Uploaded June 2020 | Updated September 2026, 20 hours ago
In which I attempt to rationalise my love of betraying my friends by insisting this board game is in fact a deep exploration of our lives.
Join my Discord server to discuss this video and more:
discord.gg/AVcU9w5gVW
It's taken a year, but I'm back with another video essay. Remember when I said I'd probably never make one again? I lied.
Like ParaWorld, Diplomacy is a semi-niche game I've played for many years. Also like ParaWorld, I have a burning need to tell the world about it and all the ways in which it's phenomenal. This video is what came of it.
Editing has improved in general, though I'm still annoyed at my own voice. Guess I'll have to live with it.
If the world leaders playing Diplomacy scene makes you want to gouge your eyes out and pray to Cthulhu for an escape from this hell, I don't blame you.
Reddit post on 2012 World Cup: reddit.com/r/boardgames/comments/3zx275/the_2012_webdiplomacy_world_cup_final_has_reached
Matthew Colville on Realpolitik: youtube.com/watch?v=HWt0AQWjhPg
2012 World Cup Timelapse: youtube.com/watch?v=2oLlb5TndQs
0:00 Intro
3:27 What is Diplomacy?
6:30 Part I: Particles of War
17:23 Part II: Mind Games
26:32 Part III: The Meaning of Knife
35:00 Conclusions
37:03 Credits
----------------------
FOOTAGE
100 Years of History in 2 Minutes
pwnwer
youtube.com/watch?v=MxC5a7Qrstk
Best TV Static Animation with Sound Effects
YouToogle
youtube.com/watch?v=NYWTlVD4vDs
Causes of WW1: Alliances
Mr Allsop History Clips
youtube.com/watch?v=rYkFFOXJlW0
Community: Conspiracy Theories and Interior Design
NBC
imdb.com/title/tt1640874
Cuban Crisis (1962)
British Pathé
youtube.com/watch?v=VNW8IVIiXIQ
Diplomacy, Running the Game #40, Politics #3
Matthew Colville
youtube.com/watch?v=HWt0AQWjhPg
Diplomacy World Cup 2012
kenneth gordon
youtube.com/watch?v=2oLlb5TndQs
Eurovision Song Contest 2019 - Grand Final
Eurovision Song Contest
youtube.com/watch?v=Dsx4pVjUth0
Flames
Pixabay
pexels.com/video/flames-856296
Forrest Gump
Paramount Pictures
imdb.com/title/tt0109830
Golden Balls - £100,000: Complete End Round Pt2
GoldenBollocks
youtube.com/watch?v=7FbkwrhW_0I
Life in life
Phillip Bradbury
youtube.com/watch?v=xP5-iIeKXE8
Paradox Interactive's Diplomacy (Full Austria Stream)
DiploStrats
youtube.com/watch?v=KtaVLVrZ0Gw
"Remain Indoors" emergency broadcast – BBC Comedy
BBC
youtube.com/watch?v=wnd1jKcfBRE
The Start of WW1 | Frightful First World War
Horrible Histories
youtube.com/watch?v=oEvuMhP2CuA
Tsar Bomba Detonation
Tsar bomba
youtube.com/watch?v=BBNhYOmEgy0
VHS Rewind Effect - 4K Green screen FREE high quality effects
ANFX // Free Media!
youtube.com/watch?v=Hx1GCt28he0
WDC Recap 3: Fall 1901
DanceScholar
youtube.com/watch?v=2QZQoWjy77Q
World War One – Footage
killtron
youtube.com/watch?v=ZVDUXPB_sTs
----------------------
MUSIC
Carmina Burana: O Fortuna
Carl Orff
It's a Long, Long Way to Tipperary
Coldstream Guards
It's a Long Way to Tipperary
John McCormack
Amazing Plan Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com)
Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 3.0 License
creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0
Monkeys Spinning Monkeys Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com)
Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 3.0 License
creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0
Onion Capers Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com)
Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 3.0 License
creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0
Penumbra Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com)
Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 3.0 License
creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0
X-Files Theme
Mark Snow
Bigger Than Us
Michael Rice
La Venda
Miki
These Constants Into Morning
Oliver Lugg
Victoria II Soundtrack
Paradox Interactive
Brain Damage
Pink Floyd
Sister
S!sters
God Save the Queen
Traditional
State Anthem of the Soviet Union
Traditional
----------------------
ARTICLES
venturebeat.com/2020/06/10/deepmind-hopes-to-teach-ai-to-cooperate-by-playing-diplomacy
diplomacy-archive.com/resources/calhamer/militaryintelligence.htm
reddit.com/r/boardgames/comments/3zx275/the_2012_webdiplomacy_world_cup_final_has_reached
eurovision.tv/story/eurovision-2020-in-rotterdam-is-cancelled
lesswrong.com/posts/jkf2YjuH8Z2E7hKBA/diplomacy-as-a-game-theory-laboratory
diplomacy-archive.com/resources/strategy/articles/more_about_convoys.htm
boardgamegeek.com/thread/386460/diplomacy-classroom-massive-report-pics-video-refl
webdiplomacy.net/datc.php
uk.diplom.org/pouch/Zine/F2007R/Burton/statistician3.htm
In which I attempt to rationalise my love of betraying my friends by insisting this board game is in fact a deep exploration of our lives.
Join my Discord server to discuss this video and more:
discord.gg/AVcU9w5gVW
It's taken a year, but I'm back with another video essay. Remember when I said I'd probably never make one again? I lied.
Like ParaWorld, Diplomacy is a semi-niche game I've played for many years. Also like ParaWorld, I have a burning need to tell the world about it and all the ways in which it's phenomenal. This video is what came of it.
Editing has improved in general, though I'm still annoyed at my own voice. Guess I'll have to live with it.
If the world leaders playing Diplomacy scene makes you want to gouge your eyes out and pray to Cthulhu for an escape from this hell, I don't blame you.
Reddit post on 2012 World Cup: reddit.com/r/boardgames/comments/3zx275/the_2012_webdiplomacy_world_cup_final_has_reached
Matthew Colville on Realpolitik: youtube.com/watch?v=HWt0AQWjhPg
2012 World Cup Timelapse: youtube.com/watch?v=2oLlb5TndQs
0:00 Intro
3:27 What is Diplomacy?
6:30 Part I: Particles of War
17:23 Part II: Mind Games
26:32 Part III: The Meaning of Knife
35:00 Conclusions
37:03 Credits
----------------------
FOOTAGE
100 Years of History in 2 Minutes
pwnwer
youtube.com/watch?v=MxC5a7Qrstk
Best TV Static Animation with Sound Effects
YouToogle
youtube.com/watch?v=NYWTlVD4vDs
Causes of WW1: Alliances
Mr Allsop History Clips
youtube.com/watch?v=rYkFFOXJlW0
Community: Conspiracy Theories and Interior Design
NBC
imdb.com/title/tt1640874
Cuban Crisis (1962)
British Pathé
youtube.com/watch?v=VNW8IVIiXIQ
Diplomacy, Running the Game #40, Politics #3
Matthew Colville
youtube.com/watch?v=HWt0AQWjhPg
Diplomacy World Cup 2012
kenneth gordon
youtube.com/watch?v=2oLlb5TndQs
Eurovision Song Contest 2019 - Grand Final
Eurovision Song Contest
youtube.com/watch?v=Dsx4pVjUth0
Flames
Pixabay
pexels.com/video/flames-856296
Forrest Gump
Paramount Pictures
imdb.com/title/tt0109830
Golden Balls - £100,000: Complete End Round Pt2
GoldenBollocks
youtube.com/watch?v=7FbkwrhW_0I
Life in life
Phillip Bradbury
youtube.com/watch?v=xP5-iIeKXE8
Paradox Interactive's Diplomacy (Full Austria Stream)
DiploStrats
youtube.com/watch?v=KtaVLVrZ0Gw
"Remain Indoors" emergency broadcast – BBC Comedy
BBC
youtube.com/watch?v=wnd1jKcfBRE
The Start of WW1 | Frightful First World War
Horrible Histories
youtube.com/watch?v=oEvuMhP2CuA
Tsar Bomba Detonation
Tsar bomba
youtube.com/watch?v=BBNhYOmEgy0
VHS Rewind Effect - 4K Green screen FREE high quality effects
ANFX // Free Media!
youtube.com/watch?v=Hx1GCt28he0
WDC Recap 3: Fall 1901
DanceScholar
youtube.com/watch?v=2QZQoWjy77Q
World War One – Footage
killtron
youtube.com/watch?v=ZVDUXPB_sTs
----------------------
MUSIC
Carmina Burana: O Fortuna
Carl Orff
It's a Long, Long Way to Tipperary
Coldstream Guards
It's a Long Way to Tipperary
John McCormack
Amazing Plan Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com)
Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 3.0 License
creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0
Monkeys Spinning Monkeys Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com)
Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 3.0 License
creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0
Onion Capers Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com)
Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 3.0 License
creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0
Penumbra Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com)
Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 3.0 License
creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0
X-Files Theme
Mark Snow
Bigger Than Us
Michael Rice
La Venda
Miki
These Constants Into Morning
Oliver Lugg
Victoria II Soundtrack
Paradox Interactive
Brain Damage
Pink Floyd
Sister
S!sters
God Save the Queen
Traditional
State Anthem of the Soviet Union
Traditional
----------------------
ARTICLES
venturebeat.com/2020/06/10/deepmind-hopes-to-teach-ai-to-cooperate-by-playing-diplomacy
diplomacy-archive.com/resources/calhamer/militaryintelligence.htm
reddit.com/r/boardgames/comments/3zx275/the_2012_webdiplomacy_world_cup_final_has_reached
eurovision.tv/story/eurovision-2020-in-rotterdam-is-cancelled
lesswrong.com/posts/jkf2YjuH8Z2E7hKBA/diplomacy-as-a-game-theory-laboratory
diplomacy-archive.com/resources/strategy/articles/more_about_convoys.htm
boardgamegeek.com/thread/386460/diplomacy-classroom-massive-report-pics-video-refl
webdiplomacy.net/datc.php
uk.diplom.org/pouch/Zine/F2007R/Burton/statistician3.htm
