User:Jeff503/Cybernations
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| Cyber Nations | |
|---|---|
| | |
| Developer(s) | |
| Release date(s) | 2003 |
| Genre(s) | Turn based MMORPG |
| Mode(s) | Normal and Tournament mode |
| Platform(s) | Web browser |
| Media | Internet |
| System requirements | Web browser, Internet connection |
| Input | Keyboard, Mouse |
Cybernations is a massive multiplayer online geo-political simulator. Players assume the role of a national leader that they create, and then run their nation.
Contents |
[edit] History
Cybernations was modeled after a game its creator and administrator, Kevin, invented as a child. In 2003, Kevin started a website for the game, but the domain sat idle for two years. On December 24, 2005, he began the actual game coding, and Cybernations had its initial launch on January 6, 2006.
Initially, the game was plagued with problems and bugs, and most of the current game features were not working. The few players who originally discovered the game did so by way of Google AdWords. As time went on, new players signed up as word quickly got around to other gaming communities. The system became overtaxed as the game originally had only a Microsoft Access database backend and hosted via a shared hosting provider. At that time the community forums also ran on a Microsoft Access database version of Snitz Forums 2000 and it existed as a subfolder on the same shared hosting server as the game. During the first few weeks the server began returning “Service Unavailable” errors in which numerous attempts were made in resolving. Such attempts included converting the game database to a MS-SQL database and moving the community forums to Invision Free, an offsite forum-hosting provider. Still the “Service Unavailable” problems persisted and the game was moved to another shared hosting provider but the issues with player loads were not finally resolved until the game was moved to its own dedicated server.
[edit] Gameplay
Upon registering for the Cybernations forums, the player chooses their nation‘s location via Google Maps. Players then answer a short survey which will help shape nation description for their nation. The questions usually deal with national morality, warfare, and nuclear weapons. The player then sets the tax rate, and makes other adjustments. Once the nation is set up, the player collects taxes, based on the tax rate and citizens, and then pays bills, based on military amount, land size, infrastructure, and technology. The modest balance of the player’s funds can be used for military expenditures, infrastructure, technology, and land acquisition. All of these contribute to a Nation Strength, which is essentially the net worth of a nation.
Purchasing land, infrastructure, and military are the three methods of developing a nation. Purchasing land increases the size of a nation’s borders and decreases population density which makes a nation’s citizens happier. Land is also represented by the circle surrounding a capital city in the various Google maps in the game, such as this one. Land also grows naturally in the game at a rate of 0.5 miles per day.
Infrastructure in the game is defined as services and facilities that support day to day economic activity in a nation. Infrastructure includes roads, electricity, telephone service, public transportation, sewers, roads, bridges etc… In the game, a nation’s infrastructure is represented by a number. The greater the number the more infrastructure a nation has. Purchasing infrastructure improves a nation’s lands which allow its government to both earn more income from its citizens and increase its population count. Once the infrastructure level passes 20, the price of infrastructure goes up by 1.5 x the total number of infrastructure purchases. This is a result of supply and demand on infrastructure.
Purchasing military provides three functions 1) defend a nation against foreign attacks 2) deploying soldiers overseas to attack other nations and 3) a police force for a nation’s population (a strong defending military will make its citizens happy) Purchasing military will increase total population count but they do not pay taxes like regular citizens do.
In the game, technology is represented by a technology level that represents the tools, hardware, and software that help a nation do what it does better. Military in particular is benefited by a higher technology. It works similar to infrastructure in the game, but is significantly more expensive. Like land and infrastructure, the cost of technology increases the more a nation buys. Players cannot sell technology as they can land or infrastructure. Technology can also be captured by an attacker during battle. The following are the benefits of technology:
1) Technology makes your people happy. Here's how the game currently figures it: 2) Battle outcomes are still randomly generated but the outcome of battle is now affected by your technology level. Having a higher technology level allows you to equip your soldiers with better weapons and get more kills. The effect works for both attacking and defending nations. 3) Technology also increases your nation strength.
[edit] Warfare and military
Warfare is a big part of the game. Wars can only be waged by nations within the same range of Nation Strength (50- 200%), which has led to some debate in the Cybernations community. There are several different ways to wage war on Cybernations, including a land battle, air battle, cruise missile attack, and nuclear attack. The outcome of any air or land battle is based upon the number of units participating in the attack/defense, and the technology level of both nations.
[edit] Controversy
Recently, the entire controversy section of the CyberNations Wikipedia article was deleted. Investigations are pending.
