This thread serves as a general announcement on what's happening now - the changes are listed (and linked to) below, and each will be open to further public discussion, with details to be refined as the discussion proceeds. The intention is to implement these changes as soon as possible, however as there are so many, as well as some fairly significant projects, some are not likely to be implemented until next year.
The following are the changes we intend to implement:
- Influence in feeders and sinkers retained for six months rather than indefinitely.
- Delegate Elect, with certain delegate changes resulting in the new delegate having limited access to regional controls for a short period of time.
- Regional Officers, with the ability to use regional controls.
- Annex, which gives a formal in-game recognition to one region's control over another.
- Reformation SC proposal which targets a region and removes the ability of its Delegate to access regional controls for a short period of time.
- Custodian SC proposal which gives a nation access to the controls of a region, but requiring them to spend influence to use them.
- Estimated update times displayed on regions but with a "window of uncertainty" as to when they'll actually update.
Please discuss the above ideas in their individual threads - this discussion will be open to everyone, though it will be strictly moderated with off-topic discussion, regional bickering etc. dealt with swiftly and punished for as necessary.
Please also bear in mind the Terms of Reference for the Summit, re-posted here to remind people:
Terms of Reference
For the purpose of clarity, [violet] has defined some basic parameters regarding an overall aproach to the game. These Terms of Reference will form the basis of summit discussions.
For the purpose of clarity, [violet] has defined some basic parameters regarding an overall aproach to the game. These Terms of Reference will form the basis of summit discussions.
- An "R/D" game, whereby groups of invaders move into a foreign region and attempt to capture the Delegacy, is an important part of NationStates.
- This game generally consists of three types of player: invaders, who attempt to capture regions; natives, who occupy regions under attack; and defenders, who attempt to repel invaders from regions and return them to native control.
- While invasions can be upsetting to natives, the conflict and excitement they provide contributes to a dynamic gameworld, and this seems to attract new players to NS and keep players coming back.
- The pre-Influence rule system, whereby moderators were required to judge the "nativity" of various nations, while popular with many, could not be sustained, and will not return.
- The current R/D game seems to have become less about political skill and more about "clock skill," whereby the success of an invasion largely depends on how accurately an invader group can predict the update time of a target region, and move in just beforehand, giving defenders and natives no time to react. This in particular has led to increased "tag raiding," where invaders attempt to capture as many regions as possible in a single update, but not necessarily hold any of them.
- The R/D game should provide opportunities for invaders, defenders, and natives to all participate in a fun and rewarding way.
This thread can be used for general discussion regarding the summit, its outcomes and what else may be done.
