Delta/V's Guide To Roleplaying: Starting a Nation

This is just a simple guide to help people start roleplaying on the site. I figure it'll help people who join and are confused by what to do at first.

Step One: Visit the nation application thread
Before you can start roleplaying, you need to get a nation application put up and accepted. You can find the details, along with a map to use and the application form, here.

Step Two: Set up your nation page
Now that you've got your nation accepted, it's time to make a nation page in this section. This page should contain all of the information from your application, along with your alliances and whatever other details you'd like to add in. Try to make this page detailed, don't just copy-paste your application into a new thread.

Step Three: Check out recent events
Okay, now you've got your nation set up and you're ready to roleplay, right? Well, kind of. But before you go crazy with projects and events and diplomacy, it's a good idea to take a look at the [http://play.kerbalroleplay.com/index.php?board=33.0]Events[/url] section to catch up on recent events. You want to make sure you know what time era we're in, whether there are any wars or other dangers going on, and even just looking at general events going on will help you make good choices once you start roleplaying.

Step Four: Get a plan going
Technically, this step could be accomplished at any time. However, I find that it helps the most to just keep a rough outline (Which you should already have at this point) and get the details going after you've caught up with recent events. You should plan ahead pretty far; if something doesn't go as-planned, then go with it and adjust your plans accordingly.

Step Five: Get Roleplaying!
So, you've got a nation, you've got your nation's information all in a convenient nation page, you're caught up on recent events, and you've got a plan for the future. Congratulations, you're ready to get roleplaying! I suggest starting out with a few projects (A space program, maybe army development or infrastructure improvement) to get your nation more set up in the world, and then you can go crazy with the events and wars. Be sure to follow the plan you set up in Step Four, although of course you can change it at any time if you decide you want your nation to travel a different path.

So now that you're ready, feel free to get roleplaying! But if you'd like some more tips...

• Join an alliance! Alliances, whether they be militaristic, scientific, economic, or just a joint space program (More on this later). Alliances are a great way to work together with other, similarly-minded nations towards a goal.

• Start a corporation! Corporations are very important to the economy of your nation; without any sort of trade you can't exactly claim to have a strong nation economically.

• Make some trade deals! Like the above tip, trade deals are extremely important to your nation's economy and can improve your relations with other countries.

• Don't start pointless wars! I realize it's fun to do battle with other roleplayers, but huge wars have caused the death (and then reboot) of many KSP Roleplays before you. If you have a valid reason in-RP to do it then feel free, but don't just randomly start wars for fun.

• Keep OOC separate from IC! This is perhaps the most important tip in this thread. Just because someone might act one way in-character doesn't means they act that way OOC, and vice versa. Don't take IC arguments and disagreements into the OOC section, and don't take OOC disagreements into the RP.

• Have fun! The world is your playground here in the KSP Roleplay, and if you don't have fun you can't enjoy it.

• Creativity! Everybody and their dog could have a capitalist, democratic nation with a large size along the coast. I realize that this can be fun, but don't be afraid to be creative. You could make an absolute monarchy or a socialist dictatorship or a militaristic oligarchy. Really, the choices are limitless.

• Remember that by the very nature of the roleplay, nothing is endless. We go through 'reboots' every four-to-six-months or so to keep things fresh, so be prepared to repeat the steps all over again when the reboots come.

So, that's it! I hope my guide has helped you in some way to become a better roleplayer. Now get out there and have some fun!