NS History: You've Got Questions, We've Got Answers!

[The Blaatschapen]

Just slightly curious, does NS have any correspondence with current events? I am pretty new, and I haven't seen much about it.

Sometimes. And I really mean sometimes. The April fools gag just might poke fun at RL happenings.

Beyond that, for NS Gameplay, there is a long standing rivalry between fascists/nazis/etc. on one hand and antifa/socialists/etc. on the other. In some ways similar to real life.

[Unibot III]

Just slightly curious, does NS have any correspondence with current events? I am pretty new, and I haven't seen much about it.

The most obvious example of RL bleeding into NS is the WA General Assembly, where topics that arise often are inspired by recent events.

As for NS Gameplay (and this claim is more philosophical than substantiated)...

My theory is that the War on Iraq impacted the rhetoric used against defenders in 2003-4 when defending began — defenders were interventionists, “world police” etc. And I think this rhetoric continued for sometime, and still persists.

I also think it’s not a coincidence that the Great Revival in NSGP coincided with the optimism of the early years of the Obama election/administration — I’ve previously noted that Balder/Osiris were being created in the most intense days of the Arab Spring.

I think the Trump Admin, the global panic surrounding populism, and the MeToo movement impacted NSGP in ways that haven’t been fully assessed, but that it helped inspire a period of intense political and social turmoil and change in NSGP. This isn’t to say that NSGP changed because of Trump or something like, but that the gameplay isn’t completely separated from the mood, the temper, and political climate of the real world at the time.

[Libertanny]

Not a strictly historical question, but related to history.

How did foreigners perceive 1 Infinite Loop? Any thoughts? Any memorable moments? Any opinions?

[The Blaatschapen]

Not a strictly historical question, but related to history.

How did foreigners perceive 1 Infinite Loop? Any thoughts? Any memorable moments? Any opinions?

What do you mean with foreigners?

players not from TEP?

[Libertanny]

Not a strictly historical question, but related to history.

How did foreigners perceive 1 Infinite Loop? Any thoughts? Any memorable moments? Any opinions?

What do you mean with foreigners?

players not from TEP?

Yep. People from outside of TEP.

[Atheris]

Probably not really a history question, but do or did [violet] or any other admins (if there are any) have forum/gameside nations?

[Comfed]

Probably not really a history question, but do or did [violet] or any other admins (if there are any) have forum/gameside nations?

SalusaSecondus, Ballotonia, Eluvatar, Pythagosaurus. No one but perhaps the mods know of [violet]’s nations.

[Crazy girl]

Not a strictly historical question, but related to history.

How did foreigners perceive 1 Infinite Loop? Any thoughts? Any memorable moments? Any opinions?

Invader-leaning, liked making (anime-related) flags. Seem to remember he liked mentioning the Farkers.

[Jack Frost]

Not a strictly historical question, but related to history.

How did foreigners perceive 1 Infinite Loop? Any thoughts? Any memorable moments? Any opinions?

Assuming this doesn’t offend you, I believe he was viewed as a dictator.

https://rejectedrealms.com/viewtopic.php?p=74592#p74592

This may help. Also go on the wayback and check embassies, assuming those existed then. I really don’t remember.

Edit: re:CG it’s funny the kind of things that you guys remember 18 years later.

Atheris: Testlandia?

[Crazy girl]

I also remember he wasn't happy with operation puppet master and mentioned that for a good while wherever he could, oh anonymous one.

But my memory is rubbish, I remember the flags because he made me some.

[Wickedly evil people]

Loop was a Farker

[Comfed]

When referencing NS2, why do people reference "There was an error processing this template element"?

[Reploid Productions]

When referencing NS2, why do people reference "There was an error processing this template element"?

That was the most common error message that showed up when something broke... and something was ALWAYS broken.

[Pluvie]

This might be a bit of a broad question, but can I ask about the original FRA? I know Founderless has made somewhat of a comeback recently but it's hard to tell where they actually came back from. Thanks in advance!

-Ara

[Sedgistan]

That's a very broad question. The FRA was founded in 2006 by Big Killer Babys (North Pacific -- not the feeder one), Northern Chittowa (Global Right Alliance), and The Merlion (Jethnea). It was a multi-regional defender alliance set up to avoid the politics of the ADN and RLA, with a simple mission to defend all regions. With the collapse of the ADN's successor (the DSA) in around 2007, the FRA along with TITO were the two most significant defender organisations over the following 3-4 years until the UDL came into being. The FRA played a key role in the early Security Council, particularly with Liberations, with prominent missions including freeing Belgium (while the Liberation proposal was still at vote; an FRA intel agent got the password), and the Liberation, reclaiming and refounding of Feudal Japan.

During the FRA's early years, NationStates as a whole was in decline, though the peak of the FRA's significance was probably around 2009-10 during the post-Jolt revival. It struggled for activity at times after the UDL launched, waxing and waning, but eventually shut down in 2016. A lot of old FRAers remained active in the Rejected Realms, which was a former member region, and then more recently in Founderless, which is viewed as a "spiritual successor".

Prominent FRAers include myself, Falconias, Numero Capitan, Cocodian, Spartzerina/Spartzerium, Zaolat/Mekhet/Wabbitslayah, Frattastan, Guy, Dyr Nasad, Wopruthien, Harmoneia, Neasmyrna, Chin-Chillas, and some others who will probably be offended I have forgotten them.

[Odreria]

Just slightly curious, does NS have any correspondence with current events? I am pretty new, and I haven't seen much about it.

The most obvious example of RL bleeding into NS is the WA General Assembly, where topics that arise often are inspired by recent events.

As for NS Gameplay (and this claim is more philosophical than substantiated)...

My theory is that the War on Iraq impacted the rhetoric used against defenders in 2003-4 when defending began — defenders were interventionists, “world police” etc. And I think this rhetoric continued for sometime, and still persists.

I also think it’s not a coincidence that the Great Revival in NSGP coincided with the optimism of the early years of the Obama election/administration — I’ve previously noted that Balder/Osiris were being created in the most intense days of the Arab Spring.

I think the Trump Admin, the global panic surrounding populism, and the MeToo movement impacted NSGP in ways that haven’t been fully assessed, but that it helped inspire a period of intense political and social turmoil and change in NSGP. This isn’t to say that NSGP changed because of Trump or something like, but that the gameplay isn’t completely separated from the mood, the temper, and political climate of the real world at the time.

What’s the great revival?

[Alfonzo]

The most obvious example of RL bleeding into NS is the WA General Assembly, where topics that arise often are inspired by recent events.

As for NS Gameplay (and this claim is more philosophical than substantiated)...

My theory is that the War on Iraq impacted the rhetoric used against defenders in 2003-4 when defending began — defenders were interventionists, “world police” etc. And I think this rhetoric continued for sometime, and still persists.

I also think it’s not a coincidence that the Great Revival in NSGP coincided with the optimism of the early years of the Obama election/administration — I’ve previously noted that Balder/Osiris were being created in the most intense days of the Arab Spring.

I think the Trump Admin, the global panic surrounding populism, and the MeToo movement impacted NSGP in ways that haven’t been fully assessed, but that it helped inspire a period of intense political and social turmoil and change in NSGP. This isn’t to say that NSGP changed because of Trump or something like, but that the gameplay isn’t completely separated from the mood, the temper, and political climate of the real world at the time.

What’s the great revival?

It's what Uni thinks brought life back into the game. I think you should develop your own opinions by listening to more people instead of unibot though.

[Pluvie]

That's a very broad question. The FRA was founded in 2006 by Big Killer Babys (North Pacific -- not the feeder one), Northern Chittowa (Global Right Alliance), and The Merlion (Jethnea). It was a multi-regional defender alliance set up to avoid the politics of the ADN and RLA, with a simple mission to defend all regions. With the collapse of the ADN's successor (the DSA) in around 2007, the FRA along with TITO were the two most significant defender organisations over the following 3-4 years until the UDL came into being. The FRA played a key role in the early Security Council, particularly with Liberations, with prominent missions including freeing Belgium (while the Liberation proposal was still at vote; an FRA intel agent got the password), and the Liberation, reclaiming and refounding of Feudal Japan.

During the FRA's early years, NationStates as a whole was in decline, though the peak of the FRA's significance was probably around 2009-10 during the post-Jolt revival. It struggled for activity at times after the UDL launched, waxing and waning, but eventually shut down in 2016. A lot of old FRAers remained active in the Rejected Realms, which was a former member region, and then more recently in Founderless, which is viewed as a "spiritual successor".

Prominent FRAers include myself, Falconias, Numero Capitan, Cocodian, Spartzerina/Spartzerium, Zaolat/Mekhet/Wabbitslayah, Frattastan, Guy, Dyr Nasad, Wopruthien, Harmoneia, Neasmyrna, Chin-Chillas, and some others who will probably be offended I have forgotten them.

Interesting!! Also I did say it might be a bit of a broad question Also yeah wow I recognize a lotta those names which is saying something considering I really don’t know that much NS lore. Honestly I didn’t realize the FRA was that big! Also you mentioned a couple other defender alliances and now it occurs to me that defenders seem to have like a lot of alliances, is that just like defender tradition? Is there some reason for that? I mean like I know raiders work together all the time as well, but they usually don’t have like clear alliances around it. Anyway, just wondering, and thanks!!

[Sedgistan]

What’s the great revival?

It's what Uni thinks brought life back into the game. I think you should develop your own opinions by listening to more people instead of unibot though.

He may or may not have coined the term (I don't recall), but it's a generally accepted term to refer to the 2009-10 period which saw significant tech changes implemented following the split with Jolt, and an increase in NS population & activity.

Interesting!! Also I did say it might be a bit of a broad question Also yeah wow I recognize a lotta those names which is saying something considering I really don’t know that much NS lore. Honestly I didn’t realize the FRA was that big! Also you mentioned a couple other defender alliances and now it occurs to me that defenders seem to have like a lot of alliances, is that just like defender tradition? Is there some reason for that? I mean like I know raiders work together all the time as well, but they usually don’t have like clear alliances around it. Anyway, just wondering, and thanks!!

It was a long-standing tradition of the defender side that regions grouped together into larger alliances. Those served two purposes - firstly to protect each other (there were more significant founderless regions in earlier years), and secondly because defending tends to be reactive in nature - a solitary invader region could pick the day its 5 updaters would be on to take a region, and then just 1 of them would be needed the rest of the week to hold it. A defender region didn't have that luxury - they had to have their 5 people on every day to combat that potential invasion as they didn't know what day it would come. Pooling their resources and working together allowed them to better cope with this.

While there hasn't been a multi-regional defender alliance since the FRA shut down (PFS may be changing this though), that cooperation has continued in Libcord. The other reason for the alliances (founderless regions joining for protection) is less relevant now - there aren't so many significant founderless regions, and joining a defender org had a tendency to make them an even more desirable target for invaders.

[Zul-ar]

Can someone tell me about NS2?

[The Dodo Republic]

Question. What was the saddest and worst example of a region "Falling from grace"

[Valentine Z]

I figured that this might be a little fitting here, but this might be not so... NSGP-related. All right, here it is.

Data obtained from 3-4 days of legal API calls, for all the nations on NS. All pertaining to NS-stats and public shards, of course.

I know Residency is not exactly the most... accurate stat because it was made a little later, but still, what caused such a gap in the Residency numbers as shown in the graph? Like there is this forbidden zone between the relatively older and newer nations.

(I also love how there are just the 3 of us posting relatively at the same time.)

[Pluvie]

It was a long-standing tradition of the defender side that regions grouped together into larger alliances. Those served two purposes - firstly to protect each other (there were more significant founderless regions in earlier years), and secondly because defending tends to be reactive in nature - a solitary invader region could pick the day its 5 updaters would be on to take a region, and then just 1 of them would be needed the rest of the week to hold it. A defender region didn't have that luxury - they had to have their 5 people on every day to combat that potential invasion as they didn't know what day it would come. Pooling their resources and working together allowed them to better cope with this.

While there hasn't been a multi-regional defender alliance since the FRA shut down (PFS may be changing this though), that cooperation has continued in Libcord. The other reason for the alliances (founderless regions joining for protection) is less relevant now - there aren't so many significant founderless regions, and joining a defender org had a tendency to make them an even more desirable target for invaders.

Regional cooperation! I love it Thanks so much Sedge ^-^

[Comfed]

Question. What was the saddest and worst example of a region "Falling from grace"

OOC or IC?

[Nepleslia]

Question. What was the saddest and worst example of a region "Falling from grace"

OOC or IC?

Not the OP (obviously), but why not both?