NationStates Jolt Archive

We believe that the addition of a few small changes would significantly improve the operations of the game.

To wit, the addition of a UN proposal category for "Health" would be appropriate. As well, having access to data such as the number of UN member nations in a region, the time a nation has been a game member and regional member, and a listing of the times spent in previous regions could be helpful. Having access to data such as population statistics, governance styles and other such information would likely be a ready adaptaton using a simple compilation algorithm.

The ability to compile statistics would be especialy useful in regional control mode. That ability alone would enable more accurate and timely resolution proposals that would be helpful to all UN member and non-member nations alike.

the addition of a UN proposal category for "Health" would be appropriate.

What would this category do? There needs to be a sub-category option - usually there are Mild, Significant, and Strong, which affect how much the stats will be changed, but sometimes you get different ones, like "Tighten" or "Relax" for Gun Control. You need more specifics before you can go suggesting that.

As well, having access to data such as the number of UN member nations in a region,

That would be nice, actually.

the time a nation has been a game member

You have been playing NationStates with that nation for exactly 156 days.
http://www.nationstates.net/cgi-bin/nationdata.cgi/nation=PeaceLoving_Sex_Fiends
And by the way, that's two National Animals, not one.

and regional member

This might make some things easier when dealing with Regional Governments. The New Constitution of The North Pacific (to be enacted when Pixiedance is gone) requires that you be a member of TNP for at least a month before you can do certain things, like register to vote.

and a listing of the times spent in previous regions could be helpful

That could get REALLY long, especially with Regional Advertizers and Invaders. Maybe not such a good idea. Would make background checks easier, though.

Having access to data such as population statistics, governance styles and other such information

What do you mean for population stats? You can check your current population already, and it increases at the same basic rate each day - 5-10 million. Governance Styles would require keeping a record of how you answer which issues, which has been turned down many times. Also, you can see the results of that in your national stats.

Some of your ideas actually aren't all that bad, I'm surprised. Most of the time we get things that have been turned down countless times or are just plain stupid. But yours are decent, and I'm anxious to see if any of them get implemented. Good luck.

Age of a nation is available (as Hersfold mentioned), we are already considering adding a Health category to the UN. Number of UN nations in a region is unlikely due to implementation problems (including slowing down pages greatly). Residence time in regions is not currently available to the public and shall remain so for numerous reasons (mostly techinical).

As far as compiled statistics go, I'm not quite sure that I know what you're talking about.

I think what he means, by "compiled statistics", is the ability to have all the info about a nation he mentioned above, i.e., UN status, Region Tenure, Game Tenure, etc., all in the Regional Control page. Not sure how that could be done unless it appeared when you brought that nation's name up on the Ban List menu. Even so, it would probably slow things down... a lot.

Maybe that info could be added to the XML feed? They're not checked too often, and you wouldn't necessarily have to put those numbers in the game itself.

What woould also be nice is a button for the founder that send a telegram to everyone in the region. You know, like forwordin an e-mail.

What I really wish was that there was info in the regional XML feed about how many endorsements each nation had. That would be awesome.

EDIT: And I looked at my nation's XML feed, and it didn't say how many days ago I joined NS. It was July 12, 2003 (the Jolt forums tell me that much) but the XML feed doesn't. Two questions:
1. Why doesn't the XML feed show it? Is it because I joined before the game started tracking that data?
2. How does Jolt get the info if it's not in the XML feed? Is it approximated through your population?

What I really wish was that there was info in the regional XML feed about how many endorsements each nation had. That would be awesome.


It would certainly be helpful.

2. How does Jolt get the info if it's not in the XML feed? Is it approximated through your population?
XML is output, not input. Be certain that there are more variables than XML reports.

1. Why doesn't the XML feed show it? Is it because I joined before the game started tracking that data?

Creation dates haven't always been recorded.

2. How does Jolt get the info if it's not in the XML feed? Is it approximated through your population?

All forum software I know of records the date the account was created.

To follow up on Myrth's point, the old forums would create an account for your nation automagically when your nation was created. For instance, the moment I clicked the "Create Nation" button for Goobergunchia (some time on 17 May 2003), the old forums created an account named "Goobergunchia". When the forums were moved to Jolt, the account information stayed.

Note that nations that died before the Jolt move and were resurrected (doesn't matter whether the resurrection happened before or after the move) will have the forums record their founding date as when they were resurrected, not when they were initially founded. Which is why some resurrected nations have their real founding dates in their sig or something.

Older nations won't have a Founding date in their XML, as this wasn't always recorded. For instance:


<FOUNDED>0</FOUNDED>
<FIRSTLOGIN>0</FIRSTLOGIN>

<FOUNDED>381 days ago</FOUNDED>
<FIRSTLOGIN>1077997700</FIRSTLOGIN>

Aww, I forgot my birthday! :(

XML is output, not input. Be certain that there are more variables than XML reports.Huh? I understand that it is an output, and that I do not input anything into it directly, but what do you mean about the variables and XML reports?

I think Fris is trying to say that they track more things that what we can see in the XML Feed. Like Sal said in a little higher up, the length of time you're in your region is logged by the game but its kept secret for technical reasons. So, it's another thing logged by the game not put in the XML feed.

I think Fris is trying to say that they track more things that what we can see in the XML Feed. Like Sal said in a little higher up, the length of time you're in your region is logged by the game but its kept secret for technical reasons. So, it's another thing logged by the game not put in the XML feed.Oh. Like how Sal had those figures about how big the population of the NS world was. He shared those though.
Maybe those stats could be on the "World" page? Right now its function is slightly limited.

Huh? I understand that it is an output, and that I do not input anything into it directly, but what do you mean about the variables and XML reports?
There is more to the game than you see in the XML output. If all factors were widely known, creating a great nation would be a matter of number-wanking. Since many of the variables are hidden (and will remain so), you will always have to guess somewhat when answering issues or voting in the UN.

The XML feed shows output from a selected group of variables. Presumably [violet] and Salusa decided that the material revealed in the feed would not compromise the game.

Oh. Like how Sal had those figures about how big the population of the NS world was. He shared those though.
Maybe those stats could be on the "World" page? Right now its function is slightly limited.

Eh... that might really slow down the game. That number's going to be HUGE.

Eh... that might really slow down the game. That number's going to be HUGE.What if those stats were only updated once a month or so?