The Voice of Reason ll [Mittekemuis]

Day 2,348, 09:23 • Published in Romania Romania • by Riyusaky




Hello there, everybody !

This is old Riyu speaking. As promised, in a previous article, the series of “fired up” interviews continues today with a very influential figure of the political module . I met this player some 10 months ago, while doing some diplomatic work for eRomania and I was really impressed with her unique dedication and commitment to this game. She started playing eRepublik back in 2010 and since that time she has been very busy, gaining more and more diplomatic ( and political ) experience .

Her in-game curriculum vitae, speaks for itself. A former Secretary General of TWO and SIRIUS, a distinguished Country President, a relentless ambassador and ( ofc ) a really nice person to talk with. She has been right in the middle of any big and important political or military change that took place in the last couple of years. Always keeping a calm mind and a noble behavior, always lurking around IRC, always glad to speak with someone and to share her knowledge and experience.

My guest today is no other than Mittekemuis !





Hello there, Mittekemuis
I was wondering if there's any chance you would allow me to...maybe...interview you ?


Sure you know where to find me 🙂
Ok, thank you so much. It is really an honor for me to be able to do this..


…


Ok, let's start.
Who is Mittekemuis in RL ?
How would you describe yourself outside eRepublik ?


Mittekemuis in RL is a mother of two teenagers, who if I were to allow them could play eRepublik as well. I studied psychology and was a caretaker for most of my working days. I live in Flanders (Belgium), Antwerp to be more precise. I love to play games where you need to think or create something. The main games I play are eRepublik and Minecraft. I like to learn about new languages and cultures, but illness mainly prevents me from travelling so getting to know other people in different cultures I mainly do on irc. This year I started to study Spanish because it was something new to do.


I see, should I start using "Mrs" from now on ? 🙂
How about the young Mitte in-game ? Tell us about your first days as a eRepublik player...


My character in eRepublik and real life are the same. I value honesty and respect above all. I care for peoples feelings and although it is a cliché I live by the following: Never do to others what you don't want doing to yourself. I love helping people but I am also a bossy person. I know exactly what I want most of the time. I don't especially like people who talk a lot but don't act upon what they say.

Young Mitte in game was really a noob. I only started just to learn working with a computer properly. Apart from Word and Excel + Facebook I didn't know much. The players who knew me back in the day I first used irc had a lot of fun with me. I learned about eRepublik from a diplomacy player. We use to talk politics a lot so he thought it would be a good game for me.

I didn't have a clue what I was doing the first days until I registered on the Forum and people were giving me guiding. I joined the game in my Real Life country Belgium. After a month or so I started doing ambassador work and within two months I became for the first time vMoFa, the rest is history


By the way, why "Mittekemuis" ? The information about your name, that you provided on your profile page, doesn't really help, you know...


Mittekemuis: well in Flemish it sounds good. Never really thought about how people with other languages would take to it. It comes from my daughters name. She is called Maaike and we when she was born she was really tiny. Why we called her "muis" or Mitte muis. Muis in English is mouse btw. Mitte/Mittel means different things in different languages too which makes it kinda cool too.


That is quite interesting..
So, what drives you to keep playing this game ?


Politics is what drives me to play this game. I worked hard on becoming who I am now. Started as a small time player in a small country and worked myself up to a world player. I am not shy to say that I am proud of what I have accomplished. But it has taken a lot of game hours to do so.



How much time do you waste on eRepublik everyday ?


My laptop gets turned on first thing in the morning and turned off last thing at night. Irc is my main play field but ofc I have the in-game page up all the time and watch battles look for BH's. You don't become a player like me on an hours play each day...



That's really impressive. I must admit, you often give the impression of being one of the most dedicated and committed players of the game. It is as if you're always up to something...
What advice would you give to new players ? ( besides : "Run you fools" )


I am not always this dedicated. I do take periods where I just go in to clicking mode. Stepping back from everything but just in-game. This is mainly when on family holiday or after a heavy period in politics. These days I am not so much in the spotlights and happy to be advisor or vMoFa like I am now. After a down period I also always start looking for a new challenge, hence why I am in eTurkey now 🙂

New players who are interested in more than just become fighter and make some money I suggest they use irc and are not afraid to go on other channels than just their own countries. If you only have a few hours per week you can spend on this game don't hope on getting more out of it than what the in-game offers. With a little chance you get CP medal these days because communities are dying and the political module losing more and more impact if you don't count congress which has too much power if you ask me.


Speaking about new players and communities: If I recall correctly, you were one of the many supporters of the anti-cyberbullying campaign that took place a few months ago. I also believe this to be a serious issue for the eRepublik players and ultimately for the whole community.
How did cyberbullying influence your gaming experience ?


I have never been bullied online and I am not defenceless against it but I do have friends who have been. It is a serious issue because all too often players think when on the internet all respect can be thrown out the window. There is however a big difference between getting heat in politics and getting pestered about RL things. Hard words can be spoken when in politics which are often seen / perceived as being bullied. I always say to players if you can't stomach that don't start on it.

Also Administrators take out foul language and give warnings and bans but they should look at context more. This is a massive job as I suspect they get a lot of reports real and false but I do think they should look in to context more and not just look to word use. There are programs to filter words that is not so hard to do.


Would you say that the "Stand up" campaign was a success ?


The Stand UP campaign was good to let people think about it some more but as all things that you don't repeat often it gets forgotten. It even surprises me that you remember. I do believe that eRepublik could make a day about it. Like you have these RL days for cancer, for woman, for child labour...just so people won’t forget it is something of this world and we must try our best to make it go away.
That is just a thought.


I agree, as a wise man once said " To change the world you must first change yourself ".
Now, the main topic of this interview is going to be ( obviously ) the newly formed alliance : SIRIUS. You have been quite busy during the first months of this year..
Tell us about the first days of "SIRIUS".


Oh, okay the serious stuff 😛
First days, are always exciting. Being part of something new gives new hopes and expectations. It brings new people together but also comes with a bit of sadness.

Most of the work was done before the official announcement of the alliance really. The thing the general public doesn't get to see but feels. The split between Poland and Serbia was and still feels strange to many players. The biggest contest was who would wheel in big hitters countries like Greece and Argentina. Sirius lost out on those because we chose not to make impossible combination which people did not feel comfortable with.

Sirius is healthy in that way there are no great differences in opinions between countries players. No real live influence issues or big grudges for past wars. Yes, of course you need to adapt to each other and that asks a bit of time but this went all rather smoothly as far as I can see it.


What about the name ? How did you end up with that ? 😁 ( SIRIUS )
You know, many players say that SIRIUS is just "a marriage of convenience". What's your response ?


I don't know anymore who came up with the name Sirius but we did have a lost of fun with it to create channels. Almostsirius, whysosirius, ...

Isn't every alliance a marriage of convenience? You think Asteria is a marriage from love?

It always a challenge to woo The brotherhood group Greece/Romania/Argentina and Serbia had better cards. Other than that is Sirius what we want Sirius to be. We have found each other in negotiation and found that it would work.


Right, interesting..
Now, the main reason for that ( I guess ) would be the unlikely alliance between eUSA and ePoland.
How did you manage to get both of these countries in the same alliance ?


Both countries are pragmatic and don't hold unnecessary grudges. They talked and came to the conclusion working together was the best option, nothing more to it really.



Oh, I understand.
Another reason for that statement would be the fact that apparently SIRIUS would let anyone in. I'm talking about the dozens of small countries so called "PRO-SIRIUS". At some point, this will become a liability. What do you think ?


ProSirius is mainly that because they have enemies on the other side or are satellite nations of Sirius members. Why would we deny them help if we can and don't be mistaken most of these countries also have a purpose.
The problem with big alliances is always communication and too many nations screaming for help when you are losing. I don't think this will change and it is pointless to run away from it. I also find it very arrogant to look down on smaller Nations because they do have their own pride too.


Regarding eTurkey, what happened there ? At some point I really thought they will join ASTERIA.



Turkey was very early on board with Sirius. They would have loved more of their closer alliance from the past being with them put as the cards were dealt that wasn't going to happen. Also if there is one Nation they can not work with it is Serbia I think.


I see, what about the relationship between SIRIUS and AURORA ?


Well obviously we are working together. We have joined channels and things like that. When I was SG early on they needed to start yet and the working relation was just in beginning stages.
For more details you will have to ask people in charge. I am not that well up to date for the moment.


You know, there are an bunch of alarming military issues regarding this pact: The tensions between ePoland and eGermany, not to mention the geopolitical tension between eIreland and eUnited Kingdom. Some say this relationship will be the "downfall" of both alliances.
What is your take on this ?


Uk/Ireland will never be the best of friends but are not big enemies either.
Considering the past it is remarkable that they do work well together and I take my hat off for Germany. These countries however will not be the downfall for the alliances. I think there are far bigger issues with Romania and Hungary and Greece with the terroristas for example.


Hmmm...
What about ASTERIA ? Any thoughts you'd like to share 😃 ?


I heard something really unworthy of any alliance and it came from within Asetria influence more specifically Letho. Country x gets ordered to AS country Y because if they don't do this AS they will be kicked out of the alliance. This is low...

Also I hear within Asteria countries are not happy. that they keep to the sideline because they are tire of the fighting within. Again : all are rumours ofc I don't have first hand information.

Asteria should have never happened and Gov would have thought better than just go with bv bigger force as the better ally. I was accused that I didn't know anything about the situation in the Balkan etc, I don't live there that is for sure but if the ones who DO live used more logic than just looking at obvious (in their eyes) who knows things would be different.



Well, ASTERIA seems to be the underdog when it comes to military raw power.
Regarding LETO : The "core" countries keep singing NAPs all around, not engaging "the enemy" but retreating. As a result, many of the small countries, members of LETO, are being conquered and...basically left to handle their conquerors alone.
Do you think this is the end of ASTERIA ?


My thought is that the run for Aurora's favour has long begun.
I do not believe this alliance set up will last very long and we will get a new reshuffle.
Are we getting a real EDEN² again who knows I sure don't as I am very inactive these days.


You know, I just can't believe how much the game has changed over the last couple of years. I'm talking about the military and political map, about how relationships you'd think would last forever ( such as eRomania and eCroatia, ePoland and eSerbia ) suddenly break and, of course, about how alliances bite the dust one by one.
What do you think about that ?


Everything is circular so in a way nothing changes. Alliances build alliance conquer, lose, start inner fighting and start dying and the whole process starts again.


What are the most remarkable changes you've noticed over the last couple of years ?


What really changed over the years is the amount of active and dedicated players who build the community. They are getting few and the big mass two clicking (in-game only) have grown more. That is a sad fact to face. It results is small Nations dying medium size heading the same faith...

Forums are hardly used, irc channels no where near as active as they should be and so on...


That's very interesting : The cycle of eRepublik idea..
Last question, please indulge me: How to you see the eWorld in 5 months ?


New alliances, pto'd new countries, moaning players about how shit everything well is but still do what they do. Most of the same people will be in power even if you see them or not because the newer people can't bother with it as much as the old accounts do.
I will still be around in God knows what country 🙂


Thank you so much Mitte, It's been a pleasure talking with you.Would you like to say anything else to our readers ?


Just that all I have said to you is my opinion. Things are always in motion and when you don't keep up for a few weeks you do miss some stuff from a foreign affairs sight of view.

It was a pleasure talking with you too Riyusaky, you are the prove as are many that you can have friends in every country even when you are in different alliances. You just have to know when to not let friendship get beaten on a battlefield and make it more a competition instead of generating grudges.

Thank you for doing this although I fail to see how I am important enough I am honoured non the less 🙂








Please vote/sub & shout :
The Voice of Reason ll [Mittekemuis]
http://www.erepublik.com/en/article/the-voice-of-reason-ll-mittekemuis--2394655/1/20


That's all for today, see you next time, eRepublik !
Riyusaky,
The Beer Whisperer