Alternate History Nation "Builder" Idea

[MDL]

So I was thinking of making a nation building game of sorts. Actually less nation builder than nation ruler. Because the idea is to allow players to take control of an actual nation from sometime in history and governing them as they see fit. Right now I'm considering these start dates:


Start of the Iraq War (2003)


WWII (1933)


WWI (1914)


The Victorian Era (1830)


Each player would control one nation and I would control all the others through a system I would create. The system would obviously change depending on the time period, with the WWII and WWI scenarios focusing more on military and intelligence, while the Victorian scenario would focus more on politics and economics. Not that anything is exclusive to the other.


Would there be any interested parties?

 

[Wolf Rawrrr]

When I first joined the community, the first RP I saw was a nation builder by Uziel. I quickly learned to avoid these type of roleplays due to their complexity and stuff, but lately I found myself checking out the already running NBs, considering to try it out. Needless to say, I've given up on attempting to join an existing nation builder - however I would be willing to play one from the start. That's another thing entirely.


So I guess I would be interested, though I can't guarantee prolonged interest since I never played a nation builder/ruler


No idea how it would affect my furry cells so nothing final yet.


Wolf would go for one of the World Wars, maybe WW2.

 

[MDL]

[QUOTE="Wolf Rawrrr]When I first joined the community, the first RP I saw was a nation builder by Uziel. I quickly learned to avoid these type of roleplays due to their complexity and stuff, but lately I found myself checking out the already running NBs, considering to try it out. Needless to say, I've given up on attempting to join an existing nation builder - however I would be willing to play one from the start. That's another thing entirely.
So I guess I would be interested, though I can't guarantee prolonged interest since I never played a nation builder/ruler


No idea how it would affect my furry cells so nothing final yet.


Wolf would go for one of the World Wars, maybe WW2.

[/QUOTE]I myself have never played forum based nation builders either. But I am intrigued by the concept and have played nation building games through other mediums. Basically the gameplay would include a lot of management and dealing with various situations. The joy in this game would mostly be to alter history and feel the way you affect it. And if you choose to be very aggressive militarily, the satisfaction of conquest. But if we go with the Victorian or the Modern Day scenario, there would be many other ways to be successful. It all depends on what kind of game you want. Think of the time period and there you have what the game would be filled with.

 

[MDL]

So if anyone else is interested in the game please make yo voices heard.

 

[highdarklord]

As the only generally active NBRP veteran of the Old Guard that hasn't posted here yet... I feel compelled to post.


I think its a great idea for a new person to attempt a NBRP. I personally would favor a Victorian Era one, as thats one of the few NBRP zones that hasn't been done to death by us vets and the nations are, as a whole, a lot more balanced in terms of power then as compared to the more modern ones.


All I have to say on the rest of it, is that it WILL be very difficult, whether you've played a NBRP before or not. My personal advice would be that you should either focus on player verses player OR player verses NPC/Storyline/Environment. NBRPs that have tried in the past to focus on both tend to fail in both departments. Player verses player is probably the easiest, as the mod just needs to be active and basically show up to the fight, as we players will take care of destroying each other as we tend to. However, the best NBRPs I've played in have been a story heavy game, where the mod takes heavy part in the game itself, effectively running multiple sides, with either a large over-arching plot line or a series of sub-plots unique to each nation that keep that player actively engaged internally with his or her nation. This style is MUCH more difficult to keep active with, as you'll quickly discover that the players, especially us vets, will quckly dive deeply in and the desired mod activity level can quickly rise to multiple posts/discussions for each plot daily, as opposed to the PvP style where we're often contended with the mod showing up once or twice a week to update what needs updating.


What I will advise though for your system is that you keep it either very loose or very tight. Loose lets us players run free, but we'll likely overwhelm you if you aren't careful. Tight keeps us in line a lot more, but you risk us being less innovative and the game feeling more dry.

 

[MDL]

As the only generally active NBRP veteran of the Old Guard that hasn't posted here yet... I feel compelled to post.
I think its a great idea for a new person to attempt a NBRP. I personally would favor a Victorian Era one, as thats one of the few NBRP zones that hasn't been done to death by us vets and the nations are, as a whole, a lot more balanced in terms of power then as compared to the more modern ones.


All I have to say on the rest of it, is that it WILL be very difficult, whether you've played a NBRP before or not. My personal advice would be that you should either focus on player verses player OR player verses NPC/Storyline/Environment. NBRPs that have tried in the past to focus on both tend to fail in both departments. Player verses player is probably the easiest, as the mod just needs to be active and basically show up to the fight, as we players will take care of destroying each other as we tend to. However, the best NBRPs I've played in have been a story heavy game, where the mod takes heavy part in the game itself, effectively running multiple sides, with either a large over-arching plot line or a series of sub-plots unique to each nation that keep that player actively engaged internally with his or her nation. This style is MUCH more difficult to keep active with, as you'll quickly discover that the players, especially us vets, will quckly dive deeply in and the desired mod activity level can quickly rise to multiple posts/discussions for each plot daily, as opposed to the PvP style where we're often contended with the mod showing up once or twice a week to update what needs updating.


What I will advise though for your system is that you keep it either very loose or very tight. Loose lets us players run free, but we'll likely overwhelm you if you aren't careful. Tight keeps us in line a lot more, but you risk us being less innovative and the game feeling more dry.

Thank you posting constructive at least. Much of what you say I will consider with the system I have in mind. But all I was asking for in this thread was if there is general interest to play any of the suggested alternate history scenarios. Basically an yes or no question. I will keep what you said in mind, but hold further thoughts until the actual submission is up, when both you and I will have a greater understanding of what the game will be.

 

[MDL]

I have decided to go with the Victorian era and will start working on the system now. If people are fearing that you would need historical knowledge to play the game, you are incorrect! Anyone can play, any historical events or references will be handled by me. The players just need to rule their nation and do whatever they wish. But if a player wants to try and play as historically as possible, then that's fine of course.

 

[Zatheron]

Due to my own inexperience (in building RPs in general) I have no advice to give.


Being a fan of history, I do like this kind of story line though. The concept is very appealing to me. I'll support this Medel.

 

[MDL]

[QUOTE="A'kal]Due to my own inexperience (in building RPs in general) I have no advice to give.
Being a fan of history, I do like this kind of story line though. The concept is very appealing to me. I'll support this Medel.

[/QUOTE]Cool! I'm gonna work out the details and then throw a submission up. But before I do that I have to set up my other game.

 

[The Dark Wizard]

Medelsvensson, I think this is a great idea and reviving NBRPs are never a bad thing in new and exciting ways. I look forward to seeing how this guys and I might join my self after next week when I'm on vacation.

 

[MDL]

[QUOTE="The Dark Wizard]Medelsvensson, I think this is a great idea and reviving NBRPs are never a bad thing in new and exciting ways. I look forward to seeing how this guys and I might join my self after next week when I'm on vacation.

[/QUOTE]Thanks! This game will be joinable at any time. Anyone can jump in and grab a nation, mid-game. So even if we start before your vecay, there's no rush.

 

[Flameace50]

Sounds interestin thugh i have never played a forum based nation builder

 

[MDL]

Sounds interestin thugh i have never played a forum based nation builder

That won't be a problem. Thanks for showing interest.

 

[Commissar Gaunt]

I beg your pardon High? Im here still as well you old fart, and define Old Guard


Interesting idea, probably WWII would be your bestbet given the number of countries involved and all the conflict.

 

[MDL]

[QUOTE="Commissar Gaunt]I beg your pardon High? Im here still as well you old fart, and define Old Guard
Interesting idea, probably WWII would be your bestbet given the number of countries involved and all the conflict.

[/QUOTE]Please read the entire thread before posting. I already state that I am going with the Victorian era. But thanks for showing interest.

 

[Commissar Gaunt]

Sorry, was skimming to save time.

 

[MDL]

I picked the Victorian era because it's a lot more open and provides for more freedom. The obvious choice is to go for one of the world wars, but if you think about it, those scenarios are already set on a path. This one is completely open. And if you want a world war, then go about starting one. But obviously, be clever about it.


So I have started to work a general layout of the setting and where in history we are going to jump in. Right now I'm aiming for sometime in 1836, one year prior to the start of the Victorian era. Please tell me what you think and tell me if there is any nation, region or continent that intrigues you especially. This is what I have so far:


Napoleon I has fallen and the French throne has been returned to the House of Bourbon. But Luis-Napoleon Bonaparte, Napoleon’s nephew, is plotting in Switzerland. The French are also hungry to expand their colonial Empire, beginning their conquests in Algeria, something that would prove to be easier said than done. In the United Kingdom the British rulers are dying like flies until a certain Queen Victoria wins the throne. The British Empire has after the fall of the Napoleon established itself as the definite leading superpower of the new world. In Germany, the Kingdom of Prussia grows stronger, but the Congress of Vienna, which followed Napoleon’s ultimate defeat at the Battle of Waterloo, left the scattered German states under the loose German Confederation, led by the Austrian Empire. At the same time the Belgian Revolution is in full swing as the people of Belgium seek independence from the Kingdom of the Netherlands.


The Kingdom of Spain regained its independence from France in 1814 but its former colonial empire has been reduced to mostly Cuba, Puerto Rico and The Philippines after years of revolts, wars and general instability. Now Spain is torn by civil war as the dead king Ferdinand VII had decreed the Pragmatic Sanction of 1830 which enabled his only child Isabella to become the heir to the throne and eventually the queen of Spain. This led Ferdinand’s brother Carlos, the previous heir, to declare civil war to retake his rightful place as the King of Spain.


As west and central Europe meets the dawn of a new age, The Ottoman Empire is in decline and The United States of America seeks to steal further land through manipulative diplomacy and in some cases, near genocide, from the Indians and the Mexicans while the question of slavery is cutting the country in half. The Russian Empire has defeated the Napoleonic forces and gains a leading political role in the redrawing of Europe, but because of serfdom, Russian economic growth is slow and the Empire is falling behind. How long will the Russian people stand for the Tsar’s tyrannical rule?


In Asia, the Qing Dynasty rules China. The European superpowers are dependent on trading goods such as silk, tea and ceramics with the Chinese. The need for these expensive goods could only be met if trading went both ways, meaning that European companies would channel their supplies of silver into China. But the Qianlong Emperor has reported to the British ambassador that China has no need for European manufactured goods. Because of this, mainly the British and French, were to instead meet the rising demand of opium in China. But the Qing Empire does not wish find itself with a populace on drugs. At the same time, the British Raj expands and the Japanese slowly join the world after a long history of isolation.


Note: This is very much a draft.


Note 2: May there be no mistake that this is some kind of military simulator. And remember, this is not a nation builder.


Note 3: Work on the system has begun as well.

 

[MDL]

And yet again players won't need any historical knowledge as each player will get a personalized rundown of their nation's history and place in the world.


Would love some thoughts on this in general. Cheers!

 

[Flameace50]

Dangit Ireland is not a free country yet well back to the drawing board

 

[MDL]

Dangit Ireland is not a free country yet well back to the drawing board

I'm sorry, but perhaps you could play as the United Kingdom and release Ireland as a puppet state, controlling both.

 

[Flameace50]

Thanks for the idea.

 

[MDL]

Thanks for the idea.

Obviously, if you did that, you would have to live with the consequences

 

[Flameace50]

ok then i may just play as UK

 

[solyrflair]

I have always liked playing as Sweden in this era. Small country, small population, and yet they did reach out across the globe to exert some influence.

 

[Belial]

how the hell did i not see this??


I would love to be in this, Ive been nbrping for like the better part of 5 or 6 years now... I'm also pretty much game for anything from the dawn of man to ww2... beyond that I prefer things well after the modern era..


if you do get this going id like to put some dibification on Japan.


but on a side note like HDL said earlier there are 2 real definit styles both of witch can be really difficult, and with the story heavy side yes we enjoy them more, but keep in mind that no matter what story you put into place within a month AT MOST the players will have already begun setting their own plans into mottion that will usually cause any tightly woven plots to fall apart. also keep in mind player will generally go in a completely different direction than you planned.


AND NEVER underestimate how petty people can be.... they will jump into a war with other players, never mind the npcs, for the slightest of actions. So if you do try to make something heavily player versus environment, dont bank on players not attacking eachother, they will do so over even the slightest suspicions... Actually you might be better off trying to play off there paranoia... at least with most of the older players.... Unless they banned together early on for some odd reason...