My First Week in eRepublik

Day 1,957, 17:07 • Published in United Kingdom United Kingdom • by Vorian Drake


My first attempt with eRepublik was a total failure. After the initial joy of combat and completing daily requirements, the rigors of the game began to become boring, tedious, and seriously lacking any fun quotient.

I joined this game to occupy what I call “downtime”, the time when my mind wanders from my writing and need a distraction to recoup my creative energy. I have usually used strategy and complex rts war games to fill time but at the moment none of them were satisfactory.

I thought eRepublik was something I could do alone. I was wrong.

In order to have any fun and enjoy every aspect of this game one must engage with others.

LESSON #1: While you can play eRepublik as a single-player, engaging with a group and participating in the extra-game elements is advisable and increase the fun quotient.

The best decision I made was to join a group, and I chose to join eUK.
I am a born and raised American and the reason I chose to join eUK is because I thought it would be more fun to join a group that wasn't too large or too small. There was room to grow and there was some challenge to do some cool stuff.

Additionally, looking at the map at the time of my joining, I thought the eUK would be busier than the representation of my home country, eUSA.

Honestly, if I know what I know now how the game works, I might have joined eUSA, but I’ve always been partial to the UK and its people. I am not ashamed to say that the Scots are my favorite group of people.

There were a couple of people that have reached out to me immediately to help me feel welcomed.

The second best decision I made was seeking out resources. When I found the Kraven’s newbie guide, it was like finding gold. I use it as a daily resource and I guide to help me understand the game and how best to play to be successful.

Then there is the eUK forum where there is lots of good stuff there, especially the newbie free stuff. The eUK forum was a pleasant surprise and I am now in a habit of logging on to check things out. I don’t always comment, but it helps keep me informed.

I admit it was hard not to be greedy, but at the same time, the availability of this resource kept me interested and help extend my interest to other parts of the game.

LESSON #2: Find resources in lieu of a game manual to help learn the rules of the game. They’re out there and they will save you time, money/gold, and frustration.

The next thing I did was join a Military Unit.

When I arrived at decision with whom I was going to war, it was a semi-hard decision. It was hard, because there were more choices than I thought, however, easy because I choose not to belabor the issue. I joined the Legion.

I choose the Legion for two reasons, the name and the number of members. Ordinarily, I would settle for a less than larger group so that I won’t get lost in the horde, but when it comes to war, I always favor overwhelming force so thus my thinking when it came to a MU.

I’m a huge fan of the Roman Legions as a fighting force and their ability to make war on whomever they wish and I have never regretting joining the Legions as their support network is solid.

I thinking joining a MU may depend how active you’re going to be on that side of the game.

I have been and intended to be very active in warfare and the Legions MU has been a significant and key part in helping me maintain my activity.

LESSON #3: Join an active MU and get the support you need according to the level of activity you plan to be.

While I have no doubt that other MU’s are capable and have solid support networks, I am satisfied with my choice and with the level of support I have received. I also look forward to the day I am able to lend the same support to newbies that follow me.

It wasn't too long after joining a MU and engaging in several promotions worth of combat that I was nagged on joining a political party. At first, it wasn't my intention to engage in the political process of eRepublik and was going to ignore the politicos and just focus on the military action.

I changed my mind as I began to explore more of the game while waiting for energy refills—which I think they do on purpose.

In RL, I am a center-right when it comes to politics and philosophy of life and decided to choose the same within the eUniverse. Additionally, I didn't want to join a part where I would just be another number.

Therefore I chose to join the UKRP.

I’m glad I did because true to what I was told by a certain recruiter, the UKRP is an active party with room and eager for growth as they’re not too big to take things for granted and suffer division, nor are they too small.

While I am still not terribly active, especially while I am still in the introductory stage of the game, I've been pleased with my choice.

It has added another dimension of the game to fill the time while waiting for energy refills and through irc interaction has made new friends and I’m always up for meeting new people—even if they’re half way around the world.

LESSON #4: Pick an active political party that engages you to other aspects of the game and meet new people in the process.

While my Facebook might not reflect all the people I know, I’m always up for meeting new people and addition to joining a MU, joining an active participating political party has facilitated that—thus increasing the fun quotient.

It’s been a week since I've joined eRepublik and I’m having fun. While I do wonder if I’ll be as enthused about it a month from now—I have ADD so you never know—the game has been more entertaining than I first thought.

Usually a browser game like this doesn't hold me past the first couple of days of excitement and get bogged down in the daily process of putting in work.

I must admit sometimes the impatience strike me and I look for a cheater of some sort, but I haven’t even thought of doing that this time.
It’s not by accident that that has happened.

I believe is has to do with the first four lessons and those lessons gives strength for lesson number five.

LESSON #5: Take things as they come—even the daily putting in work process—and have fun. It is a game after all.

If we allow it, anything came become consuming to the point where it’s no longer fun or worth the trouble to deal with every day—including the people involved.

People are imperfect and when you’re dealing with another human being, sometimes it’s easy to forget that no one is infallible and conflict in inherent with being human.

Having said that, however, keeping in sight that eRepublik is a game and we’re all here to have fun, helps get through the difficult areas and keep the fun quotient high.

So, after a week of playing the game and as a new member of the community of players, I have to say that I’m having fun.

It is in no part due to the fact that I have chosen to be engaged with others, learn and seek out available resources, build new friendships and support network, and keep my eye on the price—to have fun.

~Vorian Drake

I’d like to give a special thanks to the following people who have be instrumental in helping me engage in the game and increase my fun quotient:

Anahi Harrison

Blue and Evil

Emergy Maxfell

CottonPicken

Cygnus X1

Madacaion

Thedark ace