Is there any hope for this site?

[matt]

I still lurk but miss the old days.

[Warmsignal]

As far as the forums? No. Most have either moved on, or become jaded and apathetic towards both retro collecting and modern/current gen gaming. That was the common thread of this place a decade ago, the reason why it was so active, because everyone was very personally invested in those things. We were all more than happy to trade notes, talk about hidden gems to look out for, show off pick-ups, talk about childhood gaming memories, tell wacky collector stories, create various ranking lists and best ofs, etc. But since the wind left the sails of why we were all here to begin with, solid community members disappeared and increasingly fewer came about to pick up their slack, it became more like sending messages into the void, and like "why bother?" Does anyone here have even a remote interest in the same things that I still care about regarding gaming or collecting anymore? As the sentiment has increasingly felt like a resounding "no" on both fronts, my desire to participate only diminished further. Gotta be honest.

[kashell]

This site? Yes. As far as I can tell, tracking a collection is still actively used. Other users seem to be adding to the database regularly. That's the main purpose of the site is in full swing.

The forums? I'm not so sure. I really like the 52 Game Challenge and...that's about it. But, it's enough for me. Game collecting is a chore (not that I was ever a big collector in the first place - 99% gamer and 1% collector) so those discussions have about vanished. The non-gaming related topics could get volatile because of some bad apples. Some of the folks that I first met when I joined aren't on anymore, either.  Fortunately, we're connected via other means.

[sworddude]

Issues with Discord are that they are closed to the public, so they can't be archived except by the admins. There is a lot of lost information that gets put into a discord then then disappears when that channel disappears, or is not known to exist due to how difficult it is to read past information. I personally only use discord if I need to talk to certain people for a specific reason, but there is no use to try to use the discussion portions. It has the same issue as TFW2005 did a decade ago, too much content is posted that if you aren't there constantly, if you miss a day you're doomed.

there are always filters. + in terms of actual info they usually have sub threads/ forums that are stickied. so stuff doesn't get mixed in with discussions. if you ain't in the server said info is quite hidden however. That being said discord is moreso for chats in the moment not so much info. better stuff out there for that.

that being said the fun convo's about retro stuff are on more faster paced sites these days it is what it is.

I'd actually love to show more activity in this forum, but honestly spoken: Most topics discussed here other than internals simply don't interest me enough for me to reply to or I simply lack anything noteable to say about it    I'd be able to post/reply way more often if there were more retro gaming topics 

by the way: Is there any thread in here where I can submit reviews and such?

yours still reading (mostly) silently,

Bizz

2nd that. too many topics that are about modern gaming not really interested in that

[emporerdragon]

I still lurk and visit, but not too many recent topics have piqued interest enough to post, and I really don't like necro-ing threads or responding to ones that have been necroed, so not a ton of posts from me.

It also doesn't help that my physical collecting for games has basically dried up with the combo of the new generations being more digitally focused and being priced out of wanting to retro collect (I love shotgun collecting, but it's nowhere near as fun when those random shovelware titles are $20+ each). I've instead since shifted my collecting focuses to manga and pokemon cards as the majors, & collectible figures and Lego/Nanoblock sets as the minors.

[bikingjahuty]

As far as the forums? No. Most have either moved on, or become jaded and apathetic towards both retro collecting and modern/current gen gaming. That was the common thread of this place a decade ago, the reason why it was so active, because everyone was very personally invested in those things. We were all more than happy to trade notes, talk about hidden gems to look out for, show off pick-ups, talk about childhood gaming memories, tell wacky collector stories, create various ranking lists and best ofs, etc. But since the wind left the sails of why we were all here to begin with, solid community members disappeared and increasingly fewer came about to pick up their slack, it became more like sending messages into the void, and like "why bother?" Does anyone here have even a remote interest in the same things that I still care about regarding gaming or collecting anymore? As the sentiment has increasingly felt like a resounding "no" on both fronts, my desire to participate only diminished further. Gotta be honest.

I really couldn't have said it better myself.


I guess I send messages out into the void on here hoping someone will reply or contribute something. I get not being as into collecting, hunting for games, or being excited about new releases, I'm certainly one of those people. However, I'm still a gamer and someone who still considers video games to be an important part of my life. I know that's true for a lot of people that use this site, although I'm sure some have moved on. Obviously people can move on, go to different forum sites, go strictly to social media to discuss gaming, or do whatever they want to, but it's sad that so many have left behind a place that has one of the best gaming communities on the internet, at least used to.


Is it just me, or does it seem like interest in gaming is on the decline in general? I feel like there's less interest in gaming on sites like Youtube even, with most gaming content being rage bait or some pedantic video about some currently trendy game or series. I guess it all just kinda bums me out and makes me wish things were the way they were back in 2013/2014 when the zeitgeist felt like a bunch of people who were excited about gaming, both new and old, and tracking down games from their past.

[bizzgeburt]

Is it just me, or does it seem like interest in gaming is on the decline in general? I feel like there's less interest in gaming on sites like Youtube even, with most gaming content being rage bait or some pedantic video about some currently trendy game or series. I guess it all just kinda bums me out and makes me wish things were the way they were back in 2013/2014 when the zeitgeist felt like a bunch of people who were excited about gaming, both new and old, and tracking down games from their past.

Gaming is fully commercialized now. In times many collectors and gamers grew up in, most games had a little magic to them, everything was new and the 1st of it's kind. I personally experienced different phases during my lifetime in which the nostalgia for the games that I grew up with was very high. I started collecting videogames when the 2nd wave of nostalgia kicked in during my late 20s. Maybe it's a demografic issue as well.  dunno. These are just some thoughts about it. ... it seemed to me as if during covid/lockdowns people started to radically hunt the retro games market for many of them sat at home bored, having time for such things for the first time. I know many people who started collecting during that time. Nowadays we experience the first wave of those people already quit collecting for several different reasons ... prices in europe were at an all-time-high for the past 2-3 years, now they slowly start to lower down again never to return back to where they were in 2017  . Anyways, my main suggestion on why so many people left this forum is, that forums in general are kind of obsolete today. We're getting old and we should start accepting it! 

[Warmsignal]

As far as the forums? No. Most have either moved on, or become jaded and apathetic towards both retro collecting and modern/current gen gaming. That was the common thread of this place a decade ago, the reason why it was so active, because everyone was very personally invested in those things. We were all more than happy to trade notes, talk about hidden gems to look out for, show off pick-ups, talk about childhood gaming memories, tell wacky collector stories, create various ranking lists and best ofs, etc. But since the wind left the sails of why we were all here to begin with, solid community members disappeared and increasingly fewer came about to pick up their slack, it became more like sending messages into the void, and like "why bother?" Does anyone here have even a remote interest in the same things that I still care about regarding gaming or collecting anymore? As the sentiment has increasingly felt like a resounding "no" on both fronts, my desire to participate only diminished further. Gotta be honest.

I really couldn't have said it better myself.


I guess I send messages out into the void on here hoping someone will reply or contribute something. I get not being as into collecting, hunting for games, or being excited about new releases, I'm certainly one of those people. However, I'm still a gamer and someone who still considers video games to be an important part of my life. I know that's true for a lot of people that use this site, although I'm sure some have moved on. Obviously people can move on, go to different forum sites, go strictly to social media to discuss gaming, or do whatever they want to, but it's sad that so many have left behind a place that has one of the best gaming communities on the internet, at least used to.


Is it just me, or does it seem like interest in gaming is on the decline in general? I feel like there's less interest in gaming on sites like Youtube even, with most gaming content being rage bait or some pedantic video about some currently trendy game or series. I guess it all just kinda bums me out and makes me wish things were the way they were back in 2013/2014 when the zeitgeist felt like a bunch of people who were excited about gaming, both new and old, and tracking down games from their past.

As much as I don't like to admit, this generation and the ways things have been headed has been a bit rough. I'm not one to wallow in this and complain, in fact I try to make every effort to get excited and be enthusiastic over whatever crumb is dropping in the current scene. Like for example, Visions of Mana recently. It's a great game, nothing to throw a fit about there. I feel there has been plenty to satiate that hunger for gaming in the current age, IMO. But that's not to say that it's the same, because it isn't.

Like everything in life peaks, gaming reached a peak at a certain point, now it's on a downward trajectory. It's not 1998, or 2003, or even 2011 anymore. The industry is doesn't function in a healthy or practical manner any longer, it's become creatively bankrupt, riding heavily on nostalgia, gamers of certain demographic are feeling old and jaded, everything is online. It's a lot of things.

I still find a good bit of gaming entertainment to watch on YouTube, and I don't feel like that's dying off personally. I guess it depends on what aspect you're looking into. I still decry the death of physical media as a culprit in further atomizing everyone's experience with modern games. What's anyone buying, what do they own? Who knows. I feel like that's harder to convey when you don't have physical items trading around, and everything is tied to an account that only one person has access to. The sense of what's relevant or popular in this moment in time, almost doesn't matter anymore. Like when MP3s became dominant. Everybody has their own personal playlist now, and no one cares what someone else listens to. I can't think of the last time I saw someone wearing a t-shirt of a band, it's not even relevant in pop-culture anymore, the bands people listen to, because music isn't much of a shared experience anymore. I think video games are headed in that direction too.

Personally, I'm back into collecting once again, lol. I'll never be satisfied until I have everything I've ever wanted, and didn't know that I wanted. I also try to stay optimistic about the current gaming scene, even if it feels like no one gives a shit anymore, besides myself. How much longer will gaming be physical, and something you can take real ownership of and forever play on your own terms? Who's to say, but I'm relishing in the fact that it's still a thing. I'm gonna enjoy it while it lasts.

[bikingjahuty]

As far as the forums? No. Most have either moved on, or become jaded and apathetic towards both retro collecting and modern/current gen gaming. That was the common thread of this place a decade ago, the reason why it was so active, because everyone was very personally invested in those things. We were all more than happy to trade notes, talk about hidden gems to look out for, show off pick-ups, talk about childhood gaming memories, tell wacky collector stories, create various ranking lists and best ofs, etc. But since the wind left the sails of why we were all here to begin with, solid community members disappeared and increasingly fewer came about to pick up their slack, it became more like sending messages into the void, and like "why bother?" Does anyone here have even a remote interest in the same things that I still care about regarding gaming or collecting anymore? As the sentiment has increasingly felt like a resounding "no" on both fronts, my desire to participate only diminished further. Gotta be honest.

I really couldn't have said it better myself.


I guess I send messages out into the void on here hoping someone will reply or contribute something. I get not being as into collecting, hunting for games, or being excited about new releases, I'm certainly one of those people. However, I'm still a gamer and someone who still considers video games to be an important part of my life. I know that's true for a lot of people that use this site, although I'm sure some have moved on. Obviously people can move on, go to different forum sites, go strictly to social media to discuss gaming, or do whatever they want to, but it's sad that so many have left behind a place that has one of the best gaming communities on the internet, at least used to.


Is it just me, or does it seem like interest in gaming is on the decline in general? I feel like there's less interest in gaming on sites like Youtube even, with most gaming content being rage bait or some pedantic video about some currently trendy game or series. I guess it all just kinda bums me out and makes me wish things were the way they were back in 2013/2014 when the zeitgeist felt like a bunch of people who were excited about gaming, both new and old, and tracking down games from their past.

As much as I don't like to admit, this generation and the ways things have been headed has been a bit rough. I'm not one to wallow in this and complain, in fact I try to make every effort to get excited and be enthusiastic over whatever crumb is dropping in the current scene. Like for example, Visions of Mana recently. It's a great game, nothing to throw a fit about there. I feel there has been plenty to satiate that hunger for gaming in the current age, IMO. But that's not to say that it's the same, because it isn't.

Like everything in life peaks, gaming reached a peak at a certain point, now it's on a downward trajectory. It's not 1998, or 2003, or even 2011 anymore. The industry is doesn't function in a healthy or practical manner any longer, it's become creatively bankrupt, riding heavily on nostalgia, gamers of certain demographic are feeling old and jaded, everything is online. It's a lot of things.

I still find a good bit of gaming entertainment to watch on YouTube, and I don't feel like that's dying off personally. I guess it depends on what aspect you're looking into. I still decry the death of physical media as a culprit in further atomizing everyone's experience with modern games. What's anyone buying, what do they own? Who knows. I feel like that's harder to convey when you don't have physical items trading around, and everything is tied to an account that only one person has access to. The sense of what's relevant or popular in this moment in time, almost doesn't matter anymore. Like when MP3s became dominant. Everybody has their own personal playlist now, and no one cares what someone else listens to. I can't think of the last time I saw someone wearing a t-shirt of a band, it's not even relevant in pop-culture anymore, the bands people listen to, because music isn't much of a shared experience anymore. I think video games are headed in that direction too.

Personally, I'm back into collecting once again, lol. I'll never be satisfied until I have everything I've ever wanted, and didn't know that I wanted. I also try to stay optimistic about the current gaming scene, even if it feels like no one gives a shit anymore, besides myself. How much longer will gaming be physical, and something you can take real ownership of and forever play on your own terms? Who's to say, but I'm relishing in the fact that it's still a thing. I'm gonna enjoy it while it lasts.

There have certainly been glimmers of hope in the current gen, and I agree about latching onto those when they present themselves. I'm still very optimistic and happy with where fighting games are at the moment, and between Capcom, SNK, Namco, and Arcsys the games are top notch for the most part, although DLC abuse is rife within the genre these days. Some games have literally half the roster behind paywalls which always pisses me off, but it typically doesn't detract from the base game which is still great. However, most other genres I care about seem to have fewer and fewer games I'm actually interested in. And then of course nearly every studio or dev wants to create the next big live service or always online game, which are more or less throw away, disposable games once they've reached their expiration date or been replaced by the next big fad game.


I've never really thought about how decentralized pop culture has become, but what you said makes perfect sense. Sometimes I feel like me not knowing what people are listening to as far as music is just a symptom of me getting older and more out of touch with what is currently cool. But I also think there's no such thing as big ticket acts anymore, at least any that have emerged in the last 10 years or so. Most of the mega stars are people/bands that rose to fame a decade or two ago, and they keep getting paraded out and promoted to superstardom every few years or so (ie. Beyonce, Taylor Swift). There really is no central place to find good rock music, for example, like there was 15-years ago or so, whether that was radio or MTV. It certainly has created less social cohesion and I can see gaming going in that direction too.

[dhaabi]

Is it just me, or does it seem like interest in gaming is on the decline in general? I feel like there's less interest in gaming on sites like Youtube even, with most gaming content being rage bait or some pedantic video about some currently trendy game or series. I guess it all just kinda bums me out and makes me wish things were the way they were back in 2013/2014 when the zeitgeist felt like a bunch of people who were excited about gaming, both new and old, and tracking down games from their past.

I still find a good bit of gaming entertainment to watch on YouTube, and I don't feel like that's dying off personally. I guess it depends on what aspect you're looking into. I still decry the death of physical media as a culprit in further atomizing everyone's experience with modern games. What's anyone buying, what do they own? Who knows. I feel like that's harder to convey when you don't have physical items trading around, and everything is tied to an account that only one person has access to. The sense of what's relevant or popular in this moment in time, almost doesn't matter anymore. Like when MP3s became dominant. Everybody has their own personal playlist now, and no one cares what someone else listens to. I can't think of the last time I saw someone wearing a t-shirt of a band, it's not even relevant in pop-culture anymore, the bands people listen to, because music isn't much of a shared experience anymore. I think video games are headed in that direction too.

I've never really thought about how decentralized pop culture has become, but what you said makes perfect sense. Sometimes I feel like me not knowing what people are listening to as far as music is just a symptom of me getting older and more out of touch with what is currently cool. But I also think there's no such thing as big ticket acts anymore, at least any that have emerged in the last 10 years or so. Most of the mega stars are people/bands that rose to fame a decade or two ago, and they keep getting paraded out and promoted to superstardom every few years or so (ie. Beyonce, Taylor Swift). There really is no central place to find good rock music, for example, like there was 15-years ago or so, whether that was radio or MTV. It certainly has created less social cohesion and I can see gaming going in that direction too.

I figured I'd chime in and quote one of my own posts that touch on the same subject from another topic, because why not?

Nowadays, it's uncommon for one singular entity to command the general public's attention like before. Too many games release and there are all sorts of niche communities for a person's specific interests, and the same can be said for all types of entertainment too: film, television, music, and so forth. Simplified game creator tools and better access to them marked the end of the end of this regular occurrence for games, whereas streaming marked the end for film, television, and music. Anyone with the right skillset can create a project and upload it to some service. AAA publishers, Hollywood studios, and major record labels can be entirely avoided now.

There are all sorts of reasons for why little in pop culture feels unified now, and the number of pop culture phenomenons to come seems limited because of it. Everyone has their own pocket of the internet available to them at all times, meaning we're all far more separated than before. We have far more options to choose whether to be exposed to something, let alone connect with it.