Sunday, June 6th, 2010
Issue: 31   Editor: HowlingMadMika


Delicious Thoughts DeliciousX
In some ways, I consider myself 'old-skool'- a term that comes under constant debate, and one that I do not want to go into right now- but in other ways, I'm a newbie. Or a n00b. Or a b0_0n. Yup, I've still got it!

You see, I've been playing for a while- I remember playing in 2004. But this is the first time I've seen Bootleggers in about a year. And it's struck me how things have changed...

My clearest memories of Bootleggers weren't exactly great; I remember profile hacks, monthly absences of BSF2000, scamming, exploits, uncontrollable dupes... but these, my friends, were good times. Why? Because the Bootleggers community, though it had its flaws, was ALIVE.

A refresh was necessary every few seconds on the verbal diarrhoea that was the Off-topic Forum. A query in the Game Forum would have helpful responses galore. The Classifieds forum was a minefield of OC's, car sales, points, pictures and music. The game was incomparable to what it is now, with all the advances that have been made, in terms of technical advancement and creativity... but the community was superb.

When I signed up this year then, I was expecting this wonderful community to have carried on in my absence, a community I could return to with a fresh anticipation. Queue the bail of hay, blowing across the deserted forums... I was disappointed.

I begrudgingly beat up the blind man and unsuccessfully attempted to steal cars, all the while hoping for somebody, SOMEWHERE, to bring a little life back to the community. I waited in vain.

But tonight has changed my views. I've suddenly been hit with a thought- we DO have a community. All you need to do is find it. Our community is like a pidgeon... keep throwing bread, and it'll come forward and take a bite.

Or rather, swallow the whole loaf. I've been lucky enough to stumble across a few people in the past few days who, like me, have been DYING for the community feel to return. It really is a breath of fresh air to find other players who want to keep the community alive.

SO this is a slightly overlong message, with one aim: do not be discouraged. If you too have lost faith in the sociability of our community, keep going, do not give up. Others like us DO exist. Keep throwing bread.

Though be careful... you might tempt more than a pidgeon!