Entry posted by Uralica
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This is the story of a silly Aspie whose IC character name reflects what is, in fact, a small part of his genetic heritage, but the part that actually gives him some identity in a community of people where English, Irish, and/or Scottish backgrounds are still very much the norm.
It was 18 March 2008 when I happened to notice an advertisement on my friend Dave's website for this game called Cyber Nations, and I thought I'd give 'er a whirl. After my initial roll, I got a barrage of recruitment PMs, however none of them really appealed to me. The following day I got even more, but there was one that really stood out for me, since I was an RL Christian - the CCC's. So I decided to register for that particular alliance. It was nate1865 who sent that message.
Of course since the CCC is almost always at war with some idiot rogue (that's one thing that hasn't changed since I left the alliance) I quickly learned the ways of CN war. I'm sure that the reason I'm faring so well in TOOL is the amount of hands-on experience I got in CCC. If I had started in a larger alliance (other than TOOL, anyway, as I've heard stories of people going from n00b to known by everyone in a month or two there), I'm honestly not convinced that I would be where I am today.
Of course I had to take the initiative. I got involved almost immediately, even helping people wage war with success when I myself was still in my first rogue-bust. I worked in the Department of Defence, even becoming Minister of Defence by July of last year. I also tried my hand at diplomacy, which I was a little skittish about at first, but after being made to feel incredibly welcome at TOOL (so much so that I ended up joining them in my second incarnation) I wanted to do more and more.
Of course, then came the War of the Coalition. And one of the DoWs on my alliance made me have a flashback to a serious RL event that in turn made me have a massive panic attack. It was then I had realised that I was investing too much time in the game and had to step back. The three months I spent away from the game, though, made me realise how much I miss the community of the game, although this time around I'm trying not to let things get taken too personally. As my last blog entry shows, I still have work to do but at least I feel I've improved in the roughly three months (it will be exactly three on the 22nd) since I joined TOOL.
I've enjoyed my tenure in TOOL - never a boring moment, although I don't get as much war action as I did with CCC because the rogues aren't as brazen about attacking TOOL. Probably a good thing as they'd get pounded until they peaced out (and possibly paid reps) or until they'd been ZIed. Obviously I still keep an eye on CCC though. Trust me, if dual membership were allowed, I'd be a member of both, but it isn't in the case of CCC and it isn't exactly encouraged in TOOL, so my commitment lies with The Order of Light.
Has CN done anything for me? Absolutely. It's helped me keep my database/spreadsheet-maintaining skills fresh. It's added to my at one point non-existent self-confidence, and actually feel like something. I know I'm not the most attractive guy IRL, so it also gives people the chance to not judge me by how I look. Thanks to the CCC, I've also been able to grow in my faith.
Now for a ridiculously long list of shoutouts.
IGP Warriors (Dave) - for having that link on his site. Here's to you, Bovril Boy! 
nate1865 - for recruiting me
nate1865/Bolak/KeyStroke/Kaiser - for teaching me most of what I know about war.
Salmacis - for his "economic advices" and awesome sense of humour.
CL - for giving me my first official ambassadorial job in spite of the fact that I was a bit nervous about it.
zion7 - for showing me what true faithfulness looks like.
CVTWayne - for really boosting my confidence. To have an RL Marine comment on my leadership was a massively huge compliment.
KingRich - for being awesome to work with. I think you're probably the prototypical warrior-diplomat.
Dragonknight1000 - for being so awesome that I decided to go to TOOL's forums to find out more about TOOL.
Captain Mudfoot - for being one of the reasons that I stuck around at TOOL as ambassador and eventually as member. Seriously, you helped me feel incredibly welcome there.
Mia - for getting me involved in FA stuff for TOOL, and for generally being super-awesome. Also for your friendship, which means a helluva lot to me. I mean that. 
Shuru - Another really good friend. Your loyalty to me is humbling sometimes.
William Blake, Willem, Dodo, and GK - all great guys to work with. I'm just hoping you have a lot of patience. It'll take some time to get the skullslacker out of my system.
GK - for creating TOOL.
Nikonov - for convincing me to join CNRP.
njndirish - I dunno how you do it, dude. Your work on FIFOB is amazing. You ever need help, gimme a shout.
Tygaland - for being the measuring stick for honour in CN IMO.
King Penchuk, Electron Sponge, King_Srqt - for still being here to make this game interesting.
Doitzel - while I don't always agree with you or your methods IC, OOC you always provide a reasonably intelligent way to make this game interesting and at least somewhat fun.
Ro - again, for being Ro.
Much respect also to: everyone in TOOL, everyone in CCC, everyone in GOP (especially Wayne and Rekh), Valdemar, Kaiser Milch, potatohead, Friedrich von Hessen/Fredrik Kaarle I/whatever alias you're going by these days, Crossbowman, Rommelgrad, K-Fred, Karl, Toku, James Maximus, Cyvole, mhawk, Desperado, Coursca, FinsterBaby, Heft, Botha (I do hope you're going for the World Cup-Alliance Cup double), peron, Hoo, ChairmanHal, General Lee, Rish, Tails (although I wish you'd stop perving on Mia), Ramirus Maximus (you are THE trivia master), anyone brave enough to let me play their trivia bot on IRC, TheAUT, Almighty Grub, Draztikus, Goalintos, Darth Actorbass, Ski, Aaric, ZBaldwin, Fallen Fool (not "Fallen Fail"), HannaH , bigwoody, Dilber, Mary The Fantabulous, Wainy , Vektor Zero, Sargun, Sir Michael Harland, Rebel Virginia, mastab, Vanadrin Failing, Broon, Hassman, Saintkev, Finner, Prince Buster, Erchie, all the regular WAPA crew, Cataduanes, Voobaha, VolNation, Arcadian Empire, Costa Libertad, Mousey, potato, Magical Trevor, everyone else I forgot who plays in LM (Don't even know half the bloody nation names - isn't that horrible?), Seli , Dest, Pyro, the CD Finns, Cairna, Lindsay, Revanche, QTUN, Rynka, Snipah, NCC, Filosofer, anyone who's regularly at Vanguard forums that I forgot, Xiphosis (you have a mind like a steel trap, dude), Darth Sexy, Aurion, Wiccan, Nutkase, Drai, Virillus, Laura , Sande, Elishia , Ivory, ilselu, Wurzel, Bob, Vojav, Cheyenne, SpiderJerusalem (regularly one of the more intelligent posters), WickedJ (Hali? O\), Arcturus Jefferson, Captain Impavid, any other FARKer who's posted an OWF announcement, Deacon, TSC peoplez, Deuterium Dawn, Drompper, Uhtred, Rakari, Lakerzz, everyone else in STA, Rabidman (DAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAH!!!), DLT, Adrian Lacroix, Machiabelly, Lady Dakota, James I, Shamshir, Kharn, jerdge, Italy, soccerbum, Sumeragi, mykep, SWAT128, Queen Aurore, Lord Boris, Turetel, Emperor Tiberius, John Rocker, Cookavich, Penguin, Kryievla (why do I keep wanting to spell your name Kryjevla?), Justinian The Mighty, Centurius, Jaym, Biohazard, ZoomZoomZoom (why didn't you stay at TOOL you gimp?), Joracy (lol @ being called a "trader" - you and 30K other people...), Franklin, SpoiL, Martin Bormann, BacTalan, Lord Ditka, GearHead, Nahzryn, zzzptm, Rector, SoX, D34th, KaitlinK, jjallen, Sun WuKong, Mercy Fallout, ejayrazz (do you actually use eJay? I've always wondered...), President Obama, General Mazur, lolpie, fireguy, Al Ashtraki, Stefan, Combatmedic, Stumpy, Londo, Wad of Lint, and anyone else I forgot. There are a lot of people I've had positive encounters with in this game or that I think highly of, so don't be surprised if I did forget someone.
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