Unibot: What are your plans for the Alliance Defense Network Reborn (“ADN Reborn”)? More specifically, what does the ADN Reborn need to improve on from the ADN days?
Pope Hope: Old invader friends and acquaintances (and invaders I’ve only met recently) have told me that raider unity is currently at an all-time high. That this is even a term now is a big change from the days of yore. They say that due to the absence of the ADN, technical changes in the game, and the evolution of the political atmosphere of gameplay in general, they now take regions on a nightly basis. Invaders attempted to copy the ADN and unite in my day but never got far off the ground. This presents a challenge I just can’t resist.
ADN Reborn will emerge as a more condensed form of its previous incarnation, more to-the-point and less apologetic. The spirit of defending has changed as have technical aspects of gameplay, but when it comes right down to the battle of principles, the essentials are still the same. It’s time to bring a bit of old school defending back to NS, and introduce the newer generations of invaders to the iron fist of justice…and possibly the Care Bear Opposition Ambassador mask, that was pretty awesome.
Ananke: Well, we only had half the feeder/sinkers as members of ADN in its heyday, so we clearly need to get the rest of them involved. The Pacific already applied to ADN once, so I’m sure we won’t have any trouble getting them to do so again. Besides us old-timers have to stick together. So my first order of business as Secretary of State will be to hunt down the old foggies around NationStates and pressgang them into joining up.
Unibot: Ananke, You've recently become the delegate of 10000 Islands, congratulations. Do you think your membership in 10000 Islands will conflict with your ADN Reborn membership? And do you think the relationship between 10000 Islands and the ADN Reborn will be erm, cozier than with the Original ADN because of your delegateship? *Wink, wink* *Nudge, Nudge*.
Ananke: TITO and ADN have always been great allies, so I don’t think my delegacy will change much. One thing that being delegate of 10ki has taught me though, is the power of muffins. It’s amazing the things you can accomplish by bribing people with their favourite flavour of muffin. By transferring this method to ADN I hope to quickly subdue any critics we might have.
Unibot: Pope Hope, What do you miss most about defending or NationStates in general, and what do you miss least?
Pope Hope: Most? The community. I met some amazing people through this game and I miss interacting with them on a regular basis. I miss Nasicournia at her most active, when every aspect of the region was thriving and there were so many involved residents: those who participated in regional government/politics, others who stuck mostly RL chat, our wonderful community of RPers, of course NasiCorps/defenders, and those who did a little bit of everything. In the early days, it was rewarding interacting with established leaders from RP regions like The Heartland and Wysteria, and learning the ropes from defender regions like Alcatraz and The Moonlit Islands. RPing with Nasi’s first allies from A New Begining and Cannabis Island. Hanging out with the ever-inspiring residents and loyal allies of the still-thriving region of Texas. I miss the wonderful defender groups I was a part of, and “Defender Unity” in general.
The ADN was such a collection of characters—hundreds of people united in defending but otherwise so diverse in regional background, culture, and personality. Even during the time we had members with conflicting ideologies, there was never a dull moment. The GLA, the best of the best who truly accomplished some amazing feats without claiming recognition. Exploring the cultures of other regions. Bantering with my favorite invaders. The Meritocracy when it was a bastion of debate and diplomacy. The North Pacific, my adopted feeder home which was also home to a lot of caring people, invigorating OOC forums, and an appreciation for democracy. Having a war of words with in-game “opponents” who also became OOC friends. Espionage. Late nights up plotting with my favorite defender “partners in crime” about deep cover special ops and military missions. Waiting for update on nights that the most exciting battles took place and/or as months of planning came to fruition. IRC chats with NS Generalites and Mods. Hmm, a lot to look forward to re-visiting.
Least? It was a different time then, and NationStates a unique community. While the politicking/propagandizing that went on (to this day people still ask me about events that never happened and to clarify rumors, some of which are pretty amazing) was sometimes frustrating/tiresome at the time, after leaving NS and traveling around the interwebz I figured out that there was a kind of respect here that might not necessarily be found elsewhere. Oh, and sleep deprivation—I don’t miss that too much.
Unibot: Ananke, I must ask a much more serious question now, um... how do you pronounce your name? Is it, Anna-kay? Or A-nan-ke or what? This may or may not have been the topic of a serious debate over in the now defunct UDL chamber. *ninja-face*
Ananke: A-nan-ke is how I pronounce it.
Unibot: Pope Hope, You had a legendary career as a defender, a politician, the head busybody of one of NationStates’ most well-known organizations (soon to be reborn). To the new generation of players, do you have any advice for them on how to succeed as you did?
Pope Hope: In any endeavor you embark upon, at first you might have to start out playing multiple roles yourself. In region building, you’ll be the regional leader, recruiter, military advisor, RP organizer, what have you. Stay very active, and recruit for quality rather than quantity. Do it right and you’ll soon find other like-minded people to take the lead from you and improve upon the foundation that you’ve built.
Find out what you’re the most interested in/have the most fun doing and specialize in that skill—the more time you spend doing something you love the more successful you’ll be. Don’t shy from having mentors—there are other people out there who have done amazing things, can introduce you to new concepts/groups/techniques, and generally teach you cool stuff. When you start to succeed, stay humble and realize that it takes a cohesive team to really succeed/meet goals—it shouldn’t be all about one person or even a select few.
Don’t insult your opponents unless they’ve been genuinely nasty to you—and you’ll probably find that they’re not so bad off the battlefield, and maybe worth getting to know. Be cautious with who you trust, but once you learn who those people are, stay loyal to them and they’ll give the same in return. Take a step back if you start taking things too seriously, unplug if necessary, or even change direction. Start over—reload, if you will.
Most of all, have fun with everything you do.
