NationStates Jolt Archive

Hello. I'm just wondering if nation names should be freed up again?

Thanks.

There was a plan to free up old nation names, but due to complications with the forum side of things it's been put on hold.

Besides, I think I remember a discussion several months ago about how certain nation names would not be freed up because they were infamous nations deleted by the mods.
/not a mod

There is still a long-term plan to free up names, but it's entirely dependent on changes in our forum status. If/when that happens, there will be ample announcements, I'm sure.

Regardless of whether or when, there will be names that are excluded from the release for a variety of reasons. Mod-deleted nations will not be released. Others might include issue and proposal authors (since those links would be live again to the wrong players) and ex-moderators. I'm sure there are others.

And no, you can't have Maxtopia or Francos Spain.

When the names are finally freed up, will it still be first come first served? Thanks again.

Yes. To do otherwise would be unfair, and I don't think there's any way we could enforce it if we said "Player X has reserved Nation Y when the names come free". If/when it happens, you'll just have to be as quick as a hare, as sly as a fox, and (for optimal success) be after a name nobody else wants.

When the names are finally freed up, will it still be first come first served? Thanks again.

We haven't decided on a release method (since we can't do it anyway), but my vote would be for a trickle rather than Niagara Falls. That way, the guy who happened to be online at release time wouldn't get all the 'good' names.