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DispatchBulletinOpinion

by Rughzhenhaide. . 3,327 reads.

Problems with NationStates: Elitism, Voting blocks, and more

Update. Follow-up dispatch below.

Left-wing bias
NationStates, along with most media right now is suffering from overwhelming left-wing bias. Libertarian views are called far-right because the left is so ridiculously off the scale. The World Assembly votes down every General Assembly proposal made by a non-left member. We all know this is true. Just look at the passed resolutions. The Assembly is looking to, by force, turn dissidents into their own by passing badly designed, lackluster proposals full of loopholes. The best example of this is Imperium Anglorum’s resolution #454, consisting of a single sentence. (page=WA_past_resolution/id=454/council=1)
Why was it even passed in the first place? Voting blocks, about which I will speak in another point. Another good example of this is Antifa, an IRL terrorist organization that focuses on striking people they deem as fascists, that is, people who disagree with them. What is funny is that some people consider them to be a positive force. Antifa is a far left anarcho-communist violent terror group, and their NS counterpart is not any better.

Elitism
The old-timers in the game have zero respect for newcomers and treat them as inferior. I have experienced this firsthand. Those individuals are founders, or are part of the government of major regions or region clusters. They know everyone and everyone knows them. This ties into the next point.

Voting blocks in the WA
Have you noticed that within the few first hours of a vote, the vote is often majorly tilted to one side? This is not because of the content of the proposal. People simply don't care about that. When voting, they follow the WA delegate of the region they reside in rather than judging the resolution on their own. Regions, on the other hand, form voting blocks. Voting blocks are coalitions of people that negotiate to vote for each other’s proposals to earn badges and commendations. Sometimes major voting blocks have different voting policies and they vote against each other. When that happens the votes look tied or only slightly tilted to one side. Of course, the vote later tends to go toward the middle because of independent voters. Resolutions are not written to improve anything. They are meant to be lazily manufactured en masse to farm badges or further push the WA to the left.

Abysmal forums (flamebaiting)
This is simple really. Newcomers to the forums that engage in conversations get baited by the troll to enter a discussion, their opponent refuses to acknowledge anything they say, the newbie gets angry and makes a mistake, then the troll files a moderator report. We know how this ends. There are other things too, but I would rather not talk about the forums anymore since they’re a cesspool.

People and their hunger for power
This is how coalitions and mergers happen. One power-hungry individual contacts another suggesting a merger, people move in, people burn out, region collapses, rinse and repeat. Most merger regions are incompatible that is why they often collapse. There are exceptions to this. Merger regions are a machine that converts members into energy, once they run out, they’re dead, so they have to keep moving and preying.

Vote farming
Most probably the biggest problem of the current implementation of the WA in Nationstates.
Newbies often join the bigger regions which results in them getting pulled in to the illusion of “a perfect region” which is just that - an illusion. The only thing they are good for is their vote in the Assembly. Those kinds of regions often have mandatory WA membership.

Feeder regions


The Problem


NationStates (NS) is a game full of many different, diverse and innovative regions. There are hundreds of different regions to choose from, each with a different community, a different focus and a different culture. There is something for everyone. This means that gameplay can be fun and enjoyable for all, everyone can find their home where they can take part in gameplay (which is the focus of this dispatch, rather than roleplay) and we can be in a fair, diverse, wider community without fun being spoilt by someone else.

However, this is not entirely the case. NS gameplay is dominated by game-created-regions, rather than the more numerous user-created-regions. The larger size and status of GCRs leads to notable figures involved in the gameplay side of NS joining GCRs, instead of focusing on building and promoting UCRs. These 'GCR exclusivists' are prone to complaining about UCRs, who are generally the innocent party in this.

GCRs are able to use their size and power to show diplomatic, political and military influence larger than any UCR could ever do. They have large militaries that they use to invade innocent UCRs, partaking in occasional defences to clear their name. In the WA, their delegates hold a huge voting power, so large that the GCR delegates can easily sway any WA resolution vote to their advantage, outweighing the interests of smaller regions. Some GCRs capitalise on this by creating dispatches asking people to vote a certain way, before upvoting said dispatch to the top spots on the dispatches page. This leads to oblivious nations blindly voting in the WA based on the wishes of GCRs. While this sounds unimportant, it can be the difference between a region being liberated or not liberated, thus deciding the future of a region that several nations call, or have called, home.

Ultimately, GCRs are power-hungry, influence-seeking regions who are concerned about themselves and themselves only, even if this is at the expense of the rest of the NS community.



The Userite


GCRs get all the attention, yet this does not mean that it is GCRs that are the ones who deserve all the attention. Moreover, it is the UCRs that are the ones who deserve the attention. Hundreds of different regions, most of which are innovative, diverse and great communities. UCRs cater for anybody's and everybody's needs. For example, there are UCRs who do not have discords, for those who prefer onsite. There are UCRs that have clever gimmicks, such as centrally-planned economies and communities that travel between other UCRs on the site.

UCRs also have stronger communities than GCRs. The activity level of most GCRs is somewhat overwhelming, and the size of the regions mean that it's more difficult for new players to get involved and noticed, not impossible, but daunting. Meanwhile UCRs have somewhat active communities where smaller groups of nations get to know each other, build regions and build close bonds with each other. The more diverse nature of UCRs also means that it is easier for people to find somewhere they feel at home, from where they can be themselves, and enjoy themselves. GCRs are more vanilla, less original than this.

I do give some credit to GCRs for what they do, but the real problem is how GCRs get all the attention, and none is given to the regions that have made NS into the wonder it is today. GCRs just take all the attention and give up none to the userites, who are ever bit as innovative, every bit as creative, or arguably, more so, in ways that GCRs could never imagine. I also admit that not all UCRs are perfect. There are many inactive UCRs with only a couple of nations in them, but the focus should be on the more active, more innovative medium-large UCRs (including most regions between 10-1000 nations, although not all are necessarily active). More worryingly, there are the odd fascist, imperialist and discriminatory UCRs, whose creativity I do not celebrate, whose attention I do not give and whose activities I do not condone. However, they are the few bad eggs in a plentiful batch.

At the end of the day, it is the UCRs that are the underappreciated, understated regions that are just as, if not more vital than GCRs.



Going Forward


The in-game power of the GCRs (in regards to the WA and general diplomacy), we cannot overcome, unless if the mods create more GCRs to outweigh the power balance of them, or lessen their power through changing the games code in some other way. But we, as players can do our bit ourselves.

If you are in a GCR, then evaluate why you're there. Perhaps take a look at smaller regions, or even the larger UCRs, and move a puppet into one or two regions to see what their community is like. Try a different type of region. If you like it, then get involved there and make it your main region. If you want to remain in a GCR, remember that power and influence is not everything, and doesn't gain any real benefit in life. So feel free to un-endorse a GCR delegate, attempt to persuade your government to be more considerate of UCRs and less influence-focused.

If you're in a UCR, then pull out or stay out of GCR-focused WA alliances. If you have a regional military, then band together with other UCR militaries to oppose GCRs. Focus on making diplomatic relations with other UCRs, not GCRs. If we're in this together, it is much easier than if we try to protect our own position by building relations with GCRs.

For both, you can always try to ignore GCR voting dispatches, or counter them by downvoting them. The same goes for other not-relevant GCR dispatches.

This is just a few ideas that can get people started in countering the power of GCRs. You can always come up with more of your own and share these with those around you. There are things that the average NS player can do to give UCRs their rightful place as innovators and diversifiers, and the appreciation that they deserve.

Read dispatch


The follow-up:
EDIT: Another reply, this time crazy communist edition.
This is the follow-up to my previous Bulletin concerning the Problems of NationStates.
Let me start by saying that I did not expect much response, let alone making it on the #2 spot on the Dispatches page. I've decided to expand on it.

Solving the problems
Let's get this out right away - this won't be easy. Here are some things you could do yourself to fight against the bad and for the good.
1. Spread the word
Many of you are doing this, pinning the dispatch on the Reginal Page, posting it on the RMB, sending it to others. This all helps. Awareness will provoke a reaction.
2. Keep your mind open, question everything, be aware
Actively seek out information on the topic. Most problems on the list could have been avoided at the very start if everyone knew how the elite operates. Question this dispatch. I could be wrong about something here and I probably am. Send me telegrams, discuss this with others. Being mistaken is not wrong - refusing to change your mind when the evidence against a thesis is presented, on the other hand, is.
3. Keep Calm
Insulting people is counterproductive. So is panic. If someone intentionally baits you to be angry, go on a walk and cool your head. Anger is a sign of weakness and lack of power.
You are in power.
4. Boycott the NS forums and make your own alternatives
Don't trust the mods and their judgment? They have no power over means of contact outside NS. Use discord, make your own forums, sites and so on (just look how nice this forum page of Enadia is (there was a link here but its dead)). You could even use blogs and their comment system for this purpose. Absolutely everyone can do it. There are many templates just waiting to be used.
5. Be content with what you have
This is mainly aimed at founders and WA delegates of regions. Don't bite off more than you can chew. Mergers are mostly destructive. Many people feel alienated and uncomfortable after them. ALWAYS ask your region-mates what they think about alliances/mergers, joining organizations and so on. Measure your approval. No one wants a tyrant for their delegate.
6. Investigate before associating
If something looks too good to be true, it probably is. Before moving somewhere (or trying to be buddy-buddy with a region), talk to the people there. Read their dispatches. Look at the attitude of the founder. If he's arrogant and exuding an aura of "I'm better than you" (not to be mistaken for charisma) then he most definitely is a bad person. I won't be pointing at people here but if you look for an "alliance" of several regions named after a person, named after a certain month of the year, you will most probably find a landmine. Look at their WA proposals. Are they mostly commendations? Red flag. Are they a raider region? Why are they raiding then? To silence people that have different opinions/raiding people by association with someone they don't like? Antifa? Massive red flag. Raiding for the thrill/trophy regions? If you're into that, go for it.
More points to be added.

Replying to replies
"As a response to your dispatch, I'd like to offer my perspective as a trans woman, leftist, WA Delegate, and arguably a member of the hegemony.
NationStates is not leftist. Believe me, if it were, I'd be a lot happier. We leftists are concentrated because leftism is a popular ideology.

That being said, as a trans woman, NationStates is a place where I do feel safe and loved. That means the world to me while I live in a place that is actively hostile. I'm proud to be on a site like that. If by left-leaning, you mean that NS supports people like me, then yeah, it is. And that's cool because NS was where I came out for the first time." - Anonymous

Let me start by saying that you have an extraordinary view on things. Being gender dysphoric is like painting a target on your back for people who are afraid of you/just plain d*cks. I on the other hand, am an completely average user of NS. I don't get insulted for those things. This is why our mileage varies. And yes, left-bias exists. You didn't experience it because you are currently in a group of people who are nice to you and like-minded. And that's completely fine, the objective of games is to be happy playing them. People on the right face discrimination too. I have been called a fascist quite a few times.
Meanwhile, I have to put up with this: https://pasteboard.co/HzdB4wI.png
and this https://pasteboard.co/HzdBkuf.png
and that https://pasteboard.co/HzdBAUN.png
and many more things. This is just anti-white racism on twitter. It exists. And it's spreading. The bias cannot be denied.
Leftism is not very popular. It's just very vocal and influential. Proof? LinkTrump got elected to president.




I forgot to mention, but if Antifa is not far left and not communist and actually fighting extremism (censorship is always wrong by the way), why did they not raid any communist regions? Communism killed WAY more people than fascism. Shouldn't communism be equally as bad as fascism and nazism (national-SOCIALISM) Linkif not even more so? https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Black_Book_of_Communism
Read dispatch

Rughzhenhaide

Edited:

RawReport