The Writers' Block

[Caracasus]

If it's an environmentally related chain, you might want to bring it up in a certain region that is chaulked full of writing talent and environmental concern's RMB as well.

Hmm. Oh if only there were such a region......

Yeah that's a point. Not like we're short on environmentalists and issue writers/editors....

[Caracasus]

Region buddy huuuuuug!

Yayy! Super-secret handshake time!

[Bears Armed]

Should issue 676, option 4 (effects line = "pootling steam trains carry delighted tourists and frustrated businessmen from city to city at a snail's pace") unlock the banner for 'low-tech public transport' which shows a steam train crossing a viaduct, or is some other factor (such as, for example,a high level of spending on public transport) also considered necessary?
I've currently got that banner loaded into one of this nation's 'custom banner' slots, copied over from a puppet for which it was unlocked some while ago, but I felt like asking this anyway...

[Trotterdam]

Should issue 676, option 4 (effects line = "pootling steam trains carry delighted tourists and frustrated businessmen from city to city at a snail's pace")

...#676? I do hope you mean #634.

unlock the banner for 'low-tech public transport' which shows a steam train crossing a viaduct, or is some other factor (such as, for example,a high level of spending on public transport) also considered necessary?

I would assume that it triggers off having a high Public Transport and low Scientific Advancement value, not from any single choice on an issue. While an issue option might move you closer to the limit, it's somewhat arbitrary which one will end up pushing you over the edge.

[Australian rePublic]

Good news everyone! [violet] has made some new macros for us to play with:

@@HE@@ for "he" or "she"
@@HIS@@ for "his" or "her"
@@HIM@@ for "him" or "her"
@@HERS@@ for "his" or "hers"

When I suggested the macros use @@ZE@@ and @@VIR@@ [violet] implied I was a monster. Editing is going great!

---

Although this may change in the future, the macros will currently assign gender based on the gender of the last @@randomname@@. So no more assigning gender just to avoid the ambiguity of gender in random name.

So "@@randomname@@ picked up @@HIS@@ water glass." will work. It would produce "Larry Johnson picked up his water glass." or "Samantha Johnson picked up her water glass."

But "While picking up @@HIS@@ water glass, @@RANDOMNAME@@ said" won't work.

If the current way the macro works holds, if your careful, you could use this to refer to the gender of the last speaker. So:

option1: "I'm the greatest leader there ever was!" says @@RANDOMNAME@@.

option2: Famous psychiatrist Siegfried Roy yells, "Don't listen to @@HIM@@ he's nuts!"

Would work. But:

option1: "I'm the greatest leader there ever was!" says @@RANDOMNAME@@.

option2: Famous psychiatrist @@RANDOMNAME@@ yells, "Don't listen to @@HIM@@ he's nuts!"

Wouldn't.

---

Time permitting we will be cleaning up previous issues to randomize name gender where this new macro allows.

Cool!

[Trotterdam]

What happens if you use the @@HIS/HER@@ macro when there isn't actually a preceding @@RANDOMNAME@@ anywhere? Can you still get a randomized gender?

In particular, though it was intended for issue text, could you use it in an effect line? Because I really hate the effect lines for #618 option 2 and #680 option 2 right now.

[Ransium]

What happens if you use the @@HIS/HER@@ macro when there isn't actually a preceding @@RANDOMNAME@@ anywhere? Can you still get a randomized gender?

In particular, though it was intended for issue text, could you use it in an effect line? Because I really hate the effect lines for #618 option 2 and #680 option 2 right now.

One of these I know the other I don't. I'll test things out and respond on the writer's block tonight (if another editor doesn't beat me to it) so we stop the off topic discussion on this thread and so more writers see it.

[Luna Amore]

What happens if you use the @@HIS/HER@@ macro when there isn't actually a preceding @@RANDOMNAME@@ anywhere? Can you still get a randomized gender?

In particular, though it was intended for issue text, could you use it in an effect line? Because I really hate the effect lines for #618 option 2 and #680 option 2 right now.

It'll drop a randomized gender. You can use it in an effect line, it'll base off of the preceding @@RANDOMNAME@@. I don't have much problem with those effect lines though personally.

[Luna Amore]

What happens if you use the @@HIS/HER@@ macro when there isn't actually a preceding @@RANDOMNAME@@ anywhere? Can you still get a randomized gender?

In particular, though it was intended for issue text, could you use it in an effect line? Because I really hate the effect lines for #618 option 2 and #680 option 2 right now.

One of these I know the other I don't. I'll test things out and respond on the writer's block tonight (if another editor doesn't beat me to it) so we stop the off topic discussion on this thread and so more writers see it.

And merged with the Writers' Block to make you look crazy.

[Ransium]

One of these I know the other I don't. I'll test things out and respond on the writer's block tonight (if another editor doesn't beat me to it) so we stop the off topic discussion on this thread and so more writers see it.

And merged with the Writers' Block to make you look crazy.

Damn! That's what the leprechauns told me you were going to do too...

[Candlewhisper Archive]

What happens if you use the @@HIS/HER@@ macro when there isn't actually a preceding @@RANDOMNAME@@ anywhere? Can you still get a randomized gender?

In particular, though it was intended for issue text, could you use it in an effect line? Because I really hate the effect lines for #618 option 2 and #680 option 2 right now.

It'll drop a randomized gender. You can use it in an effect line, it'll base off of the preceding @@RANDOMNAME@@. I don't have much problem with those effect lines though personally.

Not only will it randomise, but it'll remain consistent till the next gender randomised macro.

So "@@HIM@@, @@HIM@@, @@HIM@@" will randomly yield "him, him, him" or "her, her, her", but not a mix.

[Candlewhisper Archive]

Guys, I want to use some edits closing unclosed policy flag loops. Please do take a look at NoQ's list of needed issues from post #2 and have a think about drafting something. Basically everything from "Issues surrounding a nation having a dinosaur park" downwards is a high edit priority for me, assuming good enough quality.

[The 19th Century]

Guys, I want to use some edits closing unclosed policy flag loops. Please do take a look at NoQ's list of needed issues from post #2 and have a think about drafting something. Basically everything from "Issues surrounding a nation having a dinosaur park" downwards is a high edit priority for me, assuming good enough quality.

Challenge accepted!

I think I could write something about police cars...

[Candlewhisper Archive]

Guys, I want to use some edits closing unclosed policy flag loops. Please do take a look at NoQ's list of needed issues from post #2 and have a think about drafting something. Basically everything from "Issues surrounding a nation having a dinosaur park" downwards is a high edit priority for me, assuming good enough quality.

Challenge accepted!

I think I could write something about police cars...

I take my hat off to you. Its a weird reversal.

Basically we need it to be an issue for nations that have banned cars but allow the police to have cars, which reverts the situation to the nation banning cars AND does not allow the police to have them.

That's a really tough thing to attach a story to in my mind, but if you can do it, I will be very grateful.

[Trotterdam]

Some thoughts:

Cars tend to need roads to work well. Is it worth maintaining all those roads when the police are the only ones allowed to use them? A carless city would likely have lots of footpaths that cars can't enter anyway, and even the ones that you can theoretically drive on would often be blocked by children playing in the streets, market stalls setting up in high-traffic areas, whatever. Why waste that space?

[Candlewhisper Archive]

Some thoughts:

Cars tend to need roads to work well. Is it worth maintaining all those roads when the police are the only ones allowed to use them? A carless city would likely have lots of footpaths that cars can't enter anyway, and even the ones that you can theoretically drive on would often be blocked by children playing in the streets, market stalls setting up in high-traffic areas, whatever. Why waste that space?

Very clever. You should write more, you know.

[The 19th Century]

Some thoughts:

Cars tend to need roads to work well. Is it worth maintaining all those roads when the police are the only ones allowed to use them? A carless city would likely have lots of footpaths that cars can't enter anyway, and even the ones that you can theoretically drive on would often be blocked by children playing in the streets, market stalls setting up in high-traffic areas, whatever. Why waste that space?

That is way more serious than where I went with it.

[Bears Armed]

Some thoughts:

Cars tend to need roads to work well. Is it worth maintaining all those roads when the police are the only ones allowed to use them?

What about all of the people who've turned to cycling as their main means of getting around?

[Raionitu]

Hey, I'm working on an issue chain draft, and I saw there was one single issue about dealing with a Measles outbreak, but it doesn't go into much detail. I was wondering if making a series of issues on dealing with a full scale pandemic and the consequences of such (one part I made is killing infected leads to infected fighting back, if you send in military to their camp your military gets infected and you have to deal with that) would be a possibility, or if it's too similar to #658 (viewtopic.php?f=13&t=88&start=25#658)

[Candlewhisper Archive]

Hey, I'm working on an issue chain draft, and I saw there was one single issue about dealing with a Measles outbreak, but it doesn't go into much detail. I was wondering if making a series of issues on dealing with a full scale pandemic and the consequences of such (one part I made is killing infected leads to infected fighting back, if you send in military to their camp your military gets infected and you have to deal with that) would be a possibility, or if it's too similar to #658 (viewtopic.php?f=13&t=88&start=25#658)

How exciting!

This would indeed make a good chain, and I've considered something similar myself, with my medical background likely a help in this.

I would suggest starting drafting visibly early, with the first thing being a synopsis overview of what issues will comprise the chain, and how they connect.

I'm a big fan of #520, so I know you've got the writing talent. It was of the first edits that I commented on as a member of the team, being just after I became an editor, and NoQ didn't need to change much at all.

As you're aware, there's no precedent for anyone drafting a chain in GI, so no promises can be made here, but I look forward to seeing what you can build.

[Raionitu]

Hey, I'm working on an issue chain draft, and I saw there was one single issue about dealing with a Measles outbreak, but it doesn't go into much detail. I was wondering if making a series of issues on dealing with a full scale pandemic and the consequences of such (one part I made is killing infected leads to infected fighting back, if you send in military to their camp your military gets infected and you have to deal with that) would be a possibility, or if it's too similar to #658 (viewtopic.php?f=13&t=88&start=25#658)

How exciting!

This would indeed make a good chain, and I've considered something similar myself, with my medical background likely a help in this.

I would suggest starting drafting visibly early, with the first thing being a synopsis overview of what issues will comprise the chain, and how they connect.

I'm a big fan of #520, so I know you've got the writing talent. It was of the first edits that I commented on as a member of the team, being just after I became an editor, and NoQ didn't need to change much at all.

As you're aware, there's no precedent for anyone drafting a chain in GI, so no promises can be made here, but I look forward to seeing what you can build.

Thanks
Right now I'm working on an outline, once the outline is finished I'll make a thread for it, and start writing out full issues while people give feedback on the overall structure. So far the outlines has 10 issues, with several more branches to finish out, I think I'll have the thread up either later tonight or Monday sometime

[Leutria]

Hey everyone, I was recently thinking of Target's entry into Canada, and subsequent failure and wondering if it could make a decent pair of issues. For those who don't know, Target is a big box store based in the USA.

I am sort of thinking of the first one being the box store (Bullseye perhaps?) announcing their plans to expand into @@NAME@@, would likely have options along the lines of being open to the chain coming, banning big box stores or promoting mom and pop shops, and a protectionist option allowing them to enter but forcing all goods be sourced domestically. Maybe also an option just banning foreign chains.

If you allowed them in at some point you could get another issue saying how they have done poorly due to supply issues and mismanagement. You would get the option to allow them to go bankrupt (and the jobs they created be lost), give them a loan, or...Something else. Not sure where to go with the third option yet.

Anyway, think it is worth my time to try and turn that into an actual draft? Been floating around my head for a while, just not been sure if writting it out properly is worth it.

[Trotterdam]

What about all of the people who've turned to cycling as their main means of getting around?

Bicycles need much narrower roads than cars, and can more easily circle around obstacles.

Where I live, many streets have separate bicycle paths next to the main road used by cars, specifically to allow cyclers a safe place to ride where cars can't run into them.

Hey, I'm working on an issue chain draft, and I saw there was one single issue about dealing with a Measles outbreak, but it doesn't go into much detail. I was wondering if making a series of issues on dealing with a full scale pandemic and the consequences of such (one part I made is killing infected leads to infected fighting back, if you send in military to their camp your military gets infected and you have to deal with that) would be a possibility, or if it's too similar to #658 (http://forum.nationstates.net/viewtopic.php?f=13&t=88&start=25#658)

That sounds interesting!

#658 is specifically about nations that refuse to use vaccinations, making them succeptible to even minor diseases, but a serious epidemic could happen even in a nation with good medical care.

Hey everyone, I was recently thinking of Target's entry into Canada, and subsequent failure and wondering if it could make a decent pair of issues. For those who don't know, Target is a big box store based in the USA.

...So what? Why did they fail? Is it the government's fault due to excessive regulation? In general, "someone tried to do something and failed" isn't a reason for politicians to step in.

Also, what's a "big box store"? I assume not a store that literally sells big boxes.

[USS Monitor]

Hey everyone, I was recently thinking of Target's entry into Canada, and subsequent failure and wondering if it could make a decent pair of issues. For those who don't know, Target is a big box store based in the USA.

...So what? Why did they fail? Is it the government's fault due to excessive regulation? In general, "someone tried to do something and failed" isn't a reason for politicians to step in.

Also, what's a "big box store"? I assume not a store that literally sells big boxes.

It's a store with a wide variety of products in a big boxy building. Like Walmart.

[Leutria]

..So what? Why did they fail? Is it the government's fault due to excessive regulation? In general, "someone tried to do something and failed" isn't a reason for politicians to step in.

Also, what's a "big box store"? I assume not a store that literally sells big boxes.

First of all, the definition of big box store from Wikipedia ”A big-box store (also supercenter, superstore, or megastore) is a physically large retail establishment, usually part of a chain. The term sometimes also refers, by extension, to the company that operates the store." (Basically the "big-box refers to the building the store is in, because they are very large and rectangular. Think Walmart if you have them where you are from)

Anyway, they failed because of supply and management issues that party resulted from them trying to move into the market too fast (They basically opened over 100 so stores at once). Still, I think it could be a relevent issue because when they announced they were coming there were people worried it would be the end of small Canadian stores as they would be forced out of the market. It seems to me like a major chain moving into the nation would be something that more protectionist or pro-small bussiness nations would want to stop.

Then because they opened so many stores at once it was a bit of an issue when they closed because it put a lot of people out of work.