As the Halloween Jack-O-Lanterns are turned into Pumpkin Pies for Thanksgiving, I felt it appropriate for me to thank those who I have met and who have meant so much to me in Tiny Empires.
If anyone else feels like doing the same thing, by all means do so in the comments below... or if you send me a notecard in-world, I'd be happy to post it here in its own post for you.
(Also, please excuse any typographical or grammar errors, and if this seems a bit clumsy as well. I'm just writing this into the blog without the usual review. Perhaps less professional, but hopefully sincere!)
I suppose, in order of occurrence...
Ellie Bearcat for giving me the original HUD. Who knew it would turn out like this...
Erzsabet Bergbahn and Happe Hax for inspiring me to actually use the HUD and join under them.
Balto Allen, Burtrum Forester, Gloriana Maertens for being among my first subjects. It means a lot to have friends who want to be with you and help you, and they did.
Reinhardt Stenvaag for helping me become a Princess (you never forget that time... except for me, I was asleep when it happened...) and for being the key to help create Caledon later.
Becky Book for joining the two parts of Caledon into one kingdom, and helping us achieve our dream.
Deva Babii for her help in creating Caledon, and providing a goal for us during our last holiday season!
Juls Rosca for joining us when we needed the boost... and I mean in morale, not just land. It's been a gift to have your enthusiasm and energy by my side!
And of course so many more that I've met and enjoyed. I look through the page and find so many friends and people I've had the good fortune of learning to know. Miria, Dub, Caisha, Dagda, LadyArtista, Kandace, Mordecai, Bridget, Francesca, Loracenaj, Giga, Christofer, Josefina, Gorilla, Tigerchub, Calixus, Crias, Nanlee, Aldebaran, Prabal, Lavendar, Patty, Kiralette, Bullpup, Elixia, Viderian, Mariana, David, Brian, Aries, Bellafia, Brooke, Clairvaux, Manannan, Nanami, Swiftly, LadyStargazer, Kwerbleburb... all of you have been there with me in this enterprise at some point. And, of course, there are others- how could I forget Nerk, Muse, Art, Sunny, Marsha, and Mike?
Each and every one of you have been a joy to work with, fun to be around, and in general good company and loved friends. My main regret is that there are so many others that I see in the lines whom I haven't met personally. Perhaps that can be remedied soon!
Showing posts with label philosophy. Show all posts
Showing posts with label philosophy. Show all posts
Wednesday, November 5, 2008
Thursday, September 25, 2008
TE's Big Pie
One day, one of my subjects asked me a question. It was one of several, in fact, and like the others, it was a good one. She asked "how much land should I give to my subjects? Is there an optimum ratio?"
First, a bit of background as to the reason for her question. Anyone who plays Tiny Empires for any length of time (and by this, I mean more than half an hour) notices that the price of land goes up as you buy more land. The exact formula for land prices can be found on the TE wiki, but for our purposes, it's enough to say that the price of land goes up as the square of the amount of land you own. For those less mathematically inclined, let me put it this way: when the amount of land you have doubles, the income from that land doubles... but the amount that you pay for land will quadruple.
It doesn't take much to see that as you get more personal land, your ability to buy it decreases. The only thing that saves it from being a total disaster is that such things as census gold, gold windfalls, poll bonuses, and riddle bonuses all increase at the same rate as land costs.
But all of this leads to a basic strategy in Tiny Empires. As you buy land, pass it down to your subjects. By doing so, you increase their rank, their loyalty (one would hope) and you preserve your ability to buy land. At some point, in fact, you would hit a balancing point at which your ability to buy land matches your ability to give land away. At that point, you can sit and give land away all day and maintain your personal land throughout the whole process... while your total acreage and rank goes up if you're giving to your subjects.
There are other considerations, though, as I told the lady who asked me. For one thing, consider how many direct subjects you have-- the fewer you have, the less secure your position is. (This is explained in more detail in 'chains vs. layers') Accidents happen, and a subject leaving may not be an accident. Maintaining personal land may slow your ability to buy more, but it also makes your rank more secure, since less of it depends on those underneath you.
This last consideration leaves the realm of the mathematical and enters the realm of human psychology. A story has been told of a woman who was made the manager of an industrial plant. Unfortunately for her, this plant was in poor condition. Morale was very bad, production was bad, and almost everyone there expected it to go bankrupt. Her job was to prevent that from happening. Fortunately for her, she found a very wise man among her employees who taught her how to increase morale and productivity. One of his analogies applies particularly well to Tiny Empires. Consider if you will...
Imagine a pie. Fill this pie with your favorite delicious goody (apples, blueberries, rhubarb, whatever.) You'd love to have some of this pie, wouldn't you? Of course you would.
Now you look around and you see other people. And you realize that they want some of this pie as well.
You look at them.
You look back at the pie.
Now the question: How big is that pie?
There are two instinctive gut reactions here.
Little Pie people will see the pie as being too little to go around. They will immediately scheme ways to get as much for themselves as possible.
Big pie people will see the pie as being big enough for everyone. They'll gladly serve slices to others, because they know there will always be more delicious pie.
It's my contention that Tiny Empires is a big pie game. There is a potentially nearly infinite supply of land and gold. The only limiting factor is the time and enthusiasm of the people playing it. Thus, increase the time and enthusiasm, and the pie will always be big enough. (This is also why one expert on the game once told me, bluntly, 'war's out... TE is just not that kind of game'. A war game involves little pie thinking.)
So, when I want people in my kingdom, I want to make sure I get big pie people. Why? (Note that little pie people will instantly say 'so she can keep the pie for herself and convince the others not to complain about it')
But the real reason is that your expectations are a large factor in the eventual size of your pie. If you see the pie as being big, it will be big. If you see the pie as being little, it will be little.
Much of the drama in Tiny Empires comes from little pie thinking. Scheming and backbiting to increase one's position, rank, prestige, at the expense of others involves either fear that the limited supply of desirable land, rank, and position will go to someone else instead of you, or a malicious desire for such things in and of themselves.
As for me, I want a big pie! I want a pie that keeps growing because people are enjoying themselves in making it bigger. I want to see success come to me and those around me not as an "I win and you lose" little pie factor, but as the truly TE "if we work together, we can all win together" big pie world.
So, in the end, I told my Countess (now Duchess) that I couldn't give her an exact answer to her question. She nodded wisely and replied, "yes, it's the human factor."
First, a bit of background as to the reason for her question. Anyone who plays Tiny Empires for any length of time (and by this, I mean more than half an hour) notices that the price of land goes up as you buy more land. The exact formula for land prices can be found on the TE wiki, but for our purposes, it's enough to say that the price of land goes up as the square of the amount of land you own. For those less mathematically inclined, let me put it this way: when the amount of land you have doubles, the income from that land doubles... but the amount that you pay for land will quadruple.
It doesn't take much to see that as you get more personal land, your ability to buy it decreases. The only thing that saves it from being a total disaster is that such things as census gold, gold windfalls, poll bonuses, and riddle bonuses all increase at the same rate as land costs.
But all of this leads to a basic strategy in Tiny Empires. As you buy land, pass it down to your subjects. By doing so, you increase their rank, their loyalty (one would hope) and you preserve your ability to buy land. At some point, in fact, you would hit a balancing point at which your ability to buy land matches your ability to give land away. At that point, you can sit and give land away all day and maintain your personal land throughout the whole process... while your total acreage and rank goes up if you're giving to your subjects.
There are other considerations, though, as I told the lady who asked me. For one thing, consider how many direct subjects you have-- the fewer you have, the less secure your position is. (This is explained in more detail in 'chains vs. layers') Accidents happen, and a subject leaving may not be an accident. Maintaining personal land may slow your ability to buy more, but it also makes your rank more secure, since less of it depends on those underneath you.
This last consideration leaves the realm of the mathematical and enters the realm of human psychology. A story has been told of a woman who was made the manager of an industrial plant. Unfortunately for her, this plant was in poor condition. Morale was very bad, production was bad, and almost everyone there expected it to go bankrupt. Her job was to prevent that from happening. Fortunately for her, she found a very wise man among her employees who taught her how to increase morale and productivity. One of his analogies applies particularly well to Tiny Empires. Consider if you will...
Imagine a pie. Fill this pie with your favorite delicious goody (apples, blueberries, rhubarb, whatever.) You'd love to have some of this pie, wouldn't you? Of course you would.
Now you look around and you see other people. And you realize that they want some of this pie as well.
You look at them.
You look back at the pie.
Now the question: How big is that pie?
There are two instinctive gut reactions here.
Little Pie people will see the pie as being too little to go around. They will immediately scheme ways to get as much for themselves as possible.
Big pie people will see the pie as being big enough for everyone. They'll gladly serve slices to others, because they know there will always be more delicious pie.
It's my contention that Tiny Empires is a big pie game. There is a potentially nearly infinite supply of land and gold. The only limiting factor is the time and enthusiasm of the people playing it. Thus, increase the time and enthusiasm, and the pie will always be big enough. (This is also why one expert on the game once told me, bluntly, 'war's out... TE is just not that kind of game'. A war game involves little pie thinking.)
So, when I want people in my kingdom, I want to make sure I get big pie people. Why? (Note that little pie people will instantly say 'so she can keep the pie for herself and convince the others not to complain about it')
But the real reason is that your expectations are a large factor in the eventual size of your pie. If you see the pie as being big, it will be big. If you see the pie as being little, it will be little.
Much of the drama in Tiny Empires comes from little pie thinking. Scheming and backbiting to increase one's position, rank, prestige, at the expense of others involves either fear that the limited supply of desirable land, rank, and position will go to someone else instead of you, or a malicious desire for such things in and of themselves.
As for me, I want a big pie! I want a pie that keeps growing because people are enjoying themselves in making it bigger. I want to see success come to me and those around me not as an "I win and you lose" little pie factor, but as the truly TE "if we work together, we can all win together" big pie world.
So, in the end, I told my Countess (now Duchess) that I couldn't give her an exact answer to her question. She nodded wisely and replied, "yes, it's the human factor."
Thursday, August 28, 2008
The Game within the Game
One day I logged in to find that my total holdings had dropped by several hundred acres. This not being the usual sort of thing I saw, I immediately began a search through my lines, and I finally found who had left. I sent her (now former) liege a message that basically said "ouch! I see she left, is there anything I can do to help?"
When she replied, she said that the subject had left with no message or warning, and that she hadn't responded to an IM asking what was wrong. Then she added that she wasn't too surprised. The Duchess had come to her after getting into an argument with her SL boyfriend, who had aparently been her liege. But time passes, and either the rift had healed or she had found someone else she liked.
It merely underscored the words that Ellie had told me all of those months ago. Tiny Empires is a "game within the game". The things that happen in TE do not happen in a vacuum, or solely in relation to other things happening within TE. Quite the contrary. People form TE kingdoms most readily among groups of friends or people who are already associated with each other in SL. And the SL drama and events that happen can easily change what happens in TE.
No one seeking to observe the patterns and movements within TE can avoid this conclusion. TE is, at its core, a game of social networking, and its networks are mostly formed on existing SL networks. (Not that lots of new friendships aren't formed, which is always fun.)
As I view the Kingdom of Caledon, I see these groups, these networks, these parts of a Kingdom that make up the whole. If I want to find TE Caledon players, I know several places I can go to. The most obvious places would be:
The Dome in Caledon Cay
Red Palms
Cleopatra's (in particular if you're searching for our Queen)
Moiety
Heart of Dragons
Insula Inferi
Caledon Cymru
Caledon Kintyre
--and our new 'HeadQuarters' in Caledon Cay!
...and this list is far from complete, it's just a highlight of some of the most common spots. But in each of those places, you'll find at least one person, and usually a group, of Tiny Empires players who are all Caledonians. The reason for these spots? Because they all know each other there! They're friends, they like to play together, they're probably all lieged under the same person, and that group is lieged within the kingdom of Caledon.
Thus, we find that our single kingdom is a variegated quilt, made up of many pieces, all interwoven together by a common thread of cooperation and understanding. If one part encounters the other, they know that the other person is a friend-- Caledon is where their friends are, so this must just be a friend they haven't met yet.
...and to the extent that is true, the Kingdom of Caledon is assured a good future.
Now, enough of my babbling about my kingdom... what about yours? What are the foundations it rests upon? What places, what groups, make up your kingdom? What methods of operations does it use? After all, Caledon is a rather small kingdom, one among nearly a hundred... how much more varied and interesting is the full Terra Aurean Empire!
When she replied, she said that the subject had left with no message or warning, and that she hadn't responded to an IM asking what was wrong. Then she added that she wasn't too surprised. The Duchess had come to her after getting into an argument with her SL boyfriend, who had aparently been her liege. But time passes, and either the rift had healed or she had found someone else she liked.
It merely underscored the words that Ellie had told me all of those months ago. Tiny Empires is a "game within the game". The things that happen in TE do not happen in a vacuum, or solely in relation to other things happening within TE. Quite the contrary. People form TE kingdoms most readily among groups of friends or people who are already associated with each other in SL. And the SL drama and events that happen can easily change what happens in TE.
No one seeking to observe the patterns and movements within TE can avoid this conclusion. TE is, at its core, a game of social networking, and its networks are mostly formed on existing SL networks. (Not that lots of new friendships aren't formed, which is always fun.)
As I view the Kingdom of Caledon, I see these groups, these networks, these parts of a Kingdom that make up the whole. If I want to find TE Caledon players, I know several places I can go to. The most obvious places would be:
The Dome in Caledon Cay
Red Palms
Cleopatra's (in particular if you're searching for our Queen)
Moiety
Heart of Dragons
Insula Inferi
Caledon Cymru
Caledon Kintyre
--and our new 'HeadQuarters' in Caledon Cay!
...and this list is far from complete, it's just a highlight of some of the most common spots. But in each of those places, you'll find at least one person, and usually a group, of Tiny Empires players who are all Caledonians. The reason for these spots? Because they all know each other there! They're friends, they like to play together, they're probably all lieged under the same person, and that group is lieged within the kingdom of Caledon.
Thus, we find that our single kingdom is a variegated quilt, made up of many pieces, all interwoven together by a common thread of cooperation and understanding. If one part encounters the other, they know that the other person is a friend-- Caledon is where their friends are, so this must just be a friend they haven't met yet.
...and to the extent that is true, the Kingdom of Caledon is assured a good future.
Now, enough of my babbling about my kingdom... what about yours? What are the foundations it rests upon? What places, what groups, make up your kingdom? What methods of operations does it use? After all, Caledon is a rather small kingdom, one among nearly a hundred... how much more varied and interesting is the full Terra Aurean Empire!
Friday, August 15, 2008
Kingdom Identity
Take two princes within the same kingdom. Both have about a dozen subjects, with total holdings of perhaps fifteen hundred acres. If you were told that one of them would one day be a King of his own kingdom, and the other would never get close to it.... how could you tell which was which?
Is there a difference? After all, the requirements for a kingdom are the same for both, and they're both in the same position now. A kingdom is just what happens when they get the right amount of land and gold. Right?
While that may be true for some, it is my belief that it is not true for all- or even most- kingdoms. The one thing that every kingdom I've known well has had is an identity. By this, I mean more than just a name- I mean it's a group of people, working together for something that has a name, but that is more than a name-- that means something to them and why they play.
The old saying has it that "birds of a feather flock together". If you're one of those princes and you decide to assemble the flock, the first question you have to ask yourself is what color your feathers are.
If you're like me, you love watching the announcements come up that give titles in the various kingdoms. Sometimes, it's obvious that the title and the kingdom go well together- that the people in it are part of that particular cultural theme or idea. If you don't know what I mean, watch the announcements for yourself. Soon enough, you'll see some which go so well as a single full title that you begin to wonder if the title was made for the kingdom... or the kingdom for the title.
In a sense, perhaps the kingdom was made for the title. It may have come first, but that person was likely part of it before it became its own kingdom. The kingdom name and independence was just a recognition of the camaraderie and ideals that already existed.
That said, one way to find a potential kingdom is if a group has been formed for it. We created the group for the Tiny Empires kingdom of Caledon long before the kingdom existed- back when we were a dozen or so Caledonians just getting started. It was (and still is) actually open to any Caledonian who plays Tiny Empires, formal Kingdom membership not required. But the question that had to be answered for us was the same as I posed above. What defines the Kingdom of Caledon? What particular theme, method of operation, and ideals determine it? Fortunately, since Caledon itself already existed, it was relatively easy to point out how the Caledonian culture combined with the Tiny Empires culture, and thus our group description was created as follows:
Caledon- a land of Ladies and Gentlemen, where consideration and manners accentuate an appreciation for the finer things in life.
Tiny Empires- a game of feudal proportions, where one can be a Lady or a Gentleman, and enjoy advancement and prestige by being with your friends
This group is for anyone who likes that combination! Come, citizens of Caledon, to a land where anyone with diligence is but a breath away from nobility... and where your "liege lord" is also your best friend!
So if I were to pull out the kingdom idea themes from there, we have:
1. A common medieval/vintage theme
2. Consideration, manners, culture
3. Friendship
Although large parts of the Tiny Empires Caledon has gone beyond its formal borders, I like to think that much of the core concept described above runs throughout the entire kingdom.
As to how that theory works out in practice, those details are for another day and another post...
Is there a difference? After all, the requirements for a kingdom are the same for both, and they're both in the same position now. A kingdom is just what happens when they get the right amount of land and gold. Right?
While that may be true for some, it is my belief that it is not true for all- or even most- kingdoms. The one thing that every kingdom I've known well has had is an identity. By this, I mean more than just a name- I mean it's a group of people, working together for something that has a name, but that is more than a name-- that means something to them and why they play.
The old saying has it that "birds of a feather flock together". If you're one of those princes and you decide to assemble the flock, the first question you have to ask yourself is what color your feathers are.
If you're like me, you love watching the announcements come up that give titles in the various kingdoms. Sometimes, it's obvious that the title and the kingdom go well together- that the people in it are part of that particular cultural theme or idea. If you don't know what I mean, watch the announcements for yourself. Soon enough, you'll see some which go so well as a single full title that you begin to wonder if the title was made for the kingdom... or the kingdom for the title.
In a sense, perhaps the kingdom was made for the title. It may have come first, but that person was likely part of it before it became its own kingdom. The kingdom name and independence was just a recognition of the camaraderie and ideals that already existed.
That said, one way to find a potential kingdom is if a group has been formed for it. We created the group for the Tiny Empires kingdom of Caledon long before the kingdom existed- back when we were a dozen or so Caledonians just getting started. It was (and still is) actually open to any Caledonian who plays Tiny Empires, formal Kingdom membership not required. But the question that had to be answered for us was the same as I posed above. What defines the Kingdom of Caledon? What particular theme, method of operation, and ideals determine it? Fortunately, since Caledon itself already existed, it was relatively easy to point out how the Caledonian culture combined with the Tiny Empires culture, and thus our group description was created as follows:
Caledon- a land of Ladies and Gentlemen, where consideration and manners accentuate an appreciation for the finer things in life.
Tiny Empires- a game of feudal proportions, where one can be a Lady or a Gentleman, and enjoy advancement and prestige by being with your friends
This group is for anyone who likes that combination! Come, citizens of Caledon, to a land where anyone with diligence is but a breath away from nobility... and where your "liege lord" is also your best friend!
So if I were to pull out the kingdom idea themes from there, we have:
1. A common medieval/vintage theme
2. Consideration, manners, culture
3. Friendship
Although large parts of the Tiny Empires Caledon has gone beyond its formal borders, I like to think that much of the core concept described above runs throughout the entire kingdom.
As to how that theory works out in practice, those details are for another day and another post...
Monday, July 21, 2008
TE Goals
One of the things people would ask when I met them, new to Second Life, would be "how do you advance" or- more bluntly- "how do you win?"
But, Second Life is like First Life. There are so many things to do and see that 'winning' is mostly up to you to define. And Tiny Empires, the game within the game, is much the same way.
Tiny Empires certainly has an "up arrow" in it-- more land, more gold, more total acreage, more subjects, more rank... all of these indicate that you are progressing... but progressing to what? Just how do you define "winning"?
Winning is defined by everyone in a certain way- and some of the most common ways are in concrete terms. At that point, your definition becomes a goal to strive for. But what sort of goals can you set? Here are some, based on my personal experience:
Whooops! How did that last goal get in there? That's not a concrete goal to achieve. True, it isn't, but it brings up an important point. All of those concrete goals are something to strive for, and can be good motivators, but what then? After you achieve the goal, there's only so much gloating you can do before it becomes boring. (If that's not true for you, then please seek professional help.) So you're always left with the question of... what next? That's not just theory, it's reality. I've seen people achieve their goals and then quit or drift aimlessly because they can't find anything else to do.
People who quit Tiny Empires often do so for one of two reasons: they decide they can't reach their goal, or they reached it and have nowhere else to go- nothing more to strive for.
As long as your goals are defined in concrete terms, you're always faced with this problem. Become a King? Great, you achieve it and have your own kingdom. Now what?
The goals that continue to inspire and interest are the ones defined less in a concrete number than in people- in others. Thus my last goal- helping those under me (and more broadly, within the Kingdom of Caledon) enjoy and succeed. I can develop projects, and pursue them... but it's the always new, what's around the corner, welcome to the party, that truly keeps one going and interested! (Or, as I put it to a subject of mine over the weekend, 'It's no fun playing alone!')
So, what are your goals in Tiny Empires? How do they help inspire, what sort of vision drives them... how do you define success?
One last note... speaking of goals, I'm setting myself a new one:
So keep an eye on things and let's see if I can succeed!
But, Second Life is like First Life. There are so many things to do and see that 'winning' is mostly up to you to define. And Tiny Empires, the game within the game, is much the same way.
Tiny Empires certainly has an "up arrow" in it-- more land, more gold, more total acreage, more subjects, more rank... all of these indicate that you are progressing... but progressing to what? Just how do you define "winning"?
Winning is defined by everyone in a certain way- and some of the most common ways are in concrete terms. At that point, your definition becomes a goal to strive for. But what sort of goals can you set? Here are some, based on my personal experience:
- Become a Princess (done)
- Found the Kingdom of Caledon (done)
- Get a thousand acres of personal land (never achieved it- this goal was abandoned)
- Help a Duke under me become a Prince by giving land (still working on this one!)
- Get twenty thousand acres in total holdings (well, done, though that's ninety five plus percent due to others, not me)
- Get a billion in gold (all right, not really a personal goal, though I suppose I could have set it.)
- Help those under me have a successful TE career and a good time being with each other.
Whooops! How did that last goal get in there? That's not a concrete goal to achieve. True, it isn't, but it brings up an important point. All of those concrete goals are something to strive for, and can be good motivators, but what then? After you achieve the goal, there's only so much gloating you can do before it becomes boring. (If that's not true for you, then please seek professional help.) So you're always left with the question of... what next? That's not just theory, it's reality. I've seen people achieve their goals and then quit or drift aimlessly because they can't find anything else to do.
People who quit Tiny Empires often do so for one of two reasons: they decide they can't reach their goal, or they reached it and have nowhere else to go- nothing more to strive for.
As long as your goals are defined in concrete terms, you're always faced with this problem. Become a King? Great, you achieve it and have your own kingdom. Now what?
The goals that continue to inspire and interest are the ones defined less in a concrete number than in people- in others. Thus my last goal- helping those under me (and more broadly, within the Kingdom of Caledon) enjoy and succeed. I can develop projects, and pursue them... but it's the always new, what's around the corner, welcome to the party, that truly keeps one going and interested! (Or, as I put it to a subject of mine over the weekend, 'It's no fun playing alone!')
So, what are your goals in Tiny Empires? How do they help inspire, what sort of vision drives them... how do you define success?
One last note... speaking of goals, I'm setting myself a new one:
- Have at least one new post on this blog each week.
So keep an eye on things and let's see if I can succeed!
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