Gameplay Advice Thread - We're here to help!

[Taezervania]

It is my hope that this thread can become a valuable resource for nations seeking help in the Gameplay arena. Whether they're looking for advice on recruiting, R/D, or regional politics, I believe that it is in the best interests of NationStates for us to help them be successful. The practice of ridiculing every new idea into oblivion is destructive and poisonous to the NS community at large, and my goal is to create a place where these ideas can be discussed and critiqued honestly.

If you are here to provide honest input towards a discussion, no matter what side of the fence you play on, your input is welcome!

If you have a new idea and would like to know how to make it work, what hurdles you may need to overcome, or what won't work, feel free to ask!

If you're here to ridicule someone for their idea, or even ridicule the idea itself, I respectfully ask you to avoid posting in this thread.

The aim of this thread is to give people looking for help access to people who are willing to help. This is not a recruiting thread. We are here to offer guidance, not to move to your region to actually do the work for you.

With all of that being said, how can we help you?

I've created a region with a map, a forum, and multiple open government positions. I've made an API Recruitment campaign, and made a recruitment telegram using all of the persuasive things I've learned in school. still, no-one seems to want to join my region. What should I do?

[Shizensky]

Starting a region is difficult. Like, really, really difficult. It requires a lot of time and patience.

Do you know anybody who might be interested in NationStates? Starting a region on your own is a serious challenge, so getting someone else to help you out would go a long way to help build a stable foundation. It also helps you divide some of the labor between trusted individuals.

Another option is to wait. Seriously, sometimes all it takes is time. Someone will answer your recruiting telegram and you'll be in business. When they do, interact with them! Make them feel welcome and try to get them involved. Start to build activity on the RMB so future nations see an active, living region. Once you've got a number of active people, take advantage of the polls as a tool to start a regional debate.

You could also try joining another region. See what they do that makes them different, and imagine how you might do it differently yourself.

I hope that helps. There's honestly no one way to go about any of this, but I can promise you that it's immensely easier to have as much help as possible early on or you'll end up doing quite a bit on your own.

[Rifty]

Starting a region is difficult. Like, really, really difficult. It requires a lot of time and patience.

Do you know anybody who might be interested in NationStates? Starting a region on your own is a serious challenge, so getting someone else to help you out would go a long way to help build a stable foundation. It also helps you divide some of the labor between trusted individuals.

Another option is to wait. Seriously, sometimes all it takes is time. Someone will answer your recruiting telegram and you'll be in business. When they do, interact with them! Make them feel welcome and try to get them involved. Start to build activity on the RMB so future nations see an active, living region. Once you've got a number of active people, take advantage of the polls as a tool to start a regional debate.

You could also try joining another region. See what they do that makes them different, and imagine how you might do it differently yourself.

I hope that helps. There's honestly no one way to go about any of this, but I can promise you that it's immensely easier to have as much help as possible early on or you'll end up doing quite a bit on your own.

I personally have grown three regions:

- GDU (50+ citizens)
- CoF (330 Citizens)
- AoI (130 Citizens)

Now i agree with Shiz that it is difficult - but it is in no way that difficult. The task itself is rather easy; the difficult part is there is a barrier with each region that i faced right before success; you consider giving up...but if you push a little further it works out.

If you want to start a region; I'll offer you the same i offer to everyone else - My advise and assistance. However i will not actively be involve din your region; unless i really like it. Than still it will come down to yourself.

There are also guides on this matter - and i am going to say mine is the best (No surprises there ), It can be found here.

[Shizensky]

There is a huge difference between growing a region, and sustaining one. I am a firm believer that "Slow and steady wins the race" in terms of most things, NS projects being no different. I have a handful of other regions I have founded or have been an active leader in. I tend to keep my identity in them a secret because I would hate for any ties I have as Shizensky to interfere with the things these regions are trying to accomplish.

Creating a region and getting people to join isn't the difficult part. Building a stable community is the real challenge.

[Rifty]

There is a huge difference between growing a region, and sustaining one. I am a firm believer that "Slow and steady wins the race" in terms of most things, NS projects being no different. I have a handful of other regions I have founded or have been an active leader in. I tend to keep my identity in them a secret because I would hate for any ties I have as Shizensky to interfere with the things these regions are trying to accomplish.

Creating a region and getting people to join isn't the difficult part. Building a stable community is the real challenge.

Sustaining a region is the easy bit - Keep the community happy and make sure that they are alright with a dictatorship and you are set. Stability can be given to them as long as you make them feel safe and happy. An active community is the best community.

[Rhemaland]

Greetings! I am the former, famed heroine who fought alongside United Federation of Canada in Gargantuan against Reagan Island and his crony, Virgo. I tried my best to save the day. Ultimately, Reagan changed his ways and founded a new region, The Gargantuan Empire. I had some serious issues arise that caused me to have to depart NS for some time. But now I am back and had to join a new region, founded by Reagan's new nation Lincoln Centre, The Lincoln Empire. That isn't where I want to be. I want to be home. And Canada refounded my home region to take control of it. That isn't fair. What can I do?

[Rifty]

Greetings! I am the former, famed heroine who fought alongside United Federation of Canada in Gargantuan against Reagan Island and his crony, Virgo. I tried my best to save the day. Ultimately, Reagan changed his ways and founded a new region, The Gargantuan Empire. I had some serious issues arise that caused me to have to depart NS for some time. But now I am back and had to join a new region, founded by Reagan's new nation Lincoln Centre, The Lincoln Empire. That isn't where I want to be. I want to be home. And Canada refounded my home region to take control of it. That isn't fair. What can I do?

Sad to say it but if someone else has access to the founder or have refounded it - there is nothing you can do

[Nephmir]

If it had no password, you could perhaps destroy it yourself in about a few months... but sadly it does. I'm afraid there's no other way but to either ask for it back or to wait until the founder CTEs.

[Chester Pearson]

If it had no password, you could perhaps destroy it yourself in about a few months... but sadly it does. I'm afraid there's no other way but to either ask for it back or to wait until the founder CTEs.

Yeah.... That won't be happening anytime soon.

Tough tulips Rhema....

[Butterbourne]

Hi,

I'm the (ex)President of the region Gambino. We have been invaded 3x in the last month by the Black Riders. I know rule breaking has occurred, but moderators deny it. Is there a reason why they are targeting us? How can we protect ourself while we continue to grow?

[Mallorea and Riva]

Hi,

I'm the (ex)President of the region Gambino. We have been invaded 3x in the last month by the Black Riders. I know rule breaking has occurred, but moderators deny it. Is there a reason why they are targeting us? How can we protect ourself while we continue to grow?

You're being targeted because you have a nonexecutive founder. You can refound your region with an executive founder, set your delegate controls to nonexecutive, and you won't be raided. For information on refounding read the stickies.

[Khronion]

Rulebreaking is a pretty big allegation. Make sure you're up to date on the gameplay rules, which do allow for invasions and repeated taggings. Unless they're WA-multi-ing, it's probably kosher (unless you're getting tagged with Nazi flags).

[Coraxion]

Hi,

I'm the (ex)President of the region Gambino. We have been invaded 3x in the last month by the Black Riders. I know rule breaking has occurred, but moderators deny it. Is there a reason why they are targeting us? How can we protect ourself while we continue to grow?

1. Everyone have only 1 WA member nation at the time
2. You can resign and apply to WA as many times as you want with as many different nations as you like.
3. During NationStates' updates every nation and region updates only once.
4. All nations update always in only one region
5. WA-endorsements of a Nation are always counted to that region where WA nation reside when it updates
6. Resigning from WA after being elected to WAD doesn't end Delegate access to a region. It lasts until to a next update.
7. Thus you can be WAD of several regions same time.
8. Current TBR record is 63 raided regions in a single update by single team. 98 regions in a singe update with multiple teams (3 teams). Record for Sitting delegates 'executed' in a single update is 28.
9. You cannot raid regions where delegate access to the regional controls is barred. (WAD Set to Non-executive)
10. Setting WAD non-executive is that you need.
11. Your region is perfectly secured against any kind raids as long as founder puppet is alive and WAD access set to non-executive. If founder puppet CTE then delegate access will be again executive. Founder puppet must not leave from the region and it is recommended that puppet wouldn't be used for making RMB and/or forum comments (as if you manage break against spamming/trolling/flaming rules risk your Founder would get DEAT'd by moderation stays lower.)
12. You can lock your region and share its password only with those whom you trust.
13. You can pile enough endorsements with your friends to your region's executive WAD for making it unlike you get raided
14. You can learn spot possible incoming raiders and sit online during NS updates for kicking intruders out of the region.
15. You can abandon and let your region CTE and join to other community and make it better, more safe and more active with your WA member
16. You can join to raiders. After that you don't bother too much anymore about random and insignificant regions, like your region is.

ADD: Ooops. Just noticing that your Founder is non-executive. Not much can be done. Your region will stay as a possible target for raiders as long as it exist.

[NoblePhnx]

What's the best way to figure out the age of a region?

[Rifty]

What's the best way to figure out the age of a region?

History page would be my say - Go all the way down to the bottom and it will tell you how long ago it was founded

[NoblePhnx]

What's the best way to figure out the age of a region?

History page would be my say - Go all the way down to the bottom and it will tell you how long ago it was founded

lel so I avoided the most obvious place, thanks!

[Shizensky]

The API is a good place to start.

http://www.nationstates.net/cgi-bin/api ... &q=history

Scroll to the bottom for the earliest update. It doesn't appear to work 100% of the time, but might be pretty reliable up to 2009-2010. For example, the earliest update for 10000 Islands is from 2009, but Texas goes all the way back to 2004.

Take the <TIMESTAMP> number and paste it here: http://www.epochconverter.com/

This is basically Rifty's method, just a little more techincal.

[Rifty]

The API is a good place to start.

http://www.nationstates.net/cgi-bin/api ... &q=history

Scroll to the bottom for the earliest update. It doesn't appear to work 100% of the time, but might be pretty reliable up to 2009-2010. For example, the earliest update for 10000 Islands is from 2009, but Texas goes all the way back to 2004.

Take the <TIMESTAMP> number and paste it here: http://www.epochconverter.com/

This is basically Rifty's method, just a little more techincal.

I find it works just the history - Good enough. I just wish it gave a date rather than how long ago.

[NoblePhnx]

Oh so plug in the region founded timestamp date in, that's helpful!

I find it works just the history - Good enough. I just wish it gave a date rather than how long ago.

Perhaps Shizenky's method does give a date, would have to try it.

[Shizensky]

It gives a date once you convert the timestamp, yeah.

[NoblePhnx]

It gives a date once you convert the timestamp, yeah.

It works beautifully, even converts it to the correct timezone.

Thanks!

[Rifty]

It gives a date once you convert the timestamp, yeah.

Archived that for the future - Danke.

[New Charlzilla]

Why is it that my region's people, TNP, laugh at me when I say I wanna be delegate?

[Rifty]

Why is it that my region's people, TNP, laugh at me when I say I wanna be delegate?

Uh - This is very hard to say without insulting. TNP is a Game Created Region with thousands of individuals residing in there. You need to be heaviliy experienced in running a region. You need to be extremely active. You need to be well known. It would take Months/Years of just learning and getting to know the community before you would even be considered able to become a delegate.

It takes a certain kind of person to lead a GCR.

If you are dedicated ask HMS for some help in learning. If not found your own region or find a UCR.

[McMasterdonia]

Why is it that my region's people, TNP, laugh at me when I say I wanna be delegate?

It's the way you have been going about it. You have shown no genuine interest in getting involved in the region. You have been bak for a number of days and declared you were going to overthrow the government. Of course, thy was utterly ridiculous, and people laughed in your face.

If you want to be Delegate, get involved in the region. Earn the trust and respect of other nations. Get some real government experience. I was elected Vice Delegate within months and Delegate in about 6 or 7 months. It's possible, but the way you're going about it now is destined to fail.