RPing Questions? Ask Here!

[Bluelight-R006]

I'm making a roleplay, which is a post - nuclear disastar, and the remaining to new nations try to dominate or survive in the new apocalypse world.

Any ideas for a good name?

I was thinking like "A New Start"
Or
"The World Fell Apart"
Or
"The World Turned Upside Down"

Are these okay? Or are there better ones

A New Start, A New Beginning, The Era of Tomorrow, Rebuilding

Those are my suggestions.

[Jasonvillee]

I'm making a roleplay, which is a post - nuclear disastar, and the remaining to new nations try to dominate or survive in the new apocalypse world.

Any ideas for a good name?

I was thinking like "A New Start"
Or
"The World Fell Apart"
Or
"The World Turned Upside Down"

Are these okay? Or are there better ones

A New Start, A New Beginning, The Era of Tomorrow, Rebuilding

Those are my suggestions.

Era of Tomorrow seems good, thank you!

[Oppermenia]

What’s a good way of advertising an international incidents RP?

[Madossa]

I would like to improve the quality of my posts, however, I feel as though I cannot manage to do so. I've read through plenty of guides, and I have read through multiple RPs, but I think my posts and RPs, in general, are sub par. Is there anything I can do?

[Shwe Tu Colony]

I would like to improve the quality of my posts, however, I feel as though I cannot manage to do so. I've read through plenty of guides, and I have read through multiple RPs, but I think my posts and RPs, in general, are sub par. Is there anything I can do?

Read more, write more, see what you like & what you think sounds good. Also, the mentors around here would be willing to help ye.

[Yohannes]

---

Hello, fellow NationStates writers!

My RPing questions,

I like to read random writers' threads in my spare time. It's nothing big, but recently, I've noticed a rapid increase in the number of NationStates N&I RP writers (including popular NS writers who had never done it before) who'd write something like:

"Kayla, I don't know what you're talking about." Said Abigail.

instead of:

"Kayla, I don't know what you're talking about," said Abigail.

and:

"They are going to lose weight.'' The man said into the microphone.

instead of:

"They are going to lose weight,'' the man said into the microphone.

Is this the latest thing in NationStates RP fashions, or am I missing something? Sadly, I'm not a qualified English teacher. Would it be safe for me to follow this latest NS writing trend?

Thank you!

[Shwe Tu Colony]

It looks obviously off for me, & I've never seen that sort of writing in published works with that dialogue tag where it's followed immediately after by a variant of "said." That said, when I worked with my creative writing teacher, she did mention that if the text lacks a "said" & simply skips to an action, then you'd use a period & capitalize, & this pattern has held up when I flipped through some other books in my house. In your examples, they would be <," said> instead of <." Said>. Looking through some of my own posts, though, it seems that I didn't quite follow that rule all the time, & used <,"> at all times, even with an isolated action. :v

[Karevka]

Hi, are there any beginner level RP's in International Incidents I could participate in? I sort of want to break out of Forum 7 and NationStates RP'ing as well as improve in general.

[The Archipelago Territory]

Hi, are there any beginner level RP's in International Incidents I could participate in? I sort of want to break out of Forum 7 and NationStates RP'ing as well as improve in general.

[removed]

[The Archipelago Territory]

Hi, are there any beginner level RP's in International Incidents I could participate in? I sort of want to break out of Forum 7 and NationStates RP'ing as well as improve in general.

If you want I can make a beginner level RP if you’re interested as a summit between our 2 leaders.

[Karevka]

Hi, are there any beginner level RP's in International Incidents I could participate in? I sort of want to break out of Forum 7 and NationStates RP'ing as well as improve in general.

If you want I can make a beginner level RP if you’re interested as a summit between our 2 leaders.

Don't worry, I'm good. I've already found one. Thanks for asking though.

[Vals Hyrserd]

I am trying to do an RP inspired by the

https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Monaco_succession_crisis_of_1918

and I am having difficulties finding someone interested in playing the most important part, the controversial heir. Any suggestions?

https://forum.nationstates.net/viewtopic.php?f=5&t=467913

[Karteria]

I am helping to create a medieval RP region, but have noticed in the past that people looking for a similar-era RP often ask for one "without gunpowder."

Does anyone know why that is? And what limits should be placed on gunpowder production/usage?

[Shwe Tu Colony]

I am helping to create a medieval RP region, but have noticed in the past that people looking for a similar-era RP often ask for one "without gunpowder."

Does anyone know why that is? And what limits should be place on gunpowder production/usage?

I'd wager it's since most people think of the medieval era as one without or before gunpowder, especially since its introduction is usually thought to have changed medieval battles quite a bit. I'm not a historian, but that's generally how I've heard & seen depictions of medieval & gunpowder.

[Azadliq]

I am helping to create a medieval RP region, but have noticed in the past that people looking for a similar-era RP often ask for one "without gunpowder."

Does anyone know why that is? And what limits should be placed on gunpowder production/usage?

Gunpowder fundamentally changed war. All of the sudden you could arm entire armies with weapons that could kill men from hundreds of meters away (without the skill that a bow requires). YOu could build massive cannons and topple walls previously thought impenetrable (i.e. Constantinople). This change coincided with the renaissance, which led to widespread political and religious upheaval previously unheard of in Europe.

Ultimately, making a roleplay set in the Medieval or another pre-gunpowder era is fundamentally different. War, battles, and society as a whole worked differently.

[A m e n r i a]

I am helping to create a medieval RP region, but have noticed in the past that people looking for a similar-era RP often ask for one "without gunpowder."

Does anyone know why that is? And what limits should be placed on gunpowder production/usage?

Gunpowder fills the same niches bows and arrows do, without the added grace. Think about it - bows and arrows require skill and finesse, which is why you'd see elves and other beautiful creatures wield them in medieval works. In contrast, the only thing you need to know if you plan on using a gun is only how to aim and pull a trigger, which might be a turn-off for people who prefer more aethetic themes. If you want to have limited gunpowder, make it so only artillery could use them or make it unique to a certain race/nation.

[Vals Hyrserd]

Gunpowder fundamentally changed war. All of the sudden you could arm entire armies with weapons that could kill men from hundreds of meters away (without the skill that a bow requires). YOu could build massive cannons and topple walls previously thought impenetrable (i.e. Constantinople). This change coincided with the renaissance, which led to widespread political and religious upheaval previously unheard of in Europe.

Ultimately, making a roleplay set in the Medieval or another pre-gunpowder era is fundamentally different. War, battles, and society as a whole worked differently.

It wasn't sudden. The invention of gunpowder, predated the invention of guns, by centuries. It was also took centuries to be discovered by the Europeans. Most people probably think that medieval Europe had no gun powder, but during the end of the Late Medieval Period, gunpowder artillery was used. However, even as muskets were introduced, they were used alongside bows and pikes.

[Ella2 6]

Vals is correct. Historians suspect that gunpowder was discovered as early as the 1st or 2nd century, but it was not until the 14th and 15th century that the arquebus and the musket first appeared in the Ottoman empire. The middles ages ended in the 15th century, so it's mainly the 15th century that people are talking about gunpowder being very prevalent.

Wikipedia is not good for giving very fine and specific details but is excellent for sweeping overviews especially in ancient history. For this reason, Wikipedia articles are a good starting point for further research. I'll link the relevant posts here.

The History of Gunpowder
The History of the Firearm
The History of the Gun
The History of the Cannon

Gunpowder was first used by the Chinese as a military weapon in the late Tang Dynasty around the 9th-10th century. These were supposedly bamboo tubes filled with gun powder that fire spears at people. The fire lance appeared later and was basically a tube of gunpowder attached to the end of a spear with a burning match. At first, it was just a flamethrower for shock tactics but later as the quality of gunpowder improved they fired shrapnel like a shotgun.

After the fire lance, the cannon as a piece of artillery appear around the 12th-13th century and was likely derived from the fire lance. The hand cannon appeared in the 13th century and they were the first firearms. These were shotguns that were attached to the end of a long pole that you either mounted on a stick or held with the pole under your armpit. They were different from fire lances in that the shotgun flamethrower was now an independent weapon as opposed to a coaxially mounted auxiliary weapon meant to compliment the spear.

In the 14th century, the arquebus appeared and they were (to my understanding) the first real long guns that you could fire volleys from over long distances in a fashion vaguely similar to early modern warfare. The musket appeared in the Ottoman empire in the late 15th century. During this time, the smoothbore gun was treated kind of like a loud and obnoxious crossbow and was used alongside the regular medieval weaponry. If I recall correctly, the gunners would use square brick formations alongside pikemen instead of the line formations that would later dominate the battlefield in the 17th century onwards.

[New Aeyariss]

I would like to point out that the tactics and methods of employment of gunpowder weapons also differed throughout centuries.

Early gunpowder weapons (as hussites called them "hook guns") were too heavy for field employment and were used mostly for defending fortifications. Usually, they fired nails and small balls instead of classical rounds against incoming enemy assaults - as due to their lack of accuracy, they were useless on long range, and thus that range was left for crossbows. Still, a decent firepower combined with capability to easily move it around made it a versatile and effective weapon.

It's late XV century when we get the first classical "aqerbuses", which start to resemble firearms we know. At that time, the mounted, armored horseman is still present on the field of battle, and a firearm is not more efficient than a bow (cavalry oriented eastern european armies preferred bows up to XVIII century due to higher rates of fire - it was the lower costs of training and upkeep that decided of firearms replacing archers). At that time, usually pike was the dominant weapon; muskets were meant to support it.

True dominance of the firearms appears only with Maurice of Nassau and his idea of battalions. Throughout second half of XVIII century, pikes slowly disappear, as new innovations (faster loading muskets, introduction of bayonets) makes pikes unnecessary, and this is the moment that the firearm dominance truly begins.

If you want a "medieval region" I think that you should use year 1530 as the marginal date technology wise, at least in European terms - in short, Italian Wars tech. True, while musketeers are present on the field of battle, so are heavily armored knights (though no longer as lethal as in the old days, they can still be extremely effective if used as combined arms force with infantry and musketeers). Infantry at that time, while using gundpowder weapons, is still dominated by pike formations, which are product of late medieval military reforms - and some countries, like England still retain armies organized in medieval manner (and such armies actually triumphed much more modern force during battle of Flodden in 1513!). The culture of chivalry had not yet died out, and won't for quite a while.

In most of the east, warfare is still practiced in the old mongol manner, though the introduction of gunpowder slowly starts to change it - nevertheless, highly mobile cavalry is still the dominant arm.

That's my answer to this question. If you want to read more about the period, here is a link.

[Yohannes]

---

This post was originally made for the “NS Non-Military Realism Consultation Thread Mk. 4” thread, but I’ve decided to repost this here.

I’m a wee bit lost, my apologies for this. In modern ship construction, hull units for assembly and block erection are prefabricated individually in workshops and yards. Before being put together as the body of a ship and sent to a yard (or other assembly sites), they go through independent industry standards inspections, preoutfitting, preerection, blasting and other stages.

At each step, industry inefficiencies, existing regulations and standards (e.g. strictness) and other things will affect shipbuilding speed and costs for the firms and subcontractors involved. For an In-Character post in one of my threads, I’d like to write about the really bad shipbuilding inefficiencies in my fictional nation on NationStates, but I need some pointers. Which real-life countries are good examples of countries with efficient shipbuilding and marine industries, and why?

Thank u so much for your time!

Edit: Don’t worry about being right or wrong, I won’t bite!

[Bears Armed]

---

This post was originally made for the “NS Non-Military Realism Consultation Thread Mk. 4” thread, but I’ve decided to repost this here.

I’m a wee bit lost, my apologies for this. In modern ship construction, hull units for assembly and block erection are prefabricated individually in workshops and yards. Before being put together as the body of a ship and sent to a yard (or other assembly sites), they go through independent industry standards inspections, preoutfitting, preerection, blasting and other stages.

At each step, industry inefficiencies, existing regulations and standards (e.g. strictness) and other things will affect shipbuilding speed and costs for the firms and subcontractors involved. For an In-Character post in one of my threads, I’d like to write about the really bad shipbuilding inefficiencies in my fictional nation on NationStates, but I need some pointers. Which real-life countries are good examples of countries with efficient shipbuilding and marine industries, and why?

Thank u so much for your time! (Image)

Edit: Don’t worry about being right or wrong, I won’t bite!

Allegedly-true story from RL Britain _
At one stage, at least in civilian shipyards, the various "trades" disagreed about which of them should have priority over the others for installing their various pipes, conduits, wires, and so on, in areas where two or more of these were supposed to run. Eventually they settled on what was known as "the Olympic System". One person from each group would line up just inside the gate into that dock, carrying a section of the pipe or tube or wire or whatever concerned, and would have to race to the relevant part of the ship - -still carrying that item -- when the foreman signalled the start: Whoever got where first could then put their stuff into place first... which, given the weights & ease of carrying involved, usually meant that the thicker tubes ended up having to be bent around the narrower cables had rather than (as would have been a more logical procedure) vice versa...

[HSaboteur]

I don't god mod, but in my roleplay, there are characters who have magic powers, which basically gives them the ability to do whatever they want. So... help?

[Yohannes]

Allegedly-true story from RL Britain _
At one stage, at least in civilian shipyards, the various "trades" disagreed about which of them should have priority over the others for installing their various pipes, conduits, wires, and so on, in areas where two or more of these were supposed to run. Eventually they settled on what was known as "the Olympic System". One person from each group would line up just inside the gate into that dock, carrying a section of the pipe or tube or wire or whatever concerned, and would have to race to the relevant part of the ship - -still carrying that item -- when the foreman signalled the start: Whoever got where first could then put their stuff into place first... which, given the weights & ease of carrying involved, usually meant that the thicker tubes ended up having to be bent around the narrower cables had rather than (as would have been a more logical procedure) vice versa...

Interesting, I never knew. Do you have a link to peer-reviewed journals or book chapters (or any online resource) about this that I can see so I can read it myself?

Thank you Bears Armed!

Edit: And I'm asking for examples of countries with efficient shipbuilding and marine industries, not inefficient.

[Shwe Tu Colony]

I don't god mod, but in my roleplay, there are characters who have magic powers, which basically gives them the ability to do whatever they want. So... help?

So you have limitless genies?
Whatever they are, they can be limited internally rather than externally. Instead of having them unable to do anything, maybe they don't feel a need nor want to interfere with mortals' affairs, since any lower being that means anything can always theoretically be recreated. On the other end of things, maybe they're bored & want to see something else completely random happen. If they have the ability to do whatever they want, what if they don't know what they want because everything they can experience has, accordingly, already been experienced by them? If they get involved in roleplays of less magical beings, they get a degree of spontaneity that they can't really recreate with their wishes. Other solution is to plainly nerf them so that it's limited to their nation's areas only, which is what I do so I can have a fun time elsewhere, though I was mainly thinking about warfare with my decision.

[Bears Armed]

Allegedly-true story from RL Britain _
At one stage, at least in civilian shipyards, the various "trades" disagreed about which of them should have priority over the others for installing their various pipes, conduits, wires, and so on, in areas where two or more of these were supposed to run. Eventually they settled on what was known as "the Olympic System". One person from each group would line up just inside the gate into that dock, carrying a section of the pipe or tube or wire or whatever concerned, and would have to race to the relevant part of the ship - -still carrying that item -- when the foreman signalled the start: Whoever got where first could then put their stuff into place first... which, given the weights & ease of carrying involved, usually meant that the thicker tubes ended up having to be bent around the narrower cables had rather than (as would have been a more logical procedure) vice versa...

Interesting, I never knew. Do you have a link to peer-reviewed journals or book chapters (or any online resource) about this that I can see so I can read it myself?

Thank you Bears Armed!

Edit: And I'm asking for examples of countries with efficient shipbuilding and marine industries, not inefficient.

Sorry, it's just something that I read somewhere or other years ago.
A quick google suggests that actually it might be apocryphal, originating in a work of fiction... but in the light of some practices historically within British industry it did sound plausible...