New Rules considering Country Names

[Amazeroth]

Formerly, there were a bunch of guidelines attached to the change of country names. Among them stuff like a maximum of letters, requirements to use Latin script, and, most famously, the required use of the countries original name in brackets if it wasn't recognisable in the new name, with varying standards of precision.

These guidelines will be mostly gone. From 19th December on, there is no limit on characters (provided there is no limit somewhere in the code, which we don't yet know of), and you can use whatever script you like, provided it can be reproduced by other browsers without having to install something. Which basically means that you can use every script already used in RL, but you can't make up a new one (as in, make a new font, and use that), because nobody else would be able to see it.

The names in brackets will also be gone. The original country names will still be recorded, and deviation from these names still need a good reason, but in all the cases where they are just declinated or written in other languages than English, the brackets can be gone. There will be a new thread in the moderation forum listing the original names, so they can still be found by players. And that, in turn, means that over time, new "original" names can be developed (as has happened in the past, most recently, to my knowledge, with Athlorcaea for Hutori). However, if you want the brackets gone from the names as they are now, you have to do this by using the normal renaming procedure (2/3rd majority in a bill that clearly states the proposed name change), they will not be deleted automatically.

[MichaelReilly]

What has triggered the change in requirement for the name retaining at least some Latin script?

[Amazeroth]

That today, most browsers will be able to correctly display most other scripts. However, I forgot to mention the following: If a non-Latin script is used, a translation in brackets is required (the way it's already done with many countries that don't use English).

[Aquinas]

Thanks for the work you've been doing on sorting out the game rules, Amazeroth. I know there have been lots of odds and ends...

Might I suggest there should be a character limit on the nation title, even if it is a very generous one? I say this just in case some nation gives itself a really ridiculously long title which might (i) make the Nations of Terra screen overly long or worse (ii) somehow end up crashing the game.

[Amazeroth]

Thanks for the work you've been doing on sorting out the game rules, Amazeroth. I know there have been lots of odds and ends...

Might I suggest there should be a character limit on the nation title, even if it is a very generous one? I say this just in case some nation gives itself a really ridiculously long title which might (i) make the Nations of Terra screen overly long or worse (ii) somehow end up crashing the game.

Ridiculous proposals won't be accepted anyways. If the game can't handle titles over a certain length - I don't know how likely that is at all. I guess that there will be some limit, but I'll ask Wouter. Until I have an answer, let's limit it at 80 characters (and see what happens, if anyone should want to go there).

[EEL123]

What it ridiculously long is quite subjective. For example, is the 47-character (including spaces) "United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland" to be considered ridiculous simply on account of its length? I think that we should judge each name on its merits, whether it be short or long.

[Amazeroth]

Of course. I'm sure I could think of longer names that still wouldn't be ridiculous - what I meant was names that are ridiculous because they are obviously made just to be long, without any "valid" content.

[EEL123]

If a non-Latin script is used, a translation in brackets is required (the way it's already done with many countries that don't use English).

Do you mean a translation or transliteration (or both)? I would prefer both - so you know how to say it, and what it means.

[Amazeroth]

If a non-Latin script is used, a translation in brackets is required (the way it's already done with many countries that don't use English).

Do you mean a translation or transliteration (or both)? I would prefer both - so you know how to say it, and what it means.

I actually meant a transliteration - thanks for questioning that. Both will not be discouraged in any way (even if it goes over the limit), but it won't be required.

[Richard Lionheart]

Hutori hasn't been called "Athlorcaea" for nearly a thousand years (approx. 820 I believe). Besides, Hutori was the original name anyway. As any historian of the region knows it was named after the famous admiral.