Mandolus

[quote name='the rebel' timestamp='1283562885' post='2440942'] Who said anything about wanting entertainment? If you think this rubbish is entertainment then you must be a sad individual, furthermore telling the world of your rogue situation with do's and dont's like it isnt already common knowledge, is pathetic "me me me" attention seeking no matter how you cut it. [/quote] Damn GOONS you just knocked off the front page an announcement about how the Council of Underdog Marauders just hit 100k NS or about the new government changes in the Democratic Virginian Defense Authority with this rubbish trash garbage

[quote name='Jens of the desert' timestamp='1283544459' post='2440661'] Your alliance is almost literally nothing. [/quote] Give it a week or two

[quote name='hizzy' timestamp='1283524807' post='2440388'] welp that's what happens when you talk about reps like a dick and then taunt your opponent about his ability to pay reps which are clearly overpriced. [/quote] Right, because Methrage definitely intended to pay reps and this isn't just one huge cry for attention on his part, and you aren't on his side simply because you don't like GOONS. Look, I know constantly trying to "discredit the enemy" on the OWF is the cool thing to do on Bob but Methrage is clearly in the wrong here. If you're going to support him you can at least be honest and say its because you want to see GOONS die instead of trying to justify his ridiculous attention whoring. You look like less of a petty jerk that way.

People are going to be supporting Methrage regardless of what the circumstances behind this dispute are simply because they're against GOONS. That's how politics (OOC: "Roleplaying" ) on Planet Bob work.

[quote name='Methrage' timestamp='1283495587' post='2440098'] You need to read what you write before you post, if its not good don't use it. Bad posting is what you do a lot, which means you don't stop ever and its beginning to be hard to tell if its on purpose or a special power bestowed upon you by admin himself to ward off any sense if thought. [/quote] I think it's absolutely precious that you made up a whole government structure and five separate classes of members for a two man alliance. Like any day now the masses will rush to join Kerberos Nexus, so we'd better be prepared! Adorable.

Why do people aid/bail out Methrage? Is it just because he hates GOONS so much? That I can understand, enemy of my enemy and all that. I hope people don't actually like him or think their money will be put to good use when they help him or something.

Make him decom all his Intelligence Agencies if/when he's let off the EoG hook this time.

[quote name='Locke' timestamp='1283470679' post='2439594'] Japan? Where is this place? Can you point it out for me on a map? http://www.cybernations.net/nation_drill_display.asp?Nation_ID=414618 I think that's it, actually. [/quote] OOC: Pulling this card is pretty pathetic on your part, but it's obviously been established by your alliance and this thread that anime and Japan exist on Planet Bob, otherwise the second post is just as out of character as mine. And do you really want me to get in to the "mature" themes in anime? The schoolgirl panty flashes? The excessive, pointless gore? The thousand year old women reincarnated as twelve year old girls? (It's not pedophilia that way! )

[quote name='Arrnea' timestamp='1283455594' post='2439395'] That unlike western 'cartoons', it covers the entire range of subject material, not just the 'child-oriented' material you usually find in Western cartoons. The anime film I mentioned, [i]Grave of the Fireflies[/i], is the story of two orphaned children trying to survive in the middle of warzone. Hardly childrens' fare. [/quote] Western cartoons like Family Guy, South Park, and Beavis and Butt-Head have some mature subject matter too but that doesn't make adults who obsess over Bratz and My Little Pony any less creepy and weird. Think about it.

[quote name='Haflinger' timestamp='1283425767' post='2439049'] http://forums.cybernations.net/index.php?showtopic=38963 Actually that one got more replies. [/quote] Congratulations, you managed to find an ODP between the most widely hated alliance in the game and [b]six[/b] other alliances that just barely has more posts than this one which is still going strong.

[quote name='michaeru' timestamp='1283424054' post='2439046'] Which boils down to a poor understanding of anime and "BAWWW STOP LIKING WHAT I DON'T LIKE". [/quote] What is there to "understand" about anime besides it being cartoons from a foreign land?

[quote name='Sal Paradise' timestamp='1283413765' post='2439012'] This has always been my dream. What's your secret? [/quote] Well its pretty simple all you have to do is legitimately enjoy foreign cartoons made for pubescent girls and [b]for some reason[/b] people won't like you!

[quote name='Arrnea' timestamp='1283324870' post='2438024'] [center][img]http://i215.photobucket.com/albums/cc283/Arrnea/PublicationHeader.png[/img][/center] Welcome, one and all, to the first-ever issue of [b]The Haruhiist Bulletin[/b]. Realizing that you probably won't read this anyway, we will nevertheless endeavor to provide you with the latest news concerning the SOS Brigade, reviews of great anime or manga and character spotlights on popular anime and manga characters. We hope you enjoy reading! [center]================================================== [img]http://i33.tinypic.com/33jptgp.png[/img][/center] The SOS Brigade continues to grow this month, standing at [b]44[/b] nations (plus one more on the SOS Brigade's applicant alliance affiliation, [i]SOS Brigade Hopeful[/i]), [b]1,369,549[/b] total nation strength, [b]344[/b] nuclear weapons and [b]5.24[/b] score on the eve of its first anniversary. On the first of August, the SOS Brigade had [b]1,229,471[/b] total nation strength and has thus grown by a total of [b]140,078[/b] nation strength in the past thirty days. [center][img]http://i52.tinypic.com/2dvn12q.png[/img][/center] In Foreign Affairs news, the SOS Brigade has recently [url=http://cybernations.wikia.com/wiki/Bern%E2%80%93Elrich_Affair]signed a treaty with The Imperial Order[/url], entitled the "Bern–Elrich Affair". In addition to this, the SOS Brigade holds MDoAPs with [url=http://cybernations.wikia.com/wiki/Spreading_Even_More_Socialism_All_Over_the_World_with_Haruhi_Suzumiya%27s_Brigade]The International[/url] and [url=http://cybernations.wikia.com/wiki/Yuki_Still_Plays_Way_Too_Much_Tetris_or_How_I_Learned_to_Stop_Worrying_and_Love_Korobeiniki]Tetris[/url], as well as an MDP with the [url=http://cybernations.wikia.com/wiki/Cactuar-kun_Enliven_the_World_Even_More!!!_Brigade]Random Insanity Alliance[/url] and an ODP with the [url=http://cybernations.wikia.com/wiki/Spreading_Independence_All_Over_The_World]Colonial Independence Association[/url]. [center]================================================== [img]http://i33.tinypic.com/2llzwio.png[/img] [b]Millennium Actress[/b] (千年女優, [i]Sennen Joyuu[/i]) Written and Directed by Satoshi Kon Produced by Madhouse Studios and GENCO [img]http://cdn.myanimelist.net/images/anime/1/1033.jpg[/img] [b]Story[/b] [img]http://i34.tinypic.com/xmjtk2.png[/img][/center] The story of [i]Millennium Actress[/i] centers around Chiyoko Fujiwara, an actress born during the Great Kanto Earthquake of 1923 as she makes her way through a film career as the leading lady of Studio Gin'ei. Interviewing her regarding her illustrious career are Genya Tachibana and Kyoji Ida, a two-man crew sent to document her story in commemoration of the 70th anniversary of the studio. The story covers a large swathe of Japanese film history, starting in the late 1930's and following through all the way to around 1970, showing the progression of both the industry and Chiyoko herself through these years as she continues to seek that which she has been chasing after since before she became an actress... a lost love. [center][b]Animation[/b] [img]http://i34.tinypic.com/jilt7r.png[/img][/center] Considering that this film came out in 2001, most people would find the animation to be dated and the style antiquated. However, taking this into account, the animation is absolutely flawless. Obviously, the production values of the team responsible for animating this were extremely high (the fact that it was produced on a film's budget might have had something to do with it too) and as a result there is not a shot out of place. The scenery was particularly appealing, although not overly dominating, as it was in features like [i]5 Centimeters Per Second[/i], which are all about the scenery. [center][b]Sound and Voice Acting[/b] [img]http://i38.tinypic.com/fvfj12.png[/img][/center] The background music in [i]Millennium Actress[/i] was of a very high standard throughout, with one exception: the ending credits theme, which was a bit out-of-place for the film's mood. Instead, a more somber, subdued instrumental piece might have closed out the film more effectively. In terms of the voice acting, all of the supporting cast does a highly competent job, but the true stars here are the two voice actors performing the role of Chiyoko, namely Mami Koyama and Fumiko Orikasa. The two voice actors combine perfectly to deliver the range of ages we see in Chiyoko, from her childhood in the 1930's to her old age in the present day (around the year 2000). [center][b]Characters[/b] [img]http://i38.tinypic.com/fvfj12.png[/img][/center] For a film with so many characters, there truly is only one actor (or as the title says, Actress) that drives the movie and that is Chiyoko. Through the course of the film we see her blossom from a naïve young girl in love to a gentle old lady who we cannot help but feel for as she struggles through dark times, both personally and in Japanese modern history. The supporting cast come across well, even the somewhat over-enthusiastic Genya, a man starstruck in the presence of his idol. [center][b]Overall[/b] [img]http://i38.tinypic.com/fvfj12.png[/img][/center] In the end, [i]Millennium Actress[/i] is an enjoyable, if somewhat confusing ride through the life of a simple girl ascended to the limelight in the Japanese film industry. The interchanges between reality and fiction can be jarring to those not familiar with Satoshi Kon's works, but in the end work towards weaving the narrative that the film would simply fall apart without. Definitely worth a watch if you're up for the ride, but not if you're likely to throw the film away for confusing you along the way. [center]================================================== [img]http://i37.tinypic.com/23pu79.png[/img] [b]Konata Izumi[/b] (泉 こなた, [i]Izumi Konata[/i]) Character created by Kagami Yoshimizu [img]http://cdn.myanimelist.net/images/characters/13/39208.jpg[/img][/center] [b]Konata Izumi[/b], 18 years old, is the main character of [i]Lucky Star[/i] and one of the most devoted fans of our Goddess, the almighty Haruhi Suzumiya. A resident of Saitama Prefecture in Japan, Konata lives with her father, Soujirou Izumi and her younger cousin, Yutaka Kobayakawa. Not present is her mother, Kanata Izumi, who tragically passed away when Konata was only an infant. A fan of anime, manga and dōjinshi visual novels, Konata spends her days attending high school, working at a cosplay café, being doted upon by her somewhat clingy father and reading 2ch. Quite often, Konata will watch an episode of anime on her television and immediately head to 2ch, to find the fanbase already flaming away. At high school, her strongest subject is PE, despite her dislike for sports and her weakest subjects are maths and science, where she often relies on her more diligent friend Kagami Hiiragi for help with homework. Her friends at high school include Kagami, her sister Tsukasa and Miyuki Takara, whom she sometimes refers to as Miwiki, owing to her vast general knowledge. Konata is also a heavy player of MMORPGs, where she goes by the alias 'konakona'. Her teacher at high school Nanako Kuroi, also plays many of the same online games as her student, leading to a large number of cases where Konata's habit of gaming instead of studying is found out by her teacher. However, when asked how she kept her mind on studying, Kuroi herself admits that she was like Konata and often played games instead of studying. Konata is a frequent customer of anime/manga/gaming retailers in the area (such as Gamers), such that she is known as "Legendary Girl A" to the staff of these shops. Also a frequent visitor to Comiket, she is known as the girl who buys the works of a circle just before they become popular. For this reason, circles at Comiket who recognise her hope that she reads their work and approves of it, as this is believed to result in mainstream success for the circle. Overall, Konata is a well-natured, intelligent and somewhat geeky teenager with a deep attachment to the anime and manga culture and a special spot for our Goddess, Haruhi Suzumiya. [center]==================================================[/center] [/quote] This is a valid CB right?

This would be mostly fixed by shortening war length.

[quote name='admin' timestamp='1282963563' post='2433408'] I’ve been following this thread and others like it and I am reluctant to post in any of them as there are always people just waiting to challenge what that I say, but be that as it may, I’ll go ahead and post my thoughts on the subject...[/quote] I didn't expect you to actually post in this thread. Respect. I do think you're a little quick to put the blame on the community however. Yeah, the ridiculous reps and attachment to numbers are problems, but they are a result of nations growing larger and having more to lose. Now, I totally think it's crazy how attached people get to their pixels in this game, but it's to be expected. For whatever reason, it's natural for people to become possessive of something that they feel they "worked" for, even if it's entirely meaningless. I like the idea of being able to cheaply rebuild back to within 100 infra. That'd make people a lot less afraid to lose their pixels in battles.

As a member of GOONS, another alliance that people can't seem to get over... move on, guys. Let the NPO do something evil first, and then stomp them for it. The bickering is pointless. That song is terrible though.

Who cares if retired players or those that are barely paying attention quit due to war? They aren't contributing to the game anyway. And without war... what else is there to do?

Here's some brutal honesty: The game is a boring, broken, confusing mess. The mechanics make little sense to a new player - heck, they make little sense to advanced players - and the entire economy is based on exploiting the foreign aid system. Resources are ridiculously unbalanced and poor starting resources can cripple a nation with no way for a new player to know this without checking out external information. The amount of info a new player needs to absorb for a glorified Progress Quest is insane. It's not because the game is deep or compelling either. It's because the only way to catch up, to become relevant, is to exploit the broken mechanics to your advantage. Things like tech deals, backcollects, trade circles. And what does it all mean? The stats in this game are essentially meaningless outside of war. Your collections get bigger, your bills get higher (exponentially so, REQUIRING you to do things like improvement swaps and backcollects after a certain point) but essentially you're doing the same thing at 1 infra as you are at 10000 infra. That is, outside of war. Unfortunately, the penalties for war are big and get bigger as your nation grows. The game actively dissuades players who care about the game from warring, due to the sheer amount of time it takes to rebuild. This leads to increasingly large reparation demands and longer spaces between wars. It also leads to the community lashing out against "immoral" alliances who actually want to [i]do something[/i] in the game so they can protect their precious infra. Meanwhile, there is [b]nothing to do[/b] but make your meaningless numbers grow. So people turn to the OWF and their offsite alliance communities. I don't know how he did it - probably sheer luck - but somehow Admin managed to build up a big political community around his broken shell of a game. It's almost worthy of a study. That is, it would be if it weren't just a bunch of constant back and forth circular bickering over the tiniest details. Everyone constantly trying to make their enemies look bad over everything that anyone ever does. Page after page after page of the same boring uninspired bland BS "drama". You could pick any page of the 250 some odd pages of collected "Six Million Dollar War" threads and it would look identical to every other. VE and GOONS have an ODP - a freaking ODP - thread right now that has reached 24 pages of bickering about the same tired raiding arguments. It's bland. It's boring. Stop doing it. And then you had the recent \m/ and STA conflict that really had some great potential but \m/ was browbeaten into backing down because no one in power wants to threaten the power structure and their precious pixels with global war. Pathetic. The other thing about the OWF is the overly restrictive moderation. GOONS actually recommends that members NOT post on the OWF because of how easy it is to get warned and potentially lose their nations over the tiniest things. Even in this thread, a discussion about how to save this dying game, we have mods stifling discussion on game mechanics for no good reason. Isn't the Suggestion Box forum for approved threads about suggestions, not discussion on how to fix the game? You want a healthier community? Loosen up the restrictions and don't make people freaking afraid to post here lest they lose their precious nations. Does someone really need to get warned for slipping up and making reference to a real world figure in an in character forum? It breeds a community of petty jerks reporting every little thing to try and get their enemies in trouble. I'll probably get warned or banned for saying this, but what can you do. But basically, it all comes down to Admin clearly not caring about this game any more, if ever. If you're bored, if you're frustrated, stop donating. The only way he'll start caring is if profits drop, unfortunately. Admin, if you don't want this game to die, put some effort into fixing your game. Make it friendlier to newbies, make it more engaging, make it easier to become relevant without exploiting the game mechanics like an aspie, make rebuilding after wars faster, loosen up the network restrictions and the restrictive moderation. Just do something.

[quote name='Rayvon' timestamp='1282931697' post='2432928'] There's no hypocrisy here. Yet again - I am NOT saying anything about the act of tech raiding, as much as I personally don't like it ... What I AM talking about, and what I HAVE been talking about - is the methods of achieving peace afterwards. [/quote] Do you seriously expect people to take the arguments of a guy with "Propagandist" in his signature seriously?

Your thinly veiled, pathetic attempt to make VE regret this treaty by dredging up the same old tired stupid boring arguments yet again is noted, so why don't you nerds let this topic die instead of turning it into yet another 75 page circular wank fest about raiding?

Am I the only one who thinks it's a tad odd that the New Sith Order are actually a bunch of whiny crybabies with a moralist streak? I thought Sith were supposed to be evil and menacing and all that. B-b-b-b-b-b-but Hoo said there would be no terms! He [b]said[/b]!!!!!! Why don't you guys act like proper Sith and plot behind the scenes to destroy your enemies instead of crying like a class of preschoolers on the OWF about some supposed injustice?

This topic has been around for a year and a half, most people seem to agree it's a good idea, and yet... it hasn't been implemented yet? It's not like this is some wacky difficult to code feature. And we wonder why TE is losing players?

The entire first world aside from the US seems to think so

Fake declarations of war are really dumb.

Politicians would have a harder time demonizing socialism if suddenly America started accepting the evil Cuban way of life, so don't expect it any time soon.