Joining Your First Society
Joining Your First Society
When you create your first Seedling, choosing which society to join shapes your entire SEED experience. This decision determines where you'll live, who you'll work with, and what opportunities you'll have. Understanding the selection process helps you make the best choice for your playstyle and goals.
How Society Selection Actually Works
The Selection Interface Step-by-Step
When you finish customizing your Seedling's appearance and stats, the game automatically brings you to the society selection screen. Here's what you'll encounter:
Step 1: Access World View The society selection interface uses the same World View system you'll navigate throughout the game. You'll see a map-style interface showing all available societies as distinct locations on the island.
Step 2: Browse Available Societies Each society appears as a clickable location on the World View map. You can see basic information at a glance - population size, activity indicators, and the society's name. This gives you an immediate sense of which communities are thriving and which might be struggling.
Step 3: Research Individual Societies Click on any society to open a detailed information panel. This shows everything you need to make an informed decision - from governance type to current population, economic health, and the community's self-written description of their values and goals.
Step 4: Make Your Choice Once you select a society, the game confirms your choice and transports you directly to that society's Society Kernel (arrival point). This decision isn't permanent - you can migrate later - but it does determine your starting experience.
What Information You'll Actually See
The society selection interface provides comprehensive data to help you choose wisely:
Population and Activity Metrics
- Current number of Seedlings (both total and active players)
- Recent activity indicators showing how many players have been online
- Population growth or decline trends over recent weeks
- Age of the society (how long it has existed)
Governance and Leadership Details
- Constitution type (Anarchy, Electoral Autocracy, or Parliamentary Democracy)
- Current elected officials or leadership structure
- Recent election activity and upcoming votes
- Citizen participation rates in community decisions
Economic and Development Indicators
- General economic health and financial stability
- Major businesses and employment opportunities
- Recent construction projects and infrastructure development
- Trade relationships with other societies
Community Culture Information
- Society-written description of their values, goals, and personality
- Primary focus areas (trade, arts, technology, social activities)
- Notable achievements or unique features
- Community policies and special programs
Strategic Society Selection
Finding the Right Size Community
The Sweet Spot for New Players: 10-20 Active Seedlings
Through extensive observation, societies with 10-20 active members provide the optimal experience for newcomers. Here's why this size works so well:
Personal Recognition: In a community this size, other players notice and remember you. Your contributions are visible and appreciated, making you feel like a valued community member rather than just another face in the crowd.
Meaningful Impact: Your decisions and actions visibly affect the community. Whether you start a business, propose a policy, or organize an event, you can see direct results from your efforts.
Learning Opportunities: Small communities are perfect for understanding game mechanics. You can observe how everything works without being overwhelmed by complex systems or politics.
Social Connection Building: It's much easier to form genuine friendships and working relationships when you're not competing with hundreds of other players for attention.
Governance Preferences for New Players
Anarchy: Perfect for Learning Anarchist societies give every adult citizen full permissions to do anything - build, spend society funds, modify buildings, create policies. This might sound chaotic, but it's actually ideal for new players because you can immediately start experimenting with all game systems without bureaucratic barriers.
Young Democracies: Growth Opportunities Electoral Autocracies and Parliamentary Democracies that are still developing their governance systems offer excellent opportunities to participate in creating something new. You might get to vote on the society's first constitution change or help establish important policies.
Experienced Leadership: Mentorship Benefits Societies with established, experienced leaders often provide the best learning environment. These players can answer questions, provide guidance, and help you avoid common mistakes that derail new players.