I am sitting on a resource I don't know how to use
- Scott Alexander
- Posts: 1778
- Joined: Sun Dec 19, 2010 1:20 am
I am sitting on a resource I don't know how to use
I have been blogging about some of my experiences in micronationalism, Shireroth, and Raikoth, and a lot of people (maybe five or ten) have expressed interest and want to know how to join.
I really do not just want to refer them to Shireroth's Ministry of Immigration, because we have like a 100% track record of not being successful in getting new immigrants interested in micronations. Xanis, Gordoth, the Vanderveers, Torodez, four or five people CJ brought in for Safiria. All disappeared after a week or so. Other countries do no better.
The only people who stick around are previous micronationalists deciding to change countries or to return to the hobby. And the only people who ever get into this hobby in the first place are people who get into it with a bunch of friends and found a country together.
A lot of the people I'm talking to have been attracted by what I'm doing with Raikoth and want to found single-person conworlding-type countries. I'm not really sure what to tell them (see for example here). I know there would be space for them in the Dominion and probably in Shireroth, but just getting them on the map would be a production and a half.
So I guess what I'm wondering is:
Bastion. Would you be willing to let random newbie micronationalists come here and get their own top-level country forum? Or create a "Other Small Country" forums that they could start in and maybe grow out of?
And MCS (in practice, Craitman). Do you have any ideas here? Is the MCS friendly to single person conworlding countries? Do you think the 3 month waiting period might be turning people off?
How do I handle this? It seems dumb to have a bunch of people who want to join, plus micronationalism is dying because not enough new people, but I'm seriously out of ideas.
I really do not just want to refer them to Shireroth's Ministry of Immigration, because we have like a 100% track record of not being successful in getting new immigrants interested in micronations. Xanis, Gordoth, the Vanderveers, Torodez, four or five people CJ brought in for Safiria. All disappeared after a week or so. Other countries do no better.
The only people who stick around are previous micronationalists deciding to change countries or to return to the hobby. And the only people who ever get into this hobby in the first place are people who get into it with a bunch of friends and found a country together.
A lot of the people I'm talking to have been attracted by what I'm doing with Raikoth and want to found single-person conworlding-type countries. I'm not really sure what to tell them (see for example here). I know there would be space for them in the Dominion and probably in Shireroth, but just getting them on the map would be a production and a half.
So I guess what I'm wondering is:
Bastion. Would you be willing to let random newbie micronationalists come here and get their own top-level country forum? Or create a "Other Small Country" forums that they could start in and maybe grow out of?
And MCS (in practice, Craitman). Do you have any ideas here? Is the MCS friendly to single person conworlding countries? Do you think the 3 month waiting period might be turning people off?
How do I handle this? It seems dumb to have a bunch of people who want to join, plus micronationalism is dying because not enough new people, but I'm seriously out of ideas.
-
- Posts: 214
- Joined: Sun Mar 24, 2013 10:12 pm
Re: I am sitting on a resource I don't know how to use
It's good to have people interested!
Perhaps you shouldn't have to introduce them here, you should let them find this place themselves. If they feel no obligation, they will join if they want to and not join if that is what they want. In a way, your terms of "Sxiro", "god-emperor", "Lirikoth" and so on, wouldn't be too helpful. They cannot google this and find what they expect to find that way. If we just wrote about our events here as truthfully, both IC and OOC (or in-game or out-of-game depending on your preference on terms), people will read and be interested, and if they can find out from a primary source what's going on (HERE), then they will perhaps lurk and then perhaps join.
I joined Micras sector after possibly four months of lurking, and another nine months at micro-nations.org.
Perhaps you shouldn't have to introduce them here, you should let them find this place themselves. If they feel no obligation, they will join if they want to and not join if that is what they want. In a way, your terms of "Sxiro", "god-emperor", "Lirikoth" and so on, wouldn't be too helpful. They cannot google this and find what they expect to find that way. If we just wrote about our events here as truthfully, both IC and OOC (or in-game or out-of-game depending on your preference on terms), people will read and be interested, and if they can find out from a primary source what's going on (HERE), then they will perhaps lurk and then perhaps join.
I joined Micras sector after possibly four months of lurking, and another nine months at micro-nations.org.
Sindre Nemnai
Forseten i Aldraraaðenom Sjooa i Hurmu
Be-Bega b'-u-Storbartar b'-u-Kwaj-ka w-Hurmu
Chairman of the Senate of the Lakes in Hurmu
Ric.
Forseten i Aldraraaðenom Sjooa i Hurmu
Be-Bega b'-u-Storbartar b'-u-Kwaj-ka w-Hurmu
Chairman of the Senate of the Lakes in Hurmu
Ric.
- Jacobus Loki
- The plaything of capricious Archons...
- Posts: 1982
- Joined: Thu Feb 03, 2011 7:52 am
Re: I am sitting on a resource I don't know how to use
Perhaps reboot the Archipelago or something similar? Or put a group of them together a la the 2nd Republic of Puritania? Gods know we have counties to spare in Shireroth.
My experience is unique, finding Shireroth as a refugee of sorts, so that doesn't help.
My experience is unique, finding Shireroth as a refugee of sorts, so that doesn't help.
Jacobus Loki
Once and Future King of the Ma'alanje
Prophet of Loki, Wielder of the Sword of Madness
Shireroth sumus. Tempus in parte nostrum est.
Once and Future King of the Ma'alanje
Prophet of Loki, Wielder of the Sword of Madness
Shireroth sumus. Tempus in parte nostrum est.
Re: I am sitting on a resource I don't know how to use
Let the newbs in!
Re: I am sitting on a resource I don't know how to use
A re-Archipelication could be fun. It wouldn't last, though... so maybe we could start from the assumption that we're just spending some amount of time doing some worldbuilding that's meant to work as a single package, and that's it. Something that you can deliver instead of planning to just stick with into the undetermined future.
Details: Start with something similar general established Archipelago canon. It's a fractured world where much of the laws of nature don't work the same in different places. Different sorts of magic and technology function in different places. Different places of the world also can seem to remember very different histories. I think where I would break from how Archipelago previously worked is that I would make the beginning of the world an event. Maybe one nation remembers a history where the rest of their planet used to be a lifeless wasteland until suddenly one day life springs up and along with it all of these other nations. Another might remember a worldwide cataclysm and recovery from it. Another might be space colonists who remember landing on an unfamiliar planet. So, very similar to what Archipelago was, with just the distinction that the founding of the world is taken as a single shared event, a starting point from which the stories of different nations could continue.
(Of course I would hope that the event itself wouldn't be the focus of stories - it would be pretty boring to just read several different people's takes on "holy hell, what happened to the world". But it would at least be something canonical that everyone could say definitely took place and at the same time - even if there might be time warps and stuff like that on the planet later on.)
I don't know if that A2 should go on for a predetermined amount of time. It could be just "until everybody's done or we lose interest". But it would be a basic assumption that there's such a thing as done - not in the sense that you have to stop adding stuff, but in the sense that you think what you've done is a pretty good thing and would be happy to say it tells a complete story of a part of this strange world. I'm thinking that the perfect ending would be that at some point people just start finishing their nations up - maybe someplace reaches an end of history and will remain in a stable state hereafter, maybe another nation destroys itself (or another nation, if the authors are so inclined), maybe another transcends this existence somehow, etc.. It's probably not going to happen as beautifully as that, because people are going to disagree about how long they want to go on, but that doesn't really matter - after all, in reality, the way most stories about most nations end is "to be continued". "Done" doesn't mean there has to be an ending.
Also, of course, drop the EC system and just make land claims something close to first-come first-served within reasonable boundaries, allowing for most of the map to be settled in the beginning. If multiple people want the same area, well, hopefully it'll happen in the beginning when there's not so much tied up in the pixels yet so it's easier to negiotiate. If someone takes up a lot of land and doesn't do much with it, well, their loss for not doing something cool with it. We're not out to worry about limiting one nation so that there's space for another five years down the road here.
Market the whole thing to your readers as a project that they can get into without having to read ten years of micronational history. Well, if someone does want to interact with Micras, that's just a question of who's the first to say they've got a Hurmu gate. It would still work the same way as micronationalism does. It would just admit that there's a possibility that one day everything is done, the whole thing is put up as an example of something cool we did, and everything went as planned. If at that point the new people want to involve themselves in Micras, we'll be a lot more familiar bunch.
Details: Start with something similar general established Archipelago canon. It's a fractured world where much of the laws of nature don't work the same in different places. Different sorts of magic and technology function in different places. Different places of the world also can seem to remember very different histories. I think where I would break from how Archipelago previously worked is that I would make the beginning of the world an event. Maybe one nation remembers a history where the rest of their planet used to be a lifeless wasteland until suddenly one day life springs up and along with it all of these other nations. Another might remember a worldwide cataclysm and recovery from it. Another might be space colonists who remember landing on an unfamiliar planet. So, very similar to what Archipelago was, with just the distinction that the founding of the world is taken as a single shared event, a starting point from which the stories of different nations could continue.
(Of course I would hope that the event itself wouldn't be the focus of stories - it would be pretty boring to just read several different people's takes on "holy hell, what happened to the world". But it would at least be something canonical that everyone could say definitely took place and at the same time - even if there might be time warps and stuff like that on the planet later on.)
I don't know if that A2 should go on for a predetermined amount of time. It could be just "until everybody's done or we lose interest". But it would be a basic assumption that there's such a thing as done - not in the sense that you have to stop adding stuff, but in the sense that you think what you've done is a pretty good thing and would be happy to say it tells a complete story of a part of this strange world. I'm thinking that the perfect ending would be that at some point people just start finishing their nations up - maybe someplace reaches an end of history and will remain in a stable state hereafter, maybe another nation destroys itself (or another nation, if the authors are so inclined), maybe another transcends this existence somehow, etc.. It's probably not going to happen as beautifully as that, because people are going to disagree about how long they want to go on, but that doesn't really matter - after all, in reality, the way most stories about most nations end is "to be continued". "Done" doesn't mean there has to be an ending.
Also, of course, drop the EC system and just make land claims something close to first-come first-served within reasonable boundaries, allowing for most of the map to be settled in the beginning. If multiple people want the same area, well, hopefully it'll happen in the beginning when there's not so much tied up in the pixels yet so it's easier to negiotiate. If someone takes up a lot of land and doesn't do much with it, well, their loss for not doing something cool with it. We're not out to worry about limiting one nation so that there's space for another five years down the road here.
Market the whole thing to your readers as a project that they can get into without having to read ten years of micronational history. Well, if someone does want to interact with Micras, that's just a question of who's the first to say they've got a Hurmu gate. It would still work the same way as micronationalism does. It would just admit that there's a possibility that one day everything is done, the whole thing is put up as an example of something cool we did, and everything went as planned. If at that point the new people want to involve themselves in Micras, we'll be a lot more familiar bunch.
Lord Furniture
Not even partially responsible for Malarboria; will take the blame for Caverden, though!
Tallest and therefore Greatest of the Janitors
Eternal Watcher of #micronations
Not even partially responsible for Malarboria; will take the blame for Caverden, though!
Tallest and therefore Greatest of the Janitors
Eternal Watcher of #micronations
Re: I am sitting on a resource I don't know how to use
We could let every new nation get a few pixels on the map, so that they can talk along with the other micrasians. After three months, the MCS sees if they are active enough to remain, or even to expand. That way, we make sure that new members get involved quickly.
Also, there is plenty of green still on the Micras map, so I don't think that space for new nations will be a problem.
Also, there is plenty of green still on the Micras map, so I don't think that space for new nations will be a problem.
1.Titus Morvayne, Prefect of Shirekeep, Count of the Skyla Islands
2.Eki Aholibamah Verion, Queen in the North
3. Ludovic Verion, Lord of Blackstone and Governor-General of the Iron Company
4. Jeremy Harwinsson Archer, super sleuth
2.Eki Aholibamah Verion, Queen in the North
3. Ludovic Verion, Lord of Blackstone and Governor-General of the Iron Company
4. Jeremy Harwinsson Archer, super sleuth
- ConglacioII
- Posts: 648
- Joined: Mon Jan 30, 2012 10:00 pm
Re: I am sitting on a resource I don't know how to use
I'm liking the A2 idea myself.
- Scott Alexander
- Posts: 1778
- Joined: Sun Dec 19, 2010 1:20 am
Re: I am sitting on a resource I don't know how to use
Ari: I don't think the lack of a defined endpoint is what killed Archipelago...nor would I be satisfied with a fun game that concluded after a couple of months. If you want to set it up, I'll join you, but I don't have enough understanding of why it would be a good idea to try it myself.
Another thought: we could borrow a large dead country, let's say Gralus (if the Gralans agreed). This would get rid of all of the MCS-related issues. We could then declare Gralus to be Archipelago II and hand out pieces of Gralus to people on demand (technically as "subdivisions" as far as the MCS knows), and then they could have little con-countries that could interact with the rest of Micras.
Another thought: we could borrow a large dead country, let's say Gralus (if the Gralans agreed). This would get rid of all of the MCS-related issues. We could then declare Gralus to be Archipelago II and hand out pieces of Gralus to people on demand (technically as "subdivisions" as far as the MCS knows), and then they could have little con-countries that could interact with the rest of Micras.
Re: I am sitting on a resource I don't know how to use
Does this "A2" thing imply using unclaimed parts of Micras, or having it's own new geography?
I'm fine with using the existing geography - there's a nice desert in southern Apollonia with Iron and Gas, on amidst the ruins of Antica and Riponia, that fits my needs.
I'm also perfectly fine with adjusting my tech level, magic, history etc. to fit in better with neighbouring countries, I think having some kind of consistent feel is nicer than having all kind of crazy chaotic origin stories.
I'm not particularly keen on recruiting plenty of people to fill in my land (though I have an idea on where to find some ...), because I care more about interesting world building than about simulating internal politics.
I'm fine with using the existing geography - there's a nice desert in southern Apollonia with Iron and Gas, on amidst the ruins of Antica and Riponia, that fits my needs.
I'm also perfectly fine with adjusting my tech level, magic, history etc. to fit in better with neighbouring countries, I think having some kind of consistent feel is nicer than having all kind of crazy chaotic origin stories.
I'm not particularly keen on recruiting plenty of people to fill in my land (though I have an idea on where to find some ...), because I care more about interesting world building than about simulating internal politics.
- Mira Raynora Minor
- Posts: 807
- Joined: Thu Nov 17, 2011 12:32 am
Re: I am sitting on a resource I don't know how to use
If we went to ensure that our brand of micronationalism has a future, then I think we need to ditch this idea that the sector is dying. Now I'm not saying we have much room for complacency- the recent loss of three long-established Bastion nations is a timely reminder of the precariousness of our efforts- but we need to put our concerns into perspective. Yes, numbers and activity levels have declined significantly over the last decade and it's easy to look back on those "glory days" in the fearly years of the new millenium when the hobby seemed so much more vibrant, fresh and exciting; but if we look beyond this rose-tinted nostalgia, were things so very much better?
Let's be honest, ten years ago many (if not most) of us were immature jerks and much of our activity was wasted upon pointless- and often quite nasty- arguments over very minor differences of opinion. Of course things seemed fresh and exciting back then; we were young and feeling our way in a brave new world of the imagination. A decade on, some of us have matured- we've lost the freshness of youth but have gained a little of the wisdom of age- whilst others have dropped out. That's entirely natural...it's like life: some people grow up and others drop out.
So where does that leave us now? I happen to feel it leaves us in a stronger place. Yes, we still have arguments and there are still people who behave like jerks, but for the most part, I see those of us who are around at the moment as an elite- veterans of a decade or more of micronationalism, whose creativity and commitment is proven.
1. It was an entirely separate world, thereby creating competition with the established world of Micras whilst also limiting the possibilities for interaction with existing people and places;
2. As a new world, it was overely complicated. I must confess that I found the backstory highly confusing and I think the decision to make it a "future Micras" was a really bad move, as that only complicated matters.
If you are serious about an "A2", my first preference is to set aside a large area of land on Micras and then sketch out, in very broad-brush strokes, a general overview of the region that everyone can then build on. Hell, why don't we use Eura? The Babkhan holocaust would create the perfect conditions for a clean slate.
Failing that, I would suggest we create a new world, with a reasonably defined geography but with everything else left blank. The moment you start creating prehistoric empires you make it harder for newcomers to fit their ideas into the ongoing storyline.
Let's be honest, ten years ago many (if not most) of us were immature jerks and much of our activity was wasted upon pointless- and often quite nasty- arguments over very minor differences of opinion. Of course things seemed fresh and exciting back then; we were young and feeling our way in a brave new world of the imagination. A decade on, some of us have matured- we've lost the freshness of youth but have gained a little of the wisdom of age- whilst others have dropped out. That's entirely natural...it's like life: some people grow up and others drop out.
So where does that leave us now? I happen to feel it leaves us in a stronger place. Yes, we still have arguments and there are still people who behave like jerks, but for the most part, I see those of us who are around at the moment as an elite- veterans of a decade or more of micronationalism, whose creativity and commitment is proven.
The harsh reality is that the majority of new arrivals won't stick; our success rate is really no worse than just about every other online RP or world-building community I have been involved with. I think we can do more to attract new people, but we musn't be too despondent if most don't stick around because this isn't the place for everybody.Scott Alexander wrote:I really do not just want to refer them to Shireroth's Ministry of Immigration, because we have like a 100% track record of not being successful in getting new immigrants interested in micronations. Xanis, Gordoth, the Vanderveers, Torodez, four or five people CJ brought in for Safiria. All disappeared after a week or so. Other countries do no better.
That's an interesting idea, although I personally prefer projects that are left open-ended. I also think the key is to keep things simple and let them develop at their pace. In my view, Archipelago suffered from two problems:ari wrote:A re-Archipelication could be fun. It wouldn't last, though... so maybe we could start from the assumption that we're just spending some amount of time doing some worldbuilding that's meant to work as a single package, and that's it. Something that you can deliver instead of planning to just stick with into the undetermined future.
1. It was an entirely separate world, thereby creating competition with the established world of Micras whilst also limiting the possibilities for interaction with existing people and places;
2. As a new world, it was overely complicated. I must confess that I found the backstory highly confusing and I think the decision to make it a "future Micras" was a really bad move, as that only complicated matters.
If you are serious about an "A2", my first preference is to set aside a large area of land on Micras and then sketch out, in very broad-brush strokes, a general overview of the region that everyone can then build on. Hell, why don't we use Eura? The Babkhan holocaust would create the perfect conditions for a clean slate.
Failing that, I would suggest we create a new world, with a reasonably defined geography but with everything else left blank. The moment you start creating prehistoric empires you make it harder for newcomers to fit their ideas into the ongoing storyline.
Mira Raynora the Younger
Queen of Leichenberg
Queen of Lichbrook, Duchess of Brookshire
Marchioness and Lichgravine of Lachmodan, Countess of Azarea and Ž
Queen of Leichenberg
Queen of Lichbrook, Duchess of Brookshire
Marchioness and Lichgravine of Lachmodan, Countess of Azarea and Ž
- Mira Raynora Minor
- Posts: 807
- Joined: Thu Nov 17, 2011 12:32 am
Re: I am sitting on a resource I don't know how to use
Damnit Scott...you beat me to both points!Scott Alexander wrote:Ari: I don't think the lack of a defined endpoint is what killed Archipelago...nor would I be satisfied with a fun game that concluded after a couple of months. If you want to set it up, I'll join you, but I don't have enough understanding of why it would be a good idea to try it myself.
Another thought: we could borrow a large dead country, let's say Gralus (if the Gralans agreed). This would get rid of all of the MCS-related issues. We could then declare Gralus to be Archipelago II and hand out pieces of Gralus to people on demand (technically as "subdivisions" as far as the MCS knows), and then they could have little con-countries that could interact with the rest of Micras.
For the read brigade, I suggested using Eura instead of removing Gralus.
EDIT: WTF is that stupid emoticon?!
Mira Raynora the Younger
Queen of Leichenberg
Queen of Lichbrook, Duchess of Brookshire
Marchioness and Lichgravine of Lachmodan, Countess of Azarea and Ž
Queen of Leichenberg
Queen of Lichbrook, Duchess of Brookshire
Marchioness and Lichgravine of Lachmodan, Countess of Azarea and Ž
Re: I am sitting on a resource I don't know how to use
I'm more in favor of reusing parts of Micras (so there's the possibility of interaction with other places), and Eura suits me (I prefer desert and/or badlands); I also think it's better to dump the noobs together *somewhere*, so their nighbours are of the same "power level" (in terms of familiarity with this whole micronation thing, and already-developped history).
But then I don't know how big this set of n00bs is, it may be just me
But then I don't know how big this set of n00bs is, it may be just me
Re: I am sitting on a resource I don't know how to use
I think that it is the interaction between beginning and advanced micronationalists is something we need to keep. The Gralus/Eura idea could be a good way to 'dump the noobs together' but also keep the interaction going.
1.Titus Morvayne, Prefect of Shirekeep, Count of the Skyla Islands
2.Eki Aholibamah Verion, Queen in the North
3. Ludovic Verion, Lord of Blackstone and Governor-General of the Iron Company
4. Jeremy Harwinsson Archer, super sleuth
2.Eki Aholibamah Verion, Queen in the North
3. Ludovic Verion, Lord of Blackstone and Governor-General of the Iron Company
4. Jeremy Harwinsson Archer, super sleuth
Re: I am sitting on a resource I don't know how to use
Gralus is dead? From the wiki and the claims map, they look still around, and the forum only has a reference to few citizens and the death of some guy, which is kinda ambiguous to interpret for an outsider...
- Mira Raynora Minor
- Posts: 807
- Joined: Thu Nov 17, 2011 12:32 am
Re: I am sitting on a resource I don't know how to use
Gralus' situation is pretty ambiguous, even for an insider! It's probably better to think of them as comatose rather than actually dead, in that they're still with us but just not being terribly active.
Joking aside though...I'm massively uncomfortable with the idea of non-Gralans calling time on the place. I appreciate that Scott's suggestion was a) designed to avoid issues with claiming land and b) dependent on Gralus' agreement and thus no disrespect was intended, but it just leaves me uneasy...particularly when huge areas of perfectly good land remain free. Quite frankly, if the only obstacle to this proposal is the MCS, then- with the greatest possible respect to that body- they need to realise that the chance to revitalise the entire sector with an influx of fresh ideas is surely worth bending the rules just this once.
Joking aside though...I'm massively uncomfortable with the idea of non-Gralans calling time on the place. I appreciate that Scott's suggestion was a) designed to avoid issues with claiming land and b) dependent on Gralus' agreement and thus no disrespect was intended, but it just leaves me uneasy...particularly when huge areas of perfectly good land remain free. Quite frankly, if the only obstacle to this proposal is the MCS, then- with the greatest possible respect to that body- they need to realise that the chance to revitalise the entire sector with an influx of fresh ideas is surely worth bending the rules just this once.
Mira Raynora the Younger
Queen of Leichenberg
Queen of Lichbrook, Duchess of Brookshire
Marchioness and Lichgravine of Lachmodan, Countess of Azarea and Ž
Queen of Leichenberg
Queen of Lichbrook, Duchess of Brookshire
Marchioness and Lichgravine of Lachmodan, Countess of Azarea and Ž
Re: I am sitting on a resource I don't know how to use
Hi, I believe I can speak for Gralus on this matter.
Andreas and I are basically the only two Gralans left. I just went through a busy year of engineering school, and Andreas is in his honors year of Uni (whatever that means). We do not expect Gralus to last much longer, seeing as both of us have busy lives, but we want to wrap it up right. So we've been working on a story collaboration for about a year, although nothing new has been written for several months. But now that I'm on break for the summer, I expect to get more work done on it. I don't want to give a solid timetable, because I don't know what Andreas's schedule is like, but I'm hoping we can wrap the thing up by the end of the year. I've long been rather embarrassed about the fact that we have so much land claimed, yet nobody is around anymore to do stuff with it, and once we've finished our plans for the end of the nation, I'd be happy to see it be put to use again.
Tl; dr: Gralus is still technically alive, but probably won't be for much longer. Comatose is a pretty good way to describe it.
Andreas and I are basically the only two Gralans left. I just went through a busy year of engineering school, and Andreas is in his honors year of Uni (whatever that means). We do not expect Gralus to last much longer, seeing as both of us have busy lives, but we want to wrap it up right. So we've been working on a story collaboration for about a year, although nothing new has been written for several months. But now that I'm on break for the summer, I expect to get more work done on it. I don't want to give a solid timetable, because I don't know what Andreas's schedule is like, but I'm hoping we can wrap the thing up by the end of the year. I've long been rather embarrassed about the fact that we have so much land claimed, yet nobody is around anymore to do stuff with it, and once we've finished our plans for the end of the nation, I'd be happy to see it be put to use again.
Tl; dr: Gralus is still technically alive, but probably won't be for much longer. Comatose is a pretty good way to describe it.
"When you have eliminated the impossible, whatever remains, however improbable, must be the truth."
~Sherlock Holmes
The character of Gerk ronAnaglea is dead.
My avatar contains (from left to right) the characters of Analis and Rafel.
Click here for my roleplaying Element List.
~Sherlock Holmes
The character of Gerk ronAnaglea is dead.
My avatar contains (from left to right) the characters of Analis and Rafel.
Click here for my roleplaying Element List.
- Krasniy Yastreb
- Posts: 702
- Joined: Wed Mar 06, 2013 11:06 pm
Re: I am sitting on a resource I don't know how to use
I'd also like to see the MCS shed its old aversion to single-cit members and be more willing to offer small parcels of land to start them off.
Currently we wait for people to build an acceptable cultural accumen before they're recognised... but if they're unable to fully mingle with more established neighbours, draw inspiration from their successes and learn prudence from their failures, we're robbing them of direction to develop in the first place. And for some of these people, with brilliant ideas just waiting for an outlet, a little direction may be all they need to stick around.
So yes, give the newbs a seat at the grown-ups' table. It doesn't have to be at the important end with the heads of family, but dining off the same piece of furniture would at least imbue them with the self-esteem to carry on, plus a sense of challenge and responsibility to grow into.
Currently we wait for people to build an acceptable cultural accumen before they're recognised... but if they're unable to fully mingle with more established neighbours, draw inspiration from their successes and learn prudence from their failures, we're robbing them of direction to develop in the first place. And for some of these people, with brilliant ideas just waiting for an outlet, a little direction may be all they need to stick around.
So yes, give the newbs a seat at the grown-ups' table. It doesn't have to be at the important end with the heads of family, but dining off the same piece of furniture would at least imbue them with the self-esteem to carry on, plus a sense of challenge and responsibility to grow into.
- Vilhelm Benkern
- Posts: 3833
- Joined: Sun Apr 01, 2012 11:08 am
Re: I am sitting on a resource I don't know how to use
Sadly true.Scott Alexander wrote:I really do not just want to refer them to Shireroth's Ministry of Immigration, because we have like a 100% track record of not being successful in getting new immigrants interested in micronations.
Sounds great to me, so long as the forum-space stuff is cleared with Ari.Bastion. Would you be willing to let random newbie micronationalists come here and get their own top-level country forum? Or create a "Other Small Country" forums that they could start in and maybe grow out of?
In another internet community thing I'm involved in, a game-based more commercial gov sim, we have a ministry dedicated specifically to retention of newbies. It's an important element in any thriving hobby! I think we need to take seriously the idea of a revised "Welcome to Micronations" (or Micras, or simulationism) post/page - something that is linked to rather than provides links to other things.
Vilhelm Benkern DEOMI, Member of the Order of the Dragon, Silver Swan, Red Dragon
Dirigent of Musica, Count of Mar Sara
In Aryasht Prapta Vrteti, former Prince of Aryasht; Zaila Vrteti, Norfolknath
In Elwynn Benjamin Sebasokrator Timothy Quentin Kern, Duke of Raikoth
In Khalypsil Representative of the Wisdom
Dirigent of Musica, Count of Mar Sara
In Aryasht Prapta Vrteti, former Prince of Aryasht; Zaila Vrteti, Norfolknath
In Elwynn Benjamin Sebasokrator Timothy Quentin Kern, Duke of Raikoth
In Khalypsil Representative of the Wisdom
Re: I am sitting on a resource I don't know how to use
i basically agree to everything everyone's said.
The ghost of Nathan Waffel-Paine
Re: I am sitting on a resource I don't know how to use
I replied to a few of Scott's questions which are related to this over on the Hub, but I see a few names here who I assume won't be visiting there soon, so I'll cover things that seemingly need my input here
The MCS has been pro-single-citizen nations ever since I became AdGen, so I'm not sure where the idea that they're not permitted to claim has come from. Birgeshir and Mailong are two examples of one-man nations on the map at the moment; basically, as long as they claim a reasonable amount, they're good to go
As for the three-month rule, I probably have harsher views on that than some people
To me, and most people around these parts, micronationalism (I'll use that as an umbrella term for just any nation building and developing) is a pretty long-term hobby. Three months is a short-time, so if people are actually being put-off by that as an age limit, it's probably for the best. I'd rather the community gained one committed new member a year than twelve who disappear after only a month to never be heard of again, if I'm brutally honest
I have to say, I like the idea of using parts of Eura as an effective Archipelago-esque nation for newbies to join. It'd give new members an area to develop as their own which they can secede if/when they wish. Such a nation, as long as it was actively maintained enough to remain on Micras, would mean we'd not be left in sticky situations that would occur if we abolished the three-month rule and accepted multiple claims of nations that only die-off after a week
The MCS has been pro-single-citizen nations ever since I became AdGen, so I'm not sure where the idea that they're not permitted to claim has come from. Birgeshir and Mailong are two examples of one-man nations on the map at the moment; basically, as long as they claim a reasonable amount, they're good to go
As for the three-month rule, I probably have harsher views on that than some people
To me, and most people around these parts, micronationalism (I'll use that as an umbrella term for just any nation building and developing) is a pretty long-term hobby. Three months is a short-time, so if people are actually being put-off by that as an age limit, it's probably for the best. I'd rather the community gained one committed new member a year than twelve who disappear after only a month to never be heard of again, if I'm brutally honest
I have to say, I like the idea of using parts of Eura as an effective Archipelago-esque nation for newbies to join. It'd give new members an area to develop as their own which they can secede if/when they wish. Such a nation, as long as it was actively maintained enough to remain on Micras, would mean we'd not be left in sticky situations that would occur if we abolished the three-month rule and accepted multiple claims of nations that only die-off after a week