I am sure that there will be no sarcastic responses to this.
In all seriousness, I pitched this idea a few weeks ago to some of my colleagues and formulated it today for the first time. I present to you, the first edition of...
The NationStates Hall of Fame
Website / Nominations Form: https://sites.google.com/view/nshof
The goal of the Hall of Fame is honour players that have made huge, constructive contributions to the game over the 18 years or so that this great game has been around.
Here's the process I intend to follow. These dates are not binding - just a guideline.
Phase 1: Nominations - June 30 - July 12
Nomination form is open now until I get back from vacation (going to my cottage July 4-11). Players of any walk of life can nominate a minimum of 1, maximum of 5 players for consideration. From these nominations, I will select an initial nomination field of 40 players, and proceed to Phase 2.
Phase 2: Selection Committee Formation - July 13 - 19
In this phase, I will seek out a group of individuals who are NOT in that initial class of 40 honourees, who are educated enough in NationStates history and culture to make an educated contribution to the selection process.
Phase 3: Selection Committee Meeting - July 20 - 26
The Selection Committee will discuss (probably on Discord) the 40 nominees, the merits of each, make an argument for/against, and eventually have a sealed-ballot vote to induct the initial class - the 20 in 2020.
Phase 4: Honours Writing - July 27 - Aug 10
Over the next couple weeks, the Selection Committee will author some meritable statements about the players who have had a constructive impact on our game, and may solicit opinions from the general public. Though discretion will be used, it's probably inevitable that some of the names will leak out during this phase.
Phase 5: Presentation - Aug 11 or Later
Once we are ready, the Committee will present the inaugural 20 in 2020 on NSGP and submit to NSToday.
Future
I'd like to repeat this process near the beginning of every year beginning in early 2021, with a future class of maximum 10 each year.
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Feedback is very welcome in the comments in this thread; otherwise, happy nominating - I'll leave this open until at least July 11th.
Questions you might have:
Why are you qualified to do this?
I'm probably not, but I've been on NationStates for 17 years, and not many others have attempted a full-game Hall of Fame from a neutral point of view.
What qualifies someone for the Hall of Fame?
This is subjective, but someone who has had an indisputable constructive impact on NationStates.
Is this going to favour defenders?
No - raiders, in their own right, have had an objectively constructive impact on the activity levels of NationStates.
Will players who did not participate in raider-defender gameplay be considered?
Of course. We hope to not make this about defending vs. raiding, and have this as balanced of an in-character contribution approach as possible.
Who will be on the Selection Committee?
Players that have had significant length of service in NationStates (10+ years) and have a strong understanding of NationStates history. The Committee will be fairly balanced between different factions of the game.