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Playing the Role Series Entries
Part 1: Reality Defined



Five Apart
The room is silent, a quiet black. In the middle, a table, a deep mahogany, four legs; nothing particularly fancy. It's an understated place. Two chairs sit on either side of it. In the corner to the left of the door is a lamp, simple as the table. Just a black stand up lamp. I set the recorder in the middle of the room, and wait for the first one to come in.

I've made the calls, all of them picked up eventually and said they would be down momentarily to do the interview. After a while, the first of them comes in, and then the second. All five of them get through the interview, and after about half an hour, the last of them leaves. I set take my recorder, and set about combining their feedback to each question.

For this interview, I contacted 5 people. First to come was an American soldier who has seen many wars. Second to be interviewed was a President with a bit of a sleep issue. The third interviewee was the commanding officer for the Training Corps, with the fourth being a young trainee. And finally I interviewed a controversial talk political talk show host. I labeled their names in the order that they came My reasoning behind the choices were mainly to get a diverse background questioned, but they also were available. I sat them down in that room, and asked them the same five questions. I looked at the computer, combining the results, and trying to figure out what, in terms of what I was searching for, it all meant.

The Interviews
How real are the relationships in this game for you with other players?
One (Veteran): "Do not know the people in Real Life but I been playing the game long enough that as in Real Life I would never betray my eRepublik friends, I never lose track that it really does not matter but I do respect the people I play this game with."
Two (President): "I think for the most part nothing has changed, at least not drastically. The only change now is that I have "authority." But really the way the players and I communicate hasn't changed at all. I still idle in the public channels but now I get to actively participate in the upper echelon of government and have a direct impact on the nation. Feels good."
Three (Commanding Officer): "The relationships are very real to me. I get to know many of the players very well and through the many months I develop friendships with some. I even have a business partner in RL here. The relations I have established here are very important because by getting to know people and their RL you care for them. My RL has been greatly benefitted by erep. When I was taking the bar in NY, Ki'Ryu was there to help me understand some concepts. There is a wealth of knowledge and life experience here, at our fingertips."
Four (Trainee): "In this game? Don't really know anyone yet. It seems like a social networking roleplaying game. I'm not much for social networking, but found this game interesting. So really the only people I talk to are my officers when taking orders."
Five (Talk Show Host): "It's one heck of an adventure, some hate me others love me, as all of us have different opinions on all shorts of subjects it's quite fun learning new things. I think that as the times are sure are changing my relationship with people change over time. With a game that can be 2 clicking to 100+ clicking a day, I get along with most."

What makes those relationships that way for you?
One (Veteran): "I spend like many people every evening here, I seen them grow in the game and I like this community."
Two (President): "The relationships are this way because I've always been in the belief that in order to accomplish anything, communication must be a two-way street. You can't ignore your people if you ever want to accomplish anything, and many times, there are some positive suggestions that if heeded, can improve or fix a problem."
Three (Commanding Officer): "The way you interact with people and they interact with you."
Four (Trainee): "Hard to answer based on my previous answer. Played MMO's previously where you had to take orders in order to survive and for the betterment of the group, so from experience thats what I do with 'higher-ups'."
Five (Talk Show Host): "In RL I have graphia and a speech impediment but I never let that stop me, I have met other type of players who are wheelchair bound or in the RL arm forces or who are RL lawyers
so when I jump in, its different. Not many people know the me now, not the pizza pawn I was, but I want to let players know that I truly care, I can be argumentative or frusting, I'm just slow but I'm willing to learn."

What effect do the other people who play have on you?
One (Veteran): "When we are in a real War, late at night and we get lots of players into the action it motivates me. Oh some of the attacks we had like when we conquered Russia. Those were the days..."
Two (President): "I'm still a fairly young player, especially when compared to some of the old guard like Harrison Richardson, Dish, Ligtreb, Woxan, Glados, Pfeiffer, Emerick, and MM2 etc. These are all people I grew up listening to everyday, I'd read their articles and apply their wisdom into my game-play, they have certainly had an affect as to how I approach the game. In regards with how they influence me now, I consider their advice, but I don't allow one voice completely penetrate my mind, but rather, I analyze and apply what I believe is the best route to take."
Three (Commanding Officer): "Hmmm.... Well, I don't think it has that much of an effect. I haven't really thought about that much."
Four (Trainee): "Going back to the social networking comment...I really hate that people have a huge internet voice for their view on politics. I find it hard to bite my tongue reading people's comments (this being out of game politics)."
Five (Talk Show Host): "well, as other players are older then me, they have dealt the game longer and of course older then me, so I don't know what it's like in their shoes as they don't know what I have to deal with in my shoes. It can be really really rough at most, like when hanging around the euS forums, or the IRC room. There are some people who are just plain cruel that I want to slap them in the face. I just wished I were able to read minds. Maybe there's a reason they act that way. Maybe they had a rough RL life or they never had a parent or they want attention. So I do my best it stoop to there lvel and get a better understanding. On the other hand there are players who are like me who like playing a game. I mean, it's a game, it's for entertainment. I find it anoying with these stuys saying 'games cause violence.' Don't blame the game, blame the dumbass perants.

How much do you care about the other people playing?
One (Veteran): "Even though I am not in the TC anymore, I care about other players. I want them to have fun enjoy the game. If somebody asks I am more than happy giving anybody advice. People look at the big Tanks and say how can I even catch them, A year and a half ago I asked the same type of questions but there really is power in numbers."
Two (President): "If I didn't care about the other people who play this game, I would have left a long time ago. The game itself is nothing too special, but the exchange of thoughts and social interaction is what keeps everyone here, not the fancy medals and clicking."
Three (Commanding Officer): "Very much. Especially if I have gotten to know them personally."
Four (Trainee): "None. Like I said, I don't really know anyone in game."
Five (Talk Show Host): "I care a lot. I'm a people person. Once you get me talking on my radio show or in the chat room I love interactions. I however, there are some people I dont understand why they play this game. This game should be based on entertainment not take 16 hours of someone's life to play it. So when I see someone taking control I want to question them. Do they they have a RL? I guess not. I care to the point that I play every day. It's very very interesting with people waiting then coming back. I mean why do they complain about it then come back? It's really interesting and really addicting. For example: war is a drug, once you go in, you can never stop fighting. It's like politics and miltary in eRep. It's so fun and frustrating you dont want to quit. K, im off topics but I care that I want to inform the public of the pros and cons, I'm kind of trying to work like a RL advocate does. Informing the public about eRepublik, our Government and there is mindless possibilities.

And finally, what's the most important thing to you in this game?
One (Veteran): "I like fighting ..... but I will one day get back into politics."
Two (President): "Fun. At some point in this game you will realize that this is now more of a chore than fun for you. I realized this when I was on the verge of being banned, I had a "near-death experience." From that point on I became more ambitious and even a bit more cocky, I don't know if thats a good thing but I'm having lots more fun now. The day you're not enjoying your time here is the day you need evaluate what you're doing."
Three (Commanding Officer): "The relationships with people, of course. And fighting!"
Four (Trainee): "Just a game. I work out of town, so I have too much time on my hands in a hotel and it has been yet another way to slack off during work."
Five (Talk Show Host): "The most impartant thing in eRepublik is enjoying a game that welcomes you with a warm feeling , enjoy a game where you have a voice, and a place that makes you feel more like family than being treated as property and/or get my fair share of the pie."

Afterthoughts
I leaned back from the keyboard in my office, having just transcribed all five interviews. I wonder sometimes why I personally do this. I could be writing hundreds of articles for a newspaper or for classes or for many other reasons which could ultimately have some impact in real life. But I choose to come, time and time again, back to this keyboard, in this office, in this game. I take the seat, begin clicking, and pour hours of work and labor into a piece of literature which ultimately has no bearing on the way any mechanics will progress, or the way anyone will change their play style.

But I still do it.

I spend the minutes on it, and I wage through drafts and revisions and edits. For what? Sometimes it's for others. Sometimes it's for that call to come to the awards ceremony where they give me my Media Mogul Medal in front of all my adoring readers finally.

But mostly, it's always been for you.