The World Cup Discussion Thread (OOC, Version IV)

[Equestrian States]

We have a CoH bid

[Audioslavia]

I will always remember when a particularly annoyed opponent of mine RPed that their team didn't make it to the match and that the 4-0 result was due to my players kicking the ball into an empty net.

I sat for a second and wondered, with horror, whether that was me or not, but a quick google for 'squornshelous' and 'stupidheads' (which yields only seven results, you'll be pleased to hear) tells me it was World Cup 14 champions Kingsford.

That day also saw the nickname "Stupidheads" coined, which had some staying power, particularly in the Audioslavian and Insanian press.

In fairness, the Audioslavian newspaper industry is entirely made up of gutter press. That an Audioslavian would consider 'stupidhead' a funny insult says more about people in Audioslavia than it does about people in Squornshelous.

[Main Nation Ministry]

Hoped my post made it before the cut-off. I still have tomorrow, though which I'm truly looking forward to.

[The Archregimancy]

To be fair, one game I had against the Archregimancy where I lost particularly badly and was stumped on how supposedly humble monks would run up the score

If only you'd given up heresy and converted to Orthodoxy at halftime...

it's not like everybody's immune to doing silly, ludicrous things every now and again. The point is that you make it sound fun and not like you're whining about it.

Silly, ludicrous things keep some of us going.

But I do also agree that there needs to be some recognition of what the other parties are likely to accept.

The closest I came to pushing that to breaking point was when the Aztec gods fielded by the Holy Empire (c. World Cup 48, or thereabouts) threatened to destroy the multiverse; indeed, briefly did just that before they were defeated. I was aiming for David Tennant-era Doctor Who closing two-parter cliffhanger apocalypse, but though I did restore everything to the status quo ante as if nothing had happened, there was some understandable grumbling about how I restored things.

[Eastfield Lodge]

To be fair, one game I had against the Archregimancy where I lost particularly badly and was stumped on how supposedly humble monks would run up the score

If only you'd given up heresy and converted to Orthodoxy at halftime...

it's not like everybody's immune to doing silly, ludicrous things every now and again. The point is that you make it sound fun and not like you're whining about it.

Silly, ludicrous things keep some of us going.

But I do also agree that there needs to be some recognition of what the other parties are likely to accept.

The closest I came to pushing that to breaking point was when the Aztec gods fielded by the Holy Empire (c. World Cup 48, or thereabouts) threatened to destroy the multiverse; indeed, briefly did just that before they were defeated. I was aiming for David Tennant-era Doctor Who closing two-parter cliffhanger apocalypse, but though I did restore everything to the status quo ante as if nothing had happened, there was some understandable grumbling about how I restored things.

Not to mention the whole "wiping Sarzonia from existence" thing.

[Squornshelan Remnant States]

In fairness, the Audioslavian newspaper industry is entirely made up of gutter press. That an Audioslavian would consider 'stupidhead' a funny insult says more about people in Audioslavia than it does about people in Squornshelous.

Audioslavian evening news programs were always considered the height of comedic television in old Squornshelous. Truth be told I never minded that "stupidheads" took on a life of its own. It ended up being much funnier in the long run than it was at its inception.

[Union of Socialist Alpine Republics]

I would be careful about narratives like that. When you do roleplays that basically say "we would've won except for external circumstances that were blatantly unfair to us", it comes across as basically a temper tantrum. And while that's not to say you can never lose to a controversial call - those games happen, and I think just about everybody does it at some point, consistently crediting your wins to your team and your losses to things outside your control, it becomes very old to read very fast.

It was against a team ranked 300th who never posted a roster or RPed in this World Cup. I wouldn't write a match report like that against Kita-Hinode or Sargossa.

But from now on I'm posting a false match report whenever I lose an away match cuz I want my people to think the team qualifies and plays in the FFR.

And now I draw 0-0 at home against another unranked team, another game that I should have won and I didn't. I start to think it's not bad luck, it's not possible to be unlucky like this. The hosts has to explain this.

[The Plough Islands]

But from now on I'm posting a false match report whenever I lose an away match cuz I want my people to think the team qualifies and plays in the FFR.

I'm not sure I get this logic IC or OOC to be honest; you might need to explain to me what the value is in doing that. Also I don't know if ignoring the actual published result and scoreline is going to go down that well with whoever grades the RPs...

[Union of Socialist Alpine Republics]

But from now on I'm posting a false match report whenever I lose an away match cuz I want my people to think the team qualifies and plays in the FFR.

I'm not sure I get this logic IC or OOC to be honest; you might need to explain to me what the value is in doing that. Also I don't know if ignoring the actual published result and scoreline is going to go down that well with whoever grades the RPs...

I want football fans from my nation to travel to the FFR and vote in their elections so my people have to believe we won. The Alpine Union is kinda based on the USSR and propaganda is common. I have the right to write what I want in MY newspapers. I never said I'm ignoring the actual scores, when I'll write a false match report I'll put a note saying it's false. I don't understand why FFR or Banija would have a problem with that. And now they has to explain why I draw 0-0 at home. I'm ranked 59th I posted a roster and RPed everyday until MD6.

[Drawkland]

And now they has to explain why I draw 0-0 at home. I'm ranked 59th I posted a roster and RPed everyday until MD6.

It happens. It's RNG.

There's your explanation.

[Qusmo]

I'm not sure I get this logic IC or OOC to be honest; you might need to explain to me what the value is in doing that. Also I don't know if ignoring the actual published result and scoreline is going to go down that well with whoever grades the RPs...

I want football fans from my nation to travel to the FFR and vote in their elections so my people have to believe we won. The Alpine Union is kinda based on the USSR and propaganda is common. I have the right to write what I want in MY newspapers.

I'll note that the Alpine Union has given an IC justification for this in a previous RP. Of course, I certainly won't pass judgement on what the hosts will or won't do, but I think I'd be understanding if the Alpine Union did go this route, since I think it will be used more as ICly disseminating propaganda & deceiving one's populace than it is simply OOCly whining about results & declaring oneself the winner of everything. There's a clear IC non-sporting reason the Alpine Union wants its citizens to think they'll be playing in the World Cup (&, specifically, in the Free Republics), & they do keep in mind IC restrictions (like the fact that they can't forge the results of a home fixture because there will be citizens in the stadium to watch them). Most importantly, I feel, they make it clear in that RP that they will recognize the real, scorinated results as canon; the Alpine Union's faked results would be fake OOC as well as IC. I completely understand where the trepidation is coming from, but honestly, as long as it's done in the right way, I think it could be a really interesting RP arc.

[Union of Socialist Alpine Republics]

I want football fans from my nation to travel to the FFR and vote in their elections so my people have to believe we won. The Alpine Union is kinda based on the USSR and propaganda is common. I have the right to write what I want in MY newspapers.

I'll note that the Alpine Union has given an IC justification for this in a previous RP. Of course, I certainly won't pass judgement on what the hosts will or won't do, but I think I'd be understanding if the Alpine Union did go this route, since I think it will be used more as ICly disseminating propaganda & deceiving one's populace than it is simply OOCly whining about results & declaring oneself the winner of everything. There's a clear IC non-sporting reason the Alpine Union wants its citizens to think they'll be playing in the World Cup (&, specifically, in the Free Republics), & they do keep in mind IC restrictions (like the fact that they can't forge the results of a home fixture because there will be citizens in the stadium to watch them). Most importantly, I feel, they make it clear in that RP that they will recognize the real, scorinated results as canon; the Alpine Union's faked results would be fake OOC as well as IC. I completely understand where the trepidation is coming from, but honestly, as long as it's done in the right way, I think it could be a really interesting RP arc.

Thanks Qusmo. Also there probably would have consequences for my government once my people find out the results were false. I think the best thing to do is to message FFR and Banija and ask them what they think of it. That's what I'm about to do now.

[Starblaydia]

And now I draw 0-0 at home against another unranked team, another game that I should have won and I didn't. I start to think it's not bad luck, it's not possible to be unlucky like this. The hosts has to explain this.

You are very close to making a very serious accusation there, Alpine. You'd best have something to back it up more than thinking it's extra-unlucky.

You're the third-ranked team in your Group and currently sit fifth with 6 games remaining. The first-ranked team is currently fourth, vastly more under-performing than you are.

The effort it would take to actually fix results and cover it up each day is not worth any imaginary reason you can think of for two hosts specifically screwing you over.

[Farfadillis]

I'd like to point out that accusations of matchfixing, or comments bordering them, are something we as a community are very sensitive to, specially after World Cup 77. Alpine, your comments at the moment read the wrong way; if you are accusing the hosts of matchfixing, I ask you to please drop the matter. Much, much stranger results have been scorinated (I once failed to qualify being ranked 9th under one of the current hosts, for example), but that doesn't mean the hosts fixed any of them.

[Union of Socialist Alpine Republics]

And now I draw 0-0 at home against another unranked team, another game that I should have won and I didn't. I start to think it's not bad luck, it's not possible to be unlucky like this. The hosts has to explain this.

You are very close to making a very serious accusation there, Alpine. You'd best have something to back it up more than thinking it's extra-unlucky.

You're the third-ranked team in your Group and currently sit fifth with 6 games remaining. The first-ranked team is currently fourth, vastly more under-performing than you are.

The effort it would take to actually fix results and cover it up each day is not worth any imaginary reason you can think of for two hosts specifically screwing you over.

I may be reacting too much, I want to apologize to Free Republics, Banija and the NS states community. I don't understand why my team is so unlucky and the results are so against me. Honestly I don't know how a host could fix the results.

[Starblaydia]

You are very close to making a very serious accusation there, Alpine. You'd best have something to back it up more than thinking it's extra-unlucky.

You're the third-ranked team in your Group and currently sit fifth with 6 games remaining. The first-ranked team is currently fourth, vastly more under-performing than you are.

The effort it would take to actually fix results and cover it up each day is not worth any imaginary reason you can think of for two hosts specifically screwing you over.

I may be reacting too much, I want to apologize to Free Republics, Banija and the NS states community. I don't understand why my team is so unlucky and the results are so against me. Honestly I don't know how a host could fix the results.

Good stuff, appreciated. Unfortunately, 'shit happens' is still the easiest way of explaining this. Some days you're the pigeon, other days you're the statue.

[The Royal Kingdom of Quebec]

I'd like to point out that accusations of matchfixing, or comments bordering them, are something we as a community are very sensitive to, specially after World Cup 77. Alpine, your comments at the moment read the wrong way; if you are accusing the hosts of matchfixing, I ask you to please drop the matter. Much, much stranger results have been scorinated (I once failed to qualify being ranked 9th under one of the current hosts, for example), but that doesn't mean the hosts fixed any of them.

Remember this passage from John 8:7, people:

“He that is without sin among you, let him first cast a stone at her.”

[The Archregimancy]

If only you'd given up heresy and converted to Orthodoxy at halftime...



Silly, ludicrous things keep some of us going.

But I do also agree that there needs to be some recognition of what the other parties are likely to accept.

The closest I came to pushing that to breaking point was when the Aztec gods fielded by the Holy Empire (c. World Cup 48, or thereabouts) threatened to destroy the multiverse; indeed, briefly did just that before they were defeated. I was aiming for David Tennant-era Doctor Who closing two-parter cliffhanger apocalypse, but though I did restore everything to the status quo ante as if nothing had happened, there was some understandable grumbling about how I restored things.

Not to mention the whole "wiping Sarzonia from existence" thing.

I'd honestly totally forgotten about that incident from 2011.

A quick search of past posts did uncover the details, though.

[Geisenfried]

Reminds me that I had a Sarzonian manager once upon a time a long, long time ago. Might eventually try and find another foreign manager, but given I'm overperforming, not really the IC time to start looking.

To be fair, one game I had against the Archregimancy where I lost particularly badly and was stumped on how supposedly humble monks would run up the score

If only you'd given up heresy and converted to Orthodoxy at halftime...

it's not like everybody's immune to doing silly, ludicrous things every now and again. The point is that you make it sound fun and not like you're whining about it.

Silly, ludicrous things keep some of us going.

But I do also agree that there needs to be some recognition of what the other parties are likely to accept.

I'm a spoilsport. :b

But no seriously, given that I tend to go low-to-no fantasy in my settings, some of the more esoteric things can throw me for a loop. For example, in one particular instance, one of the other qualifying team's nation was a floating city that traveled from nation to nation for qualifying - and so I played the straight man and roleplayed the consequences of how an otherwise realistic government would react to a floating fortress coming to hover right over their heads.

(hint: it was not very well)

In the end, it's all about the give and take - doing something that reflects your nation and your style of writing while also being respectful of the other nations you're involving and their styles of writing as well. I wish I hadn't gotten so busy between "setting this up with Banija for a storyline" and "actually RPing it out", to improve the quality of what I've written, but I'm still having fun with it.

[Main Nation Ministry]

Anyone want to do a bit of a collab in the RP thread? I was planning on having two characters hide from the Ministry by fleeing from Kahe Island, I also want to make a bit of a cameo with one of the characters.

[South Toronto]

Anyone want to do a bit of a collab in the RP thread? I was planning on having two characters hide from the Ministry by fleeing from Kahe Island, I also want to make a bit of a cameo with one of the characters.

I could do that as I have all the time in the world. If you have discord you can message me there, or just TG me.

[Santa Regada]

Will confirm my status as San Regada's puppet (and correctly named account).

It would probably be too much hassle to implement this in the middle of World Cup qualifying so I am asking that, for the next WC, would it be possible to change San Regada's name to Santa Regada? It's more or less the same nation (any change to canon will NOT effect its WC history) but as I said earlier... its correctly named lmao. The only reason I haven't done this earlier is because I can't be bothered to start again from 0 posts when I have 1.6k on San Regada. I will probably still post from there, but the incorrect name irks me. I'm not 100% certain on the rename yet so I will confirm later whether or not this is happening, just want to know if it is possible without having to start again from scratch in terms of the WC.

[San Regada]

Will confirm my status as San Regada's puppet (and correctly named account).

Aye, it is I.

[Starblaydia]

just want to know if it is possible without having to start again from scratch in terms of the WC.

Name changes in the World Cup have to come with roleplayed successor states - the KPB rank transfers over onky if it's essentially the same nation. Elves Security Forces becoming Valanora as part of a larger empire, Gregoryisgodistan having a revolution and becoming South Covello, that sort of thing.

"This Is now the correct spelling of our nation and we're updating all the signs, passports, etc" is an unusual one, to be sure, but as long as you can RP it as such then it's generally fine for the World Cup.

[The Archregimancy]

"This Is now the correct spelling of our nation and we're updating all the signs, passports, etc" is an unusual one, to be sure

Though it has some precedents in RL, on both the local and national levels, so it shouldn't really be a problem.