NationStates Jolt Archive

Mixing comments that step out of character, and look at NationStates from a metagaming perspective do appear as overused to me as to anyone; I, for one, protested just days ago against doing such a thing. But I was wrong. So I will type, from lamenting to declaring.

NationStates has a close community, one that can show a touching outpouring of emotion or compassion for another player, or laugh and delight in jokes that we all know and love. I've developed a respect for many fellow players in NationStates, and I know others have made lasting friendships.

Yet I am here to make the oft-stated, little-followed plea for the new country, the young country, the beginning country. I beg you to hear me out, through cliches and the fallacies and the mistakes.

The downside of a close community is an air of elitism, a certain atmosphere that suggests "clique." Coming here as a young nation, and even now as a nation that has not formed lasting bonds of war or peace, an impenetrable wall of inside jokes, hidden movements, and large powerplays.

I remember my first threads, small, unassuming policy declarations or UN proposals or election results. In the larger threads, where great nations rumbled about, I threw in diplomatic statements, mobilizations of my small military, and out of character comments. Sometimes I recieved replies, while other times I did not.

I am aware that many nations have made such statements, and even more have suggested that the younger nations "lie low" or just "watch and wait." My patience does not last this long, especially when I signed up on this stie to roleplay! To make grand, sweeping, and utterly fictional changes!

Not, however, to watch and wait as others become even tighter through the trials of roleplay, and the wall more impermeable.

A player, unlike my shy and unsure self, might decide to make a bold move, a daring move; they might make a move to make them, in turn, a cynosure for the International Incidents board.

An unpopular move that could be, as my nation did, opposed in-character? Yes. But not one for immediate war, and even worst, out of character ridicule and harassment. Nations that make bad choices do exist, as one may easily see. Diplomatic, economic, and even military pressures may be applied.

Let us return to the beginning of this post. Is not NationStates a community too? In addition to being a canvas for fictional leaders to paint upon, are we not part of a whole group? It would be hard to enjoy this game if not for the various factions and alliances composed of thousands of nations.

We NationStaters have a duty that transcends any in-character obligations, gaming etiquette, or other such arbitrary rules dictating how we act. We have a duty to encourage, not through sharp out of character reprimands but through respectful roleplaying, the new countries, the new players that come to our boards to roleplay. They come to lead their fictional country, as all of us have, and we cannot deny this too them no matter how outrageous their country's policies, how radical their actions, or how strange their name is to us.

We have the duty of compassion, not condescension; of roleplaying, not reprimanding; of helping, not hurting.

...Looking over this now, I am not sure whether countries- no, players- will read this long sequence of paragraphs and impromptu epiphanies. It can be a tautology, and it can be riddled with hyperboles.

It is still right.

And now, my end.

Sir (or madam), I tip my hat to you. I could not have put it better myself. The newbies should feel as welcome to roleplay and, almost more importantly, be roleplayed with as any player of greater experience on the boards. I encourage the mistakes of the n00b, for without mistakes, we can learn little more than what we are told.

Commit that genocide, overthrow that government, and build those nuclear missiles that we all long to get our greasy hands on from the moment we join. Savor your newbie-ism, for I guarantee you, when you've been through the wringer of NS, and found yourself a place amid the etiquettes and accepted policies, you will miss your innocence.

This madam tips her hat off to you, for you have used more eloquence than I could even aspire to achieving. You've said in your latter paragraph what I said in fifteen.

Hehe. Many times I have read this in different personages ideas. The rambling demeanor of a mad man on top of a artist's soul. For you see that is what we all strive for here. To be able to write something so concise that nobody has any clue what is was one just spoke.*






*Please excuse any and all offensive flowery language.

Yet you speak for the young. And that is a good and noble-ish thing. Aye we like yae manny.

I support newbies to be active as possible, but there are some things that newbies should avoid. Being hostile to an alliance or a large nation isn't a very good idea unless you have another or your own to back yourself up. Nuclear weapons have repeatedly been proven to be untrustworthy in the hands of newbies. I was highly active as a newbie and I still am as a teenager nation. But I didn't go around saying, "TEOO will die because they are corrupt and stoopid!" and that's what newbies are doing. I latched myself onto Xeraph and Risban and grew on them like a helpful parasite. When the time came I latched off and grew on my own. That's what I suggest to newbies. Find yourself an idol nation and attacth yourself. Befriend them and support them adn they will support you until you become of an age that you can act on your own without help from others. The formation of UziCorp was really when I formed myself into what I am. It allowed me to individualize myself without penalty. Young nations don't seem to be getting the consequences of tehir actions and it's ticking off the older nations.

I support newbies to be active as possible, but there are some things that newbies should avoid. Being hostile to an alliance or a large nation isn't a very good idea unless you have another or your own to back yourself up. Nuclear weapons have repeatedly been proven to be untrustworthy in the hands of newbies. I was highly active as a newbie and I still am as a teenager nation. But I didn't go around saying, "TEOO will die because they are corrupt and stoopid!" and that's what newbies are doing. I latched myself onto Xeraph and Risban and grew on them like a helpful parasite. When the time came I latched off and grew on my own. That's what I suggest to newbies. Find yourself an idol nation and attacth yourself. Befriend them and support them adn they will support you until you become of an age that you can act on your own without help from others. The formation of UziCorp was really when I formed myself into what I am. It allowed me to individualize myself without penalty. Young nations don't seem to be getting the consequences of tehir actions and it's ticking off the older nations.

And older nations generalise and patronise people whom they apparently know little about, and its ticking off the younger nations.

To Green Sun: No; the new nations do understand the consequences. They understand that someone, among the many ignoring nations, might actually take them seriously and respond as such if they are so grand in their actions.

There are bad new nations, as there are bad old nations.

Also, this respect for younger nations includes out of character consideration, not just in character ones. Perhaps instead of attacking a hostile and young nation, make an official statement condemning them. Or you could offer multilateral talks. Or you could offer economic aid in return for certain concessions.

To Green Sun: No; the new nations do understand the consequences. They understand that someone, among the many ignoring nations, might actually take them seriously and respond as such if they are so grand in their actions.

There are bad new nations, as there are bad old nations.

Also, this respect for younger nations includes out of character consideration, not just in character ones. Perhaps instead of attacking a hostile and young nation, make an official statement condemning them. Or you could offer multilateral talks. Or you could offer economic aid in return for certain concessions.
I haven't seen many at all do that. Many ignore the fact that what they're doing should affect them. And I try my best to get younger nations to rethink their positions before actually acting, but not many actually seem to take my advice. Which pisses me off becuase it's usually damn good advice and nobody ever listens to me or if they do they disagree completely.

Advice should not be unheeded, I do agree. Yet neither should patience and understanding.

And I put pleanty of patients and understanding into my advice, but it always seems to be cast aside (like Pintopia)

Then try again.

I think he let himself die because he didn't like the reactions he was getting. Seriously, though, a lot of these people are treating them the way they should be treated. As equals. And that's what I do. I treat them as equals but I remind them of their strengths and weaknesses while not forgetting mine.