Interview With Loop
New Loopian Computers: Complete With Port-Wine StainChristie Island, Rilannon City, The East Pacific: Today, I was lucky enough to be on my way to meet one of the all-time greats of NationStates; 1 Infinite Loop. Until May 25th 2006, Loop was the longest standing Delegate of any of The Pacific's, he had outlasted greats such as LadyRebels in The South Pacific and Franco's Spain in The Pacific. Loop was the original 'feeder tyrant' and detested by the ADN and its allies, until Franco's Spain came to power and became the new most controversial figure. However under his Delegateship, The East Pacific blossomed as a quirky centre of roleplay, neutrality and general Loopiness.
I sit down opposite Loop trying to ignore the alcoholic squirrels that are running around. I shake his hand, and begin by thanking him for granting me this interview, Loop however looks puzzled: '
Sure, but I don’t know why you would want to interview me anyway though.' He chuckles, and I laugh too at his famous modesty. I shuffle my papers, and take out my notepad before asking whether we might know him by any other names. '
Pretty much I have Been Loop since the beginning, I am also actively Cupertino, Deus ex Fiat, Lowtax, and the Cabin Girl.' I take it all down, and then enquire as to the original history of The East Pacific from its founding by HitlerTheGreat to the early days of his Delegacy. He pauses for a moment, then replies: '
Well, Lothlanderamore was delegate, and I had settled into the EP for a rest break after the Heartland. Loth wanted to establish a regional forum, but he was called away, and he asked that I become the delegate and hold the region for him, I agreed, but he never came back. After a few days I started a forum and began working on the original confederational government and like a kudzu we grew.' I write this down, putting a question mark by 'kudzu'. So how would you describe your Delegacy of The East Pacific?' I ask. Loop had survived game glitches, and hatred from the ADN to stay in power for three years. Loop smiles, '
Long delegacy, was Looonng' he gestures with his hands. I laugh, and his greatest achievement as Delegate? Loop begins to speak with great conviction: '
Leading by example, namely that anti armed forces stance. I always believed that groups like the ADN and the armies of the Pacifics’ were a bad idea, and when they started crossing the line and pre-emptively freeing the hell out of regions, I was proven right. The EP stayed out of that, we made friends with like minded regions and in the end, our friendships became that achievement.' Impressed by his oratory skills, I then ask about his views of the current East Pacific government led by Gnidrah. '
It is working, we were never really a " Government" based region; we didn't push our views on other regions nor did we join the defender movement by creating an army; this is why we succeeded I think. We were a roleplay region from shortly after the beginning, basing our RP on characters and for the most part, Gnid is doing a great job...'
We are interrupted by the sound of bombs in the distance, I run to the window and look out. Loop however seems unconcerned, '
It's just the Hive, they'll burn themselves out by dinner time don't worry. It's only Reziel anyway.' Ashen-faced, I sit back down and continue. I ask why he retired as Delegate of The East Pacific, '
I was tired of being delegate, sure I liked the power but it got boring.', indeed. I move onto to ask about his closeness to The Pacific, and why he came to support Franco's Spain before many other regions did. '
Well prior to him, everyone hated me, and first off, he took the heat off of my delegacy so that we could concentrate on building our region. I got to know him, he was doing what you are supposed to do, play the game, sure he did it in an unorthodox way, hell, the Farkers did too, we invented Invasions. I just believed that the people trying to overthrow him were no better than the NPO, they were just less funny, there were a lot of in jokes in the NPO, including the April Fools joke when The EP became the NPO East division.' Intriguing, and his position on the current NPO led by Emperor Moo? '
I barely keep up with activities outside of the EP, Italy , Farkistan, and Norway, if asked and given the address I would probably visit their forum.' Chuckling, I give him directions to it. So, conversely, why did he dislike the ADN so much? '
They were self-righteous zealots who believed in forcing their opinion of freedom and democracy on others, they interfered in game mechanics and were griefers.I know some nerd, nerd will yell Godwin’s law (for the record I think Godwin’s law is a stupid copout for not actually thinking for yourself and the declaration of it says Hi, im a moron) but they and the way the operated reminded me of the Nazis that the Farkers had fought long ago. They had orders to try to discredit me anytime I posted anywhere, and they spied on us constantly but I don’t think there was actually a war, a cold one perhaps.' And on the new DSA? '
Well, if they are anything like Hezz's [Pope Hope] little terror-army, then I don’t like them, but if they are actually trying and succeeding in being a group to help out folks who ask for it, with no desire for recompense or influence, then I could support them, The problem with the ADN is when they liberated someone, they would remain long after they were needed with occupying troops, and demand that their members be placed in government positions, and they interfered with folks outside their membership too much.'
I move onto asking slightly more personal questions. The highlight of his NationStates career? Loop pauses for a moment, '
Could have been any of the happy moments, or when I was the premier flag maker. Tell your readership that I will still make them occasionally if asked nicely.' He smiles warmly, and the low-point? His face clouds slightly, '
I am not sure, probably the three Moderator elections when the players were allowed to pick a new moderator and I won all three but the runner up in each was chosen rather than I.' Any regrets? 'I wish that the EP had more people active here.' I agree, and tell him that my paper will be running full-page adverts for the region free of charge, and I will neglect to tell them about the fridge-owl menace. He adds: '
And, I never could quite finish the Atomic Metroid Spy Toilets. Slightly puzzled, nevertheless I write that down too. Will Loop be gracing NationStates with a return sometime: '
Possibly, I will admit that I have wanted to give back to the game, but my stance in yon olden days for the longest time prevented my moderation job. I would still like to see Free Pacifics who don’t need to worry about invasions or strife and can serve as the nesting lands where new nations learn about the game and how to be good players before setting out for other places' Indeed, and penultimately, how does successful a player does Loop think he is? '
Well, I have been hated, hated some more, loved hated again, loved, and for the longest time was known for the best flags ever, I can still get reactions by posting in the forum, so, I guess so, Success is not some thing you can assign yourself, but something others assign to you.' Finally, I ask how Loop reflects looking back on NationStates? '
Right about now most folks would quote the old cliché, about long strange trips, personally, it was like watching a kid grow, i was there for its infancy, its rebellious teen years, which I helped instigate a bit of, now I feel it is in its early twenties, and calming a bit, I hope to see it buy its Little Red sports car and start cruising the strip for high school girls.'
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Written by
Emperor MatthuisEditor of
The Northern TelegraphEditor-in-Chief of
The NINN.
Thanks to Thel D'ran.
Anyone who posts 'tl;dr' clearly has no idea of Loop's importance in NationStates.
