NationStates

[† Emotional Outlet]

NationStates is a free nation simulation game. You create your own country, fashioned after your own ideals, and care for its people. Either that or you deliberately torture them. It's really up to you.

Something of a game, but it reaches far beyond that. After answering a few questions, you're on your way to creating and "running" your own nation. On the surface, it's not as in-depth as other similar simulations. You aren't responsible for seeking out or maintaining resources. You can't exactly directly interact with other nations. Your population will grow unfettered, regardless of whether your economy is imploded or not. You don't even really have much direct control over your nation--the decisions you make on your daily issues will not always result in what you expect.

It's easy to view as a long-term way to gauge what kind of nation would arise if all your opinions and ideas came to fruition, so long as you stay true to what you believe and don't just randomly pick options (or ignore all of the issues). In a similar vein, it's also just as much as a "what-if" simulation--what if compulsory nudity was a thing? What if we allowed cults to perform public sacrifices? What if hatred of cheese became nationwide?

A lot of people have taken to roleplaying their nations. Not exactly in a Hetalia fashion (which, to my understanding, creates gijinkas of nations and inspires lots of yaoi fan art). Some people roleplay as diplomats of their nation, others as the specific leaders (dictator or no), while others yet step further back and simply act as their nation's historian, outlining major events and notable figures. With the introduction of factbooks, you can issue dispatches for your factbook, to be designed and written by you.

I'll use my nation, Sedillia, as an example you guys can look at, but there are people who are way more into it than I am. I'm not much for the militaristic aspect of nation-running, which is obvious by my nation's complete lack of a military/defence budget. You'll see that my economy is crap, but damned if my environment isn't one of the best around. I have a few entries in my factbook, a couple of which were inspired by the daily issues I get.

There's something called the World Assembly you can join, which is something like the United Nations. Joining it requires abiding by the legislation passed by it, but you can become a region's delegate if you do choose to join. It's divided into the General Assembly and Security Council--both pass resolutions, though obviously different in purpose.

The region I founded started with Java, my roommate, and his girlfriend, later to be expanded by my roommate's coworkers and some random people I don't recognise. There's something of a story joining our nations together, but it's a bit loose, haha.

Anyway, just thought I'd drop the link here for people who are interested. Have fun! Edited September 2, 2012 by Emotional Outlet

[lolrawr]

Alright I just made my country.

Jemor.

I find this funny

effectively ruled by a group of massive corporations, who run for political office and provide their well-off citizens with world-class goods and services. Their poorer citizens, however, are mostly starving to death while being urged to go out and get real jobs.

I know how it came to that conclusion, but it's silly and assumes too much.

I hope this game doesn't make everything black or white. Because as we all know, we live in a world with 50 shades of grey.

Edited August 31, 2012 by lolrawr

[Jªvª]

My Empire of Valturstine

Its been interesting so far... lol

But proud of this

Valturstine's national animal is the Cockatrice, which frolics freely in the nation's many lush forests

Just a fare warning, don't go to my forests

Edited September 1, 2012 by Jªvª

[† Emotional Outlet]

lolrawr, you can join Cat Planet if you want, haha. We could also start a Kametsu region.

And no, the whole thing isn't just black and white, lul. Like I said, sometimes the results of the decisions you make in the issues don't always turn out the way you expect it to. If you look at the trend tab on my nation, you'll see that after a period of stability (because my nation was defunct), civil and political rights have been vacillating--not to a terribly extreme extent, of course. I've tried a couple more "economically sound" decisions, but as you can tell, my economy is still completely bottomed out. A lot of issues are fan made and writing for every possible outcome would be unwieldy, both for the player and the writer.

I think it does a good job of representing shades of grey--Twilight reference here--and it does keep track of what you decide. Java had made nudity compulsory in his nation and was later presented with an issue about allowing clothing back into the nation. I banned automobiles in Sedillia--I received an issue later about bringing them back, bringing them back but with a focus on discovering cleaner fuel options, or silencing dissenters. I chose to silence the non-believers put the environment first and maintain the ban. I think the FAQ puts it best.

My decision had unintended consequences!

Yep, that'll happen. For one thing, see "Why is my nation so weird?" above. For another, pretty much every decision you make will involve a trade-off of some kind. It's kind of an exercise in choosing the best of a bunch of bad options. You might find this frustrating, especially if you're the kind of person who thinks the solutions to all the world's problems are obvious.

There are also skins that add some flavour text--in your settings you can choose a liberal or conservative skin. It changes the banner at the top of the page and relabels nations. For example, I'm using the liberal skin, so my nation, which is currently labelled as "Democratic Socialists", is struck out and relabelled as "Ordinary Caring Intelligent World Citizens". "Corporate Police States" become "Halliburton", "Inoffensive Centrist Democracy" becomes "Fascists", and so on. I think it's cute.

[lolrawr]

Yeah I knew that with some things, the ruler might have the best intentions for things, but in the end, it's how the people interpret it and how they'll use it. Like I might provide the fishing pole, but they have to actually fish.

That's why I chose the "Like-Minded" choice to minimize that and make sure people share the same values... Wait... I just got rid of cultural diversity! Noooo!!!

[Soul Z]

This is a very interesting simulation game, I feel ok about my new country, but I don't get why I am in a Category of Inoffensive Centrist Democracy.

Am I so inoffensive?

The name is Yan-Raw http://www.nationstates.net/nation=yan-raw

Edited September 1, 2012 by Mr.Z

[† Emotional Outlet]

I can't believe you got rid of cultural diversity. You monster!

Z, you just started, haha. I wouldn't worry about your nation's label so much just yet. Although I find it kind of amusing that you're publicly flogging criminals, haha.

In other news, nudity is becoming the next big thing in Sedillia.

Homeless people are periodically found dead upon altars to assorted deities, nude art is becoming wildly popular, heavy industry must go to expensive lengths to dispose of waste, and Saturday morning cartoons feature full frontal nudity.

[Soul Z]

Don't you mind if I join your location or group or whatever you are all in? lol (Newbie is still a Newbie don't pressure on me).

[† Emotional Outlet]

Haha, it's okay if you join Cat Planet. Anyone can join, just let us know who you are.

[Soul Z]

Yan-Raw here wants to join your group. http://www.nationsta.../nation=yan-raw

In case that you have forgotten about me. :3

[† Emotional Outlet]

Haha, Z, I can't add you to Cat Planet myself. You have to move there of your own accord. Here's the link.

[† Anras Rune]

this actually seemed pretty appealing, so I decided to sign up. I can see some pretty funny things that can go on with it. I'll come back to this thread when my nation is a bit better which I hope is soon!

[Dae314]

Hehe I actually found this game like a year ago (or more maybe o.O) and started a similar thread back then too ^^. I still handle events that happen in my country, but the region I made originally with my forum collapsed, and I'm now in a random region . I don't do much in the game, but if you wanna say Hi, I'm here.

[† Emotional Outlet]

I tried searching for a thread but couldn't find anything relevant, haha. It did turn up a download thread, though!

But yeah, it's an old game--I've had my nation since 2006, lul. You can check when your nation was founded through the forum's member listing--here's yours, Dae. Apparently NS itself was founded in 2002--beta running from August through November before the site went live.

I played NS2 for a bit before forgetting about it (I think you had to pay for it at some point??), which was just as well since there seems to have been some drama about it before culminating in its deletion by the hosting site. And it's apparently never coming back since the code belongs to the hosting company and not the guy who actually made the game. Hilarity ensued.

I once aspired to be a left-wing utopia, but with my eternally garbage economy, my hopes will never be realised.

[lolrawr]

Booo!

I said politicians can't receive donations. When the law passed it did that, but also said they can't advertise at all! I'm ok with advertising as long as they do it on their own dime.

Then they want to know if selling their blood/organs for money is ok. I'm ok with blood, but not organs (because you can't get your organs back). I said yes, and of course this thing uses Murphy's Law and says poor college students are selling their kidneys. I should have compromised by saying no then compromising by saying yes.

They need to make it where I can actually speak to Congress and get these things straight lol.

[Dae314]

Haha even though you made your nation in 06 you haven't done much with it have you xD. Don't worry about the clone thread thing, I made my thread in a different forum (sorry that didn't make it into my last post). I enjoy just choosing random events to happen with my nation . I've recently been aspiring to get all 3 lines up to as close to 100% as I can.

[† Emotional Outlet]

There are few things I have started at fifteen that I continue to maintain at this point. I didn't mean to suggest that I've been following it obsessively for six years. My nation has been resurrected like three or four times.

I have college students selling their kidneys too, haha. I guess the loans aren't sufficient for their education needs, what with the whole huge income tax rate and I guess everyone is poor and unable to pay the bills. One of the economic stats sites suggested that I have a huge black market, though, because of the state of my economy, lul.

Which is cool.

Saturday morning cartoons feature full frontal nudity, college students make ends meet by selling their kidneys, loans are available for students from poor families, and it is illegal for police officers to carry out searches due to strict privacy laws.

[zx0]

Well I finally read this thread; sounds fun.

Here is my nation, Chocsville http://www.nationstates.net/nation=chocsville

Only 5 minutes old right now though!

[† Emotional Outlet]

Haha, welcome to Cat Planet, zx0!

Lot of people seem to have foul-mouthed children, lul. My nation seems to have a habit of ruining lives for CEOs.

[† Emotional Outlet]

Ah, we already had a nation cease to exist. The tragedy of NationStates, how easy it is to forget it exists.

One of my recent issues ended up with this result.

the military frequently holds bake sales to raise funds

It's hilarious because it's true. I participated in two bake sales in the time I was in the Air Force.

The liberal skin is really amusing. My current WA category is Scandinavian Liberal Paradise, but the skin has it marked off and relabelled "Normal". I guess it's normal to have an absolutely bottomed out economy and a booming black market, haha.