Join the new world

Form and revision by KAOS, charts and analysis by Iseutz


Results of the survey
"eRepublik v2 - Migration: Aftermath"
*danger – wall of text ahead – but some pictures too 😁


First of all: 816 people took some time and answered our questions. Humble thanks to all participants and thanks to the uncounted number of helpful supporters, who spread this survey around the world via shouts and articles – you guys rock!

If you like to know, where the participants came from, please click here

Basic information: We decided to do this survey out of simple interest. Together with a third one in a few weeks – after everybody could experience a running military module – we may get a substantial idea, if and how the community has accepted the change to ‘eRepublik Rising’ and which reactions we really can observe. Of course all your thoughts and opinions are welcome, please don’t hesitate and share them with us in the comment section.

We officially started the survey 13.07.2010, 22:35:14 and stopped it on 15.07.2010, 23:06:57. The survey was running ap. 48 hours. During this time, I informed all who had left a comment under the first survey, then talked to friends and acquaintances and later wrote a brief information to several important publishers (1 to 5) in each top twenty e-nation (by population). Unfortunately – as you may have seen in the origins-chart above - we weren’t able to hurdle the social and political barrier between EDEN and PHX. Based on the described procedure and the resulting distribution, this survey is NOT representative in a scientific manner.

In all charts you find the same color code. Blue means something bad (for players or, indirectly, for the administration), grey is neutral and green means good (for players or administration). I’m sure you’ll get the idea and hope it helps you with your own interpretation and conclusion.

The survey: The first question was following:

http://img38.imageshack.us/img38/1532/survey2migafquest1.png">
bigger picture

As you can easily learn from the chart above, the general feelings towards ‘eRepublik Rising’ are quite evenly shared between a skeptic and an observant attitude. The blue pillars contain 324 players, who are not happy about the current situation. The two grey pillars contain 320 players, who aren’t really satisfied, but also not really mad about the youngest developments. A decisively smaller rest of 172 players has a good feeling about the alterations. Noticeable is the very small amount of those participants, who have a definite good feeling.

Later we will have a closer look at some of the 643 comments the players left for us. Maybe we get clarification about the meaning of ‘bad’ and ‘good’.

http://img197.imageshack.us/img197/7200/surveyabstandshaltergre.png">

But before that, let’s examine the results in the second question: Did you expect a smooth migration to V2 or have you been aware of the several problems we’re facing now?

http://img30.imageshack.us/img30/5186/survey2migafquest2.png">
bigger picture

While 10 percent of the players had no particular interest in what’s laying ahead, the remaining players did. You can extract two very important statements from the chart. First: We have 31 percent relying on the administrational decisions and work, while 59 percent don’t share this optimism towards the administration. Secon😛 The migration left 38 percent satisfied, but 52 percent disappointed. Additionally to highlight is the single value of 19 percent, who relied in the administration, but now feels disappointed while facing the results of the migration.

http://img638.imageshack.us/img638/7200/surveyabstandshaltergre.png">

Well, numbers can’t express everything, therefore it’s time to show you some of the opinions we've got. The third question was about what the players liked or not liked after the first days in ‘eRepublik Rising’. Of course I really can’t quote everyone’s comments, few likes and dislikes have to do it right now.

‘What I like…’
“The time management during the day. It'll create more differences between players. It's better for some roleplay.”- a french respondent
“At this time I can't see the propagated problem with gold. eRep V2 is not the much propagated cash cow. Everyone can still decide if he needs boosters.” – a citizen from Portugal
“Hot woman pictures 😁” – a somewhat satisfied German
“More products (not just 1 weapon type), product customization 🙂” – a Bulgarian citizen
“I liked that the military module was turned off, so people could get used to the economy module. I liked the variety of components, although with the current low number of users the variety is way too high to have good statistics.” – respondent from Iran
“Better GUI. More advanced game mechanics.” – a Greek
“To be honest, i was getting bored with V1 version and this version now is good refreshment.
There are many new things to do and many new things to discover […]” – a slovenian citizen

‘What I don’t like’
“i don’t like the terrible unbalanced economic module. if this is a sign of what to come... thx, but no thx...” – participant from India
“The greed for gold” – a german citizen
“Did i say bugs, bugs, bugs, bad formulas, bad formulas and so on?” – a player from Belgium
“I hate happiness, gold-eating system and war module that need too much time.” – someone from Estonia
“Don’t like, that the economy is totally off balance now” – a german respondent
“i don’t like migration of skills, nobody help with accurate data, admin change in v2 with no help for ordinary players, no jobs, players don’t have possibility change yours skill after migration because lots of people change their skills in way that don’t know what happen after. v2 is big and good in theory but in practice v2 sux...” – a critic voice from Croatia
“Once again, admins proved they have 0 (zero) knowledge of economics whatsoever and that pisses me of.” – a player from Slovenia
“I don't like the Happiness system; I think it's lame and unnecessary. Until now, I'm not impressed with V2.” – an unhappy player from Indonesia

http://img802.imageshack.us/img802/6908/surveyabstandshalterblu.png">

Now to the question, we already asked in the last survey. This time we added a fourth option to consider the upcoming military module:

http://img571.imageshack.us/img571/9668/survey2migafquest4.png">
bigger picture

I recommend that you open the first survey and scroll down to the matching question. Here we can compare with the old answers very easily. Observation on: The number of players who say, they have no problems at all dwindled by 20 percent to 57 percent. Please mention, at the time of the survey the military module was not online! Observation two: 31 percent have worries about having sufficient hardware and/or internet connection. It will be very interesting to see, how these values will change in near future. Observation three: 11 percent claim to have problems right now, but it’s impossible to come to reliable conclusions about this number.

http://img197.imageshack.us/img197/7200/surveyabstandshaltergre.png">

The next concern was the question about the influence of ‘eRepublik Rising’ itself. Obviously the changes are intended to provide more fun and more reasons to have a good time (and spend good money). This is nothing indecent, so let’s have a look at the reactions:

http://img821.imageshack.us/img821/4864/survey2migafquest5a.png">
bigger picture

While the chart looks quite nice, the statement could have been nicer. On one side we have 35 percent unimpressed individuals who adapt to the new situation without lamenting over it. Also 14 percent stated an increased activity. So far, so good. On the other we suffer heavy losses by 14 percent who want to quit or already did and 37 percent who reduced their activity. It is crucial, to get this part back into the game. The reduction of activity is undoubtedly the direct result of the disappointment we have mentioned above.

http://img638.imageshack.us/img638/7200/surveyabstandshaltergre.png">

The most important question in the whole survey – at least, if you are one of the game administrators or shareholders - is this one:

http://img713.imageshack.us/img713/3734/survey2migafquest5b.png">
bigger picture

With no surprise you can recognize, that the familiar proportions haven’t changed at all. An overwhelming majority of 82 percent don’t want to buy in-game currencies. ‘eRepublik Rising’ couldn’t change this, yet. But what has changed is the number of players who bought gold and now decided to stop. Even if we don’t accept the numbers above and cut the decrease in half, the loss of paying customers is dramatic. The single 1 percent of players who started buying gold becomes insignificant, especially when you can’t seriously ascribe this ‘growth’ to the persuasive power of the new ‘eRepublik Rising’…

http://img802.imageshack.us/img802/6908/surveyabstandshalterblu.png">

One of the most conspicuous changes in ‘eRepublik Rising’ are the ubiquitous options to boost effects by spending gold. Of course, it is interesting to have a look at this issue too:

http://img832.imageshack.us/img832/1585/survey2migafquest5c.png">
bigger picture

In the very first moment, this chart may look uninteresting and even worthless. In combination with the one above you already will be able to compose an eye-opening picture about the changes in spending the existing gold in game. But we will witness the real value of these two charts in comparison with a third survey, when – maybe – a healthy economy and a well working military module will be established and is affecting the gaming habits much stronger than today.

http://img197.imageshack.us/img197/7200/surveyabstandshaltergre.png">

Wow, you’re still reading? I bet this cost you some time. I appreciate your efforts! At the end, I’ll quote again some comments. I assume, most of us can align with some or even all of these ideas, hopes and curses. Maybe, if some admin read these lines…

“why not re open the V1 and open V2 as beta for 2 or 3 month time to make it run with good formulas and then move to v2?” – a belgian player
“Iseutz sucks, and I’m still waiting for Quests in IceWars” – someone who is stalking me 😛
„KILL V2!“ – from Portugal with love
“Nothing to say so far, since everyone is still waiting for the whole thing to be complete. The Community slowed down a lot, which shows that the motivation coming from V2 isn't really high. Let's hope that'll improve with the next big step of the update...” – a Czech
“It urgently needs a new politics module (not based on how much gold admins are supposed to make with it).” – a participant from Germany
“I'd add a &quot😉elete account immediately" button” – a suicidal Romanian
“This game in v1 was simple, that's why I started to play. It was unique game. I have RL, job, wife, obligations, 30 y old. Now if it starts to consume more of my time, I'll quit. There are many war games in the web, and I'm thinking that eRepublik wants to be more like those games but if it becomes like them it will be "big fail", because if we wanted to play other games, we could. We liked eRepublik because of its simplicity and huge number of players where we could socialize. I think that this game will play only kids from rich countries and then it will lose popularity and should be named eG8.” – some important thoughts from a Croatian

http://img638.imageshack.us/img638/7200/surveyabstandshaltergre.png">

Beyond the end… A list with people who helped to spread the survey. Have a look at their newspapers, too 😉 (And please write me a message or speak to me on irc, if I forgot you!! Too many names in a too short period of time…)

And btw, the lucky number 500... it's Karamon. Have fun with your unexpected goldtreasure of glorious 1 gold 😁

- all on irc, whom i spoke with and everyone, who shouted the link without telling me
- Donnie Bronco, Germany and all PHX presidents/mods who used their official newspapers. (Estonia and Bulgaria?)
- snezok
- Charmader95
- ivansplit
- Masila - thx for indonesian translation!
- not0
- Pedro Henrique Gomes - thx for the many articles
- Greekdude829
- o0n3m00o
- James McNamarra - look, penguins 😁
- darkplayer82
- Hanilce
- Myyst
- pejmaaan - thx for farsi translation!
- Mavie75
- helia14
- Don KronoX
- Dhelk - read his journal, it's interesting
- BleedingGod - thx for polish tranlation!
- Sahand.M
- ligtreb
- Gulden Draak
- FICHOD
- Artiga - thx for portuguese translation!
- rajabasi
- Garabeda
and more...



http://img7.imageshack.us/img7/8212/brainslugbyzilla774.gif">Thanks for reading! http://img7.imageshack.us/img7/8212/brainslugbyzilla774.gif">

http://s06.flagcounter.com/count/BY6I/bg=FFFFFF/txt=000000/border=CCCCCC/columns=5/maxflags=25/viewers=0/labels=0/pageviews=1/">
(i wonder if this thing will work *g😉