Con 2018

• Then it’s back to the Chris Martin interview (12 mins)
• Chris is drinking a Fourteen Hands Cabernet Sauvignon from Oregon in the United States, Amby has a coffee (seeing its morning in Australia) (13 mins 45 secs)
• Amby asks about the role of alcohol at face-to-face tournaments (15 mins 30 secs)
• They discuss the concept of a Drunk Diplomacy game (16 mins 50 secs)
• Chris talks about the Potomac Tea and Knife Society and their role hosting World Dip Con 30 at the Hilton Hotel in Washington DC, 5-7 October 2018 (18 mins 20 secs)
• They talk about the Russian connection for the tournament (19 mins 20 secs)
• Amby asks about the venue itself (20 mins 50 secs)
• They talk about how the current sign-up rate compares to previous WDC’s (22 mins 20 secs)
• Amby asks about the advantages for players who aren’t super confident about their abilities and what they can still gain, even if they’re eliminated (24 mins)
• Chris talks a little about the structure of the tournament (28 mins)
• Amby asks about how online players should approach the face-to-face environment and how your experience can work for you, but also how things vary (30 mins 15 secs)
• Chris talks about the scoring system for World Dip Con and how it impacts on gameplay (33 mins 45 secs)
• He goes onto discuss the timing within the event (40 mins)
• Amby asks the role of a face-to-face tournament coordinator and to what extent you need to reinvent the wheel, and how its all managed (41 mins 40 secs)
• Amby channels his inner Kaner with a series of questions. Chris drops a big hint for an Australian 2020 World Dip Con bid (44 mins 45 secs)
• Amby asks how players with an online profile approach their face-to-face position (52 mins 30 secs)
• Chris discusses where he plays online: Backstabbr (55 mins 10 secs)
• Amby asks about Chris’ Diplomacy Academy on Youtube (59 mins)
• Chris talks about the difference between a tournament host vs director and videoing the top board (1 hr 2 mins 15 secs)
• To find out more about registering for World Dip Con visit the website (1 hr 3 mins)
• Chris tempts Amby with an invitation (1 hr 4 mins 30 secs)
• Then the interview gets wrapped up with Chris’ final thoughts (1 hr 6 mins)

The guys thoughts on the interview

• Amby gives his thoughts on Chris’ offer and mentions looking into an interview with the guys from DiplomacyCast (1 hr 7 mins)
• They talk about the prospect of a World Dip Con in Australia in 2020 (1 hr 9 mins 30 secs)
• Kaner talks about wanting to get involved in a face to face Australian game (1 hr 12 mins 30 secs)
• Kaner talks about his experience with Backstabbr (1 hr 13 mins 30 secs)
• He goes onto discuss his thoughts on managing seperate online vs face-to-face identities (1 hr 15 mins)
• They then discuss using tech to better manage the event and whether “meta-gaming” happens by default in tournaments (1 hr 17 mins)

What the Dr Recommended

• They discuss heading out to suburban Brisbane in January 2019 for a recording session at Ballistic Brewery (1 hr 19 mins 45 secs)
• The guys squeeze in a cheeky back end 51 - 100 of the vDip Hall of Fame with Australian accents (1 hr 21 mins)

Around the Grounds

• Kaner talks about his current games and how he’s getting destroyed in Punic Wars (1 hr 28 mins)
• Amby gets really surprised about Punic Wars being Fog of War at vDip, when it was non-Fog at the Diplomail Lab. Kaner gives his thoughts on who has the advantage on this map (1 hr 28 mins 40 secs)
• Kaner talks about his similarly poor performance in a WWIV Sea Lanes game (1 hr 33 mins 50 secs)
• Amby complains about everyone stabbing him all at once and implementing his mass migration strategy (1 hr 36 mins)
• They talk about an anonymous Divided States game they are both in, but on opposite sides of the board (1 hr 40 mins)
• Amby gives an evil/cheeky laugh about an anonymous Crusades 1201 game he is in and his plans for a valiant quest (1 hr 41 mins 30 secs)
• Amby talks about his last anonymous game he’s in and is doing well in - by the time the episode was released, Amby did in fact win his game (1 hr 46 mins 15 secs)
• They then wrap things up and give a sneak peek discussion on the next episode (1 hr 47 mins 30 secs)

Venue: Isle's Lane, Brisbane.

Drinks of choice:

Kaner - El Calavera Mexican Hot Chocolate Stout from Ballistic Beer in Brisbane Amby - d’Arenberg The Anthropocene Epoch Mencia from McLaren Vale, Australia

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