Pacific News Network Press Release: Flags of our Comrades

[quigon jinn]

I love how people are making fun of people for spending what looks to be $80 on a RL flag, when hundreds (thousands?) of people spend $20 a month on their nation and get no permanent thing out of it.

At least if you get a flag you'll have something 10 years from now or whenever CN finally meets its end.

[WorldConqueror]

[quote name='quigon jinn' timestamp='1289275635' post='2507208']
I love how people are making fun of people for spending what looks to be $80 on a RL flag, when hundreds (thousands?) of people spend $20 a month on their nation and get no permanent thing out of it.

At least if you get a flag you'll have something 10 years from now or whenever CN finally meets its end.
[/quote]
Heh, good point.

I too have a flag, don't have any pictures of it though. Maybe one day.

[Letum]

[quote name='quigon jinn' timestamp='1289275635' post='2507208']
I love how people are making fun of people for spending what looks to be $80 on a RL flag, when hundreds (thousands?) of people spend $20 a month on their nation and get no permanent thing out of it.

At least if you get a flag you'll have something 10 years from now or whenever CN finally meets its end.
[/quote]

Modern gaming has evolved into a "convention" that separates the "real world" and the "game world", and what transcends the two will often incur reactions ranging from uncomfortable to condemnation. People are more accepting of donating money (or for other games paying a subscription) because it is something that only takes place within a game, thus keeping it separate from the real world. Even in other games where money might be used to purchase in-game stuff that is purely aesthetic in nature, this principle remains.

Yet using money to bring something into your "real" daily life runs up to all those barriers. The reasons can be different per person, insecurities, societal pressure, the negative image of "nerdy" and so on. And to be fair, in some instances it can impact social interactions. But in the end, there is no inherent quality to a flag beyond accepting it as part of who you are, and indicative of a level of feelings that will vary from person to person. It is only the social context which makes people more hesitant than it would for flags of a sports team or for a Halloween costume in a game.

Neither those that take it, nor those who feel they cannot hold any qualities that should really be subject to criticism.

[Believland]

I kinda wanted one for OTS then remembered that there's this pesky thing called copy right infringements....

[Sal Paradise]

[quote name='quigon jinn' timestamp='1289275635' post='2507208']
I love how people are making fun of people for spending what looks to be $80 on a RL flag, when hundreds (thousands?) of people spend $20 a month on their nation and get no permanent thing out of it.

At least if you get a flag you'll have something 10 years from now or whenever CN finally meets its end.
[/quote]

Spending money on fleeting forms of entertainment is a better use of my money than buying a useless $80 piece of cloth. Though I guess it could be torn until smaller pieces and used as a rag in the future. Kind of an expensive rag. I wonder if the colours run.

And how about an NPO tattoo? Sure the money you spend here will disappear someday, and you may lose your NPO flag, but you're not likely to ever lose your arm. You'll be able to tell your grandchildren that you used to role play a fascist cult with cow as your leader, and they'll put you in a home for it. Then you can tell the nurses about the Polar War so they'll increase the drugs.

It's brilliant really.

[Letum]

That sounds so awesome it kinda makes me want to have a tattoo as well.

[Prime minister Johns]

[quote name='Sal Paradise' timestamp='1289295071' post='2507815']
Spending money on fleeting forms of entertainment is a better use of my money than buying a useless $80 piece of cloth. Though I guess it could be torn until smaller pieces and used as a rag in the future. Kind of an expensive rag. I wonder if the colours run.

And how about an NPO tattoo? Sure the money you spend here will disappear someday, and you may lose your NPO flag, but you're not likely to ever lose your arm. You'll be able to tell your grandchildren that you used to role play a fascist cult with cow as your leader, and they'll put you in a home for it. Then you can tell the nurses about the Polar War so they'll increase the drugs.

It's brilliant really.
[/quote]
When you put it so eloquently, it makes me wish I got one tattooed to me.
I could really use some free drugs when I get stuck in a home.
And I am probably going to end up in one anyhow since this place will probably drive me quite mad.

[LJ Scott]

Where do people get the $80 figure from? I don't know how much the later versions cost (nor do I know how many times they were re-printed), but I know I paid nowhere near $80.

[CRexx]

[quote name='LJ Scott' timestamp='1289314355' post='2508008']
Where do people get the $80 figure from? I don't know how much the later versions cost (nor do I know how many times they were re-printed), but I know I paid nowhere near $80.
[/quote]
If the NPO was feeling extra Machiavellian they'd just set a store front to buy these things and mark them up by say $20-40 dollars and automatically route the profits into donations. Think about the pure evil genius of it. Find the right price point so the flags will sell and act all offended/scream/cry when their flag is defaced. This would prompt more people buy them up to deface them, massive donation flow to aid in their rebuilding effort.

Then once they're rebuilt they can use the defacing of Francos's Star as a casus belli, roll the alliances and get massive reps. Win win.

Edited November 9, 2010 by CRex of Gulo Gulo

[SirWilliam]

Get a tattoo, end up getting drugs. Hell yeah, count me in too.

[quote name='LJ Scott' timestamp='1289314355' post='2508008']
Where do people get the $80 figure from? I don't know how much the later versions cost (nor do I know how many times they were re-printed), but I know I paid nowhere near $80.
[/quote]

/me shrugs.

Word of mouth, from person to person, distorts the truth.

[Dementual]

[quote name='CRex of Gulo Gulo' timestamp='1289341407' post='2508569']
If the NPO was feeling extra Machiavellian they'd just set a store front to buy these things and mark them up by say $20-40 dollars and automatically route the profits into donations. Think about the pure evil genius of it. Find the right price point so the flags will sell and act all offended/scream/cry when their flag is defaced. This would prompt more people buy them up to deface them, massive donation flow to aid in their rebuilding effort.

Then once they're rebuilt they can use the defacing of Francos's Star as a casus belli, roll the alliances and get massive reps. Win win.
[/quote]
...donations...defacing the flags.. cassus belli.

Got it down, thanks.

[xoindotnler]

[quote name='LJ Scott' timestamp='1289314355' post='2508008']
Where do people get the $80 figure from? I don't know how much the later versions cost (nor do I know how many times they were re-printed), but I know I paid nowhere near $80.
[/quote]
Could be me, as I posted my local municipality flag and saying it was $80.

[Arcturus Jefferson]

[quote name='LJ Scott' timestamp='1289314355' post='2508008']
Where do people get the $80 figure from? I don't know how much the later versions cost (nor do I know how many times they were re-printed), but I know I paid nowhere near $80.
[/quote]
It costs four hundred thousands dollars to fly this flag for [i]twelve seconds[/i].

[Homura]

I have one of these

I don't really have anywhere to put it, but it really is a cool flag though.

[Charles Stuart]

I wonder how many of the people having a whine in this topic subscribe to WoW?

[youwish959]

I couldn't justify spending $80 on an American flag let alone a CyberNations flag. Hell for that matter $30.

[Sal Paradise]

[quote name='Charles Stuart' timestamp='1289368674' post='2509072']
I wonder how many of the people having a whine in this topic subscribe to WoW?
[/quote]

Although I don't play WoW, I imagine those that do get a lot more out of it than anyone can with a flag. How much does a WoW subscription cost anyway? I imagine your comment could be easily changed to "I wonder how many of the people having a whine in this topic go to a movie every month?" Most people don't think of going to the movies as a form of entertainment worth mocking, and yet playing an online game could be far more entertaining than a two hour movie. It's very much a legitimate form of entertainment.

You might look down on WoW players as wasting their money, but if we're comparing like with like here, how entertaining is a flag? Even though what is and isn't entertaining is ultimately subjective, I don't think most people would put "flag" over "computer game" if asked to rank forms of entertainment. Even people that don't play games would have the good sense to realize this. The only sane people I can imagine that might enjoy playing with a flag more are toddlers.

The flag should be compared with decorations or keepsakes, because that's all it really is. So how many people complaining about this flag spend X amount of money on decorating their rooms with things related to their hobbies and interests?

[Charles Stuart]

[quote]The flag should be compared with decorations or keepsakes, because that's all it really is. So how many people complaining about this flag spend X amount of money on decorating their rooms with things related to their hobbies and interests?[/quote]

$80 sounds like a cheap hobby.

[deSouza]

[quote name='Dementual' timestamp='1289153253' post='2505107']
In all honesty, everyone I've ever dated knew I play CN and all have been supportive. After I joined the NPO, my girlfriend at the time even made me a miniature NPO flag to make up for missing the purchase period for the ones in the OP.

[img]http://sphotos.ak.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ak-snc4/hs889.snc4/72277_452059656231_724816231_5955782_5508694_n.jpg[/img]

So I don't know where this supposed nerdy stereotype comes from, is all I'm saying.
[/quote]

People who can't get laid without creating an entirely new persona that may be interesting to another person's eyes.

[KingEsus]

Such over analysis.

Cager, I still have the vengashii red flag as my screen wallpaper in a shared house, when people ask i just say 'cool flag huh' 'yeah its off this computer game i play'. Am tempted to buy one next time they come round just for the !@#$% and giggles.

Fairly sure i remember them costing £30 odd which is $50 - 60 not $80...

But really just a bit of fun. People buy useless rubbish all the time.

And you must remember what being in the NPO is like... ooh i'd better stop before the flashbacks come!

[Cortath]

The prices of the flags are different.

We've commissioned different types of flags before, made of different types of material, which have different prices. So what price people are quoting depends on which batch they ordered, as well as whether or not there was international shipping involved. I don't recall how much mine was (I bought it maybe 2+ years ago).

[LJ Scott]

[quote name='KingEsus' timestamp='1289380413' post='2509220']
Such over analysis.

Cager, I still have the vengashii red flag as my screen wallpaper in a shared house, when people ask i just say 'cool flag huh' 'yeah its off this computer game i play'. Am tempted to buy one next time they come round just for the !@#$% and giggles.

Fairly sure i remember them costing £30 odd which is $50 - 60 not $80...

But really just a bit of fun. People buy useless rubbish all the time.

And you must remember what being in the NPO is like... ooh i'd better stop before the flashbacks come!
[/quote]

Yeah at the time I recall it being around £25, and given the pound was 2.1 to the dollar, that was pretty decent back then for me. Plus it was just loose change in my paypal account.

[Azrael Alexander]

[quote name='LJ Scott' timestamp='1289394458' post='2509284']
Yeah at the time I recall it being around £25, and given the pound was 2.1 to the dollar, that was pretty decent back then for me. Plus it was just loose change in my paypal account.
[/quote]

Yeah I don't think with the current state of the economy i'll be likly to get as good a deal as that. £60 here in the UK if you want one made (3ftx5ft).

[uaciaut]

Bilrow is your dog ALWAYS aroused?

Edited November 11, 2010 by uaciaut

[Cager]

[quote name='KingEsus' timestamp='1289380413' post='2509220']

And you must remember what being in the NPO is like... ooh i'd better stop before the flashbacks come!
[/quote]

A few words come to mind. Terrible, awful, waste of time. Things like that.