Factbook Question/Answer Thread

[Omakhandia]

So I've come to realize that I've put quite a bit of work into my factbooks, and if my nation ever ceases to exist, I'll lose quite a bit of writing and map-making. Should I be backing all of this up somewhere on the off-chance that I forget about this site/get banned?

As long as the exfactbooks page exists, your factbooks should too. Hope that helps alleviate some panic!

Thanks, it does. That's good to know. I suppose I should still back them up anyway, though.

[Brahuistan]

Does anyone have examples of scifi factbooks I could takea look at? I'm really not sure how to get started

[The Syca]

Is there a limit to how many characters in can write in a single factbook? If so then how many?

[Maltropia]

Is there a limit to how many characters in can write in a single factbook? If so then how many?

It seems to vary. I've tested before, and I got to over 95,000 characters without a hassle; I don't think I tried going further. Other people have encountered problems at lower numbers, I believe. It might matter if you have BBcode, images, line spaces or whatever going on. I wouldn't be too stressed about it, though; just write to what seems a reasonable length.

[The Syca]

Is there a limit to how many characters in can write in a single factbook? If so then how many?

It seems to vary. I've tested before, and I got to over 95,000 characters without a hassle; I don't think I tried going further. Other people have encountered problems at lower numbers, I believe. It might matter if you have BBcode, images, line spaces or whatever going on. I wouldn't be too stressed about it, though; just write to what seems a reasonable length.

Alright thanks, I'm currently at 32,000 characters with lots left to do.

[A m e n r i a]

How does one make a small coloured box within a

box

?

[Aquitayne]

How does one make a small coloured box within a

box

?

You can't. Only one box can fit inside the [box] template. You may be confusing two quoted posts with that coloring.

[A m e n r i a]

How does one make a small coloured box within a

box

?

You can't. Only one box can fit inside the [box] template. You may be confusing two quoted posts with that coloring.

I'm talking about something like this. It's a really nice format and I want to know how Stanier's player managed to put coloured boxes with their leader's name on it.

[Gandoor]

You can't. Only one box can fit inside the [box]template. You may be confusing two quoted posts with that coloring.

I'm talking about something like this. It's a really nice format and I want to know how Stanier's player managed to put coloured boxes with their leader's name on it.

They used the background-block BBcode, which unfortunately doesn't work forumside so I can't actually show an example, but it's just

Code: Select all

[box][background-block=(whatevercolouryouwant)](text)[/background-block][/box]

[A m e n r i a]

Cool, thanks a lot. Also, the information on his infoboxes are really neat and organized, kinnda like a table. How does he do that?

[Cosona]

I've been writing my Factbook, but I'm not sure how to insert pictures. Can anyone help me out with that?

[Winderige Eilanden]

I've been writing my Factbook, but I'm not sure how to insert pictures. Can anyone help me out with that?

Use [img][ /img] and put the image URl in the middle and remove the space before the slash

[Bears Armed]

I've been writing my Factbook, but I'm not sure how to insert pictures. Can anyone help me out with that?

Use [img][ /img] and put the image URl in the middle and remove the space before the slash

But copy the image to an image-hosting site first, and use the url for that copy, instead of just "hot-linking" to the original where you found it: Otherwise, if the owner of the site where it was originally posted substitutes a different image for that one at the same url, and that new image is against this site's rules, you can get into trouble...

[Botschaft von]

Any advice on what app to use for creating a regional map?

[AH Egypt]

There are a few good options,

you could try mapchart.net, which is a online mapmaking website with many options,

you could try paint.net (download at getpaint.net) and take online maps and edit them through that program if you like.

I like paint.net, but mapchart.net is much simpler to use.

[Cernowitz]

I can make an interactive map with pop-up photos, flags, links back to each Nation page, and even video if wanted, on the map, for $1 per nation. Is that allowed?

[AH Egypt]

I can make an interactive map with pop-up photos, flags, links back to each Nation page, and even video if wanted, on the map, for $1 per nation. Is that allowed?

I don't think that it is allowed to make a profit from NationStates...

Did you check with an admin?

[Cernowitz]

I can make an interactive map with pop-up photos, flags, links back to each Nation page, and even video if wanted, on the map, for $1 per nation. Is that allowed?

I don't think that it is allowed to make a profit from NationStates...

Did you check with an admin?

Checked and you're right. Not permitted.

[United States of Devonta]

Any mapmakers for hire?

[Ray Alions]

I'm in the middle of making a factbook and want ot to be as big as possible. So far, the biggest factbook I've seen is Gray Harbor's (http://forum.nationstates.net/viewtopic ... 23&t=19127). However, I wanted to know if there is an even bigger one somewhere for me to draw inspiration from. It should preferably have a Wiki or CIA style, but anything is fine.

Thanks for your help!

[Canada Dominion]

To the best of my knowledge Gray's Harbour is the most comprehensive. It's a shame most of the images are dead now.

[Ray Alions]

Bump

[The State of Monavia]

I'm in the middle of making a factbook and want ot to be as big as possible. So far, the biggest factbook I've seen is Gray Harbor's (http://forum.nationstates.net/viewtopic ... 23&t=19127). However, I wanted to know if there is an even bigger one somewhere for me to draw inspiration from. It should preferably have a Wiki or CIA style, but anything is fine.

Thanks for your help!

You can try drawing on my factbook collection for inspiration.

[Ray Alions]

I'm in the middle of making a factbook and want ot to be as big as possible. So far, the biggest factbook I've seen is Gray Harbor's (http://forum.nationstates.net/viewtopic ... 23&t=19127). However, I wanted to know if there is an even bigger one somewhere for me to draw inspiration from. It should preferably have a Wiki or CIA style, but anything is fine.

Thanks for your help!

You can try drawing on my factbook collection for inspiration.

Wow! That's a very extensive factbook! I was going to do a Wiki style factbook, but I like your style a lot better. Do mind of I copy the style? I could give you credit if you want. Also, do you think I should put all my info into 1 very big factbook or make separate "articles like you did". Which one would be easier to read and understand.

[The State of Monavia]

You can try drawing on my factbook collection for inspiration.

Wow! That's a very extensive factbook! I was going to do a Wiki style factbook, but I like your style a lot better. Do mind of I copy the style? I could give you credit if you want. Also, do you think I should put all my info into 1 very big factbook or make separate "articles like you did". Which one would be easier to read and understand.

I appreciate your kind compliments and have no problem with you trying to imitate my format. Credit is only necessary to matters of content, such as borrowing ideas for characters, settings, technologies, and so forth.

Start off creating one general dispatch (part fact sheet, part statistical summary) and then create separate dispatches for each major topic (culture, government, history, military, treaties, etc.) as needed. Your culture factbook should cover art and architecture, cuisine, fashion, holidays, music, religion, sports, and the like. Your government factbook should describe the way your fictional government is organized, the way it operates, the sort of responsibilities each part has, and so forth. If you want to have a written constitution and make it play a major role in your history and roleplaying canon, consider writing a standalone constitution factbook. You should also copy and paste any in-character treaties you roleplay into a separate factbook for reference purposes (this only works if you tend to keep treaties short or only have a few of them).

When it comes to military factbooks, I will offer you the same advice I sent to another player via telegram:

1. I have one general factbook dispatch dedicated to all-around subjects like comparative ranks, readiness postures, etc.
2. I have three factbooks dedicated to describing the technical details and background histories of fictional strategic (i.e. non-conventional) weapons that are meant to play major parts in my IC canon.
3. I have a single factbook dispatch for each branch of the Imperial Armed forces. Each dispatch contains overview information (like a branch's symbols and insignia), a section on its purpose and areas of responsibility, a section on its history (I have not written any of these in), a section on unit organization, and an order of battle outline listing all of a given branch's units.

If you want to include equipment inventories in dispatches like these, post all of the pictures and other storefront-style information on the forum or some other place and simply post links in the equipment roster. Do not try to turn your military factbooks into military storefront threads!

Please inform me if this information is helpful.