Rejuvenation Projects

[Nathan]

We need new goals to keep ourselves interested in Natopia. Role playing seems to be a popular and self-perpetuating pastime for micronations and generates extensive postcounts and cultural details.

The reason I have rejected role playing in Natopia in the past was because I wanted the culture to develop naturally. But now, despite our long periods of slumbering, Natopia has a unique and naturally developed culture. I think the culture is strong enough to support role playing without destroying it.

So think of a scenario and post it where it would be appropriate. RP threads should be denoted by a (RP) in the topic heading.

[Amir Shervanis]

Out of curiosity, how do you think roleplaying effects culture negatively?

I'm neutral on the matter personally. I'm just interested to hear different points of view.

[Nathan]

Natopia started out in the "MNO-secessionist" camp and thus I wanted a sense of realism in the government of Natopia. I felt that people adopting pseudonyms and backstories would undermine our goal of being seen as a unique nation with a legitimate culture. I didn't want Natopia to be another Rome, Imperial Germany or Napoleonic France themed nation with people with Roman, German or French names acting out their parts as Senator Marcus Antonius, der Elector of Saxony or the Duc de Marseilles. Natopia started out with actual St. Louisans interacting with each other under their own names with their own personalities that clashed or got along. This is why Natopia had a strict law banning the use of pseudonyms and double accounts for quite a long time.

My aversion to roleplaying is also rooted in my experiences in Lavalon where the democracy and clash of personalities was too interesting and dramatic to allow room for roleplaying.

If I had started Natopia as a German or Roman themed nation with people pretending to be German or Roman, we would not have the culturally unique institutions such as the Bagel Party, the Frenzy, Order of the Black Hole, the religion based around the Butter Cow, the goat as our national animal, or NIPPL.

[andreasthewise]

I agree that a unique culture is good. I really like that Novan culture has developed organically and isn't just a rip off of any existing culture. Yes, it has references (to Australia, Pratchett and, thanks to the Tokians, DnD) but the whole is very much a unique Novan outlook.

But the thing is, a ton of that outlook is built up around role playing. Role playing created a lot of our culture (DZ, Piracy, Magic etc). But I guess RP is something different people seem to have different definitions for. I would have described nations where everyone has german names as (from experience) realistic ones, and have put role playing at the other end of the spectrum, but I guess you just can't squeeze micronationalism into hard and fast definitions/classifications ...

(and that being said, I'd count the Natopian's recwarring and the party thread's as roleplaying, and say they're both good things and beneficial to Natopian culture)

[Emperor Konrad]

Over time we have evolved and that has led to our stability and growth. I think however as it says on our website

"Natopia is a "serious micronation that doesn't take itself too seriously" in a "quiet little corner of micronationalism." We are community of fun-loving individuals..."

This should be the cornerstone of the new Natopian renaissance!

[Nathan]

I have some ideas for revitalizing the Natopian culture that I will be implementing over the next few days.

[Emperor Konrad]

Ohhh, excellent news