Country RP

In the context of Minecraft, a Country RP is a game in which players roleplay as a country or as a leader of a country. Unlike other, more common Minecraft roleplays, Country RPs tend to focus more on the geopolitical aspect of the game rather than individual characters, as well as placing a greater emphasis on grand strategy and tactics instead of player interactions.

Definition
Although definitions for a Country RP may vary between communities, one definition used in the Warlords community involves the following criteria:


 * 1) Usage of the Universal Mechanic in any capacity, either by the players or by the host.
 * 2) The existence of political entities.

This broad definition was made to accommodate for experimental games that still are technically Country RPs, but most games follow other basic principles including:


 * The ability for players to lead a country directly or influence it through a leadership position
 * The presence of international relations, whether it be global or regional
 * The existence of armies and cities

Divisions
Country RPs can be divided into two main categories, or "genres," based off their mechanics and overall playstyle. Note that these are both divided into sub-genres of their own, which will be explained in greater detail in their respective articles. Few games fall purely within one of these two genres, typically having some mixture of both. With that in mind, the list is as follows:


 * Developmental Games: These are games where you construct a civilization from scratch or from a very primitive form, given materials and a starting population. The player is granted significant control over the development of their civilization's cultural and political aspects and is primarily responsible for the growth of their civilization. The mechanics of these games oftentimes place a significant emphasis on the development side of this game, by adding blocks that correspond to a certain structure. The overwhelming majority of known Country RPs fall under this genre.
 * Loria/Nation Games: These are games where you inherit a pre-made country that has already seen significant historic, cultural, and political developments. The player can attempt to alter the culture and ideology of their country, but they may face significant hurdles from within the game (such as other politicians within their country, other countries, and their own citizens) to an extent that is not usually seen in a developmental game. Lorias tend to focus more on political and military conflict as opposed to city and nation development, giving players a substantially different experience than developmental games would.

There is also a "third genre" of game known as Afterlife games, which essentially revolve around individual characters in ways that still differ from more traditional Minecraft roleplays. These are not considered to be Country RP games, but aspects of the Afterlife genre are often incorporated into Country RPs to make for a more immersive experience, such as conversations between the player and another politician, or cutscenes that involve important national officials.

Prevalence
Although Country RPs have never been a significant part of the Minecraft multiplayer community, they have existed in a number of different communities, many of which formed independently of each other. According to one player's account, the largest known Country RP was an iteration of the game series "World of Clans," in which 100-200 players & spectators participated in the game during its height.