The Economist ~ A New Year, a new start
Spite313
Dear friends,
It’s a new year, and we all have a chance to make new beginnings. Not just to our real lives, but our gameplay as well. Each year in eRepublik has brought new things for the eUK, and this year is going to be the year of the pioneer spirit. Like our ancestors IRL we are setting sail for new shores, and like those forebears of ours we will need to work together to get there in one piece.
The pioneer spirit is two things which are seemingly contradictory but in reality are the basis of all great expansions. Firstly you have the rugged individualism of the pioneer- someone who can and will do for themselves. Make their own way, achieve great things, develop themselves. Secondly you have that rugged communalism, whereby people will come together to do joint projects. To extend the historical metaphor- raising the town walls, town hall and so on. In erep we should create a culture whereby people work hard developing themselves, but come together to build greater things like MUs and the NHS.
I know I keep banging on about this, but I do think it is slowly sinking in. People are coming to realise the enormous potential they each have as players to improve themselves. We’ve seen a lot of players restarting their accounts- requesting deletion on an old account to have a second run at it. These days the meta-nature of your account- things like newspapers and so on- don’t really matter. It’s easy to rebuild those kind of followings for most people. More and more players are starting again, building their training grounds quickly, and becoming D2-3 tanks. This is the kind of individualism that we need. People making themselves something valuable, and others building up companies on their accounts to become the great producers of society. Brings a tear to my eye, boys, it really does.
Those people can then band together to provide the leadership we need. Since Christmas the UK has had no MoD. Strategic guidance (such as it is) has came from various members of the government, but much of the organisation has been handled by the players themselves. These people have no title, need to title, to do what they do. If you want to be more involved, or take leadership, all you have to do is step up and state your ideas. It’s the most basic kind of democracy- perhaps only possible in a country like the eUK which is small, old and political.
This war with France has been one of the most enjoyable for us in a long time. From the initial victories to the long retreat into the UK and the battles that followed, it was an opportunity for us all to really experience that spirit first hand. Players dug deep to throw themselves into the war and the UK really shined- almost matching the USA in damage terms. It goes to show that this tiny nation can pack a punch when required, but more importantly it shows that we can work together for the common good without the need for massive oversight by government.
So this is going to be the year of the two clicker CP- MPP button and attack button. The year of small government and big community. The year where those of you who have been playing a while but never really stepped up - the mwcerberus’ of the future - can step up and take control, with my blessing. I’m not going to comment on this CP election, because frankly I have decided I really can’t be bothered to get involved with the eUK’s internal politics anymore. May the best man or anthropomorphic alien win. But in the future I will be swinging my support behind whoever has the guts to ditch the easy route of puppetmaster and take up the much more difficult route of enabler. Someone who can provide people with the environment to grow in without the false politics of “government” holding them back.
Here’s to 2014, year of the player.
Iain
Comments
o7
"We’ve seen a lot of players restarting their accounts- requesting deletion on an old account to have a second run at it. These days the meta-nature of your account" ----> it seems to me the definition of TUP party , but not meta-nature, multi-nature (anyway it was not 'meta' in the first place). As usual, you can skip all of it, unless you are practising english as a second language.
"Requesting deletion on an old account to have a second run at it." is not considered as multiple account usage.
" It goes to show that this tiny nation can pack a punch when required" --> this tiny nation has a couple of "businessmen" ( I don't give names) capable of making opportunities in the verge of a wipe, selling overprized q7 tanks.
Are you implying that's a good or a bad thing?
Personally I like that we do have that sort of people ready to help if there is an emergency. Though we shouldn't rely only on them.
"But in the future I will be swinging my support behind whoever has the guts to ditch the easy route of puppetmaster " ---> puppets, guts, behind,... more of TUP true nature here. Just to point out :"but in the future as in the present and past" is more accurate.
He supports (not controls) the one that is NOT going to be a puppet-master.
"Guts" is generally accepted as a GOOD trait to have.
"Behind" (if not puppet-master-like, as he clearly said) is modesty and not necessity for titles and medals.
By the way, I can't understand where is this hate for TUP coming from. It's not like they constantly comment worthless, without foundation replies all the time.
"So this is going to be the year of the two clicker CP- MPP button and attack button. The year of small government and big community." --> that much is true, the community gets bigger and bigger, although it's restricted to a couple of dark corners (#euk) where you can be banned for no reason. Agreed, eUK has had always a small government, at least , small in the deeds and brains. Glad to know that in the two previous years the CP was not two-clicking, but magic-hereos-izing with great skill
You've left for Narnia, dawg.
Everyone is welcome to #eUK. However, if you cannot behave, you will receive a ban. I've been there for a while already and haven't been banned. And I think we can both agree that I am not the Pope, behaviourwise.
I don't even read Alphabethis comments anymore.
It's usually TL😃R TUP killed Princess Diana, behind 9/11, were the second gunman that took out JFK, caused the child Dappers brain damage, created Goku's multi accounts on his laptop to set him up...basically you are evil!
'EVIL' you say, well he may have a point?
Horice 😉
v because you asked nicely (:
o7
If only TUP stalwarts had cottoned on last year imagine how joyous and gay we'd all be now.
Positively rolling around in fields of pink candyfloss shitting double rainbows we'd be.
Oooohh I'm all a quiver at your delicious depiction.
Yay small government
does small government implies small drawings ?
*cough* lame *cough*
Nice Article Iain.
have you sold many q7 tanks ?
There seems to have been an evolution in your preferences. It used to be that you preferred the formality and institution of a big government and criticized people for acting on their own accord. Now you are preaching government by select individuals rather than elected governments. I can't help but wonder if it is because your own party no longer so reliably forms the government that you would prefer to see.
I think all of the UK should be leery about these 'rugged individualists' - any player new to the CP game should feel free to form the government of their choice and know that they don't need your 'blessing' Iain 😛
Cuz he listened to me Roz, sorry duck...
Firstly wozzle, that is patently untrue. If you go back to my articles as far back as 2009 I am writing against big government and red tape. Both my own governments were skeleton crews, and I've never been a big fan of sprawling pointless governments. You're choosing to interpret my position on a single issue- citizenship- as applying to all government. In that case I actually supported a change from a big quasi-elected committee to a single person mandated by the gov. That was exactly the sort of "just doing the job, no need for title" attitude I am supporting here.
My own party has been involved in every government since 2009 in some form or another. Right now TUP members hold several positions. But again, that is irrelevant, as not all members of TUP share my position on this and never have. As you're probably aware there has always been two camps in TUP on this matter.
I think my blessing is free for me to distribute as I see fit, and although nobody needs my support, or TUP's, or ESO's, or anyone else's to win an election, I guess nobody is going to say no to at least one more vote that my support brings.
Iain
v
Nice article and sentiment, voted.
Two thoughts:
1) CP needs to work on community building not just two click, though the bloated government can go.
2) These restarted accounts need to have a code of ethics and not just join a party in an effort to take over or discredit it.
1) We could all do with community building, it's not the sole responsibility of the CP.
2) Those I know of have returned to the party they came from. You can't really create a 'code of ethics', everyone's sense of right and wrong is different in this game. Best we can hope for is that those restarting are restarting for the right reasons.
What Wayne said.
Wayne always has to prove you wrong 🙂
Shouldn't the CP have more responsibility than the rest of us? Wayne says no!
If you wasn't wrong then I wouldn't be able to prove you to be incorrect would I...
No, the CP has the same responsibility as the rest of us in making the eUK a pleasant place to grow and have fun. Just because he is 5g richer, has a shiny medal in his profile and can press a few extra buttons in the grand scheme of things means nothing,
Chew has proved otherwise.
We could use this for IRL, David Cameron could just sit around doing anothing all day!
David Cameron represents sixty five million people, not 400 or so. The main role of the CP is to represent the UK community as a figurehead. Anything they do after that is basically up to them. I'd much rather have a CP who is good at the military/foreign affairs type stuff than someone who is good at forum games, but if they want to do both that's fine. But their input on that is no more or less valuable than any other citizen. The only thing that sets a CP apart is they have a few more buttons, for everything else there is nothing a CP could do that you, me or anyone else couldn't also do. That is my point.
Not set apart by being voted by everyone then? Saying that it's a choice between forum games and military/foreign affairs is rediculous.
What is the issue with expecting them to try to help build bridges if there are community problems? Like having an interest in mediating disputes.
eRep CPs has nothing in common with real life CPs... Drop the David Cameron argument. In game the CP has a few more buttons and that's about it. Everything else can be done by everyone if they have the funds and support (which they usually can obtain).
Rediculous. They both get voted in...
Voted for the reference to me 🙂
You mean "player" ? 🙂
Wookie's a 'player' in my eyes - you lovely big ball of fur...Grr Grr
I like the footer image. Happy New Year!