How to fix a broken game - Part One: Random Events

Day 1,033, 03:34 • Published in Germany USA • by Starkad Rorlikson

Hi everyone,

Since eRepublik is a royal mess right now – and the admins are seemingly short of ideas of how to reform a failing economy module, I wanted to come up with a suggestion.
Right now, there are four factors that stimulate the economy and allow productivity to leave the system:

a) Wars
b) Food/Happiness Consumption
c) New Players
d) “Decay” via death of old and inactive players.

It has been obvious in recent months that, due to the nature of eR productivity formulas and due to the fact that many players are quitting the game, production is getting out of hand and consumption cannot keep up.

Therefore we need to find additional ways to stimulate consumption and to limit production. Instead of yet another drastic revamping of the current system, I suggest to approach the issue by introducing a series of smaller changes and new features.

One of these changes that I would like to suggest today, is the introduction of random events.
Random events could be a very positive enhancement of the game because they a) are a good way of destroying some excess global productivity and b) bring some fun and challenges into the game.
I have brainstormed a bit, and would like to throw in a couple of ideas about how a random event could look like.

Global Random Events

Global random events are designed to hit several countries at once. Their effects should be harsh, but not too harsh. Just strong enough so that everyone is affected, that they stay in the news for a while and pose a strategic and logistic challenge for the affected countries. Global events can last between 1 day and 1 week, but shouldn’t happen more than once a month in the selected area.

• Rainstorms: A typhoon has swept across central asia and severely damaged crops in the area (all grain companies in Malaysia, the Philipines and Korea lose 15% of stock).
• Flu pandemic: Western Europe is being hit by an unusually strong flu-wave (all citizens are losing an additional 5-20 health daily for the next 3-7 days (in a national effort, governments have the chance to fight the outbreak by subsiding vaccinations for the cost of x gold)).
• El niño/La niña: South and Central America are suffering from the effects of el niño (grain production is down to 50% for the next 3-7 days).
• Volcano: Another recent outbreak of Eyjafjallajökull has grounded all flights across Western Europe (no travel to and from Western Europe, travel within the area remains possible by means of car or train…only zone 1 tickets work).
• Increased Solar Activity: Earth is being hit by geomagnetic storms (global industrial production is down by x% for 1-3 days).
• Earthquake: The Northern US and southern parts of Canada have been hit by an earthquake measuring 6.5 on the richter scale. There has been severe damage to property. (All houses of all citizens living in the area lose 10-20 days durability).


National Random Events

In principal, many of the global random events (i.e. Typhoons, Hurricanes, Earthquakes, Fires, Blizzards, Harsh winters, etc.) can also take place on a national level only. National events can last from everything between 1 day and 1 week.

• Floods, Fires, Storms, etc: Severe (insert disaster here) are affecting the provinces of (insert province(s) here). Today’s production of (insert raw material here) has been reduced by 15-20%
• Blackout: A 3-hour nationwide blackout has affected public life in (insert country here). National production down 10-20%.


Individual Random Events

Individual random events for citizens are supposed to have a limited effect only. Although a hazzle, they will provide for some welcome change in the 2-clicking routine. Individual random events for managers are supposed to be a bit harsher, but nothing that will drive anyone into bankruptcy. No more than 0-1 individual random events per week.

• Cold (citizen): Your citizen has caught a cold. (You lose 5-10 wellness, and your productivity will be down by 10-15% for the next 2-4 days).
• Bad day (citizen): Your citizen didn’t sleep well last night and is in a bad mood all day (Productivity down by 10-15😵.
• Migrane (female citizens): (similar effects as “bad day”).
• Break-In (managers): Your company has been broken into last night, x% of your stock is missing. (This event should be aimed at companies which exceed a certain minimum stock level….i.e., every grain company with >10.000 grain in stock has an x% chance of being robbed).
• Fire (managers): (similar effects as “break-in”).
• Traffic Jam (managers): Due to an accident this morning your employees were stuck in a traffic jam and could only get to work 3 hours late (Todays productivity down 30😵.

These are just a handful out of hundreds of possible random events. A good way to improve this “random event-module” would be a monthly community contest. The best idea for a random event is rewarded with something special (gold, ambassador medal, whatever admins can come up with).