Forum 7's Factbook Contest!

[Khoronzon]

A few I'd like to nominate:

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Factbook Name: The Inception of Bloodshade
Factbook URL: https://www.nationstates.net/nation=blo ... /id=831814
Reasons for being a Honorable Mention: This is honestly an exemplary overview factbook in my eyes, it has basically everything you'd want in one and more. It covers just about all the bases in detail without relying on the convenience of the wiki-style omniscient third-person presentation, the in-character narration makes all the information feel more "real" and engaging to go through, it has good use of formatting and images (though I will admit I have some criticisms here and there), and it's got some really nice concepts in it too - I always love reading about alien lifeforms and cultural norms, and those are a major part of both this factbook and what make Bloodshade itself stand out to me. And of course, there's a solid dose of signature Bloodshade hornyposting. Just really good stuff, and if it were up to me this would've been the winner of the overview section sorry Zitravgrad.

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Factbook Name: Karachi Trench Colony - Overview
Factbook URL: https://www.nationstates.net/nation=kar ... ok/id=main
Reasons for being a Honorable Mention: A bit of a "smaller" nation in terms of recognition and content, which I nonetheless think should get a bit more of a spotlight for how unique it is. As I've mentioned above, nations using alien biology and ecology to derive new cultures and civilisations different from our own is something I have a soft spot for, and the bleak, slowly dying tone of KTC is wonderfully executed on top of that. And of course, the fact that user is a fellow Spore-appreciating, grotesque-creature-designing thad is something I simply must commend.

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Factbook Name: Zitravgradian Wastelands: Testament of The Near-End of the World
Factbook URL: https://www.nationstates.net/page=dispatch/id=1402331
Reasons for being a Honorable Mention: I feel like KG was right about my world factbook not belonging in the Geography category in hindsight - judging by where other people put their international factbooks, it probably should've gone in Miscellaneous - which would make Wastelands the rightful winner of that category. I also just really like the tone of it - I've mentioned in my review of Zimarochenko that Zitravgrad has a real skill at packing atmosphere and feeling into terse, bureaucratic writing, and this factbook is another instance of just that. The desolation and melancholy come across rather well in the spokesperson's responses, between their matter-of-fact delivery of expository information, and it gives a clear picture of the uncomfortably accepted truth that the wastelands are and represent.

[Valentine Z]

Just a bump that the nominations are still open, and yes, I need to archive this soon after that before it gets pruned.

Also adding my nomination later! ^^

[Khoronzon]

bumping bc the thread's literally on its last day rn so uhhh

in case anyone comes up with new honourable mentions now would be the time

[Naval Monte]

Who are the current nominations?

[Khoronzon]

Who are the current nominations?

you can read them starting from here

[Kiu Ghesik]

I'll get some honorable nominations in a bit. Gotta read through all the choices first.

[Kiu Ghesik]

As promised, my nominations. I hope you all don't mind my posting them in a slightly unconventional format; I kind-of wanted to engineer it to provide a bit more wiggle room for me to write out my explanations than the current format gave. If you'd like me to change it just ask.

1 | A New Carthaginian Factory Worker's Life, by New Carthagea

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While "Slice of Life"-style factbooks are by no means a new idea, NC more or less singlehandedly revived the genre on F7 with Factory Worker, and in the process established a ground-level view of NC's politics that managed to actually contextualize precisely why NC has some of the political quirks it does. Thatcher comparisons notwithstanding, it's a really creative and novel means to worldbuild compared to the drab, third-person overviews we see so often, and I'm definitely keeping it in mind when I get to my cultural stuff. The emotional aspects of the piece combined with its quaint aesthetics endear the reader to Dickie over the course of only a few paragraphs and really let the reader empathize with his plight on both an immediate and a broad level. Good stuff all around, all things considered.... and, well, the pictures make me hungry. Mrm, mashed potatoes...

2 | Aozoratarianism, by Kyoki Chudoku

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Personally, I've always found the matter of "ideology" to be absolutely and completely underrepresented on NS- and yes, I know how ironic that sounds. Given all the @@IRL_IDEOLOGY_HERE@@ states on this website you'd think that ideology would be one of the topics most covered- but rather I find that outside of those ideologies extant in the present day hardly anyone covers the topic, and within that already tiny sample size even fewer people go the extra mile to come up with their own coherent ideology, even if said ideology might amount to "batshit totalitarianism isn't actually so batshit after all." Aozoratarianism competently and coherently covers the guiding ideology behind Kyoki Chudoku (at least before it broke in that one alt timeline) in a manner incredibly comprehensible to the reader, even going so far as to compare it to other ideologies as a means of contextualize it. If I wanted a better guide on how to make an ideology overview format I'd have to make it myself- and I think even my efforts would fall flat.

3 | Black-Blooded Scion, by Khoronzon

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The first of the two prose nominations I'm doing, because I'm a big softie for that sort of thing :}. ...uh. Ahem. Anyways, well... personally, I think that aesthetically speaking Black-Blooded Scion is both visually and literarily beautiful. It's the go-to metric for "what prose on NS should look like," really; short and not 9OOCly) intimidating to look at, digestible, and visually appealing, but not too short to lose all substance from the writing. On another note, I find it interesting how closely this much older dispatch evokes Khoronzon's present format- which is in itself both a radical divergence from what he had going before and far more, well... soothing to look at. That design descendance is always an intriguing thing for me to take note of. That being said, I chose not to vote for its further progress in the contest because to me it was incomplete. Here, though, that factor doesn't matter, and so it takes one of my official honorable mention slots.

4 | Through the Rains, by Western Fardelshufflestein

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This nomination is more or less for the entirety of WF's Through the Rains prose series, though I can only nominate part 1 as it is. I've complained before that WF has sort-of missed characterization opportunities with Alastair, often thanks to the limitations of a more typical "leader" factbook reducing the character in question to a backdrop for a bit of forum RP. Through the Rains, when taken as a whole, goes quite a long way to fix that, and I feel that through the series Alastair as a character comes into his own. But it's not just him, either- it's his family, too. The inclusion of Wilhelm in particular I find absolutely wonderful, since Wilhelm's interactions with those around him and the palpable sense of regret following him combine to make him feel a deeply human character. I don't really think that Through the Rains was all that suited for this contest, but I enjoyed it greatly nonetheless.

And that's my four nominations done. But I'm not done yet.

So, these are factbooks that I want to shout out anyways, but can't for any number of reasons- good stuff, they are, but they're not the four I chose to highlight. Mostly because I wanted to limit myself to factbooks in the contest for my four nominations.

Elvectica/Valehart | Frontpage

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Excellent use of graphics, on a level that I've never seen before in literally any other factbook on this site. Puts my own work to shame, especially with those angled headers. Unfortunately it lacks the content to make the cut as a factbook and not a collection of pretty images.

Sanghyeok | Insights on the Private Life of Chairwoman Oomiya Sakura

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Here simply because I end up squeeing over cute things... but let's not get into that. I find it a very creative means of delving into a character's headspace and getting past the conventional presentation format for leader factbooks that so many people, including myself, get hung up on. Good piece of work, and creative, but with the other competition it got overlooked a little imo.

Synne Industries | Untitled Leader Overview that I'm sure he loves me linking here

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Personally I find the rework of Mr. Synne's format a triumph of Synne's already dramatic graphics and presentation style combining with competent, stylistic, and yet informative character work, and quite literally the thing that inspired me to put an entire week into reworking Ari's factbook like I did. If it was in this contest I would've voted for it every time- but alas, it didn't exist then.

Kyoki Chudoku/Kyoki Chudoku Bunkatsu | The Divided States of Kyoki Chudoku - Basic Overview

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The ability to present so much damn information in such a short space is something that Kyoki's demonstrated is well within their ability time and time again, and they most definitely don't disappoint. It's just- so much! So many factions, so many characters! I particularly like how it builds off what Kyoki itself established through Aozora's life and ideology in such a complete and ingenious way. It makes the entire insanely dystopian setting Kyoki Chudoku's constructed feel much more real and populated by actual (insane) people making actual (insane) decisions. It's Death of the Patron-lite, and Death of the Patron won. Same case as w/ Mr. Synne. Great factbook, but didn't exist at the time of the competition.

And that's it. If I think of more I'll edit them in here, but I've already gone beyond what I can nominate anyways. All in all, this was a great competition to be a part of, and tbh I think I'm a better writer for it. Can't wait for the next one.

[Valentine Z]

Let's get my self-nomination outta the way first.

Factbook Name: Exuberant Superintendent T-2000/2904-3 Surveillant Clarissa Alanis Star Breya « La Amoureux Chéri » Millie Taissa Butterfly Mélody Coraline Jolijn Trini Clementine Hollie Samantha Zeta Harumi
Factbook URL: https://forum.nationstates.net/viewtopic.php?p=34883489#p3488348
Reasons for being a Honorable Mention: Longest Title and Name You Will Ever See (and no, those kings and queens with pre-titles doesn't count)

Factbook Name: Neonymphonia Factbooks - Novaluna
Factbook URL: https://www.nationstates.net/page=dispatch/id=579736
Reasons for being a Honorable Mention: Best Overview that fits everything into one page. It used to be on NS itself with the factbook, but a long while back, they moved it to their own site. Way back when, their factbook was possibly one of the main inspirations that makes me want to have a hub with everything.

Factbook Name: Ambrosia von Carstein
Factbook URL: https://www.nationstates.net/nation=bloodshade/detail=factbook/id=831341
Reasons for being a Honorable Mention: An all-rounded well-written character, possibly one of the best characters that I have ever had the pleasure of reading. This is helped by the fact that there are A LOT of sections on Ambrosia and her life - from the usual politics, to history of herself, to abilities, to just about everything in-between. A charming woman who is beautiful both inside and outside, helped by the author's commitment and effort.

Factbook Name: Николай Абрамович Суворов, President of the Russian Federation
Factbook URL: https://www.nationstates.net/nation=rus ... id=1488415
Reasons for being a Honorable Mention: One of the better written and formatted character factbooks ever! I also do like the fact that the banners and aesthetics are different with each of the characters, and yes, they have definitely established the separate factions within one meta/OOC nation, and this showcases this so well. There are also two other characters from different factions that are deserving of attention, but this is the cream of the crop for me.

Also if you are changing your nominations, please TG me ASAP because I am putting it in my archives.

[Drongonia]

Huh, I didn't see this going on.

Congrats to all the winners!

[Valentine Z]

Just a note that I am closing the nominations for honorable mentions now. With 20 separate nominees, the badges might take some time, but I will be sure to get it done soon and soon archive this thread!

Thank you for staying with me throughout all of these delays, and congratulations to all the winners once again! And a great effort from nominees and participants alike! ♥

Know that your factbooks and dispatches are unique by themselves, and even with templates and everything inside, it would still be unique with your heart and soul put into the writings.

[Valentine Z]

And with that, F7's 1st Factbook Contest has officially come to an end!

This album contains all the 20 honorable nominations! I'm sorry it was a bit in a disarray, Imgur screwed up the image order. It should not be too small by their full sizes, because they are 4727 x 1542 each, and with no limit on image sizes for Factbook/Dispatches... this will do.

Thank you once again! ♥