Sour grapes, I say. New players probably don't jump on the forums first thing [citation needed], and when I first signed up I believe the game itself steered me toward Atamara, and CE in particular. I've had a lot of fun learning the basics of the game there, and it'll always be my first home (Since having made my first character there, his family is native to Trassing), though as monolithic as it is I've found that my characters can make more substantial contributions to the game on other islands.
I'm much the same. Started my first character in CE, though don't have a face there anymore. I actually have a character on the other side of "the current war" (can someone name it or...?) and he certainly thinks CE is a bully who won't allow any other realm a chance to have a halfway equal fight. Old and current loyalties aside, I oocly don't consider CE to be at all in the wrong with anything they've done. They're bigger, they're better. Sure, they build buffer realms and allies to defend their borders and throw their weight around the continent, but what realm doesn't attempt to do one or other or both?
Sour grapes? Probably not, but its a fair point made by Enri that people will look at the forums before joining a new realm on a new continent. I do it myself. Judge activity, position on the continent, etc. Were I reading this and hadn't played CE, I'd avoid it the same way I avoided Astrum. Where's the fun in joining the realm where you're efforts will have least effect? That CE's a republic helps that, and would in my judgement in picking a realm, but were I hearing "Evil Empire" type stuff on the forums, like I did with Astrum, I wouldn't be interested. Joking, genuine sour grapes or just playing the line, the end result really is the same.
Anywho, best of luck to CE's newest buffer. New realms tend to be fun to be a part of, so I hope the players there have a ball
Finn.
