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Dispatch → Bulletin → Opinion
Let’s Face It, NS Isn’t a Very Good Game (Remastered with New Outlook!)
Let’s Face It, NS Isn’t a Very Good Game
I have been playing NationStates for more than 2 years, and despite that
being only a fraction of the amount of time others have spent on the game,
I feel that I know quite a lot about the site.
By Skundi
Skundi currently serves as Foreign Secretary of Lorania. He has played NationStates since May 2, 2018.
The legendary NationStates, the game that we all love. Max Barry — NationStates
Part 1: What NS really offers
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Part 2: What the premise has now become
When I log on to NS, I’m no longer bothered by the fact I have issues waiting to be answered, or that the fact I gained another banner. What I am bothered about, is what has gone on in the region I’m in, and what I have missed. And I’m sure that’s the same for most other nations. Regions have become so much different than what they were supposed to be. Regions literally have built their own law system, essentially becoming much smaller versions of IRL governments. In other regions, the focus is on raiding or defending, and becoming the most powerful region on the site. It is crazy to think how much more regions have become over the years, because without them, I doubt the game would be a successful and fun to play as it is at the moment.
But the thing that struck most to home, was reading the ‘Guide to Creating a Region’ thread on the Gameplay forum and when it mentioned government. What it talked about, is that based on the fact that the game is about creating a nation, a region is almost an international organisation, like the EU. Instead what it has become, is a full on government and country in itself, treating a nation as a player rather than a nation. And that struck close to home for me, because what we are playing now, is something that was not intended to be. When Max Barry made the game, it was not supposed to be about regions or anything like that. And reading that thread, really made me realise how much the players have changed the game, and how much I prefer playing the game we have now, than what the game was supposed to be.
Part 3: NS has changed mentally, but not physically
When you join the game for the first time, you are focussed on your nation. You get surprised when everyone else isn’t, and it takes you a few months for your focus to move to a region. That cycle happens a lot. But the fact it is even happening is what makes it a bad game. Players are signing up to something that they don’t really get. The game is so based on the regions, that the nation aspect is forgotten. Newbies sign up to make their nation, but get regional gameplay. And the fact that this is happening is a sign of a failed game.
Let’s be frank, if you knew what this game is truly about, would you have joined? I don’t think I would. And that’s why NS isn’t a very good game. Because it hasn’t changed and because it can’t. You can’t just change the foundations of what we have now. You can’t. And so, we continue to play NS as a regional game. And new players begin to focus on regions. That’s how the game works now. But the fact that the game can’t change to facilitate the changes already made, means that it isn’t a very good game. Changes to regional gameplay can happen, but they are only minor and don’t do much. The game we play, is still the same.
And so, NS is a failed game in some aspects. While it has had more than 6 million players, it is unable to properly change and go with what the players have made it. This isn’t a dig against those running the site or Max Barry, but when you take a step back, NS is still a nation simulator, when really, the majority of the players are focussed on regions. NationStates isn’t a very good game because the players change, not the game.
Skundi currently serves as Foreign Secretary of Lorania. He has played NationStates since May 2, 2018.
*Some texts have been edited for greater clarity. Link to the original dispatch: Let's face it, NS isn't a very good game This article was reproduced with the explicit authorisation of the author. The Times is committed to publishing a diversity of letters to the editor. We’d like to hear what you think about this or any of our articles. Here are some tips. And here’s our email: letters@srtimes.com. Follow The Stormridge Times Opinion section on Facebook, Twitter (@SRTopinion) and Instagram.