Nationstates Olympic Games Discussion Thread

by **Darmen** » Tue Sep 09, 2025 7:42 am

One more minor error I've spotted in the signup sheet: when the sheet automatically calculates the skill for the Women's Team Archery event, it does so by averaging cells F198:F202, when it should only average cells F198:F200.

by **Drawkland** » Tue Sep 09, 2025 7:48 am

Noted and fixed thanks

by **Liventia** » Tue Sep 09, 2025 11:14 am

Drawkland wrote:Noted and fixed thanks

It was also pulling the wrong name for the third athlete (it was pulling from the mixed compound row), if that wasn't fixed.

by **Britonisea** » Thu Sep 11, 2025 5:28 pm

Hello, minor issue and quick fix. There's a missing formula N642 where the "Golf Mixed Team (1 team of 2)" is missing when users copy over their sign-ups

by **Drawkland** » Thu Sep 11, 2025 6:00 pm

Britonisea wrote:Hello, minor issue and quick fix. There's a missing formula N642 where the "Golf Mixed Team (1 team of 2)" is missing when users copy over their sign-ups

That's because the formula is in N643, where it's supposed to be. Looks fine on the template sheet copy on my end.

by **Britonisea** » Thu Sep 11, 2025 6:54 pm

Drawkland wrote:
Britonisea wrote:Hello, minor issue and quick fix. There's a missing formula N642 where the "Golf Mixed Team (1 team of 2)" is missing when users copy over their sign-ups

That's because the formula is in N643, where it's supposed to be. Looks fine on the template sheet copy on my end.

Sure, the formula for the name of the athlete in N643 is there and works as normal, though I was referring to the title of the event itself not copying over rather than the athletes participating in it (Whereas N632 and N637 do have formulas there and copies over the names of the solo golf events) . This is evidenced in the two sign-ups before mine at the time of posting.

While I'm sure it can be assumed [Name]/[Name] would be for the mixed team event, just thought I'd bring it up anyway as all the other events have titles. Apologies for the fuss!

by **Drawkland** » Thu Sep 11, 2025 7:18 pm

Britonisea wrote:
Drawkland wrote:That's because the formula is in N643, where it's supposed to be. Looks fine on the template sheet copy on my end.

Sure, the formula for the name of the athlete in N643 is there and works as normal, though I was referring to the title of the event itself not copying over rather than the athletes participating in it (Whereas N632 and N637 do have formulas there and copies over the names of the solo golf events) . This is evidenced in the two sign-ups before mine at the time of posting.

While I'm sure it can be assumed [Name]/[Name] would be for the mixed team event, just thought I'd bring it up anyway as all the other events have titles. Apologies for the fuss!

Gotcha, I misread. Fixed!

by **Riandera** » Fri Sep 12, 2025 10:54 pm

OK, I think I get it now. I'm pretty sure the medal event average is counted by each separate event 'category'. I mean like Football, Tennis, etc.

I'll modify to see if I can meet the medal entry average.

by **Ceni** » Sat Sep 13, 2025 9:01 am

Riandera wrote:OK, I think I get it now. I'm pretty sure the medal event average is counted by each separate event 'category'. I mean like Football, Tennis, etc.

I'll modify to see if I can meet the medal entry average.

I’m not sure what you mean when you say “counted by each separate event ‘category.’” There’s no requirement that each discipline each has an average of 50 or below, only that the whole delegation considered as a whole (minus demonstration events) has an average of 50 or below. In your case, you literally only need to shave two points off somewhere!

To post a more fulsome account of the error in the count sheet, which I omitted in haste before going to sleep: The signup sheet is set up to have the count as [max entries] - [the input cells in the number column that aren’t blank]. The max is actually 569, but in the formula we put 570 - [cells that aren’t blank, including demonstration events]. So for entries without demonstration events, it spit out 570-2 = 568 so it thought those entrants had one fewer entry than they actually did. (And for, eg, Electrum it spit out 570-0 since he had demonstration events so he had an overcount.) Hopefully this us a bit more cogent than my 1:30am explanation last night!

by **Liventia** » Thu Oct 09, 2025 1:53 am

I'd like to bid for the winter Games again next year; given it is a RL Olympic year and we're likely to get increased interest, I'll aim to have a bid up by mid-Jan, voting by end-Jan, and signups during the RL Games through mid-March, scorinating from mid-March onwards.

Interested cohosts, please reach out — even if you've never hosted the Games before. Always happy to bring new Olympic hosts on board as long as you have other hosting experience. With today's news about xkoranate potentially being runnable on Macs again soon, it's a good time to put this out there.

by **Liventia** » Wed Jan 14, 2026 3:00 pm

Host Candidature: City Centre—Orean bid for the XX Olympic Winter Games

Liventia formally bids to host the XX Olympic Winter Games in City Centre, a three-time (co)host city of the Olympic Winter Games, and Orean, the two-time (co)host city of the Games of the Olympiad and previously a cohost city of the XVIII Olympic Winter Games. Ferrandieu, which is a resort town associated with Neverend and has previously played a part in Neverend's hosting of the Games, will also host events but is not a headline host city.

Liventia has (co)hosted the Olympic Winter Games six times and the Games of the Olympiad thrice; if this candidature is successful, it will be the landmark 10th Games to be held in the country.

EVENTS/SIGNUP INFO
All events being held at the RL Milano Cortina 2026 Games will be held (replacing original base list events where necessary):

Skeleton: Mixed team relay to be held
Luge: Men's doubles, Women's doubles to be held in place of Open doubles
Alpine skiing: Team combined to replace individual combined; no team parallel event
Freestyle skiing: Dual moguls to be held
Ski jumping: Super Team event to replace Team event
Ski mountaineering: Events to be held

And the following additions for gender balance:
Nordic combined: Women's events to be held
Ski jumping: Women's super team to be held

The same scorination files used at the XIX Games will be reused. Files will not be updated to use the Milano Cortina results, unless the XIX Games files clearly and significantly differ from the RL 2026 results.

All use of AI direct text output will be prohibited (using AI to generate ideas etc that does not result in the final text output being AI-generated is fine). Please declare any and all use of AI, or risk expulsion from the Games and vacating of results with other athletes promoted, if such unauthorised use is detected.

RP bonus will be degrading, but never to zero. Roster/information thread bonuses will count separately and permanently without degradation. MMAB will apply as follows to every delegation:

1 entry: Full MMAB
2–5 entries: Full MMAB for STDEV not exceeding 33.0
6 entries: Full MMAB for STDEV of 32.0
16 entries: Full MMAB for STDEV of 31.0
31 entries: Full MMAB for STDEV of 30.0
51 entries: Full MMAB for STDEV of 29.0
76 entries: Full MMAB for STDEV of 27.0
101 entries: Full MMAB for STDEV of 25.0
151 entries: Full MMAB for STDEV of 23.0
A full delegation with 330 entries will have a STDEV cap of 22.5.

The target STDEV will scale down within each tier depending on number of athletes entered (except in the 2–5 entry tier), and exceeding this limit will affect MMAB. That is to say, someone entering 15 entries should expect to get full MMAB at a STDEV closer to 31 than 32. Notably, a 2-entry min-maxed signup will no longer attract maximum MMAB. Note that STDEV here refers to STDEV(P), the standard deviation of the entire signup rather than a sample.

MMAB will scale proportionally to how far over the acceptable each delegation is. The RP bonus penalty of up to 33% instituted in previous Olympics will apply to delegations with a standard deviation more than two points above the target, or any delegation of 2+ entries with a STDEV above 33.0 (in practice nations with a MMAB close to 0 will be hit with the full penalty). These delegations will also have their MMAB capped at 0.667 (a 33% penalty on the maximum) even if their MMAB would otherwise be higher. A 50% min-max penalty will apply to delegations with a standard deviation more than four points above the limit; these delegations will also have their MMAB capped at 0.500.

PUPPET/COMBINED DELEGATION INFO
Each user may enter a maximum of two delegations, with the main and the puppet delegation clearly marked. There is no maximum limit for one delegation but puppet delegations may not enter more than 120 entries – sufficient to enter at least one entry in each event. Skill ratings will range from 0 to 100, inclusive (whole integers only), but the overall delegation average must not exceed 50 points. Puppets must be clearly declared. Any undeclared puppetry detected will result in expulsion from the Games and vacating of results, with other athletes promoted.

Combined delegations with multiple NOC codes may be entered only when made up of nations controlled by multiple users. Individual users wishing to enter multiple teams may do so in a single combined delegation with a single NOC code or in the traditional main/puppet format. Users may also enter as part of a combined delegation, which would count as the main delegation, in addition to a puppet with the applicable entry limit. Combined delegations with multiple NOC codes must represent countries which each have their own NationStates account and which have a compelling regional or cultural link between them.

PRE-QUALIFYING AND PRELIMINARY ROUND PRINCIPLES
In curling, the teams representing the defending medallists (regardless of whether or not the same athletes are chosen), as well as the hosts, will qualify automatically for the Games. All remaining teams will be split into groups of no more than six teams, playing single-round robin, with the final aim of no more than 10 teams per event.

In ice hockey, the teams representing the defending medallists, but not the hosts, will qualify automatically for the Games. All remaining teams will be split into two groups and drawn to play five games in a Swiss-style tournament, with the final aim of 12 teams per event. In the event there is an odd number of teams needed to qualify, the next team from either group with the best points-percentage record will advance.

Additional preliminary rounds will take place in: biathlon mass start, figure skating, speed skating team pursuit, Alpine skiing (team combined), freestyle skiing (except dual moguls), and snowboarding. In these events, everyone will take part in preliminary rounds, although the defending champion and highest-performing (note: not highest-rated) host entry will also advance if they do not make it on merit. Additional preliminary rounds will not be used this year in sliding events, short track speed skating, Nordic combined or ski jumping; elimination of extra athletes will be baked into the main competition.

ONLY curling and ice hockey tournaments will officially be held prior to Day 0 as actual "pre-qualifiers". Remaining events will be part of the "Olympic Games", even if held prior to Day 0.

NOCs that send only one entry in any event will not have that entry advanced out of the pre-qualifying rounds by any means other than on merit. Records set in short track or speed skating during pre-qualifying rounds will be official Olympic Records.

VENUE INFORMATION

TIMING INFO
The Games will take place over three weeks or so, likely starting at the very end of March. My aim is to have signups open from ~2 February, right before the RL Games, through ~22 March, a week after the end of the RL Paralympics. As far as possible I will ensure scorinations are 24 hours apart, with cutoff usually around 21:30 UTC (subject to change).

by **Ceni** » Thu Jan 15, 2026 3:09 pm

This bid is acknowledged; the deadline for competing bids is set for Thursday, January 22 at 2359 UTC.

by **Ceni** » Fri Jan 23, 2026 10:24 am

Voting is now open for the host cities of the XX Olympic Winter Games.

by **Liventia** » Sun Feb 08, 2026 5:41 am

I'm busy at the (RL) Olympics, so will take the next couple of days to prepare signups.

No change to the estimated signup end date and Games start date despite the downtime.

by **Liventia** » Wed Feb 11, 2026 7:33 am

Signups can be found here: viewtopic.php?ns=1&f=7&t=578824

by **The North Polish Union** » Wed Feb 11, 2026 12:55 pm

FYI, in my very preliminary playing around in the "Signup spreadsheet (advanced)" link, there is an issue with the formula in column E, which causes both the trigram and output columns to give the result "#REF!". I have managed to correct it by replacing the broken formula with the rather inelegant:

Code: Select all: =CONCATENATE(";",$F$6,";")

Which gives results that may not look the prettiest on the sheet but yield the desired results in the output column.

by **Liventia** » Thu Feb 12, 2026 3:05 am

The North Polish Union wrote:FYI, in my very preliminary playing around in the "Signup spreadsheet (advanced)" link, there is an issue with the formula in column E, which causes both the trigram and output columns to give the result "#REF!". I have managed to correct it by replacing the broken formula with the rather inelegant:
Code: Select all
=CONCATENATE(";",$F$6,";")

Which gives results that may not look the prettiest on the sheet but yield the desired results in the output column.

Yes, apologies; this is a leftover from me removing the ability to sign up unified teams using the spreadsheet. It has been fixed. Please redownload the spreadsheet if you downloaded it previously.

by **Comrades United** » Thu Feb 12, 2026 8:07 pm

I did some digging and decided to use the advanced spreadsheet even though this is my first time doing olympics, basically I have a very elite figure skating team, a snowboard/skiing team which is average and a less than average bobsled/biathlon team. I'm having trouble understanding the roleplay when the olympics start, could someone explain to me the thing we write, do we like write out stories of how the olympic game went or what. Thanks!

by **Comrades United** » Thu Feb 12, 2026 8:09 pm

also in the simple sign up sheet when you enter your trigram and delegation into the 'country name' and 'three letter code' bar it doesn't register on the actual copy paste column, or at least I don't thinkit does.

by **Drawkland** » Thu Feb 12, 2026 8:18 pm

Comrades United wrote:I did some digging and decided to use the advanced spreadsheet even though this is my first time doing olympics, basically I have a very elite figure skating team, a snowboard/skiing team which is average and a less than average bobsled/biathlon team. I'm having trouble understanding the roleplay when the olympics start, could someone explain to me the thing we write, do we like write out stories of how the olympic game went or what. Thanks!

In NS Sports, you can RP about a lot of different things. Most people will write some sort of story or report on how their matches/events go. The host will scorinate each game/event round with a set schedule, and after that you use the results posted by the host as the foundation for your roleplay.

Here's a tip specifically for the Olympics. Some people tend to write roleplays which basically list out what each of their athletes did in the last day's results ("Athlete A finished 7th in their heat and was eliminated. Our hockey team won their group stage game 3-2 against Examplestan. Athlete B won the silver medal in their event"). This is discouraged by most hosts, as it's not really saying anything new. It's okay to talk about the performances of your athletes across different events in one roleplay, but try to provide more detail or an interesting story about why and how the athletes performed like they did.

by **Comrades United** » Thu Feb 12, 2026 8:52 pm

Drawkland wrote:
Comrades United wrote:I did some digging and decided to use the advanced spreadsheet even though this is my first time doing olympics, basically I have a very elite figure skating team, a snowboard/skiing team which is average and a less than average bobsled/biathlon team. I'm having trouble understanding the roleplay when the olympics start, could someone explain to me the thing we write, do we like write out stories of how the olympic game went or what. Thanks!

In NS Sports, you can RP about a lot of different things. Most people will write some sort of story or report on how their matches/events go. The host will scorinate each game/event round with a set schedule, and after that you use the results posted by the host as the foundation for your roleplay.

Here's a tip specifically for the Olympics. Some people tend to write roleplays which basically list out what each of their athletes did in the last day's results ("Athlete A finished 7th in their heat and was eliminated. Our hockey team won their group stage game 3-2 against Examplestan. Athlete B won the silver medal in their event"). This is discouraged by most hosts, as it's not really saying anything new. It's okay to talk about the performances of your athletes across different events in one roleplay, but try to provide more detail or an interesting story about why and how the athletes performed like they did.

Alright thank you! So basically stories correlating to the events that recently happened over repeating what happened?

by **Velstrania** » Thu Feb 12, 2026 11:39 pm

Comrades United wrote:
Drawkland wrote:In NS Sports, you can RP about a lot of different things. Most people will write some sort of story or report on how their matches/events go. The host will scorinate each game/event round with a set schedule, and after that you use the results posted by the host as the foundation for your roleplay.

Here's a tip specifically for the Olympics. Some people tend to write roleplays which basically list out what each of their athletes did in the last day's results ("Athlete A finished 7th in their heat and was eliminated. Our hockey team won their group stage game 3-2 against Examplestan. Athlete B won the silver medal in their event"). This is discouraged by most hosts, as it's not really saying anything new. It's okay to talk about the performances of your athletes across different events in one roleplay, but try to provide more detail or an interesting story about why and how the athletes performed like they did.

Alright thank you! So basically stories correlating to the events that recently happened over repeating what happened?

Could be literally anything.
I've written a story about a prison break that happened several years prior to the olympics in one. Someone else did a very enjoyable nightmare fuel rp where their athlete was trapped in a sauna to boil to death.

by **Liventia** » Fri Feb 13, 2026 3:15 am

Comrades United wrote:also in the simple sign up sheet when you enter your trigram and delegation into the 'country name' and 'three letter code' bar it doesn't register on the actual copy paste column, or at least I don't thinkit does.

It was referencing the wrong cells since I moved some stuff. Fixed now.

by **Ceni** » Fri Feb 13, 2026 7:52 pm

Comrades United wrote:Alright thank you! So basically stories correlating to the events that recently happened over repeating what happened?

Pretty much! Think of things that the scorinator DOESN'T tell you (and hopefully current news coverage of the ongoing Olympics provides you with some inspiration) -- what moves or techniques did your athletes use? Is there one player on your squad who everyone expected to do well, but dramatically underperformed? Vice versa? Did one of your athletes recently cheat on his girlfriend and use his medal-winning speech to try and win her back? (Okay, maybe that last one is too on the nose, but hopefully you get the idea...)

by **Comrades United** » Fri Feb 13, 2026 9:18 pm

Ceni wrote:
Comrades United wrote:Alright thank you! So basically stories correlating to the events that recently happened over repeating what happened?

Pretty much! Think of things that the scorinator DOESN'T tell you (and hopefully current news coverage of the ongoing Olympics provides you with some inspiration) -- what moves or techniques did your athletes use? Is there one player on your squad who everyone expected to do well, but dramatically underperformed? Vice versa? Did one of your athletes recently cheat on his girlfriend and use his medal-winning speech to try and win her back? (Okay, maybe that last one is too on the nose, but hopefully you get the idea...)

Alright, I think I get it now. Thanks!

Nationstates Olympic Games Discussion Thread

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