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Editorial

eRepublik is a strange little game. Since it is kind of a simulation of real-life inter-nationalist military and economic conflicts, it's not entirely unusual to see reflections of RL in the game. Real-life power is simulated as transferred agency; by others as transferred antagonism. In other words, reality may be absorbed into the game as if one wanted to be Big Daddy, or as if one were angry with Big Daddy.

Here in the e-USA, the former kind of substitution can take the form of folx mistakenly thinking that the e-USA has the same level of force and power available to it as does rl-USA. And sometimes folx mistakenly think, similar to certain puffed-up orange-hued toads in reality, that a belligerent and aggressive foreign policy is always the best approach.

This is not unique to the e-USA, though -- as with other groups -- there are likely some cultural qualities of how rl-USAnians interact that make their game mix have a somewhat-uniquely American flavor.

The same kinds of things unfold in other e-countries. It's all part of the sociology and, frankly, the psychopathology of the game. Those who spend a bit of energy considering the objective ludic structure of eRep, which is to say the real balance of "forces" as they "are" within the game context, tend to take a more nuanced and considered and less "substitutive" approach to things. Hence our post-Pfeiffer consensus in favor of a more collaborative spin on training wars, resource renting, and consistent support for alliance partners.

Doing a good job at actually playing the game at this level, rather than playing out nationalist (or "anti-imperialist") fantasies, is generally perceived as the sign of a mature player. And for good reason. Though there are plenty of reasonable debates to be had about how best to measure and allocate relative advancement benefits to new/low-strength vs old/high-strength players within a "nation", the more mature approach to war (and economics), generally speaking, tends to improve the lot of the many -- that is, creates the greatest good for the greatest number -- even if it may not be as emotionally thrilling as an attempt at direct simulation.

None of the above is surprising to most who are still in the game. That is just my way of playing back currently received "wisdom". Our current e-USA Prez, with whom I've not always had the most cordial personal relationship, was just re-elected largely because he has demonstrated a certain level of capability at managing these fundamentals, even if his personal views may veer off into a different reality tunnel (as do my own, though I think it is a different tunnel). And so I acknowledge it and congratulate him for that success.

Where I continue to think there is room for more "play", though, is in the area of sublating (contradicting, perhaps transforming) the two "natural" impulses towards transference I mentioned at the start. In other words, beyond making a "success" of the military (and economic) modules without reference to transference of feels towards Big Daddy, isn't there a "gap" left now, where an altogether different kind of national/international culture could emerge?

Many players have remarked, for example, on how "community" is such an important part of the game for them. I've certainly felt that, both with respect to the SFP community and to my wider circle of friends and acquaintances within the game world. I've met and friended folx here I never would have met and never would have befriended in "real life" -- exactly because we were working out, in our various ways, how to re-invent "war and revolution" and so on.

I will be inviting a number of eRep folx to lunch and reporting on our conversations here.

My goal is to provide a way to introduce some of the players behind the avatars, both a little flavor of their real and life and their feeling about the game. My hope is to reach out to a wide variety of people silly enough to keep playing - the Kraken-level tanks, the minnow-level two-clickers, old-timers, newbies, both friends and strangers (if they are willing).

I hope you enjoy these chats. Drop me a line if you'd like to share a bite!


A conversation with Fruto crack.



Fruto crack. is a semi-retired member of the e-Argentine Sexy Party, editor of the Spanish-language newspaper, La Barraca., and a Division 4 military Titan.

While yours truly has some ability in the lovely language of Cervantes, it would have been embarrassing for me and tortuous for Fruto to have had to endure my attempts at it, so Citizen Crack was gracious enough to converse with me in English during our recent late-afternoon almuerzo.


Fruto crack. is Spanish and lives in small mountain village. We chatted over a lovely little repast of media lunas made with jamon serrano and manchego, followed by yummy alfajores and then a few more shots of Johnny Walker Black than we probably really needed, as we looked out over the beautiful mountains and valleys.


RFW: When did you start playing eRep? Have you ever started and stopped? How much time do you put into it?

Fc.: I started over in the game several times, probably four or five times, beginning in 2010. My current account started in 2014. I came to devote a lot of time to the game. But now the only time I put in is waiting to hit for a Sky Hero medal.


RFW: What's your general take on the game?

Fc.: It would take very long to explain. Let's just say that I hate it and I love it. It's currently the most harmful drug to which I am hooked.


Slightly drunken laughter peals through the mountain valleys.


RFW: What are the best things and the worst things about the game?

Fc.: Worst - everyone who feels old in the game just acts like a spectator. I too have grown old, but continue playing the clown because that was always my favorite role. The memory of the old is fragile, so my best moment -- as well as the worst -- will always be the current one!



RFW: I love it. OK. If you could change something in eRep, what would it be?

Fc.: The complexity of the economic module. The way a country cannot really be defeated militarily, but if you know how to play economically, you could ruin it.


RFW: Hmm. Interesting. I'm pretty much a dope about strategy, whether military or economic, so I'll take your word for that.



RFW: To finish up, would you like to share a song with my readers?

Fc.: Sure, check out El Hombre de Negro, by Loquillo

RFW: Cool, thanks! By the way, for those who don't have some Spanish, this is a rocking version of Johnny Cash's "Man in Black".


Since I did English-language articles in the previous issue, I thought I'd take a look at some Spanish-language media and media from Spanish-speaking e-countries this time around. Here's a few of the highlights (with my attempt at translating the headlines)...



Argentina

UMA CUMPLE UNA DÉCADA by chorizoenelguisio (UMA celebrates a 10-Year Anniversary)

The Union Militar Argentina (UMA) celebrates its tenth anniversary with a contest asking folks to recall the most remarkable thing that happened to them, either in RL or in-game, in 2009. Lots of prizes including gold, tanks, bread and CC.



Colombia

Como empezar en eRepublik by TheCDDC a Hungarian newspaper, but published in Colombia in Spanish (How to get started in eRepublik)

This is one of those short, sweet articles that provides good advice on how to get up to speed when you're starting out.



Cuba

Aviator's Guide, by Miguel Soprano. This is a Portuguese newspaper, published in Cuba in English

An excellent, in-depth explanation on everything relating to air battles.



México

Desafiando a un Visa (Parodia Dragon Ball) Audio Latino, by Spicy Candy, who publishes a newspaper from Indonesia, written by a Venezuelan, published in Mexico.

This is a fun and chatty newspaper covering eR and RL news, events and culture with a great deal of humor. If you don't read Spanish, it is worth plonking it into Google Translate. Check out especially the embedded video describing what it is like "Challenging a Visa (Player)" in an air battle. Ohhhh... Nooooo....





I hope you enjoyed this edition of "Radio Free Dixie"! Please feel free to provide feedback and suggestions. If you'd like to have Lunch With Bob, drop me a line and I'll send you the interview form.

In-game: Use the handy comment section below, or send a message to RF Williams, or go hang out with the anarcho-commies for a while and chat me up on the Socialist Freedom Party feed.