Hey there again, Escapist.

[Tsun Tzu]

Snippity Snap Snip

I vaguely recognize the user name, but I don't think we ever interacted.

But, eh. How's goes it, m8?

It's all right here, I suppose. We're down a few long-time members due to THE PURPLE AND GREEN MENACE, but there's still discussion to be had about this and that. Slightly more this than that.

Aside from the toxicity and bickering associated with THE PURPLE AND GREEN MENACE I mean.

I still like it here...enough to keep visiting on a near daily basis six or seven years after first stumbling upon it thanks to Yahtzee bitching about how strangely that 'The Darkness' fellow was fondling a shotgun.

And, hey, there's still plenty of pretentious snark to go around.

 

[Something Amyss]

I don't really remember you, but if you actually don't care about these issues, it's probably best to not bring them up. In fact, why not just create topics about things you do care about?

I think it's pretty alright

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

Especially if that person has a flour-based shell and tastes good with salsa.

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

You can keep your pesky Voltron. I've got an Ultrazord.


Plus, dinosaurs are cooler than lions. Also, dragons.

 

[PsychicTaco115]

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.

Damn robots that aren't bound to pure, cold logic

This is why I need feminism

I don't really remember you, but if you actually don't care about these issues, it's probably best to not bring them up. In fact, why not just create topics about things you do care about?

I think it's pretty alright

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

Especially if that person has a flour-based shell and tastes good with salsa.

You always know the best words to use <3

 

[Imperioratorex Caprae]

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.

I'm probably counted as a vestigial appendage but I'll add my hat to the storm... or some other analogy. Its 2:30AM dammit, and that excuses my lack of funny things to say.

OT: I post here for various reasons, most of them not in the realm of seriousness but I've found more often than not that there are peaks and valleys of contentiousness, the recent flare up is nothing new, just lasted a bit longer than previous ones but its seemingly dying down and we can get back to threads not being derailed by the contentious idea of the year. I think I mostly stay because I've found a couple people I enjoy talking to, and there are some things that occur that are absolute popcorn moments happening in semi-real-time. Trainwreck threads and such.

 

[Fury Is Me.]

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. Snip the rest.

I think at one point you gave me a warning for something. I don't believe we've ever interacted outside of that though. Mods are typically nice to see (Unless you're in trouble). If you enjoy what you do here keep doing it. Thanks for that possible warning you might have given me a long time ago, by the way.

 

[Fury Is Me.]

Snippity Snap Snip

I vaguely recognize the user name, but I don't think we ever interacted.

But, eh. How's goes it, m8?

It's all right here, I suppose. We're down a few long-time members due to THE PURPLE AND GREEN MENACE, but there's still discussion to be had about this and that. Slightly more this than that.

Aside from the toxicity and bickering associated with THE PURPLE AND GREEN MENACE I mean.

I still like it here...enough to keep visiting on a near daily basis six or seven years after first stumbling upon it thanks to Yahtzee bitching about how strangely that 'The Darkness' fellow was fondling a shotgun.

And, hey, there's still plenty of pretentious snark to go around.

It goes fine, friend. I also somewhat recognize your username too, not sure if we ever had extended conversation.

I'm unsure of what Green and Purple menace you might be talking about, honestly. I don't know if you mean GamerGate or if you're just referencing that one Piccolo Dick thing.

Yahtzee got most people here, I think. Him and Jim did. I got here by a shitty website for a shitty flash game that Sam G was on by coincidence (Not sure if you know Sam). It had a roleplaying section, I didn't know what i was doing, he told me to come here. Possibly the best series of coincidences to have happen to me given how this site has affected my life.

Pretentious snark was both a plus for me at points and my least favorite part of this site most of the time, so.

I hope I still remember how to do that.

 

[Tsun Tzu]

It goes fine, friend. I also somewhat recognize your username too, not sure if we ever had extended conversation.

I'm unsure of what Green and Purple menace you might be talking about, honestly. I don't know if you mean GamerGate or if you're just referencing that one Piccolo Dick thing.

Yahtzee got most people here, I think. Him and Jim did. I got here by a shitty website for a shitty flash game that Sam G was on by coincidence (Not sure if you know Sam). It had a roleplaying section, I didn't know what i was doing, he told me to come here. Possibly the best series of coincidences to have happen to me given how this site has affected my life.

Pretentious snark was both a plus for me at points and my least favorite part of this site most of the time, so.

[Scooby Snips]

I hope I still remember how to do that.

Glad to hear it, even if we haven't engaged previously. Nice to know people are making it out there.

I was referring to the PlayerPortcullis issue, but now you've put that gif in my head-

[small]You bastard and/or bastardess you.[/small]

-so now it's all I can picture when I think of that phrase...not that said gif wasn't already burned into my brain thanks to a bit of ill-advised channering back in the dark ages of '08 between WoW raids and copious amounts of pre-marital sex.

And, unfortunately, I don't know a Sam G, but I'd like to echo the 'best series of coincidences' sentiment, since this has, overall, been a lovely place to frequent over the years. Lots of entertainment. Lots of interesting folks to engage with. Lots of impotent rage. The works.

Nobody ever forgets how to pretentiously snark, by the way. It's like riding a bicycle.

A bicycle composed entirely of feces and orphan tears, but a bike nonetheless.

 

[San Martin]

This thread has taught me that the Escapist is really into Voltron, but NOT Ultron. I don't know what either of those things are.

 

[Fallow]

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.

Not cool bro, I am not connected to game journalists!.

This thread has taught me that the Escapist is really into Voltron, but NOT Ultron. I don't know what either of those things are.

Pretty sure that's a sex thing.

 

[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.

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.

If your curious about how drastically the forum activity has dwindled, here's some numbers:

Snip.

I used Wayback Machine [http://web.archive.org/web/*/http://www.escapistmagazine.com/forums/] and found archives that were 1 week apart. Then, I calculated how many new threads and posts were made in that week.

Spoiler: The Numbers

Pre Gamergate

March 2009
Gaming discussion
370 new threads
15457 new posts

Off Topic
496 new threads
22966 new posts


March 2010
Gaming Discussion
471 new threads
16865 new posts

Off Topic
468 new threads
19247 new posts

July 2011
Gaming Discussion
549 new threads
18154 new posts

Off Topic
465 new threads
27292 new posts

May 2012
Gaming Discussion
254 new threads
8359 new posts

Off Topic
213 new threads
11075 new posts

Jun 2013
Gaming Discussion
181 new threads
6954 new posts

Off Topic
73 new threads
3618 new posts

March 2014
Gaming Discussion
98 new threads
2863 new posts

Off Topic
51 new threads
1850 new posts

July 2014
Gaming Discussion
21 new threads
4648 new posts

Off Topic
13 new threads
2170 new posts


Post Gamergate
There was only 1 set of archives a week apart after August 2014

March 2015
Gaming discussion
62 new threads
1953 new posts

Off Topic
67 new threads
2213 new posts

Snip.

So as you can see, the forum traffic took a enormous hit in 2012 and has been dropping ever since.
If we compare the high point of July 2011 to the low point of March 2015 we see:

Gaming Discussion
Topic creation is down 89%
New posts are down 89%

Off Topic
Topic creation is down 85%
New posts are down 92%

Snip.
I just checked the first page of each thread on the first page of Off-Topic and tallied everybody who had a join date from 2014-2015:

Total Posts: 539
Posts from users with join dates 2014-2015: 58
Individual users with join dates 2014-2015: 35
Percentage of posts from users with join dates 2014-2015: 10%

For comparison I did the same thing with the first page of Off-Topic from August 16, 2011 [http://web.archive.org/web/20110816093450/http://www.escapistmagazine.com/forums/index/18-Off-topic-Discussion]:

Total Posts: 602
Posts from users with join dates 2010-2011: 356
Percentage of posts from users with join dates 2010-2011: 59%

 

[Guffe]

Hello there.
I can't say I remember you, not name nor avatar...
I was never the most active so I might not be the right person to talk to that stuff about. I have very few people I interact with regularly here. I usually post in Of-Topic and Gaming forums, maybe in a thread or two every week throwing in my 10 cents on some world changing matter
I don't think the forums have change, contract to popular opinion. But I stay out of all the controversial threads (always have) and just stay to myself, mostly. Escapist still gives a few laughs when scrolling through threads and a snarky/sarcastic comment to enjoy when typing something myself
So for me it's still the same old as always.

 

[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.

If your curious about how drastically the forum activity has dwindled, here's some numbers:

Snip.

I used Wayback Machine [http://web.archive.org/web/*/http://www.escapistmagazine.com/forums/] and found archives that were 1 week apart. Then, I calculated how many new threads and posts were made in that week.

Spoiler: The Numbers

Pre Gamergate

March 2009
Gaming discussion
370 new threads
15457 new posts

Off Topic
496 new threads
22966 new posts


March 2010
Gaming Discussion
471 new threads
16865 new posts

Off Topic
468 new threads
19247 new posts

July 2011
Gaming Discussion
549 new threads
18154 new posts

Off Topic
465 new threads
27292 new posts

May 2012
Gaming Discussion
254 new threads
8359 new posts

Off Topic
213 new threads
11075 new posts

Jun 2013
Gaming Discussion
181 new threads
6954 new posts

Off Topic
73 new threads
3618 new posts

March 2014
Gaming Discussion
98 new threads
2863 new posts

Off Topic
51 new threads
1850 new posts

July 2014
Gaming Discussion
21 new threads
4648 new posts

Off Topic
13 new threads
2170 new posts


Post Gamergate
There was only 1 set of archives a week apart after August 2014

March 2015
Gaming discussion
62 new threads
1953 new posts

Off Topic
67 new threads
2213 new posts

Snip.

So as you can see, the forum traffic took a enormous hit in 2012 and has been dropping ever since.
If we compare the high point of July 2011 to the low point of March 2015 we see:

Gaming Discussion
Topic creation is down 89%
New posts are down 89%

Off Topic
Topic creation is down 85%
New posts are down 92%

Snip.
I just checked the first page of each thread on the first page of Off-Topic and tallied everybody who had a join date from 2014-2015:

Total Posts: 539
Posts from users with join dates 2014-2015: 58
Individual users with join dates 2014-2015: 35
Percentage of posts from users with join dates 2014-2015: 10%

For comparison I did the same thing with the first page of Off-Topic from August 16, 2011 [http://web.archive.org/web/20110816093450/http://www.escapistmagazine.com/forums/index/18-Off-topic-Discussion]:

Total Posts: 602
Posts from users with join dates 2010-2011: 356
Percentage of posts from users with join dates 2010-2011: 59%

In 2012, huh? Right around the time my posting here became sparse. Heh, maybe when I left I took a bunch of people with me. Well, whatever the reason, That's quite a stark change in posting frequency here. Kind of sad to see that happen, to be honest. Oh well, not much to be done, I suppose.

 

[Fury Is Me.]

Hello there.
I can't say I remember you, not name nor avatar...
I was never the most active so I might not be the right person to talk to that stuff about. I have very few people I interact with regularly here. I usually post in Of-Topic and Gaming forums, maybe in a thread or two every week throwing in my 10 cents on some world changing matter
I don't think the forums have change, contract to popular opinion. But I stay out of all the controversial threads (always have) and just stay to myself, mostly. Escapist still gives a few laughs when scrolling through threads and a snarky/sarcastic comment to enjoy when typing something myself
So for me it's still the same old as always.

I don't recall you at all either. It's glad to know you're still enjoying yourself, though, as sparse as your posting might be despite seven years on the site. Keep on enjoying yourself, man.

 

[Redlin5_v1legacy]

Wow, it has been awhile Fury. o:

Otherwise, I guess I just take the Dude's approach to the Internet's opinion of my favorite site.


We can be a bit wound up at times, its true. Doesn't mean everywhere else isn't on certain topics.

As for the reporting? Depends on who's writing. Sometimes I see comments correcting the author but most times it seems to be a decent place to get gaming/nerd news when I'm in the mood for it.

I hope you've been well Fury, I remember you

 

[CellShaded]

Man, seems the "remember the good ol' days" circle-jerks containing primarily the same handful of people with thousands of posts are popping up ever more frequently lately. People have a negative opinion of this community? Not surprised. I'm more surprised anyone even cares about the community. Thought people tended to look at content creators instead.

 

[sky14kemea]

snip

Shit, son. I remember you!

I remember getting stupidly mad at you for something RolePlaying related. But to be honest it just seems hilarious in hindsight. I've pretty much abandoned RP anyway now, because of lack of time and lack of confidence in my writing.

You always seemed like a fun person, if a bit anxious and overly-energetic sometimes. =P

 

[Vendor-Lazarus]

I'm terrible with names but I think I remember your avatar..Unless you've changed it?
Pretty sure that we haven't interacted though..Looks at my post count AND join date...
Some people like to lurk, okay.

Yahtzee got me here but the harsh moderation at the time discouraged me from posting.
I'm not as versed in debates or passive-aggressiveness as some think they are but I like reading interesting topics.

Anyway, nice to see a friendly face and I do believe the door is always left open. ,)

 

[Fury Is Me.]

Wow, it has been awhile Fury. o:

Otherwise, I guess I just take the Dude's approach to the Internet's opinion of my favorite site.


We can be a bit wound up at times, its true. Doesn't mean everywhere else isn't on certain topics.

As for the reporting? Depends on who's writing. Sometimes I see comments correcting the author but most times it seems to be a decent place to get gaming/nerd news when I'm in the mood for it.

I hope you've been well Fury, I remember you

It has been a while, Redlin, I have no excuse for not talking to you more, I apologize. Send me a few messages over steam sometimes if I'm not saying anything.

Yes, this site has always been able to wind itself up over little things, that hasn't changed i don't think.

It is a decent place to get news and updates, I just never really got into the news here, mostly the forums.

I have been well, Redlin. Things have been picking up for me, I'm doing good. I hope the same is going for you.

 

[Fury Is Me.]

Man, seems the "remember the good ol' days" circle-jerks containing primarily the same handful of people with thousands of posts are popping up ever more frequently lately. People have a negative opinion of this community? Not surprised. I'm more surprised anyone even cares about the community. Thought people tended to look at content creators instead.

Wasn't really starting a "Good ol' days" circle-jerk, I am fully aware that things are different now, I was simply doing a check up with old and new people here.