Join the new world

As opposed to focusing on eRepublik or 'new players' in general, today's column will be focusing on me, as I have reached half a milestone.

As of one minute ago, I have now been playing eRepublik for two weeks.

This means very little compared to people who have been playing since Day 1, or even Day 1000, but I have no complaints about that; it would be like caring that I am younger than someone born in 1861 AD. Chronological order is a fact of life; it is what we DO with our lives that matter. Even when it comes to our virtual lives.

And the fact is, I am satisfied with what I have accomplished in those two weeks. Games like eRepublik are meant to be played in short bursts of time each day, but they are also meant to be played for many, many days in a row.

Therefore I said to myself, once I had been here for a few days, that instead of rushing out and worrying about achievements and medals, ranks and titles, I would focus on laying the groundwork for the future. Today, for example, I am still only level 22, and I upgraded my first training ground to the 2nd level. A meager change for many of you with your large amounts of gold and USD-- and it has sadly wiped out my gold reserves-- but I look at it as an investment in the future.

More important than any game metric like Strength, however, I have been putting time in the eUSA forums, and into #irc. I have used the in-game e-mail, and I have kept to a reasonably consistent schedule for this newspaper, which I have published 10 of the last 12 days.

The reason I consider this more important than Strength is that Strength isn't real-- I can be the toughest level 24 guy in Division, then wake up at level 25 in Division and find myself basically useless. But I am a real person typing these words, and if I can at least start to develop a reputation as a consistent and reliable fellow-- and one who is, more often than not, positive and eager-to-please-- then I can provide a service of real value to whatever group I am in, be it a country, military unit, political party, or proud member of Mazzy's Emporium.

Why? Because if you're reading this, you're on the Internet. I have found the Internet a cold and harsh place. There is much trash-talking, flaming, trolling and generally immature behavior. With a game like eRepublik, sometimes people forget it's a game, and make some pretty appalling comments about each other. But I am not going to be a part of any of that. If you've been here more than 3 days, there is very little I can teach you about game mechanics you don't already know. But I know how to act like a man without acting like a punk-- lucky or otherwise-- and I want people to know that when they read this column, or any of my shouts or forum posts, that I am someone who walks the high road. You are here because there are some real nuggets of gems in this game and this community, and I am going to try and highlight them, remind you of them, and so forth.

Happy Valentines Day and (for those of you in the appropriates states this weekend) Happy Presidents Day!