Cormac AMA

[Kostrorleauny]

Do please pardon me if I am missing a bit of NationStates gameplay history in asking this, but I was wondering: What would you say was your primary motive for couping Osiris?

Was it more about you wanting to accomplish a vision that you had in mind for your homeland so that it could become a better place? Was it done in the interests of self-preservation? Or was it simply done to stir the pot for awhile, make things interesting, have a big of fun along the way?

I’m curious, because I remember it back when it happened.

[Tim-Opolis]

What would you say was your primary motive for couping Osiris?

Which time

[Nazmir]

OooooH! You're a famous person, right? mind if I poke your brain for Q's?

1. What is the point of raiding? It doesn't do anything but, spam. I see The Black Hawks constantly raid but, all I ever see is a WFE changed. Is there something I'm missing?

2. Is the game dying?

3. is it too late for a newbie to join NS and get involved? I'm in the Warzone Europe now and it's fun but, I'm curious as to what regions aren't dead or elitist. Not really seeking to be uber popular or famous, 'now?

4. How long have you been around? Why still be around? What do you do for a living irl?

5. What's wrong with Balder?

6. Are these big game created region's too big and for newbies to get involved in?

7. Is there a lot of disdain for small regions made by users?

8. What is the deal with LWU and Lazarus? I did some digging and I have no idea what it's all about. is LWU a defender region or a raider or none?

9. What games aside from NS do you play?

10. Would you give me your autograph?

Sorry in advance for these Q's. I'm fascinated by NS history.

[Catalyse]

Where is Christian Stark?

[Cormactopia Prime]

I've placed answers for people who asked several questions in a single post under spoilers to cut down on the length of this post.

If you were given the choice of choosing one existing region and one existing ideology or lack of ideology permanently and could never leave or switch again, which region and ideology or lack thereof would you choose?

Well, this answer is going to be at odds with itself (but who wouldn't expect that from me), but I would choose Osiris as my permanent region, and defending as my permanent ideology. And then be super unhappy, I suppose, since Osiris is a raider region! But I've been having fun raiding lately too.

Which region have you ever been on bad terms with that you wished hadn’t been the case?

A lot of people in The East Pacific really don't like me, and it's one of the rare cases where the feeling isn't mutual in most cases, so I guess TEP.

If you could go back in time and stop any coup in NS history, which one would it be?

The NLO. The PRL was a great system and theme for Lazarus, and unfortunately the NLO brought it to an end and tarnished it forever. I should note, though, that if the NLO had been a successful coup I wouldn't want to go back and stop it, because it would have saved Lazarus a lot of drama.

Which coups, if any, do you in hindsight wish had succeeded?

Hileville's coup of TSP.

How do you feel about your career on NS when you look back on all of it?

I feel kind of "meh" about it, if I'm being honest. I'm glad Osiris is stable and I'm proud of it, but I wish I had tried harder to accomplish those ends through non-authoritarian means, and while I wouldn't bring democracy back to Osiris, I think the trend toward authoritarianism is contributing to the blandness of gameplay. It's making everything entirely too stable and predictable with nothing to spice anything up.

How do you think gameplay can be spiced up without new site features. (So just using what we have now)

I'm not really sure I have firm answers to that question. If I did, I would probably be doing more about it. I think we need UCRs to somehow be more relevant again, which is going to require some of the skilled players currently playing in GCRs to shift at least some of their focus back to UCRs, and I also think we badly need more defenders. Specifically, we need traditional ("moralist") defending to make a comeback.

Do you think I'm one of the cool kids?

Oddly, yes, despite us spending most of our NS "careers" at odds with each other. I think we understand each other now more than ever.

As an ex-delegate of Christmas, what picture would you choose for this year's advent calendar? (It will also get flown as our regional flag for a day). Answer on a telegram please, and we'll reveal the answer in December!

I'll pick one out shortly and send it to you. Thanks!

Who are your top five up and coming regions, and what advice do you have for them?

1. The Empire of Mare Nostrum
2. Forest
3. Gay
4. Carolingia
5. Caer Sidi

I realize I'm stretching the definition of "up and coming" a bit, since at least two of these regions -- Forest and Gay -- are actually quite old, but I think they're achieving a breakthrough gameplay presence they didn't necessarily have before. So that's why I've included them despite their age.

My advice for them is not to get discouraged by setbacks, because all UCRs have them. 99% of success in UCRs is about being persistent and continuing to try even when it looks pointless. My other advice for all of their participants is not to get drawn in by the siren song of GCRs. The game needs active UCRs to make an impact on gameplay too, and I think all of these regions have the capacity to do that in their different ways.

Question for the floor: What changes would the NS World Fair need to make to secure a successful relaunch?

I think an independent commission is needed to select an entirely new NSWF Committee. My idea is for the commission to be comprised of heads of government from a balanced variety of regions, including both GCRs and UCRs, both gameplay and non-gameplay regions. They can then go ahead and pick a new NSWF Committee. I don't think the previous Committee is even that interested in continuing after what happened last year, and I don't think many regions would have much confidence in them either after last year's events. So I do think that's the best way forward.

At the very least, as a more conservative approach that might work, all of TNP's members of the NSWF Committee need to go.

Name a few in-game experiences that taught you a lot about gameplay.

Definitely, definitely Douria's 2013 coup of Osiris. It taught me so much about so many different facets of gameplay. Other experiences I would cite are my time as Founder of Asgard, Asgard's raid of Christmas (my first successful raid), my time in the UDL, and of course my three terms as Pharaoh of Osiris.

Who is your favorite UDL Chief Lieutenant and why is it me?

Well, you are the only Chief Lieutenant, to my knowledge, never to turn raider or couper or at least threaten to coup, so there's that.

(Also you're awesome! <3)

Of any NS player, I think you have the most similarities to me. Do you see any similarities between us or our styles, and if so, who would you say has the most similarities to you as a player?

I do see similarities. I think we're both more interested in the overall health of gameplay and how interesting it is than we are in the minutiae, which leads us to make choices other people don't understand -- like switching alignments or other controversial actions. I think while the two of us are similar, and I also see similarities between Feux and me, I would have to say Mad Jack is the player most like me. He has those same traits in common with us, but also has, or at least had, a temperament that is similar to mine. Whereas you and Feux tend to play it a bit cooler.

Would you rather be Commended or Condemned?

Commended. I think the overall balance of my contribution has been positive, though I acknowledge there is plenty of fodder for Condemnation.

I would probably drag another problem here and get in a lovely PNG wall BUT
Would you make a Big Drama Coup to Balder, or just Coup 'em and Banject without answering any question?
I am up to follow Drama if you would/could coup

I never do anything quietly.

I just wanted to say I really enjoyed the amount of times Liberate Balder was said in this thread.

You're welcome!

How do you recommend a couch potato (I swear it's definitely not me) easing back into gameplay and updating?

Pick one region with an active military and stick with it for a bit. Spread yourself too thin and you'll probably get burnt out and fade out again.

If you're not sure where to go, shoot me a TG and we'll talk about what you're interested in doing, and I can recommend an option or two.

Do please pardon me if I am missing a bit of NationStates gameplay history in asking this, but I was wondering: What would you say was your primary motive for couping Osiris?

Was it more about you wanting to accomplish a vision that you had in mind for your homeland so that it could become a better place? Was it done in the interests of self-preservation? Or was it simply done to stir the pot for awhile, make things interesting, have a big of fun along the way?

I’m curious, because I remember it back when it happened.

I think you're referring to the OFO 2.0 coup in April 2016, but there was also the OFO 1.0 coup in December 2013. I will answer this for both coups. It should be kept in mind I wasn't the sole participant in either, and other participants may have had slightly different reasons.

For the OFO 1.0 coup, my goal was to end the conflict in Osiris by removing the people at the heart of the conflict, and to create a stable, democratic system of government. For nearly two and a half years, that goal was realized in the first version of the Osiris Fraternal Order.

For the OFO 2.0 coup, there was again a desire to end conflict and bring about more stability, but I would be lying if I said it wasn't somewhat about self-preservation. The Almighty Jesus Whale had made a name for himself primarily by being an anti-"old guard" demagogue, and we were very concerned if he was allowed to take the Delegacy, he was going to coup and purge people -- ourselves included, but we were also concerned he was going to purge some of the other veterans who actually ended up joining the resistance to our coup, so it wasn't entirely about us. We were concerned about other longtime Osirans as well. But yeah, it was a combination of wanting to provide Osiris a more stable system after recognizing that democracy had once again failed to provide long-term stability, as well as a bit of self-preservation. It should be noted that while the coup did prevent a potential purging of the "old guard," it was only about a year until a newer gameplayer, Syberis, became Pharaoh, and he continued bringing in newer blood by choosing Altino as his successor. So it was never about hoarding power for the "old guard," but we did want to stay in our home.

While I am fond of stirring the pot, I consider Osiris my home, and I would never do something that disruptive there solely to stir the pot. As a general rule, I'm not a fan of the JAL-style "lulzcoup" and I think there should be more purpose to any coup than just having fun. Of course, it should also be fun.

1. What is the point of raiding? It doesn't do anything but, spam. I see The Black Hawks constantly raid but, all I ever see is a WFE changed. Is there something I'm missing?

The point of raiding really depends on who you ask. For a lot of raiders, it's simply about having fun doing something they enjoy with people whose company they enjoy. For other raiders, it's about competing with and beating defenders. For still other raiders and especially for imperialists, it's more political and about the projection of power. Projection of power can also be a reason for independents who raid, but many of them will also simply cite a need to keep their military forces well trained for more important operations (whether you actually buy that is up to you). There are probably other reasons that aren't springing to mind, and not only will it differ from region to region, but from raider to raider.

2. Is the game dying?

I wouldn't say the overall game of NationStates is dying, but I would certainly argue that the gameplay "subgame" is in quite a bit of trouble.

3. is it too late for a newbie to join NS and get involved? I'm in the Warzone Europe now and it's fun but, I'm curious as to what regions aren't dead or elitist. Not really seeking to be uber popular or famous, 'now?

It's never too late! I think newer players are more welcome in most communities than ever before, because we really do need new blood. That said, some communities are more friendly to newcomers than others, so if you want to TG me we can talk about your interests in the game and I'll see if I can make some recommendations for you, as I offered to do for Indo-Malaysia. Warzone Europe is a fun outside the box choice though!

4. How long have you been around? Why still be around? What do you do for a living irl?

I've been playing NS for six years. I'm still around primarily because I've made friends here, and likely wouldn't stay in touch with them if I stopped playing NS, but I don't play it as actively as I once did. In regard to your question about RL, I prefer not to go into much detail about RL in this public a medium.

5. What's wrong with Balder?

It's dominated by an elite few and totally stagnant. Nothing is wrong with it that can't be fixed, but there has to be the will to fix it. The people currently in charge have no interest in fixing it because they're benefiting from the elitism and stagnation. That's why Balder needs to be liberated.

6. Are these big game created region's too big and for newbies to get involved in?

No, but there can be a pretty steep learning curve, and some are more welcoming to newcomers than others.

7. Is there a lot of disdain for small regions made by users?

It really depends on the player. I do think there is a bit too much of that going on lately and we need to develop renewed appreciation for UCRs.

8. What is the deal with LWU and Lazarus? I did some digging and I have no idea what it's all about. is LWU a defender region or a raider or none?

LWU is a raider region. As to what's going on with it right now, with the raids and liberations and such, I have no idea but it's been a hoot.

9. What games aside from NS do you play?

I'm not much of a gamer, but I do enjoy the game Diplomacy, and I have several non-gaming hobbies. I'm a politics junkie as well, so there's that.

10. Would you give me your autograph?

Uh, how?

Sorry in advance for these Q's. I'm fascinated by NS history.

No need to apologize, they were interesting questions!

Where is Christian Stark?

I don't know, sadly.

[Raionitu]

You've obviously been around a good bit longer than me, so I'm curious, what raids would you say have been the most important raids in your time on NS. I'll leave it to you to decide what can count as a raid, and what makes them important.

Also, what are your views on tag raiding, its impact on GP as it rose to popularity, benefits and drawbacks, etc.

Final question: Do you think if the farkers were still around and active today, would they approve of the current beliefs and styles of raiding.

[King Bradley]

Is it possible for you to respect my region despite not having any respect for me?

[Unibot III]

I think an independent commission is needed to select an entirely new NSWF Committee. My idea is for the commission to be comprised of heads of government from a balanced variety of regions, including both GCRs and UCRs, both gameplay and non-gameplay regions. They can then go ahead and pick a new NSWF Committee. I don't think the previous Committee is even that interested in continuing after what happened last year, and I don't think many regions would have much confidence in them either after last year's events. So I do think that's the best way forward.

At the very least, as a more conservative approach that might work, all of TNP's members of the NSWF Committee need to go.

We're of the same mind then. I guess the question is when will someone decide to do that.

I feel responsible for the TNP-heavy aspect of the current Committee but that's another discussion for another time. I'm afraid to say Onder got something (partly) right for once.

______________

Next question: How long till the next NPO-led coup?

A year? Two years? Taking bets here.

[Kostrorleauny]

If you had the unique opportunity to secure any GCR delegacy of your choosing right this very moment in time then which incumbent delegate would you upseat and why?

[Ever-Wandering Souls]

If you had the unique opportunity to secure any GCR delegacy of your choosing right this very moment in time then which incumbent delegate would you upseat and why is it Balder?

FIFY, though even then it's been answered a few times already

[Xoriet]

What is the list of delegates from the active natives of a GCR that you would set in each of the GCR Delegacies if it was your choice who to appoint from each region?

[Nakarisaune]

If you could unmask a few anonymous puppets, which would you choose?

[Cormactopia Prime]

You've obviously been around a good bit longer than me, so I'm curious, what raids would you say have been the most important raids in your time on NS. I'll leave it to you to decide what can count as a raid, and what makes them important.

For me personally, DEN Central Command's raid of Catholic in 2012 was important, because it was the raid that got me to pay attention to R/D and find it interesting and fun. From a broader gameplay perspective, I think the raid of Eastern Islands of Dharma was a watershed moment that indicated defending had reached a tipping point and was in decline, though I don't think many of us realized that at the time.

Also, what are your views on tag raiding, its impact on GP as it rose to popularity, benefits and drawbacks, etc.

I complain about tagging quite a bit, but honestly, I don't mind it in moderation and I know it has its uses. I think tagging becoming the focus of so many raiders has been detrimental to gameplay though, because tagging just isn't something that can be politicized and generate broad interest, so it makes no contribution to political gameplay. That said, we just had a discussion about this on the NSGP server recently, and Souls (as well as others) brought up a number of good points for why tagging has become so prevalent. His point was essentially that raiders don't necessarily want to focus so heavily on tagging, it's just the hand raiders have been dealt by various circumstances. Having reflected upon that discussion, I'm now tending to see tagging as a symptom of what ails gameplay, rather than one of the factors contributing to gameplay's decline.

Final question: Do you think if the farkers were still around and active today, would they approve of the current beliefs and styles of raiding.

I actually don't know a lot about the Farkers, so I'm not sure I can intelligently answer that question. Generally speaking, I don't think a lot of old school raiders would be happy with the moderate direction of raiding, and I'm not sure they would be fond of the prevalence of tagging. But again, I don't know much about them, so in the absence of information I may just be projecting my own biases onto earlier generations.

Next question: How long till the next NPO-led coup?

A year? Two years? Taking bets here.

I don't think the NPO will start taking aggressive stances again until after Aleisyr steps down, which I hope will be shortly after his third anniversary in office, otherwise he's going to risk becoming another Krulltopia and nobody needs that. So let's say he remains in office another 272 days or so. I would give it an additional year or so after his successor is in office. So I'd say... approximately 2 1/2 to 3 years, give or take.

I hope it's a liberation of Balder when it happens.

If you had the unique opportunity to secure any GCR delegacy of your choosing right this very moment in time then which incumbent delegate would you upseat and why?

Balder's. It needs shaken up. I've covered the "why" in more detail in previous answers.

What is the list of delegates from the active natives of a GCR that you would set in each of the GCR Delegacies if it was your choice who to appoint from each region?

Oh wow, well this will probably be the kiss of death for them should they ever seek their respective Delegacies, but nonetheless...

The Pacific - Feux
The North Pacific - The Notorious Mad Jack
The South Pacific - The Serres Republic
The East Pacific - Asendavia
The West Pacific - Arkadia Universalis
Balder - Lugus Triune
Lazarus - Milozoldyck
Osiris - Mghnb
The Rejected Realms - Glacikaldr

I've declined to answer for the Warzones, because I really don't know anything about any of their natives except Codger and Apulita.

If you could unmask a few anonymous puppets, which would you choose?

The one that springs immediately to mind is Curious Observations. I wouldn't mind unmasking the Balder Communist Party person either, because I suspect their identity is rather more interesting than any of us would expect. There are probably many more, but that's off the top of my head.

[Blood Wine]

Top 10 UCR delegates


If you could time travel on NS what would you do?

[Asendavia]

1. Why would you appoint me as the Delegate of TEP (referencing back to one of Xoriet's questions you answered)?

2. What do you like and/or dislike about each of the GCRs? You can exclude the Warzones if you want to.

[Jar Wattinree]

Is there a reason why you don't usually take a consistent stance on things, instead changing positions so often it has become memelike?

[Xoriet]

What would be the most amazing thing that could happen to Gameplay that doesn’t involve admin adjustments to the site?

What is your biggest Gameplay dream at the moment?

Will Roavin ever successfully coup Balder?

[Lord Dominator]

What do you view as your greatest failure (if this wasn't already asked)?

[Sargon Reman]

Do you support Condemn Pierconium?:

viewtopic.php?f=24&t=453746

[Miss Bad Life Choices]

If you could see any UCR go founderless which region would that be?

[Imperium of Josh]

If you could see any UCR go founderless which region would that be?

And if it isn't the USSD why not?

[Malphe]

If you could see any UCR go founderless which region would that be?

And if it isn't the USSD why not?

Well there's always fascist regions to consider.

[Syberis]

Cormac, how does one coup a Sinker? Asking for a friend.

[Cormactopia Prime]

Top 10 UCR delegates

I'm honestly not sure I know enough about 10 UCR Delegates to create a top 10. This isn't to say there aren't some great ones.

If you could time travel on NS what would you do?

I would go back to the very beginning and reshape the way gameplay played out with the benefit of hindsight.

1. Why would you appoint me as the Delegate of TEP (referencing back to one of Xoriet's questions you answered)?

You've been consistently active, and you seem friendly and level-headed. I believe in meritocracy, so you seem like a great choice.

2. What do you like and/or dislike about each of the GCRs? You can exclude the Warzones if you want to.

The Pacific - I like that it has demonstrated that non-democratic GCR government can work. I dislike the at times unwarranted overconfidence.
The North Pacific - I like that it's the most functional GCR democracy. I dislike the way its admin team has conducted itself in recent times.
The South Pacific - I like that it has a culture of robust democratic debate. I dislike how often that culture can turn toxic.
The East Pacific - I like that it's the only GCR usually not focused on gameplay. I dislike that this sometimes leads to gameplay naïveté.
The West Pacific - I like its unique focus on game mechanics for governing. I dislike that TWP can sometimes seem unfriendly to newcomers.
Balder - I like that it can have a Norse/Nordic theme, though I dislike the current bland theme. I dislike everything else about Balder.
Osiris - I like its perseverance and defiance in the face of adversity. I dislike that it too often goes it alone in foreign affairs.
Lazarus - I like that it has often been a laboratory to experiment with new themes. I dislike the chaos in experimenting too much with government.
The Rejected Realms - I like that it's more laid back than most of the other GCR democracies. I dislike its tendency to fall back on its old guard.

Is there a reason why you don't usually take a consistent stance on things, instead changing positions so often it has become memelike?

To be fair, I've settled down considerably over the past couple years compared to earlier in my gameplay history. That said, this is a game, and when something gets boring and I want to do something else, I'm not afraid to say "I'm done with this" and go do something else. That style of gameplay isn't for everyone -- gameplay would be far too chaotic if everyone played that way -- but it has its advantages as well as disadvantages.

What would be the most amazing thing that could happen to Gameplay that doesn’t involve admin adjustments to the site?

We need some dedicated veteran players, most of whom are now playing in GCRs, to go focus on UCRs. It's absolutely vital that we have at least a few vibrant UCRs, and I think only veteran players are going to be able to help UCRs overcome the obstacles of game mechanics. Aside from that, we also need another UDL-like defender organization again, or we need some new political path for gameplay to take, like a WA focus.

What is your biggest Gameplay dream at the moment?

For me personally? I would like to reboot the UDL as its Chief of the Band. For gameplay overall, I just generally want to see a restoration of politics.

Will Roavin ever successfully coup Balder?

I think you mean liberate! I don't know. Someone will eventually though.

What do you view as your greatest failure (if this wasn't already asked)?

The collapse of Asgard. It was on a good path and it could have been one of the great UCRs like Europeia if I hadn't gone in a different direction.

Do you support Condemn Pierconium?:

viewtopic.php?f=24&t=453746

My support or opposition will depend on the support or opposition of the NPO. I respect him too much to pass a Condemnation he doesn't want, and I trust the NPO to vote according to whether he would or wouldn't want it. So whatever they decide will also be the way I'll be going.

If you could see any UCR go founderless which region would that be?

If you could see any UCR go founderless which region would that be?

And if it isn't the USSD why not?

And if it isn't the USSD why not?

Well there's always fascist regions to consider.

Malphe nailed it. I would love to see Nazi Europa go founderless.

Cormac, how does one coup a Sinker? Asking for a friend.

Why, did you have one in mind or something?

---

Heads up: I think there should be a definitive end to a thread like this, so I will stop answering questions on this thread after Sunday evening.

[Tinhampton]

On a scale from Balder to 10, how do you rate the state of the GCRs as a group at present? When do you feel (in your time here, at least) have they collectively been at their best, and at their worst? What about Gameplay as a whole?