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This is an article about the current happenings between some of the long-term player base, and the admins of eRepublik.

At the outset, let me say that "negotiation" needs to recognise one thing. This is a joint relationship. Admin (quite fairly) consider this their game. They built it, spent a lot of time on it, and as a result eRep is probably larger than most if not all other online games out there of it's nature.

So, naturally like anyone who has invested much of their time in these things, they feel a lot of vested interest in it, and that we, the player, are choosing to play "their" game.

The Players have a similar view. They decided to play for whatever reason, have invested time, effort (and in many cases RL money) to build themselves an on-line persona here.

So, naturally like anyone who has invested much of their time in these things, they feel a lot of vested interest in it, and that the admins should realise that by us, the player, playing the game, we deserve a say in how it is shaped. And, that means changes we don't agree with should involve giving us a right to participate in the decision-making process.

Is either party right? NO.

Because, it is a partnership. Without admins doing their work, there would be no game. Without the player participating (and spending RL money on it), admin would not derive the profits needed to continue developing the game.

Without the other, neither can exist.

BUT, it needs to be recognised that if either party places unreasonable demands on the other, and approaches things from demands or "not-negotiable" negotiations, you place the other party into a corner. Either they have to submit to your demands, or fight back.

Which, is to an extent kind of what is happening here. Admin can not bow to all the demands placed on them - because if they do, then each and every time a player wants some change for some reason, they will have to bow to it. Now, I am not saying they should ignore all good suggestions or ideas, but it also runs the risk of a group of (dare I say it) "elite" players dictating how they do their work.

At the same time, Admin should not and can not ignore what players are telling them. Obviously they are not dumb - they don't want people going out there saying how bad the game is - in the long run while not all the bad press will inform people's decisions to join, some of it will, and you don't want that either.

So - what is needed is two things:

1. relationship counselling for both sides.

2. actual, non-demanding negotiations. Start from scratch. Don't demand change but explain what the concerns actually are and why.

Neither side should be attacking the other, with bannings or derisive articles. What is needed is a group from both sides, with people who are prepared to be reasonable, to sit down and work out what can be done. As a good friend of mine on the eAus forums pointed out, you need to deliver a win-win for both sides in order to find a way forward.

Now you, as the player here have a choice. If you are that annoyed at this game, you can of course put it down and not play. If admins are that annoyed at you, they can simply ban you from playing. But, this will just continue to feed the bad-feeling on both sides, and in the end both sides will lose out.

Think about it.