The State of the Nation - Revision history

Kerrus: /* Arcana */

2018-06-04T19:13:09Z

Arcana

← Older revision		Revision as of 12:13, 4 June 2018
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	*'''The Historian''' - The Historian arcana rests on an expectation of future profit due to past results, and past results don't cost anything in point-buy. This is why nations with national consciousness and oral history of ten thousand years (even though they advanced quickly) are such staples of even SDs set in a relatively modern period. The only obstacle of course is having to concede that your precious nation which has stood astride the world for millennia somehow failed to conquer it and not only that were forced into relative obscurity along with the rest of the player pack owing to some poorly imagined misfortune.		*'''The Historian''' - The Historian arcana rests on an expectation of future profit due to past results, and past results don't cost anything in point-buy. This is why nations with national consciousness and oral history of ten thousand years (even though they advanced quickly) are such staples of even SDs set in a relatively modern period. The only obstacle of course is having to concede that your precious nation which has stood astride the world for millennia somehow failed to conquer it and not only that were forced into relative obscurity along with the rest of the player pack owing to some poorly imagined misfortune.
	*'''The Pope''' - Straightforward. You put the Vatican inside your nation, then say that most of the world is your religion.		*'''The Pope''' - Straightforward. You put the Vatican inside your nation, then say that most of the world is your religion.
	*'''The Ninja'''		*'''The Ninja''' - The Ninja typically invokes the popular culture conception of this trope, seeking NRV by maintaining a small stable of highly capable super-functionaries that each are of profound narrative interest, shaping the story by their actions. Ninjas are typically easier to write than a comprehensive and fully realized nation, and the Ninja relies on this angle to avoid having to write less whenever possible. When used in conjunction with the Historian Arcana, this is inverted- a Historic Ninja decries the power of single powerful individuals in favour of widescale revolutionary movements.
	*'''The Pirate'''		*'''The Pirate''' -
	*'''The Valkyrie''' - The Valkyrie subverts the historic reality of gender roles by filling virtually all important, high level government and military posts with hot young women. In addition to being very easy on the imagination (few states invoking the Valkyrie go so far as to supplement with images), it quickly establishes a positive circular logic involving success against adversity, awesomeness, and lesbians.		*'''The Valkyrie''' - The Valkyrie subverts the historic reality of gender roles by filling virtually all important, high level government and military posts with hot young women. In addition to being very easy on the imagination (few states invoking the Valkyrie go so far as to supplement with images), it quickly establishes a positive circular logic involving success against adversity, awesomeness, and lesbians.
	*'''The Hanged Man''' - The Hanged Man inverts the qualities of the player's Nationalia card such that Russia becomes tiny, Poland is a military superpower and China stops being awesome in every conceivable way. The sheer shock of this card's use on the playing field may be sufficient to bring victory but the effects may vary depending on game and audience.		*'''The Hanged Man''' - The Hanged Man inverts the qualities of the player's Nationalia card such that Russia becomes tiny, Poland is a military superpower and China stops being awesome in every conceivable way. The sheer shock of this card's use on the playing field may be sufficient to bring victory but the effects may vary depending on game and audience.

Maloncanth: /* Mal's Section of Cynicism and Negativity */

2013-04-18T18:56:15Z

Mal's Section of Cynicism and Negativity

Show changes

Maloncanth: /* Players in the Game */

2013-04-06T05:31:12Z

Players in the Game

← Older revision		Revision as of 22:31, 5 April 2013
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	*'''Red Zaku Commander Type''' - This variant of the Red Zaku is similar in operation but he spends as much or even more time spamming posts three times as quickly in the discussion thread. Once the player has amassed a large post count and commented or provided suggestions to nearly every part of the rules and conflict resolution system whether or not they were ever even up for discussion, he will begin subtly or overtly throwing his weight around by implying he made a significant contribution. This can be a more dangerous type of player, especially if the GM is some kind of stealth variant or is really dumb, but being too blatant about controlling the rules in one's own favor is sure to draw flames from other players.		*'''Red Zaku Commander Type''' - This variant of the Red Zaku is similar in operation but he spends as much or even more time spamming posts three times as quickly in the discussion thread. Once the player has amassed a large post count and commented or provided suggestions to nearly every part of the rules and conflict resolution system whether or not they were ever even up for discussion, he will begin subtly or overtly throwing his weight around by implying he made a significant contribution. This can be a more dangerous type of player, especially if the GM is some kind of stealth variant or is really dumb, but being too blatant about controlling the rules in one's own favor is sure to draw flames from other players.

			*'''Mobile Suit Factory''' - The Mobile Suit Factory starts with little military power but typically has large amounts of infrastructure with view of building up and supporting a larger force further in the future. This effectively invokes the overwhelming American strategic victory after WWII which itself invokes the old-as-dirt principle that "slow and steady wins the race". The problem arises when one or more other players inevitably realize the same and conclude that the only rational solution is to shoot the turtle in the face the moment it takes a step over the starting line.

	*'''Hangar Queen''' - The Hangar Queen is an unfortunate victim of the ''illusion'' that he or she enjoys story debates when in fact their true passion is the act of creation. Such a player lavishes time and attention onto an exceptionally detailed and well-realised OOB but quickly finds more interesting ways to spend their time a post or two into the actual story. There is no dishonor in being a Hangar Queen, but they are often resented by other players for throwing early assessments of the politico-strategic landscape off-balance by their swift exits.		*'''Hangar Queen''' - The Hangar Queen is an unfortunate victim of the ''illusion'' that he or she enjoys story debates when in fact their true passion is the act of creation. Such a player lavishes time and attention onto an exceptionally detailed and well-realised OOB but quickly finds more interesting ways to spend their time a post or two into the actual story. There is no dishonor in being a Hangar Queen, but they are often resented by other players for throwing early assessments of the politico-strategic landscape off-balance by their swift exits.

Kerrus: /* Paths to Victory */

2012-07-23T16:47:22Z

Paths to Victory

← Older revision		Revision as of 09:47, 23 July 2012
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	*'''Merchant''' - The Merchant considers himself a linchpin of international trade and considers international trade vital to the prospects of any state, PC or NPC. During times of peace, the Merchant may act much like a Diplomat. During times of war, the Merchant quickly plays the Embargo card and expects this will destroy any possibility of the naughty aggressor from being victorious. Merchants combine very nicely with Islands and an Island may claim Merchant status even if they're sitting on a rock a hundred miles off Antarctica originally meant for obsidian-wielding cannibals, ten timezones away from the next nearest industrialised blob of colour.		*'''Merchant''' - The Merchant considers himself a linchpin of international trade and considers international trade vital to the prospects of any state, PC or NPC. During times of peace, the Merchant may act much like a Diplomat. During times of war, the Merchant quickly plays the Embargo card and expects this will destroy any possibility of the naughty aggressor from being victorious. Merchants combine very nicely with Islands and an Island may claim Merchant status even if they're sitting on a rock a hundred miles off Antarctica originally meant for obsidian-wielding cannibals, ten timezones away from the next nearest industrialised blob of colour.


	*'''Ghost''' - The Ghost is often a nation that has no presence or influence on the narrative at all. Whether he is some small nation from the new world, or an ancient order of hidden elites, the Ghost actually relies on having as little narrative weight as possible, in the hope that he won't be dragged down by the gravity of those with large amounts of NRV. A ghost 'wins' by remaining independent and interacting only with NPCs- staying off the radar of the players until the conclusion of the game, or if the Ghost locates some unstoppable superweapon.		*'''Ghost''' - The Ghost is often a nation that has no presence or influence on the narrative at all. Whether he is some small nation from the new world, or an ancient order of hidden elites, the Ghost actually relies on having as little narrative weight as possible, in the hope that he won't be dragged down by the gravity of those with large amounts of NRV. A ghost 'wins' by remaining independent and interacting only with NPCs- staying off the radar of the players until the conclusion of the game, or if the Ghost locates some unstoppable superweapon.

Kerrus: /* Paths to Victory */

2012-07-23T16:47:05Z

Paths to Victory

← Older revision		Revision as of 09:47, 23 July 2012
Line 120:		Line 120:

	*'''Merchant''' - The Merchant considers himself a linchpin of international trade and considers international trade vital to the prospects of any state, PC or NPC. During times of peace, the Merchant may act much like a Diplomat. During times of war, the Merchant quickly plays the Embargo card and expects this will destroy any possibility of the naughty aggressor from being victorious. Merchants combine very nicely with Islands and an Island may claim Merchant status even if they're sitting on a rock a hundred miles off Antarctica originally meant for obsidian-wielding cannibals, ten timezones away from the next nearest industrialised blob of colour.		*'''Merchant''' - The Merchant considers himself a linchpin of international trade and considers international trade vital to the prospects of any state, PC or NPC. During times of peace, the Merchant may act much like a Diplomat. During times of war, the Merchant quickly plays the Embargo card and expects this will destroy any possibility of the naughty aggressor from being victorious. Merchants combine very nicely with Islands and an Island may claim Merchant status even if they're sitting on a rock a hundred miles off Antarctica originally meant for obsidian-wielding cannibals, ten timezones away from the next nearest industrialised blob of colour.


			*'''Ghost''' - The Ghost is often a nation that has no presence or influence on the narrative at all. Whether he is some small nation from the new world, or an ancient order of hidden elites, the Ghost actually relies on having as little narrative weight as possible, in the hope that he won't be dragged down by the gravity of those with large amounts of NRV. A ghost 'wins' by remaining independent and interacting only with NPCs- staying off the radar of the players until the conclusion of the game, or if the Ghost locates some unstoppable superweapon.

	===Ethnic Tarot===		===Ethnic Tarot===

Kerrus: /* Players in the Game */

2012-07-23T16:40:52Z

Players in the Game

← Older revision		Revision as of 09:40, 23 July 2012
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	*'''Zakrello''' - The Zakrello joins a nation SD with reasonably complete and realised nation that is completely and utterly out of place with all established conventions of the setting. When confronted on this issue, a he will be quite confused as to why creativity is such a bad thing and why there is such stern resistance to his novel and worthy ideas. He may make small cosmetic changes in an attempt to accomodate but is usually too deep in Quiet for the issue to be resolved to anyone's satisfaction.		*'''Zakrello''' - The Zakrello joins a nation SD with reasonably complete and realised nation that is completely and utterly out of place with all established conventions of the setting. When confronted on this issue, a he will be quite confused as to why creativity is such a bad thing and why there is such stern resistance to his novel and worthy ideas. He may make small cosmetic changes in an attempt to accomodate but is usually too deep in Quiet for the issue to be resolved to anyone's satisfaction.

			:*'''Plant People''' - This Zakrello Subtype is a player who always plays the same set of characters, race, or nation regardless of the setting or established limits. The Plant People have often built up their chosen race or polity independent of any rules or structure, and as a result frequently have to try and force them into a space designed for a much smaller box. Plant People nations will often pick up advantages unique to a game they apply for, which they will then retain through all successive iterations.

	*'''Davion''' - The Davion is a minmaxer who spends much of the pre-game period turning his state into a finely honed weapon (as far as the numbers and ad/disads are concerned) and observing the thread for targets who have made the mistake of not being so diligent. Such targets are of course rare as everyone wants to win, but there is often at least one in any given SD. Once the SD starts, the Davion quickly musters up an excuse and launches an attack, threatening an early Ragnarok if the flames are allowed to spread.		*'''Davion''' - The Davion is a minmaxer who spends much of the pre-game period turning his state into a finely honed weapon (as far as the numbers and ad/disads are concerned) and observing the thread for targets who have made the mistake of not being so diligent. Such targets are of course rare as everyone wants to win, but there is often at least one in any given SD. Once the SD starts, the Davion quickly musters up an excuse and launches an attack, threatening an early Ragnarok if the flames are allowed to spread.

Kerrus: /* Players in the Game */

2012-07-23T16:30:56Z

Players in the Game

← Older revision		Revision as of 09:30, 23 July 2012
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	*'''The Crash Test Dummy''' - The Crash Test Dummy is a player who joins with a character that, while often perfectly appropriate for the setting, has some quality or theme that the other player reacts poorly to. Crash Test Dummies rarely make it to the actual game- often ending up in arguments over why they should be allowed to play their nation or characters with the players who believe that they're too problematic to allow. An example would be a player to brings an expy of Jesus to a medieval fantasy game- while perfectly fitting for the setting, the mere insult of someone playing such a religious figure is often too great to ignore. While some crash test dummies are aware of the problems their choices will cause, many have no such awareness and are only playing those characters because they haven't seen it done before, or think that it's 'interesting'		*'''The Crash Test Dummy''' - The Crash Test Dummy is a player who joins with a character that, while often perfectly appropriate for the setting, has some quality or theme that the other player reacts poorly to. Crash Test Dummies rarely make it to the actual game- often ending up in arguments over why they should be allowed to play their nation or characters with the players who believe that they're too problematic to allow. An example would be a player to brings an expy of Jesus to a medieval fantasy game- while perfectly fitting for the setting, the mere insult of someone playing such a religious figure is often too great to ignore. While some crash test dummies are aware of the problems their choices will cause, many have no such awareness and are only playing those characters because they haven't seen it done before, or think that it's 'interesting'


	*'''The Combiner''' - The Combiner is a player who seeks to play a specific niche of a nation, and makes up for its deficiencies by being so closely allied with another player that they are effectively one and the same. A Combiner will design a nation with only a token regard to its weaknesses, often making those weaknesses fall into an area that their ally is particularly strong in. Combiners can typically be managed by an attentive GM who keeps them sufficiently separate from their ally so as to create narrative tension and prevent their combination from becoming an unstoppable death spiral machine. However, due to their playstyle, they can also be very dangerous- if a Combiner quits the game, more often then not they will attempt to leave their entire military and/or national holdings to their ally, inflating that ally's forces far beyond what is appropriate. While usually just an afterthought, this can sometimes be a deliberate action- and Combiners will often frantically backpedal if caught in it.		*'''The Combiner''' - The Combiner is a player who seeks to play a specific niche of a nation, and makes up for its deficiencies by being so closely allied with another player that they are effectively one and the same. A Combiner will design a nation with only a token regard to its weaknesses, often making those weaknesses fall into an area that their ally is particularly strong in. Combiners can typically be managed by an attentive GM who keeps them sufficiently separate from their ally so as to create narrative tension and prevent their combination from becoming an unstoppable death spiral machine. However, due to their playstyle, they can also be very dangerous- if a Combiner quits the game, more often then not they will attempt to leave their entire military and/or national holdings to their ally, inflating that ally's forces far beyond what is appropriate. While usually just an afterthought, this can sometimes be a deliberate action- and Combiners will often frantically backpedal if caught in it.

Kerrus: /* Players in the Game */

2012-07-23T16:30:22Z

Players in the Game

← Older revision		Revision as of 09:30, 23 July 2012
Line 92:		Line 92:

	*'''The Crash Test Dummy''' - The Crash Test Dummy is a player who joins with a character that, while often perfectly appropriate for the setting, has some quality or theme that the other player reacts poorly to. Crash Test Dummies rarely make it to the actual game- often ending up in arguments over why they should be allowed to play their nation or characters with the players who believe that they're too problematic to allow. An example would be a player to brings an expy of Jesus to a medieval fantasy game- while perfectly fitting for the setting, the mere insult of someone playing such a religious figure is often too great to ignore. While some crash test dummies are aware of the problems their choices will cause, many have no such awareness and are only playing those characters because they haven't seen it done before, or think that it's 'interesting'		*'''The Crash Test Dummy''' - The Crash Test Dummy is a player who joins with a character that, while often perfectly appropriate for the setting, has some quality or theme that the other player reacts poorly to. Crash Test Dummies rarely make it to the actual game- often ending up in arguments over why they should be allowed to play their nation or characters with the players who believe that they're too problematic to allow. An example would be a player to brings an expy of Jesus to a medieval fantasy game- while perfectly fitting for the setting, the mere insult of someone playing such a religious figure is often too great to ignore. While some crash test dummies are aware of the problems their choices will cause, many have no such awareness and are only playing those characters because they haven't seen it done before, or think that it's 'interesting'


			*'''The Combiner''' - The Combiner is a player who seeks to play a specific niche of a nation, and makes up for its deficiencies by being so closely allied with another player that they are effectively one and the same. A Combiner will design a nation with only a token regard to its weaknesses, often making those weaknesses fall into an area that their ally is particularly strong in. Combiners can typically be managed by an attentive GM who keeps them sufficiently separate from their ally so as to create narrative tension and prevent their combination from becoming an unstoppable death spiral machine. However, due to their playstyle, they can also be very dangerous- if a Combiner quits the game, more often then not they will attempt to leave their entire military and/or national holdings to their ally, inflating that ally's forces far beyond what is appropriate. While usually just an afterthought, this can sometimes be a deliberate action- and Combiners will often frantically backpedal if caught in it.

	===Paths to Victory===		===Paths to Victory===

Kerrus: /* Paths to Victory */

2012-07-23T16:04:44Z

Paths to Victory

← Older revision		Revision as of 09:04, 23 July 2012
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	*'''Triple Expansion Defender''' - The Triple Expansion Defender takes pages from the Russian defensive playbook and uses sheer size to blunt any attack on its territory. This is a rare ploy for a number of reasons. It is hard to get other players or the mods to agree to grant a sufficiently large chunk of the map to begin with since True Russia is part of the Power 3. Even with that out of the way, it is hard to overcome the negative connotations of losing such vast amounts of land and inhabited space. Players may try to mix up the steppe with harsh winters, sudden unprecedented swaths of rough terrain, or claim that the main industrial, population and resource centers were way over at the other end of the country all along. Of course, when properly played the triple expansion defense will be able to turn all that early pain into narrative currency with which to steamroll swiftly in the other direction.		*'''Triple Expansion Defender''' - The Triple Expansion Defender takes pages from the Russian defensive playbook and uses sheer size to blunt any attack on its territory. This is a rare ploy for a number of reasons. It is hard to get other players or the mods to agree to grant a sufficiently large chunk of the map to begin with since True Russia is part of the Power 3. Even with that out of the way, it is hard to overcome the negative connotations of losing such vast amounts of land and inhabited space. Players may try to mix up the steppe with harsh winters, sudden unprecedented swaths of rough terrain, or claim that the main industrial, population and resource centers were way over at the other end of the country all along. Of course, when properly played the triple expansion defense will be able to turn all that early pain into narrative currency with which to steamroll swiftly in the other direction.

			*'''The Borg''' - The Borg is an offense oriented variant of the Triple Expansion defender, often occupying a large area of territory which it uses to fuel a comparably large military that it uses to assimilate (either through threat of war or actual war) NPCs into itself before turning on player nations when all NPCs have been assimilated. The Borg often lacks unique weapons or technologies of its own, instead spending points on specific counters to other nations' unique weapons or technologies- save where it can capture or subvert them. The Borg is a risky ploy however because if they aren't careful they will rapidly be identified as 'the villain' and both players and the GM will be quick to act against them, limiting their options.

	*'''Noodle Chef''' - An extreme version of the Pasta Chef, a Noodle Chef plans to concede occupation of the physical country and that's when the fun really begins for in truth, he is a set of characters and commando forces armoured in an ablative nationstate and characters are invincible. This is nevertheless a gambit, especially if the opponent is charismatic enough to subvert the moral high ground as that is generally the only thread by which any agency in the story at all hangs. The Noodle Chef should avoid any actions that could trigger the Terrorism card and counter the Democracy card by playing it first.		*'''Noodle Chef''' - An extreme version of the Pasta Chef, a Noodle Chef plans to concede occupation of the physical country and that's when the fun really begins for in truth, he is a set of characters and commando forces armoured in an ablative nationstate and characters are invincible. This is nevertheless a gambit, especially if the opponent is charismatic enough to subvert the moral high ground as that is generally the only thread by which any agency in the story at all hangs. The Noodle Chef should avoid any actions that could trigger the Terrorism card and counter the Democracy card by playing it first.

Kerrus: /* Players in the Game */

2012-07-23T15:26:50Z

Players in the Game

← Older revision		Revision as of 08:26, 23 July 2012
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	'''The Special Force''' - The Special Force is a player who either lacks confidence in his ability to run a nation, or simply has no interest in it- but whom nevertheless finds the setting interesting enough to join. He often players the smallest nation possible- going so far as to ask for special privileges to support this, and 'makes up' for this disadvantage by having comparatively stronger characters, often on the power levels of entire armies. The Special Force needs to be monitored by the GM, because he can often get out of hand- as players typically respect each other's named characters and only kill off nameless or recently created enemies, the Special Force only has* named characters.		'''The Special Force''' - The Special Force is a player who either lacks confidence in his ability to run a nation, or simply has no interest in it- but whom nevertheless finds the setting interesting enough to join. He often players the smallest nation possible- going so far as to ask for special privileges to support this, and 'makes up' for this disadvantage by having comparatively stronger characters, often on the power levels of entire armies. The Special Force needs to be monitored by the GM, because he can often get out of hand- as players typically respect each other's named characters and only kill off nameless or recently created enemies, the Special Force only has* named characters.


	*'''The Crash Test Dummy''' - The Crash Test Dummy is a player who joins with a character that, while often perfectly appropriate for the setting, has some quality or theme that the other player reacts poorly to. Crash Test Dummies rarely make it to the actual game- often ending up in arguments over why they should be allowed to play their nation or characters with the players who believe that they're too problematic to allow. An example would be a player to brings an expy of Jesus to a medieval fantasy game- while perfectly fitting for the setting, the mere insult of someone playing such a religious figure is often too great to ignore. While some crash test dummies are aware of the problems their choices will cause, many have no such awareness and are only playing those characters because they haven't seen it done before, or think that it's 'interesting'		*'''The Crash Test Dummy''' - The Crash Test Dummy is a player who joins with a character that, while often perfectly appropriate for the setting, has some quality or theme that the other player reacts poorly to. Crash Test Dummies rarely make it to the actual game- often ending up in arguments over why they should be allowed to play their nation or characters with the players who believe that they're too problematic to allow. An example would be a player to brings an expy of Jesus to a medieval fantasy game- while perfectly fitting for the setting, the mere insult of someone playing such a religious figure is often too great to ignore. While some crash test dummies are aware of the problems their choices will cause, many have no such awareness and are only playing those characters because they haven't seen it done before, or think that it's 'interesting'