[CANCELLED] NationStates World Fair 2015

[Kringalia]

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[Wadden-Amrum]

I'd love to apply for a venue. Any forms I need to fill out or anything that isn't on the thread?

[Cora II]

Just for the note. This is 10000th Gameplay forum topic.

[Kringalia]

I'd love to apply for a venue. Any forms I need to fill out or anything that isn't on the thread?

You only need to say which region you are representing.

Just for the note. This is 10000th Gameplay forum topic.

We're that special.

[Detective Figs]

In what capacity was Unibot involved in this fair? I think many regions need to know this information prior to signing up. He disappeared for a while from TRR rather than face a fairly serious accusation.

Also, to elucidate another issue, there is no host so other than "in case you don't know me" is there a reason TSP and Albion are namedropped?

Thanks for your insight.

[Wadden-Amrum]

I'd love to apply for a venue. Any forms I need to fill out or anything that isn't on the thread?

You only need to say which region you are representing.

Just for the note. This is 10000th Gameplay forum topic.

We're that special.

I represent Ioraqus.

[Kringalia]

In what capacity was Unibot involved in this fair? I think many regions need to know this information prior to signing up. He disappeared for a while from TRR rather than face a fairly serious accusation.

Unibot has provided valuable insight while Charles and I got acquainted with the organisational aspects of the Fair. However, he has not been involved with the organisation of the Fair itself. Since this is bound the surface again in the future, I want to state right here and now that we want to make this World Fair as non-politicised as possible. Its purpose is to provide a platform for regions to showcase their cultures and for users to share ideas. I am sure many people have issues with Unibot, but he is not in charge of this event anymore.

Also, to elucidate another issue, there is no host so other than "in case you don't know me" is there a reason TSP and Albion are namedropped?

I am not sure I fully understand what point you are trying to make, so please correct me if I misunderstood. We named the South Pacific and Albion merely as reference on where we came from. It is not meant to give either region any privilege or benefit with respect to the Fair, which is something you will be able to verify throughout the course of the event.

I represent Ioraqus.

Noted.

[Detective Figs]

That has addressed my inquiries. I will let you know if I need more information to make an informed decision.

[Todd McCloud]

We would like to start by thanking longtime organiser Unibot and the entire World Fair Committee for ensuring this event became a reality year after year. Unibot approached us both earlier this year and asked us to carry on with the World Fair, something we gladly accepted.

I mean, I think you guys will do a good job and all, but no one else who has helped orchestrate and guide the previous world fairs was approached on this matter. It wasn't really a Unibot-only decision to make here. It would have been nice to include the others who did quite a bit of work behind the scenes to make sure these things got off the ground and ran without issue or trolls. Especially considering the WF operated on a committee and each individual put a lot of effort into it.

My two cents.

[Consular]

Looking forward to this!

[Cormac Stark]

Everyone knows that Unibot selected his successors to organize this World Fair, and at least one of those successors cannot be trusted to keep him from being involved in future organization due to their previous cozy political relationship with each other in TSP. Regions that are concerned by Unibot's involvement, and bizarre ability to decide who will succeed him as though he is the World Fair's dictator, should boycott.

Prior co-organizers should have been involved in the decision regarding new organizers and should still be co-organizers.

[Kringalia]

Everyone knows that Unibot selected his successors to organize this World Fair, and at least one of those successors cannot be trusted to keep him from being involved in future organization due to their previous cozy political relationship with each other in TSP. Regions that are concerned by Unibot's involvement, and bizarre ability to decide who will succeed him as though he is the World Fair's dictator, should boycott.

Participation in the World Fair has always been a voluntary affair for all regions. I would not presume to tell any region that their particular motives for deciding to participate or boycott this event are right or wrong, because that is their decision to make. However, I must object to the allegation that Unibot has any kind of undue influence in the organisation of this World Fair. As I told Detective Figs, his participation has been limited to giving us tips and insight into how past editions were organised, something I think is quite understandable, given our lack of experience with organising the Fair.

I understand that you may have concerns over my relationship with Unibot. I am indeed on friendly terms with him and have no problem admitting that. However, I encourage you to ask anyone in the South Pacific about my professionalism or lack thereof when it comes to organising cultural events. I have no interest whatsoever in gameplay politics. I consider myself a roleplayer and a cultural guy. Hence, my sole interest is ensuring the World Fair is well organised and meets its primary objectives, those being cultural exchange between attending regions.

I reiterate though, that it is well within your rights to choose to boycott this Fair. I will not stop you, but I do ask that the Fair and its organisers be judged on their own merits, not on past conflicts with an individual whose largest role has been merely to pass on the torch, something that my fellow co-organiser can confirm.

[Cormac Stark]

However, I must object to the allegation that Unibot has any kind of undue influence in the organisation of this World Fair. As I told Detective Figs, his participation has been limited to giving us tips and insight into how past editions were organised, something I think is quite understandable, given our lack of experience with organising the Fair.

Unibot approached us both earlier this year and asked us to carry on with the World Fair, something we gladly accepted.

He approached you. In essence, he picked you to organize the World Fair without consulting any of the Fair's previous co-organizers. That's where the undue influence already comes in, because at the very least, Todd -- who has been a co-organizer since the beginning -- should have been consulted as well and should probably still be a co-organizer, except Unibot doesn't like Todd anymore.

If you two had taken it upon yourselves to organize this year's World Fair and approached him for advice, that would be a different matter. But he hand-selected you to succeed him, something he shouldn't be able to do, and I personally have no confidence that he won't be involved in behind the scenes organization through one or both of his hand-picked successors. That's why regions should boycott, and if you are in fact serious about this being professional and drama-free, you should convene the other past co-organizers in a hurry and figure out how to move forward in such a way that we can all be confident in Unibot's non-involvement.

[The Silver Sentinel]

Regions that are concerned by Unibot's involvement, and bizarre ability to decide who will succeed him as though he is the World Fair's dictator, should boycott.

Holy fuck, anything to cause a controversy. Can there be nothing even remotely enjoyable, without your negativity and politicking? What do you have to gain by this Cormac? Were you planning on organizing your own fair? If so, please do and let the people decide.

[Cormac Stark]

Holy fuck, anything to cause a controversy. Can there be nothing even remotely enjoyable, without your negativity and politicking? What do you have to gain by this Cormac? Were you planning on organizing your own fair? If so, please do and let the people decide.

First of all, I'm not the only one who has raised concerns about this in this thread and certainly not the only one elsewhere. Secondly, no, I am not organizing a fair, and I have nothing to gain from this. Maybe you should ask around on IRC and find out why multiple people and multiple regions don't want Unibot involved and are considering boycotting this fair -- before shooting your mouth off further like you know anything.

[Ambroscus Koth]

Regions that are concerned by Unibot's involvement, and bizarre ability to decide who will succeed him as though he is the World Fair's dictator, should boycott.

Holy fuck, anything to cause a controversy. Can there be nothing even remotely enjoyable, without your negativity and politicking? What do you have to gain by this Cormac? Were you planning on organizing your own fair? If so, please do and let the people decide.

You are either grossly misinformed about the reasons that players do not want to be around anything Unibot is involved in or are deliberately choosing to ignore these reasons.

Either way, that's your problem and not Cormac's.

[Severisen]

There are some things that transcend gameplay alignment, NS politics and even NationStates itself, believe it or not. I'm sorry that I am a bit more scrupulous about those with whom I associate. Maybe you should look a bit more closely into who you blindly support.

[The Silver Sentinel]

There are some things that transcend gameplay alignment, NS politics and even NationStates itself, believe it or not. I'm sorry that I am a bit more scrupulous about those with whom I associate. Maybe you should look a bit more closely into who you blindly support.

Are you accusing me of being a Unibot asskisser?

[Guy]

This is getting ridiculous.

Yes, it is apparent that Unibot asked these two players to consider hosting the World Fair, and they agreed. They took on the challenge, are solely at the reins now, and I'm sure are capable of producing a fine WF. Are we seriously going to boycott them because of your issues with Unibot?

It's extremely demeaning to those players to tie in all the effort that they have put in to somebody else. They're each their own persons, who have done absolutely nothing to "earn" this response (or so at least is apparent, given all criticisms so far related to Unibot).

[Hobbesistan]

Meh.

[Consular]

What an incredibly helpful comment, Hobbes.

Unibot is not organising this fair. That has been made explicit. Maybe yous should pursue your random vendettas against Unibot, you know, actually against Unibot himself, rather than against two players who have taken on a large amount of work for the sole purpose of creating an enjoyable event for NSers. I imagine one of the reasons there are new organisers is because Unibot was aware he'd get this sort of reaction, so he handed the project over to some new hands. Because it's the fair itself and what it stands for that matters, not personality politics.

If the word of Kris isn't enough for you then there really isn't much else he can do to convince you, is there?

[Cormac Stark]

Unibot is not organising this fair. That has been made explicit. Maybe yous should pursue your random vendettas against Unibot, you know, actually against Unibot himself, rather than against two players who have taken on a large amount of work for the sole purpose of creating an enjoyable event for NSers. I imagine one of the reasons there are new organisers is because Unibot was aware he'd get this sort of reaction, so he handed the project over to some new hands. Because it's the fair itself and what it stands for that matters, not personality politics.

If the word of Kris isn't enough for you then there really isn't much else he can do to convince you, is there?

This isn't about "personality politics" or politics at all for that matter, it's about reprehensible out-of-character behavior that has taken place off-site for years -- behavior that is at least as bad as anything that a certain other individual with whom we are all familiar has done to get himself banned from most off-site communities. Maybe you folks should actually have some idea of what you're talking about before talking about it. Though Guy knows exactly what we're talking about and as usual is minimizing it, to no one's surprise.

I have no problem with Kris or Cere as organizers. I have a problem with Unibot having selected them, as if he was the only World Fair organizer in the past and as if this is even his call to make anymore. I am not the only one either, so expect to see major regions, including a GCR or two, probably boycotting this fair if this situation remains as it is. Your region would probably be among them had Unibot not made the shrewd political decision to make Cere one of the co-organizers.

[Wildelyn]

Sounds heavily interesting, I would like to venue by representing The Western Isles for this Fair.
Looking forward!

[Guy]

My whole point is that this isn't about unibot. It's clear that these two individuals have been at the reins for this WF, not unibot. It's unfair to tie your feelings about him to them. If they had gotten up and said "we'll do it", without Unibot asking them to, you'd be okay with it, of course?

It just doesn't seem really logical to me to reject someone based on who asked them to run something. If you want, reject them for taking the reins without input from the broader 'WF' community, despite no one else stepping up. They're each their own persons, and it's unfair to treat them adversely because of this.

[Ambroscus Koth]

My whole point is that this isn't about unibot. It's clear that these two individuals have been at the reins for this WF, not unibot.

Unibot has provided valuable insight

k