Let's do something with NS2

[Todd McCloud]

I was wondering, and hoping if someone like [violet] could answer this for me, but someone in my region brought this note to my attention:

NationStates 2

Hi there. On July 1st, 2009, Jolt closed NationStates 2 and began redirecting all visitors to a different Jolt game.

Earlier, Jolt announced they were taking NS2 down only to retool it, and would bring it back at some indefinite time in the future. But since they've wiped the entire site, not even leaving a News page for updates, this seems unlikely.

I've therefore taken back the domain name. It is, unfortunately, beyond my power to restore the NS2 game: that code belongs to Jolt. But if you would like to return to the original NationStates, now proudly Jolt-free, we would love to have you.

—Max Barry, http://www.nationstates.net

NS2 assistance: ns2support@jolt.co.uk, Jolt's NS2 forum

Please do understand that we, being NS1 players, would love the opportunity to aid in making an NS2 that is better than whatever jolt could regurgitate. I mean, I for one would be willing to do what I could to make this happen, free of charge. And I'm more than certain there are a ton of us players who are good at coding, imaging, writing, ideas, etc that would be able to make this happen, also free of charge. Believe me, us players have often dreamed of being able to help make a different NS, and since it's just sitting there, we could always do something about it.

How about it? And, for any players who can help, how about it?

[Buffett and Colbert]

Any writing or editing, just say the word.

[Greater Americania]

Help all you want, you won't be able to come up with a game as organized as Jolt can.

[Todd McCloud]

Help all you want, you won't be able to come up with a game as organized as Jolt can.

What makes jolt the tell-all? We're not as good as jolt?

I really think we can do something with this

[Buffett and Colbert]

Help all you want, you won't be able to come up with a game as organized as Jolt can.

Blasphemy!

[Todd McCloud]

I'm sure we have many coders, editors, writers, image makers, etc on this site alone that would make this possible. What other gaming site could say their players made a game? Wouldn't Max like to remove the jolt stigmata and have something that site can be used for? I think this could really work.

[Buffett and Colbert]

I think NS is a community in itself. Because of this, for sure we all of our talents and interests can be used to create a better game for all of us.

[Todd McCloud]

I think NS is a community in itself. Because of this, for sure we all of our talents and interests can be used to create a better game for all of us.

Indeed!

[Charlotte Ryberg]

It would be not a good idea to build a NationStates 2 because the original has already proven how successful it has been despite its simplicity. It would a good idea to build on the existing NationStates and make it open source like my favourite web browser Firefox, so that, for example, players could build alternative game interface skins or have editable fields that show up in their nation page.

[R0n1n]

I'm sure we have many coders, editors, writers, image makers, etc on this site alone that would make this possible. What other gaming site could say their players made a game? Wouldn't Max like to remove the jolt stigmata and have something that site can be used for? I think this could really work.

It would be not a good idea to build a NationStates 2 because the original has already proven how successful it has been despite its simplicity. It would a good idea to build on the existing NationStates and make it open source like my favourite web browser Firefox, so that, for example, players could build alternative game interface skins or have editable fields that show up in their nation page.

The NS1 should stay as it is (imho) so that new players and players who need nothing more would be served.
The NS2 could maybe be something like an open source "community playground", in wich new ideas can be implemented, tried and tested without interfering with gameplay (and probably with a much larger testerbase then a beta). Good ideas and mature code could then (maybe) be ported to NS1 (without to much work for Max.) Spinnofs could then be created including trade, war, catastrophic events, micromanagement etc.... #

Resulting in Max getting immeasurable Fame for creating the "kernel"

I like the idea, and think it might just work out fine.
However im not quite sure about the possible downside risks for Max releasing the code.
Help me on this plz

Peace!

[Starblaydia]

Let's do something with NS2? Kill it with fire.

[Marcuslandia]

The significant differences between the two versions (the things that made one an entirely different game from the other) was that in NS2, players would have the opportunity 1) have a more detailed war game available with combat factors derived from national stats, 2) a more detailed national economic model, and 3) an Alliance system in lieu of regions. Essentially, it was actually NS + as opposed to NS2.

From my several months' experience in NS2, I believe I can say that NS2 failed to perform as desired in all three of those categories. The combat model couldn't react to the changes that would occur when a nation was growing at the rate of several million people EACH DAY. Furthermore, instead of dealing with the enormous logistical factors involved in moving forces from Country A to Country B, it simply ignored them. The Economic model was probably the most dismal disappointment. Players started a nation with 1 million people, each of them able to spend 8-30 currency units each day. By the time the population grew to 20 million, each citizen would be extremely fortunate if they had 5 currency units to spend each day. In short, in hardly any time at all, EVERY nation in the game quickly had their citizens living in cardboard shacks. And the Alliances failed miserably because every nation was actually better off on its own than being in a large alliance.

The one benefit that may be derived from NS2 is that it demonstrated what NOT to do.