Help us fix old issues

[Candlewhisper Archive]

Option 4...
I've already highlighted this problem with another issue in the past, and, as far as I recall, there was a way to stick proper articles in front of demonyms. It'd be nice to have this fixed, but I'm not going to fuss over it if it can't be changed.

there’s a Aibohphobian way

This last option also seems to lack clarity. At least I didn't quite understand what it suggests.

Indeed there is a way to automate a/an, though we rarely use that function backstage, we probably ought to. We can do that with any of the noun-macros.

Have added that. If anyone else sees similar instances of this for @@animal@@, @@demonym@@ etc., do let me know.

As to the last option lacking clarity, that's kind of the point. It's the wishy-washy refuse-to-decide compromise choice.

[Candlewhisper Archive]

I'm not seeing weirdness. Can you explain?

Yes. I apologise for not doing so straightaway.
Word order in that sentence is ordinary (tautology not intended), and the intonation drops at the end of a sentence, so I can hardly justify an intonational comma two words before the end of this sentence in particular. If "after steel" needs to be highlighted, I would personally go for parentheses, not a comma, in this instance.

I see your point, though we've generally avoided using parentheses within speech as a stylistic choice, and in fact we've edited away from that on occasion.

I think as I'm editor on this issue, I'll make a unilateral decision, and just drop the "after steel". If people are really curious as to the most used metal they can google it.

I like your thinking about style and structure... keep it up.

[Trotterdam]

In #670 (according to the spoiler post):

"And I’m sure when those poor refuges meet the welcoming @@DEMONYMADJECTIVE@@ people, the trauma of years of atrocity filled civil war will be wiped away!"

This should be "refugees" and "atrocity-filled".

Though I'd consider rewriting "atrocity-filled civil war" to "war atrocities" or "atrocious civil war" (wait, that doesn't actually mean the same thing) or something. I just don't like how that wording sounds.

Kinda funny Maxtopia is having trouble with Lilliputian Violetist terrorists when previous issues have had Violetist terrorists coming from Maxtopia (#423).

[Candlewhisper Archive]

In #670 (according to the spoiler post):

"And I’m sure when those poor refuges meet the welcoming @@DEMONYMADJECTIVE@@ people, the trauma of years of atrocity filled civil war will be wiped away!"

This should be "refugees" and "atrocity-filled".

Though I'd consider rewriting "atrocity-filled civil war" to "war atrocities" or "atrocious civil war" (wait, that doesn't actually mean the same thing) or something. I just don't like how that wording sounds.

Kinda funny Maxtopia is having trouble with Lilliputian Violetist terrorists when previous issues have had Violetist terrorists coming from Maxtopia (#423).

Fixed the typos, but I'll leave it to Ransium to say if he wants any textual changes.

Good point with the Violetists. I guess extremism is on the rise, and they're turning up in more and more countries.

[Ransium]

Sorry I like the original text (minus the typos).

RE: NPC choice. Personally, I was unconcerned by this, it's not like real life Al-Qaeda/ISIS/what-have-you is easy to pin down by nationality or terrorists attacks by extremist don't cross borders back and forth fluidly. It was the authors who picked the NPCs, I'm not sure I would have made the same choice, but I felt at the same time it wasn't worth my intervention.

[Supremacy of Evil]

Same issue as is being discussed above, the first option (allow immigrants, but check them) ends with:
Following new legislation in @NATION, officials pull all-nighters to check immigrants for potential links to terrorists.

The effect is a MASSIVE drop in civil rights (10%, never seen anything above 5% except basically nazi options). A compromise is worse than many options involving enacting police state laws.
I cannot see that as being right in any way.

[Ransium]

Same issue as is being discussed above, the first option (allow immigrants, but check them) ends with:
Following new legislation in @NATION, officials pull all-nighters to check immigrants for potential links to terrorists.

The effect is a MASSIVE drop in civil rights (10%, never seen anything above 5% except basically nazi options). A compromise is worse than many options involving enacting police state laws.
I cannot see that as being right in any way.

Don't have time to check right now but this is the wrong thread you want: viewtopic.php?f=13&t=370351

[Ransium]

Same issue as is being discussed above, the first option (allow immigrants, but check them) ends with:
Following new legislation in @NATION, officials pull all-nighters to check immigrants for potential links to terrorists.

The effect is a MASSIVE drop in civil rights (10%, never seen anything above 5% except basically nazi options). A compromise is worse than many options involving enacting police state laws.
I cannot see that as being right in any way.

Okay finally got to this. You are incorrect. Your choice decreased your nations civil rights from 71.52 to 71.43 a decrease of 0.13%. I think your off by two orders of magnitude. Remember all future stats inquires go here:

viewtopic.php?f=13&t=370351

[4stan]

#030: Auto Industry Struggles Against Foreign Imports

The Issue
Cheap, foreign-made cars are becoming increasingly popular, causing concern in @@NAME@@'s automobile manufacturing industry.

The Debate
1. "Unless this government does something, @@NAME@@ won't have an auto industry for much longer," says auto industry union boss @@RANDOMNAME@@, in a rare public appearance alongside management. "These foreign companies employ people for a few @@CURRENCY@@s a day. The only way to level the playing field is to raise tariffs. The government would make more money, too, so it's win-win."

2. "For once, I agree with my grubby colleague here," says General Chassis CEO @@RANDOMNAME@@. "Although I have to say, tariffs aren't the only answer. A more effective solution would be to abolish minimum wage laws. Now that would level the playing field. And we'd be able to employ more--argh, let go of my throat!"

3. "I think we need to face facts," says noted economist and chat-show regular @@RANDOMNAME@@. "We live in a global economy now, and automobile manufacturing just isn't @@NAME@@'s strong suit. There's no point taking money from taxpayers in order to line the pockets of a few greedy workers and corrupt managers in a doomed industry. Let the market take its--argh, let go of my throat!"

Why can't I impose tariffs AND abolish minimum-wage laws?

[Ransium]

Why can't I impose tariffs AND abolish minimum-wage laws?

That's just not how the issue was written. Every issue makes these sort of choices and there's no right or wrong answer. Had they been lumped together into a single choice, people would be complaining that they can't do one of those two things individually. Pick one the first time this issue comes up and the other the next time. This thread is meant for correcting typos and the like, not suggesting major restructuring to existing issues FYI.

[Tinhampton]

Last week, a humanoid robot announced its intentions to serve as a the nation’s first android federal judge. Concerned citizens have come to you as to the implications and legality of this potential appointment.

The isolated "a" (in bold) should be removed.

[Luna Amore]

Last week, a humanoid robot announced its intentions to serve as a the nation’s first android federal judge. Concerned citizens have come to you as to the implications and legality of this potential appointment.

The isolated "a" (in bold) should be removed.

Fixed.

[Drayxaso]

“Cars are only a part of the problem,” argues transit advocate Marin Abbott, assembling a toy train set on your desktop. “Trucks and busses are just as deadly. We need to shift entirely to railroads and get rid of cars AND trucks - hi-speed trains between cities, light rail to the suburbs, monorails and trolleys in town. We can dump those old speed limit laws - people won’t get run over if they stay off the tracks! So what if a few industrial complexes have to relocate or close? It’s for the greater good!”

Should be "High-Speed."

[Lamebrainia]

I like your thinking about style and structure... keep it up.

Thank you, kind sir.

---

Description:

book burning [...], and knife-waving

I would hyphenate "book-burning".

Option #4:

book-burners, or knife wielding

And here "book-burners" is hyphenated, but somehow the knife word loses its hyphen, and the word "waving" transforms into "wielding". Not sure if the latter was intended.

[Candlewhisper Archive]

I like your thinking about style and structure... keep it up.

Thank you, kind sir.

---

Description:

book burning [...], and knife-waving

I would hyphenate "book-burning".

Option #4:

book-burners, or knife wielding

And here "book-burners" is hyphenated, but somehow the knife word loses its hyphen, and the word "waving" transforms into "wielding". Not sure if the latter was intended.

Good points, I'll go full hyphen. Full-hyphen, I mean.

Fixed.

[Fresh-avaca-do]

Issue #581

... hoverboarding excitedly round you in a wide circle.

should be around

[4stan]

Why can't I impose tariffs AND abolish minimum-wage laws?

That's just not how the issue was written. Every issue makes these sort of choices and there's no right or wrong answer. Had they been lumped together into a single choice, people would be complaining that they can't do one of those two things individually.

I'm not asking for them to be lumped into a single choice. I'm asking for a new choice to be added that does both of the things, so that people can do one, or the other, or both.

Herp derp.

[Ransium]

That's just not how the issue was written. Every issue makes these sort of choices and there's no right or wrong answer. Had they been lumped together into a single choice, people would be complaining that they can't do one of those two things individually.

I'm not asking for them to be lumped into a single choice. I'm asking for a new choice to be added that does both of the things, so that people can do one, or the other, or both.

Herp derp.

If you want to propose a substantial re-write of an existing issue, make a separate thread on GI quoting the issue you want re-written, the reasons you want it re-written, and (maybe) a proposed draft of the re-write. Ultimately your going to need to convince an editor the re-write is necessary, so they can champion the re-write in the secret editor tree house. For issues as old as this one, written by Max himself, your odds aren't great.

[Candlewhisper Archive]

Issue #581

... hoverboarding excitedly round you in a wide circle.

should be around

http://www.dailywritingtips.com/round-vs-around/

It's fine as it is.

[Democratic Yaradan]

“We must increase foreign aid,” says beaded local peace activist Hugo Plantagenet.

Shouldn't that be "bearded", or was it a deliberate error on Guadalcanal's part?

[Candlewhisper Archive]

“We must increase foreign aid,” says beaded local peace activist Hugo Plantagenet.

Shouldn't that be "bearded", or was it a deliberate error on Guadalcanal's part?

No, beaded is not an error.

Beaded, as in, bearing beads. Notably the non-gendered random name macro was used here, so I'm sure a beard was not the intention, but rather hair with beads in it.

[Australian rePublic]

665.1 is about charity. How does it reduce the income of the poor?

[Candlewhisper Archive]

665.1 is about charity. How does it reduce the income of the poor?

How about looking at the context?

Your economic output, your average income, your average income of the rich AND your average income of the poor all reduced by the same amount: 0.07%

Obviously all these changes are related to each other, and obviously they're all so small that you're looking at emergent outcomes from the complex game engine, not a directly coded effect. If you look at the full context, it tells a pretty clear story, and you can trace how one thing has knocked onto another, but I'm not going to spell it out for you. Working out the underlying chain of knock on effects is part of the fun of the game.

[Democratic Yaradan]

588.1 is the kind of option you would expect to decrease your civil rights - but they actually increased! Why?

[Ransium]

588.1 is the kind of option you would expect to decrease your civil rights - but they actually increased! Why?

For most nations it would. However you previously had mandatory drug usage. The game sees your decision as ending the mandatory drug usage policy and banning alcohol. It then interprets the former's increase in freedom as being more than the latter's decrease in freedom.