Acacia's Woes, The Question That no one Answers
Day 1,572, 21:03
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Published in Canada 
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by
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by Macubex8
Acacia Mason wrote 60 minutes ago
"Let me ask you all a question. What is the magic bullet to solve our civil war. I see lots of talk but no concrete suggestions...no really...whats the answer?"
This popped in my shout box an hour ago and for some reason I couldn't lay idle. Even though I have not had qualms with the presidents recent decisions. I decided to answer the question no one likes answering. What would you do? How easy it is to watch the performers on the stage and criticize their decisions but to have to take their place and responsibility only to find you yourself can not provide the solution to the problem you chastise others on. Knowing this I had a burst of inspiration to help Acacia with his woes and not be left to halfhearted comments. (Sorry to those who do write productive comments, this isn't aimed at you.)
Most of this will be a copy past of what I wrote in reply to Acacia's shout with a bit of aesthetic fixes (eg. grammar).
"Let me ask you all a question. What is the magic bullet to solve our civil war. I see lots of talk but no concrete suggestions...no really...whats the answer?" -Acacia Mason
The terrible problem with this issue is that it is a problem no one man can fix. It's a community problem. Our society is split in every which way it can be cut. Old players who resent Rolo, old players who have had enough, Old players who want to end this Rolo issue, New players who are ignorant of Rolo, new players who resent the old players, etc. While we'll always be different, there is no common goal, value, moral, identity, binding us together.
So what will it take to fix this, a team effort. Even those who are discontent with the Rolo issue. Think, who are you hurting? Rolo? eCanada? or all the new players who may reshape and improve our country. The improvement of this country lies not with Rolo, whether he is pardoned or not it does not truly matter in the grand scheme of things. What needs to be done is to communicate with new players make them feel involved and equal.
So how is this done? How does one retain new player? I've heard a lot of old players say we can't help them, whether they stay or go, we can't affect that decision. That's half right. Some will stay and build their own path and learn things by themselves, that's how I played. Others look to the community to encourage them to stay even if not on the conscious level. Look at the IL, we have many new players who are not only two-clickers but play active roles in the community.
The key is a friendly and open environment, make them want to stay, make them want to go on IRC. Our timed strikes are an excellent example of that. Players who never log onto IRC come on for our timed strikes. It's friendly, comfortable they feel treated nicely, unlike in #eCan. They want to play and be engaged in the community. Though the issue is starting the initiatives. Who runs them? How do they run them? Will they steal?
Even if you do not agree with the current administration and you think that things are not going the way you want. You have two choices, to change it or to endure. If you want to change it, think, a new system is only going to be as good as the person who set it up. I'd like to draw attention to enduring something. With Rolo, I can endure him being pardoned, does that mean I forgive him, no, but I won't be selfish and harm others over it.
To this extent the ones who should run gov't or private programs are the selfless and mature who seek only help eCanadians regardless of personal beliefs. Now onto how they are run. These programs should be accessible to all, but special interest should be shown to those who come onto IRC, and want to get involved with the community. Programs can be as simple as a spam game in the MU feed, to timed strikes, to games in articles and IRC with prizes.
The key is a friendly, helpful and fun environment. Now the last point, and for eCanada the most important point. Will they steal? It is a risk. Some people may steal but it is important to realize a simple pros vs cons chart that I think has been forgotten. By engaging new players in the community is it worth the risk of someone stealing some money? I say yes. As it is ultimately the new players who will bring new life to a country.
I personally see nothing better in this game then to help new players, talk to old players, learn new things, expand my knowledge and sometimes impart my knowledge with others even with the constant threat of being trolled or flamed. Admittedly I think I'm just a bit to self conscience. I hope I could be a little help to your woes Acacia. Feel free to drop me a PM or ring me up on IRC anytime.
I'm not going to say this is the solution to our ailments but it is a start. I will not be a hypocrite and stand idle after saying all this. I will be actively thinking of ideas throughout the next few days on how to improve the state of affairs.
For those who are interested by article posted earlier today,
An Observer's 2 Cents
Articles in the pipeline
Some IL Updates
Military Units, Growth and Decline.
New Player Retention
Until I get the will to write again,
Macubex8
"Let me ask you all a question. What is the magic bullet to solve our civil war. I see lots of talk but no concrete suggestions...no really...whats the answer?"
This popped in my shout box an hour ago and for some reason I couldn't lay idle. Even though I have not had qualms with the presidents recent decisions. I decided to answer the question no one likes answering. What would you do? How easy it is to watch the performers on the stage and criticize their decisions but to have to take their place and responsibility only to find you yourself can not provide the solution to the problem you chastise others on. Knowing this I had a burst of inspiration to help Acacia with his woes and not be left to halfhearted comments. (Sorry to those who do write productive comments, this isn't aimed at you.)
Most of this will be a copy past of what I wrote in reply to Acacia's shout with a bit of aesthetic fixes (eg. grammar).
"Let me ask you all a question. What is the magic bullet to solve our civil war. I see lots of talk but no concrete suggestions...no really...whats the answer?" -Acacia Mason
The terrible problem with this issue is that it is a problem no one man can fix. It's a community problem. Our society is split in every which way it can be cut. Old players who resent Rolo, old players who have had enough, Old players who want to end this Rolo issue, New players who are ignorant of Rolo, new players who resent the old players, etc. While we'll always be different, there is no common goal, value, moral, identity, binding us together.
So what will it take to fix this, a team effort. Even those who are discontent with the Rolo issue. Think, who are you hurting? Rolo? eCanada? or all the new players who may reshape and improve our country. The improvement of this country lies not with Rolo, whether he is pardoned or not it does not truly matter in the grand scheme of things. What needs to be done is to communicate with new players make them feel involved and equal.
So how is this done? How does one retain new player? I've heard a lot of old players say we can't help them, whether they stay or go, we can't affect that decision. That's half right. Some will stay and build their own path and learn things by themselves, that's how I played. Others look to the community to encourage them to stay even if not on the conscious level. Look at the IL, we have many new players who are not only two-clickers but play active roles in the community.
The key is a friendly and open environment, make them want to stay, make them want to go on IRC. Our timed strikes are an excellent example of that. Players who never log onto IRC come on for our timed strikes. It's friendly, comfortable they feel treated nicely, unlike in #eCan. They want to play and be engaged in the community. Though the issue is starting the initiatives. Who runs them? How do they run them? Will they steal?
Even if you do not agree with the current administration and you think that things are not going the way you want. You have two choices, to change it or to endure. If you want to change it, think, a new system is only going to be as good as the person who set it up. I'd like to draw attention to enduring something. With Rolo, I can endure him being pardoned, does that mean I forgive him, no, but I won't be selfish and harm others over it.
To this extent the ones who should run gov't or private programs are the selfless and mature who seek only help eCanadians regardless of personal beliefs. Now onto how they are run. These programs should be accessible to all, but special interest should be shown to those who come onto IRC, and want to get involved with the community. Programs can be as simple as a spam game in the MU feed, to timed strikes, to games in articles and IRC with prizes.
The key is a friendly, helpful and fun environment. Now the last point, and for eCanada the most important point. Will they steal? It is a risk. Some people may steal but it is important to realize a simple pros vs cons chart that I think has been forgotten. By engaging new players in the community is it worth the risk of someone stealing some money? I say yes. As it is ultimately the new players who will bring new life to a country.
I personally see nothing better in this game then to help new players, talk to old players, learn new things, expand my knowledge and sometimes impart my knowledge with others even with the constant threat of being trolled or flamed. Admittedly I think I'm just a bit to self conscience. I hope I could be a little help to your woes Acacia. Feel free to drop me a PM or ring me up on IRC anytime.
I'm not going to say this is the solution to our ailments but it is a start. I will not be a hypocrite and stand idle after saying all this. I will be actively thinking of ideas throughout the next few days on how to improve the state of affairs.
For those who are interested by article posted earlier today,
An Observer's 2 Cents
Articles in the pipeline
Some IL Updates
Military Units, Growth and Decline.
New Player Retention
Until I get the will to write again,
Macubex8
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Comments
See...isn't this easier to do in an article. It's so uncivilized posting it in comments.
My shout box reflects that, people voting all those posts, the spam QQ
That's an excellent long-term strategy, Macubex8. It's part of the community building needed to keep this place going and parts of it have been adopted here and there over the history of eCanada. Still, it's not the instant magic bullet that could quell the current unrest, which is what I think Acacia was asking for, though perhaps a bit rhetorically.
Since you featured your shout from that thread, might as well paste mine here too:
Magic bullets cost somewhere between 960 to 6000 Gold and are only available from a single supplier. Of course, the magic target for that magic bullet keeps getting harder to hit the longer it goes unused.
There's a cheaper version that can be purchased on the integrity of personal credit, as Rigour said. It's never too late for Rolo to take aim at that.
As for us, let's have a blast getting back our oil!
...and forget about the magic bullets we can't buy ourselves.
o7
Well said...I like your long term plan. At least you have the stones to speak AND say something constructive.
Voted so god damn hard I damn near put my mouse through the desk!
"Even if you do not agree with the current administration and you think that things are not going the way you want. You have two choices, to change it or to endure."
The problem is that some people found a third and fourth choice. One of them involves leaving.
We do need get new players active and feeling welcome. That has always been the case and always will. It's not magical; it's practical. You say we need old players to help engage and guide the new ones. Again, very true, but it would also be nice to repatriate some of those we recently lost. Any solution for that? Some say we should simply accept those losses and move on, which is a practical response and most likely what will have to happen.
Any idea how many new players you'll have to make feel welcome in order to win back the equivalent of a Fritzhill or Ralph Kline? You think an Alias Vision comes along every other month and just needs to find the right MU to get him involved? It took years to build the talent we just recently lost.
I'm all for the hip-hip-hoorah of getting off to battle, getting new bonuses and building on new membership. But only taking a look forward without acknowledging what we just lost and why is a plan that is bound to meet with repeat consequences.
Still liked this article, Macubex, but there has to be a strict backbone that gives the friendly, helpful, and fun environment something deeper worth fighting for, month after month, and for some, year after year.
You're absolutely correct Plugson, the talent we lost is irreplaceable. It took me one year to get to the point I am at now and there is still a ways for me to go. People like Ralph and Fritz at this point I can't see a path for their return outside of them getting what they want, and that is unacceptable. No matter the circumstances if we give in now it proves that whenever they don't like something they can go AWOL and have us give in to whatever they want. Clearly not a solution I would even try.
As for the more peaceful ones like Alias Vision who has decided to get away from it all, but not fight against the country. While I unfortunately don't have a quick fix to get them back. All I can offer is to prove that we are fixing things, making this country a better place. Staying in contact with them is the best solution. Respect their current wishes but also encourage them to give eCanada another chance. It's like trust, they believe us to have broken our bond of trust with them and when trust is broken, there is no quick fix it is always a slow healing process, if it's not, it is not trust that you have.
I'd love to see things come to a quick fix but I don't see it happening, creating goals and making eCanada a better place for all, young and old, should be our top priority. Of course I'm open to all other suggestions.
Agreed. o7
Well said Macubex8
o/
Don't forget the Mentor Program for helping new players
http://ecanada.cc/forums/viewtopic.php?f=413&t=15826
Is the program alive, Homer? Because I remember that I signed in it and you promised that you will announce me when it will be another little player to help, but maybe my different opinions about the corruption in Congress in the Rolo's pardon case don't let you communicate with me. Whatever: this mean unity for a few people.
The flow has slowed lately. You're still in line to receive another.
Let me ask you all a question. What is the magic bullet to solve our civil war. I see lots of talk but no concrete suggestions...no really...whats the answer?"
tried that
http://www.erepublik.com/en/article/bury-the-hatchet-heal-a-nation-1901233/1/20
Retaining new players in itself does not solve the divisions.
I am going to try and make this point as best I can without snark.
One does not alter one's core principles to suit the exigencies of the moment, far less the intransigence of an unprincipled thief. One simply trusts in one's principles and follows where they lead. If they lead to exile, so be it. If they lead to defeat, so be it. If they lead to loss of influence or a wipe, so be it. It is better to have spent oneself and failed in a just cause than to have succeeded in an unjust one.
eCanada has lost sight of that fact. It compromises its core principles and why? Because it is afraid that the thief will take over another party. It is afraid that such a takeover will lead to it being wiped.
I am not now nor do I have any plans to fight against eCanada. But there are worse things than being wiped. I was present when the nation was wiped in the past, and I was proud to have been there and to given all I could in the battles leading up to the final, losing effort. I felt a bond to my comrades in arms and the warm glow in my chest of knowing our cause was right and just. I shed no tears when we lost and felt no bitterness, I knew we would rise again.
In the present conflict, I see no great heroism in either side. I see a refusal to let the team as a whole decide through a referendum and a craven bowing to the thief's influence in the name of preserving the nation. A nation without principle is NOT worth saving - and what's more, one built on the shifting sand of expediency won't ever thrive, no matter whether it should or not. My prediction is that eCanada will spend many days in the wilderness until it rediscovers that fact. For now, it has gone down the knee-jerk rabbit hole of deciding that the e😜ats are the true enemy. That fever will take some time to burn itself out.
It is a community problem. Some of the sub-communities in eCanada have decided that they would be better off as part of another "host" community. Unfortunately, this leaves renders the "dark" community in Canada as a larger demographic.
eCanada is a crack whore who has crested the hill, losing any sense of attractiveness she may have had, and is not started to go downhill. First a region bonus lost, control of government is threatened, the mob is rising in civil unrest, it should be a wicked train wreck.
Yes, the next little while should be "interesting".
A cleansing by fire will re-invigorate the nation.
Watch as suddenly the Rolo Debacle suddenly becomes yesterday's news while Newfoundland or BC is being defended from former allies trying to instill peace at the end of a rifle.
Or more amusingly, eUK taking all of its canadian held lands back without any peace agreement there to stop them from going further, and bringing its allies along for the ride.
May I point out that the UK treasury must be overflowing at the moment...so war is most likely going to be extremly costly if its brought back to the homeland.