Good roleplaying isn't easy and players who deliver consistent results in their writing deserve to be recognized. There is no formal way of doing this on NationStates, most likely for the better. Over time the community has nonetheless developed different ways of informally acknowledging the accomplishments of fellow roleplayers. The region of Greater Dienstad would like to introduce its own form of recognition, the Greater Díenstad Roleplay Award. This is in no way sponsored by NationStates or formal by any means. However, Greater Díenstad has a long history on this game, having been founded in 2005 — actually, it has been around for longer than that, because the region is a refounding of Imperial Armies —, and in that time it has built itself something of a reputation for excellent roleplaying. While we're certainly not the best, over the past decade we've consistently produced high quality output and through our ranks have passed some of the most well-known players in the game. In that spirit, this award represents a regional acknowledgement of the contribution prize-winners have made to NationStates.
How it works: The process by which a player earns the Gr. Díenstad RP Award, which will henceforth be referred to as the GDA, is relatively straightforward. I, The Macabees, as founder of the region, will nominate players I believe fit the standards of a prize-winner. This means that the basis of the nomination is subjective. However, I do look for some specific characteristics, which include:
- Consistency of Writing Quality: A nominee should have a history of quality writing. Outside of style — since there are various styles, and any RP award should make sure to include a plurality of styles —, I look for the basics (grammar), use of language, level of detail and how that level affects the enjoyment of reading, whether my emotions were tapped, and traits of similar ilk.
- Reputation: Are you a good role model? How have you influenced other players? Are you respected? These are all questions that grasp towards the same idea, which is your standing in the community. The players who earn the GDA are players who others can look up to; persons whose writing can be read as a source of inspiration.
- Out of Character Conduct: A NationStates roleplayer is a special breed of writer. He/she is a cooperative writer. We have to put together a story in conjunction with other players. Are you easy to get along with? Are you constructive? Do you interact well with others? These are the types of questions I ask when judging a player along this dimension.
- On-Site History: How long you've been playing the game does directly factor into my nomination decision-making. While sheer presence on the site doesn't alone determine one's status as an RPer — and, in fact this factor is more often than not completely irrelevant —, the fact is that, all else equal, I will choose the player with the longest presence over the one with the shortest presence.
- Posthumous Awards: If a player has been DOS'd or if that player CTE'd, he/she is not eligible for the GDA.
One thing to keep in mind is that I do take suggestions for nominations. Please do not TG me. You can find me on IRC, usually on one of three channels: #dienstad, #nssanctuary, or #nsmentors. (You can ask for permission to TG me, for this purpose, on IRC.) I don't expect a pitch, but I do expect you to offer me evidence for your claim, including links to relevant threads — not one or two, but enough to show me that the person fulfills the prerequisites outlined above. Neither should you expect me to immediately turn your suggestion into a nomination. I will do my own investigation, which usually takes quite a bit of time, and I will make my own decision as to whether I believe that person deserves a GDA. However, I do take suggestions a signal of a player's reputation amongst his/her peers, so your word or recommendation certainly does count. With all of this said, please do not inundate me with the names of players you think are good RPers. Proposals should be well researched and you should have 100 percent confidence that I will agree with your judgment (just like a business manager will have 100 percent confidence that the client will be persuaded his/her pitch).
Note: all active roleplayers on NationStates are eligible to receive the GDA. The reason this thread is on International Incidents is because, unfortunately, I tend to read only II. I do make sure to check outside this specific forum, but I do not read Nationstates, Global Economics and Trade, NS Sports, or the Portal to the Multiverse as often as I should. This is where well-cited suggestions to me will make an important difference.
Why Does [Insert_Name_Here] Have One, But Not Me? This award is meant to recognize the achievements of some of our outstanding peers and, hopefully, to motivate others to strive to meet these heights themselves. There is no fixed amount of awards. There is no time schedule to worry about. This is not a zero-sum competition; someone else receiving it does not preclude you from also earning it in the future. Just like almost every other aspect of NationStates, the GDA is positive-sum — the pie gets larger;in econospeak, the best kind of speak in my biased opinion, the award is Pareto optimal.* Neither does the GDA confer prestige. The ideal candidate already exudes prestige. He/she is a pillar amongst his/her peers, already widely perceived to be a top roleplayer by a significant fraction of the community. Those who do not currently meet the requirements, but nevertheless endeavor to fulfill them, aren't accomplishing an award. They're accomplishing much, much more than that: a history of consistent top flight roleplaying. The Gr. Díenstad RP Award is a mere reflection of that.
List of Recipients:
- Stevid (20 October, 2014)
- Ghant (4 September, 2016)
- United World Order (5 December, 2016)
- Mokastana (3 September, 2017)
- McMasterdonia (1 August 2018)
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⁎ For other econ-nerds, I justify the institutions of this award by citing James Buchanan, The Calculus of Consent.
DISCLAIMER: The mentorship program has no association with the Greater Díenstad Roleplay Award. My role as a mentor plays no part.