Beta:8 Rules of Erepublik

ERepublik as we all know is a simple game. From economics to politics the complexities of the system itself expand only as wide as its users allow it to. As much as we try, however, this inflexible rigid skeleton will eventually contain us into 8 simple golden rules which all things follow. No matter how much we may try, or how much we attempt to change, like a large rubber ball hitting concrete it will never penetrate. If anything moves in this epic clash between user and simulation, it is the user. And if we happen to throw this ball of individualism, of purity, of difference, of innovation too hard; it will break. The only resolution is our own destruction.

The First Rule, the “Golden Rule” of Erepublik:

1. All nations are in a general, fixed state of decay.

The Economy:

We begin with the economy because it is the most imperfect and broken system within this game. We do not start with Nation because the Nation is a combination of both Politics and Economics. But the economy, of all the others, is the one which inevitably and separate from all else will fail no matter how much it struggles. Let us use an example to prove the following truths:

We have 3 companies, all in one industry (food). They are named the following

• Company A
• Company B
• Company C

Each of these companies begins with 5 workers and one general manager. None of them have an advantage over another, in-fact; we begin this example with a perfect free market. Each of them are in Q1 and there are no Q2, Q3, or Q4 industries.

Each company is managed with perfect precision and expert planning by the General Manager but there is a problem. By the design of the game itself the longer these stores work the more food they make. And soon, the perfect power play of equal production and complete equilibrium of supply and demand is destroyed. Soon there is too much food on the market, soon Company A, B, and C each produces 20 food a day. Far too much for this nation.

So by some sort of grand magical witchcraft, some majestic or divine inspiration from god one company gets favoured over another. One company sells a little more, one company has a little more company activity (thus more production), one company gets a little extra money in the savings; and that’s all it needs. Like a small fish in a pond of other smaller fish, the sooner that one single fish is large enough to swallow the others, it does. Soon this favoured company will sell more than the other companies, produce more than the other companies, sell for less, and inevitably set higher wages. And so it begins, so the growth and eventually destruction of this simulated free market plays itself on the world stage.

And this is no secret to any member of Erepublik, in each country, there is a dominate monopoly, one man or woman who owns a little more than another. But of course, let us end this ideal scenario and put it into the real Erepublik. There are underlying factors as you may point out. You may say to me “Oh, but sir what if a foreign investor comes in, or a forum invades the country? He disrupts the play of balance and surely the market is restored to its original state?”

In effect, these changes and these external changes only further in-act the 2nd truth.

The economy is in a constant state of self consumption. Tending toward monopoly.

While you may throw a slightly bigger fish into a small pond, your previous big fish is now taken over by a new big fish. What you have done is simply exchange one dominate economic power for another.

The net result is always the same.

The companies with more employees, more production, and slightly higher wages (as a result of the previous variables) will control the entire market. They can sell their goods for less, because they produce more.

They can give higher wages, because they undercut everyone else, and because they indeed sell more products as a result.

So soon the entire purpose of the market is destroyed. Soon it becomes a large pond with a single large fish. And stupidly by the chain of Erepublik nature in an attempt to stabilize this inevitable collapse of the economic system, we throw in smaller fish to feed the larger.

In real world scenarios we throw in equally massive fish, but by the divine nature of god himself, one is favored. And so the cycle begins again.

So again we are to our previous conclusion, we have reached a state of failure. A state in which the system itself is so flawed by its very design that the only way it can function truly is by combined effort of its membership; in other words Socialism. While wars, interior conflicts, “Buy only X” campaigns, and various other variables stabilize over time the overwhelming nature of the economy itself tends towards the 2nd golden rule.

No matter how hard you throw the rubber ball into the hardened concrete, it does not break through; it only bounces off.

But now we look elsewhere for inspiration, for stability and for reason. For some sort of truth and justice within a game which is bent on its own destruction. We turn to the ever renewing nature of political parties.

The Politics:

As dark and gloomy as economics is, politics is the shining light which we may look forward to. The political sphere is the definition of our 3rd golden rule.

The Political sphere is in a constant state of renewal, always recycling and always changing.

And for this truth, we need no proof other than to look at our own countries. Every political party follows 3 general rules.

1. Motivated individuals begin new parties, “Remake Country”
2. Revision and political shift: Smaller movements tend toward larger movements. Creating competing larger parties.
3. Political invasion reaction: outcry and eventual stabilization and removal of invasion over a set period of time. As given by the 1st golden rule of Erepublik.

Politics is in effect, what we wish economics was. It is a pure trait which, by nature of its own design, is in a constant state of renewal and change. While one dominate party rules, eventually the state of party growth will stall and decay will begin. From this decay, a separate party will grow and dominate as it reaches the peak of party growth. This 2nd party control will then, over any period of time, begin its decay. From there perhaps new members join the country, maybe smaller parties merge, and maybe larger ones break into smaller fragments. All of these variables each reach the same conclusion: Renewal.

As all political rules begin, they will end. Because the set state of decay given in any nation will infect larger parties like a virus. A virus which cannot be cured, only alleviated by continual recruitment.

You may see a dominate party lose a political election one month, by combined forces of smaller political movements, and then win another the next. Possibly only by merging or by recruitment. And each time these parties recruit or merge they reform and change to the new ideals of these members. Like a large stew, it changes in flavor and color with each ingredient added.

So we see here where we lie.

Our economy is in a state of continual self consumption and destruction.

Our political sphere is in a constant state of renewal and rebirth.

It is the Yin and Yang of Erepublik.

And the grand sphere which contains these two brutal and powerful figures is our country.

The Nation:

We discussed earlier the first golden rule,

1. All nations are in a general, fixed state of decay.

As recruitment peaks and death tolls begin to take its grip on a country, this game is constantly losing members. The country itself is a patchwork of politics and economics; rarely do you see them cross as they are two separate entities. In the nation, we find the final 5 golden rules of eRepublik.

There is a direct contradiction between the political sphere and the economic sphere.

As the economy may improve due to warfare, the political sphere will suffer a stage of rebirth or recycling. A moment of weakness and equality between political and economic spheres; it is this state which provides us with political change. While the economy of a country will rot, politics attempts to stabilize the country. The political sphere then reaches a point of security (with a dominate political party); the political sphere may attempt to fix the continually failing economic sphere; in doing so it interrupts its own security and stability. Thus generating a period in which all things are equal in Erepublik:

Transition:

A period where the economy is improving and the political sphere is degenerating. It is the only true equal moment in the game.

All forms of political take over become negated in time.

As the general rule of decay affects all political parties in Erepublik, it is only a matter of time before the invading force either degenerates into dust, or gets integrated into the local culture.

The “Golden Age”.

A “Golden Age” is a period in which all nations typically experience, which lasts weeks or months where recruitment is larger than the general state of decay. The key factor in knowing when a country reaches a golden age?

Warfare. Generally, nations declare war on a neighboring country at this time, as their power has peaked and the economic sphere of the country begins to slowly eat itself away. The political sphere attempts to stabilize itself by creating political disorder, thus resetting the cycle.

Revision is needed.

Without warfare; and without the renewal of the political sphere the game itself will just die out. It is up to the users to change and form this game into a functional system. The nation itself is the capsule of the user base; it is the vessel in which you see change and revision take place. Without the nation, there is no game (obviously).

Conquest leads to separatist movements.

As V1 draws near it is clear that most nations take over in terms of countries, the more they set themselves up for separatists. On a national level, it follows in some ways the political sphere. It is in a constant state of self consumption and renewal, the national sphere is a sphere which is a part of the beloved concrete from which our rubber ball will bounce. Conquest leads itself to political instability, and this is in and of itself a known fact within Erepublik. As the dominate party and dominate population engulf another, it is only a matter of time before that smaller population reaches its golden age and makes itself a sovereign power.

But perhaps it doesn’t do this, and it doesn’t care for what arbitrary national title it is given. It will soon merge from the national sphere into the political sphere, and take it over from those means.

The Conclusion.

I began by saying this game is simple. This game is only as complicated, difficult, frustrating, confusing as we make it. It is a game in which the users ultimately have control over their world. And while these 8 golden rules may not be the only 8, they are truly rules which cannot be bent or flexed. Like immovable blocks of steel in the ocean that no current may dare move.

I have given you two great objects within this game that I dub spheres. I name them spheres because they are continuous and unending. Even as the economy reaches its final state of monopoly, and the Capitalist regains his complete control over the economy there will be a political renewal. The sphere of politics will attempt to interfere, it may be by a boycott, it may be by revolution, whatever it is, they create a new order. A new system that the people who wish to begin new companies and a new style of politics will create. And while the Capitalist may have more control over the average citizen than any president or congress, we see that his truth and his power is not immovable.

But to change this outcome and to fix the unfixable we must attempt to work against the true direction of this game. While the admins may say to us to have various political parties of different beliefs, to have multiple companies in a free market scenario we have seen thus far that it is futile. It is a fool’s errand to attempt to work in a system which cannot be cured or fixed.

So we do what we must. The game itself forces us to this conclusion, the game itself is broken so we set out to fix it.

The only cure is Socialism, a one party state and a state owned monopoly. But this gives us what we fear, boredom and simplicity.

But my friends that is what we must do, if we continue our path and if the game is not changed it will ultimately destroy itself. It is best to be ahead of the curb, I’m not waiting for the game to fix itself. I think we should fix it ourselves. To make Socialism interesting, set up interior governments, begin movements: change the world.

Source.

www.myerepublik.com/8-rules-of-erepublik-an-in-depth-analysis-of-a-simple-simulation - HateBot's 8 Simple Rules - August 2nd, 2008