NationStates Jolt Archive

Civil Rights: Very Good
Economy: Strong
Political Freedoms: Below Average

The Empire of MillerTimeAmerica is a tiny, socially progressive nation, renowned for its absence of drug laws. Its hard-nosed, hard-working population of 5 million have some civil rights, but not too many, enjoy the freedom to spend their money however they like, to a point, and take part in free and open elections, although not too often.

The small government juggles the competing demands of Law & Order, Commerce, and Religion & Spirituality. The average income tax rate is 6%. A small private sector is dominated by the Pizza Delivery industry.

Crime is a serious problem, and the police force struggles against a lack of funding and a high mortality rate

Im wondering how the economy is strong yet the police are underfunded. There is very good civil rights yet they do not have too many.

The other nation in my region:

Civil Rights: Average
Economy: Fair
Political Freedoms: Very Good

The Empire of Estarti is a tiny, devout nation, renowned for its compulsory military service. Its hard-nosed, intelligent population of 5 million are fiercely patriotic and enjoy great social equality; they tend to view other, more capitalist countries as somewhat immoral and corrupt.

The government -- a sprawling, bureaucracy-choked morass -- juggles the competing demands of Law & Order, Religion & Spirituality, and Healthcare. The average income tax rate is 43%, but much higher for the wealthy. A tiny private sector is led by the Beef-Based Agriculture industry, followed by Trout Farming and Woodchip Exports.

Crime -- especially youth-related -- is relatively low, thanks to the all-pervasive police force. Estarti's national animal is the okapi, which frolics freely in the nation's many lush forests, and its currency is the jip.

This seems technically inaccurate to me.

This is a game of satire, not technical accuracy. Read the FAQ, please.

I have read the FAQ and the inconsistencies listed there are not the same inconsistencies I listed. I understand the game is not a competition, and only a marketing ploy for the creators novel. Why would you play a game thats sole function is to choose positions on political issues only to have the repercussions of those decisions be inaccurately listed on your countries page? There is the role play that goes on in the forum, but that is in no way effected by the accuracy of the game mechanics, nor is the game even needed if the only point of the game is to role play in a forum.

I like the concept of the game and I agree with many of the decisions the creator made regarding it, going to war in particular. However, the main page of the site says, "NationStates is a free nation simulation game. Build a nation and run it according to your own warped political ideals. Create a Utopian paradise for society's less fortunate or a totalitarian corporate police state. Care for your people or deliberately oppress them. Join the United Nations or remain a rogue state. It's really up to you." If the choices I make are then misconstrued by the games engine and reports conflicting information, that isn't a result of the game being about satire, it is a result in someone being too lazy to address the problem. In the FAQ it is stated that to fix the conflicting information most of the game would have to be reworked, it should be reworked. If Max Barry wants to advertise his novel with a game (which I think is a great idea) then he should put forth a quality game, otherwise you portray in image of being lazy and apathetic. Anyone who follows politics, or is in sales, or even anyone who has tried to get a date knows how your image impacts how others perceive you. Thats why we have a president from east coast money with a fake Texan accent, to portray that "Good o'l boy" image. Such lack of concern with such basic errors in the technical aspects of the game is not the image I would think the creator would want to portray in order to get his sales up.

The game is based on a good idea, fix the errors and you'd have a winner. And, you may even sell a few more books.

The game is based on a good idea, fix the errors and you'd have a winner. And, you may even sell a few more books.Considering the fact that this November will be our five year anniversary, I'd say we're doing pretty good.

Furthermore, those "errors" aren't errors; they're a strange product of both the game's limitations and its complexity. You see a one or two word description of your civil rights. Looking at nationdata, I see roughly a dozen different data points. Civil Rights is a very broad term that applies to more than just the pervasiveness of the police. Additionally, the logic of the game wasn't created by a political scientist; it was created by a marketing guy-cum-author. These limitations were also partially intentional; by severely warping the players' choices, and by not giving them any middle-of-the-road options, it help illustrate the insanity of politics as well as how decisions (especially political ones) can have unexpected consequences.

To distill, it's not a bug; it's a feature.

Why has this guy posted twice in this thread, but it says he has only one post? :confused:

It's a 'feature' of the Moderated Posts issue. Thanks, Jolt.