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by The Impeccably Arranged Snark of The West Pacific Master Dispatch. . 506 reads.

The West Pacifican - August 2020

Announcements!


TWP Internal Feature: Nomic
By Giovanniland

Nomic is a game that differs from almost every other one, because it is played by changing the rules. Named after nomos (Greek for 'law'), it was created by Peter Suber as a physical game, claiming to be modeled on modern government systems. However, it has been since adapted to be played online, with some online Nomic games spanning over a decade.

In the West Pacific, the idea was brought by Recuecn on February 20, shortly after the end of a hard-fought Spam Points battle, which coincidentally had its rules changed in the middle. Recuecn claims to have got the idea to start a TWP Nomic game from there, promptly adapting the original ruleset, creating a Nomic Discussion thread in the regional forums, and inviting other TWPers to play.

The current TWP Nomic players are Giovanniland, Irador, Recuecn, and Zoran, at the time of writing. Furthermore, the game has also attracted some visitors from other regions, namely Racoda from the North Pacific and The Salaxalans from Spiritus - each player bringing their own style to this rule-changing game.

The core of the game is the change of rules by discussion and voting. The initial ruleset of TWP Nomic contains 16 immutable and 13 mutable rules. Players can propose, amend, repeal, or transmute (from mutable to immutable or vice versa) rules. Within a span of 5 months, the Nomic players have proposed around 40 rules, about variable topics, ranging from a fictional Monopoly-style board inside Nomic, the in-game currency of Party Points, and the position of Potato King - which is ironically elected.

The game is mostly peaceful, although there have been heated discussions about paradoxical rules every now and then. It retains a shiny status amid several other forum games in the ClubHouse, even having a thread for rules and an archive thread, beyond the main discussion place. Although it has only been around for a short time, it is surely a fun game to play, and, as a player, I hope it sticks around for a long time. Interested in playing? Be sure to read the rules and visit our LinkNomic Discussion thread to apply!


Casserole of Humanity Feature: Darkesia's AMA Highlights
Edited by Recuecn

TWP's annual cultural celebration "The Casserole of Humanity" took place this past month, and included a whole slew of different events. One of those events was an Ask-Me-Anything session with one of TWP's retired delegates, Darkesia. Here's a few highlights from that session, which consisted of a lot of reminiscing and history lessons, interspersed with pearls of wisdom.

Sokala: Thoughts on the changes in NationStates' culture in general?

Darkesia: There was more of a lawless, wild feeling to NS back in the early days. Everything was full of promise and mystery. You had to work hard and be patient, but you could build anything you set your mind to. There were no tutorials or How To guides, ya just dove in and tried it.

I am not a fan of the recent OOC focus.

Papercuts and Skittles: How has the NS intelligence game changed since you started?

Darkesia: I can say in all honesty that it is dead. Part of the shift toward OOC play has included the death of the intel game. It's a subtle difference that you might recall. Metagaming was not precisely RP, but it was not OOC either. We lost something precious when we destroyed the divide between the game and Real Life.

Agalaesia: What are you most proud of doing on NS and why?

Darkesia: This is difficult to answer. I think to be proud of something would mean I had put in a lot of effort and seen it pay off. NS is, first and foremost a game for me. So, I often don't do a thing if I don't think it will be fun. My second Delegacy in TWP was fun and I take full credit for stripping down the legislative and Judicial branches to bare bones. I shrunk the government to the size that was proportional to it's active players. I stripped the rules down to two, which you know: 1) All your chocolate belongs to Darkesia and 2) Don't be a dick. I woke the region by reintroducing fun.
Not that I think about it, I may have done that the first time around. Oh dear, it all runs together.
I had a blast as the Delegate of Gatesville, despite knowing the region was in it's death throes. It can only be major fun to be handed the largest army in NS and told to keep them busy with anything.
My memories of Lemuria are all fun except the very end. And that end is my least favorite moment in NS : I was the last FA minister of Lemuria. Somehow when I shut down FA and isolated us, I triggered the slide to inactivity. I regret that. A lot.

Atlae: What are some of your stories from your early NS career?

Darkesia: This is very broad. So I will ramble like an old lady and just share random memories.

I remember participating in Puppet Master II and other actions that involved hundreds of nations moving at once. Today that couldn't happen for many reasons. But it was thrilling to watch a feeder delegate's endorsements fall in the course of a few minutes and know you were part of it.

I remember moments when my view of NS changed. When I was a few months into the game and Grub banned me from 10KI. When RLA started the downward spiral into OOC attacks by sponsoring forum destruction. When I met Roma and his many iterations of the Illuminati. When I fought unsuccessfully against the SC and rule 4. When influence rocked our NS worlds and it took months to figure out if we could still play the game at all. When Moo crushed the life out of TP. When the court of OOC public opinion became the soft power affecting the game more strongly than any part of the actual game.

Xoriet: If there was any time in NS history that you could return to, what would it be?

Darkesia: My first instinct is to say around the time the PRP switched back to the NPO. But that would be untrue. I was too new and fresh and looking in from the outside. So, I probably romanticize it. I always leave out my time in TNP and Lemuria and (I forget the name of IP and Cathyy's region), but I had fun then too and it was an intensely political time in NS. Political in a fun way, not ooc way.

Really any time where being feeder delegate meant you had to log in several times a day to keep the seat secure and gather a group you trusted, risking everything just to go on vacation. I guess I want to go back to more intense days. There is something that keeps things in perspective when you know you can lose it and get it back if you play the politics right. I miss the game part of GP.

Papercuts and Skittles: Any old NSers that you wish would come back that you've worked with?

Darkesia: That's a hard one. And really, they all come back eventually. There is no real retirement from NS unless you modicide

I am an equal opportunity plotter. I want them all to come back at once. And I want them all to have the time to play. In a game like this RL is usually the culprit that takes a brilliant strategist kid and turns them into an adult with a family and job and no time to plot coups. Stupid RL.

Xoriet: When you first started playing NS, were you aspiring for a career like you made?

Darkesia: Funny you should ask that. I was looking for the opposite. I wanted to find a game where I could be myself hahahahaha! I began the spy thing because I didn't understand how NS fit together. And at the time there was so much mistrust and no guides or mentors. So I thought that the best way to figure it out was to join every region that looked interesting and just start talking to people.
Here's the important part: I had it in my head I needed a different nation/character in each region I joined.

I didn't have a plan, I just suddenly found myself with 8 or so fully developed personas in various regions (I used index cards to track personality traits). Then Dilber and TAO came along. Dilber taught me tech stuff. TAO taught me how to rule and how to leverage intel without behaving dishonorably.

Syberis: If you had to fight one former TWP Delegate to the death, who would you pick for the best chance at winning and why?

Darkesia: Lots of Ants, because imaginary people don't make a mess when they die.

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National Fragile X Awareness Day
By Overthinkers

July 22nd is recognized each year by the US government as National Fragile X Awareness Day. While very few people know about FX, it is actually very likely someone you know could be affected by it, knowingly or not.

Fragile X is a mutation of the FMR1 gene that is linked to a few different conditions. Those with the full mutation have Fragile X Syndrome (FXS), and can experience a range of intellectual, behavioral, and developmental challenges. People with the FX premutation may have Fragile X-associated tremor/ataxia syndrome (FXTAS) or Fragile X-associated primary ovarian inefficiency (FXPOI). This dispatch focuses primarily on FXS.

This is a personal thing for me, as I have spent the last 14 years helping care for my brother with FXS. Every experience is different, of course, and FX affects different people to different degrees. But just taking a moment to educate yourself on it means a lot to someone with FX or who has a loved one with FX.

People with FXS tend to face a number of intellectual and social difficulties, including but not limited to ADD/ADHD, social anxiety, and sensory issues. In addition, FXS is frequently codiagnosed with autism, though no definite link has been established. Those with FXS but not diagnosed with ASD may still exhibit similar behaviors and face similar challenges. About 1 in every 3600-4000 men and 1 in 4000-6000 women have FXS. However, roughly 1 in 151 women carry the FX premutation, as do 1 in 468 men.

FXS has no effect on life expectancy. A genetic test is available that is 99% accurate, but there is no way to tell how many cases go undiagnosed. There is no cure for FXS, but with the help of therapy, education, and support, anyone with FXS can live a long and fulfilled life. They are often smart, attentive, and a joy to be around.

So, here's what you can do to help. Educate yourself on FX and help spread awareness. If you or someone in your family have shown symptoms of the premutation, consider getting tested. Most importantly, however, support those in your community who have FXS and their loved ones. Having FXS doesn't mean someone is "dumb" or "less functional" or otherwise "less of a person", but inconsiderate or uneducated people may treat them that way. Be patient and do your best to listen and understand. Just doing that can mean more than you know.

For a more complete overview of FXS and other FX-related conditions, I highly recommend the National Fragile X Foundation's website (Linkfragilex.org). The NFXF is dedicated to research, awareness, and support for people with FX and their families. You can also reach out to me with questions via telegram and I will answer as best I can.

The West Pacifican's editors would like to thank OT for using our platform to help raise awareness.

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Clinically Insane Brancalandian Goes On Merciless Non-Apology Streak

By Opalla G. of Podium

The mild-mannered, polite stereotype of Brancalandians was firmly put to rest last Thursday as Josh Peters, now officially classified by Bournemouthe's resident physician- and moose -as 'clinically insane', went on a 13-minute non-apology spree, during which he managed to mortally offend 25 women, 57 men, 842 children, and Bob.

"I just... didn't see it coming, y'know?", shared Dash Higgins, Peters' roommate for more than 5 years, a significant portion of which they spent in university together. "I mean, I was talking with him just a few hours before it happened and he seemed totally normal, not at all capable of snapping like... like this."

Peters' spree began at roughly 10 in the morning, where he had apparently left his apartment to buy a fresh bag of milk, at the lift lobby of the building, where Eve Chapman was the first to suffer by his hand. Even though he bumped into her shoulder while passing her in the hallway, he would offer nothing more than an unintelligible grunt in return, the rudeness of which immediately projected her corporeal form into the Shadow Realm.

Mr. Peters' spree of chaos continued as he made his way towards the local Milk N' Bag, crossing paths with the Bournemouthe Primary School as he blatantly ignored the outing as they were just about to turn onto his street 16 blocks away, their subsequent crash into the 'Literally All Of The Explosive Materials In The City' Convention earning nothing more than a slight sniffle from the psychotically deranged madman. Once he had returned from his trip to the Milk N' Bag, Bournemouthe Police were able to safely annihilate the surrounding borough with 746 tactical nuclear warheads to ensure that his chaotic streak would finally come to an end, allowing a shattered Bournemouthe to start picking up the pieces after such a terribly tragic streak of horrible non-apology.

The Mayor is expected to release a statement in 16 years, once he has finished personally apologising to everyone within Brancaland's borders, including the native wildlife.

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Changing of the Guardians: A Profile

By Fuentana

If you find yourself in the capital city of the West Pacific, your first visit will always be to the Delegate’s Square where the region places a custom sculpture representing their current delegate in the center of the Square. Currently it is simply a very large foot in veneration of our Sasquatch Delegate Bran Astor. Lining the perimeter of this space are similar statues of prior delegates. In front of the statue honoring his persona, I am meeting Big Bad Badger, the 45th Delegate of the West. I wait only a few minutes before Badger appears.

I am here in the Capital to meet and collectively interview recently retired Guardians of the West and their newly appointed replacements. In The West Pacific, Guardians are appointed by the Delegate and serve as protectors of the West against threats to security and sovereignty. They may be assigned additional duties as specified by the Delegate. The outgoing Guardians are Badger, Halo (The Holy Principality of Saint Mark), and Dali (Dalimbar). The incoming guardians are Giovanniland, Aelitia Astor (Nieubasria), and Dilber. At Badger’s suggestion we are meeting at 17:43 PM at Snarky and Free, one of the best community pubs in all of NationStates thanks to the regulars from the West and the staple of friends who wander in from the Pacific, Karma, and elsewhere. As we walk, we spot Halo exiting Karma’s Embassy in the Capital, a broad smile on his face. We wave him over. In Karma, Halo is ascending from the Zenith where their Sages rule into the skies as a constellation that emanates for all to see. He is leaving a thank you party for three outgoing Sages that, in true Karma fashion, is most excellent and meritorious. I can hear Altino from the doorway saying goodbye and thank you one last time. She comes to the entrance and yells to Badger and to me, “Party on, dudes!”

We arrive right on time at 17:43 PM and spot Dilber and Aelitia already seated, bantering about something. As we approach, I hear Dilber jokingly yell, “RUDE!” then see both burst into laughter. We sit and order drinks and appetizers. A moment later, Gio arrives, phone in ear as he directs his international art acquisitions company to make one last acquisition before he joins our gathering. Soon, everyone is partaking in beer and sumptuous appetizers and catching up. Well, almost everyone. Dali is late.

Badger, Halo, and Dali are all legendary figures in NationStates. They are highly respected, revered, and in some cases, feared. Badger’s delegacy featured a major celebration of the West in 2016, and he also greatly contributed to a resurgence of the region, including with its military. Halo, the 48th Delegate of the West, was recently the recipient of a Security Council Commendation drafted by The unified missourtama states and Teralyon. Both Halo and Badger serve as Sages in Karma, though Halo has recently ascended in Karma. Halo has also been an officer in Osiris, Albion, the Sasquatch Republic, and The East Pacific. Dalimbar, a specialist in landmines and proud owner of a renowned Coup Consultancy firm, is a former Delegate of The North Pacific, Delegate/Pharaoh of Osiris, and he has also overseen several successful Coup Consultancy projects, some of which he engineered as a teenager.

Our incoming guardians have their own growing legends. Dilber continues to have a storied career in the West as he represents the Government-in-Exile-in-Residence and the government while plotting the next crab invasion as Minister of Foreign Affairs. Aelitia, our Minister of World Assembly Recruitment, has served as Vizier, Viceroy, Arbiter, and Delegate of The East Pacific and brings tremendous expertise in RP. Aelitia was also the winner of Season 2 of Dali’s Drag Race. The youngest of all is Gio, who in less than one year of gameplay has already become the West’s Card Czar and one of the top card farmers in all of NS. His TWP Card Collection is the largest regional card collection in the game. Gio has also served two very successful terms as Speaker of the Hall of Nations.

At 19:11, Guardians old and new are now discussing “fan mail.” It is not uncommon for Guardians to get love letters (absent the love) after a round of purging to keep TWP lean and snarky. Some involve unrealistic threats from brand new nations who aren’t even in the World Assembly. Others are more unsavory. Badger pulls out his phone and opens up a telegram archive. “There are some real gems here,” he says, adding “They range from predicting my early demise to informing me of their desires to couple with my mother.” He chuckles. The reactions that guardians get for performing their duty of safeguarding the region only confirm that the guardians were right. When it is Aelitia’s turn to share about any fan mail during his time in TEP, he admits, “[There was] nothing ever clever enough to warrant a response, unfortunately. Just as in real life, I respect a well-crafted insult above many things.” Gio says, “I’m sad I didn’t get angry telegrams yet.” From the doorway I hear, “Never fear, young grasshopper.” I turn and see Dali walk in, suitcase in hand. I wonder if he has been busy placing landmines. Dali takes his seat and joins in regaling us with stories. Suspiciously, his hair has several specks of glitter in it. He explains that Mystic skies lobbed some glitter bombs at him as he made his way over.

The group is openly reminiscing of funny or unexpected moments while playing NS. Halo shared about the time he accidentally moved his nation out of TWP by creating a region. The problem? This was while he was Delegate. “I was bored one day and decided to create a region, but I wasn't focusing and did it with my main nation, Saint Mark! That, of course, caused me to leave TWP temporarily! I was totally panicked. I thought I'd accidentally lose the delegacy and be quite embarrassed. Luckily, I noticed it right away and it wasn't near update. I just moved back. It really got my heart racing, though!” As he mixes a cocktail to share, he adds, “I'm still annoyed about it. It trashed my Residency stat.” That residency stat comes in handy. Dilber explained, “That’s how I beat Overthinkers in NS Challenge. I beat him with residency.” How? OT and Darkesia had just undergone a ceremonial mutual ejection from TWP at the conclusion of Dark’s time as Guardian.

The Delegate’s approach to appointing Guardians can be straightforward, or it can be intimidating. Badger had appointed Halo. As Badger quietly chuckles, Halo explains, “He made it seem like I was in trouble for something. He called a special meeting to discuss something of grave importance with me. I was worried at first, but then I thought… it’s me! I never do anything nefarious!” That surprise meeting ended up being Halo’s favorite moment in NS. As for Badger, it was Elegarth who appointed him. “He wanted to talk with me (on IRC).” It also sounded serious. With Dali, the appointment came from Halo because he “somehow convinced me to be his Minister of Education, so it’s his fault… I made it clear to him that I didn’t want to be a bureaucrat in NS, but I think he went, ‘La la la, can’t hear you!’” Immediately Halo retorts, “You love it!” This is also how Dilber got roped in. Banter ensues. Dali: “Don’t make me speak corporate to you, Dilber.” Dilber: “We’ll circle back on your threats later.” I am aghast as I now think about whether someone at table will try to get me to “buy in” to corporate values and talk about deliverables…

I asked this great crew of guardians to offer advice and suggest activities for each other. From Badger: “You can never communicate too much. Always be thinking about the big picture. Help the Delegate see what is best for the region.” In retirement, all the outgoing guardians will surely stick around, but with Badger we should imagine that he will use his contacts and become a renowned diamond thief. He then turns to Dali and says, “I am glad I finally got to work with you. We have known each other for awhile now. Now that we are finished with our work in TWP for now, maybe we can cause chaos somewhere?” Aelitia’s advice to that? “Scatter to the four winds and begin covert operations [redacted].” Dilber joked, “Coup [redacted]! It’s been awhile.” With Dali, you never know. Halo will continue to be present, and he will also still play D&D. It also seems he will also be focused on Squatching (looking for Bigfoot). Halo’s advice: “Keep an eye out for spammy noobs… They leave the best contrails.” And more seriously, “Your primary function is to protect the Delegate. Keep those endos up!” Gio said, “In your retirement, maybe you could try something you haven’t in NS. Maybe trading cards? Writing an issue?” When it comes to cards, Gio will be the mentors’ mentor. There are lots of well wishes, and there is a hope that the retirees will stick around (they surely will).

The new guardians have an opportunity to share about their new armaments. What will their new trebuchets look like? Gio’s launcher will have style and a good exchange mechanism: “I believe it would have green, yellow and blue colors so it matches the Brazilian flag colors. Oh, and it would also give me a pack of NS trading cards for each nation ejected, because I love cards!” Aelitia said he favors a run-of-the-mill trebuchet. “An ideal trebuchet to me would be the last one on the lot; I won't have to worry about all the newb scuffs on a beater! Then maybe one day after I have honed my craft, will I lease a new mid-range trebuchet with a moonroof.” In any case, Aelitia will have more than a trebuchet to use—Dali declared that Aelitia is the new wielder of the Rainbow Banhammer. And for Dilber? “Crab-u-chet.”

Soon it is closing time. We raise a glass one last time to the changing of the Guardians, to our Delegate Bran, and to the West. Aelitia lingers to talk business with Dilber and Gio and to exchange casserole recipes. Halo and Badger decide to walk by the Karma Embassy to see if the party is still raging (it is). Dali ceremonially bestows the Rainbow Banhammer upon Aelitia—in Aelitia’s words, it is “passed along as though from Thor to a slightly younger Thor.” Then Dali heads off, briefcase still in one hand, paperwork in another. I see some fellow Westerners exiting Harry Hendertron’s Pub and we head off to the train station together. We find open seats in the same car and talk about the highlights of the evening. Most of the group gradually disembark, and soon I am alone for twenty minutes until my stop. I cannot help but be impressed at the deep humanity of the Guardians, old and new. Each brings something unique and positive to this region and community. I think about the stories and lessons, even just from this evening, and feel grateful that I was born in the West. Soon the train enters my station and the conductor calls the stop. I stand up, but I notice something sticking out of my backpack. It’s a glittery Dalimbari landmine.

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Comic Alley

Dalinjir, Rainbow Banhammer of the West by Teralyon

LinkClick here to view in a larger size

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Hall of Nations Update

By Giovanniland, Speaker of the Hall of Nations

Welcome to another Hall of Nations update! I am here again to bring the latest news about our recent Hall activity and discussions, with another Speaker term coming to an end.

As the month started, discussions continued for the commendation of Altino. Drafts were written and reviewed by several Hall members, noting the nominee's contributions to the regional military (TWPAF) as well as elsewhere in the region. After two motions, a vote took place from July 14 to 17. The total of votes was 25 for and none against - slightly smaller than the voter participation of 31 for previous proposal 'Commend Eli' - but still a good number nonetheless. It is hoped that soon, our regional commendation will aid the project of commending the nominee on the WA Security Council, with help from the WAR ministry.

Succeeding the vote, a new discussion about the next regional commendation started. It was an active talk for sure, where many members again took some time to express their ideas on the next nominee for a regional commendation. It was then decided that this nominee is Bhang Bhang Duc! With the August election cycle incoming, the debate on the proposal itself will take place after the elections, led by the next Speaker of the Hall.

This is it for the month! The Hall's activity has been absolutely awesome during this term, and I am proud to have conducted so many discussions about our regional history and members for these 3 months. In the next month, the future Speaker will hopefully bring us news from the August elections and other Hall debates. Last but not least, I make my monthly invite to any non-Hall members: applying for citizenship is easy, and you'll be able to contribute on our projects! Follow the steps Linkhere to apply today!


2020 Casserole of Humanity Really Weird House Cup Final Standings


Place

Team

Points

5th

Team Rocket

14 points

4th

1962 Green Bay Packers

34 points

3rd

2019 RWHC Defending Champions Decepticons

41 points

2nd

Hufflepuff

43 points

1st

Undisputed Champions Westwind's Flying Circus

101* points

Uh-oh! Why the asterisk on WFC's point total? Obvious puppet wank in the regional poll means the score gets a steroid footnote. Don't worry, it didn't effect the absolute beatdown they put on the competition.

Casserole of Humanity MVP - Bhang Bhang Duc (highest level of festival engagement)


The West Pacifican Staff - Editors-in-Chief: Bran Astor, Fujai, Assistant Editors: Recuecn, Mystic skies, Staff: Darkesia, Dayadhvam, Dilber, Fuentana, Giovanniland, Nieubasria, Podium, Sensorland, Teralyon, Marisala and LinkYOU

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