"Decline" of Nationstates?

[Arizona Nova]

As of this writing, there are 48,627 nations in the world. Fallen from its peak hovering around 200,000, this may seem a sad state of affairs. Yet, the more I look around the new forums, the more I see that is not only good, but heartening.

For one, the forums seem more cozy now. While it's the same topics the internet has been treading since usenet - atheism vs. Christianity, Republican vs. Democrat, it all seems warmer than before. Perhaps I've been acculturated to harshness in the goony internet Thunderdome that is SA, but there is a homelike quality to the forums now I find difficult to describe.

As well, the game getting smaller again has had a side effect we probably should have seen coming but is still, in my mind, unexpected: a lot of the big names, drawn out during the Jolt era, seem to be coming back. The first and the greatest in terms of RPers seem to be particularly busy these days. [violet] and other admins and mods, most notably Reploid Productions, have also been posting more than I've seen at any point prior.

As such, if this is a "decline" as has been speculated before, it smacks of a golden sunset to me. However, if it is not a decline, but an ebbing of the tide before some future renaissance, then we need to be alert and active. There is incredible oppurtunity, especially in these days, to shape the community. A strong alliance like ESUS would have more sway than it ever may have had in the past in these conditions.

If that doesn't convince you, then consider this: since the new forums have been established, TFU has posted a grand total of 17 times. Anyone with a penchant for word games could whip him in a day. If that doesn't sell you, nothing will.

As such, to who it may concern, I will be posting my next RP to the NS forums; ours were ever a bastion of sanity and good taste during the low years of the Jolt era, but I am seeing things in the new NS forums I have not in a very, very long time, and I am going to give them a chance. Our wiki and community, however, remains superior to anyone else's non-official wikies and communities, so I am still certainly going to stump for them wherever I may go. I do encourage you all, though, to give the new NS forums a chance. Aside from the warm fuzzies above, they are also slick, fast, and well-integrated with the game.

[Sskiss]

Well AZ, you can always include me in your next NS roleplay.

[The Mindset]

I'm considering getting back into writing again, but I'd need to rewrite my nation's history since I honestly can't remember any of it.

[Arizona Nova]

I'm considering getting back into writing again, but I'd need to rewrite my nation's history since I honestly can't remember any of it.

Again, I can't thank you enough for the administration and support you've given to this website. If you can't remember your nation's history it's because you spent so much effort in polishing and adding to these forums, setting up the wiki, and so on, so all of us here could.

Part of my education in library science is going to eventually entail Web 2.0 tech and languages; I've already learned a fair bit about XML, in fact. If and when I come across a course teaching a relevant tech for forums administration here, I'll let you know.

[The Mindset]

It's really no problem.

Another note: I've updated the forum software so the spambots are gone again. It seems at least two nations registered during the time I wasn't checking registrations because there was so many spambots. Oops. If ESUS members are once again active on NS, then perhaps we'll see some fresh blood around here at some point in the near future.

[Solar Communes]

Decline of International Incidents would be a better way to phrase it.

Anyway, I'm up for a RP as well. Preferably one not centered at space battles, where I'm a dull writer.

[Telros]

I will be glad to rp with you. I will have to do some rewriting in my history, since those of us in the ESUS that already made the transition, like Balrogga and I, didn't think the ESUS would step forward to join in, mostly that you guys had lost interest and/or were too busy in RL to come back. As such, we had it that the ESUS never existed on these forums. If you guys do intend on coming back, which is good, we'll have to do some rewriting of history.

[The Mindset]

Or, we could do a retconned formation RP (since we never did one, to my knowledge). A fresh start, so to speak?

Also, as a side note, I'm open to any suggestions on how to improve the forums. I've got some free time on my hands and I'm bored.

[Trailers]

Yes, yes, now is the time to strike! This is the moment we have awaited these ten summers past!

First to breach those impregnable gates, we shall need a wooden horse of epic magnitude! We'll hollow out the middle and put Sskiss and Mekanta therein, so that when those fools unbar their doors to recieve their "gift" they may spring out and let the rest of us in!

Rape and pillage shall be had!

Rape and pillage I say!

[Arenumberg]

Oh, that was meant to be scary?