New Nation Game Idea (Inspired by Hetalia)

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Czernobog
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New Nation Game Idea (Inspired by Hetalia)

Post by Czernobog »

Given that O1 Galaxy seems to have died, I was thinking about a new type of nation game, somewhat inspired by Axis Powers Hetalia. I know that I have plenty of ideas per day, but this one seems particularly intriguing. In this game, you play as both your nation and as its anthropomorphic personification, the national level being a standard nations game, and the anthropomorphic level being a more traditional RP. You have two write-ups, one for your nation and the other for its personification, which you control.

Your personification can be knocked out or wounded, but can't die unless the national identity of your citizens vanishes for some reason. Also, ideologies and governments come and go, but as long as your national identity doesn't change, the core of your personification's personality remains the same.

For instance: Let's say it's 1917, and the Bolshevik Revolution happens. Russia adopts a new face as the Soviet Union, but because what his citizens think about him doesn't change (that much), he remains Russia at the core.

And a converse example: It's 2001. Germany of that year is way different than the Germany of 1914, who is more militaristic and conservative, because his citizens' idea of Germany has changed.

What affects your personification affects your nation, and vice versa.

For example: Prussia gets into a fight with Poland, and Poland and Prussia now hate each other.

And converse: An alliance treaty is signed, and Germany becomes friends with England.

And yes, your leaders and the population know that nations are personified. The technology level is 2010, without nuclear weapons.

My nation (for if this gets off the ground):

The Byzantine Empire

Nation info
Geography

Climate: Mostly Temperate
Terrain: Anatolia, the Balkans (including Greece), Syria, Romania, Bulgaria, the Levant, Mesopotamia, Palestine and Egypt
Natural Resources:Iron, copper, Uranium, oil, precious metals and gems
Most populous cities: Constantinople, Athens, Antioch, Alexandria, Baghdad

Population

Population: 357,000,000
Nationality: Byzantine
Religion: Mostly Orthodox Christian


Government

Full name: The Byzantine Empire (more formally Rhomania)
Short name: Byzantium
Government type: Constitutional Monarchy.
Voting Procedure: Once every five years.
Motto: "To serve one's country is the greatest of blessings".
Head of State: Emperor Andreas VII Palaiologos
Head of Government: Prime Minister Ioannis Cosmatos

Economy


GDP: $1 trillion
Agriculture:Farming, Grapes (for wine), Fisheries.
Industry: Mining (particularly in the mountainous regions), consumer goods, weapons manufacturing, manufacturing, various heavy, light and medium industries, agriculture.
Exports: Jewellery, weapons, sheet metal, food, wine.


Special Technology
Ubiquitous nuclear reactors and a nuclear weapons program (still in the development phase).


Military


Military service age and obligation: 20-45 voluntary. Everybody has to take military training from 20 until 21 and has to take a 1 month refresher course till the age of 45.
Military Expenditures: $100 billion/10%
Military branches: The Imperial Navy, the Imperial Army, the Air Defence Force, the Marine Branch and the Militia.

Personification Info
Gender: Male
Country Name (formal, used by world leaders): Byzantine Empire
Personal name: (informal, used by other personifications): Belisarius Komnenos
Attire: Byzantine field marshal's uniform, cavalry sabre.
Personality: Serious, fond of classical music and old books, intelligent, likes being seen as cultured.
You have ruled this galaxy for ten thousand years.
You have little of account to show for your efforts.
Order. Unity. Obedience.
We taught the galaxy these things.

And we shall do so again.
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speaker-to-trolls
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Re: New Nation Game Idea (Inspired by Hetalia)

Post by speaker-to-trolls »

I don't see how you're expecting this to work exactly. I mean for a political RPG your head of state pretty much is the personification of your country, and they're far more useful for the job than some weird anthropomorphic personification. I mean what are these things for? Do they exist in some personificational otherworld where they reenact world events in the form of madcap sitcom antics or do they exist in the real world and have an effect on national policy?

For instance, say Byzantium goes to war with the Kingdom of Great Britain in Exile, but some smart and silvertounged diplomat manages to get Byzantium, the person, alone, and talks him out of it. Does this mean that his government all change their minds? Does it mean that the war loses popular support as the general mood of wartime fervour dissolves, even if people who have thought their views through don't actually think any differently? Does it do nothing and merely mean that Komnenos the man drifts away from his job as personification of Byzantium? Or would it not even be possible to get him to change his mind unless the mood of his country changed?

And what about constituent countries? Britain has a national identity, but so do Scotland, England, Wales and Northern Ireland. How detatched does something have to be to have a personification? How sophisticated does its system of government have to be? Because I'm sure you can find plenty of people who'll consider themselves a member of tribe X or resident of City Y before they'd call themselves a citizen of nation Z. Judas Priest, man, your guy is an empire, he should have at least a dozen or so dependants if what we're going on is 'national identity' rather than political reality.

What are these guys for?
"Little monuments may be completed by their first architects, but great ones; true ones leave their copestones to posterity. God keep me from completing anything."
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Heretic
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Re: New Nation Game Idea (Inspired by Hetalia)

Post by Heretic »

Dude, as much as I like Hetalia and the idea (damnit, I'll be an American-esque nation!), stick with your other sci fi RPG for now. It isn't really dead, just not the best way to start (How the hell is the LAW (me) suppose to respond to an anti-piracy thing?) Or maybe you should just join in my fun of SITCOM!

Still, I wuv Hetalia.
Computers are like Old Testament gods; lots of rules and no mercy.
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Re: New Nation Game Idea (Inspired by Hetalia)

Post by speaker-to-trolls »

(How the hell is the LAW (me) suppose to respond to an anti-piracy thing?)
Just do something of your own in the interests of the THE LAW, or you could go and help him bring THE LAW! to those lawless pirates as you take The Long (space) Walk.
"Little monuments may be completed by their first architects, but great ones; true ones leave their copestones to posterity. God keep me from completing anything."
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Czernobog
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Re: New Nation Game Idea (Inspired by Hetalia)

Post by Czernobog »

speaker-to-trolls wrote:I don't see how you're expecting this to work exactly. I mean for a political RPG your head of state pretty much is the personification of your country, and they're far more useful for the job than some weird anthropomorphic personification. I mean what are these things for? Do they exist in some personificational otherworld where they reenact world events in the form of madcap sitcom antics or do they exist in the real world and have an effect on national policy?

For instance, say Byzantium goes to war with the Kingdom of Great Britain in Exile, but some smart and silvertounged diplomat manages to get Byzantium, the person, alone, and talks him out of it. Does this mean that his government all change their minds? Does it mean that the war loses popular support as the general mood of wartime fervour dissolves, even if people who have thought their views through don't actually think any differently? Does it do nothing and merely mean that Komnenos the man drifts away from his job as personification of Byzantium? Or would it not even be possible to get him to change his mind unless the mood of his country changed?

And what about constituent countries? Britain has a national identity, but so do Scotland, England, Wales and Northern Ireland. How detatched does something have to be to have a personification? How sophisticated does its system of government have to be? Because I'm sure you can find plenty of people who'll consider themselves a member of tribe X or resident of City Y before they'd call themselves a citizen of nation Z. Judas Priest, man, your guy is an empire, he should have at least a dozen or so dependants if what we're going on is 'national identity' rather than political reality.

What are these guys for?
They exist in the real world, and do have an effect on national policy,

For your example, the population of the Byzantine Empire would lose their war fervour. And as for constituent countries, there are two ways to represent them - as dependents if their national identity is high, or as non-existent if it's too low (as seems to be the case with the Great British Constituents, and definitely the case with the German ones (excepting Prussia in Hetalia))
You have ruled this galaxy for ten thousand years.
You have little of account to show for your efforts.
Order. Unity. Obedience.
We taught the galaxy these things.

And we shall do so again.
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speaker-to-trolls
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Re: New Nation Game Idea (Inspired by Hetalia)

Post by speaker-to-trolls »

So a country's attitude toward other countries is reflected in that of their people, right? Seems reaasonable enough, and this would be a weird feedback loop type system whereby the people's attitude effects the country and that causes the country to think something which causes the people to think something, etc.

What about their attitude to individual people? For instance if France is going out with Brazil then the people of France feel very well disposed toward Brazilians on average and like to buy more Brazilian things, I'd guess. What if France is going out with Josephine LePenne from Lyons? Does the whole of France feel well disposed towards her or just a bit more upbeat because they're back in the game?

Also I've realised this could get really, really dark. Say I'm a terrorist with a chip on my shoulder against Byzantium, I'm Iraqi and the Byzantine invasion killed my family, for instance. If I kidnap Basileos Komnenos and beat him with a baseball bat, and keep beating him, and keep beating him because he can't die, I could eventually literally give the entire Byzantine Empire, or at least those who identify as Byzantine, PTSD. And that's just for starters.
"Little monuments may be completed by their first architects, but great ones; true ones leave their copestones to posterity. God keep me from completing anything."
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Czernobog
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Re: New Nation Game Idea (Inspired by Hetalia)

Post by Czernobog »

speaker-to-trolls wrote: Also I've realised this could get really, really dark. Say I'm a terrorist with a chip on my shoulder against Byzantium, I'm Iraqi and the Byzantine invasion killed my family, for instance. If I kidnap Basileos Komnenos and beat him with a baseball bat, and keep beating him, and keep beating him because he can't die, I could eventually literally give the entire Byzantine Empire, or at least those who identify as Byzantine, PTSD. And that's just for starters.
Well, trying that would be harder than it seems, since personifications are heavily guarded by their nation (it's literally a matter of pride), and have some degree of supernatural power themselves (say, telepathy with their citizens, and a little bit of telekinesis), and I doubt some two-bit terrorist in Iraq could do it. Besides, the Byzantine Empire has held Iraq since 1940. Most of the people who were invaded are long dead.
You have ruled this galaxy for ten thousand years.
You have little of account to show for your efforts.
Order. Unity. Obedience.
We taught the galaxy these things.

And we shall do so again.
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speaker-to-trolls
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Re: New Nation Game Idea (Inspired by Hetalia)

Post by speaker-to-trolls »

Well, trying that would be harder than it seems, since personifications are heavily guarded by their nation (it's literally a matter of pride), and have some degree of supernatural power themselves (say, telepathy with their citizens, and a little bit of telekinesis), and I doubt some two-bit terrorist in Iraq could do it.
That is the obvious upshot of this scenario, any head of state who values their state will want to make sure their personification is very well defended, safe and provided for. You might also want to encourage your personification to feel a particular way toward certain issues, since if you can talk them into liking an unpopular policy it could at least make it a little bit more acceptable to the public due to the telepathic feedback loop thing.

The fact they have a bit of telekinesis is not going to help them a lot if there's anyone who can get past their security though.

In any case it's occurred to me that the really nasty stuff will start once one nation is conquered by another. Just imagine, you could brainwash an entire nation through just one person, it's so efficient!
Besides, the Byzantine Empire has held Iraq since 1940. Most of the people who were invaded are long dead.
I apologise for my lack of historical knowledge on an imaginary country about which you have only given geographical, political and economic information.

EDIT: You know it also occurs to me that the kind of person likely to hold such a grudge might not be a disenfranchised Iraqi but Iraq it(him?)self. Think about it; if signing a mutual defence pact is like being good friends, merging your countries is like getting married and getting into a fight is like going to war, then being conquered is someone breaking into your house, beating you up, breaking and/or stealing a lot of your stuff and then forcing you to work for him. Probably while saying, 'you had a crap job before, this is really for your own good'.
"Little monuments may be completed by their first architects, but great ones; true ones leave their copestones to posterity. God keep me from completing anything."
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Re: New Nation Game Idea (Inspired by Hetalia)

Post by speaker-to-trolls »

Bearing in mind I do not actually believe this will go anywhere, I thought it might be diverting to give my own nation and animu embodiment based on this system.

The Hyperborean Commonwealth
Nation info
Geography

Climate: Temperate to arctic.
Territory: Great Britain, Ireland, Denmark, Sweden, Norway, the northern part of Finland, Vinland (Quebec and the Canadian Maritime Provinces)
Natural Resources: Oil, agricultural produce, fish, timber.
Most populous cities:London, Manchester, Edinburgh, Copenhagen, Stockholm.

Population


Population: 120,000,000
Nationality: Hyperborean (or one of the constituents thereof)
Religion: Largely non-religious, largest religion is Lutheran Christianity, followed by Buddhist.

Government

Full name: The Commonwealth of Hyperborean Nations.
Short name: Hyperborea, the Commonwealth, Hyperbolea (frequent mispronounciation).
Government type: Federal parliamentary democracy
Voting Procedure: Election of unicameral parliament once per 6 years.
Motto: 'Reason is King'
Head of State: Prime Speaker Olav Nyskrom
Head of Government: See above.


Economy


GDP: $3.5 trillion (this is relatively close to the real combined GDP of Britain and Scandinavia)
Agriculture: Fishing and other consumption of marine life, crop farming, fur farming, hops (BEEEER)
Industry: Ship building, aeroplane parts, car parts, weapons, media, computers, tourism.
Exports: Computers, industrial machinery, oil, fish, fur, timber, science.
Special Technology: Sophisticated automation of industries, better computers, quiet submarines, Navy experimenting with LAZORS.


Military


Military service age and obligation: 16 and none, volunteer military, it's the wave of the future.
Military Expenditures: $5.5 billion
Military branches: Commonwealth Army, Navy, Air Force, Expeditionary Forces, Fleet Air Arm and Military Special Core.


Personification Info

Gender: Female
Personal name: (informal, used by other personifications): Ulrika McCormack
Attire: Stylish Hyperborean style fur rimmed coat over white trouser-suit. Carries a miniaturised invisible pain ray because for God's sake this is the 21st century.
Personality: Excessively proud of her own achievements and knowledge, will take any opportunity to talk about her own scientific know how and achievements and is impatient with anyone who doesn't want to listen. Frequently abrasive and condescending, especially to monarchies.
"Little monuments may be completed by their first architects, but great ones; true ones leave their copestones to posterity. God keep me from completing anything."
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