Z-Day (Zombie Apocalypse) and COVID-19

[The New California Republic]

I wasn't around for the last z day. Can my citezens have an outbreak?

Yes but it's just a non-permanent game that has no lasting effects.

[Nilrahrarfan]

I have an idea: The Blob

It keeps the scare factor, but doesn't cause issues with players affected by Corona-chan. Just change some text, and boom. Easy as that.

[Trotterdam]

I have an idea: The Blob

It keeps the scare factor, but doesn't cause issues with players affected by Corona-chan. Just change some text, and boom. Easy as that.

I'm pretty sure calling it "Corona-chan" is going to offend more people than Z-Day does.

[Federative States of America]

Personally I’m against any replacement of Z Day. TGRR was preparing a fun regional event revolving around it, and in addition not many members of our region liked or participated in N Day

Of course it’s up to the admins ultimately, but that’s my view on this

[Pharoahs Haven]

I was unaware that there was a zombie apocalypse at present, caused by the novel coronavirus. I shall keep that in mind.


In all seriousness, I see no reason to change whatsoever. Unless there's a proper good argument that makes me go 'oh snap yeah'

[Kuriko]

What about a SecGen election?

Oh god no, not another please admin >·<

[The New California Republic]

What about a SecGen election?

Oh god no, not another please admin >·<

You probably have some bias in that regard though.

[La Xinga]

What about a SecGen election?

Oh god no, not another please admin >·<

OR we could have midterms! Each region with over 20 WA members should vote on a representative for their region!

[Riemstagrad]

Oh god no, not another please admin >·<

OR we could have midterms! Each region with over 20 WA members should vote on a representative for their region!

We can call it a Delegate!

[La Xinga]

OR we could have midterms! Each region with over 20 WA members should vote on a representative for their region!

We can call it a Delegate!

I'm thinking representative. We already have delegates.

[Holy Marsh]

Z-Day is my favorite event and non-forumside thing in the whole of NS. I hope it goes off as normal.

[Holland DS6]

Whatever Z-day may be called, wheather is sticks with Z-day, The Blob, Demon Day or whatever, more ideas would help, shall someone make a poll or something to finally agree on a date, a name, how regions can act as leaders like in the N-day event, just so it is final on what the NS community would reach a date, preferably a weekend like N-day, the name that the community would like the most and have the least insulting name to people, religion, cultures, countries, etc as a whole. Just by reading the posts within this thread, the Blob thread, the Demon Day thread, and some posts in a few RBMs, I believe the majority aggreed it should still act as it would normally but edited with code to fulfill the changes the community of NS suggested and wanted, but its still all up to the mods of course. I know NS isn't a democracy, but there was to be some type of decision made, wheather it's a communal vote, a mod-only vote, or whatever, also decide if there would be an opt-in option even though all effects reversed the first time.

[CoraSpia]

Whatever Z-day may be called, wheather is sticks with Z-day, The Blob, Demon Day or whatever, more ideas would help, shall someone make a poll or something to finally agree on a date, a name, how regions can act as leaders like in the N-day event, just so it is final on what the NS community would reach a date, preferably a weekend like N-day, the name that the community would like the most and have the least insulting name to people, religion, cultures, countries, etc as a whole. Just by reading the posts within this thread, the Blob thread, the Demon Day thread, and some posts in a few RBMs, I believe the majority aggreed it should still act as it would normally but edited with code to fulfill the changes the community of NS suggested and wanted, but its still all up to the mods of course. I know NS isn't a democracy, but there was to be some type of decision made, wheather it's a communal vote, a mod-only vote, or whatever, also decide if there would be an opt-in option even though all effects reversed the first time.

It's too late for that. Coding does not happen quickly in this game so if the admins have something they've started it's probably already set in stone.

[The Stalker]

FYI I have created an alternative idea here: viewtopic.php?f=15&t=492280

I encourage people to check it out and voice support if they like it.

[Naivetry]

Please don't let COVID cancel Z-Day. Let people opt out, let it be themed differently, whatever - that part I don't care about in the slightest - but this is our only chance each year to weaponize compassion to save each other and ourselves. It's one of the few times we get to pull together as regions to fight off a threat where our activity doesn't destroy people, but saves them.

I get the alliance/politicking aspect of N-Day and see why people get into that, but it's built on a fundamentally different premise and I personally find it hard to enjoy as a result.

Z-Day is the only reason I have been logging in to my nations every 21-28 days for a year. I was SO EXCITED to see it was on a weekend this time. I assume very few other people are this attached to it, but it's literally the only reason I still play.

[Polska Rzeczpospolita Robotnicza]

I fucking love Z day, but I'm certain it will happen despite the COVID-19 pandemic. Because in the end, it doesn't really matter if COVID exists, zombies are zombies, and zombies have nothing to do with real life horrible viruses, they're just a good way to have some fun.

Ultimately, even if you think COVID may negatively impact the event, you can always make a cure or go aggressive to beat back the disease (maybe even getting some cathartic relief afterwards, who knows?) Ultimately, Z day is just a fun minigame, and it doesn't matter what is going on in the real world, because zombies are zombies, not patients for a real disease.

[Noldoria]

Yes please. A second Nday would be amazing. In fact let's just replace Z day with N day 2 permanently, it's by far the more popular event.

I like Z-Day much more than N-Day. Also, I have seen greater participation in my region for previous Z-Days over previous N-Days - so I think your opinion is far from universal.

[Noldoria]

Please don't let COVID cancel Z-Day. Let people opt out, let it be themed differently, whatever - that part I don't care about in the slightest - but this is our only chance each year to weaponize compassion to save each other and ourselves. It's one of the few times we get to pull together as regions to fight off a threat where our activity doesn't destroy people, but saves them.

I get the alliance/politicking aspect of N-Day and see why people get into that, but it's built on a fundamentally different premise and I personally find it hard to enjoy as a result.

Z-Day is the only reason I have been logging in to my nations every 21-28 days for a year. I was SO EXCITED to see it was on a weekend this time. I assume very few other people are this attached to it, but it's literally the only reason I still play.

You are by no means alone in being super-attached to Z-Day, and looking forward to playing it all 36 hours over a weekend w/o sleep.

[Mannixa Prime]

How is it logical to be offended by Z Day?

[Land of the Trolls]

How is it logical to be offended by Z Day?

2 reason.

1. It refers to a virus, which might remind people of Covid.
2. It's an election year. There are mindless zombies all over the place! IRL!

Seriously, it looks like we'll still have our zombies, which is fine by me.

[Trotterdam]

There appears to now be a "No Zombies" checkbox on the settings page. It's off (meaning yes zombies) by default.

This confirms that there's still going to be a zombie event, since it would be silly to have an opt-out if there's nothing to opt out of.

Note the exact wording of the switch's help text: "Do not display (most) information relating to the annual Z-Day Zombie Apocalypse." This implies that your nation does still get infected and affects other nations in the region accordingly, you just don't see it. Same effect that inactive nations normally have on the region.

I wonder if this suppresses the national happenings lines from superweapons, though. If not, it's not a very effective blindfold. If it does, it sounds like it might be abusable.

[The New California Republic]

There appears to now be a "No Zombies" checkbox on the settings page. It's off (meaning yes zombies) by default.

This confirms that there's still going to be a zombie event, since it would be silly to have an opt-out if there's nothing to opt out of.

Note the exact wording of the switch's help text: "Do not display (most) information relating to the annual Z-Day Zombie Apocalypse." This implies that your nation does still get infected and affects other nations in the region accordingly, you just don't see it. Same effect that inactive nations normally have on the region.

I wonder if this suppresses the national happenings lines from superweapons, though. If not, it's not a very effective blindfold. If it does, it sounds like it might be abusable.

There'll likely be an announcement on the 30th to clarify precisely the effects that the message suppression will have. The fact that it says most clarifies that it's not technically possible to suppress it all, which is obvious anyway as stuff related to it will most likely still appear in the latest threads feed on the left side.

[Lord Dominator]

[url=http://www.nationstates.net/page=settings]I wonder if this suppresses the national happenings lines from superweapons, though. If not, it's not a very effective blindfold. If it does, it sounds like it might be abusable.

Honestly, I think those matter less - the bigger issues was always that the Zombie graphs took up a giant chunk of the screen and couldn't be avoided. Compared to that, the happenings lines aren't that noticeable.

[Minoa]

[url=http://www.nationstates.net/page=settings]I wonder if this suppresses the national happenings lines from superweapons, though. If not, it's not a very effective blindfold. If it does, it sounds like it might be abusable.

Honestly, I think those matter less - the bigger issues was always that the Zombie graphs took up a giant chunk of the screen and couldn't be avoided. Compared to that, the happenings lines aren't that noticeable.

I have recommended the introduction of boolean flags to happenings text so that nations who opted out do not see it. However, my recommendations will likely stop most of them before it happens. Namely:

• Nations that opted-out at the end of the event would get an overriding score of zero for World Census categories 81 to 84 before the trophies and ranks are calculated, eliminating the chance of a Z-Day related trophy or World Census happenings line, and also making it fairer for those who take part (I believe that the census scores are calculated only at the end).
• If Nation A carries out a Z-Day action on Nation B, while Nation B is registered as having opted-out, then the action failed and no national happenings text is generated (similar to how N-Day strikes work if a target was already destroyed), but Nation B would not be able to take part, obviously.

[Trotterdam]

Honestly, I think those matter less - the bigger issues was always that the Zombie graphs took up a giant chunk of the screen and couldn't be avoided. Compared to that, the happenings lines aren't that noticeable.

You don't see them on every page, but when you are on the relevant page, they completely flood out all other happenings.

Dunno how much anyone cares though.

In my experience the biggest complaints about the zombie apocalypses are usually people whining that their population values they've accumulated over years of playing the game are gone (not realizing or not caring that they'll just get them back at the end of the event anyway).

• Nations that opted-out at the end of the event would get an overriding score of zero for World Census categories 81 to 84 before the trophies and ranks are calculated, eliminating the chance of a Z-Day related trophy or World Census happenings line, and also making it fairer for those who take part (I believe that the census scores are calculated only at the end).

No, census scores are calculated hourly or more, and they're used by many regions to track where the largest concentrations of zombies are (for cure missile prioritization). Having nations hidden from there while still affecting the region would be a serious problem.