NationStates Jolt Archive

I'm just gonna be a little obsessive for a second, if you don't mind... You know... Not complain, really... just cry for sympathy. ;-)

First... Does anyone one but me spend too much time worrying about these issues? Wishing for some of the details, grey area, and compromise we'd have in reality? The choices are very black and white in the ones I've had so far. I mean, like... "Should we let the bicycle people hold up traffic as long as they want, whenever they want to.... Or should we give government assistance to anyone who can prove the contribute more than seventeen tonnes of carbon monoxide to the environment per annum...?" "Should we completely ban all forms of animal testing, enforced with the threat of violent public execution... Or shall we make it perfectly legal for cosmetic companies to harvest cats and dogs by snatching them from children's hands in local neighborhoods, and torture them to death putting nail polish in their eyes on television?"

I understand, that's just how the game has to work... Only so many options can be calculated per issue... We have to keep the game realistically programmable. I'm not saying "Fix this game!" so much as I'm just grinnin' and saying "Aw, come on...!"

Also... Can someone tell me what the heck this is:

:gundge:

Like... Has he got a magic gauntlet? Is that a short range acid gun? Is he squeezin' the puke out of a silver gerbil? I just don't get it.

I agree! One of the things I really like about issue choices is that they do force you into uncomfortable situations; I actually find this in turn makes me think more about myself, my values, and my politics. I certainly spend far too much time agonising over these decisions.

(And yeah, I don't know what's with that smilie, except that I think it might be a magic spell. But it would ROCK if it really was a silver gerbil.)

I think many of the solutions to the issues are plain daft. Remember, you can dismiss as many issues as you want.

And the :gundge: smilies is called gundge, which I assume is a mis-spell of "gunge", a staple of kids T.V. Therefore it's a gunge gun.

Oh, so it's a gun...

I always assumed it was a hand, with a downturned thumb (like a note of disapproval). Actually, that makes sense. Ta, NM.

when making these decisions, i feel that you can't always make the right decision... it has to come down to a principle.
you have to go with one answer or the other, because you can trace it back to a principle of yours. like ok, i'll go with option 2 because if you break it down it has more to do with democracy (and democracy is then your principle).
do you know what i mean?
:rolleyes:

I agree! One of the things I really like about issue choices is that they do force you into uncomfortable situations; I actually find this in turn makes me think more about myself, my values, and my politics. I certainly spend far too much time agonising over these decisions.

I've actually gotten to the point where I barely read the issues anymore. I suppose that's what happens when you've done them over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over again.

Oh, so it's a gun...

I always assumed it was a hand, with a downturned thumb (like a note of disapproval). Actually, that makes sense. Ta, NM.

You're welcome.

I've actually gotten to the point where I barely read the issues anymore. I suppose that's what happens when you've done them over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over again.

I disagree; or at least, I don't find that to be the case for me. I have read all of the issues, but I still find considering the practical implications of ruling on them to be interesting. For example: how does it fit in with Wenaism (state religion)? Will it go against existing UN legislation/other international law? What do I personally think (a variable that changes a lot over time)? And above all how does it fit into my general directions at that point in time? So, at the moment, I still find new interest even in old issues.

The point where it hamstrings me is a lack of choices. Once I read all possible options and decide "No. None of these are right." I tend to get... vaporlocked.

Like, I have the bicycle protest one right now. The (abreviated) choices are:


"Cars must be banned!" which seems a bit radical to me, as environmentally friendly as I am...
"People shouldn't be able to protest like this. The government needs to crack down on them." Eeek. I can imagine what the game engine would do with a mandate like that.
the Automotive Manufacturers Association saying "...um... anyway, we need more government funds." Uh... WTF?


Well, I decided for my first NS nation, it might be fun to imagine a "country" that was entirely under the jurisdiction of Blade Runner's Tyrell Corporation, mostly in the bodies of hundreds of subsidieries.

Option one is out... We use cars. We could limit them, make them expensive in terms of fuel and licenses... but there's no option for that.
Option two is out... Protest would be regulated, like in the modern US (or a little more) but there's no option for that, and it's important to leave the people the illusions that a right to protest will give them.
Option three is out... The auto manufacturers are owned by the corporate family that forms the government.

*sighs* See...? I'm getting all over-analytical again. ;-)

i am always annoyed cause i want to have a nice environment and a good economy and it is really hard to have both. you get issues like you can mine for uranium and get money but dat will destroy da environment or you can be good to da environment but den you dont make any money :gundge: :mp5: :sniper: :headbang: :mad: :) :rolleyes: :cool: ;)

The point where it hamstrings me is a lack of choices. Once I read all possible options and decide "No. None of these are right." I tend to get... vaporlocked.

Like, I have the bicycle protest one right now. The (abreviated) choices are:


"Cars must be banned!" which seems a bit radical to me, as environmentally friendly as I am...
"People shouldn't be able to protest like this. The government needs to crack down on them." Eeek. I can imagine what the game engine would do with a mandate like that.
the Automotive Manufacturers Association saying "...um... anyway, we need more government funds." Uh... WTF?


Well, I decided for my first NS nation, it might be fun to imagine a "country" that was entirely under the jurisdiction of Blade Runner's Tyrell Corporation, mostly in the bodies of hundreds of subsidieries.

Option one is out... We use cars. We could limit them, make them expensive in terms of fuel and licenses... but there's no option for that.
Option two is out... Protest would be regulated, like in the modern US (or a little more) but there's no option for that, and it's important to leave the people the illusions that a right to protest will give them.
Option three is out... The auto manufacturers are owned by the corporate family that forms the government.

*sighs* See...? I'm getting all over-analytical again. ;-)

That's actually a really interesting nation idea. I'm not sure how TC would respond to this issue...but Issue 3 seems like it would have the closest effects, even if the description is technically invalid.

I trully wish there would be more dynamic issues and would happen more often than just 2 per day.

You can always contribute 'more dynamic' issues. And the idea of more than 2 per day has been brought up, and brought down again, before. I still find them plenty interesting enough; there's also many other aspects to the game.

havent made issues in ages...