<small>1. The first issue that arises is the obvious lack of a geographical territory that we all share. However, there are counter-examples that reduce this problem. One good one is the so-called "Indian nation" which arose around the sixties and seventies out of the remaining Native American tribes. They had no physical territory in common, and often shared no common language but English. The Amish could be viewed as another nation that doesn't have a formal territory.</small>
This reminds me of something I read once in psychology class, junior year. There was a list of common things people desire in a mate, and then the question: "Which do you think is the most important indicating factor for whether or not a relationship will be successful?" The answer was, in the end, "geographical proximity" (in those words, I believe)--the reasoning being that it's hard to have a relationship if you never see each other. Some of my classmates were perturbed, nonetheless.
The textbook was copyright the year I was born, or thereabouts--early 1980s. I'm interested in seeing the difference in how the INTARWEBS may have changed such things--it's a lot easier to socialize and get to know someone, I think (and cheaper, too, if you're piggybacking off an existing service) online than over previous long-distance methods, which would give stronger incentives for making things work.
AT ANY RATE, that's a long tangent mainly to illustrate an idea I have that "geography" had much greater importance in the past than it does now. I still feel it's taking a while to sink in with a lot of traditional thinking about things.
Which is not to say, it isn't important. We had a pretty strong drive to meet up with each other in person, I'd say. RPGWWcons are a bit hit--at least, I enjoy them quite a good deal.
There's also to consider the changing definition of territory. We certainly share territory. That would be the board, the website, the wiki, and such. There's a very physical manifestation of such data, as well; I lived with the zeke-server for years.
<small>2. Nations are often expected to have a common language within the group, but this doesn't have to be unique. Obviously the need to communicate is the root cause of that one. English is the main language here, but I'm pretty sure there are people on the forum who do not speak it as a first language.</small>
Glu-glu speaks English--he's gotten better since first posting, but it's been, what, 4 years? I believe I first found out Daien was from Malta when he wrote a fic, and I critiqued the stiff wording. JediAl natively spoke--Russian, wasn't it?--but I couldn't tell. Really, I couldn't.
There's also jargon and in-jokes, which are very much their own language. Some of this is unique to a larger community of like interests--gaming, RPing, anime--and some of it has been molded specifically to our forum. You can see some people feeling awkward, like they don't understand what's being said, in chat--that's what's going on.
I think there are two main communication obstacles:
• One, spelling. To me, it used to be that reading typo-ridden messages was like hearing someone with a really horrible speech impediment. It wasn't until I realized why it bothered me--making just that comparison, actually--that I realized what a jerk I was being to people who I understood perfectly, but ragged on because of how they typed.
• Two, the jargon. It's not so much that we've made it out to be exclusive--most of us, anyway, most of the time (har har, dummy doesn't know what an RP is!)--it's that some folk are used to the social norm of Do Not Ask. You don't ask what something is, when everyone else seems to know the answer. You don't ask to have an in-joke explained to you, or whatever--because that will show that you're ignorant, an outsider, and open you up for poking fun at.
(To be fair, must of us won't explain an in-joke. Ask about Vulture, and we'll tell you that We See).
<small>3. Despite the fact that a unique forum-only language is not necessary, we do have one. Philsys. You can use it here and most people will know what you mean, but it isn't worth a damn anywhere else. People there communicate and settle disputes using other systems. However, this one works for us and sets us apart.</small>
You can think of Philsys in terms of dialect, considering how similar it is to some other systems--being based off GURPS. You may not be able to use it in other places, but it can certainly give you insight to other related dialects and languages.
<small>4. Nations require a shared history, or at least the impression of a shared history. "Objective" history lends itself rather poorly to this, so history is often re-interpreted or re-constructed. The official version of history may be disputed viciously, depending on what the official vision for the nation is going to be. I don't think I have to say much to connect this with disputes over Gaeran canon.</small>
We're not even sure when RPGWW "started." Last discussion over it, it was suggested that C_C's comic should be the starting point, but even that's a bit arbitrary. One could also pick the RP The Hit, Archmage's first RP, Rube's joining date, the joining date of the second RPGWWer (making a group)...etc. etc.
Don't think we can count the number of forum switches before we came to ezBoard.
Gaera canon...there's been shifting emphasis over it over time. The RPing portion of the community started off a relatively small section of a small community, and grew to a larger section of a large community. At first, it wasn't unreasonable to think to come to a consensus about the canon, satisfying everyone. Now...
<small>5. Traditions that are unique to the forum? Well, let's rephrase. Very few nations have truly unique traditions. What's most important is that they be perceived or portrayed as unique. One thing that many seem to feel sets RPGWW apart from much of the uncharted wilderness on the internet is "proper" grammar and use of English. The rules are eased for non-native speakers, but still.</small>
Oh, we have plenty traditions.
April Fool's. Posticons. Custom Postranks (asked for and otherwise). Postwars (isn't it time for another by now?). Random Banning (needs to be a tradition). Most in-jokes. Fanart. Comics. Kotoki's Inn. Inn destruction. The backroom. Number Five. Certain families in RPs (Tymisonns, for instance).
And so one.
Some are very little. Some are larger. Some are more unique to people or subgroups than the whole group--such as the English thing. Consulting the forum at large about important changes.
Another thing that seems to set us apart, to me, is the openness--in the sense of, real names, faces, locales. There was one point in time that I knew the names, cities, states, and faces of nearly everyone on the board I talked to. That was Brian that started that.
<small>6. Economic bonds between members: Each year RPGWW likes to renew that shiny gold membership because we don't want to bother with ads and all that crap. Near as I can tell, this is at least partly a collective effort. It's certainly an economic goal we can all appreciate.</small>
There are some commissions outside of that, too. If I'm going to commission an artist for something, I'll probably go to someone I know--like an RPGWW artist. And if I feel like buying a random DA subscription, it'll almost certainly be for a RPGWWer. I remember getting a Christmas gift (LJ subscription) from Adam once--that was cool. I also baked cookies (that counts as money, right?) at Christmas for peeps. And if I'm ready to part with something too good for tossing away (comic, book, shirt, etc.), then a RPGWWer may well be on the receiving end.
<small>7. National symbols? These are often totally random and arbitrary symbols that are given meaning they'd never have had otherwise. The mundane significance of the symbol is all but forgotten in the face of this new meaning. One word: Corn.</small>
=D
Vulture was our symbol once. And RPG World. Corn, tee hee! I also have a tendency to be reminded of members by things like, say, stone pineapples.
<small>8. National holidays or festivals? Conventions seem like they're often more of an excuse to get together as RPGWWers than an opportunity to dress up like anime characters and buy super-fun dice. The conventions come around at about the same time every year, and the same general group of people seems to be involved with them every year. Once again, I'll need help from longer-standing forum members on this one. This is just the impression I've gotten.</small>
Offline: The Ohio Ren Fair has been annual, almost--I don't think anyone went to 2005? Sugoicon has been annual since the first attendance, 2002. Also, the board spiffs up at Christmas (if -I- have anything to say about it).
When the website is back up, browse through http://zeke.tzo.com/rpgww/meets/ . That has a listing of the cons attended, + month and year, and the photos, of course. There's a list of just the conventions and times on the wiki at http://mysidia.org/rpgww/index.php?title=RPGWWcons .
Online: Earlier on the board--UBB times--there were semi-regular "successive spam" threads. Before the days of "hay guys, let's get on AIM and do this there!" Someone would notice that there'd be someone posting in reply to them, and then there'd be a whole shitfuckton of back-and-forth posting. It could last hours. By then, others would be joining in. "This is becoming strange...", a post by Chrono_Catfish, was one of these, and there were several later incarnations.
I'd dare say FFF's sprite threads--and similar such threads by others--count in this category. He started a whole bloody trend, but few could keep up with him. I know, though, everyone'd be all "Holy shit, FFF posted a sprite thread! GO CLICKY!", and everyone else would be, "H00rj!" Each of these threads would be a right celebration, a center of joyousness and silly-making.
RP: On Halloween and other such holidays, there have been IC-OOC RPs (take your character into an RP, but it's outside the canon). There are also IC festivals for shits and giggles--the Kitiwai Karnival, Ishmas, and the such. Because they're just fun to do.
<small>9. Historical artifacts? Well..... we can't really have archaeological artifacts to leave behind and prove we were here. I mean, this is the internet. What we do have is artwork. I present fanart as a form of digital artifact, much of which is left behind by RPGWWers who are no longer active, portrays characters long forgotten by most, and is preserved as a record of the past and someone's hard work.</small>
The Corn Sign. I have three of them, actually--one's temporary, on graph paper--the first one is retired, the other is the new one. Also, cans of corn. I...don't remember which conventions they all were from, anymore. :[ But I have them. Shini may still have his mystery can, and last I checked, Adam still had his Peanut Butter (thread is http://p068.ezboard.com/frpgww60462frm1 ... D=35.topic , but the image is down until Zeke is back up).
We also have some photographs (mostly online, though I have some hardcopies) and artwork (same as last parenthetical remark).
I also have given and received gifts. For instance, I have a little red dragon from Seph, which is one of the awesomest things I've gotten. See, he left a message on the forum, saying he wouldn't be posting for a while. Going out west, I believe he said. I posted, "Bring me back a dragon!" in all glibness, because it seemed like the right thing to do. And he did. So it's cool, and I keep it near my computer and remember Red Mage Rydia.
<small>10. Opposition with other groups: One common characteristic of a nation is the need to define oneself in the context of others. In short, a "them" to our "us." There are two possible examples of this.
Example one: Rivalry or bad blood between "Gaeran" RPers and "Elemaer" RPers. Players in the two settings, whether this was initially the intention or not, are often divided along lines of loyalty or allegiance, becoming associated with one setting or the other.
Example two: This one requires a lot of assistance from someone who was there for the crazy spammy war with the Adventurers forum. But come on. A damn war. How can I resist that?</small>
Ha! The ADV! War. Let's see.
Some of the RPG World and ADV! readerships overlapped. The authors were on good terms I do believe--had a good crossover going at one point. At one rate, a few of us lurked the ADV! forums. I did, from time to time, when my interests weren't capitvated elsewhere.
Others may need to correct me on this: ADV! had invaded message boards before. Someone had taken it badly, another had taken it well (OT board?). They felt like another invasion. Silly little spammy thing.
LordMcBastard asked me one IM if ADV! could "kidnap" me to start a "war" with RPGW/W. After the initial WTF, I thought it was neat, and said sure.
It started at some time I wasn't online, and some people had a hard time telling IC and OOC apart. I remember Cho and Lex hamming it up. Cho was RPing Nameless. Darkwolf was trolling the forum, which didn't help keeping things IC. Some ADV!ers, OOCly--in chat or another thread, I don't recall--felt the need to express their distaste for the style of RPGW/W revelery, which also didn't help. Also, the board format wasn't fit for an invasion. At all. The war moved to ADV! at some point.
I don't remember much else. Just that there was a lot of pot-kettle-black, and it should have been a lot more fun.
Part of the RP is logged on the site. In the Darkness of the Night.
Ash and Archmage got promoted. That stayed canon. Most of the war was not canon.
There's a few fancomics about the invasion. Greatdave and LMB made them, I believe.
At one time there was a split between groups of RPers who would RP with each other. RPers like GeoCSuppi, Bunnygirle, or Ash Fanrico, were more inclusive, but others were much less so. RPs in the forum were...interesting. Board CIRPs were a place where these two groups could RP together--sometimes there were clashes, but most times they avoided each other ICly, much like how different subgroups in a college segregate themselves from others.
<small>11. Endogamy: How many people date or have dated within the forum, despite geographical boundaries? It's not uncommon, and considering the physical barriers often involved with in-forum dating, people still do it.</small>
A lot. I'm not up to date on my current RPGWW couple gossip, but Mike and I have just finished up our premarriage prep, and have to do all the other stuff.
<small>12. Finally, a theorist named Gellner proposed that each nation needs a class of people called "clerks." In most nations these are the white-collar workers, trained for the specific purpose of accomplishing whatever goals will apparently enhance or further the aims of the nation. Clerks come about when you get standardized education systems, but are usually only useful in their native nation.
I saw a bit of a parallel with the gamemasters on the forum. They aren't the elite, but they're often a different sort of roleplayer, and a different sort of RPGWWer. Also, while a gamemaster here can GM elsewhere, the Gaeran setting is often a big part of it (as is Philsys, if we want to be really old-school).</small>
I might want to read more about this in detail. I'm not really sure I see the similarity too much, but it could be limited information. <p>
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