From International Forums Thread:
Referee:
In reply to Germany (msg # 356):
The reasons cited for wanting the old way of news back are also a good example of why it had to be changed and will never be coming back.
Players are to role-play to the information that is available in the websites, I was not joking when I wrote FAQ# 11 & 7.
Which reasons I gave are good examples to keep the current system?
The fact the old system allowed us to know what was happening in the world (at least what was public, as if country A was at war with country B?
The fact we knew the random events when we could still react?
Currently, the only information I have about what is going in the whole universe is the lñist of the actions done by the players, so it seems the NPC countries are quiet waiting for the players to do something. Not even the (quite complicated, by the way) Daily Mail is available (not that I liked it, BTW, as I've never liked the games where you have to explore the whole screen to find the clicking spots, but that's a matter of taste, not of being better or worse).
Formerly, we had some news before we made our budgets, so we at least knew the main events occurring in the world, and could react to them. CUrrently, we are supposed to react to events we don't know, so going blind.
Referee:
Players are to role-play to the information that is available in the websites,
Does that mean that we have to ask for any situation that we're interested to? See that there are several conflicts about whom none has been said for several turns now. Must we ask specifically for every of them to know if they still keep or peace has been reached?
Or are we expected to spend PAs on this too, when it means just reading the newspapers?
If only PCs actions produce changes and events, then the game has (IMHO) lost part of its meaning. If NPCs are active too (not matter how few), having not even general news menas we have to ask for each and every former conflict, and I guess you're busy enough for this...
quote:
Referee>I was not joking when I wrote FAQ# 11 & 7.
And what have they to do with this problem?
I was not asking what my advisors say (as would be Q7), and while Q11 could have more to do, I was asking if there's a war, and I guess this ir public and relevant information...