Global Economics and Trade Help Desk and Q&A

[Aquatus]

How to make and edit a map for nationstates?

Download a photo editing program like Paint.net or Photoshop. There's no way to do it through NationStates.

thank you

[Stahn]

Are there any sites that give a decent indication on how much military hardware cost IRL?

I am hoping for an indication on everything from small arms to carriers. Sometimes I sell something but I don't really know what would be a proper price.

[Common Territories]

Are there any sites that give a decent indication on how much military hardware cost IRL?

I am hoping for an indication on everything from small arms to carriers. Sometimes I sell something but I don't really know what would be a proper price.

Wikipedia usually gives unit costs. If not, then some other sites that you can find on the first page of a google search should do the trick.

[Crookfur]

Are there any sites that give a decent indication on how much military hardware cost IRL?

I am hoping for an indication on everything from small arms to carriers. Sometimes I sell something but I don't really know what would be a proper price.

Saddly there is no single source or even small collection of sources that's all that useful for this, it's more or less a case of thinking about a couple of specific examples that are close (ish) to your creation and searching for them to give you a ballpark area to play in.

Of course even if googling brings up pricing info it can be contradictory depending on how people have worked out prices. A big issue with many quoted unit prices is that folks have simply taken whole contract prices and devised by a number of units forgetting that big contract values typically cover all sorts of spares and extras.

There is no real need to be amazingly accurate in terms of prices as most people tend not to actually pay much attention but I can understand how it can become a bit of a headache, as it did for me once upon a time.

[Stahn]

Thank you both, Crookfur and Common Territories.

[Common Territories]

Are there any sites that give a decent indication on how much military hardware cost IRL?

I am hoping for an indication on everything from small arms to carriers. Sometimes I sell something but I don't really know what would be a proper price.

Saddly there is no single source or even small collection of sources that's all that useful for this, it's more or less a case of thinking about a couple of specific examples that are close (ish) to your creation and searching for them to give you a ballpark area to play in.

Of course even if googling brings up pricing info it can be contradictory depending on how people have worked out prices. A big issue with many quoted unit prices is that folks have simply taken whole contract prices and devised by a number of units forgetting that big contract values typically cover all sorts of spares and extras.

There is no real need to be amazingly accurate in terms of prices as most people tend not to actually pay much attention but I can understand how it can become a bit of a headache, as it did for me once upon a time.

True. I made my own prices by comparing RL examples and examples here on GE&T. Though if you really need to find a price im sure asking here would be good since a lot of us can find the info - or knows someone who can find it. Just a tip for anyone in need of future price help here.

[Werreales]

Hello, I wanted to ask a question: does storefronts help us having economic bonuses on stats or no? Thanks.

[Pharthan]

Hello, I wanted to ask a question: does storefronts help us having economic bonuses on stats or no? Thanks.

No. The forum and nation stats are not linked.

[Werreales]

Then, what's the utility of a storefront. (Sorry for this rude question, I am seriously interested about making one but what does it give more on RPs?)

[Crookfur]

Then, what's the utility of a storefront. (Sorry for this rude question, I am seriously interested about making one but what does it give more on RPs?)

There is no real utility its just something you do for fun and perhaps as a means of forming relationships with other players.

[Tippercommon]

Then, what's the utility of a storefront. (Sorry for this rude question, I am seriously interested about making one but what does it give more on RPs?)

To command the respect of legions (probably more like 4 people).

[The Territories of Hendersu]

I have recently joined a region, and wish to endorse the delegate of the World Assembly. How do I do this?

[Common Territories]

I have recently joined a region, and wish to endorse the delegate of the World Assembly. How do I do this?

For future reference, this is not exactly the place to ask this kind of question (gameplay and technical questions have their place). To answer your question though, you must be a member of the World Assembly (https://www.nationstates.net/page=un) and from there, once you're a member, you go to your Delegate's nation page. You will see their endorsements bellow near the bottom of the page, and you will see a clickable option to endorse them. It's pretty simple so there shouldn't be a mistake so long as you're following the WA's membership rules and the site's rules.

[Prosorusiya]

Are there any quick links to storefronts selling exotic animals, or animals in general? I am looking to outfit a traveling circus...

[Pharthan]

Then, what's the utility of a storefront. (Sorry for this rude question, I am seriously interested about making one but what does it give more on RPs?)

Part of it is the roleplaying fun. Part of it is to be able to have backstory for your nation and make it more than just a page.
It also gives yourself something to roleplay with in other areas; I can pretty much run my entire nation's military with stuff I have on my storefront, so it gives me that extra bit of originality when I do II roleplays.

Oh, and showing off.

[Neu Engollon]

Are there any quick links to storefronts selling exotic animals, or animals in general? I am looking to outfit a traveling circus...

I was going to say Mike's Monkey House, but New Edom already got in touch with you on your thread, I see. Good luck with that.

[The Nation of Ceneria]

Hey, folks. I'm finally getting off my lazy rear and writing a guide to product-creation, specifically military. Are there any specific points that you suggest that I address that you'd like to see get more attention?

[Korva]

Hey, folks. I'm finally getting off my lazy rear and writing a guide to product-creation, specifically military. Are there any specific points that you suggest that I address that you'd like to see get more attention?

How to avoid overuse of superlatives and technobabble.

[Iberian Kingdom]

Hey, I have a quick question.

If a storefront's nation is dead, and has been for a long time, is it possible to ever arrange something as to either getting a few products from the storefront to sell yourself, or just take one of the products they made and sort of use it like your own?

[Common Territories]

Hey, I have a quick question.

If a storefront's nation is dead, and has been for a long time, is it possible to ever arrange something as to either getting a few products from the storefront to sell yourself, or just take one of the products they made and sort of use it like your own?

No. Regardless if they're still here or not, stealing from another's thread is not allowed. I had one such case against myself years ago where someone decided to remake a storefront an associate I knew made with me (he was a subordinate company to my own). Long story short, it's not kosher to take what's not yours.

[Iberian Kingdom]

Hey, I have a quick question.

If a storefront's nation is dead, and has been for a long time, is it possible to ever arrange something as to either getting a few products from the storefront to sell yourself, or just take one of the products they made and sort of use it like your own?

No. Regardless if they're still here or not, stealing from another's thread is not allowed. I had one such case against myself years ago where someone decided to remake a storefront an associate I knew made with me (he was a subordinate company to my own). Long story short, it's not kosher to take what's not yours.

Alright. What happens to storefronts who's owners disappear? Like, that's a ton of work to just wash down the drain.

On a side note, what's the best kind of storefront to start? Like, arms, airlines, banks, and maybe some auto company seem to be all that succeeds. What do you recommend?

[Common Territories]

No. Regardless if they're still here or not, stealing from another's thread is not allowed. I had one such case against myself years ago where someone decided to remake a storefront an associate I knew made with me (he was a subordinate company to my own). Long story short, it's not kosher to take what's not yours.

Alright. What happens to storefronts who's owners disappear? Like, that's a ton of work to just wash down the drain.

On a side note, what's the best kind of storefront to start? Like, arms, airlines, banks, and maybe some auto company seem to be all that succeeds. What do you recommend?

Storefronts that have their owners CTE just simply die off, receding to the back of the list of threads on this forum. Same as any thread on NS. It depends on the owner what happens to them; I've seen some go full implosion and just nuke everything when they quit, but the vast majority just CTE and the thread dies. Though I myself have a plan to and stated policy when I CTE/or quit.

My suggestion is anything you take interest enough in to actually put the work in for. If you do the standard fair arms or airport without having interest you're likely just going to become one of the many "RL Retailers" out there; people who essentially copy RL products to a 'T' and resell them here. Do something you find interest in and are willing to put work into - airlines/airports aren't a bad first choice since they're easy and everyone plus their grandmother have one these days. There isn't really a one that's perfect for first starts. You pick one you're interested in, put in the work, and you keep at it until you sandpaper the edges off. As long as you offer a unique version of a product, have a clean looking page, and refined a system for yourself, all you'll need is experience over time.

[The Nation of Ceneria]

Awrighty. All done with the guide: viewtopic.php?f=6&t=377297

Tell me what you think! Thanks!

[Maltropia]

Awrighty. All done with the guide: viewtopic.php?f=6&t=377297

Tell me what you think! Thanks!

Yohannes'* guide to creating a product. I haven't had Yoh's password for years.

[The Nation of Ceneria]

Awrighty. All done with the guide: viewtopic.php?f=6&t=377297

Tell me what you think! Thanks!

Yohannes'* guide to creating a product. I haven't had Yoh's password for years.

Wait, what? Where???

EDIT: Oh, crap. Wow. I can't believe I misread that that many times. Okay, I feel really, really bad now. And I talk about plagiarism being frowned upon...

Alright, fixed it. Wow, I am really sorry, @Yohannes. (please don't kill me...)