The opinion of the wise and humble Scandigrad

Scandigrad

Scandigrad

TNPer
[rant]

Hey how are ya? I'm Scandigrad. Most of ya'll probably have only seen me around here every now and then, and maybe in the IRC, but I'm here. I've been in the region for a while, but I've just recently gotten involved in the forums, in addition to NationStates. Although I haven't been here very long, I have noticed a few things that make me sad :( and my thoughts about them.

Don't get me wrong, I've loved the forum in addition to in game so far. There are some great people, and I think the region is very progressed, but still has a lot of potential.

Something I've noticed is how legalistic the forums are. Now rules are important, but I think the biggest issue here is that the rules are just taken way too far. When I first started here on the forums, I took a peek at your legal code, thinking it'd be straightforward no brainer stuff, but I found that it was a book. I haven't even finished reading all of it yet (and frankly I've given up.) Let's be honest, is that all really necessary? Personally, I enjoy reading, but if even I got tired of reading all these rules and regulations, imagine what other new members are doing. Frankly it may seem a bit intimidating. What also doesn't help is that people are sharpshooting each other on little details, and calling for big court trials to deal with it. There was once a time when if someone had an issue with someone else, they took it out back and that'd be the end of it. But now here, and in real life, people seem to feel that it's required to be settled by a court. 2/3rds of the time, it's over something trivial and meaningless. The amount of complaints I've seen against other people in the short time I've been here has been astounding. Is it really that difficult to settle your issues with someone else over PM? I thought the world was becoming a more tolerant place.

The second thing that bugs me (and this one is a bit more lighthearted), is the lack of regional roleplay. I love a good roleplay. The North Pacific has a lot of potential for good roleplays as well, but no one seems to be doing anything like they do in the NationStates forums. Sure, we may not have the numbers of NS, but we share a common region. I'm sure something happens to the people of that region and not just the representatives on the forums complaining about the other representatives. I give massive props to Flem for his temples and religion (which I find very entertaining). I'd like to see a similar heart and effort put into roleplaying in this region and I would be more than willing to help facilitate this goal.

But hey, maybe it's just me. Or maybe I'm just repeating what everyone else has said. If I'm new, I'm sure I'm not the only one who has these feelings. Please take these thoughts to heart, especially those of you running for office. I hear a lot of talk about reform. I'd love to see some. The North Pacific is a great region. I see a lot of potential, and I'd love to see us prosper even more. That starts at home.

[/rant]
 
One additional thought with regards to the Regional Assembly. We are a massive region, but only a fraction of it is represented in our RA. Some may not know about the forums, or care to join them. But I found the length of time to join the RA to be tedious. There is no reason it should take five, six, or even eight days to admit a member. Many nations would probably lose interest to be quite frank. That's something we should look into reforming as well.
 
You are right Scandigrad. The legal code is unwieldy. I think what happened in TNP has RL parallels. Like the US Congress, the longer the RA exists, the more laws that get passed, and the more complicated the rules become. There was a time when I understood how to get things done around here, but anymore I have trouble figuring it all out.
 
When a great wartime leader and longtime TNP patriot like Great Bights Mum is having difficulty with how TNPs laws operate, it is clear how difficult it must be for new comers to the region. You are probably right GBM about the RL parallels, laws often are passed that contradict/conflict with other laws, and then the issue of tradition comes into play which can complicate things even more.

All the candidates in the election have expressed a desire for reform. It is incumbent on us all to help facilitate these reforms. It is not just a responsibility for ministers, the delegate or the vice delegate. If reform is truly what we want, we must all participate productively. There is this perception by some that TNP is lost, that there is no hope for it (this feeling has been expressed to me by former residents) and that we should just give up.

I don't share that same view. If we work together productively, debate civily and work towards a consensus based approach, hopefully, hopefully people will be satisfied with the final product. It is clear that lack of faith in the system, and this general feeling of 'confusion' is hindering the region and bad for new comers.

I understand how Scandigrad is feeling, as I am also relatively new to the region. But it is not exclusively new comers that are facing these issues. In the days and weeks ahead, change will happen, if we really want it to, and if we really believe in making this region better.
 
Scandigrad:
One additional thought with regards to the Regional Assembly. We are a massive region, but only a fraction of it is represented in our RA. Some may not know about the forums, or care to join them. But I found the length of time to join the RA to be tedious. There is no reason it should take five, six, or even eight days to admit a member. Many nations would probably lose interest to be quite frank. That's something we should look into reforming as well.
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:agree: As a new member myself I understand fully, and hope productive change for the better will come to the North Pacific Region
 
I agree with Scandigrad and GBM.

GBM hits the nail on the head with the forces that affect RL being at play in TNP.

The only time I have ever notices massive across the board participation is when there is some kind of nasty conflict usually the result of a Rogue Delegate, usurper or an invasion.

What hasn't been tried is a good gag to get people involved that doesn't involve conflict but rather competition or to attain some kind of goal just for the hell of it.

I can, however, think of a few fun things to try that would produce constructive increases in activity through role playing.
 
That's the biggest thing I'd like to see. More regional roleplay. It's fun, gets people involved, and is something new people can walk right into. They don't have to wait days or even weeks to get approved for the RA.
 
Well, as luck would have it, as the newly elected Speaker I am now in a position to push through the various reform proposals that have been in wait for such a long time now.
 
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