Ok, here is the situation. Here are my "policies" to this game.
1. I prefer to keep pauses to a minimum. Pauses are fine to catch up (it's inevitable with all these players) with game data. Pauses are fine to try to fix bugs or deploy. Bugs we've discovered are building RR, troop movement, unable to assign workers to factory, technology can be researched repeatedly, etc. If you cannot handle play this game at below average speed without any pause during single player, you may want to reconsider as we try to keep pauses to a minimum.
2. Most likely playing time for us are weekends, such as late Friday night USA eastern time or on Saturday as our player makeup are about 1/2 USA, 1/2 European now.
3. We are looking for subs and maybe new nations. Policies are as follows.
a. Post your profile on your gameplay style so it helps everyone when they are trying to deal with you.
b. Subs along with new players will be given IRC contact information as majority of diplomacy seem to be done via IRC. We will also ask you for an email address so game information/update can be sent via email.
c. We try to figure out if we need subs as early as possible. If possible, I would like to give the subs at least 2 days of preparation time, that means you will be notified ahead of game time (hopefully) with most update to date saved game file that I can get my hand on. You should consult with the player that needed a sub directly on how to run the nation as well as perhaps conducting diplomacy. Each player's is different. For me, I may dictate what I like the sub to do and I like the sub to observe my wishes. However, if it's more long term sub/replacement, I tend to like let the sub run the nation as he sees fit as I probably won't have time to micro manage anyways.
d. diplomatic activities are a lot. I know for a fact a couple players can spend a few hours everyday between game sessions on conducting diplomacy. Diplomatic activities may decrease once wars are declared among players and battle lines are drawn. Right now, it's all kind of proposal and plans that keep all those players busy so if you wish to join now, keep that in mind as you'll probably be sucked into this maelstrom. This game is not just normal economic management and military conquest vicky anymore, it's also a lot of diplomacy.
4. Viable nations are
Netherland (untouched more or less)
Belgium (I need to double check but I think it's still around)
Mexico (already satellited by USA so...it's your choice as Darkrenown is USA and you'll have to deal with him if you're Mexico)
Brazil (lower tech and low pop so if you take over, good luck, unless you can get other player to back you, it'll be hard for you to say no to players who shows up on your doorstep with an army.)
Japan (It's not civilized yet so you need a lot of diplomacies to get players to guarantee your independence, otherwise it's likely to be carved up by other players sooner or later)
Greece
Portugal
China (treaty of aigun already occured and russia gained even more territory besides the ones lost by treaty. Russia also annexed Tibet so China's map is smaller now, you can see China's situation in our AAR)
Korea (Russia already border you and if other players didn't protest, you would've been part of mother russia so bear that in mind)
Of all those choices, Netherland is the best. Other nations all have some serious to potentially very serious problem that puts their nation's survival in doubt. If Belgium is not touched, perhaps 2nd best. No matter which nation you pick, lots of diplomacy is required on the player's part to survive as others have been greedily carving up the world.
If you wish to join, please submit your playing style profile (you can see examples in this thread) as well as likely time to be able to play and nation you wish to play. I will submit your choice to a vote by other players. If enough players vote for you, you will be invited.
I however do like to keep a good standing army in case of surprise attack. Oh, and i try to keep somewhat to what those nations really did. I'm not too aggressive, and unless that nation has much history in colonization, I am not a big fan it.
