RPing Questions? Ask Here!

[The Black Plains]

For all of those asking: "Can I do a nation with [X]? Can I do [Y]?" I'd just like to provide one universal answer, since the answer to almost all of them is going to be the same.

In short, given the nature of NS as a site for free-form RP, you can do anything you want. You can be a caliphate, a corportocracy, a FT hive mind of insects, or whatever you want. There is not rule saying what you can and can not do. HOWEVER, there is a caveat. The caveat is that if you want to write with other people, instead of just writing on your own, you're going to have to cooperate with those other people. In many cases, this may mean toning down your stuff. In short, there is a social rule against what we would call 'wanking'.

What is wanking? My definition is that a 'wank' is something done to your nation, be it technological, economic, social, political, or whatever for the sole purpose of trying to make it more likely for you to 'win' an RP. If you want to give something to your nation something that you think would make it 'better', ask yourself: Why am I giving these to my troops? Why am I breaking away from the baseline of what people consider is 'normal'? Is it because I'm trying to develop an interesting and nuanced nation that more people would want to RP? Or is it because you want to be able to go into a war and 'win' the war? If the answer to the last question is 'Yes', you should go back and re-examine adding that element to your nation.

In general, I'd like to say that the way this community works is based on inter-personal recognition. No one is forced to recognise anyone else's position. The nations considered 'superpowers' have gotten there by acceptance and recognition by their fellow players for a multitude of reasons. My favourite post on this topic comes from FT, but I feel it can apply to MT too.

In general, when you're setting up a nation, bear that in mind. Don't go and claim status as a global superpower with millions of troops and legions of aircraft carriers. Go in small. Talk to other players. As time goes in, you can claim more and more 'power', and someday you'll be saying you have millions of troops and legions of carriers and people will--instead of labeling you 'wanker' and ignoring you--will go 'ok' and start asking you about participating in their RPs.

At least that's how it happened for me.

To add to this, NS isn't real life. There are really no superpowers. Even if you're an old player, if you go around insisting you're a superpower you're going to get some raised eyebrows. Power and might are too thinly spread among too many nations (thousands of nations). For every nation that has nukes and an overblown army, there's going to be a hundred nations that have nukes and overblown armies. There is no "hegemon" at the front of the pack, like America IRL, here. A geopolitical professor I had once described a superpower as a nation who, if the rest of the world went to war with them, they might not win, but they'd make a really good showing. It wouldn't be completely one-sided. And you can quibble about the definition: But the point is that a superpower only exists relative to the nations around them. If there's a bajillion nations and many of them are incredibly powerful just like yours, you're not a superpower.

NS diplomacy is very, very different from IRL diplomacy because of this. There are no linchpins like America, Russia, China, etc. where the only contest is winning them over and nobody else's opinions really matter. What you see is what you get in NationStates.

[Lubyak]

For all of those asking: "Can I do a nation with [X]? Can I do [Y]?" I'd just like to provide one universal answer, since the answer to almost all of them is going to be the same.

In short, given the nature of NS as a site for free-form RP, you can do anything you want. You can be a caliphate, a corportocracy, a FT hive mind of insects, or whatever you want. There is not rule saying what you can and can not do. HOWEVER, there is a caveat. The caveat is that if you want to write with other people, instead of just writing on your own, you're going to have to cooperate with those other people. In many cases, this may mean toning down your stuff. In short, there is a social rule against what we would call 'wanking'.

What is wanking? My definition is that a 'wank' is something done to your nation, be it technological, economic, social, political, or whatever for the sole purpose of trying to make it more likely for you to 'win' an RP. If you want to give something to your nation something that you think would make it 'better', ask yourself: Why am I giving these to my troops? Why am I breaking away from the baseline of what people consider is 'normal'? Is it because I'm trying to develop an interesting and nuanced nation that more people would want to RP? Or is it because you want to be able to go into a war and 'win' the war? If the answer to the last question is 'Yes', you should go back and re-examine adding that element to your nation.

In general, I'd like to say that the way this community works is based on inter-personal recognition. No one is forced to recognise anyone else's position. The nations considered 'superpowers' have gotten there by acceptance and recognition by their fellow players for a multitude of reasons. My favourite post on this topic comes from FT, but I feel it can apply to MT too.

In general, when you're setting up a nation, bear that in mind. Don't go and claim status as a global superpower with millions of troops and legions of aircraft carriers. Go in small. Talk to other players. As time goes in, you can claim more and more 'power', and someday you'll be saying you have millions of troops and legions of carriers and people will--instead of labeling you 'wanker' and ignoring you--will go 'ok' and start asking you about participating in their RPs.

At least that's how it happened for me.

To add to this, NS isn't real life. There are really no superpowers. Even if you're an old player, if you go around insisting you're a superpower you're going to get some raised eyebrows. Power and might are too thinly spread among too many nations (thousands of nations). For every nation that has nukes and an overblown army, there's going to be a hundred nations that have nukes and overblown armies. There is no "hegemon" at the front of the pack, like America IRL, here. A geopolitical professor I had once described a superpower as a nation who, if the rest of the world went to war with them, they might not win, but they'd make a really good showing. It wouldn't be completely one-sided. And you can quibble about the definition: But the point is that a superpower only exists relative to the nations around them. If there's a bajillion nations and many of them are incredibly powerful just like yours, you're not a superpower.

NS diplomacy is very, very different from IRL diplomacy because of this. There are no linchpins like America, Russia, China, etc. where the only contest is winning them over and nobody else's opinions really matter. What you see is what you get in NationStates.

To add on more, in general the most you'll get is recognised as a major power is amongst a group of players you tend to RP a lot with. As a result, I'm a major player when it comes to CoPS and other RPs in my little subset of the FanT community, but beyond that, I really have no real weight. Don't try and overstrech and say you want to be recognised as a major power by everyone. The best RP advice I can ever give is have people you RP with a lot and create a kind of community with. Once you have a community of people you have a common history with, things get much easier.

[The Black Plains]

To add to this, NS isn't real life. There are really no superpowers. Even if you're an old player, if you go around insisting you're a superpower you're going to get some raised eyebrows. Power and might are too thinly spread among too many nations (thousands of nations). For every nation that has nukes and an overblown army, there's going to be a hundred nations that have nukes and overblown armies. There is no "hegemon" at the front of the pack, like America IRL, here. A geopolitical professor I had once described a superpower as a nation who, if the rest of the world went to war with them, they might not win, but they'd make a really good showing. It wouldn't be completely one-sided. And you can quibble about the definition: But the point is that a superpower only exists relative to the nations around them. If there's a bajillion nations and many of them are incredibly powerful just like yours, you're not a superpower.

NS diplomacy is very, very different from IRL diplomacy because of this. There are no linchpins like America, Russia, China, etc. where the only contest is winning them over and nobody else's opinions really matter. What you see is what you get in NationStates.

To add on more, in general the most you'll get is recognised as a major power is amongst a group of players you tend to RP a lot with. As a result, I'm a major player when it comes to CoPS and other RPs in my little subset of the FanT community, but beyond that, I really have no real weight. Don't try and overstrech and say you want to be recognised as a major power by everyone. The best RP advice I can ever give is have people you RP with a lot and create a kind of community with. Once you have a community of people you have a common history with, things get much easier.

I devoted about ten minutes trying to think of something else constructive to say just so I could say "To further add..."

[Raltirian Denethier]

To add on more, in general the most you'll get is recognised as a major power is amongst a group of players you tend to RP a lot with. As a result, I'm a major player when it comes to CoPS and other RPs in my little subset of the FanT community, but beyond that, I really have no real weight. Don't try and overstrech and say you want to be recognised as a major power by everyone. The best RP advice I can ever give is have people you RP with a lot and create a kind of community with. Once you have a community of people you have a common history with, things get much easier.

I devoted about ten minutes trying to think of something else constructive to say just so I could say "To further add..."

To further add, the best backing one can have to being a well-regarded player is, in my view and experience, based on merit more than experience. That is, a new player can enter with an extreme understanding on engineering and physics and all the things required to design perfectly reasonable, realistic, and passable equipment. He might also have a knowledge of roleplaying etiquette, and additional knowledge regarding foreign relations and military science, so his roleplaying might be quite passable right off the bat. That is, his play style might be realistic and fair, and his use of technology would be similarly acceptable. Such a player, I think, would be accepted very quickly into the folds of the NS community.

As well, I think a player's stance and world power is similarly based on roleplaying accomplishments rather than time spent on the forums. Time and experience effectively get you known by other players, as more and more of them will have interacted with you. However, your military strength might well come from the simple fact that you have designed a fair and respectable nation on realistic and practical grounds. In that sense, how you roleplay is probably more important than any other single factor.

[The Black Plains]

I devoted about ten minutes trying to think of something else constructive to say just so I could say "To further add..."

To further add, the best backing one can have to being a well-regarded player is, in my view and experience, based on merit more than experience. That is, a new player can enter with an extreme understanding on engineering and physics and all the things required to design perfectly reasonable, realistic, and passable equipment. He might also have a knowledge of roleplaying etiquette, and additional knowledge regarding foreign relations and military science, so his roleplaying might be quite passable right off the bat. That is, his play style might be realistic and fair, and his use of technology would be similarly acceptable. Such a player, I think, would be accepted very quickly into the folds of the NS community.

As well, I think a player's stance and world power is similarly based on roleplaying accomplishments rather than time spent on the forums. Time and experience effectively get you known by other players, as more and more of them will have interacted with you. However, your military strength might well come from the simple fact that you have designed a fair and respectable nation on realistic and practical grounds. In that sense, how you roleplay is probably more important than any other single factor.

You're the wind beneath my wings.

[Draica]

Possible or not: Creating a missile/bomb that, once it drops, crystalizes the target/area it was dropped on with ice?

[Ainin]

Possible or not: Creating a missile/bomb that, once it drops, crystalizes the target/area it was dropped on with ice?

You'd probably get more responses if you asked on Milreal.

Edit: viewtopic.php?f=23&t=312468

[Draica]

How would a firebombing campaign be rp'd out?

[The Macabees]

How would a firebombing campaign be rp'd out?

By describing the event through words.

[G-Tech Corporation]

How would a firebombing campaign be rp'd out?

Depends on if we're talking cooperative or "competitive" RP. Cooperative, I'd recommend Googledocs for all participants. Walk through the leadup to the decision to begin the campaign, outline the reasons for the campaign and potentially throw in some arguing over whether the campaign is justified. Assuming you RP it as such, then we move into the execution phase. Logistical support for the operation, the actual launching of your planes and presumably their escorts, more moral quandries (or the lack thereof) amongst your pilots. Hacking through the air defenses at night or during daylight hours, enemy defenses, beginning of the bomb drops. Potential switch to enemy civilians on the ground, depending on your compatriot RPer(s), effects of the campaign. Return to base, enraged enemy proclamations, continuing warfare, etc.

If you want to go competitive, that but with more arguing and rage.

[Ardoki]

Say I wanted to do a PT, alternate history RP. With players playing groups soley in my nation (such as the army, rebels, members of the imperial court, etc).

How would I do that, and where would it go (International Incidents?)

[Sunset]

I would put that more on the NationStates side, since it (by your own definition) cannot attract international attention.

As far as the 'How'...

I might do a big introductory post that gives a rough outline of the events as they happened from a modern perspective and accompany that with signups for the particular factions that will be involved. Perhaps give a brief note on each what their role in the events will be; How major or minor, key individuals (if you want to be that detailed) as well as a good historical approximation of the technology level so descriptions can be accurate.

[Ardoki]

I would put that more on the NationStates side, since it (by your own definition) cannot attract international attention.

Okay, thank you.

[Draica]

Any ideas on how to RP a musician touring a country?

Any ideas on how to RP a nation's leader touring around countries?(Like visiting,)

[Ardoki]

If I create an alternate account for Ardoki, would it be okay if I used the stats from my ordinary account?

[The Macabees]

Any ideas on how to RP a musician touring a country?

Any ideas on how to RP a nation's leader touring around countries?(Like visiting,)

You should get into contact with players whose countries you'd like to visit.

Edit: I suggest you start a thread and actually start to work these RP ideas out.

[Yalos]

If I create an alternate account for Ardoki, would it be okay if I used the stats from my ordinary account?

It should probably be fine, provided you don't use both nations simultaneously, and you leave a link to your Ardoki account in the signature and whatever factbooks you may create.

[Maltropia]

If I create an alternate account for Ardoki, would it be okay if I used the stats from my ordinary account?

Stats are arbitrary. Eat dessert first. If it's the same nation, there's no reason to alter its canon just to fit another account. The only people who get uppity about that sort of thing are the people you don't want to hang out with.

[Ardoki]

If I create an alternate account for Ardoki, would it be okay if I used the stats from my ordinary account?

It should probably be fine, provided you don't use both nations simultaneously, and you leave a link to your Ardoki account in the signature and whatever factbooks you may create.

If I create an alternate account for Ardoki, would it be okay if I used the stats from my ordinary account?

Stats are arbitrary. Eat dessert first. If it's the same nation, there's no reason to alter its canon just to fit another account. The only people who get uppity about that sort of thing are the people you don't want to hang out with.

Okay, thank you for helping me.

Plus another thanks to all those who have also helped me here.

[Vancon]

What are the rules for Re-booting old threads that were not my own?

[Kylarnatia]

What are the rules for Re-booting old threads that were not my own?

If you mean 'Rebooting' as in 'restarting' them in a new thread: So long as the original OP is happy with you using their original idea, then by all means go for it, just be sure to ask them first and then give them credit for the original idea.

If you mean 'Rebooting' as in 'posting in them' to get them started again: If the thread hasn't been posted in for at least two weeks (I believe that's the threshold), then that'll be considered a gravedig, which is frowned upon if the other participants in the thread didn't want to continue it for a reason.

[Irav]

What would be the best way to intercept an ICBM in roleplaying?

[Tiami]

What would be the best way to intercept an ICBM in roleplaying?

If you have anything similar to the ABMD (Aegis Ballistic Missile Defense System), then that would probably be your best defense against an ICBM.

If you are not entirely sure what the ABMD is, this can give you a general description. Keep in mind, the ABMD is capable of shooting down short to medium ranged ballistic missiles. Shooting and ICBM has proven tough for even the United States. I read an article not too long ago, so I will link you to it.

[Irav]

What would be the best way to intercept an ICBM in roleplaying?

If you have anything similar to the ABMD (Aegis Ballistic Missile Defense System), then that would probably be your best defense against an ICBM.

If you are not entirely sure what the ABMD is, this can give you a general description.

Thank you

A nation just declared war on me, and he is most likely going to use them.

[Lubyak]

What would be the best way to intercept an ICBM in roleplaying?

This article will probably be more helpful, as it covers the whole breadth of missile defence rather than just the US Navy's attempts at it.

Basically, ICBM defence will be broken down into multiple phases, only during some of which you will be able to intercept. The biggest thing to remember is that ICBMs are fast. Really fast. You won't believe how unbelievably, mind bogglingly fast they are. I mean you might think you're going fast driving to the chemist's but that's just peanuts to ICBMs. The key phases are: 1) Boost, 2) Mid Course, 3) Terminal.

The boost phase is the only point at which the ICBM's engines are firing. As such, it is easy to detect an ICBM in boost phase, and you will likely be aware of the ICBM incoming as soon as it launches. Assuming you have a proper satellite network that hasn't been destroyed. However, remember that as ICBMs are fast, you will likely have less than an hour between detecting the launch, and final detonation. The boost phase is the easiest phase to destroy an ICBM, but the issue is that the boost phase will likely take place well within the enemy's territory, and it will be difficult to get a proper interception system in place to engage the ICBM.

The mid course phase is the longest phase, and the one you will have to try your best to intercept. In this phase, the missile will be flying through space, probably with individual RVs separating from the main bus, along with a large number of decoys. This is the one where you have the widest possible area to deploy interception systems, but the problem is--as usual--the RVs are traveling insanely fast. You'll have to track the individual targets, and try to arrange an intercept. Remember though that you won't be able to detect which of the inbound targets are actual warhead RVs and which are just decoys. Basically, this means that in order to stop a single MIRV tipped ICBM you will have to expend at least one interceptor missile for every RV and every decoy. I say at least, because you will be extremely unlikely to hit one RV with each missile you fire.

Yes this is making it seem like it's very difficult. Intercepting ICBMs is very hard. That's why deterrence is often preferred. Most RL states felt--when in a situation like the Cold War--when the enemy is likely to employ a huge number of ICBMs in a large coordinated strike, any interception system you might have will likely be overwhelmed. And, it will likely be easier to squeeze more decoys or more RVs in for each missile bus than it would be for you to build and deploy more interception systems. This is why IRL, deterrence was preferred. The US and NATO are investing more and more into this kind of ICBM defence now than in the Cold War, mostly because their worries have changed. Instead of a large, coordinated Soviet nuclear attack, it's more likely to be a long ICBM from a North Korea esque state. The classic issue with ICBM defence is that you will--most likely--be overwhelmed by any strike launched by an actual power, rather than a lone ICBM from a rogue state.

The final phase is the terminal phase. This is when the RVs are beginning to re-enter the atmosphere and heading towards their final targets. The decoys will likely have slowed down in the atmosphere, so you will have eliminated that problem. The issue here is, as usual, the RV is traveling extremely fast, and b) the only systems for intercepting will be the ones around the target. This will be your last chance before the RV detonates.

As for how you would RP this, one way would be to constantly shift perspectives: from the HQ coordinating all these interception systems, the crew members of the actual interception systems, and--depending on how this is going--the poor bastard in the target watching as the inevitable nuclear death falls on their head. You could also take a cue from media like Dr. Strangelove, WarGames and DEFCON, and keep your perspective in the HQ at all times. I would prefer this, in all honesty, since you can focus on the emotions of people watching the little computer tracks of warheads, interceptors, and projected trajectory while they desperately attempt to intercept. You'd get the elation of success if you succeed or the crushing despair of watching that little 'RV Track #49' reach its target.