[MEGATHREAD] Unusual Issue Effects

[Trotterdam]

It's fairly unlikely for any nation to achieve a sincere 100% atheism rate. So long as there's a small but stubborn minority of religious people, the issue's fine.

[The Free Joy State]

Should he have even gotten that issue? Surely you need a fair bit religiousness to get that issue in addition to having banned religion. If Frieden-und Freudenland is in the top 0.07% of the world for secularism, does getting that issue really make narrative sense?

It's fairly unlikely for any nation to achieve a sincere 100% atheism rate. So long as there's a small but stubborn minority of religious people, the issue's fine.

^Trotterdam is correct. It's safe to assume that -- no matter how hard you work to suppress something -- clusters of dissidents will remain.

In order to receive this issue, a nation doesn't need high religiousness, but rather needs to have have taken answered issues in a way that either outlaws or discourages religion in order to receive the option. It is even possible for a nation to receive this issue while having a named religion. It's the hidden stats we go by.

Basically, five governmental stances on religion are coded into the hidden stats: state atheism, discouraged to varying degrees, not frowned-upon but not actively encouraged either, encouraged but with some freedom of worship (to varying degrees), and state theocracy.

The issue is fine. However, religion will continue secretly, even where suppressed (I remember hearing of attempts to smuggle Bibles into communist China).

[Frieden-und Freudenland]

It's fairly unlikely for any nation to achieve a sincere 100% atheism rate. So long as there's a small but stubborn minority of religious people, the issue's fine.

Yes.

Even the world #1 for secularism (a nation named Uniserve) has an atheism rate of 99.55%.

My atheism rate is 99.25%, and there are over 100 nations ranked between us.

I guess 100% is practically impossible.

[Divitalia]

In @@NATION@@‘s Racers Growing Fast and Furious, picking option one caused my tourism to go down instead of up, despite the text saying it “brings in millions of spectators.”

[The Free Joy State]

In @@NATION@@‘s Racers Growing Fast and Furious, picking option one caused my tourism to go down instead of up, despite the text saying it “brings in millions of spectators.”

The "millions of spectators" is mentioned in the effect line. Effect lines are jokes that are not to be taken literally, and are never used to when calculating stats.

So "millions of spectators" is not relevant here. The option is more focused on businesses, on "charging admission and selling drinks and stuff", and your general economic output, as well as your beverage industry and fast-food industry, all went up (as the text of the option suggested they would).

Additionally, tourism in NationStates is mostly driven by a number of secondary effects that the game thinks impacts tourism in your nation. An ongoing beta review is underway, discussing how various secondary effects interact with each other. For now, it's safe to assume hidden secondary effects are always impacting tourist numbers.

[Trithereon]

999.3 - subsidizing space tourism has no effect on scientific advancement?

[The Free Joy State]

999.3 - subsidizing space tourism has no effect on scientific advancement?

I can find no record of you having answered that issue.

If you answered on a puppet, please give the name of the puppet and the approximate date when you received it.

[Trotterdam]

Regardless, my data supports that out of 745 sightings, #999 3 has never affected Scientific Advacement either positively or negatively. Interestingly, ever other option on the issue does affect it one way or another.

[The Free Joy State]

Regardless, my data supports that out of 745 sightings, #999 3 has never affected Scientific Advacement either positively or negatively. Interestingly, ever other option on the issue does affect it one way or another.

Speaking broadly -- although different nations may have different results (where you start will impact on where you end, etc) -- option three works on the basis that you already have space tourism, so it's not a new policy (more government subsidies for an existing policy). Also, it says that people "can" go, not that they will.

Basically, it presents people with an option. But flat-earthers aren't likely to want their perceptions challenged.

Compare with the other options, which often do alter scientific advancement:

Option 1 actively promotes flat earth belief, which is a new policy and will often lower scientific advancement
Option 2 actively works on denouncing flat earth theory, and so often boosts scientific advancement.
Option 4 actively works to improve science education, which can boost science advancement.

These all take active steps to increase or eradicate a belief in a flat earth. Option three merely presents the option, but there's no pressure for anyone to take it.

EDIT: It's worth saying here that scientific advancement is a secondary stat and is effected by multiple factors, so changes to other stats in options may have a knock-on effect. I can only speak broadly here, because I don't have the specifics of a nation to work on.

[Trotterdam]

Basically, it presents people with an option. But flat-earthers aren't likely to want their perceptions challenged.

Makes sense.

Space travel doesn't really work if the earth is flat (they call them "orbits" for a reason... so space tourism is usually suborbital rather than a true orbit, but still), so flat-earthers would likely believe that the space tourism providers are members of the conspiracy whose rockets actually take people to brainwashing camps or whatever rather than to space, if the rockets even ever carry real people rather than performing the brainwashing during the pre-flight orientation and then launching an empty rocket for show. I honestly have trouble seeing how you could believe that the earth is flat without believing that the moon landings were faked, etc.

[The Glorious Third Reign of Templedom]

Issue 462 option 4 raised my taxes by 2% for -10 weather and NON-EXISTENT BENEFIT TO MANUFACTURING.

This is a pro bono public advisory message.

[Trotterdam]

Issue 462 option 4 raised my taxes by 2% for -10 weather and NON-EXISTENT BENEFIT TO MANUFACTURING.

...Manufacturing?

Why would you expect that that issue would affect manufacturing?

[The Glorious Third Reign of Templedom]

Issue 462 option 4 raised my taxes by 2% for -10 weather and NON-EXISTENT BENEFIT TO MANUFACTURING.

...Manufacturing?

Why would you expect that that issue would affect manufacturing?

Because the option says work can carry on all through the night.

Also, we hab lobotz.

[Candlewhisper Archive]

Hmm, that issue is meant to give a global boost to economic output, but the Sector: Manufacturing inputs are weird, and are essentially suppressed by a load of other factors.

I'll tweak the stats, see what happens.

edit: Yep, should work better now.

[Candlewhisper Archive]

In @@NATION@@‘s Racers Growing Fast and Furious, picking option one caused my tourism to go down instead of up, despite the text saying it “brings in millions of spectators.”

In addition to what Free Joy State said, note this from the opening FAQ under known bugs:

1) Tourism doesn't always go up when you expect it to.
Tourism is excessively dependent on the environment in the current simulation, so an issue that trades environment for additional tourism will normally result in a spurious fall in tourism.

Note that the underlying algorithm is due a fix, to deemphasise environmental impact on tourism, and up the effect of actual tourist attractions.

[Earthbound Immortal Squad]

I have one how does an increase in truancy create a world class fashion industry I can't remember the issue but I know I chose the first option.

[He Qixin]

476.1 caused an increase of 0.01 points to my corruption and a decrease of 0.03 points to my integrity?! On my puppets the change is usually the other way around.

[Candlewhisper Archive]

I have one how does an increase in truancy create a world class fashion industry I can't remember the issue but I know I chose the first option.

Well, I think we have a new winner for worst ever Unusual Issue Effect reporting.

To quote the opening post of this thread:

When reporting these, ideally include the following information:

- The name of the nation that had this effect
- The day that this effect was encountered
- The name of the issue, and if you know it, the number of the issue.

I note that the nation you are posting from has not answered any issues in the past 5 days. Going to need more to go on here.

[Candlewhisper Archive]

476.1 caused an increase of 0.01 points to my corruption and a decrease of 0.03 points to my integrity?! On my puppets the change is usually the other way around.

Effects vary. Emergent sim. Multiple factors.

http://www.mwq.dds.nl/ns/results/476.html

[The Glorious Third Reign of Templedom]

Hmm, that issue is meant to give a global boost to economic output, but the Sector: Manufacturing inputs are weird, and are essentially suppressed by a load of other factors.

I'll tweak the stats, see what happens.

edit: Yep, should work better now.

Thanks. I'll consider re-picking the same option next time then!

[Frieden-und Freudenland]

Hey, this was devious!

(#907, Option 5)

“Got to say, all those extras sound kind of bulky,” observes Rosalia Yates, who smells faintly of petrol. “You probably ought to allow bikes to have some sort of on-board motive dynamo to help with that weight, maybe one or two extra wheels for stability, a vertical column and wheel steering system, and some sort of metal casing to protect the rider and all the delicate parts. In fact, with the extra power on board, you could also put some passenger seats in.”

I thought this would create rickshaw-like vehicles or something. It cancelled my no-cars policy!!!

[All are Equal]

Mandatory vaccination leads to capital punishment?

[Trotterdam]

Hey, this was devious!

(#907, Option 5)

“Got to say, all those extras sound kind of bulky,” observes Rosalia Yates, who smells faintly of petrol. “You probably ought to allow bikes to have some sort of on-board motive dynamo to help with that weight, maybe one or two extra wheels for stability, a vertical column and wheel steering system, and some sort of metal casing to protect the rider and all the delicate parts. In fact, with the extra power on board, you could also put some passenger seats in.”

I thought this would create rickshaw-like vehicles or something. It cancelled my no-cars policy!!!

I guess the wording "motive dynamo" is a bit obscure, but I felt it fairly apparent from context that it means a motor. The mention of "extra power on board" also implies a powered vehicle.

Mandatory vaccination leads to capital punishment?

You should say what issue you're talking about. There's more than one issue in the game that addresses vaccination.

Based on your national history, it looks like you're talking about #1013 2, which reads:

2. "Humanity eradicated the Maxtopian Pox by vaccinating every single person," whispers public health official @@RANDOMNAME@@, trying to stick a needle in you. "But these days, we have become complacent. In preparation for the inevitable outbreak, we must mandate routine vaccination against the Maxtopian Pox for everyone! Those who refuse to be vaccinated must be infected with the virus and left to die in the isolated wilderness as a demonstration of what will happen if we don't prepare."

That sounds pretty clear to me.

It is of course a crazy option, but it's not like it's vague.

[God Fearing Devoted]

Ah, I didn't equate "leave to die" with "execute.

[Eastfield Lodge]

Ah, I didn't equate "leave to die" with "execute.

It's not so much the "leave to die" bit, really, more the "must be infected ... as a demonstration" bit.