das
Regeneration In Process
Introducing and Developing the Interesting Times Concept.
"May you live in Interesting Times!"
- ancient Chinese curse.
This is a concept on which I hope to base my next NES.
It is based on several assumptions:
- The Fresh Start NESes, in theory, should reach from the 4000/2000 BC to 2005 AD. I am unaware of any such NES achieving this, and yet I would really have loved to see that done.
- The wide majority of NES players like to play in interesting times, when great wars and rebellions erupt, when colonial and other empires are built or ruined, etc, etc. BUT:
- Real history could be divided into "interesting" and "uninteresting times". Lets face it - (much of) 5th century BC is less interesting then, for instance, the short period of 336-323 BC. And yet, by the rules of standard Fresh Start NESes, one turn is supposedly enough to cover 5th century or 4th century alike.
- Thus, for the sake of realism, and, indeed, interest, it would have been better to spend more turns on short, but INTERESTING periods of time and less turns on long, but UNINTERESTING periods of time.
This is rather similar to an idea of EQ's and Warman's that unfortunately in both cases died somewhere in the second part (if memory doesn't betray me). This also, however, takes a lot from the idea of Plexus which he, too, never really carried out, and which was expanded upon by North King, who did the history to 1500 AD and then killed the NES for the lack of orders.
So, what is my plan?
A Fresh Start NES (okay, I will change a lot from your average Fresh Start, for example with features like "Civilized Zones", with my own NES2 rules (that will probably undergo large changes, if indeed I will actually keep a brick on brick again)), i.e. you create your own civilization, hopefully historical for that time or original, don't care too much as long as it is realistic and as long as you can plausibly explain how did it come to be. After the civilizations are created, I write the history (taking into account your cultures and your development plans if you send any in, though I will not follow them strictly, as descendants of the first ruler rarely do that) until the first Interesting Time (which will be when the nations are developped enough for the Rise of First Empires, or otherwise for interesting conflicts). Then, the first IT of the NES begins, which is like an ordinary NES, only, ofcourse, the time scale will be shorter, 25 years for example. Then, after a set amount of turns, or after the lose of interest (whichever comes first), or if when the set amount runs out there still are major wars/rebellions/world-changing events on, I will again write the history until the next IT.
I hope my explanation is understood. I would like to know if this idea interested anybody, and/or if anybody could offer some more ideas on this, whether in addition to the original ones or in modifying them.
Please note that befor I start, I will have to get rid of the exams (theoretically, by 15th of June, practically, after 3rd because that's when the algebra exam takes place, and that's the only one over which I am worried, as by all indications the other ones - Russian, English, History - will be much more of a walkover), and I will also have to finnish the development of this concept and of my ordinary rules, which need quite some revamping to work for the Fresh Start idea.
Oh, and I forgot to add, you could create new nations at any point in the game, whether by rebellion or in an untaken Civilized Zone, or even elsewhere if you explain why do you think you could do that one.
"May you live in Interesting Times!"
- ancient Chinese curse.
This is a concept on which I hope to base my next NES.
It is based on several assumptions:
- The Fresh Start NESes, in theory, should reach from the 4000/2000 BC to 2005 AD. I am unaware of any such NES achieving this, and yet I would really have loved to see that done.
- The wide majority of NES players like to play in interesting times, when great wars and rebellions erupt, when colonial and other empires are built or ruined, etc, etc. BUT:
- Real history could be divided into "interesting" and "uninteresting times". Lets face it - (much of) 5th century BC is less interesting then, for instance, the short period of 336-323 BC. And yet, by the rules of standard Fresh Start NESes, one turn is supposedly enough to cover 5th century or 4th century alike.
- Thus, for the sake of realism, and, indeed, interest, it would have been better to spend more turns on short, but INTERESTING periods of time and less turns on long, but UNINTERESTING periods of time.
This is rather similar to an idea of EQ's and Warman's that unfortunately in both cases died somewhere in the second part (if memory doesn't betray me). This also, however, takes a lot from the idea of Plexus which he, too, never really carried out, and which was expanded upon by North King, who did the history to 1500 AD and then killed the NES for the lack of orders.
So, what is my plan?
A Fresh Start NES (okay, I will change a lot from your average Fresh Start, for example with features like "Civilized Zones", with my own NES2 rules (that will probably undergo large changes, if indeed I will actually keep a brick on brick again)), i.e. you create your own civilization, hopefully historical for that time or original, don't care too much as long as it is realistic and as long as you can plausibly explain how did it come to be. After the civilizations are created, I write the history (taking into account your cultures and your development plans if you send any in, though I will not follow them strictly, as descendants of the first ruler rarely do that) until the first Interesting Time (which will be when the nations are developped enough for the Rise of First Empires, or otherwise for interesting conflicts). Then, the first IT of the NES begins, which is like an ordinary NES, only, ofcourse, the time scale will be shorter, 25 years for example. Then, after a set amount of turns, or after the lose of interest (whichever comes first), or if when the set amount runs out there still are major wars/rebellions/world-changing events on, I will again write the history until the next IT.
I hope my explanation is understood. I would like to know if this idea interested anybody, and/or if anybody could offer some more ideas on this, whether in addition to the original ones or in modifying them.
Please note that befor I start, I will have to get rid of the exams (theoretically, by 15th of June, practically, after 3rd because that's when the algebra exam takes place, and that's the only one over which I am worried, as by all indications the other ones - Russian, English, History - will be much more of a walkover), and I will also have to finnish the development of this concept and of my ordinary rules, which need quite some revamping to work for the Fresh Start idea.
Oh, and I forgot to add, you could create new nations at any point in the game, whether by rebellion or in an untaken Civilized Zone, or even elsewhere if you explain why do you think you could do that one.
