Posted November 23, 2022
I have a few that come to mind.
1) Retrogaming for the sake of retrogames. (Before digital distribution.) Just being able to enjoy older titles because they were games I liked, or because they were from a slightly old/discontunued system and being able to buy them loose without the looming thought that some idiot sold a sealed in box copy of glorified 6502 code for more money than you've seen in your life. I miss when Retro was just old games.
2) Stendhal, the obscure Java MMO. So I don't quite remember how I found this one. But I remember I was there long enough to build a rapport within the community, and even remember when their old client upgraded into a properly themed one. I sometimes spin up a solo server for fun, seeing as the game is small enough to fit on a BBS.
3) Neopets, before the collapse. Basically, getting to experience a strange social sim like that...nothing going to ever be quite like that again.
4) The Paranoia Live forums, because getting to roleplay a tabletop system without the tabletop via a forum is nice. Unfortunately, the community was mostly dead by the time I found this one.
5) Shareware, in general. There are many games and titles I never would have discovered. Spiderweb Software, Steve Moraff, many Klik & Play titles, never would have found them without shareware CDs packing them all in unhelpful names and vague descriptions. Just wish more of them had escaped their chains.
1) Retrogaming for the sake of retrogames. (Before digital distribution.) Just being able to enjoy older titles because they were games I liked, or because they were from a slightly old/discontunued system and being able to buy them loose without the looming thought that some idiot sold a sealed in box copy of glorified 6502 code for more money than you've seen in your life. I miss when Retro was just old games.
2) Stendhal, the obscure Java MMO. So I don't quite remember how I found this one. But I remember I was there long enough to build a rapport within the community, and even remember when their old client upgraded into a properly themed one. I sometimes spin up a solo server for fun, seeing as the game is small enough to fit on a BBS.
3) Neopets, before the collapse. Basically, getting to experience a strange social sim like that...nothing going to ever be quite like that again.
4) The Paranoia Live forums, because getting to roleplay a tabletop system without the tabletop via a forum is nice. Unfortunately, the community was mostly dead by the time I found this one.
5) Shareware, in general. There are many games and titles I never would have discovered. Spiderweb Software, Steve Moraff, many Klik & Play titles, never would have found them without shareware CDs packing them all in unhelpful names and vague descriptions. Just wish more of them had escaped their chains.