The Game Store.

[Valrifell]

Looking through the News Archive for something else earlier, and I stumbled upon this news post. Apparently NS used to have a store, well over a decade ago. My guess is that it wasn't successful enough then to merit the time that was spent on upkeep, etc., but I certainly can't say that for certain. As Fris said above, the only thing we really can do is wait and see what [violet]'s thoughts are on this.

From memory it generated $8. Admittedly, the T-shirts weren't very exciting. But since then merchandise has never been viewed as a likely revenue source.

But NS has a much larger player base now. Please [Violet] can we have one? Plleeeaaaassseeeee. *puts puppy dog face on*

[New Tuva SSR]

I would certainly buy a NationStates t-shirt.

[CSN Founder]

Maybe offer a book containing your factbooks and (optionally) your stats in written form? That would certainly not give you any advantage in-game either.

[Reploid Productions]

Maybe offer a book containing your factbooks and (optionally) your stats in written form? That would certainly not give you any advantage in-game either.

Downside of that is book print-on-demand services aren't cheap, and a layout for a website doesn't translate well into a dead tree format. (Seriously, a 70 page photo book I did once cost me upwards of $100 and hours of work on the layout. Something text-based on cheaper paper would be cheaper than that, to be sure, but would still require the layout work and probably still cost a pretty penny.)

Something like shirts or mugs would be a lot more viable because you only have to lay the design out once, and print-on-demand shirts and the like are a lot less expensive than books. Of course, the issue is still the design and the artwork- who's going to do it, how would they be compensated for it, and so on.

[Tessen]

Looking through the News Archive for something else earlier, and I stumbled upon this news post. Apparently NS used to have a store, well over a decade ago. My guess is that it wasn't successful enough then to merit the time that was spent on upkeep, etc., but I certainly can't say that for certain. As Fris said above, the only thing we really can do is wait and see what [violet]'s thoughts are on this.

From memory it generated $8. Admittedly, the T-shirts weren't very exciting. But since then merchandise has never been viewed as a likely revenue source.

[violet],

I run a successful store/business on Cafepress. As a professional artist, I also design popular t-shirts for that store. Cafepress CAN be profitable if you know what you're doing. I would be willing to volunteer my time, skills and knowledge if there's interest in a CP store on Cafepress. Send me a message/telegram if you're interested in giving it a go.

[Canton Empire]

Maybe offer a book containing your factbooks and (optionally) your stats in written form? That would certainly not give you any advantage in-game either.

Downside of that is book print-on-demand services aren't cheap, and a layout for a website doesn't translate well into a dead tree format. (Seriously, a 70 page photo book I did once cost me upwards of $100 and hours of work on the layout. Something text-based on cheaper paper would be cheaper than that, to be sure, but would still require the layout work and probably still cost a pretty penny.)

Something like shirts or mugs would be a lot more viable because you only have to lay the design out once, and print-on-demand shirts and the like are a lot less expensive than books. Of course, the issue is still the design and the artwork- who's going to do it, how would they be compensated for it, and so on.

customink?

[Valrifell]

Downside of that is book print-on-demand services aren't cheap, and a layout for a website doesn't translate well into a dead tree format. (Seriously, a 70 page photo book I did once cost me upwards of $100 and hours of work on the layout. Something text-based on cheaper paper would be cheaper than that, to be sure, but would still require the layout work and probably still cost a pretty penny.)

Something like shirts or mugs would be a lot more viable because you only have to lay the design out once, and print-on-demand shirts and the like are a lot less expensive than books. Of course, the issue is still the design and the artwork- who's going to do it, how would they be compensated for it, and so on.

customink?

Don't think that's meant for mass commercialization of custom t-shirts but rather a way for the average Joe to get them. Might be mistaken as I don't know the service that well, or at all.

[The Hellsing Empire]

Surely there could be something. Or at least have players with more disposable income be able to simply donate to the site.

[Enfaru]

Max could even sell his books /ebooks by the store. SINCE I CAN'T GET THEM IN MY COUNTRY!!!!

Seriously, me and max sent multiple emails to each other trying to figure out why I couldn't get his ebook.

[The Blaatschapen]

Max could even sell his books /ebooks by the store. SINCE I CAN'T GET THEM IN MY COUNTRY!!!!

Seriously, me and max sent multiple emails to each other trying to figure out why I couldn't get his ebook.

Max would have to talk to his publisher for that I guess. The content distribution industry is a tricky field.

Also, and completely offtopic, is shipping them from abroad an option?

[Enfaru]

Also, and completely offtopic, is shipping them from abroad an option?

It is a publisher thing unfortunately and because of that, shipping from abroad apparently not an option -_-. Someone in my country acquired the rights but chose to do nothing with them.

[The Constellation Islands]

It would certain be great advertising for the site if people used merch in public. More site traffic is never a bad thing.

At the very least, they should have NS stickers for laptops, etc.

[Drawkland]

While it would be cool to have nation-specific custom addons to whatever merch would be available, I agree that it's not much of a viable option.

However, I do think NS and/or WA-themed merchendise would be very cool. Really, the most (or least in some eyes) would be T-shirts, Hoodies, and coffee mugs. White with green logo and green with white logo would be enough (or the applicable colors if there were also WA-specific logos).

Just ones with the logo large front and center, and then ones with a smaller sprite logo next to the "NationStates" text.

Just some ideas. Some people are trying to make this overly complex when this is all it has to be.