I open WarEra and log into my account.
The game immediately informs me that there has been a major update.
Excellent.
I open the patch notes.
MAJOR WORLD MAP UPDATE
v0.72.0-beta
I guess they're getting close to release.
Apparently the entire development team has been working around the clock to make the map look slightly different for the seventh time this year.
I open the map.
The borders are exactly the same.
The countries are exactly the same.
The light-green is a slightly different shade of green.
10/10 update.
I check the articles page.
The first post is a giveaway.
The second post is a giveaway.
The third post is a guide.
I open it.
THE ULTIMATE WARERA GUIDE 2031 - HOW TO MAXIMIZE YOUR ACCOUNT
Finally, some useful information.
The author joined yesterday.
He is level 4.
His first tip is:
"You should work when you have Energy"
This guy has completely solved WarEra.
I scroll to the bottom.
"I hope this guide helped. Please tip if you found it useful."
The post has 82 tips.
I check the economy.
Egypt has become extremely wealthy, again.
Doesn’t matter, tomorrow they’ll spend it all and be broke, again.
I enter chat.
There is an argument.
Naturally.
Someone from one side is insulting someone from the other side.
A third person says: "guys it's just a game"
Everyone ignores him.
Someone gets banned.
Someone makes an article about it.
The article gets 200 tips.
Finally, the community is functioning normally.
I check the alliance rankings.
The two strongest alliances are S.H.I.T. (Strategic Hegemony & International Territories) and F.A.R.T. (Federation of Allied Revolutionary Territories).
They have been fighting each other since 2027.
Neither side has gained any territory.
Neither side has lost any territory.
Good to know the war is going well.
I decide to fight.
I click attack.
I wait.
"SLOW DOWN!"
I click attack again.
I deal damage.
I click attack again.
"WAIT FOR ROUND TICK TO END!"
This is peak gaming.
I open the battle list.
We're losing one battle by 2 million damage.
We're winning another by 20 million damage.
I post in chat:
"stop hitting that battle we're already winning"
Nobody responds.
Someone hits it for another 4 million damage.
I post again.
Someone asks:
"which one"
I link the battle.
He attacks the other one.
Excellent coordination.
I check the world map.
Another update, of course.
Someone in the comments says:
"Umm the left iceberg in British Antarctica should aktshually be marked as occupied because it was originally Danish territory"
A 73-comment argument begins.
Meanwhile, nothing about the actual game has changed.
Perfect.
I close WarEra.
I have achieved nothing today.
I made 300 gold, lost 500, read four arguments, and spent 20 minutes looking at a map that barely changed aesthetically.
I reopen WarEra.
A new notification appears.
I click it.
The dark-blue is slightly darker.
Beautiful.
The future has arrived.
EDIT: Apparently the map update also added a new isle near Siberia. This changes everything.