Lizardo

Would it be so hard to take Ivy at his word? Which, by the way, has been pretty consistent over the past year. The past is done, move on and up.

C ДЕНЬ РОЖДЕНИЕ!

CNARF? Why are we even talking about Walford's hoary old project? Ancient history.

Well, we generally appeal to the light side of the force, and our tech procurement program will bring you millions right away as a new member. If you have a darker impulse try the NSO. Just remember, Brown something for everyone. Seriously though, those alliance that suffer member loses and leadership changes will go through a period or reassessment and renewal. There may be more opportunities to participate.

Pulling allies out of the war by offering lenient terms is good strategy. If numbers have any say, it would seem that the war will last a while. After a month of fighting NPO has 277 (total - (anarchy + hippy)) nations effectively fighting. That's a significant accomplishment. Hopefully Karma is less interested in harsh terms than in culture change.

It's far more costly to the 'loser' to hold out than for the 'victor' to maintain the siege. At least in terms of a two element relationship. There may be social and political costs to the 'victor' which preclude pursuing harsh terms or annihilation. Every day the individual members of the losing alliance fall past an 'event horizon' of debt. It is the choice of the advantaged alliance to impose the conditions of relief. I'm not sure the OP and poll capture the dynamic.

Initially a 'world court' would offer an opinion as to the validity or fairness of a CB or punitive measure. It could also be a place for arbitration. In the present circumstances going to such a body to resolve the issue would have avoided falling into a well laid and executed trap. It's not something that has to come into being fully realized to be useful, and it would evolve over time. Simply one step in bringing a little civilization to the barbarian hoards.

Alex did good for his short time but left little behind. His family was murdered and the 'empire' divided amongst his generals. GK on the other hand took quit a lot of those wives and daughters to bosom and a significant number of the worlds people today have his genes. The good old days when you knew what you were fighting for. His Empire lasted several generations.

I do seem to recall, however imperfectly, that the NPO lost GWI, and were given very reasonable terms. It may be that surrender is difficult, if for no other reason, because it isn't clear who to surrender to. Karma is fairly diffuse and while there may be leaders of the movement is there any formal legal body that has sole authority? It's clear that this is a war targeted at the NPO leadership. If there is a sacrificial 'cow patty' the war may end sooner, if a 'sacred cow' mentality prevails the war could continue to the last drone. If the NPO continues to exist it may be required to change its culture so that there is no longer any internal position of near absolute power. Not to do this would leave the alliance as a ripe cherry for the some megalomaniacal sociopath to covet. The post Hegemony environment will likely not be Karma dominated. Too many overdeveloped egos. It will be anarchy with bouts of 'flatten the spike' wars. That is, an impulse to hammer down any alliance that shows a strength spike on the alliance score chart for fearing that it will be the next alliance to 'ruin' the game. So maniacally growing your alliance may be a path to pain. The hopeful result of all this will be that CN will be less inbred and attract more players. CN player population seems to have flattened out for a long while and maybe a little action will attract and retain new players. What I personally hope to see is less savagery in terms of surrender and what Karma does will certainly influence the future. I hope the new era will begin with a movement away from past trends.

I think we need to distinguish between punishment for bad acts and simple consequences of losing a war. Can we establish standards? Could we establish an international court?

From the screwy design concept to the next ruler of the world, everyone ruins the world.

Kind of like this approach?: "Oh people, know that you have commited great sins. If you ask me what proof I have for these words, I say it is because I am the punishment of God. If you had not commited great sins, God would not have sent a punishment like me upon you." - G.K. "The greatest pleasure is to vanquish your enemies and chase them before you, to rob them of their wealth and see those dear to them bathed in tears, to ride their horses and clasp to your bosom their wives and daughters." - G.K. & “It is not sufficient that I suceed - all others must fail.” -G.K. -------- I generally prefer the Ben Franklin approach.: “Do good to your friends to keep them, to your enemies to win them.”

EZI, essentially the removal of a player, should be the domain of the Admin and CN Mods. It too closely comes to acting against someone OOC. In fact any punitive measure that targets the 'person' as opposed to the game token is unreasonable to the point that the Admin should respond. PZI is simply cruel, but driving someone to re roll is not outside the boundaries of the game. It might be better for all if we did away with the 'permanent' and set some reasonable time, as has been suggested. Exile is a reasonable fate for failed leaders. It could even go as far as an exile to 'None', depending on how potentially dangerous the subject is perceived as being. It would be well though for those in the position to impose such penalties to consider, well, karma. What we witness over the past several years was a creeping expansion of punitive measures and a move in the opposite direction might serve us well as a community. When better to start than a global event. Any thoughts to creating standards and a body to observe, judge or enforce them?

To respond to the question in the OP, I think the cancellation of those treaties was symptomatic, not causative.

If you enjoyed that you'll probably enjoy In the Footsteps of Mr. Kurtz and Guns, Germs and Steel Nice to know I'm not the only one reading FP. Is it reasonable to say the political and social structure in the NPO contributed to the present circumstances? If so, how might that be changed for a more hopeful future?

Sept. 19/2006 (Actually, add a few days to that.) Time does go quickly, and all of it with the brown cat. The nice pm's from DG probably what keep me there.

Oldest Nation: 1/14/2006 (1185 Days) - das girl of acornia - Yup, still alive. Maybe she'll return and bring a little of the old magic back?

30k players is a very low standard for a MMBBG.

It should not be inferred by this that any of our dear leaders are spotted, striped or in any way dodgy.

Does it make sense to have the same event operational multiple times? Is it normal to have so much bad news at once?