Haven't been on the boards for some time, but some of this is too silly to go on without a response.
To Nintenderek;
You're like most other alliances, but different & unique? The logical part of my brain just had synaptic relapse. You can't have it both ways, and I would say you are way further on the unique side of the spectrum than the "we're like everyone else". The only alliance you're really like is FAN, because you're both avoiding complete obliteration by being in peace mode. Most alliances aren't in peace-mode, they don't have their steadfast nation building crushed to feed someone else's war machine. There is little worry of a continuous, never ending war against the NPO and its allies for most alliances.
You fellows are a niche alliance, plenty of reasons to all come together in your own minds, but please, the comparison of Vox to "everyone else" is hardly fair to everyone else. Most alliances have NS, nuke, etc stats that reflect growth every month. Most alliances aren't in perpetual war. Most alliances aren't as vocal about policy on CN or IRC. Most alliances are not like Vox. nor do they want to be. Most alliances are like NPO, at least more like NPO than VP.
Personally, any alliances claiming they operate nearly exclusively on IRC would be a downfall in my eyes, as a long-time but still casual player of CyberNations. Not to say my alliance forum inbox is brimming with messages or I have a 1000+ post count, but I think it goes to show, again, that Vox is targeting long time players with some form of beef with other players, most of it fueled by IRC. The number of wars where IRC was used in part as a reason, justification, or prolongation of conflict is quite high. I've been off IRC for months, and the drama-level has never been lower in regards to this game. Like you alluded to, Vox isn't for new CNers, so perhaps the IRC centralization isn't a detriment, as you aren't actively seeking new gamers for growth, but this ties in again to uniqueness, not "more of the same".
Again, this goes back to why you are unique. Other alliances have an important stake in something Vox doesn't. Growth. Growth to other alliances is directly seen in NS, nukes, infra; the stats of the game. For Vox, growth is more relative. If one nation coming out of peace mode meant 15 more dissenters against whatever it is your dissenting against, than that may be seen advantageously. Vox attempts growth via its ideas, the growth of a movement against what it calls hegemony, so it is more difficult to assess its strengths.
As a CN alliance, I regard you as a failure. Negative growth, perpetual war, no new CN gamers to share your knowledge with in any official capacity, isolated without treaties.
As a CN idea you've endured far, far longer than I expected. You fellows play the game in a way I don't believe I ever would in a nation-simulation game. Success of an idea, too, is in the eye of the beholder. You could very well all believe your doing awesome, and if you feel that way, than so be it.
The NPO-hating is a bit boring, though. Could you, maybe, get your e-hate on for non-chocolate-chipped muffins, some assembly required BBQs with Chinese-only instructions, or Xanathu the Never-Seen Collective-Oligarchical Overlord of CN?
