White Elephant’s Dilemma
I’d like to propose a special gift-exchange rule for the 25th of December. But I need help figuring out the parameters. This is also an opportunity, if you don’t like the idea in general, to let me know before I go to the trouble of proposing it. The idea is a version of the Prisoner’s Dilemma, and the gist is as follows.
Add a rule titled Gift Exchange:
Before the 24th of December 2010, the Brick Master may group all active Mini Figures into Sets of two or three such that each Mini Figure belongs to exactly one Set. Within these parameters, the Brick Master may place Mini Figures into Sets according to any method that the Brick Master chooses.
On the 24th of December 2010, the Brick Master may create a story post stating which Mini Figures belong to which Set.
Before the 26th of December 2010, each Mini Figure may choose to either Give or Withhold a gift for other members of that Mini Figure’s Set. The Mini Figure may Give by sending the Brick Master a private message with the subject “Give.” The Mini Figure may Withhold by sending the Brick Master a private message with the subject “Withhold.” Failure to send such a message shall be interpreted as Withholding. If one Mini Figure attempts both to Give and Withhold, this shall be interpreted as Withholding.
After the 25th of December 2010, but before the 28th of December 2010, the Brick Master may create a Story Post stating whether each Mini Figure has Given or Withheld. After this Story Post has been posted, the following three conditions apply:
- If all Mini Figures within a Set have Given, then each Mini Figure within that Set may gain up to 25 Value.
- If all Mini Figures within a Set have Withheld, then each Mini Figure within that Set shall lose 10 Value.
- If at least one Mini Figure within a Set has Given, and at least one Mini Figure within that Set has Withheld, then all Mini Figures within that Set who have Withheld may gain up to 10 Value, and all Mini Figures within that Set who have Given shall lose 50 Value.
Any Mini Figure who communicates their intentions to Give or Withhold to any other Mini Figure before the 26th of December 2010 shall lose 60 Value.
If this rule would cause any Mini Figure’s Value to decrease below 11, then instead it shall cause that Mini Figure’s Value to decrease to exactly 11.
An interesting way to mark the holiday, and to test the generosity/ level of trust of fellow Mini Figures. The idea is that we’re all paired up, but it allows for Sets of three in case of odd numbers. (or if Josh just wants to do it that way)
My questions are:
- have I got all the “mays” and “shalls” right?
- are the Value rewards and penalties appropriate to make the decision a true dilemma?
- is the ‘don’t ask/ don’t tell’ condition workable?
- is the ‘don’t ask/ don’t tell’ condition necessary? After all, your partner in the Set might decide to screw you over by lying.
- is the 11-minimum-Value condition necessary, or will it enable a loophole?
- if a Set member idles out so the number of Mini Figures in a Set drops to one, I think this rule would still work—it’d just be lucky for the one Mini Figure remaining in the Set. Have I got that right?
- if a Mini Figure joins the game on the 24th or later the game doesn’t break, just that Mini Figure doesn’t get to play it, have I got that right?
It gives Josh extra work, but even if this becomes a proposal and passes, he can opt to ignore it.
Subrincinator:
Funds. I meant to say Funds. All that proof-reading and there was bound to be an obvious problem somewhere.