NationStates Jolt Archive


FYI: How to Win the Game

Treznor
08-02-2004, 06:25
This is OOC, naturally.

I'm seeing a lot of attitudes in the game suggesting that it's possible to "win" NationStates. Folks with impossible building rates, invincible fleets and/or ships, characters who can do anything and everything and never die or even muss their hair.

Okay, it's rather rude to kill off someone else's character without their OOC permission. It's also rather rude to attack/invade someone else without their OOC permission. After all, open role-play requires willing consent for anything to work, right? So it gets a little sticky from there. Some people wear white hats, some people wear black hats. Some people want to be seen to wear white hats while they perform black hat activity. This is the nature of politics, and like it or not, this is a political RP. Even the art of war involves heavy politics.

Actions have consequences, even when we don't like those consequences. I watched someone complain because they invaded an RP without invitation and got pwned when the other players joined forces to kick them out ICly. No, the invader didn't OOCly agree to the attack, but neither did the invader gain OOC permission to invade in the first place. Much bitching ensues.

I know it's been said ad nauseum, but obviously it bears repeating. There is no way to win the game. It doesn't work like that. I'm seeing n00bs and established veterans make the same mistake. "Oh, you can't do that. It's not possible for my character/ship/fleet/nation to suffer that kind of defeat." Why? Yes, it's rude to do it without permission, but if you've already launched the RP you've got to take your hits and roll with them. Doing so with bad grace is almost as bad as not doing it at all. Why should I role-play with someone who can't handle defeat as well as victory?

Please, I beg you all. Stop trying to win the game. There is no final battle with the big Boss Monster, except the ones we create for ourselves. There is no way to threaten the entire NS community and earn much respect from it. Grandstanding and threats of "OMG you're all going to die unless you do what I expect of you" aren't role-playing.

There are some very nice people I will stop role-playing with in the future if they can't stop with the megalomania and the godlike behaviour of their nations/characters/etc. This will make me very sad. But it's a lot less hassle than trying to explain, "No, there's no justifiable reason for me to accept this. It's outrageous." ad nauseum.
imported_Xen
08-02-2004, 08:31
I completely agree with you on this. It appears that NS is more of a sci-fi orientated forum to RP in than a modern one.

Although, I don't think anybody is trying to "win the game" per se, but rather, everybody wants to be the king, alpha, the One of NS, and they do this by coming up with all kinds of future technology and invincible characters to achieve that goal. And it is a cycle that feeds on itself and grows. If Joe does this, Henry will do not only do what Joe did, but 1+this as well.

Although, I can tell that these posts in this thread will anger many of those who use hyper-tech nations... Meh.

- Sovy K.
Letila
08-02-2004, 18:24
I know. There isn't supposed to be a way to win.

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Dread Lady Nathicana
08-02-2004, 20:11
I think you've nailed it on several points there. And no, I'm not just saying that to kiss ass.

Frankly, I tire of the constant one-upsmanship that goes on endlessly, the sly manipulation of ooc knowledge to come out on top, the retcons when a choice has negative consequences folks don't like (no, not talking misinterpretations that folks work out, I'm talking the 'well I don't like how that went' bits), and of course, the 'Sure, I'll play, but only if you agree to let me have my way with your thread blah blah blah My character can't be touched blah There is no way you can beat me because of who I am.

We see it all the time, on different levels of play. Without risk, what point in gain? Isn't that part of the point? I see the same folks that pull those stunts take great offense when others try it with them. I got news. I don't care when your nation was established, how long you've been playing, what books you've read and theories taken to heart, or how much time you've put into rp'ing your character. Things happen. No one is above getting outmanuevered at least once in a while.

Sure, everyone wants to be top dog - that's human nature. And no one wants to see something they've put work into go up in flames. To those folks I say fine and well - don't play with others, and have your pristine stories, and write all you like about how you're the best, and always come out on top. To do otherwise is unfair, and frankly, unrealistic.

Sorry I lack the tact and eloquence on this one - has been a long couple days. Just thought I'd chime in and wait for the flames. *grins*

--Nathi's Player
Belem
09-02-2004, 06:54
Its impossible to do any secret IC actions because of that. Try to do a freaking terrorist attack where you put either secret IC or an OOC explanation of the methods your using to get away without being noticed everyone goes "OMG I SEE THIS BECAUSE THIS THIS AND THIS!" or just "I automatically defend him even though theres all this evidence against him because of that OOC at the top saying its fabricated"

And the thing with character RPs is the main reason I dont RP characters is because people become to obsessed with them, if I need to make a character I just choose a name give him a basic background and job if he dies who cares he was just some guy who I created off the top of my head. Some people though freak out if u touch one of there ultra spec ops guys who goes behind enemy lines and does stupid stuff surrounded by 100 enemies.

The best one I ever heard for an RP is "your the badguy your supposed to lose and change your ways to make the good guy look good since the good guy always wins"
09-02-2004, 16:56
:D I agree completely. There shouldn't be any "world dominators." First of all how could the n00bs survive if there are people who trick them into surrendering their nation.

:?: How do you form trade routes or negotiate peace?
Treznor
09-02-2004, 22:32
:D I agree completely. There shouldn't be any "world dominators." First of all how could the n00bs survive if there are people who trick them into surrendering their nation.

:?: How do you form trade routes or negotiate peace?
Well, the question on how new players get established with such a top-heavy establishment is a long-running argument. A lot of nations focus on age with superiority, which isn't exactly fair. I don't believe that technical superiority or military strength should be based on age or population, although it should certainly be a factor. Most of all, people should play fairly with each other, grant concessions as well as receive them in the spirit of role-playing.

All too often, however, I see "Hah! You're a 1.2B population. I'm a 1.9B! I PWN J00!"

Anyway. How do you establish trade routes and negotiate peace? I didn't really start this thread to answer questions like that. But the short answer would be "role-play it." Encourage another player to role-play these things out with you. If you can't get anyone to play with you (another frequent complaint I hear) then write your own story about what happens with your nation until someone notices you and decides you're worth interacting with.

Do not threaten the world/universe with war or catastrophe or a mad scientist plot just to get people to interact with you. It's rude, bad form, and likely to get you ignored. It's one thing to be ignored because nobody notices you. It's something else to be ignored because you're labeled a bad role-player.
Nuevo Kowloon
09-02-2004, 22:47
I have to agree here-a lot of people don't see the value in having a good, massive, defeat or two.

then again, I'm just a "n00b"... My first "War" involvement resulted in the total extermination of my own force-but, it gave the other players something to hang their in-character motivations on-and, it made my remaining people look good.
Doing twelve-to-one with inferior gear against a superior foe does that, you know-makes your "Munchfactor" (as we call it over on the CBT boards) more palatable, and it gives your faction/Nation some kind flavour besides the usual vanilla.
1 Infinite Loop
10-02-2004, 04:27
the only way to win the game is to get the Power up.
Naleth
10-02-2004, 05:16
the only way to win the game is to get the Power up.
No no no. You have to get all the issues.

At the same time.

And choose all the right answers.

Then you win, and Mr. Barry comes over to your house to award you a 25 cent check. And you get a little picture next to your UN plate that says "Winner."
Guaifenasin
10-02-2004, 18:24
All too often, however, I see "Hah! You're a 1.2B population. I'm a 1.9B! I PWN J00!"

I think a better way to settle things would be rock, paper, scissors.

Now that would be diplomatic.
Ghout
11-02-2004, 04:41
Actually, winning is very simple....
Have fun! Of course, that way more than one person can win...


Yay! I'm winning!