I'm sorry to say this...

[LordPsycho]

^One of those people who worked VERY hard on the new belt system^

[Shine]

I started out at A2K primarily as a C1 player, - had played it for years since it first came out, but was totally unaware of a larger internet CC until my somewhat accidental discovery of A2K. Really enjoyed the Off Topic forums, my first intro to the idea of "forum". Then realized that I could get more of my fix RP-ing, it was more direct interaction than waiting for someone to respond to "the Person Above Me" thread. Creatures Caves and Gameware came next. By the time I was drawn into EC vs Gameware, I was totally hooked.

When I first got the invitation to Blackstar, I thought it was too complex and for more serious Rp-ers than I (and I thought most of you knew each other, and I'd be an outsider), but, separately, I had done RP gaming in RL (you know, 20 siders and dungeon masters) This was like blending two of my interests into one. Eventually I got comforable here. I don't use all of the options, but as I go, I am getting the hang of more stuff.

But, yes, when ever I go back, the old sites have changed. I only use them when things are slow here. They now seem so populated by "kids" and spammers, with just a few old friends hanging on occasionally. But, weren't we kids once? They may be the future good gamers, some of our more novice members seemed to have grown and improved just since I've know them here.

Oh well, life is change, and at least we've got Blackstar. Internet freestlye RP gaming has a home, and thus a tentative future......

[Goron40]

Oh are we telling stories now? Let's see, Goron in a nutshell. Played Creatures for many years before I even knew anyone else in the world played it. I was searching for some tech help on Gameware and they directed me to the forums... yeah I'm a Gameware native.

But even there I spent at least a year before I even knew there was an RP community, which if you think about it, this has pretty much nothing to do with Creatures, with the exception of my grendel and a few other stragler norns, isn't that surprising.

[Shadowveil]

[drlupinmario]

In reply to embri: I suppose that you never figured out that I wasnt TRYING to powerplay. Also, I am just saying that all the features... May really frusturate new people. Hey, Its doing so for me. Step out of your admin shoes, Damnit!

Back on topic, I discoverd this RP group with creatures, If it was not obvious. You see, I found creatures 2 on an abandonware site. No, I was not able to download it from there (I bought it later), But it did lead me to Docking Station, Which made me purchuse Exodus, Which got me intrestead in agents, Which....

....You get the story. I must wonder, What made things go from creatures on a fourm to Roleplaying with them to Roleplaying with other things?

[EnDSchultz]

It's kind of creepy. My friend, out of total coincidence, is playing taps in the background as I read this topic.
In any case, the CC really changed my life, literally. It allowed my to flex and evolve my grammar and literary abilities, and, in a way, shaped my personality as well. It gave me somewhere to relax where I could truly speak my mind. And look at what my entrance did to the community! All because I was looking for help figuring out why my creature was walking in circles, or something.
A pity that it has degenerated so.

[Embri]

Silly Drlupinmario! I don't wear shoes.

All joking aside, if you have problems understanding Blackstar, for gods sakes why aren't you asking someone for help?

We don't give out those shiny gold and silver dragons just for looks, you know. They're a sign that that person is knowledgeable about Blackstar, and capable of providing assistance (or at least knows who to call).

I will also have you know I'm in the process of writing a manual of sorts for Blackstar (though I don't know if it'll be done soon as I have a LOT of work) so with any luck that will help clear up any problems our newer members might have... though I must say, so far, the only person who has complained about it... is you.

As has been stated already, a lot of work went into the new Belt system (not just from me, but almost all the Mods and Admins), and we are of the opinion that it will make things much better.

You are of course free to completely ignore the belt system and just do your own thing. No one is going to force ANYONE to advance if they do not want to.

[Netdroid9]

Perhaps the CC has not split off from Gameware but rather divided. There is now an RPing CC, and a Creatures-playing CC. The RPing CC has moved to Blackstar, and whilst most would like to remain in touch with the Creatures-playing CC, unfortunately that will probably not happen.

There are no irresponsible little BBC kids on Gameware to my knowledge. My guess is they prefer to hang around the Bamzooki forums on the BBC website.

We should try starting up another RP in Gameware, just for the hell of it. It'd be nice to see what's happened.

[Leporidae]

I'm waaaay ahead of you, Net. I just started one a few minuets ago. called "Move over, please!" If things don't go so well there, I'll just start one exactly the same as that one here.

[LordPsycho]

[!--------------------------LONG POST WARNING --------------------------!]


Story Time? Oh I guess I should recount my entrance to RP'ing and Creatures.

It was about three years ago, eons in internet time, before most of you knew of Gameware, A2K, and the two letters that have come to represent this site: RP.

I was doing some research for a college paper on Artificial Intellegence, when I came accross an article about creatures. It had a link on the bottom about a free version called Docking station.

I follow the link...and get a 404. I check out the root of the site (the index page in laymens terms), and found out that Creature Labs, the proprietors of Creatures, had just went under. The week before!

I spent the next few months trying to find a surviving copy of this "Docking Station." I finally did about six months later, and installed it onto my computer. I had already found the new "Gameware" and registered for an DS account under a name I made up on the spot: Dark_Psycho202. I fire up the game and connected! This game was just...wow.

I continue to play with the game, trying to see what it can and can't do, when suddenly I get a message. It's this girl whose name is along the lines of Pikachu3 (or something like that). Most of you from JrChat know her as CreaturesGirl, or Sarah.

We talked, and she pointed me to agents and metarooms, completely expanding my understanding of the game, and the Community at large. She also sent me a link to her forums.

I kinda hung out there, lurking almost. I signed up for a Treesprite's account, and a A2K one while there, almost as a curtisy of the links page. I also met a few people I now call friends here. There was Timberwolf, who we know as Kat_05, and I believe End was there.

Then came a link that changed my life. Gameware had just opened up it's site, complete with forum. And within said forum, was an RP, the first one I've seen since my days on AOL's chatroom (before the predators started flooding in, if I can date myself). I still have it posted in the archives, "What if we all reunited in the same house."

I entered as a modified version of one of my characters from my writings, and fell in love with RP'ing. I met most of the players who shaped CC freeform RP'ing. DP, my character that started forming from this RP, got his first AND second weapon there: Ben the flamethrower (who I stole from Hugs'n'Kisses), and the Sane Reaper's Scythe, a gift from Gemslug.

I can go further into detail: Gamewares switchover to it's current forums, my entry into the EC, The Forum Wars, my rise in power, the AoC, my stepdown, the plots, my resignation from the Council, and finally This place.

As I said when I started, three years in internet time can be Eons. But it has all been worth it. No matter where the community on Gameware decides to go, or where we go relative to them, or where any of the other sub-communities and sub-cultures of the CC go, I'll strive to continue to remind people of where we've been, and continue to remind them of where we should go. That, after all, is the grand mission of Blackstar, to bring people into RP'ing as to continue this grand tradition of the CC.

So, DLM, when you complain about Blackstar's complexity, don't view it as a negative. View it as a challenge. Learn it, love it, live it. Use the guidlines the belt system gives to improve your Role play, and hey, in three years, maybe we'll all be on your forum, still the same happy Role Playing community.

[Panther385]

Stories now? Er, okay....

I bought the second second installment of creatures for my PC the day I heard of the first one. An old friend of mine called Liz had it for her Playstation. I thought it sounded quite neat, and was going to be on the lookout for it. It was very odd that Creatures 2 showed up that same night. My parents dismissed it as another strange, animal-related game and bought it for me. The next day... Let's just say I had found a new obsession.

That was over four years ago, when I was a much younger carbon life form. Creatures had opened a new area of interest for me, artificial intelligence. I eventually stumbled upon the Creatures Labs forums. Most of you don't remember me, as I was there right before the bankruptcy of the company. It was a very sad day to me as I had only just found the forums and I had been looking forward to spending much time there.

After that, I found Creatures 3. I played that for a long time. Then, during my search for help on what are now known as slider norns, I found Gameware. I was amazed. I didn't even know a community still existed! In all the excitement, I signed up for the forums and jumped right in, by the handle of my old neopets account, Panther385. The first roleplay I ever participated in was the Forum Wars 360. I met a heck of a lot of people there. 3kul, Addman, all the legendaries. Back then, my character was supposed to be a summoner with minor shapershifting abilities. Now, Panther's a full-time shapeshifter with no summoning powers. Kiri started out as one of her steeds, but then became more detailed and is now a loyal friend. After the Evil Council vs Gameware war, I was accepted into the EC's ranks. And it's all history from there.....

That's pretty much my history in roleplaying.

[drlupinmario]

By Complex, I mean imtinitadting. I am NOT saying I need a manual or I dont like it.... But put yourself in someones shoes who wants to rp, has discoverd the site via google or something, And etcetera.

[3kul]

Not too many of the extras are vital tho DLM, they're more here to enhance the experience, or to appeal to more people. (And to venture a little off-topic, why exactly does your account have 9338930 Points in it? )

I wouldn't hold high hopes for any RP at Gameware nowadays, but let us know if it somehow miraculously takes off and everyone decides to stop spamming (like that'll ever happen ).

[Goron40]

He took out a loan 3kul, and will be over his head in debt in about a week.

[drlupinmario]