Anyone Else Notice the Tide of...

[Hymenbreach]

i've often considered setting up a culture/special circumstances themed alliance. Especially as the minds talking in Excession were exactly like an alliance irc channel.

Edited July 10, 2009 by Hymenbreach

[PhysicsJunky]

The truth is 90% of the new alliances being created now in th summer vacations will:

1- Disband

2- Merge and then disband

Of the truly new alliances perhaps. A sizable chunk of DoEs are really partial reincarnations of one or more historical alliances, or recreations of the long past history of still existing alliances, under a different name. Those groups tend to have more longevity. Probably nudges the overall DoE success rate up some.

Or another way to look at it is we have DoEs coming in from three different directions. The normal summer amateur variety which are likely to fold, the post-war split off and reemergences which are coin flips, and a few that have been in the planning for months and just happened to coincide with the rest.

[Uralica]

I always had a few ideas floating around for what I'd do IF I ever formed an alliance (which wouldn't happen because I'm not really the alliance leader type )

- A post-apocalyptic themed alliance rife with references to Fear Factory and Front Line Assembly

- a Babylon 5-themed alliance

- an alliance based on certain video game series (Contra, Castlevania, Front Mission, etc.)

[Doitzel]

Haha, it would be awesome. But I've got postwar plans that I have no intention of changing, so I doubt it'll happen anytime in the near future.

Vincent also makes a good point in that an alliance's theme is only part of what makes it unique (or, in many cases, doesn't). Take NSO. At first glance, they're just another Star Wars alliance. But they're very unique in culture and in structure. Both of which matter far more than theme.

-Bama

NSO is unremarkable. An untouchable clique at the top led by a personality cult dictator while the members sycophantically squabble for the scraps from master's table. Just another run-of-the-mill authoritarian alliance with a twist that actually makes things operationally worse and breeds the most hostile community atmosphere possible.

Edit: And their theme is a joke on the whole. It's an excuse to do whatever they want but beyond that there's very little adherence to Star Wars canon.

Edited July 10, 2009 by Elyat

[BamaBuc]

NSO is unremarkable. An untouchable clique at the top led by a personality cult dictator while the members sycophantically squabble for the scraps from master's table. Just another run-of-the-mill authoritarian alliance with a twist that actually makes things operationally worse and breeds the most hostile community atmosphere possible.

Edit: And their theme is a joke on the whole. It's an excuse to do whatever they want but beyond that there's very little adherence to Star Wars canon.

Didn't say their system was good. If Ivan ever leaves or even goes on hiatus, they're going to have issues. I don't know if there's anyone else who could hold together a system that encourages and institutionalizes coups. Indeed, there are far more ex-NSO members than you would expect for an alliance of their age. But for better or for worse, their internal structure is something that hasn't been tried before (in regards to encouraging coups).

-Bama

[ddog241]

welp, b4 the talks with corrupt about making eldar. i was planning on deleting and walking away from the game.

so here i am now, making a new alliance... and still have no idea wtf i was thinking

[LJ Scott]

I'd make a little alliance that had a Super Mario Bros theme.

Sounds like it could be comprised of a bunch of glorious fine gentleman.

[Jipps]

Cthulhu is calling. In case there isn't enough Lovecraft fans out there, I've always liked to make an alliance based on exaggerated self loathing personas and extreme self-righteousness.

[potato]

I thought about making an alliance called ANT COLONY where every member must role play as a worker ant at all times. Couldn't get anyone else interested unfortunately.

I remember that. I think I never laughed so much on IRC ... I probably still have the logs somewhere.

I'd make a little alliance that had a Super Mario Bros theme.

That'll never work. Too many fine gentlemen.

Edited July 10, 2009 by potato

[Innerspeaker]

I once considered leaving Polaris with a friend of mine from Legion to form a pokemon/lol alliance called Team Rocket. I even had a flag for it and everything.

[Case Wintermute]

-The alliance is lead by someone who is under 60 days old in this game.

I created my first nation on the same day as Van Hoo III and his nation was only six or seven weeks old when he founded and led Ragnarok.

I myself have no interest in ever starting my own alliance. I can't see how people have the time to be in government, let alone create and found the entire shabang. My hat goes off to all of you who serve in an active government or who have created a successful alliance. Most of us are truly incapable.

Edited July 10, 2009 by Case Wintermute

[Atanatar]

I thought about making an alliance called ANT COLONY where every member must role play as a worker ant at all times. Couldn't get anyone else interested unfortunately.

It's been done, kinda. When the Blogs first launched, Fark decided it would be nice if everyone in the alliance started a blog about what it would be like as an ant.

I'm still a loyal follower of the Ant Prophet. Down with the heretical Queen!

[Heft]

NSO is unremarkable. An untouchable clique at the top led by a personality cult dictator while the members sycophantically squabble for the scraps from master's table. Just another run-of-the-mill authoritarian alliance with a twist that actually makes things operationally worse and breeds the most hostile community atmosphere possible.

Edit: And their theme is a joke on the whole. It's an excuse to do whatever they want but beyond that there's very little adherence to Star Wars canon.

That's not what the NSO is like at all, I'm not sure where you're getting your information. It's cool if you want to bash us in the IC areas but if you're going to spout crap OOC then I have to asusme you actually believe what you're saying, and in this case what you're saying doesn't make any sense.

And there's only so much "Sithiness" we can do before people start shrieking at us and calling us mean nasty names. People love to talk about how the game needs more IC-ness or needs spicing up but they certainly don't seem to like it when someone actually does something a little out of their comfort zone.

Didn't say their system was good. If Ivan ever leaves or even goes on hiatus, they're going to have issues. I don't know if there's anyone else who could hold together a system that encourages and institutionalizes coups. Indeed, there are far more ex-NSO members than you would expect for an alliance of their age. But for better or for worse, their internal structure is something that hasn't been tried before (in regards to encouraging coups).

-Bama

The NSO system isn't perfect, but it is actually quite good, and it has been refined quite a bit since we started. The Challenge system (Which is what I assume Doitzel refers to above) has actually worked out much better than I honestly expected, and I think it is proving itself to be much more effective than regular elections. Obviously it relies on the membership's cooperation and maturity to a large degree but so far we haven't had any significant issues with it.

We have quite a few ex-members, but you have to take into account how the alliance was founded. We accepted everyone and had a huge initial boom due to the excitement of Ivan starting an alliance. That included a lot of people who are alliance hoppers or who didn't have much in the way of long term loyalty, and it did lead to some initial conflicts as not everyone seemed to get the "leave your grudges in the past" idea, and we've also seem some burn off as people realize that Ivan isn't going to magically make everything wonderful and exciting overnight.

[Drostan]

I once considered leaving Polaris with a friend of mine from Legion to form a pokemon/lol alliance called Team Rocket. I even had a flag for it and everything.

To do something like this justice though we'd all have to re-roll as pokemon and the two/three founders being Jesse, James, and Meowth. I would love to be Meowth.

[JayOvfEnnay]

I created my first nation on the same day as Van Hoo III and his nation was only six or seven weeks old when he founded and led Ragnarok.

I myself have no interest in ever starting my own alliance. I can't see how people have the time to be in government, let alone create and found the entire shabang. My hat goes off to all of you who serve in an active government or who have created a successful alliance. Most of us are truly incapable.

Hoo is too epic for alliance rules.

Nah, I said there were a few exceptions. If you took and tested most of the alliances started by people who were very new to the game, most probably never made it.

[Captain Flinders]

That's not what the NSO is like at all, I'm not sure where you're getting your information.

It's the image you portray in public and I'd agree completely with his assessment. I have no personal bias towards NSO at all as I can't think of a single person there that I know beyond OWF discourse. An example would be the whole GPA/TDO/GOP crap-show.

Ivan: Recruiting from neutrals is no big deal

NSO: Yeah! It's all good.

CN at large: No that's really not that cool guys.

Ivan: Alright my bad.

NSO: Yeah! Our bad.

You all know recruiting from alliances is hugely frowned upon and yet you defend it as long as the guy up top is saying fancy words and making you feel special. Don't get me wrong, I'm all for authoritarian government (hence the Nordreich), but at least have sense enough to pick your battles.

[Bilzey Land]

I'm surprised that no one has mentioned how fun it would be to start a Final Fantasy themed alliance, something I would love to do. A good way to do this would be based around the Shinra Corporation.

[Drostan]

Haha, for the pokemon one we could have badges instead of medals.

5 ZIs = vermillion badge

Edited July 10, 2009 by Drostan

[Jipps]

I'm surprised that no one has mentioned how fun it would be to start a Final Fantasy themed alliance, something I would love to do. A good way to do this would be based around the Shinra Corporation.

There actually was a Shinra Co. alliance awhile ago.

[Haflinger]

The drone riots would stop such an alliance from being a success.

Drone riots are irrelevant if one possesses enough demon boils.

[Rebel Virginia]

For all of you people complaining about how all alliances are the same and pretty much do nothing (that goes for you big guys too), quit crying and do something about it. Go out and form an alliance that isn't afraid to dirty its hands and ruffle some feathers. In short, make an alliance with balls. As for themes, who cares about that stuff? What I look for in an alliance is balls. Share testicular fortitude. That's what this game needs. Alliances with balls, and yes, that what I am hoping to see more of.

Look at all of you. "I want to see a Final Fantasy themed alliance" or "I want to see a Rome themed alliance." Well, then what. They form, they get a few members, and then they disband because they realize they'll never succeed because they are just the same as that Spartan themed alliance of that Hitchhikers alliance. Those are themed alliances, but so what. They don't do much. They're just big, and I can't tell you much about them other than that. And I say about all alliances, save a few exceptions such as NSO, etc. Now that's the kind of alliance I like. One with balls. One that won't settle to be mediocre and do nothing. An alliance that makes things happen. You want to start having fun again? Well, all you got to do is start following their example. You getting any of this?

[Heyman]

I once considered leaving Polaris with a friend of mine from Legion to form a pokemon/lol alliance called Team Rocket. I even had a flag for it and everything.

Dude. Respect points for you just skyrocketed. SKYROCKETED.

[Seerow]

Share testicular fortitude.

I really think this exerpt explains RVs philosophy in a nutshell.

Also I like Archons idea. Who wants to start a Mario themed alliance with me?

[Griff]

NSO is unremarkable. An untouchable clique at the top led by a personality cult dictator while the members sycophantically squabble for the scraps from master's table. Just another run-of-the-mill authoritarian alliance with a twist that actually makes things operationally worse and breeds the most hostile community atmosphere possible.

Edit: And their theme is a joke on the whole. It's an excuse to do whatever they want but beyond that there's very little adherence to Star Wars canon.

I eagerly await the recreation of vox then. Still, first time we've been called NPO-lite...

[Asriel Belacqua]

I really think this exerpt explains RVs philosophy in a nutshell.

Also I like Archons idea. Who wants to start a Mario themed alliance with me?

Epic. Purely epic.