As promised, Reddy & I have prepared a draft document for your consideration, which we encourage you all to study carefully and give us your feedback on. We are hoping to hear from as many players as possible. All of the nation message-boards have been messaged, drawing the attention of players to this thread.
Since the update is over-due and we are keen to make progress, this has been prepared in a short space of time, and to some extent borrows from what has been produced previously. We drew up the rankings earnestly and conscientiously, but make no claims for them to have been based on exhaustive research. We do not see everything that goes on in the game and it is more than possible there are things we have missed or got wrong - so we need our experts (that's you guys!) to point these out to us.
If you believe a nation should be ranked higher or lower, please give your reasons and try to provide some evidence to help justify your case. Bear in mind we are placing a premium on forum-based role-play here, so ideally we need to see more than in-game bills and budgets. Similarly, if you wish to argue for a nation to move up or down, please indicate which nation you want it to swap places with, as the number of nations in each rank is fixed (ie. 27 for Very Weak, 20 for Weak, 20 for Average, 13 for Strong and 5 for Very Strong).
We are hoping to conclude the update within the next 2 weeks, although it could be stretched out a little longer if it is felt more time is needed. At any rate, we would definitely like this finalised by the end of the Cultural Era (ie. January 5th 2017).
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Going forward, we are envisaging there will be periodic reviews of the rankings, possibly 3 times a year, to coincide with the close of Cultural Eras.
Long-term, we are considering the possibility of allowing players in nations to prepare Economic Description and Military Description bills, which might be linked to in the relevant nation names as they appear in the rankings list. Although obviously these would need to broadly comply with the nation's assigned ranking.
We are also considering explicitly designating nuclear powers with an "[N]" marker next to their name in the military rankings. Lastly, we are considering listing a small number of each nation's key natural resources in the economic rankings (eg. "Kafuristan [OIL]" or whatever).
Your feedback and ideas are strongly encouraged, not only on the rankings themselves, but on the document and the guidance system as a whole.
Anyway, without further ado, here is the draft...
Economic & Military Role-Play Guide
This document is designed to provide guidance, on an advisory (ie. non-compulsory) basis, as to the conduct of military and economic role-play in Particracy. It is based around two rankings systems for the nations of Terra, one for economic power and the other for military power.
The primary criteria and purpose for the rankings system is as follows:
- To recognise, assist and encourage high quality role-play, most especially forum role-play.
- To reflect, so far as reasonably practicable, the consensus of informed opinion amongst players who are actively interested in and participating in role-play, most especially forum role-play.
A few further points to bear in mind:
a) In Particracy, technological progress does not move beyond what we have in the real-world of today, since we are not into futurism/science fiction. Military and economic role-play needs to take account of this. Space-based weapons, for example, are not considered permissible.
b) To prevent in-game developments from proceeding at a hyper-speed pace few can keep up with, Particracy role-play needs to take reasonable account of the fact that, for instance, an in-game year is only 2 real-life days and an in-game decade is only 20 real-life days. The expectation is that shifts in a nation's economic and military power take place slowly over a period of time. For example, it would be unreasonable to assert a nation has experienced an "economic miracle" over 20 years and then expect it to be raised from Weak to Very Strong. It will not be conventional for a nation to move up or down more than one rank at a time.
c) The rankings system tries to take a long-term view and places a premium on active forum role-play, which at times will mean not so much weight is attached to game mechanic variables, such as legislative changes, taxation levels and spending allocations. It is not that these are unimportant or not valued, but good quality forum role-play will tend to be given priority. Do not be surprised, for example, if a nation is given a higher military ranking than another even though its military spending seems significantly less. It could be that that nation has been more active in terms of forum role-play, and in particular, has engaged in more military-related forum role-play which helps justify its military ranking.
d) Our advice is that only nations in the Very Strong military category should presume they can have nuclear weapons or aircraft carriers. Nations in the Strong category are urged to at least consider very carefully before assuming they have these things. We appreciate this guidance may sound restrictive, or indeed unrealistic considering that in the real world even poor countries like North Korea can move towards acquiring nuclear weapons. The reason for this guidance is practical: overall, we believe Particracy role-play will be more realistic and more enjoyable if we avoid the situation we have had in the past where too many nations are role-playing themselves as nuclear powers - and indeed as military superpowers generally. Also, just because a nation has been recognised as a nuclear power in the past, do not presume either that it is entitled to that status permanently, or even that its de-nuclearisation would need to be specifically role-played. If a nation is not being actively role-played, it may find itself lowered a rank in the military pecking order - and players are encouraged to respect that in their role-play.
e) Most of the ranked nations have a roughly equal population, of around 100 million, which means the category titles (eg. "Weak", "Very Strong", etc.) both describe the economic position of the average citizen in the nation, as well as the nation's overall economic power. The exceptions are the former colonial territories, as well as Keymon and Vorona. The former colonial territories have not all yet been assigned population sizes, but it would be a reasonable presumption that they are very poor countries whose citizens scrape by on a very poor standard of living. In the case of Keymon and Vorona, which are both smaller nations, descriptions have been added in brackets, to clarify whether their economic character matches the description for their power ranking.
f) At least for the time being, the Very Weak categories are exclusively reserved for the former colonial territories.
ECONOMIC POWER RANKINGS
VERY WEAK (27)
These are the non-player controlled, ex-colonial nations in the grey part of the map. For years, colonial overlords heavily exploited their economies and manipulated social divisions. The legacy of colonialism, and latterly neo-colonialism, lives on. These nations struggle to provide even the most basic healthcare or education to their people, and are desperate for international aid. They depend heavily on primary sector parts of the economy like agriculture and extraction. Much of the output from these sectors is exported cheaply abroad.
Bianjie
Cifutingan
Dalibor
Degalogesa
Hanzen
Istapali
Kimlien
Kurageri
Liore
Medina
Midway
New Alduria
New Englia
New Verham
North Dovani
Noumonde
Ntoto
Ostland
Rapa Pile
Statrica
Suyu Llaqta
Temania
Tropica
Utari Mosir
Utembo
Vanakalam
Xsampa
WEAK (20)
These nations are also typically centred around the agricultural or extraction sectors, although they do it more efficiently than nations in the previous category. Some manufacturing may also exist, although most of it would be internationally owned, with much of the profits siphoned off abroad. Resentment may be further fuelled by many of the higher-paid, higher-skilled jobs in the new industries going to foreign workers, due to a lack of skilled labour at home. The most basic education and healthcare needs are met, but citizens look longingly at the much more advanced systems in more developed nations. The family unit and the community are likely to be key to everyday life, with less of the social alienation that marks more developed nations. Pollution is largely a result of agricultural and extraction byproducts, and these are mainly water pollutants. These nations are very often net exporters, and are more successful at it than nations in the previous category - but they still feel they are being driven to an unfairly harsh bargain when it comes to getting prices for their products on the international market.
Baltusia
Cildania
Davostan
Dolgaria
Egelion
Gaduridos
Hobrazia
Jakania
Jelbania
Kalopia
Kanjor
Keymon (Smaller nation; AVERAGE in economic character)
Kundrati
Likatonia
Malivia
Mordusia
Talmoria
Tukarali
Valruzia
Vorona (Smaller nation; WEAK in economic character)
AVERAGE (20)
These nations have moved from a more basic economic model to becoming manufacturers - with the associated pollution issues - and may even be developing a more significant service sector. Compared to the richer parts of Terra, citizens in these nations have lower life expectancy, less education and less income, although with less automation, they can generally boast higher employment rates. Social alienation will be setting in with industrialisation and population movements towards the towns and cities, but citizens may still be more generally contented - and also politically involved - than in the more developed countries. Although citizens in these nations will be more prosperous than those in less developed nations, they may also find themselves feeling more insecure, since these economies can be vulnerable to sudden negative swings in the global economy.
Aldegar
Alduria
Aloria
Badara
Barmenia
Beiteynu
Beluzia
Darnussia
Deltaria
Dundorf
Endralon
Hulstria
Kirlawa
Lourenne
Pontesi
Rildanor
Saridan
Selucia
Solentia
Telamon
STRONG (13)
Services and high tech industries have come to the forefront of these economies, with manufacturing, extraction and agriculture subsiding into less significance. Not everyone will be a winner as a result of these changes, and there may be resentment against sectors of the economy losing out to cheaper foreign competition, and perhaps also at immigrants from poorer countries arriving to take jobs at cheaper rates. Technological development and economic change may lead to previously valued skills becoming moribund, creating challenges in terms of re-skilling and re-deploying the labour force. Inequality, social alienation, family breakdown, unemployment, stress, mental health and substance abuse risk becoming serious issues. The most obviously visible/intrusive forms of pollution might not be quite the problem they once were, due to the decline of "dirty industries" and the insistence of a more prosperous and better-educated citizenry on tougher pollution regulations. These countries tend to be very active on international markets, but do not always generate trade surpluses, as many products which were once manufactured at home will now likely be being imported from abroad. Although standards of living will be the envy of much of Terra, governments may be struggling to meet the expectations of their own citizens, especially in terms of healthcare and care provision, where an ageing population and an ever-increasing range of health treatment possibilities mean it is becoming expensive to keep up with demand. As the population becomes better educated, more prosperous and enjoys more leisure times, some citizens will be taking a more philosophical approach to understanding their role in society, meaning more challenging questions will be being asked about the ethics and the fairness of the economic system on which the nation's prosperity is built. Some will be asking why, despite their advantages, they feel unfulfilled and even guilty.
Cobura
Dankuk
Dorvik
Hawu Mumenhes
Istalia
Kafuristan
Kazulia
Lodamun
Luthori
New Endralon
Rutania
Sekowo
Zardugal
VERY STRONG (5)
These countries share the same features as those described in the category above, but to a heightened extent. They are at the cutting edge of technological progress and set the trends that others will follow. Changes within the economies of these nations can end up having a marked impact on Terra as a whole.
Hutori
Indrala
Kalistan
Trigunia
Vanuku
MILITARY POWER RANKINGS
VERY WEAK (27)
The former colonial territories face enough challenges keeping order within their own borders, and are hardly suited to projecting any military influence elsewhere.
Bianjie
Cifutingan
Dalibor
Degalogesa
Hanzen
Istapali
Kimlien
Kurageri
Liore
Medina
Midway
New Alduria
New Englia
New Verham
North Dovani
Noumonde
Ntoto
Ostland
Rapa Pile
Statrica
Suyu Llaqta
Temania
Tropica
Utari Mosir
Utembo
Vanakalam
Xsampa
WEAK (20)
Weak nations have a limited ability to defend themselves and tend to try to bolster their security through alliances with, other, usually more powerful, states. Their defence forces are likely limited, outdated, poorly trained and poorly equipped. It is unlikely they will project much military influence abroad.
Beluzia
Davostan
Dolgaria
Egelion
Endralon
Gaduridos
Hobrazia
Jakania
Jelbania
Kanjor
Keymon
Likatonia
Lourenne
Malivia
Mordusia
Talmoria
Telamon
Tukarali
Valruzia
Vorona
AVERAGE (20)
These nations are more than able to stand on their own and have the ability to defend themselves against other nations and their influences. To a limited degree, they can also project military influence on their neighbours, although usually this will be done in alliance with others, rather than on their own.
Aldegar
Aloria
Alduria
Badara
Baltusia
Barmenia
Beiteynu
Cildania
Deltaria
Darnussia
Istalia
Kalopia
Kirlawa
Kundrati
Pontesi
Rutania
Saridan
Selucia
Solentia
Sekowo
STRONG (13)
These are powerful nations that generally stand tall amongst their immediate neighbours. While they have the capability to project globally, this is limited and their power is usually primarily focused within their own region. Most nations in this category will not have acquired nuclear power status or be in possession of aircraft carriers.
Cobura
Dankuk
Dundorf
Hawu Mumenhes
Hulstria
Kafuristan
Kalistan
Kazulia
Lodamun
Luthori
New Endralon
Rildanor
Zardugal
VERY STRONG (5)
These nations have a great deal of influence, with the ability to project their military power globally in a way reminiscent of the great European empires before World War I. They have the capacity to be nuclear powers or possess aircraft carriers if they choose. Domestic opinion may be a factor in pressuring and constraining the decision-making process in terms of military matters. For example, the public may question the wisdom of spending vast sums of taxpayer money on a powerful military, or of putting the lives of the nation's soldiers at risk in distant conflicts.
Dorvik
Hutori
Indrala
Trigunia
Vanuku