A proper farewell

D

DArtagnan

Guest
Since I've received quite a few nice welcome back PMs and in threads, I didn't feel it was right to just leave again without saying goodbye.

I didn't plan on coming back at all, honestly, I just couldn't help myself since I saw a thread that seemed to point in a bad direction for the Watch.

Try as I might to pretend I don't really care much about what happens here, there's no denying that it means something to me.

I've had a lot of great debates and exchanges here.

There are so many interesting people on the Watch - and I've always loved how different everyone was. Unlike so many other forums I've visited - this place has always been the most diverse, and more or less completely void of "clubs" and there's no established hivemind.

That, I feel, is something special - and it's probably one reason I've stuck around so long.

It's also the only gaming forum where I've felt I could stay without upsetting the order. Also, I think it's the only online forum where I've felt that a few actually understood things about me that most struggle with.

Anyway:

I'm leaving permanently.

The primary reason is simply that it takes so much time to participate the way I enjoy participating.

I've other things I want to do in my spare time - and there always seems to be some reply that I have to respond to - which is a strong compulsion.

A lesser reason is that I don't think the site is headed in the right direction. That's really none of my business, though - and I wish you all the best.

Now, for a few personal remarks peppered with the inevitable bitter pill of DArt.

Pibbur

Warm and worn scandinavian

A thoroughly pleasant poster. Always loved his low-key sense of humor. This is a very good example of a person who never, ever, hurts people - and always cares about being fair. There's a few off-topic threads that keep on giving because of Pib - and they're full of his warm wit. That said, he's also very loathe to speak his mind - and he's clearly not comfortable with confrontation. That's a bit of a shame, because I think he has a ton of insight - especially into the human psyche, which is of special interest to me.

JDR

The ever-cool guy

Smart guy - always ready with a quick jab. I've enjoyed many of our exchanges - because our tastes often align - and when they don't, the exchange seems to bring me closer to appreciating how people differ in their preferences - even when they're not that far from each other. Obviously, his ego is borderline extra-dimensional - and he has a somewhat tasteless tendency to hedge his bets in a debate. He doesn't like me - though he would probably say he doesn't really care - but I kinda like him despite all :)

GG

The swedish gaming goddess

Gothic is a very strange and delightful creature. She's at one hand extremely smart and insightful - and on the other utterly blind to things she's decided aren't there. She never succumbs to cheap insults or malice - and she's one of the few posters who can take criticism without feeling personally hurt. That's a rare quality, truly.

Corwin

The wise nutter

A religious nut if I ever saw one. But also a very measured and calm person. He's amiable and laid back - and I like that a lot. He often takes the side of the underdog - and is occasionally right to do so. That's another rarity that I can easily appreciate. I haven't exchanged with him a lot - but I've always liked him.

joxer

Mental patient with a good heart

Somewhat recent poster - and batshit crazy. He has a lot of humor, though - and somewhere in the chaos of his brain there's a pattern that makes sense. He's clearly fighting the fight against DLC and respawns - and that's not the worst crusade you can be on. I know he hates my guts for giving him of his own medicine - but that's ok. I like him.

sakichop

The capitalist :)

Hehe, strange how someone so deluded can have so many good points. We seem to share a mutual appreciation despite being very different in terms of real life philosophies. He's also uncommonly fair and considerate of the positions of other people. Even when he vehemently disagrees, he seems to have room for the other person. I shall miss exchanging with him.

Fluent

The upbeat blind optimist

In many ways my opposite, but unlike myself - Fluent contributed greatly to the site. He's worked hard here, and his always positive attitude can be quite uplifting. Yes, he's living in a dream world of his own making - but he seems happy in it.

Jaz

The fashionable female

I can't say I've had many exchanges with her - but I like her. She's not afraid to speak her mind - and she has great taste in games. To my great surprise, I can't really find anything negative to say about her - to balance things out. Annoying.

Zahratustra

The contrarian with humor

No matter how good I try to make my point, Zahra always enjoys coming up with a reversal. He's rarely - if ever - truly nasty and below the belt which I appreciate. He doesn't say all that much - but he helps balance things out.

crpgnut

The mainstreamer with good tastes

One of our resident defenders of the big mainstream developers - and he's not ashamed to admit it. Very refreshing to have people who can see value in things that don't strictly adhere to "old-school" mechanics no matter the cost. I've often felt we shared a fondness for open world games. He does take the occasional cheap shot though.

Ovenall

Anti-niche on principle

Hehe, he's always the first to throw insults at our favorite games. Unfortunately, he sometimes has a good point - even if we'd rather ignore it. That said, he doesn't seem to appreciate when his favorite mainstream game is not what we want it to be - without us somehow being wrong about it.

Myrthos

The invisible admin with great objectivity

He has a tough job. No doubt he's done a lot of hard work for questionable reward. In my experience, he's had an admirable talent for staying neutral and just. In fact, it's only recently I've ever seen him take a cheap shot and fight against minority opinions. Still, I think he's been a good admin with a great attitude towards people in general.

Thrasher

The guy who just doesn't give

Pretty insightful with plenty of interesting comments about games and people. One of the few people more stubborn than myself - but he's not one to sink low about it. I've enjoyed many exchanges with him - and I've always been interested in reading what he has to say about games.

Wisdom

One of the smartest

Very smart guy for sure. Seems to have a developed sense of balance and justice. He's been a challenge on several occasions - because he's forced me to reconsider my own position. Few people manage to do that, really. He does seem to take things personally on occasion, which I feel might have hampered his usual ability to stay objective.

dteowner

The lazy rightist with a heart of gold

Never short a remark - but never interested in following through. Clearly, he speaks from a position of caring about things - but he just can't be bothered to go all the way. One of the few who takes the side of the weak whether or not he really believes in or cares about their point of view. I think it's valuable - though ultimately not necessarily worth it if you don't go all the way. I think he has a lot more to offer than he's offering, so to speak.

Pladio

The wise man who holds back

Pladio is a person with many good points. He's always challenging to exchange with - and he doesn't play for points. That's very admirable. I've had heated arguments - but he's always managed to stay fair anyway. That said, it seems he often stays out of arguments and often doesn't carry through. I can understand that - but it's unfortunate when you consider his level of insight.

txa

The balanced extremist

Very kind-hearted guy that's too easy to excite. Clearly, he has the best intentions and wants a world where people are all welcome. But that temper…. He's too quick to judge and unable to stay neutral when his blood is boiling. That's dangerous as a fighter for justice. But I like him - and I think he's one of the most balanced guys around here - when he's calm.

CelticFrost

The kind and serious man

Celtic is ultimately a "good guy". He's working hard and he generally treats people with respect. Sometimes, he gets upset when he's faced with "bad behavior" - and he takes things a bit too seriously. He doesn't quite know when to quit - but I find it hard to blame him, when he's doing so much to be a decent fellow. If you work hard like that - it's easy to take offense when others don't do anything at all.

lostforever

Unafraid and insightful

Lost is a guy who can dish it out and take it right back. He's willing to entertain the ideas of those he disagrees with - and he's not afraid to change his mind. Also, he doesn't back down from a heated exchange - and yet he's never one to deal the low blow. Admirable - though sometimes a bit too quick to judge.

Alrik

All heart

Alrik is someone who wishes the world was something it can never be. He's kind-hearted and extremely sensitive. I sometimes wish people were more like him - but I'm not sure how that would work in the long run.

Samhain

Crazy and he knows it

Sam is a bit chaotic neutral - but at least he knows it. He doesn't dwell on bitterness and he's always ready to poke a bit of fun. That said, he could do with a bit more verbosity on occasion.

Couch

The 180 gamer

I remember when Couch first game to the Watch. He was one of the most bitter gamers here. I'm not sure what happened, but he certainly turned it around. He's done great work as a news poster - but I don't think he was suited for the kind of criticism you'll inevitably receive in that position. But I think he's quite fair and reasonable - even if he's a bit quick to take things to heart. Also, I appreciate his love for mainstream games - as it helps balance things out.

Moriendor

The cynical pragmatist

Typical german. Moriendor believes in what he can see - and he clearly disbelieves in what he can't see. He has a great knowledge of the industry - and is refreshingly informed about most of what he talks about. That said, take it from me - he's going to have a hard time explaining his current position once Star Citizen is finally released - in the distant future :)

Drithius

Romantic with a broken heart

One of the most bitter gamers here, but I know it's because he cares deeply about gaming. He often sees uncaring developers where there's really only developers doing their best when subject to the reality of the industry. But Drithius is a smart guy - and he's got good points often enough.

HiddenX

The number-happy old-schooler

One of those people who's taken a dislike to my person. Can't blame him. He's done a lot of interesting work around here. He's knowledgable and he has interesting things to say about RPGs in particular. He's not always right, though, which seems to bother him more than it should. But he's a valuable poster, definitely.

Sacred_Path

A fighter with a brain

Sacred doesn't just give up - and he's good many good points. He's been faced with a challenge in life that's probably greater than what most of us have to face - and yet he's surprisingly balanced and reasonable. Sometimes, his analogies falter - but I always appreciate them anyway.

Damian

Lost but willing to be found

Damian has controversial opinions, that much is for sure. But he doesn't just dismiss other people. He listens and often seems to learn from them. Very much unlike what a lot of people has offered him, and so I find it admirable. I wish he would learn to have more confidence in himself, though.

wolfgrimdark

The true roleplayer

It's nice to have a true old-school roleplayer participate. You could tell wolf immersed himself fully in his favorite games. He's also a gentle soul. He reminds me a bit of Pib - and in that way, I would have enjoyed more from him and it's unfortunate that he didn't share more of himself.

Todd

The provocateur

Todd likes to try and get under your skin, but he does it with a glint in his eye. He's not cruel or malicious - and sometimes he hits the nail on the head. Not quite as often as he thinks so, though.

Pessimeister

Calm hardcore RPG fan

He's one of those RPG fans who doesn't see much good in modern game design. But he knows a lot about old-school games - and he's got valuable insight. He's somewhat predictable in that way, but he's able to carry a productive debate without getting personal. Mostly, anyway :)

Maylander

The speed runner

No, not really. Maylander just has the ability to dedicate himself fully to a game until it's finished. I so wish I had that ability. He's thorough and I always enjoy his reviews. They're full of insight and they're clearly based on a lot of experience. I've had the occasional exchange where he's been a bit stubborn - but that's hardly out of the norm. A poster of great value, in my opinion.

Morrandir

Gamer with great taste

I haven't seen him in a lot of debates outside of gaming. So, that's what I know about. He might be the gamer with tastes most similar to mine. So, obviously, I'm always keen to hear his comments about new games. I can't remember him ever getting personal about anything - and that's pretty impressive. I could remember wrong, though :)

------

There are many more, but I'm stretching the limits of memory already. I didn't include recent posters because I don't feel I know enough about them.

Anyway, I've asked Myrthos to delete my account - and I'll confirm once I'm done with the current few threads I participate in.

10 years and 19K+ posts - what a mess of text walls ;)

I wish you ALL - all the best.

Have fun!
 
Well I can't deny I was a total jackass back in 2010-12. :blush:

So despite a few misunderstandings I'll miss you DArtagnan.:party:
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Awww, the place hasn't been the same without you around. Best of luck out there.
 
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All the best DArt! Be well :)
 
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Good luck out there, D'art. Couch used to troll... I'll be damned if I can imagine that.
 
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The watch will be lot poorer without you specially given what else is going on now but these are the signs of time we live in!

Good luck and good hunting :)
 
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Sad, to see you go, many a great insight will be lost without you around, but at least my eyes will feel better for not having to read mountains of text.

Oooo, and don't miss my game, I think it might be something you'd like, at least the complex system... the graphics well, I am not sure. At first I would post something about it in the forum I have on this site, but I am sure you'd see it other places in the net in awhile! ( Ok, probably you will not believe me as I've been talking about it sooo long :p, but this is the first time I am not planning a redesign and working on the game instead....so.... ;)
 
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Farewell, have a good time wherever you end up.

I quite enjoyed your thoughts on games as you were always critical and explained the good and bad points well.

I may have complained about you a few times but I did always enjoy your presence. :p
 
Sad, to see you go, many a great insight will be lost without you around, but at least my eyes will feel better for not having to read mountains of text.

Oooo, and don't miss my game, I think it might be something you'd like, at least the complex system… the graphics well, I am not sure. At first I would post something about it in the forum I have on this site, but I am sure you'd see it other places in the net in awhile! ( Ok, probably you will not believe me as I've been talking about it sooo long :p, but this is the first time I am not planning a redesign and working on the game instead….so…. ;)

I've been curious about your game from the beginning - so I'll be sure to check it out.

One of the reasons I'm leaving is in an attempt to focus on my own game - which I've recently "recreated" in Unity.

Very far to go yet, but I still dream of actually creating something - instead of always consuming it.

;)
 
Farewell, have a good time wherever you end up.

I quite enjoyed your thoughts on games as you were always critical and explained the good and bad points well.

I may have complained about you a few times but I did always enjoy your presence. :p

Lord knows there's enough to complain about ;)

Glad that my thoughts have been of use to you.
 
Sorry to see you go. I'm going to miss - as we agreed upon - most of your posts. :)

Best wishes.

pibbur who says thanks for your kind words.
 
Well this sucks. You never had a problem being true to yourself, so a move like this is completely consistent. Rock on, you utopian pain. ;)
 
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DArt, I agree on the direction of the site, I've stuck to just discussing whatever game I happen to be playing and ignore the rest of it. There is a reason why 90% of the old-timers are gone. We can't bring back the days of yore, too many are gone and even those remaining no longer post.

To be honest the term RPG has broadened too much and now it means anything. When the site was at its best, we might have discussed 10 games a year and most posts had to do with one of these few games. We'd all be playing the same game at the same time because there weren't 2000 choices. Now there are 30 games a month released with "RPG" elements. Each person has a belief about which games fit that definition. The site is too diluted for its size.

I tried leaving a couple times. The key is not to lurk. Otherwise, you'll be right back.
 
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I will miss your posts Dart. So long and thanks for the reminder that nothing is forever.
 
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Aww, well shux. We had our differences, Dart, but I think you were a great asset to the site. Although numerous your posts may have been, you always sought to explore other modes of thinking - something vital to break up hivemind tendencies.

I wish you luck and happiness in your foreign lands.
 
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Good luck in your new adventures. I'm going to miss your posts, even if I didn't agree with them all the time, they did spice up the Watch.
 
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