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The best way to remember something is to tell it

Guten tag meine Freunde.


^I took it from an article from Prince of Austria

Today, I wanted to tell you something that maybe a lot of players might not really be surprised, but as a matter of fact, everyone has wondered sometimes.

So, let’s talk about sides.

Is a matter of life and death

Austria in Erepublik is a beautiful nation. We have some Austrians and also some people from all over the world (Europe and the Americas more precisely) This has made us a nice place where we coexist with many people. We respect other nations, but that doesn’t mean we receive the same mutual treatment. There are some people outside our community that want to take control, and they have tried it for years.

For those who know me from many years, they know that I have been around. I can say, 2009-2010 was my first era here. Eventually, I had been more involved with other stuff. I had seen other people born who are currently dead today. And I had seen countries rise and fall.

Probably the biggest country I had been citizen of, it was maybe Macedonia or Chile, (Back in the 2013) Still, I was very inside a smaller group. In Macedonia it was just in DSWs I was never part of the politics of the country. And in Chile, it was with a group of Mexicans who for some connections, they moved to Chile. (Some Hispanic countries sometimes exchange populations)

What is the difference between a big country and a small one in terms of population?

Basically there are many differences, but there are 2 main ones:

1. Connectivity with the community
2. Your impact

Connectivity

If someone doesn’t know, when I was living in RL Mexico, I studied Social Anthropology. My main focus was Globalization. One of my classes, we talked about “Urbanity”. Why rural or small places are different compared to big cities. I was living in a relatively “small” city [90,000 population] and I basically had been in places with millions of people. That “small city” I think was in reality a medium city.

But probably the best example of a small community I know is Greenbank, West Virginia. A small place with less than 100 people, but with some scientific population (Because of their radio telescope). Another place is a place called “Otates” (Where my Great Grandmother is from) or Ursem (A small dutch town where I have some relatives living in). If you observe those places. You will see that people have more interaction with other people. There is more contact with everyone. And they are more involved.

A big city is not like that. Many people in bigger cities tend to be less socially engaged with their community, and people tend to be more focused on themselves and their social groups. There is a cultural phenomenon called “Urban Anonymity". So you may feel more isolated. Your social groups will be more related to the kind of mindset you have. Or any common interest or social group you decide to be involved with. Your workplace also became a social space. That is why in those places people get more specialized and focus on one single area.

Mi rancho

In Mexico we have a way to describe your home city if it is small. “Your rancho” which can be translated as “your ranch”(If you didn’t imagined 😅). And people are very nostalgic about it. Are those special places where you grew and have good memories. Because there are less people you are more probably going to get involved with whatever. You have more opportunities to be closer to people, and interact with them. There is more equality here.

This is one way that Erepublik works. Countries with small but active populations are more interconnected with the rest of the people in the country. So the countries have very strong ties. When a small country becomes a large country and people from the “small period” still are around, the country becomes more organized, and more active. Then the country’s original population dies (The generation that grew as a small country), and a third generation comes, guided by the second generation, they will behave more like a medium nation. And when their second generation becomes inactive, and their third generation takes control the country becomes a “Big country” Their mindset is just like a Big City.

What makes Austria Special?

Austria for some reason, has a stable population that appeared between 2009 and 2012. We do not have the most powerful tanks in Erepublik by the way but we still have some powerful citizens here. Those had been around for some time. In their memories, there are all kinds of stories. They remember the ones who were for us and those who were against us. And that doesn’t mean we don’t need fresh new blood. Like in my account. In reality, I had been around 11 years here, but as I’m in D2, I do stuff there. Everyone counts, every action. Their involvement has an impact. Doesn’t matter if they had been around from 2009, or since 2020.

Still as in RL, in Erepublik there are a lot of dangers. People tend to behave more as they feel like. They may have good interest, or just “personal interest”.They may want to be part of something greater, or they want to follow the path to greatness. A combination of behaviors, context, and decisions, brings as result, the current geopolitical situation.

Bigger countries are there as giants. And because of the force difference, we need to use other methods. One of those is diplomacy, and the other one is the media. Those 2 methods may make huge differences. One of those is the fire we have for action. And the other one is the fuel we need to make this flame alive. Those methods are polished and sharpened every time we use them, and get things done.

He is the best example of what I’m talking about

Ok, we know what diplomacy is for, What about the media?

As you probably know, Erepublik is mainly about battles. Because well, Admins need to eat. You spend gold in order to leave a legacy in the game. Mainly in the military. (What we see as footprints in RL, here are some codes). In Erepublik, there are not just soldiers. We also have MoDs and their vMods (At least in the past, I remember there were vMoDs) Those guys usually are the creative people in the battlefields that create strategies. In big countries, probably you can find the most brilliant MoDs.

Now, I have mentioned 2 of the 4 aspects of Erepublik, War and Politics (Diplomacy is part of Politics).

About Economics, well, is not that hard. Basically anyone with enough time here, patience, and some tolerance to math can be an entrepreneur. So I don't really need to talk about it.

But again, what about the Media?

Writing articles in Erepublik is one of the ways people have to become creative and make the countries more active. Especially for those who are coming as newbies. In moments of crisis, may cheer you up. They may also help you to learn stuff. To see how things work in a perspective. Having an active media is one of the ways that some countries may return to life. If you are in a large country, but a very inactive media, then the country is just a very anonymous country. (Remember the “Urban Anonymity" part, well, here is very intensified)

The Media here is the main equalizer in Erepublik. If you are good enough, you can be known outside your borders. You may talk about everything you want (If you do not make Plato mad 😛 ) And your letters and images may be the bloodlines for the community.

A community needs interaction, and is nothing better than an Article. Yes, you can also do it in the feedback, but instead of the feedback, here you can also make conversations in a more intimal way, with your conational. Anyone from outside may become our guest. And the country becomes a life in the media. This is one way, a small country becomes part of the conversation. This is one way to use your voice. Media is the same everywhere. But, not everywhere you can have a healthy media.

So, how do small and big countries work?

Is not just in their numbers, it is also in their people, in their community, in their interactions. There are spaces for expressing that (We have 4 feed walls, Country, Friends, MU, and Political Party.)

Not everyone can post in the national feedback. But everyone can talk in the media. Everyone can give their opinion. Here, sides don't matter, what matters here is how you interact with others.

This article is dedicated to one of the best Media writers I had seen in Erepublik, Rangeley had a lot of very good articles, a very nice way to write. And maybe, just maybe, you should go around and see how he wrote. He maybe could give you some inspiration, to join to this part of the game.

Maybe he was focus in other kind of categories or purposes, but remember... as more personalized your articles are, it's became unique in the Media, and we have more flavors to add, and everyone can taste it and make very good recipes.



That's all for now people. Without anything else to add, until the next time. And Merry Christmas to all. 🙂