A New Dawn Rises
Jude Conners
I'm Jude Conners and I want to talk to you about something.
I was recently in a war of words in a mass message with one of those "eRep is srs bsns" types. That player was arguing that blacklists from citizenship and labeling a player as an "Enemy of the State" was a justified course of action. In fact, the protagonist of the conversation believed that playing the game as a "srs bsns" player was the only noble and patriotic way of playing this game. I could only shake my head after trying... and failing... to show him or her the error in that way of thinking. I find myself wondering, "Whatever happened to good old fashioned mindless fun in a game?" Apparently, the idea that a game is supposed to be played for fun is a concept lost to many players today. In my frank and honest opinion, that's pretty sad.
Meta Rules > Game Mechanics
The Great Commandment of the "srs bsns" player seems to be Meta Rules > Game Mechanics. These types of players believes that only they and their affiliated society of like-minded adherents have the supreme intellect to decide the direction of their imaginary nation. Only they will lead their fictional land to victory against all others. Without them, and the ideological rules they instill in the meta game, the theoretical country would be lost. In short, they are better than not only the game in which they play itself, but also all who disagree with their dogmatic structure.
Is The Fun Gone?
So is the mindless fun of playing this game gone? Each and every community in eRepublik has been seeing a downward spiral in their membership for years now, with the more fanatical communities experiencing the largest exoduses. Once bustling IRC channels are now barren wastelands where you might catch an occasional conversation. Forums are being used less each and every day. The once mighty central hubs of the all-powerful meta game faithful are slowly but surly deteriorating into a struggling institution of a smaller congregation battling tooth and nail to hold on to their fictitious power.
Is It Already Too Late?
We see articles lamenting the approaching death of the game regularly. Players remembering "the good ole days" fill the shout feeds. The few conversations that take place in IRC seem to be old players reminiscing the days of eRepublik V-1. The facts prove that the game and communities are dying. Most players that have been around for years and are still left are just waiting for the apocalypse.
An eRevelation
It doesn't have to be this way, friends. We can still get joy from this game and lay the groundwork for a positive future. Get together with like-minded individuals and have some fun. Create your own communities. Quit letting a few people run players away. Get crazy. Challenge authority. Do whatever you can to bring some excitement back into the game. Hell, run for Country President if you must... Just do something that will get your community active and fun.
My Joyful Plan
Not to be a hypocrite and just complain about things, I have taking the first of many steps to bringing activity to my little portion of the game. Today, I purchased a military unit and am opening it to anyone in any nation that seeks to have fun once again. Named JOY DIVISION, it is an Ideal for Living - a new international military unit looking to bring fun back to the New World. Free of the imaginary boundaries of mock nations, JOY DIVISION will be open to anyone with a military rank of Captain or above, helpful, informative, welcoming, and fun. Members will have the choice to commune for supplies or be a self-sufficient member. There will be no ranking system other than the in-game ranks of Unit Commander, 2nd Commander, and Regimental Captain. This will be a planned community with a utopian outlook.
Your Own Movement
I'm not asking you to jump over and drink my Kool-Aid. If you want to join JOY DIVISION, feel free... you are welcomed to be a participant. If not, start your own movement. Do your own thing. But as I said earlier, DO SOMETHING!
As always, it's been your pleasure.
Listen to the Magic Carpet Ride with Jude Connors - LIVE every Friday Night 19:00-22:00 eRepublik time on RadioStar.FM. You'll be glad you did!
Comments
Bring the Joy Back!
\o/
Bring the Joy Back
You know it makes sense!
Bring the joy back o/
need more fun in here
\o/
Tried that in Finland. Outcome: 2 000 000 cc and 4000 gold robbed from country treasury during 2011-2013. Fun?
Voted, though.
\o/
Bring the Joy Back
she lost control
The plot thickens!
Gripping, isn't it?
Hail Time Team.
This article made me listen to Joy Division...
When routine bites hard and ambitions are low
And resentment rides high but emotions won't grow
And we're changing our ways, taking different roads
Then love, love will tear us apart again
Love, love will tear us apart again
I love this song...
"Disorder"
I've been waiting for a guide to come and take me by the hand,
Could these sensations make me feel the pleasures of a normal man?
These sensations barely interest me for another day,
I've got the spirit, lose the feeling, take the shock away.
It's getting faster, moving faster now, it's getting out of hand,
On the tenth floor, down the back stairs, it's a no man's land,
Lights are flashing, cars are crashing, getting frequent now,
I've got the spirit, lose the feeling, let it out somehow.
What means to you, what means to me, and we will meet again,
I'm watching you, I'm watching her, I'll take no pity from your friends,
Who is right, who can tell, and who gives a damn right now,
Until the spirit new sensation takes hold, then you know,
Until the spirit new sensation takes hold, then you know,
Until the spirit new sensation takes hold, then you know,
I've got the spirit, but lose the feeling,
I've got the spirit, but lose the feeling.
Feeling, feeling, feeling, feeling, feeling, feeling, feeling.
It's a great song!
Everything by Joy Division is. Ian Curtis was a freaking genius.
Article nailed it exactly.
I am sick of the "Meta Game" where all the "coo"l people go to decide what is required in the game.
Their plots & srs bsns plans
"It doesn't have to be this way, friends. We can still get joy from this game and lay the groundwork for a positive future. Get together with like-minded individuals and have some fun. Create your own communities. Quit letting a few people run players away. Get crazy. Challenge authority. "
FIGHT THE POWERS THAT BE!
Countries are still ruled via 'meta'?
should be ruled by 'Wayne'
cool...o/
BURN THE FORUMS DOWN! ANARCHY IN THE eUSA!!!
Or rahter... make your own forums... Take the power back!
Awww... You're no fun 🙁
Then you can burn the other forums down!
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=f_zLxPNUIqw
Sounds sensible.
Interesting concept, but the evolution of erep has moved it away from a community orientated game. How many people are now active in the forums? How many people even know wiki.erepublik exists let alone spend time reading up on the game and other players?
When was the last time anyone updated their wiki page?
How many people have bothered to read up on 2 greats currently a little more active in the UK?
http://wiki.erepublik.com/index.php/GLaDOS
http://wiki.erepublik.com/index.php/Dishmcds
Try to create an eRep wiki account and see what happens.
Dish is more active? hmmmmm
sort of - i.e. not eDead and even written an article
I update mine about once a month. 🙂
excellent, I must admit I updated mine a little a couple of months back. Hadn't been changed for over four years!
What's the point of reading up on people that are currently near-completely irrelevant?
The history of the game used to be the fun part. Learning about contracts between nations or individuals economic empires, the little fairytales we built around operation french toast or how opening the maple mines paved the way for conquering the US.
heh. It was more fun than it sounds.
best wishes to Joy Division!
that is the idea. Those types plague all communities.
Good luck!
one proviso to this "mindless fun" thing.
we've seen people whose fun comes at others' expense.
we've seen people run off with funds and goods entrusted to them.
we've seen people flake on responsibilities they'd accepted, and ill-affect other players' game.
we've heard the "y u so srs?" and "it's the internet-- toughen up!" and "hey, it's just a game" as a reply to being called on people being bullies or thieves, etc.
so the proviso?
don't be a dick.
Whilst I don't know what's been happening in eU.S.A. here in eUK we've had the theft of the treasury by someone who got elected by a group of people who believe anything goes and that if the game mechanics allow you to steal money then so be it.
why of course..! if game mechanics allow theft and wrecking other players' game then it must be okay!
Im a pirate and I approve this message. YARGHHHHh *cough *cough oh man... something in my throat.
Damn it, that sounds wrong
HA
Good luck. In This Colony.
Good motive 🙂. I hope Joy division brings joy to many!
I usually grab a newspaper before I begin my movement....
Is that so you can beat the dogs with it?
vtd
Well written! Voted!
Joy to the World!
Oh Joy!
Sign me up!!