logan1's Blog

99% of statistics are made up.

:liarsparadox:

Restricted info isn't as exciting as you'd guess and most of it anyone can figure out from paying attention.

But you're right, keeping non gov members of your alliance informed goes a long way towards keeping them interested.

statistics, n.: A system for expressing your political prejudices in convincing scientific guise.

Because 99% of Bob wants you dead. Don't let it bother you, they want me dead too.

/me puts on tinfoil hat

Start a worldwide proletariat revolution to redistribute the fun.

Depends on what your alliance is doing I guess. Alliances 'in the thick of it' will probably give it's members more say in world affairs. Alliances with a strong democratic element probably will too (or at least an alliance that encourages it's leadership to consult with it's regular members).

In all seriousness, spies are probably the biggest reason plans involving the operational security of an alliance are not disseminated to general membership.

It's because those that are playing in the upper ranks want to keep their hands and motives hidden. Secrecy is a potent shield.

While it's easy to condemn these 'elites' for playing kingmaker or puppeteer and keeping the power concentrated in the hands of a few without sharing, on the other hand, there is also a tremendous amount of responsibility on the shoulders of leaders. While it may seem fun to be a grand leader (and for the most part it is) there is also a heavy psychological burden of knowing that your actions will affect for better or worse 50, 100, 200 or more people. That kind of pressure

makes leaders play conservatively, take fewer chances, and keep their cards close to their chests.

There are two solutions available to the common man or woman.

The first is to get pro-active about your connections. Go out there on the IRC, visit forums, and start making friends, or at least build connections, with the high profile players. Once you build rapport and show that you can be trusted with information, you will get it and be able to piece the puzzles of current events together much sooner than most.

The second, a much more difficult procedure, is to change the status quo of operations. In short, start a revolution in M.O. Put the best of your correspondences on the CN forum, put your plans out on the forums, peace talks, disputes, ect. stir it up. When people say "private channels" you say "NO, public forum", and then put your money where your mouth is.

It's because those that are playing in the upper ranks want to keep their hands and motives hidden. Secrecy is a potent shield.

While it's easy to condemn these 'elites' for playing kingmaker or puppeteer and keeping the power concentrated in the hands of a few without sharing, on the other hand, there is also a tremendous amount of responsibility on the shoulders of leaders. While it may seem fun to be a grand leader (and for the most part it is) there is also a heavy psychological burden of knowing that your actions will affect for better or worse 50, 100, 200 or more people. That kind of pressure

makes leaders play conservatively, take fewer chances, and keep their cards close to their chests.

There are two solutions available to the common man or woman.

The first is to get pro-active about your connections. Go out there on the IRC, visit forums, and start making friends, or at least build connections, with the high profile players. Once you build rapport and show that you can be trusted with information, you will get it and be able to piece the puzzles of current events together much sooner than most.

The second, a much more difficult procedure, is to change the status quo of operations. In short, start a revolution in M.O. Put the best of your correspondences on the CN forum, put your plans out on the forums, peace talks, disputes, ect. stir it up. When people say "private channels" you say "NO, public forum", and then put your money where your mouth is.

You missed option three.

Most alliances keep around an analyst position or its equivalent to let information be shared by those who are intelligent enough for their input to be valued but who lack the time to dedicate to an out and out government role. VE does this with our Ministers of Awesome, they are retired government members who still retain government access so as to take part in policy making discussions.

Option two will never happen because of the nature of Opsec information, the vast majority of it is simply a matter of timing, its only a secret until the decision is made then its public, or its a case of where public scrutiny would impede progress.

Just the way the game works, and most games like CN work.

Frankly if there is an 'elite' willing to put the time and effort in and i'm not, they deserve to have the fun, and i don't. Of course yeah it would be nice to know more, but i'm not willing to put that sort of commitment in.

Operational Security, when you're in treaty discussions for example or preparing for war having a leak could severely make the talks in question more difficult.

Want to be up to date? Run for government in your Alliance or read the forums well most can be found there if you know where to look.

Very simple really, there is a small cabal of people who have been playing this game for years and they know one another. They earned the spots they have, no gripe here. The other key is IRC and well that enables the processes you describe so data sharing and "fun" can be controlled even more (triple secret rooms).

In the end the simplest aspect of this is player apathy, if more people feel like the op the less power those people have. Ive floated around a bit, been in sr gov once or maybe twice it aint all that glamorous, however neither are activity rates at a lot of alliances either....

The great thing about Vox was that they constantly were breaking down opsec, or at least were creating the pretense of having done so, and were providing the forums an "inside" look. It was fun, entertaining and insightful.

Because 99% of CN having all the fun with 1% having none would be wrong.

maybe join an alliance that is known for transparency?

Don't know who it would be though :/

The first is to get pro-active about your connections. Go out there on the IRC, visit forums, and start making friends, or at least build connections, with the high profile players. Once you build rapport and show that you can be trusted with information, you will get it and be able to piece the puzzles of current events together much sooner than most.

I agree with this. Follow this advice and you will have a lot more information flowing your way.

Because that's how OPSEC works. Hell, that 1% itself is leaky as hell..

Restricted info isn't as exciting as you'd guess and most of it anyone can figure out from paying attention.

This is usually true.

In all seriousness, spies are probably the biggest reason plans involving the operational security of an alliance are not disseminated to general membership.

Hardly. Spies aren't even needed anymore. The problem is, after several years, people have developed many friendships in-game with people. This chains all the way around -- just like the treaty web looks. And many people say too much to their friends. Why take the risk with spies if you're going to get the info anyways? C&G and SF pretty much know at any given time what's going on in 'secret', because word gets out. I would say CDT too but they seem to have some weird sources of info. So I don't think they really know what's going on.

Because 99% of CN having all the fun with 1% having none would be wrong.

Don't even. Your alliance is secretive about its info too.

"but i am more of a political player and i know many others are as well...the climate for people who are not overly popular or connected is not very good. everything is need to know and very minimum that is released to what i like to refer to as grunts."

I would be completely and utterly bored of this game if I were NOT an alliance leader or somehow involved politically. I do not get why people not involved in politics stay - they must really like the war aspect of the game for some reason (play only TE if that's the case, imo). Anyway, perhaps your point is partly why there are so many new alliances that are popping up. I haven't looked to see where you are now, but if you're interested in politics but don't have the time to commit to getting in a position of power with the big boys and girls, start looking for a small alliance. They usually need people to get involved and once they trust you, you'll be "in" on whatever you want.

On the one hand, you say you're mostly a political player. But on the other hand, you say that you don't have time to "put in for a political position".

Essentially, you're wanting to know what is going on, to have a say, to be involved - but you don't want to put in the time that is required for that.

On the one hand, you say you're mostly a political player. But on the other hand, you say that you don't have time to "put in for a political position".

Essentially, you're wanting to know what is going on, to have a say, to be involved - but you don't want to put in the time that is required for that.

This is actually pretty accurate. Being "in the know" requires the time and effort that you have admitted you are not able to, or are unwilling, to invest.

Also, "two people can keep a secret if one of them is dead" ...

wow, i got quite the response. thanks.

i am a pretty active player. id say im active then more then 80% of active players in any given AA ive ever been in. it used to be higher.

i know that people who put more time and effort into the game deserve to make the calls. id just like an aspect where i could know whats going on, not call any shots.

i just believe a lot of people would be more into this game if they knew what was going on. and again, OP SPECs aside.

Your best bet is to be active, and that will get you more info, and such.

Although going to a small alliance is a alternative too, but there's a lot of alternatives.

I've found that being active on IRC is usually the quickest way to get that kind of info. Mind you, you actually have to be likeable too

I've found that being active on IRC is usually the quickest way to get that kind of info. Mind you, you actually have to be likeable too

Tell me about it xD

Well, I think as has been mentioned by banksy before, it quite also depends on the alliance you are in. Some alliance have a small group of leaders do all the "politics" among themselves, and give out little info to their common membership for various reason "Opsec" for example has been mentioned.

There is nothing wrong with that at all, as if such an alliance openly recruits without intensive screening, it actually always will be an issue. And above all, if you don't like how this alliance approaches keeping their membership informed, you can always chose one that will be more open with its membership.

My take is that, as the OP already hinted at, a lot (I won't say 99% ) of players are quite happy that a few active people are doing all the work, including talking to foreign governments, keeping contacts with other players, because they can't/won't invest the time necessary to do it themselves. So I really think, if you feel you are completely kept in the dark, and left out of important decision-making and the information required to do so, it's mostly your choice.