Gameplay Advice Thread - We're here to help!

[Shizensky]

It is my hope that this thread can become a valuable resource for nations seeking help in the Gameplay arena. Whether they're looking for advice on recruiting, R/D, or regional politics, I believe that it is in the best interests of NationStates for us to help them be successful. The practice of ridiculing every new idea into oblivion is destructive and poisonous to the NS community at large, and my goal is to create a place where these ideas can be discussed and critiqued honestly.

If you are here to provide honest input towards a discussion, no matter what side of the fence you play on, your input is welcome!

If you have a new idea and would like to know how to make it work, what hurdles you may need to overcome, or what won't work, feel free to ask!

If you're here to ridicule someone for their idea, or even ridicule the idea itself, I respectfully ask you to avoid posting in this thread.

The aim of this thread is to give people looking for help access to people who are willing to help. This is not a recruiting thread. We are here to offer guidance, not to move to your region to actually do the work for you.

With all of that being said, how can we help you?

[Tano]

1) Brilliant fucking idea
2) Codger would have loved this thread

[Funkadelia]

I'm really glad you made this thread. The same trend was really bugging me as well. Keep doing good.

[Shadoke]

My advice is that raiders are the best if you want to join Gameplay, look and truely understand what the sides mean, dont just believe the propaganda. Here all sides plea and make your decision based on that.

[Rhina]

dont just believe the propaganda.

^This. Especially if they try to sell you a total black and white "Raiders vs Defenders" dichotomy.

[Emrys Mercer]

dont just believe the propaganda.

^This. Especially if they try to sell you a total black and white "Raiders vs Defenders" dichotomy.

Exactly, thanks to OP to making the thread and to everyone else for helping to flesh it out.

[Venico]

I'm willing to help in this thread as much as possible. I hope we can encourage new players to post here and learn from some of the vets.

[Shadoke]

I am as well. this was long needed

[PrussianEmpire]

My advice is that raiders are the best look and truely understand what the sides mean, dont just believe the propaganda. Here all sides plea and make your decision based on that.

This.

I was a member of the UDL and TBH before I made my mind up on which side I liked to play as. I chose bi-gameplayer, meaning I like both, and joined EPSA, TEPs Army, where I had the opportunity to do both. Look around and see what you like to do. Raiding only and Defending only isn't for everyone.

[PrussianEmpire]

I'm willing to help in this thread as much as possible. I hope we can encourage new players to post here and learn from some of the vets.

Second this.

[Shizensky]

I'm really happy to see support from seasoned players with the diversity of experiences we can all offer new people. As I see it, we were all new at one point. If we didn't have a mentor, we could have benefited from one. Making sure the ambitious new players have solid support will hopefully elevate the level we all play the game on.

[Shadoke]

The title should be gameplay help thread, as that seems to be its direction.

[Shizensky]

The title should be gameplay help thread, as that seems to be its direction.

I have never been the best at naming things, so I will certainly take that into consideration.

[Sichuan Pepper]

Interesting. So you intend to offer advice to those new to invading but want to be mentored?

[Shadoke]

for gameplay in general, SP.

[Cormac A Stark]

Interesting. So you intend to offer advice to those new to invading but want to be mentored?

If I'm reading the OP right, the goal is to have a diversity of seasoned players participating, so that raider newcomers would receive advice from seasoned raiders like Jakker or Venico, for example. The OP also implies that they might see reasonable, civil critiques of raiding and alternative ideas and paths, as well. Shizensky can correct me if any of that interpretation is incorrect.

So, if I've got that right, I would imagine you would be more likely to see raiders advising raider newcomers, rather than a defender, while a defender might raise defending as an alternative, someone else might explain and advocate independence, etc. But all in a constructive rather than combative way.

I think this is a great idea and I'll be glad to participate.

[ForeStarnya]

Yeah I'll back this, although I doubt anyone will approach an ex TRF warhorse for advice

Most of you don't even know who I am, but I have always encouraged a more open and accessible approach to Military Gameplay

[Sedgistan]

Stickied for the time being.

[Shizensky]

Interesting. So you intend to offer advice to those new to invading but want to be mentored?

I probably won't offer raiding advice myself, as that is not my area of expertise. I'm sure those with experience would be happy to help those with questions in that area. The same would go for defenders - if someone was asking for tips with their new defender region, experienced defenders could step up and offer assistance.

The point of this thread is to give less experienced players a venue for safe and honest discussions about their plans. Maybe I am asking for too much with this, but I like to think we are all capable of setting aside our rivalries long enough to help new players grow, helping NS grow by extension.

[Reformed Confederate States]

Hey newbies! If someone gives you a "Raiders vs. Defenders" dichotomy, kick them in the nuts! Such a blanket statement is inefficient and untrue. For one thing, there aren't many real defenders left these days, and most of them just sit on their arses these days from what little I've seen. There are Imperialists that do both, there are regions that take independent action based on their political climate related to other regions, and there are people who don't do Gameplay at all. There's a wide spectrum, and the population isn't comprised of two extremes.

[Shadoke]

Hey newbies! If someone gives you a "Raiders vs. Defenders" dichotomy, kick them in the nuts! Such a blanket statement is inefficient and untrue. For one thing, there aren't many real defenders left these days, and most of them just sit on their arses these days from what little I've seen. There are Imperialists that do both, there are regions that take independent action based on their political climate related to other regions, and there are people who don't do Gameplay at all. There's a wide spectrum, and the population isn't comprised of two extremes.

This, and what i had said. Don't believe the propaganda

[Star IV]

Also, as to regional government; you can organize it virtually ANY WAY YOU WANT when building a region. There have been successful democracies, republics, oligarchies, dictatorships (Ave Hyperion!); name it, and something at least similar to it has existed. There is no one system that works best in all cases; it all depends on who comprises your region and what you'll give to them as a Founder. With that said, good luck to those founding for the first time!

[Shizensky]

Such a blanket statement is inefficient and untrue.

--

For one thing, there aren't many real defenders left these days, and most of them just sit on their arses these days from what little I've seen.

This thread isn't meant to push people towards one side or another, or away from one side as your post might seem to be trying to do with your own blanket statement.

But your post illustrates just what I hope we can all bring to the table. Where you and others condemn the R/D dichotomy, myself and others might suggest for new players to focus on one or the other instead. Our suggestions will matter most in the context of the question, so where some ideas might benefit from the "gray" approach, others would thrive from a more 'black/white' approach.

Don't believe the propaganda

I do hope this thread can be mostly free of the propaganda and, if we're really lucky, overt and targeted bias as well.

[Coraxion]

What if we try be as objective and neutral as possible when talking about Gameplay and Game mechanics in this thread? Otherwise this thread will degenerate useless from perspectives of its intended purposes.

However, Clear poles of R and D are objectively existent in R/D gameplay and many answers to different kind sincere questions will always depend who is answering those questions. In R/D (Military Gameplay), In-Game Politics and warfare in NS are directly related together, and it is hard take meta-level perspective to it if same time involving it.

Both, Defenders and Raiders (and those who Raid and Defend) should recognize that by themselves.

[Zaolat]

My main question is, is this for Military Gameplay or Gameplay in general? (Region building already has a guide and so does Military Gameplay)

From the looks of it, the thread seems to assume Military Gameplay and not anything else so far...


Now a question as if I were a noob to kick this off properly:

"Hi, I'm new to the game and read both region building guide and military guide. I'm not sure yet if I'm interested in raiding or defending. I do want to eventually build my own region but I lack experience. I do like the idea of creating a military based region successfully one day, how do I start? I see a lot of threads by other new players that get a lot of criticism and jump in headfirst to soon, I want to avoid this as much as possible. What are the best ways to go about all this starting out as a new player? "