Ardus

The game ended years ago, just nobody turned out the lights and played the "go home" music. Roll IRON.

Well, I can only hope everybody else is slacking off on communications. We won't be and I'd love for it to become another powerful advantage in our pockets

I've been making rounds (or getting/letting/slacking until Cent or Sal do it) telling allies whenever we even get the idea of signing a treaty with somebody. My little birds tell me this isn't exactly a unique practice, even if there are clear holes throughout CN. I think the problem is more evident with cancellations. People rarely cut ties on "good terms" anymore, if they ever did. Treaties don't fall until there is not a single hook left to hang it on. So when cancellation comes around, the one or both of the alliances probably (1) dislike the other, possibly intensely and/or (2) calculate that the other will be on the opposite side of a foreseeable conflict. The former provides an emotional motivation to be curt and cut with little heads up. The latter provides a pragmatic reason: you don't want to give a potential enemy any additional time to react or control a situation. I have been lucky to not have to cancel any treaties in recent history (excepting CTI and CE, which were already clearly defunct), so I can't provide detailed guidance on how to properly move forward with divergence. I can say that the trend of surprise nullification and misleading or false justifications provided (cancelling over A when in fact you're preparing for war B) provides for very dangerous and powerful resentment that people underestimate and which can lock up global affairs for a very long time. If nothing else: don't send deputies to do it, don't go public before you've informed in private, and be honest in your reasoning. The last may well prove surprisingly helpful and the other party you're looking to cut may give you a view you hadn't considered.

I'm... ugh... in agreement with HoT. The LOIC strikes do nothing but stir up opposition and make free-net activists look like children. It's the online equivalent of pissing on the steps of the Capitol while yelling "YEAH, FIGHT DA POWAH" before the police drag you away.

My general rule is to reserve aggression for the IC forums. Usually works well enough.

I am the greatest monster in the history of humanity.

The curtain opens to a small apartment with three friends, each drinking a different beverage. Ardus is surfing the web while the others try to decide what to watch on TV. The group has just completed the Willy Wonka & the Chocolate Factory drinking game. Ardus: Hey, y'all like Star Trek so you'll like this. Apparently the guy who did the voice of Q on Star Trek is the villain in the next season of Ponies. Widget & NonCNFriend: Really? Widget: We should watch Star Trek right now. Is it on Netflix? Ardus: Yes, it is. I'm not actually familiar with Q. Widget: He's a trickster space god, you'll love it. Ardus: Sounds good to me. NonCNFriend: So-and-so will love to hear about this. Ardus: Trekkie? NonCNFriend: No, Brony. Ardus: Ugh. NonCNFriend: Yeah, I accidentally caused it. I showed him the Starcraft video and... Ardus: The Starcraft video? You mean the one I showed you? The sync'd up one? NonCNFriend: Yeah, that one. Ardus: So... ultimately I'm responsible for this. NonCNFriend: *trying not to laugh* Yes... you are. Ardus: Well guys it was nice knowing you. **Ardus "attempts" to open his 7th story window. However, the apartment is in a sealed building and the window is thus bolted shut.** Ardus: Goddamnit. **Laughter ensues at my expense** FML

I think the picture to the left of this text accurately captures my reaction to this.

Both alliances are immensely skilled in battle. Draw.

I'm speaking to matters I'm not very familiar with as I did not participate, but I recall the Legion member used and shared the photos and album on IRC. If A shows B a picture and B laughs at it, B is certainly being mean, but has not elevated himself to our Slayer situation. B has not attempted to use OOC objects to influence the IC dynamic, nor has the IC dynamic led him to laugh at the pictures of A. MK laughs at Legion. It also laughs at everybody else, including enemies, neutrals, allies, and its own members. Especially its own members. What is "sick" is when people become so invested in a game that they set out to try and dig up real life material to use against people in that game. That is not just mean, but suggests an obsession with the game and its players that is unwell. Since you seem rather inspired by the subject, I must inquire as to your own opinion. Is it acceptable or unacceptable to seek out real life details of players to be used in-game? Is it acceptable or unacceptable to laugh or mock other players for real life details that make themselves apparent? Returning to the original sequence of posts you referenced, I'll note that only one of the quoted posts take a position contrary to the one I argue in the podcast. The rest simply don't like NoV, a position that was plenty justified by NoV's IC conduct in the lead-up to the war.

I don't think I've ever denied that we're jerks. That said, I'm pretty sure the photobucket thing just sort of fell into their laps. I don't think they went digging for it.

I also voted and volunteered Republican back then. Now I'm solid Democrat. It's amazing how much one can grow in the span of 3 years.

Os has certainly done a bang up job as Sec-gen, however the efforts that led to ODN's progress from pariah began a long time before Os took the reins. Arguably it was the efforts of Arsenal, Joracy and others (incl. myself...not trying to sound arrogant or anything but I also put alot of work into laying that groundwork) that laid the groundwork for that. ODN's govt has always been a team effort no matter who was at the helm.Os's efforts to build on that base have nevertheless been impressive, and if the only reason he got 'pushed' out is his length of tenure then it is pretty sad way to repay him for his efforts. I refer you to my previous post.

You missed the threads about the game dying. The game dying usually goes in hand with one of the other five.