Brainstorming: Introducing new player nations

[Ithekro]

There is also the possibility of having less sea.  Making the Mediterranian into a fertile valley with an inland sea.  Ice age type land masses due to a lower sea level.

There are lots of options.  A real world Earth is the simplest, but the most done, and sometimes it seems to get in our way.  All other options will involve a bit of work, but once done, it should be able to keep itself going.

[Borys]

There is also the possibility of having less sea.  Making the Mediterranian into a fertile valley with an inland sea.  Ice age type land masses due to a lower sea level.

Hmm, cutting down on sea size and access in a sim called Navalism seems kinda odd to me ...

Borys

[Earl822]

Maybe a slightly larger Earth would be the solution, and if we had a scale map, yes it is a big ask, but a scale map would allow us to easily work out sailing distances.
I reckon that I could go with the map Swampy is proposing, and I most definitely think the Gibraltar Isthmus is a good idea.

[swamphen]

Ithekro - here's a "Quick and Filthy" map of Nv2.0 = Nv 3.0 players:
http://www.swamphen.net/graphics/maps/nav-x.gif

I have another version of the map I linked to earlier with the 'African Inland Sea' in the southwestern Sahael.

and I most definitely think the Gibraltar Isthmus is a good idea.

Somebody noticed. ^_^

(Note that those are OTL borders shown on the "draft" maps. Your Boundaries May Vary.)

[Ithekro]

So basically we are all spread out.  Two - three powers in Europe, two in North America, one in South America, one in Africa, one - two in Asia, and two in the Pacific.  This is discounting colonies and a lot of French territory.   There is a lot of Africa, Asia, and Europe to full with counties...countries that should be there in Europe's case, and smaller powers in the rest of the places.  The Americans are not fully covered, but if the CSA is filled and the USA/END area and Brazil are covered somehow I think the place is more or less stable with smaller powers.  The Eastern Kingdom can stay or leave this time around.  The only reason I shifted it from Chinese to Japanese was to explain a little of where all the Japanese went and to get my hands on a small number of them for myself....and have a carrot to bring over Rooijen10 and his personal insanity because its fun.

We might not need a larger planet, but I'm still thinking it would be fun to have one with new possibilities we can't have with a real or even altered Earth by 1905.  Ringworld is a little too far out for me I think as I like sunsets and sunrises for effect.  Jupiter sized might be a little too big (that's a lot of ocean to cross to get to where you started...take maybe five years to circunavigate the globe...maybe more.  But bigger enough to handle another few sets of continents might be enough to keep us and others entertained.

[swamphen]

I've no problem with size=Earth, size=Earth*1.5 or size=Earth*2 or something like that, whatever's decided.

And yes we definitly need to get Walter over here.  ;D

[Ithekro]

I almost wanted to turn Harlock back into a pirate using his new Arcadia, but I couldn't find a good enough reason for it, nor a good enough target.  Plus who's going to believe in a Rohirrim Privateer-Pirate armed with one of the largest and most heavily armed battleships on the planet?    Of course that is almost his regular story anyway...save that he has no ties to any nation really, just the safety of his people, even against his own government...but Rohan isn't set for a government he's not like, and he's a noble to boot.

Guess I'll have to keep him a Rohirrim officer to make sense.

Wesworld on the other hand will evenually see a return of Pirate Captian Harlock, his Deathshadow and perhaps a new Arcadia.

[Ithekro]

Old law of the universe:  What is made cannot be unmade.  The law of equal exchange is a constant in the universe, on the physical and nonphysical worlds.

[khymerion]

Ummmm...  this is someone who is rather interesting in joining... namely to fill in that space in the Baltic but... with all the chaos, I was wondering where I might go to find out what I should be looking into, for, researching background of, or just plain reading more of to get caught up.  Forgive me for posting here but since it is brainstorming for new players... perhaps helping a new player get up to speed might help the process out some.  I do promise to be a rather loyal and dedicated player if the rule set is not complicated enough to rival running Starfleet Battles as a campaign (sorry if that bit of sci-fi might offend someone but...  it is rather complex none the less and might work for an example). 

Due to the lack of information that is easily accessable (and not being readily provided by people directing me this way)... it is rather had for someone new but interested to get caught up...  or maybe I just haven't looked in the correct place.

[Ithekro]

Well we are ordering the world so to speak.  We've not come to a point were we can say if this will be Earth, an Earth with some geological changes in terms of land masses, or if this will be an enlarged Earth with additional landmass in addition to present day Earth.

I'd like an Enlarged Earth as it would solve a few of the problems with excessive populations numbers, too heavy and too many trading nations in the Pacific Ocean.  And curbs the "new player wants to build something new" trouble rather than plugging someone into an existing former PC nation or filling in a weak NPC nation.  Filling in existing nations would be the recommended method of entry as they are knowns and would require less work than starting fresh.  However with some additional, relatively unexplored, continents a new player could setup a newly generated nation beyond the realm of the "Known World" for the existing players to "discover".

A new player would have to stay within the rules of reason, as if they have a new nation that hasn't been in contact with the rest of the planet (much, or perhaps in a very long time) they might be a little backwards in terms of technology, and the new player would be restricted in its power projection ability until recent time (or like China, destroyed their power projection ability in the long past and became isolationists).  A new player will have to do some serious work to make there newly "discovered" nation fit the realm of being newly discovered.  Like Columbus or Cook, the launguage might be unknown...the technology might be way off.  It might take decades before any of the old nations trust the new nation, or even understand the new nation.   That's what could make it fun.  New nations would only have international relations with those countries that have "discovered" them, or nations they have in turn "discovered".  Because it could work in reverse.  With the New players heading out for exploration and discovery beyond the Great Sea, and encounter an existing player in Asia or the Americans....or even get totally lost and end up in the Atlantic or Indian Ocean (or Artic Ocean even).

[The Rock Doctor]

Hi Khymerion,

The rules are in flux, but you can get a general sense of how similar sims work at www.wesworld.jk-clan.de.  There are general similarities in that players would design and build their own navies, post reports summarizing constructions, write news about their nation and its doings, and interact with other nations and their military forces.

Technology wise, we're probably looking at the early Dreadnought era at sea, so have a look at "Jane's" or sites like http://www.naval-history.net/NAVAL1914-18.htm for info there.  Reading up on the Russo-Japanese War will give a sense of the kind of naval tech we had been using, and will probably have in service as the sim starts.

Finally, ship design revolves around the program "Springsharp", which can be found at www.springsharp.com.  If you're not already familiar with it, it'd be worth some time playing around with it to see how you can design warships.

Hope that helps - and apologies if you're already familiar with one or more of these items.

J

[khymerion]

I picked the era up pretty fast and that is what hooked me into wanting to know more.  I personally love the Jane's and Conway books... and the Russo-Japanese war is definitely familiar.  No appologies needed... it is always good to assume that the new guy doesn't know anything... but I know now where I need to brush up on.

And I will definitely be watching closely (as close as my schedule will allow)...  and if you need someone to 'plug' a former PC nation... just pass along any of the left over notes and ideas and a revolution/coup/what ever can be arranged... and the past time filled in.

[BattleofthePyramids]

How many (if any) new player nations is everyone planning on?  Also, what is the time frame?  1905?  1914?  (Makes a big difference)

[swamphen]

The current proposal is Start=1/1/1906.

Number of nations..."always in motion, the future is".

[BattleofthePyramids]

Well, a coupld of other questions:

1.  Do we keep pre-existing fleets, armies, etc?  Or create new ones using - old rules?  New rules?  Janes fighting ships?

2.  Are alliances a free for all?  Or is it more the historical ententes, allies, etc?

3.  And, what is game speed? 

4.  And, do we keep the old tech tree?  Make a new one? 

So many things to think about!!