Returning Player Chronicles V2
•
by Benedict James
I have seen in fora, in newspapers, and in the general dialogue that frustration with eRep is reaching a breaking point. In just one instance, Indonesia lost almost half its population after the very strict and unforgiving rules-based system convinced players that they had no freedom to do what they thought they could do (Rea😛
the Matrix has you).
The administrators of eRep have realized, I hope, that the essential element of a true social simulator is choice. Whereas now players only have a choice of playing within a system of rules, the goal of eRep should be to expand the rules to encompass any and all possible choices so that players can do, quite simply, whatever they want, even if it should appear to harm the system itself. .
In the future, eRep should even allow for the ability of countries and states to pass their own laws which the administrators would write as code into the system. This would be without doubt the crowning achievement of a true social simulator.
This paper will be an investigation into the workings of v2 from a "choice vs. rules" perspective. Readers should expect both the "theory" of eRep v2 as well as practical tips and suggestions as optimizations are uncovered.
Vote and subscribe so you can be ready for v2!
Facebook
Twitter
Discord
Comments
FirstsubMaxxxxxxxxxxx
You're an optimist.
They can't even fix the headless chicken for v1 half of the time. I had a bug which wouldn't allow me to message other players--almost a week and a half after I turned in the bug ticket all they bother to do about my problem was to send me a form message telling me they have been too busy to look into it...
dream on!
The admins haven't figured it out, and i probably won't be back for v2.
I have paid money to support this site, a lot of other people have as well just to be slapped in the face with it.
I mentioned what would be ideal but it is obvious that eRep will always fall short of that ideal.
This paper will chronicle the good parts and the bad parts.
ooo i got a bug right now that i can't click on the market tab
Ok, maybe there was some confusion. Bugs are programming errors--something went wrong, code isn't talking to each other right, and there's a tangible problem on the user end.
What I'm talking about is not the problem of bugs. I'm talking about the system as a whole and as it is set up to be.
Granted, sometimes, the two might really conflict with one another. But "messaging problems" or being unable to click on the market tab is not the topic of this newspaper.
Honestly i have less of a problem with bugs, and more of a problem with admins who issue laws like they are the government of the world.
:rolleyes:
S0beit,
That's exactly my point and that's my frustration as well. Right now, the veil between users and admins is very thin. But the veil is thickened when more choice is given to users and when the rules of the game are less obvious.
So many people are currently "gaming the system" by deciphering the rules and behaving accordingly. This is the problem with GMs who have easy access to calculators and other tools that simply compute the information and spit out what is maximum efficiency. Therefore, GMs can only make razor thing profits through slight variations in the market.
When choice is added, when people can choose one thing among many others, those tools and devices will be less helpful because, ultimately, the entire system depends on the free will of the end user. That is what makes me excited about v2.
I learned very young the importance of giving people choices.
People respond better when they have more options.
The eWorld is slowly losing players, mostly older ones
Viva la New Generation!! 😛
Sir Billy: People respond better when you break their will to argue.