NS History: You've Got Questions, We've Got Answers!

[Frattastan II]

Who was Lots of Ants?

Something more detailed than "a Gatesville/someone's plant who became Delegate of The West Pacific", if possible.

[Charax]

Did Bhang Bhang Duc ever do anything particularly noteworthy, or was it just dedication to TWP that landed him a Guardianship?

[Wickedly evil people]

man, two questions in a row that I know quite a bit about.


Lots of Ants was a Gatesville plant, for sure. I was of course always allied with GV since the always supported me in TWP when needed and my longtime ally Darkesia was a GV alum. Also Nev, Gates, and I had always been close since the Black Adder - Mammothistan days in the Pacific.

There were multiple GV players that were LOA, one a youth minister, one says OMG a lot, one loves chocolate, I think my Intel chief knew the entire time otherwise why did that player sponsor LOAs ascendancy within the TWP's tilted influence region. Remember I dominated NS influence at the time, no one could serve without my leave in TWP. At any rate at some point the GV folks tired of the really wonderful subterfuge they had run and gave up the entire dime to Wickedly evil people. One of the times I served as TWP Delegate was the final days of LOA, that nation really was a good chapter for TWP, just a great example of what really good players can accomplish.

I let her expire having changed the password. I still have it some where on a server at the office, well if the server admin kids haven't blown up my private data stash yet.

[Wickedly evil people]

Bhang Bhang Duc has always been a tremendous gentleman. Even when WEP was the interloper he was always, for the most part, always polite, concerned about the community as a whole, and dedicated to the region. And when I say for the most part, I mean I can be a very trying player to deal with in political turmoil because I am by nature very blunt and often very volatile.

I banjected him and the other top 50 endorsement holders in the region when we, Winnipeg and I, moved the forum. Despite that, he's always been a force for moderation and has been extremely influential with his political opinions in our region. I believe him to be a tremendous player within TWP political structure.


He's the nazz, David Bowie lyric reference

[Darkesia]

All that intrigue was so much fun! I often wish I had the patience and available time to invest in that kind of long game again. I am convinced that much of the reported "decline" of NS is due more to lack of available time and lack of player patience than anything else. Yes, yes... I know, and agree that influence dissappeared the necessity of inter regional politics that drove so much of the GCR game. But frankly, if we really put our heads together, I'm sure we could find a way to drive competition again. We're just too engaged in Real Life to bother.

All that being said, LoA has to be the most shared nation in the game. I'm not certain how many people had control at final count.

BBD is a Guardian because he should be Delegate, but he keeps turning us down for the job. He has the influence, the temperment and vision to do a great job. I even think he may have the ambition. What he doesn't have it available time (see above). He can always be counted on to do what he thinks is best for the region.

Under the definition of TWP Guardian is a picture of BBD.

[Blackbird]

I'm a fan of the Proconsul. Though his anti-RLA screeds get to be a little much.

[Wickedly evil people]

lol,


I've always been a Blackbird fan too, despite his membership in teh RLA...

[Distortilla]

Having an entry in the TSP flag redesign I was wondering what the "traditional" colours for the Feeders are/were and what was their origins?

[Charax]

I hear TWP used to be a Democracy once, where did the Imperium and Guardian Rule originate?

[Darkesia]

TWP is still as much democracy as the game will allow. WA nations vote for the delegate. There lies the end of democracy in NS.
The Guardians do not rule any more today than they did at their inception.

TWP's current forum government was instituted at the request of the current Delegate. The community seemed ok with it, so it became the Imperium. When the next Delegate comes along, the off-site community may decide to stick with the Imperium. Or they may move to a different system entirely.

I believe that what you are meaning to ask is more along the lines of "Why doesn't TWP still allow it's off-site community to control the regional Delegate, as most other regions do?" If that is the case, I can say that we got tired of the charade. The way we run things in the region is honest. There is no smokescreen in TWP. What you see is what you get. Our innovation (actually TAO's innovation) was the Guardian system, designed in response to influence to protect a minnow delegate. Our most recent innovation is to separate the in-game government from the off-site community government. This allows any community member the freedom to create any government or structure in which they can raise the interest, enthusiasm and activity in order to sustain it. The sky is the limit in TWP.

[Charax]

I believe that what you are meaning to ask is more along the lines of "Why doesn't TWP still allow it's off-site community to control the regional Delegate, as most other regions do?" If that is the case, I can say that we got tired of the charade. The way we run things in the region is honest. There is no smokescreen in TWP. What you see is what you get. Our innovation (actually TAO's innovation) was the Guardian system, designed in response to influence to protect a minnow delegate. Our most recent innovation is to separate the in-game government from the off-site community government. This allows any community member the freedom to create any government or structure in which they can raise the interest, enthusiasm and activity in order to sustain it. The sky is the limit in TWP.

There was no great, Franco-esque revolution that resulted in the creation of the Guardians then? For some reason I'd expected that to be born of a Civil War or something.

[Darkesia]

There was no great, Franco-esque revolution that resulted in the creation of the Guardians then? For some reason I'd expected that to be born of a Civil War or something.

The last Civil War in TWP resulted in a complete split of of the community. When reconcilliation came, the forum in use now became the official base of the TWP community. That war was many years ago and the community still bears the scars. Many of our deepest prejudices stem from this time. But that war and those predating it, were long before the current form(s) of government in TWP came about. I believe it even predates TAO's first use of the slingshot maneuver, which coincides with the Guardian concept. The current forms of government in TWP are not the result of some great revolution. Though, now that you mention it, we should start a propaganda campaign to promote that idea. It's very sexy. And it's always fun to rewrite history.

[Utovia]

Revisionism is an excellent thing.

-Charax

[Darwinish Brentsylvania]

Question: What was the first player created region in NS History?

[All Good People]

There was no great, Franco-esque revolution that resulted in the creation of the Guardians then? For some reason I'd expected that to be born of a Civil War or something.

Once upon a time in The West Pacific....some players got bored. Well...this wasn't a TWP thing, it was an NS wide thing really. But in TWP it manifest itself in the times of The Core, The West Pacific Directorate, and The Triumvirate. Some of those that participated in the coup were Dilber, Biyah, Moo-cows with Guns, Zorn. It was short lived. There is a thread on our current forums that tells some of that story:

http://www.westpacific.org/forums/index ... p-history/

Some years later, we got back to a point where TWP had a system with a lower and upper house legislature. The upper house became an old boys club. Only they could choose their members, and they could override the Delegate. Delegate The Faeyas quit the game over this disfunction, and her Vice Delegate, Wickedly Evil People (with my support as Minister of State Security) abandoned that government. After this, came the TAO Constitution where we clearly recognized the ingame authority of the Delegate, and the rights of the offsite community at the same time. This was later replaced by the NationStates Republic under Delegate Punk Reloaded.

Today, TWP's format is based upon TAO's original concept.

[Libetarian Republics]

There was no great, Franco-esque revolution that resulted in the creation of the Guardians then? For some reason I'd expected that to be born of a Civil War or something.

Once upon a time in The West Pacific....some players got bored. Well...this wasn't a TWP thing, it was an NS wide thing really. But in TWP it manifest itself in the times of The Core, The West Pacific Directorate, and The Triumvirate. Some of those that participated in the coup were Dilber, Biyah, Moo-cows with Guns, Zorn. It was short lived. There is a thread on our current forums that tells some of that story:

http://www.westpacific.org/forums/index ... p-history/

Some years later, we got back to a point where TWP had a system with a lower and upper house legislature. The upper house became an old boys club. Only they could choose their members, and they could override the Delegate. Delegate The Faeyas quit the game over this disfunction, and her Vice Delegate, Wickedly Evil People (with my support as Minister of State Security) abandoned that government. After this, came the TAO Constitution where we clearly recognized the ingame authority of the Delegate, and the rights of the offsite community at the same time. This was later replaced by the NationStates Republic under Delegate Punk Reloaded.

Today, TWP's format is based upon TAO's original concept.

I remember this; I was a mere resident of the West Pacific (the original feeder of my main, Libetarian Republics). I admit those were some exciting times for a noob back then.

[Letoilenoir]

I admit those were some exciting times for a noob back then.

This seems to be an oft repeated refrain these days - Rose tinted nostalgia or an indictment of the stagnation that apparently afflicts the feeders these days?

[Wickedly evil people]

Question: What was the first player created region in NS History?

I was a part of one of the first, The Capitalist Alliance, with my original nation, Eli, The Atlantic was around, I believe we were 3rd, but I really don't remember.

[Punk Daddy]

I admit those were some exciting times for a noob back then.

This seems to be an oft repeated refrain these days - Rose tinted nostalgia or an indictment of the stagnation that apparently afflicts the feeders these days?

The feeders seem less stagnant than they were a couple of years ago.

As for TWP, I believe the guardianship works for two reasons, the members of the Guardians trust and respect each other. They are not the same person, have the same thoughts, nor do they agree on everything. But they do agree on the most important things and that is, the game is the where the choice of delegate is made and that in game delegate has the right to form whatever government they so desire.

There's both a cockiness and humility within that concept.

[Blackbird]

This seems to be an oft repeated refrain these days - Rose tinted nostalgia or an indictment of the stagnation that apparently afflicts the feeders these days?

The feeders seem less stagnant than they were a couple of years ago.

As for TWP, I believe the guardianship works for two reasons, the members of the Guardians trust and respect each other. They are not the same person, have the same thoughts, nor do they agree on everything. But they do agree on the most important things and that is, the game is the where the choice of delegate is made and that in game delegate has the right to form whatever government they so desire.

There's both a cockiness and humility within that concept.

Bring back Lanier!

[Darwinish Brentsylvania]

Question: What was the first player created region in NS History?

I was a part of one of the first, The Capitalist Alliance, with my original nation, Eli, The Atlantic was around, I believe we were 3rd, but I really don't remember.

Wasn't your original nation Westwind?

[Tim-Opolis]

I was a part of one of the first, The Capitalist Alliance, with my original nation, Eli, The Atlantic was around, I believe we were 3rd, but I really don't remember.

Wasn't your original nation Westwind?

Eli and Westwind are two different players, mate.
Eli
Westwind

[Urcea]

Is there any way to determine the founding date of a region?

[Eist]

Is there any way to determine the founding date of a region?

Most regions have the founding date in their "History" section: (http://www.nationstates.net/page=region ... egion=XXXX)

Many older regions do not, however. AFAIK the best way to get an close date is from BigTex's NSHistory: (http://nsdossier.texasregion.net/history.aspx)

Wayback Machine is not that good because new regions are generally really small, so indexing is often very sporadic. Google's cache is also of limited value.

I'd love to know if anyone else knew of other resources!

[Darwinish Brentsylvania]

Wasn't your original nation Westwind?

Eli and Westwind are two different players, mate.
Eli
Westwind

Oh, sorry, it thought that was All Good people for a moment, my bad.