NationStates Issues **SPOILER ALERT**

[The Free Joy State]

A puppet of mine just failed to get #1121 4 for non-obvious reasons. It had a custom faith field and did not have the Atheism policy.

C'mon, Trott. You know the right thread to go to and what we need if you want us to check a validity for you.

[Trotterdam]

C'mon, Trott. You know the right thread to go to and what we need if you want us to check a validity for you.

I didn't think this was an error. I assumed that it's intentional for some reason that isn't obvious to me right now, and so posted it here because this is the thread for players trying to figure out option validities (which Jutsa tries to maintain in the spoiler list).

If it is an error that you have now fixed, then of course you are welcome to tell me so, but there is no need to act snide because for once I dared to assume competence on the issue editors' part.

[The Free Joy State]

C'mon, Trott. You know the right thread to go to and what we need if you want us to check a validity for you.

I didn't think this was an error. I assumed that it's intentional for some reason that isn't obvious to me right now, and so posted it here because this is the thread for players trying to figure out option validities (which Jutsa tries to maintain in the spoiler list).

If it is an error that you have now fixed, then of course you are welcome to tell me so, but there is no need to act snide because for once I dared to assume competence on the issue editors' part.

The coding is correct and has always been so. Whether the issue is currently working correctly or not requires that things be reported in their correct place so that proper checking can be done.

For which we need the nation.

If you do not wish to provide the information, that is entirely up to you. Testing shows that it appears to be working as intended.

[TalAkMaChen]

Next bunch of daily reports. I'll keep editing this today, mostly by adding things.

198, names are randomname
---
#434,3 has "University of @@CAPITAL@@ alumnus", Lionsgate was from the report; also "better people" with italics in opt. 3
---
#591 has (at least) four options. The reported ones are 1, 2, 4 with option 3 currently unknown, or with the same wording as either known. I had the "ridiculously wealthy fish farm owner" also at a Socialist nation in option 2, so no clue what option 3 would be.
---
#645, title both are randomname, and name i.e.

When maverick cop @@RANDOMFEMALENAME@@ suspected that city worker @@RANDOMNAME@@ had kidnapped 13-year-old @@RANDOMFIRSTNAME@@ with murderous intentions, she knew that by the time she applied for a search warrant the poor teen could already be dead. She kicked the door down, and saved the day. In the aftermath, many are asking if she did the right thing, and what lessons @@NAME@@ could learn here.

NOTE: Check if it's always a female cop
#645,2 World Of Watchdog in italics
#645,3 also randomname
---
749,2+4+5 have @@randomfirstname@@ [3 maybe also, need to check at Capitalist nation]; 1 was also Mario - maybe also @@randomfirstname@@
---
835,2 has ...to see @@randomlastname@@ get dropped ... [instead of "Gates", i.e. the Cannibal]
---
#900 has random names, only William Ash in opt 5 is set
---
905,4 validity? the initial report only had opt. 1-3 High culture value?
---
926,1 has randomname and his macro; opt 3 has randomname (only male?); opt. 2 is fixed John Doe
---
1088,2 has randomname (opt. 1 is fixed)
---

[Jutsa]

Added issues 1260-1265

@1263: This one was pretty good. Made me think, and I think I ended up dismissing it
My word that option 2 having three validity checks though; saw the drama with no internet.

@596.8: f

I had never seen an issue with so many variant options before this last one was added.
Thank you for the report; was actually in my list, somehow, so crossed that out. P

1265 was beautiful.

[The Free Joy State]

905,4 validity? the initial report only had opt. 1-3 High culture value?
---

I can confirm that all nations are eligible for this option. It was added subsequently after substantial backstage discussion as to whether a new option was needed.

[Jutsa]

Alright, back again before work.

New option text: #390 for autocratic nations (cf. announcement before)):

Nice! I missed that >.>
Fixed people's as well. By the way, is Hillary no longer in option 2 either, or is it just omitted from option 3?

'Cards Against Nationstates World Championship'

Gotta say, this is an awesome issue. Course VH always makes good issues, but this one's really good.

Question: Is option 5 supposed to have 's around its telecast name, but 6 isn't?

who currently identifies as ‘don’t know, don’t care’

Heck yes!
Really liked this one too. OK I've actually quite enjoyed like all of them so I'll try to refrain from gushing over these too much.

Monarchy-only option: #1223, option 4

Huh. Curious which one's the absolute and which one's the constitutional. I'll assume 4's the constitutional one and 5's the absolute one until shown otherwise.

In addition to these requirements, a nation with No Computers or No Internet will get neither version.

Good to know! Don't get to use *[#] very often.

Stopped after adding 1269. Also oh my god what is this issue
Curious if any of these names are random...

[TalAkMaChen]

Before I continue with my long list of changed things, here's a brand-new issue!

#1298: Ranchers Get Thrown to the Wolves [Ransium; ed: Candlewhisper Archive]

The Issue
The @@DEMONYMADJECTIVE@@ wolf, once hunted to near extinction, has started to make a recovery. While this development has been celebrated by environmentalists, ranchers are less excited as they have started to lose stock to wolf attacks.

The Debate
1. “These wolves are murdering my steers!” growls local beef rancher @@RANDOMNAME@@, leading you round Blazing Pitchforks Ranch, and showing you the mauled bovine carcasses. “If the @@DEMONYMADJECTIVE@@ wolf is common enough to eat a quarter of my herd, it’s common enough to be hunted again. We can do it right this time, with permits and regulations so we don’t kill every wolf; we just need to cull their packs so they stop thinning my herds.”

2. “You can’t kill the wolfies!” howls local precocious eight-year-old @@RANDOMNAME@@. “Wolves are like doggies but bigger, and I read in my science book that they are important because they keep other animals in check, and I really like wolves. If the farmers are sad because the wolves eat their cows then maybe the government could give them money so they’d be happy again.”

3. “Kid’s right, you shouldn’t kill the wolves,” barks local cow@@BOY@@ @@RANDOMNAME@@, while polishing @@HIS@@ tranquilizer dart gun. “But we can’t leave ‘em here to eat up our cattle, neither. I reckon we ought to tranquilize the wolves and relocate them to the heart of Violetstone National Park where they can’t bother nobody.”

4. “I think we’ve got the victim and predator mixed up,” whines city-slicker environmental lawyer @@RANDOMNAME@@, while obliviously stepping in a cow pie. “The wolves are just doing what wild animals do; it’s the cattle that are distracting the wolves from their natural prey. You need to ban Big Farmer from grazing these beasts anywhere there are wolves, so ecological harmony can truly reign supreme.”

Issue by The United Mangrove Archipelago of Ransium

Edited by Candlewhisper Archive

Could someone please check if option 3 can also be a cowboy? Then I can change it accordingly. The draft had it general, so I'll put it to that.

Also: #1206 has a missing 2nd option, those reported are 1,3,4.

[TalAkMaChen]

I found another gap that went by unnnoticed for some time, or was added without notice:

#268 has an unknown second option, those reported are 1, 3, and 4.

From the choices I could not yet figure which validity could trigger that ... yet.

---- More new options I found:
Issue 925 has a fourth option as alternative to the third. From the wording the validity check becomes obvious (3 is for "has professional sports", 4 is for "has no professional sports")

4. “Hold on!” pleads former amateur boxing bantamweight title-holder @@RANDOMMALENAME@@, still twitching a little from a past head injury. “People love boxing matches, and you can’t stop the noble art of pugigis... paloogilis... uh... fighting. So these accidents won’t happen again, though, people should have training and a coach before they step into the ring; and every match should have a medic, and a winnable purse, and safety regulations... um, a medic.”

@Trot: The effect line is the same as for 925,3

Issue 123 has a sixth option as alternative to the fifth. Validity seems a bit unclear to me, but some text is different
123,

6. “That guy has no sense of vision,” says @@RANDOMNAME@@, your Minister of Demographics. “Why waste this invention on healthcare or cookery when so much more could be done! Mandate that all new people be grown in vats! Disease will be a thing of the past! When they break, just grow new parts! It adopts the industrial method to population management, something we’ve needed for a long time. And now that we finally have the right technology, I say we do it!”

The "Sterilise everybody and grow new people in vats!" of opt. 5 has been replaced by "Mandate that all new people be grown in vats!" Since it introduced the "Vat-Produced Infants" Policy I doubt the people of the nation have already been sterilized before... there must be some other trigger (can check at War Dogs I)
@Trot: The effect line is the same as for 123,5


----------------------

aaand another fresh one!

#1299: A Silent Salute [Chan Island; ed:Altmer Dominion]
The Issue

Veteran soldiers are returning from frontline duty with what some say is an unhealthy respect for the enemy’s beliefs.

The debate:
1. “I mean, credit where it’s due...” reminisces your cousin Corporal Hayley Summers, her, uniform blanketed in medals. “They know how to fight, and they know why they fight. Once my squad captured an enemy captain, and he argued a really interesting, compelling case for why they were against us. Ended up swapping stories with him and the rest of the POWs on hand. Maybe we need to stop fighting and start a dialogue. Might get us to realise that both sides have a point and there’s no need to lose any more lives...”

2. “This is a very grave problem,” asserts political cartoonist Luigi Bush, drawing an exaggerated image of your likeness. “Empathy for the enemy will diminish operational effectiveness — you need to demonise the nation’s opponents. Why don’t you institute extensive pre-op briefings explaining why the enemy is evil? Some graphic informational pamphlets and posters should do the trick!”

3. “It’s a dangerous world out there!” cries Intelligence Operative Sarah Hesse, waving a handgun menacingly at a map on your wall. “If our personnel keep interacting with foreign adversaries, we will have a mutiny on our hands! Tell the troops to execute all prisoners while ceasing interaction with local populations. Corruption can’t possibly spread within our ranks that way!”

4. “That seems a bit rash,” dryly notes scientist Rey van Straaten, blueprints for an esoteric new weapon in hand. “We should stay as far away from them as possible. And luckily, we have the tools to do so: drones, ships, artillery, giant death robots, intercontinental ballistic missiles... uh, anyway, no need to send infantry to go and secure an objective we’ve already turned into a big hole.”

5. “Why does a man go to fight and die?” pontificates salesman Aldo Pavlov, representing the “Payday Goons” private security company. “Some may take up arms for a higher cause, or maybe to protect their family or land. Yet a mercenary fights only for his pay. And how do you get an army of loyal, veteran, practical mercenaries?” He hands over a contract and golden pen with a wink. “Just be the @@DEMONYMNOUN@@ with the @@CURRENCYPLURAL@@.”

I found option 5 at a Socialist nation, funny how it's still a private company there. So I guess option 4 is the Capitalist version? Names/gender are likely all random.
Edit: Option 4 taken from The Candy Of Bottles' report.

[Fauxia]

Looks like a typo in the first option of the last one.

[The Candy Of Bottles]

*Snip*
aaand another fresh one!

#1299: A Silent Salute [Chan Island; ed:Altmer Dominion]
The Issue

Veteran soldiers are returning from frontline duty with what some say is an unhealthy respect for the enemy’s beliefs.

The debate:
1. “I mean, credit where it’s due...” reminisces your cousin Corporal Hayley Summers, her, uniform blanketed in medals. “They know how to fight, and they know why they fight. Once my squad captured an enemy captain, and he argued a really interesting, compelling case for why they were against us. Ended up swapping stories with him and the rest of the POWs on hand. Maybe we need to stop fighting and start a dialogue. Might get us to realise that both sides have a point and there’s no need to lose any more lives...”

2. “This is a very grave problem,” asserts political cartoonist Luigi Bush, drawing an exaggerated image of your likeness. “Empathy for the enemy will diminish operational effectiveness — you need to demonise the nation’s opponents. Why don’t you institute extensive pre-op briefings explaining why the enemy is evil? Some graphic informational pamphlets and posters should do the trick!”

3. “It’s a dangerous world out there!” cries Intelligence Operative Sarah Hesse, waving a handgun menacingly at a map on your wall. “If our personnel keep interacting with foreign adversaries, we will have a mutiny on our hands! Tell the troops to execute all prisoners while ceasing interaction with local populations. Corruption can’t possibly spread within our ranks that way!”

4. ?

5. “Why does a man go to fight and die?” pontificates salesman Aldo Pavlov, representing the “Payday Goons” private security company. “Some may take up arms for a higher cause, or maybe to protect their family or land. Yet a mercenary fights only for his pay. And how do you get an army of loyal, veteran, practical mercenaries?” He hands over a contract and golden pen with a wink. “Just be the @@DEMONYMNOUN@@ with the @@CURRENCYPLURAL@@.”

I found option 5 at a Socialist nation, funny how it's still a private company there. So I guess option 4 is the Capitalist version? Names/gender are likely all random.

Got your missing option right here. Looks like it's likely based on scientific advancement.

“That seems a bit rash,” dryly notes scientist Rey van Straaten, blueprints for an esoteric new weapon in hand. “We should stay as far away from them as possible. And luckily, we have the tools to do so: drones, ships, artillery, giant death robots, intercontinental ballistic missiles... uh, anyway, no need to send infantry to go and secure an objective we’ve already turned into a big hole.”

[Pogaria]

Looks like a typo in the first option of the last one.

If you're talking about the extraneous comma, that's not in the official issue.

[TalAkMaChen]

...

Got your missing option right here. Looks like it's likely based on scientific advancement.

“That seems a bit rash,” dryly notes scientist Rey van Straaten, blueprints for an esoteric new weapon in hand. “We should stay as far away from them as possible. And luckily, we have the tools to do so: drones, ships, artillery, giant death robots, intercontinental ballistic missiles... uh, anyway, no need to send infantry to go and secure an objective we’ve already turned into a big hole.”

Thanks! Well, could be, but if that's from your nation, we're both in top 1% of the Scientific Advancement ranking. I strongly doubt there are like "above 1000" criteria for options (I'm at 1029 points currently), so it's something else, I guess, like WMD, or size of the army.

[Trotterdam]

And now, a nation of mine failed to get #1022 option 5 despite having the No Automobiles policy. It's possible that at some point I chose to allow automobiles for the police only, I don't remember (it's not a visible policy, but it's tracked by the game, since there's a followup), but that would explain it.

[Fauxia]

Looks like a typo in the first option of the last one.

If you're talking about the extraneous comma, that's not in the official issue.

Yeah, that’s why I posted here.

[TalAkMaChen]

A puppet got #556, and the religious option didn't show up. I'm not sure why, since while this nation had a low Religiousness, I'm pretty sure I hadn't banned it.

Maybe it's contingent on having unlocked the national religion field? The option doesn't even use the @@FAITH@@ macro, though.

At War Dogs II it also did not show up. They are at average Religiousness (~ 1000 prayers per unit, top 20% of the world) so it might well be something else.

[Ruritane]

#1302: The @@NAME@@ Identity

The Issue

Halfway across the world a small and not particularly important nation has gained internationally recognized independence. The problem? They have decided to call themselves @@NAME@@.

Option 1: “Tourists accidentally flying to the wrong part of the world, diplomatic communiques wired to the wrong ambassadors,” moans your advisor, who confusingly shares your name. “There are millions of perfectly fine, unused names for nations; why’d they have to filch ours? Issue threats, impose sanctions, do whatever it takes to get our good name back.”

Option 2: On the phone is the improbably named @@LEADER@@ Jr., president of the other @@NAME@@. “@@NAME@@ is derived from anthropologists’ translation of the oldest ‘Linear V’ tablet found in our nation. Or maybe they’re just some meaningless scribbles; they aren’t totally sure. The point is we have a legitimate claim to the name, and we’re not changing it!”

Option 3: “A small, newly independent, weak nation you say?” asks your Minister of War, Jacob John Schmidt Jingleheimer. “An easy way to reduce the ambiguity is to simply make them our territory. Besides, if @@NAME@@ invades @@NAME@@, wouldn’t the international community just consider it a civil war?”

Option 4: “Look, maybe there’s a compromise we could make here,” suggests a passer-by. “I hear that the World Census people have put in a mechanism for nations to change which letters are capitalized in nation names, so for example Brancaland could choose to rename itself bRanCaLand. Perhaps as a gesture of goodwill we could offer the other @@NAME@@ a sizeable foreign aid allocation, with the condition that they stick the capital letters in different places to make it clear they’re not us. It’ll work, I’m sure, or my name’s not maX bARRy."

Issue by The United Mangrove Archipelago of Ransium

Edited by Candlewhisper Archive

[TalAkMaChen]

Almost correct, it is "The @@NAME@@ Identity"

[Ruritane]

Almost correct, it is "The @@NAME@@ Identity"

Fixed.

[TalAkMaChen]

#1300:Fifth Column in the Fifth Chord [Litauengrad; ed: Candlewhisper Archive]

The Issue
Following a high-profile stadium tour by @@DEMONYMADJECTIVE@@ nationalist metal band Exterminate Bigtopia, there has been a surge in the number of anti-Bigtopian hate crimes. Only yesterday, skinheads set fire to an effigy of a Bigtopian teacher in the playground of your nephew’s school, and the PTA are pressing you to take action.

The Debate

1. “Look at what this awful racket has done to our children,” sobs Efthamia Wickremesinghe, leader of Bigtopian Mothers Against Malicious Anthems, better known as BigMAMA. “My family is made up of three generations of proud @@DEMONYMPLURAL@@, at least two of which speak the language like natives! But now my little Pablo is being exposed to hateful extremist music at all hours of the night! You must ban all music that is racist in content, or made by racists.”

2. Your teenage niece, who is wearing a band T-shirt depicting a decapitated Bigtopian, elbows her way into your office to yell at you. “This is exactly why everyone’s mad at you! Who cares if big-nosed Bigtopians are offended? Leave us metal fans alone and let us listen to whatever we want to.”

3. The teenager’s mother, from the rotten side of the family, totters over to offer you a pamphlet on ‘Devil Immigrants’. “Now dearie, all that guitar noise is a little unpleasant, but you must admit that Bigtopians are criminals, and have taken quite a lot of @@DEMONYMADJECTIVE@@ jobs, and are genetically subhuman, of course. Maybe we shouldn’t be letting those sort of people live with us.”

Issue by Litauengrad
Edited by Candlewhisper Archive

The draft has some more options, could be there's a forth. Those listed are 1-3 (or 0-2, as you prefer).



aaand the next one to fill the gap:

#1301: Meat the Neighbours [Candlewhisper Archive; ed: Candlewhisper Archive]

The Issue

State-level agricultural organisation and socialist worker toil has paid off: @@NAME@@ is producing high-quality cuts of meat that are internationally recognised as being exceptionally delicious. So much so, that those foreign capitalists are sniffing around to see if they can have a cut of the action.

The Debate

1. “Thing is, ‘comrade’, what you’ve got here is a prime product which is in high demand across the world,” schmoozes Margaret Cumberbatch, the CEO of Cold Capitalist Logistics. “We’re not asking you to abandon a governmental system that is clearly delivering great results; we’re just hoping that y’all let us help share your product with the global market. The cash coming back to your state coffers will help fund your commie agenda. That’s a good thing, right?”

2. “Wait, we do the work, and you pocket the profits?” asks local farmer Sheldon Krauss somewhat incredulously, as he slides on an elbow-length rubber glove in a worryingly menacing fashion. “Way I see it, the people doing the work should be rewarded in proportion to the wealth they generate. Basically, let the proceeds of the sale filter back to a company of folk in charge of the operation, who can then use that money to employ some workers, and those workers can use their new personal wealth to buy and trade freely, while the various processes that are incorporated in production can compete against each other to provide the best-selling product for the lowest prices. I’m sure I’ve heard of a system like that before...”

3. “The purpose of state agriculture is not to feed capitalist nations!” yells horrified Marxist Amadeus Romero, making a note to report the previous speaker to the National Loyalty Bureau. “The produce of @@NAME@@ should meet the needs of the proletariat. If we produce too much for @@NAME@@, then we should send it freely to other socialist countries to aid the global revolution! This is what communism is about: the pursuit of an efficient and fair society worldwide, not the generation of filthy lucre!”

4. “Actually, looking at the numbers, I’m wondering about our overall agricultural strategy,” murmurs statistician and economic planner Emily Owar, skinny fingers tapping at a calculator. “The ratio of land and labour use to calorie output is very poor for meats of all sorts, and we would be far better off with arable farming alone, and a meat-free national diet. Freeing up workers from food production would let us reassign them to other more modern industries, such as electronics and tech production. This is a chance to show the world the strength and efficiency of a properly run planned economy.”

Issue by The AI See You of Candlewhisper Archive

Edited by Candlewhisper Archive

[Jutsa]

Man these things are rolling in faster than I can update. @_@

Been a bit lax because a) during vacation I posted a ton of drafts, b) I'm no longer on vacation, and c) Christmas.
Gonna still try to get this done this year.

[Jutsa]

Added 1270-1279.

[Jutsa]

Oh wow caught up to when I first came back.

So I've got 45 issues to add, huh?

Challenge accepted.

>70-odd issues later

Added 1016.2 to my missing options list, which is probably horrifically outdated, and updated that issue's entry to indicate 2's missing.
Note: Removed 1016.2 from my list.
Don't suppose the last name "Duterdte" was random in option 1, was it? Eh, removing it anyway.

You’re clearing the backlog quickly. We appreciate it, Jutsa!

Trucks should have fold-out ramps at the front and back of their trucks so cars can safely drive over them when they’re parked.

...

I died reading this.

Doppelganger 213 has been adjusted slightly, thanks for (re) bringing it to our attention.

wait what now? I couldn't find anything in the thread that this is referring to >.>

@1283: Oh dang this is nice. Heck yes to Núi Và Sông and the fleshing out of ideology in East Lebatuck.
It's actually really nice to see them be the ones to recommend a less confrontational approach.

@1286:

I know a guy who owes me. We'll take care of this problem for ya. Want us to make it look like an accident?"

Dang.
I forgot how good that one was in drafting. Love all the names.

Who knows what long-term damage they are wreaking: masculinisation of women, feminisation of men, young girls becoming feminists

*reads 1281* oh god this is beautiful. Suggesting that East Lebatuck and, especially, Merovingia might have sentient AI is incredible.
Especially Merovingia, that just fits all too well. Seriously, that is perfect. Been sure to update my nations list with these findings.
Going to assume that option's restricted from nations that already have no immigration. What a niche issue, holy cow.

After the recent Syrupgate Scandal (where your niece was seen eating pancakes with a non-maple-based sweetener) relations between Brancaland and @@NAME@@ have reached an all-time low.

Oh my god this whole issue's amazing.

Option 3 should probably chain into an issue about unringing the bell... I'll have to think about writing that if noone else does.

Like one option being "We should kill everyone who heard what was said"?
Also, agreed, Fontenais is really good at this.

That's it for now! Got to the end of page 244, and added issues 1280-1294, with the exception of 1291 (was already there) and 1288 (haven't gotten that far yet).

[Zwangzug]

“That sounds to me,” says another of your financial advisors who just happens to be walking past, “like a stellar reason to do away with the public transport system altogether. The only people who really lose out are the disabled, but there’s no production value to them anyway, so it’s win-win.”

Thank you! Updated this issue!
NOTE TO EDITORS: Is "another" the right word if option 2 is missing? And if not, has this been edited yet?

Jutsa--this was the "doppelganger 213" that got fixed.

[TalAkMaChen]

I have a long list of changes but umm... slightly hestitant to put it here as Jutsa might well hate me then
Also I try to check all issues that are not part of specials (chains with too many choices, easter eggs, niche validity issues I will likely not receive in reasonable time scales). Anyhow, I might call it worth posting the next days, my check list is getting fuller (currently 68% of all issues) except for above extras.