Confirmation Hearing: Realpolitik (GM) [Confirmed]

[Marokai Backbeat]

Realpolitik, aka Al, has been nominated to the position of Game Moderator.

This hearing shall be open for questioning of the nominee to a maximum of 72 hours, unless further questioning is requested by the Senate.

Go crazy!

[Franzl]

Al, some concerns have been voiced over your capability to be neutral. I don't share these concerns.....but I would kindly request that you respond to them.

Do you think neutrality is even a worthy goal as GM...and if so, do you think you'll be able to be a neutral voice?

[Filuwaúrdjan]

I will be neutral in the areas in which it is possible to be neutral; in the production of population statistics and so on. In all other areas it is impossible to be genuinely neutral as interpretation cannot be neutral and neither can imagination. I will attempt to be something else, namely fair. If I do not like a given regional government (for example), I will not use the office of GM as a means to cause that regional government trouble, save for any trouble they have brought on themselves. If I am confirmed as GM, the Midwest region (as a hypothetical example) will not wake up the next morning to discover that it now has an 80% unemployment rate.

Or to put things in a less wordy and contorted manner... it is my view that the main point of having a GM is to make the game more interesting to as many players as possible. Systematic bias from the GM would make the game less interesting to everyone (myself included) and so I'm not in favour of it.

[Franzl]

That's good enough for me

[Vepres]

I will be neutral in the areas in which it is possible to be neutral; in the production of population statistics and so on. In all other areas it is impossible to be genuinely neutral as interpretation cannot be neutral and neither can imagination. I will attempt to be something else, namely fair. If I do not like a given regional government (for example), I will not use the office of GM as a means to cause that regional government trouble, save for any trouble they have brought on themselves. If I am confirmed as GM, the Midwest region (as a hypothetical example) will not wake up the next morning to discover that it now has an 80% unemployment rate.

Or to put things in a less wordy and contorted manner... it is my view that the main point of having a GM is to make the game more interesting to as many players as possible. Systematic bias from the GM would make the game less interesting to everyone (myself included) and so I'm not in favour of it.

What about legislation you personally disagree with?

[Filuwaúrdjan]

What about legislation you personally disagree with?

Could you be more specific?

[Obnoxiously Slutty Girly Girl]

I will be neutral in the areas in which it is possible to be neutral; in the production of population statistics and so on. In all other areas it is impossible to be genuinely neutral as interpretation cannot be neutral and neither can imagination. I will attempt to be something else, namely fair. If I do not like a given regional government (for example), I will not use the office of GM as a means to cause that regional government trouble, save for any trouble they have brought on themselves. If I am confirmed as GM, the Midwest region (as a hypothetical example) will not wake up the next morning to discover that it now has an 80% unemployment rate.

And if a region implements a policy you severely disagree with and/or it conflicts strongly with your ideology, that would be considered 'bringing it upon themselves' if you give them trouble?

For example, will you make a region that implements socialist policies successful, while wreaking havoc upon a region that embraces the free market?

[Filuwaúrdjan]

And if a region implements a policy you severely disagree with and/or it conflicts strongly with your ideology, that would be considered 'bringing it upon themselves' if you give them trouble?

For example, will you make a region that implements socialist policies successful, while wreaking havoc upon a region that embraces the free market?

By 'bringing it upon themselves' I mean something that results directly from policy error, not 'I disagree with that, time for punishment'.

On your second point, that would depend entirely on the policy in question. I would tend to make judgements based on real life examples rather than ideological or theoretical considerations.

[Vepres]

What about legislation you personally disagree with?

Could you be more specific?

I sort of meant that in a general sense. Let me rephrase.

As one of the more radical members of Atlasia, can we trust you to look thoroughly at both sides of an issue in your analysis of legislation?

[bgwah]

I shall be voting nay! All Welsh people should be harpooned. Harpooned, I tell you!

[Vepres]

And if a region implements a policy you severely disagree with and/or it conflicts strongly with your ideology, that would be considered 'bringing it upon themselves' if you give them trouble?

For example, will you make a region that implements socialist policies successful, while wreaking havoc upon a region that embraces the free market?

By 'bringing it upon themselves' I mean something that results directly from policy error, not 'I disagree with that, time for punishment'.

On your second point, that would depend entirely on the policy in question. I would tend to make judgements based on real life examples rather than ideological or theoretical considerations.

Disregard my follow-up, this answered my question.

[Filuwaúrdjan]

Would the Senate be interested in my proposed updates plan? The general intention is to update the main GM publication at least once a week unless notice is given otherwise. Ideally there would be more updates than that, but weekly seemed like a logical lower limit in normal circumstances.

[Southern Senator North Carolina Yankee]

What are your plans with regards to the content of the regular update?

[Filuwaúrdjan]

What are your plans with regards to the content of the regular update?

Propaganda, mostly. With some gossip, silly stories, sport, sports gossip and soft porn to boost sales. Might manage some actual news every three months or so, but I can't make any firm commitments in that general area, I'm afraid.

And some sleeping pills, perhaps. I don't have any. Actually, I've never had any. Perhaps it would be a good idea, I don't know.

---

Seriously though, I will run a newspaper, as is the tradition. It will contain several articles per edition; usually a main story, some smaller items and the headlines of minor (or apparently minor) stories.

[Bacon King]

How long do you see yourself serving as Game Moderator?

[Filuwaúrdjan]

How long do you see yourself serving as Game Moderator?

That's hard to tell for sure because it depends how things go here and - an extent - in the real world. So I can't give you a maximum figure. Could be months, could be years. But a minimum figure would be around two months.

[bullmoose88]

How would your GM-ship compare to that of the last GM?

[Southern Senator North Carolina Yankee]

What are your plans with regards to the content of the regular update?

Propaganda, mostly. With some gossip, silly stories, sport, sports gossip and soft porn to boost sales. Might manage some actual news every three months or so, but I can't make any firm commitments in that general area, I'm afraid.

And some sleeping pills, perhaps. I don't have any. Actually, I've never had any. Perhaps it would be a good idea, I don't know.

---

Seriously though, I will run a newspaper, as is the tradition. It will contain several articles per edition; usually a main story, some smaller items and the headlines of minor (or apparently minor) stories.

I am fully aware of the tradition. My experience with that "tradition" was one of severe incompetence. Of course you will run some kind of news source. I was trying to figure out if you planned to committ to at least a few certain basics which would be part of your regular reports?

[Filuwaúrdjan]

How would your GM-ship compare to that of the last GM?

It's hard to tell this sort of thing until it actually happens, but I suspect the main differences would come from the fact that I have a strong interest in long-term well-developed story arcs. I would be more likely to work along those lines instead of one-off events such as 'region x needs to increase support for sector x of the economy'.

[Filuwaúrdjan]

I am fully aware of the tradition. My experience with that "tradition" was one of severe incompetence. Of course you will run some kind of news source. I was trying to figure out if you planned to committ to at least a few certain basics which would be part of your regular reports?

I'm not entirely sure what you mean by 'a few certain basics'; you'll have to be more specific.

[Southern Senator North Carolina Yankee]

I am fully aware of the tradition. My experience with that "tradition" was one of severe incompetence. Of course you will run some kind of news source. I was trying to figure out if you planned to committ to at least a few certain basics which would be part of your regular reports?

I'm not entirely sure what you mean by 'a few certain basics'; you'll have to be more specific.

Well part of it you answered above in response to Bullmoose, what I meant was could you give us some idea of what information could be expected consistently as opposed to what would be more spontaneous with a few specific examples.

[Filuwaúrdjan]

Well part of it you answered above in response to Bullmoose, what I meant was could you give us some idea of what information could be expected consistently as opposed to what would be more spontaneous with a few specific examples.

My main aim is for a reasonably continuous narrative (or sets of narratives) that covers most aspects of real life type events and information that people here are interested in. Statistical information (for example) will be released, but within the context of a story (a story headed 'Unemployment rises to 15%' would include regional breakdowns and probably information on blackspots).

[Southern Senator North Carolina Yankee]

Well part of it you answered above in response to Bullmoose, what I meant was could you give us some idea of what information could be expected consistently as opposed to what would be more spontaneous with a few specific examples.

My main aim is for a reasonably continuous narrative (or sets of narratives) that covers most aspects of real life type events and information that people here are interested in. Statistical information (for example) will be released, but within the context of a story (a story headed 'Unemployment rises to 15%' would include regional breakdowns and probably information on blackspots).

Sounds interesting. I think if there was one thing that PS could have done better, it was to fit his reports into some broader storyline over several months. That would have possibly got people more interested then they were.

[Purple State]

Well part of it you answered above in response to Bullmoose, what I meant was could you give us some idea of what information could be expected consistently as opposed to what would be more spontaneous with a few specific examples.

My main aim is for a reasonably continuous narrative (or sets of narratives) that covers most aspects of real life type events and information that people here are interested in. Statistical information (for example) will be released, but within the context of a story (a story headed 'Unemployment rises to 15%' would include regional breakdowns and probably information on blackspots).

Sounds interesting. I think if there was one thing that PS could have done better, it was to fit his reports into some broader storyline over several months. That would have possibly got people more interested then they were.

I didn't pick Al by accident.

[Badger]

Al:

You've indicated you're no fan of trying to restart the budget process. Mostly it seems based on a "been there, tried that, didn't work too well" codger "elder stateman" view. By statute, you will be responsible to chair a commission including Yank and I plus two other picks of PS's to formulate a plan to make the budget a regular, workable, and fun part of Atlasian government.

Can you be counted on to put aside your initial reservations about restarting the budget process and try to develop a system that hopefully will create debate over such controversial issues like taxes, government spending, and public debt? At this point do you have any general broad goals or guidelines as to what the budget process should entail?