How to Build a Region

[Pythria]

That is why it is usually more effective to send telegrams to the actual new nations in The Pacific, etc... but it's still legal to recruit by whatever means you would like in all game-created regions.

Actually, I've had just as much luck in Lazarus as in the Pacifics. Recruiting in TRR and Warzones is a waste of time, though, because they're always full of invader/defender puppets. The only time I recruit in TRR is after a purge/mass ejection, where there are people who don't know where to go.

[Naivetry]

Hmm, interesting. I haven't actually tried recruiting there since self-resurrection came in... I'll bet that changed the dynamic a bit. Good to know.

[Pythria]

The only time I recruit in TRR is after a purge/mass ejection, where there are people who don't know where to go.

Speaking of which...

[Ellespeth]

I'm new here and I have a question. I want to form an alliance between my nation and a friend's nation. Does anyone know how we would go about doing that? Or what the equivalent would be?

Thanks

[North Wiedna]

I'm new here and I have a question. I want to form an alliance between my nation and a friend's nation. Does anyone know how we would go about doing that? Or what the equivalent would be?

Thanks

Welcome to the game, wrong thread.

Can't do it, you just act as allies would.

[Station Man]

How to really build a region:

Suck up to someone with a recruitment script:

Are recruitment scripts actually allowed? I know they are used, allowed is the actual question.

If so who has a script? Or who can code one?

[Romanar]

How to really build a region:

Suck up to someone with a recruitment script:

Are recruitment scripts actually allowed? I know they are used, allowed is the actual question.

If so who has a script? Or who can code one?

Recruitment scripts are allowed as long as they follow the rules:

viewtopic.php?p=810681#p810681

[Sygona]

oh cool thanks.

[ZellDincht]

One of the important things that many people are unable to do while creating a region is maintaining activity. Could you develop this section a little bit more?

[Corporation de Apple]

Great Job Making this! Thanks Nai.(Can I call you that?)

[Naivetry]

One of the important things that many people are unable to do while creating a region is maintaining activity. Could you develop this section a little bit more?

Heh. That's the key dilemma for all regions, really. And I'm afraid there aren't any easy formulae. IMO, the key is always to reach out to as many new people as you can - to recruit, to get people excited about your projects by asking them to get involved, to ask for their own ideas and work with them on those things... all the sorts of behaviors and activities that build friendships and organizations in Real Life (tm). In my experience, 99% of the strategic planning in NS revolves around increasing activity and finding new ways to amuse ourselves... and I don't think that will ever change.

Great Job Making this! Thanks Nai.(Can I call you that?)

Most people do. Thanks!

[Me and not any of You]

hey i need help. I resently founded a region and I ended up getting the endorsements and yet we still don't have a wa delegate!
The region is called The forgotten villages. We only have like 4 nations, but still please tell me how to get a wa delegate!
also is the founder allowed to be the delegate?


Never mind

[Lethen]

I was passing by and thought I'd read this. Very good guide Naivetry.

[Xizor III]

Thanks for this guide. I think it'll come in handy. I'm trying to setup my own region.

[Eaglleia]

.

[Animal House Recruiter]

I am quite humbled and pleased that my little recruiter FAQ ended up in your excellent post, Nai. Thanks. I am not worthy.


Passing Down The Founder Nation
As for the exchange of founder accounts to preserve a region's stability, it can and does work - sometimes. I know a guy who knows a guy who is trusted in this fashion because the player behind the founder nation IRL needed to take time away from the game but wanted the region preserved for them to take back upon return. In 26 months of running around UCRs and GCRs, I can think of maybe four players I would trust to do that. I might know 40, but the risk of being wrong is that the region will be neglected or trashed, and it takes a lot of time to watch the words and actions of players to know them well enough.

The region turns over day by day, so coming back to NationStates and starting a new one is a snap. However, many region's success is in their offsite forum and that's not Max-property, that's player-property and if one turns the keys to that baby over to the wrong person, bad things happen. Years of contributions and history have been deleted. The whole thing can be brought off line by someone posting something that violates the host's Terms of Service (TOS). One image of donkey porn, no matter how tasteful, and blammo - the host will pull the plug. I should say some hosts will pull the plug - my region's forum is actually hosted by Ulthar and their host TOS doesn't ban nudity or donkeys - but is a family-friendly game, so Ulthar is extremely strict about keeping it that way.

Darn those Puritans.

Region Killers
I offer my experience of how regions die and why. It isn't because they don't aggressively recruit day and night - and I worry some players who throw themselves into that fail to realize that recruiting is one small part of a much more important task: region maintenance.

* Don't let your RMB grow stale. What is "stale" is up to the players. Some stable regions have 2 week old posts and they consider that fresh. In others, a day old post is almost unheard of. Yeah I know RMB is an antiquated acronym - but the Civil HQ moniker never caught on. My grandfather called a refrigerator an ice box until the day he died.

* Develop a regional culture. Rather - allow your power posters to contribute to developing a mythos, a story, and raison d'être. Ask yourself WHY anyone should log in to their nation and be a bigger part of your region. Cater to their interests.

* Don't be so darn pushy. If you can get 15% or more of your region to join your off site forum, great success. If you can get as many as 50% of eligible voters to vote in a democratic region, you can haz gold star. Anyone doing better than that is on the spectacular list. Don't badger, shame, or disrespect your lurkers.

* Don't forget it's a game. Don't forget to have fun. Getting mired in petty disputes and tolerating persistently cranky and vexacious players will make others flee. A smaller region of happy players is attractive. A bigger region with one snarky buzzkill posting insults and accusations will eventually be a smaller if not dead region.

[Animal House Recruiter]

We haz Region Message Board back!!!!

[Klimatamiri]

Great job making this! thank you...

[Jordsindia]

To bad the Pacific is ruled by a dictator, in which ads on the RMB is banned.

[Evil Wolf]

You say it like its a bad thing.

[Harmoneia]

well, telegrams work best anyways

[-Tim-Opolis]

So I was bored and decided to browse this.

Nai. This is beautifully written. Congratz

One thing I would suggest- In the recruitting section. Add in the NS Pipes as a recruiting tool. Most people use it anyway

[EpicPwnageLand]

Are recruitment scripts actually allowed? I know they are used, allowed is the actual question.

If so who has a script? Or who can code one?

Recruitment scripts are allowed as long as they follow the rules:

viewtopic.php?p=810681#p810681

Wouldn't a recruitment telegram be "unsolicited", and therefore against rule 1? (I'm quite confused myself...)

[Naivetry]

So I was bored and decided to browse this.

Nai. This is beautifully written. Congratz

One thing I would suggest- In the recruitting section. Add in the NS Pipes as a recruiting tool. Most people use it anyway

Thanks, Tim. I'll look into adding that somewhere... though I dislike the thing on principle. Back in my day, we didn't have any fancy recruitment tools, and we liked hated it just as much that way...! *shakes cane*

[Rubinstern]

Does anyone know how to create an outside Forum