Hey there again, Escapist.

[Fury Is Me.]

I don't even know if many of you remember me anymore. I don't know if half of you that do remember me want to talk to me at all. I'm not even sure if half the people i knew from here post in Off-Topic Discussion instead of Forum Games/Roleplaying. It's been a while though, I came back for a bit to look at old things for a while like grandpa looks at his old high school yearbook, just to check in.

I'm not sure how things are now, being on the internet almost every day word spreads around, and from where I've been this site hasn't been shined in a favorable light, and maybe that's just how it is now. I'm not sure how many people who I used to talk to on a daily basis are still here, or what they're even doing now. I wanted to see how things were going here. Individually and as a whole, I felt compelled to check on this site and the people on it again, even though i told myself I probably wouldn't come back here.

I guess that's impossible though, being how sentimental I am and how much the people I've met on this site have impacted my life. I met my best friends here, I met people who I really should keep talking to despite not doing so, and I've met people whom I'd rather not associate with and I assume most of those people feel the same way about me. But to those people, I'd rather not hold any extended grudges against, and to them i do wish the best, despite any comments we may have thrown back and forth at each other.

This site means a lot to me, despite my very very sparse visits now. I don't think I'll ever truly be returning to this site in any capacity, but I do want the Escapist community to know that I wish them the best. If anyone would like to say anything to me, I'm here to respond to it for the next few days, I'll put my best effort towards engaging in any conversation anyone who knows me or not would like to put out there. I'm a forgetful person, so the responses may be far in between at some points. Talk to me again, Escapist. It's been a long time.

 

[Queen Michael]

I gotta ask--what do people say about The Escapist nowadays?

 

[Fury Is Me.]

I gotta ask--what do people say about The Escapist nowadays?

I've heard things ranging from a group of nobodies to one of the prime examples of degeneracy on the internet. That's just complaints though, I've heard good things said about the site, but they're few and far between. Connections with Games Journalism have put the Escapist in a bad light. Me? I don't have a strong opinion one way or another. When I was here I never much paid attention to the actual news being put out, just the community in the forums. To me, the community was separated into a few loose cliques. Things I've heard about the community are generally that the community seems like a bunch of whiners and overly sensitive hipsters. I personally don't think that the entire community can be painted with such a broad brush, but hey, that's just what people say.

 

[Queen Michael]

I gotta ask--what do people say about The Escapist nowadays?

I've heard things ranging from a group of nobodies to one of the prime examples of degeneracy on the internet. That's just complaints though, I've heard good things said about the site, but they're few and far between. Connections with Games Journalism have put the Escapist in a bad light. Me? I don't have a strong opinion one way or another. When I was here I never much paid attention to the actual news being put out, just the community in the forums. To me, the community was separated into a few loose cliques. Things I've heard about the community are generally that the community seems like a bunch of whiners and overly sensitive hipsters. I personally don't think that the entire community can be painted with such a broad brush, but hey, that's just what people say.

Hm... I am indeed overly sensitive, degenerate, and a hipster, but I wouldn't say everyone else here is too.

 

[Fury Is Me.]

I gotta ask--what do people say about The Escapist nowadays?

I've heard things ranging from a group of nobodies to one of the prime examples of degeneracy on the internet. That's just complaints though, I've heard good things said about the site, but they're few and far between. Connections with Games Journalism have put the Escapist in a bad light. Me? I don't have a strong opinion one way or another. When I was here I never much paid attention to the actual news being put out, just the community in the forums. To me, the community was separated into a few loose cliques. Things I've heard about the community are generally that the community seems like a bunch of whiners and overly sensitive hipsters. I personally don't think that the entire community can be painted with such a broad brush, but hey, that's just what people say.

Hm... I am indeed overly sensitive, degenerate, and a hipster, but I wouldn't say everyone else here is too.

Wouldn't have guessed from a two post long conversation. You shouldn't put yourself down unless that was just some playful jab at yourself, even then, most people are better than they think they are, they just need to act it.

 

[Sleepy Sol]

I can see how a lot of places wouldn't have a favorable disposition towards this site, at least. I think a lot of the forum members here vastly overestimated the "quality" of the community here. And it's been especially bad in recent times. It's still alright to me but I've had another long stretch of time where I just don't care to post anymore. To say there's no value in maybe coming back and posting every now and then might be rather hyperbolic, but there's plenty of communities and sites around the internet that I think are in a much better shape than around here. I just have a certain attachment to it like you, since it was the first forum I kind of held on to in a long time.

For what it's worth, I've never personally felt like I was really completely "welcome" here even in four years, though that feeling is probably more self-created than anything, lol.

 

[PsychicTaco115]

I think it's pretty alright

One person's opinion doesn't mean much but I thought I'd still add something

 

[tippy2k2]

I think it's pretty alright

One person's opinion doesn't mean much but I thought I'd still add something

+1

Now it's two people's opinion! We only need a few more and we can create Voltron!

OT: The Escapist is as good as you make it. Don't like all the stupid bickering? Stay out of the stupid bickering threads. Don't like all the hip thrusts I do at users? Well...too bad cause that's continuing no matter what. But otherwise, yeah, stay out of the stupid bickering threads and you're made in the shade.

 

[Fury Is Me.]

I can see how a lot of places wouldn't have a favorable disposition towards this site, at least. I think a lot of the forum members here vastly overestimated the "quality" of the community here. And it's been especially bad in recent times. It's still alright to me but I've had another long stretch of time where I just don't care to post anymore. To say there's no value in maybe coming back and posting every now and then might be rather hyperbolic, but there's plenty of communities and sites around the internet that I think are in a much better shape than around here. I just have a certain attachment to it like you, since it was the first forum I kind of held on to in a long time.

For what it's worth, I've never personally felt like I was really completely "welcome" here even in four years, though that feeling is probably more self-created than anything, lol.

You I remember somewhat. Yeah, this place has never been the most accepting place ever. Some people I remember seemed more than just a bit pretentious, but that was years ago, I don't know how they are now and I wish them no ill intent. The best friends I've ever made have come from here, so I can say that.

 

[Silentpony_v1legacy]

Huh. I always thought The Escapist was just a place for Zero Punctuation and Jim Sterling to do their thing and it just happened to have a sorta' popular forum attached to it.

 

[Drathnoxis]

I doubt you will find too many people that you know still posting here. Most people that were regulars when I joined have either been banned or just left the site. Although, it's not like we have too many new users either as can be seen from a casual glance at any thread.

As an aside, what's with all the old users coming back and posting threads wanting to know what's going on all of a sudden? This is like the 4th thread we've had like this in a week.

 

[Fury Is Me.]

I doubt you will find too many people that you know still posting here. Most people that were regulars when I joined have either been banned or just left the site. Although, it's not like we have too many new users either as can be seen from a casual glance at any thread.

As an aside, what's with all the old users coming back and posting threads wanting to know what's going on all of a sudden? This is like the 4th thread we've had like this in a week.

Really, this is the fourth one? Huh... I'm not sure. Sentimentality like me? Maybe just some kinda nostalgia? Also, you make a good point, I had already assumed that but I just felt like checking in. I noticed the userbase has shrunken noticeably though.

 

[PsychicTaco115]

+1

Now it's two people's opinion! We only need a few more and we can create Voltron!

Make sure it's Voltron and not Ultron

That'd be bad

He's like a killer auto-mod

 

[FalloutJack]

People are what people are, here or anywhere else. That's not always a good thing, but it can be.

 

[tippy2k2]

Now it's two people's opinion! We only need a few more and we can create Voltron!

Make sure it's Voltron and not Ultron

That'd be bad

He's like a killer auto-mod

Come on Taco, give me a LITTLE credit. I would never accidentally screw up and summon Voltron on accident!

Wait...which one was I not supposed to summon? Hold that thought...Robot James Spader just got here.


That's nice James but wait your turn, I have to finish finding out which guy I wasn't supposed to summon.

 

[BreakfastMan]

I think it's pretty alright

One person's opinion doesn't mean much but I thought I'd still add something

+1

Now it's two people's opinion! We only need a few more and we can create Voltron!

+1

And I'll form the head!

 

[NewClassic_v1legacy]

I'm not sure how things are now, being on the internet almost every day word spreads around, and from where I've been this site hasn't been shined in a favorable light, and maybe that's just how it is now. I'm not sure how many people who I used to talk to on a daily basis are still here, or what they're even doing now. I wanted to see how things were going here.

Talk to me again, Escapist. It's been a long time.

I'm pretty sure I've seen you around before, and welcome back, as least in as much you are back.

As for public perception, that will always be a bag of cats. Especially for a site that has an official stance on the GamerGate discussion, in which every corner of the internet has a passionate opinion and a desire for mischief. For my money, a lot of folks I know love this site for "the open-mindedness," and many other dislike it for "lack of condemnation." A lot of my peers and old friends profoundly dislike this place, and others still who look back here fondly as well. As for general opinion? Tons of opinions everywhere, but most of the users come and go wordlessly, just checking in on the latest Zero Punctuation videos between visits, I think.

For my part in it: still around, still doing the modding thing, and writing when I can. This place is still cool, but most of you folks are strangers to me now. Pleasure to see you finding fond memories, though.

 

[Cold Shiny]

Don't you fret about it Fury, the site is in good hands.

(looks at self)

Actually we're all doomed.

 

[Johnny Novgorod]

I think it's pretty alright

One person's opinion doesn't mean much but I thought I'd still add something

+1

Now it's two people's opinion! We only need a few more and we can create Voltron!

I wouldn't be around if I didn't enjoy myself.
Who would?

 

[Fijiman]

I think it's pretty alright

One person's opinion doesn't mean much but I thought I'd still add something

+1

Now it's two people's opinion! We only need a few more and we can create Voltron!

OT: The Escapist is as good as you make it. Don't like all the stupid bickering? Stay out of the stupid bickering threads. Don't like all the hip thrusts I do at users? Well...too bad cause that's continuing no matter what. But otherwise, yeah, stay out of the stupid bickering threads and you're made in the shade.

Dibs on piloting the left foot!

OT: Sure the site has definitely seen better days, but it's still here and most of us will probably stay here until we are otherwise forced to leave.