Fixing Fun
Day 2,828, 14:15
•
Published in USA 
•
by
•
by Aeriadne
"So you can look up 'fun.' I'm not sure you know what it means."
The Root Problem
Dissent has begun to grow towards our administrations actions. AMP Godfather Israel Stevens has already spoken out twice on the subject of BeachBunny's issues, first for the failure of communication and second for the issues plaguing our failed AS of Paraguay. My friend Derphoof has recently published a more detailed look at the failed Air Strike, and it's well worth the read.
People are going to say a lot of things about our first failed offensive in years (it's even woken the dead). A great deal of blame is being shifted around and attempting to be identified. I don't want to talk about that.
I want to picture it.
This all, again, is a symptom of a style of thinking we've grown accustomed to. Sure, BeachBunny is inexperienced, and yes, rash decisions were made. But there is a deeper issue that needs addressing, a root problem that needs weeding out. I want to highlight a quote, taken from one of BeachBunny's campaign articles, that I think identifies the entire issue with our approach this term:
Now, fun's talked about a lot in the article. In whole, the word is mentioned 7 times, and when you see that much frequency, it's important to note how it's being used. Here, "fun" is directly equated with "war," its direct synonym is that of military operations. BeachBunny's entire focus of the article is to explain that we will invest in "war" in order to bring about enjoyment.
Can you see the problem yet?
War Isn't Fun
There isn't a lot to do in this game, and what can be done couldn't ever really be classified as enjoyable. But over the last year or so, I've seen a dangerous shift in our thinking: we all equate war with fun. We think if you spruce up a battle enough, pump out enough propaganda, and hit hard and strong, that can be fun.
And it can be. But war is not fun. Fun is a byproduct of those three things - propaganda, engagement, and unity of attack - coming together, but war itself is not inherently enjoyable. It's just a grind. In the same way that leveling in World of Warcraft isn't really "fun," but just allows you to get new stuff. It is not a direct synonym to the word, but it can be dressed up to look like it.
You can't fix ugly though, no matter how much platemail you throw on it.
We've become used to the dress-up, only BeachBunny didn't do any of that this time. There was no week long build up in the WHPR or a series of articles painting the South Americans as some sort of taco ingesting Sith empire. Even the communication with cabinet members and advisers failed. And what we got subsequently was pure, mechanical, failure.
It didn't look pretty. It wasn't engaging. And consequently, it wasn't fun.
Fixing Fun
Think about why you stick around in eRep. Think about the reason you log in each day. Is it to sit around, watching battle statistics, and clicking on imaginary buttons in order to gain more imaginary things? Or is it because you want to hop on IRC to pal around with your friends, or go on your party's forum and play the games they have their, or see what new stories and shenanigans people have gotten into about today's news?
We call the former two-clicking, and that's a habit, not really "playing" the game. The community has always been the enjoyable part of this. Things like the SFP Summer of Love raffle, and chess tournaments, and hanging on eNPR are actually fun. It's difficult to quantify what fun is, but a key element of it is engagement: by bringing people together in a setting where they can share success and happiness, you create a recipe for fun. You get this:
By not doing so, you get this:
Moving forward, I think we all can find more things to make this game enjoyable for the lot of us. I know MrCarey and myself our cooking up a splendid little project in the Department of Citizen Affairs, and I hope people get a smile out of it. Because at the end of the day, the reason we stick around is because we enjoy one another.
Tried to keep it shorter this time, along with myself.
The Root Problem
Dissent has begun to grow towards our administrations actions. AMP Godfather Israel Stevens has already spoken out twice on the subject of BeachBunny's issues, first for the failure of communication and second for the issues plaguing our failed AS of Paraguay. My friend Derphoof has recently published a more detailed look at the failed Air Strike, and it's well worth the read.
People are going to say a lot of things about our first failed offensive in years (it's even woken the dead). A great deal of blame is being shifted around and attempting to be identified. I don't want to talk about that.
I want to picture it.
This all, again, is a symptom of a style of thinking we've grown accustomed to. Sure, BeachBunny is inexperienced, and yes, rash decisions were made. But there is a deeper issue that needs addressing, a root problem that needs weeding out. I want to highlight a quote, taken from one of BeachBunny's campaign articles, that I think identifies the entire issue with our approach this term:
"I will not in the name of fun break us as a nation. There are members out there who feel I will just run wild with war ruining everything! That is not the case you little rascals. I will not for the sake of fun ruin our Standing with our allies. Fun does need to be had though. So with all that being said, get your tanks ready, fill your stores with food and munitions. Lets have some fun."
Now, fun's talked about a lot in the article. In whole, the word is mentioned 7 times, and when you see that much frequency, it's important to note how it's being used. Here, "fun" is directly equated with "war," its direct synonym is that of military operations. BeachBunny's entire focus of the article is to explain that we will invest in "war" in order to bring about enjoyment.
Can you see the problem yet?
War Isn't Fun
There isn't a lot to do in this game, and what can be done couldn't ever really be classified as enjoyable. But over the last year or so, I've seen a dangerous shift in our thinking: we all equate war with fun. We think if you spruce up a battle enough, pump out enough propaganda, and hit hard and strong, that can be fun.
And it can be. But war is not fun. Fun is a byproduct of those three things - propaganda, engagement, and unity of attack - coming together, but war itself is not inherently enjoyable. It's just a grind. In the same way that leveling in World of Warcraft isn't really "fun," but just allows you to get new stuff. It is not a direct synonym to the word, but it can be dressed up to look like it.
You can't fix ugly though, no matter how much platemail you throw on it.
We've become used to the dress-up, only BeachBunny didn't do any of that this time. There was no week long build up in the WHPR or a series of articles painting the South Americans as some sort of taco ingesting Sith empire. Even the communication with cabinet members and advisers failed. And what we got subsequently was pure, mechanical, failure.
It didn't look pretty. It wasn't engaging. And consequently, it wasn't fun.
Fixing Fun
Think about why you stick around in eRep. Think about the reason you log in each day. Is it to sit around, watching battle statistics, and clicking on imaginary buttons in order to gain more imaginary things? Or is it because you want to hop on IRC to pal around with your friends, or go on your party's forum and play the games they have their, or see what new stories and shenanigans people have gotten into about today's news?
We call the former two-clicking, and that's a habit, not really "playing" the game. The community has always been the enjoyable part of this. Things like the SFP Summer of Love raffle, and chess tournaments, and hanging on eNPR are actually fun. It's difficult to quantify what fun is, but a key element of it is engagement: by bringing people together in a setting where they can share success and happiness, you create a recipe for fun. You get this:
By not doing so, you get this:
Moving forward, I think we all can find more things to make this game enjoyable for the lot of us. I know MrCarey and myself our cooking up a splendid little project in the Department of Citizen Affairs, and I hope people get a smile out of it. Because at the end of the day, the reason we stick around is because we enjoy one another.
Tried to keep it shorter this time, along with myself.
Facebook
Twitter
Discord
Comments
First for fun. 😁
If we can't bring people to the fun, lets bring the fun to the people, baby 😃
http://www.erepublik.com/en/article/-i-collect-money-for-democratic-2545404/1/20
MOTHER FKN CHESSSSSSSSSS
Dear Murricans,
here are your congressmen that want you to have more fun by making your eCountry the most overtaxed in the history of eRepublik:
░░░░░░░░░░░░░░
Yui-MHCP001
░░░░░░░░░░░░░░
Oblige
░░░░░░░░░░░░░░
Marius CB
░░░░░░░░░░░░░░
Pfeiffer
░░░░░░░░░░░░░░
sth26307
░░░░░░░░░░░░░░
Dinnyin
░░░░░░░░░░░░░░
dmjohnston
░░░░░░░░░░░░░░
The Mike
░░░░░░░░░░░░░░
tdwester
░░░░░░░░░░░░░░
Slybabymichele
░░░░░░░░░░░░░░
bobby canell
░░░░░░░░░░░░░░
Molly Emma
░░░░░░░░░░░░░░
Blande
░░░░░░░░░░░░░░
Deepchill
░░░░░░░░░░░░░░
Orikfricai
░░░░░░░░░░░░░░
Evry
░░░░░░░░░░░░░░
GonzoVeritas
░░░░░░░░░░░░░░
Kemal Ergenekon
░░░░░░░░░░░░░░
gnilraps
░░░░░░░░░░░░░░
cashuea
░░░░░░░░░░░░░░
Trekker Tlumac
░░░░░░░░░░░░░░
AaronWebb85
░░░░░░░░░░░░░░
crashthompson
░░░░░░░░░░░░░░
beerman616
░░░░░░░░░░░░░░
Bill Clinton
░░░░░░░░░░░░░░
SColbert
░░░░░░░░░░░░░░
Waclaw Rzewenski
░░░░░░░░░░░░░░
Ace Viper
░░░░░░░░░░░░░░
Show them your appreciation with a personal message for a job well done!
And make sure to vote them once again into office on the 25th this month, because it's FUN FUN FUN!!!!!
o/
Oh come on, out of all the comments, it had to be mine? q_q
I think you are missing something.
Losing can be fun too.
People are having "fun" bitching, blaming, excusing, backpedaling, hemming... hawing...
The only key to fun is action.
That we've got plenty of lately.
Not if it's alienating, it isn't.
I fundamentally disagree. People may enjoy losing, measuring egos and succumbing to infighting, or as you put it "bitching",, but for us to truly make eRepublik an interesting game again, we require more than action, we require action that builds a community, not simply action that divides or destroys. Some may want to watch the world burn, but I'd rather build a new one.
Exactly what Paul said. Engaging in the diatribe and small minutiae of bitching at one another isn't long term. Short term, it provides fun, and some us can sustain ourselves. But the average player doesn't stick around because everyone is griping at one another in the news and on the forums. They stick around because they want to be a part of something, and it isn't losing, no matter how well it's spun.
I grant to both of you that you are making the superior point.
I will ramp down my point merely to say that losing and bitching is a lesser form of fun... but plenty of fun can be had in it if one makes the effort.
Yes, you have it exactly right. Conflict is an ingredient not an end to engagement, and can just as easily be a source of division.
Fun ultimately is communal and can not be commanded but fostered. Voted and endorsed.
http://33.media.tumblr.com/tumblr_mcdjglDrZc1rtzlzf.gif
She's just the best.
Susan :3
There once was a community. What we have is a shell of what it once was.
If you blow in it hard enough, you can hear the sound of the V2 war module.
I completely agree.
We all have our own personal definition of fun and not everyone enjoys this game the same way. Some are having fun by exercising control, forcing their views onto the community, manipulating for their own virtual gains, backstabbing opponents, sacrificing friendship for power and security and basically ruining the game for others. And some even think that different rule apply to them just because of the fact that they were here first and have invested more time into the gameplay.
Let's see who's gonna have fun with a 15% worktax?
So much good media today.
Voted. On a related note, at times like these I miss Custer and the old WHPRs
Dude same.
I used to be somebody.
o7
NEEDS MORE GREELING!!!
[removed]
http://www.erepublik.com/en/article/-i-collect-money-for-democratic-2545404/1/20
Summer of Love Raffle sure was FUNNNNN (Add # of 'N' BB added) 😃
The buildup to the war was deplorable. I hope lessons were learned.
honestly, Aramec, I tuned into this article after seeing the title in the Top 5 list thinking it would be some idiotic drivel promising some incredible idea for fun that's coming soon, but never does...
but you surprised me.
this shit is timely, well articulated, and spot on.
for a while there, the word "community" became the hotbutton that everyone pushed, somehow expecting that all you had to do was say it and magically there would be one. Parties and Presidents alike used that word to gain power, and every single one without exception have failed to deliver. thankfully the word wore out and nobody uses it anymore, probably because the people finally recognized bullshit when it's being shoved down their throats.
now, of course, this miserable game is centered around War.. what hasn't changed throughout Plato's inexplicable campaign to kill his golden goose is that War boosts economic activity and every player who plays War advances to the next pretend level ("oooh! lookee! I got another asterisk! and it only cost me everything I've saved up for the past six months!").
as you stated, a Good War starts with propaganda, engagement, and unity of attack, then there's War and happiness. there are players who do each of these things especially well, who can draw other players into a more active media, more meta activity, and organized attacks.
while it's easy for us old fu-ks to slip into a nostalgic haze and bitch that the game just isn't the same anymore, this doesn't help us move forward in today's eRep. our responsibility to the younger players goes beyond all the welfare programs designed to keep the youngsters playing after Plato stops showering them with free shit. our responsibility to what semblance of Community there is goes beyond dragging these kids into the vicious sandbox of the General Forum and the mind grind of Congress
we are the old fu-ks. we need to recognize and utilize our knowledge and experience, and yes our power, to rebuild this game.
Thank you Custer, that means a lot. 🙂
I had my dogs "fixed",
Although, if they could talk they would have probably argued that they weren't broken.
Is this they same way that eRep "fixes" fun?
Aramec has spoken.