A Brave New World

[SonOfHoward]

After more than 1000 days of CN I find my nation in a world where raiders roam the wastelands, rogues cruise alliances’ shores like hungry sharks, espionage around every corner, and wars being waged in every direction. It’s finally getting good(Again?)! Freedom of speech is prevalent; gag orders are becoming a thing of the past. Alliances are engaging each other at more or less even odds and individual nations are bravely throwing whatever they have at their opponents with little regard for their infra stats. White peace is becoming the new norm. Wars ending with a handshake and a ‘good job, it was fun’ then off to rebuild and/or fight again.

Admin has blessed us with a military system for a reason. Reps and terms do nothing more than deny a nation’s right to use the war system. Terms are a tool of oppression and implemented out of fear by the victors as means to extinguish the possibility of a rising . Either that or it’s punishment for possessing a different set of ideals which is equally as sordid. After which point we find ourselves sitting in long stretches of boredom, albeit another curb-stomp here or there to keep the minions from falling asleep and to prop up the ever so important hollow culture of winning.

As I see it [b]large[/b] MADP/MDoAP blocs are archaic. By nature large blocs are oppressive, cumbersome and inactive. Whether it’s their intention of not these hulking relics create stagnation, they slow down change, discourage diversity, promote apathy and keep us at bay with their ideals and influence. Very few are willing push the boundaries of a large bloc thus they sit there…Like hibernating dinosaurs until the bloc finally implodes.

I hope that one day the concepts of harsh surrender terms, reps and large military MDAP/oAP blocs will go the way of the dinosaur. This will make way for a new world that is not ruled or influenced by a singular philosophy or military force. Instead it is replaced with a myriad of viewpoints, credos, and beliefs, weaved into the tapestry of PB’s culture. Change is the only constant; expanding, contracting, joining and splitting. Differences are celebrated. This I hope, will be the future. A PB that is dynamic, and accelerating beyond boundaries without restrictions.

As Cpt. Jean-Luc Picard would say...
[img] http://www.chicagonow.com/blogs/geek-to-me/assets_c/2009/11/picard-thumb-450x300-37338.gif[/img]

[Owned-You]

Congrats on your milestone.

However, I think those notions you raised about Planet Bob are bit too idealistic...But hey, that's your opinion and your entitled too it Howard!

[SonOfHoward]

Yes I get that a lot

Thank you kindly.

Edited February 10, 2010 by SonOfHoward

[ty345]

Where's my soma?

Congratz on 1000 days.

[Tigerdonia Redux]

Happy 1000 days, SoH . Thank you for the things you taught me during your time in VE.

[Shodemofi-NPO]

I agree wholeheartedly. Congrats on your milestone.

[joracy]

[quote name='ty345' date='09 February 2010 - 09:31 PM' timestamp='1265769067' post='2171656']
Where's my soma?

Congratz on 1000 days.
[/quote]

I don't know, I could sure use some about now.

[The Kaptain]

Congrats on the milestone!

But seriously, no reps? I agree with everything but that.

[Vilien]

Anarchy and unpredictability are ideas that are incompatible with human nature. Enjoy it while it lasts.

[Epik High]

Wow I just realized my nation is 1001 days old. Thanks for making me notice

[Prime minister Johns]

Congratulations on 1000 days as a nation.

If I was not forced to reroll I would of been coming up to that point soon.

[Homura]

Something will fill the void of the Continuum eventually. Large reps will be extracted, probably even in this war. History will repeat itself again and again. This is the endless cycle of digiterran suffering.
[quote name='SonOfHoward' date='10 February 2010 - 02:04 AM' timestamp='1265767455' post='2171629']
gag orders are becoming a thing of the past
[/quote]
I request that no ODN members post in this thread.

[SonOfHoward]

[quote name='The Kaptain' date='09 February 2010 - 06:50 PM' timestamp='1265770206' post='2171668']
Congrats on the milestone!

But seriously, no reps? I agree with everything but that.
[/quote]

Besides the points I made above reps run you the risk of creating a viscous cycle.

Edited February 10, 2010 by SonOfHoward

[Mind Virus]

Congratulations. I have the benefit of not remembering how long I have played.

[SonOfHoward]

[quote name='Tigerdonia Redux' date='09 February 2010 - 06:38 PM' timestamp='1265769496' post='2171661']
Happy 1000 days, SoH . Thank you for the things you taught me during your time in VE.
[/quote]

I'm glad I was able to pass something on to someone.


My OP really is less to do about my nation hitting 1000 days (since it actually happened a while ago) and more about the changes I've seen happening in recent times.

Edited February 10, 2010 by SonOfHoward

[ChairmanHal]

[quote name='Owned-You' date='09 February 2010 - 09:07 PM' timestamp='1265767622' post='2171634']
Congrats on your milestone.

However, I think those notions you raised about Planet Bob are bit too idealistic...But hey, that's your opinion and your entitled too it Howard!
[/quote]

He uses this image of Picard:

[img]http://www.chicagonow.com/blogs/geek-to-me/assets_c/2009/11/picard-thumb-450x300-37338.gif[/img]

...and you expect anything but over the top idealism?

Fact is as players we've always been free to say whatever we want so long as it fit within the rules of the forums. However, others may take offense and people have and are doing something about it when they are offended by pushing nations and therefore other players, into war. The current conflict is absolutely no exception.

No, there is no brave new world, only a change in management.

I do however congratulate the OP for reaching 1,000 days. Get out before its too late.

[kriekfreak]

Congratz Bro, thanks for all the things you have thought me

[SonOfHoward]

[quote name='ChairmanHal' date='09 February 2010 - 09:03 PM' timestamp='1265778212' post='2171957']
Fact is as players we've always been free to say whatever we want so long as it fit within the rules of the forums. However, others may take offense and people have and are doing something about it when they are offended by pushing nations and therefore other players, into war. The current conflict is absolutely no exception.
[/quote]

I'll have to disagree, if I were to have said something like 'spiaing isn't so bad' over a year ago, regardless if I was serious or not, I'd probably get my alliance accused of harbouring spies and have myself put on a ZI list. I think you can pretty much express almost any opinion now.

[quote]
No, there is no brave new world, only a change in management.

I do however congratulate the OP for reaching 1,000 days. Get out before its too late.
[/quote]

Thanks!




kriek

Edited February 10, 2010 by SonOfHoward

[brass]

Very well written and insightful. I agree with most of it.

The exception to your statements is GW II and before, where the first mega bloc and large battle was fought to "Win the game", rather than to enforce a certain style of behavior.

[Tromp]

Congratulations on a 1000 days SoH.
Idealistic as always.

[Lady Aribeth]

Congrats for your milestone!

I'm a frequent reader of the forums though I hardly ever post anything, but now I feel like writing my thoughts.

I share your rejoicing for changes and movement but I think that large MADP/MDoAP not only don't stop them, but are the main triggers instead!! You see, without them any alliance war would be just some skirmishes between a bunch of nations, but all the treaties chaining is what makes war scalate and provokes the big change and the renewal. During this war there have ben many cancellations and new treaties have been made to configure a different map.

It's just like physics, unless you reach a critical mass you can't provoke the explosion, otherwise you just get some fireworks but no big changes can be achieved!

[Sigrun Vapneir]

Hi SonOfHoward,

Congrats on the milestone, and good to see you still around and apparently doing well.

But on to the meat of your post, I think it's important to remember that [i]Brave New World[/i] is a [url="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dystopia"]dystopia[/url]. Much of what you write sounds pretty bad too. Without meaning or purpose your war system is only slightly more challenging than [url="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tictactoe"]tic-tac-toe[/url] - a game where a trained chicken can stalemate the most skilled human player every time. Which is as it should be, this is a "nation simulator" not a war-game. (If you like war games, there are some good ones, but this has never even been close.) War here is only fun in the context of broader more enduring themes, the grand struggles, the rise and fall of empires, the great dramas whether driven by petty jealousy and greed or noble dreams, by personality clashes or love affairs. You strip all of that out, you make it about blowing people up for no reason and then shaking hands, you make it yet another pointless stupid browser game, nothing more.

[Prime minister Johns]

[quote name='Sigrun Vapneir' date='11 February 2010 - 09:46 PM' timestamp='1265888771' post='2174519']
Hi SonOfHoward,

Congrats on the milestone, and good to see you still around and apparently doing well.

But on to the meat of your post, I think it's important to remember that [i]Brave New World[/i] is a [url="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dystopia"]dystopia[/url]. Much of what you write sounds pretty bad too. Without meaning or purpose your war system is only slightly more challenging than [url="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tictactoe"]tic-tac-toe[/url] - a game where a trained chicken can stalemate the most skilled human player every time. Which is as it should be, this is a "nation simulator" not a war-game. (If you like war games, there are some good ones, but this has never even been close.) War here is only fun in the context of broader more enduring themes, the grand struggles, the rise and fall of empires, the great dramas whether driven by petty jealousy and greed or noble dreams, by personality clashes or love affairs. You strip all of that out, you make it about blowing people up for no reason and then shaking hands, you make it yet another pointless stupid browser game, nothing more.
[/quote]

Where have you been?

Drama is a behind closed doors affair and the average player only gets a sanitised version of what goes on handed to them weeks or months later if ever. The closest they may come to drama is participating in a war that they know absolutely nothing about and have not been told why they are fighting or perhaps have been given a heavily spun version of events. So for the average player CN is nothing more than a war simulator.

[Sigrun Vapneir]

[quote name='Prime minister Johns' date='11 February 2010 - 10:11 PM' timestamp='1265890293' post='2174545']
Where have you been?[/quote]

Hi PM Johns, how you doing? I been around the whole time. Playing it my way, keeping my word and doing my duty as always. How about you?

[quote]Drama is a behind closed doors affair and the average player only gets a sanitised version of what goes on handed to them weeks or months later if ever. The closest they may come to drama is participating in a war that they know absolutely nothing about and have not been told why they are fighting or perhaps have been given a heavily spun version of events. [/quote]

So do something about that instead of throwing out the baby with the bathwater and making it stupid for everyone instead of just stupid for most?

Also not *all* drama is behind closed doors, some really good stuff leaks out sometimes despite the best efforts of those involved

[quote]So for the average player CN is nothing more than a war simulator.
[/quote]

That's not true at all really. Even if you arent in politics, arent in leadership, and your leaders dont tell you what's going on in politics (if that is the case, and you are unhappy about that, why not choose to follow different leaders?) it's still a lot more than a (very poor) war simulator. Nation building and community building, remember those? We used to do a bit of both together back in the day.

We also had a good deal of war-related contact as I remember, but I also remember those wars had a purpose. We were defending our community from attack. Without that context would you have cared? I certainly wouldnt have.

Edited February 11, 2010 by Sigrun Vapneir

[Moridin]

[quote name='Sigrun Vapneir' date='11 February 2010 - 03:46 AM' timestamp='1265888771' post='2174519']But on to the meat of your post, I think it's important to remember that [i]Brave New World[/i] is a [url="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dystopia"]dystopia[/url].[/quote]

It's originally a quote from Shakespeare, with positive rather than negative connotations:

[i]How many goodly creatures are there here! How beauteous mankind is! O brave new world! That has such people in't![/i][indent] [/indent]