I am Game!

Day 683, 07:25 • Published in India India • by maverick10
Statutory Warning: All stunts performed by professional geek, Mav. Attempts at Short Articles have failed. Do Not Try This In Your Forum or In Game. Smart-alecks beware; my words bite.


I am eRepublik!!! I take over Real Life.You are all my slaves!!

Yes I admit. Its a game, and I am an eRep-addict!!!

I've been a gamer ever since I had my first Nintendo 64 bit system, and cracking Super Bros Mario levels was an amazing adventure! Then came the PC, followed by my Playstation and took gaming to the next level. I'd play pretty much anything and everything I could lay my hands on... strategy, action, adventure, RPG & online games... you name it. The list includes ~ Halo, Counter Strike, Wolfenstein 3D, Age of Empires, Call of Duty, Assassin's Creed, Fifa Manager, Need For Speed, Devil May Cry, and the list goes go on and on!!


No, I did not play with her. 🙁

Online gaming in fact came quite recently. And it had hardly taken off, before I found the New World ~ the world of eRepublik, just under 200 days back. And it has since revolutionized my whole gaming experience!

I have already brought out enough Admin propaganda before, and won't go into eulogizing eRepublik today, but rather refer to an interesting study I came across, that probably helps understand this world better.

I refer to BrainHex, a new player satisfaction model by International Hobo, an acclaimed company on Game Designing. Do check out the survey itself here. Its really very cool!!


As per the study, there are 7 classes of players:
Conqueror, Mastermind, Seeker, Achiever, Socialiser, Survivor, & Daredevil.

My BrainHex Class is Conqueror & BrainHex Sub-Class is Conqueror-Achiever (with Socialiser close behind in points).

Given my scores, they tell me, I "like defeating impossibly difficult foes, struggling until you eventually achieve victory, and beating other players as well as collecting anything you can collect or doing everything you possibly can."
I apparently also "like hanging around with people I trust, and helping people. Your behaviour tends to be trusting, and you get angry at those who abuse your trust. According to your results, there are few play experiences that you strongly dislike."


Why state all this? Well, recently I've been told by someone, that I am not aware that eRepublik is a game, and me being less 'experienced' than this certain someone, know/understand the eWorld less. ROFL! While I am not much bothered by these kinda statements, they definitely deserve a rebuttal! Also I though I'd make an attempt at going for the Citizen Insider, whether it gets featured or not.

What is eRepublik to me?

Well to put it simply, its the best blend of pure gaming, and community-building one could come up with. [Admin propaganda alert!!]

The game mechanics give us, the Citizens, the tools to create the community (our eNations & forums), while the community drives the need for better use of the game mechanics. Its a symbiosis of technology and human interaction, each with its own limitations and possibilities.

eRepublik gives us the opportunity to shape our eWorld. Some abilities are by natural progression, like the ability to work, train, vote, fight, and vital for us to survive, and advance our Citizens and our nations in the game. Some are choices, based on our individual approach and capabilities. With the requisite Experience points, we have the options to start a business, to contest elections, to form new parties, etc. But any player who has been around, and understood the game, will tell you, its not as easy as Plato makes it sound! If you don't have the resources/do your research and start up a company, odds are you'll run aground; don't know the political scene in a eNation, and go for congress, or form new parties, and its likely, you won't get too many votes, and if you DO get into Congress, by whatever means, again, odds are you'll leave scope for mal-practice and abuse by other players, and nations.

So "What does it mean to have success in eRepublik?"


In essence, to truly advance in eRepublik, to be truly successful, one has to:
~ Recognize the importance of the symbiosis of game mechanics and the community, the forums. Without the community effort, even advancing our own game, is a short road.

~ Not take the role-playing so seriously, that one actually forgets that its a game. After all being a President of your eNation, won't get you a job in RL, or help you pass exams! Also, without utilizing the options in the game, just having tags like Congress, Ministries or such, don't amount to anything at all!

~ Not make the Game Mechanics the excuse for forgetting basic values. Just because one has the scope to cheat/bend game rules, don't mean its acceptable to do it (under the excuse, 'its only a game!')!

~ Make friends & talk. Its a social interaction, and the strategy bit will be successful ONLY when you interact socially, be that through the shouts, forums, the media, privately & through irc/chat software. Without getting your voice heard, & talking to people, one is bound to lose interest and/or lose out in the long run.

~ Philosophy of RESPECT. Respect fellow players. Respect game rules!

~ Learn, learn, learn. There is no end to learning, so learn the game. The wiki, tutorials and experienced Citizens are aplenty. Don't be shy or lazy.

While I am no expert on gaming, I play by these rules, the DODGE ORDER as I like to call it. And nearing my 200th Day of eRepublik, having numerous RL friends who form the backbone of the eIndian community, & being actively involved in building it myself, being Prime Minister of eIndia; add to that a Level 19 Citizen, and holding rank of General, I sure consider myself a satisfied, & moderately successful Citizen! There is still a lot to learn, a lot to achieve, and a lot more fun to be had!

For me, success in eRepublik simply constitutes, in this order
- Making good friends all over the eWorld, who can count on you, and vice versa
- Having the satisfaction of doing one's bit in building a strong community,or eNation
- Making best use of game mechanics, while staying within ethical boundaries, to have a strong economy, military and governance
- Oh yes, shiny medals & Experience Points. They'll come for sure, if we are successful by the above standards. XD

So let's understand it right, and play it right. As they say, the possibilities are limtless.

The 'survey' I referred to above indicates, I should be a winner. And my victory lies in eIndia's victory!

To quote a good friend of mine, whom I meet everyday:
I have nothing more to say at the moment 😉

maverick10
Editor, eI&TW


Thanks to all my readers. Please leave a comment below, or PM me here, so I may know you better, and improve my publication.

First Knight, DODGE Order

My Blog: Revolution[10]

Do read my other articles if you so wish. If you appreciate my articles and the chain of thought, do vote, subscribe & put up a shout for your friends!
The Philosophy of eIndia ~ Respect: A Tribute to eRepublik
eRepublik Admin on Twitter: "the article is close to a definition of what eRepublik should represent to the bigger part of the player-base. Respect!"
Make Each Day Count
Prez Debate: Shail.back vs Dragons007
Spiderman
eFreedom - Are You A Free Citizen?
Rules of the Game A Manual for all Citizens of the eWorld, running for Congress.
Dodgy Order of Diabolical Geeks of Ethika ~ The doors to the Knighthood are open for all those who play eRepublik on the same principles, stated in The DODGE Order.
Do I sound Prime Ministerial enough?
I AM HERE!!! [Part I]
Someday
Almost a Hero!!!


Dedication:
For my friends. Check out their papers: sumit, shail, David, Arjaa, Brood, Jelly, Kit, Arjay, Grainne, Ariel, Dee, Ashwamedh, navin, Jackbid. Thanks to dSoKre, for his valuable guidance.
Dear Citizens of eIndia:
> Do join the eIndia Forums!!! We don't bite!!! 😛
> Subscribe to the Indian Armed forces newspaper for daily updates & instructions on the Training Wars!
> Also subscribe to these papers:
- Ministry of Media & Culture's The World at our Horizons
- India United's Mile Sur Mera Tumhara
> All Active Citizens can seek guidance on any matter or request for help from the Internal Affairs India.
> Do Read Internal Affairs' article: Be Active Build India
Sponsored by:
Freedom Express, Q1 weapons for most affordable rates in eWorld!! Contact us so we may serve you better.