Wandering around the abandoned lot. Farewell the org backroom

[Idaho]

All things come to an end. And it looks like father time is calling last orders on this board. A scattering of posts over the last month, nothing in October.

This was the second message board I ever joined. The first being a Dune message board in the mid nineties. We got lively discussion for a few decades here on the org. Blair, Bush, 9/11, the invasion of Iraq and Afghanistan, and the rise of the new right. Devastating Dave... Kukrikhan... Rory... various others

Different views presented, argued, and sometimes shouted and ranted - but different views frequently exchanged. A whole grubby page of active threads, 40+ regulars. Now we've all retreated to our little online bubbles where the only opposition we see are straw men, easily defeated for our peace of mind.

Ah well. Things change. Nothing lasts forever. Good luck all. Take care and show kindness and forgiving :)

[CrossLOPER]

Oh, it's fine. Montmorency, spmetla, and myself will just take care of the entire thing. No big thing.

[spmetla]

Lol, we're solving all the world's problems at the same time too!

Take care Idaho!

[Montmorency]

Mm.

We could also start discussing backend solutions to archive the Org database or forum pages, maybe for example. The reality of service twilighting has to be factored in at some point regardless.
@Hooahguy @Beskar

[CrossLOPER]

Mm.

We could also start discussing backend solutions to archive the Org database or forum pages, maybe for example. The reality of service twilighting has to be factored in at some point regardless.
@Hooahguy @Beskar

How about updating the documents for the total war games? The links still have the old XP Winzip icon, and ReplacementDocs is risky because it is still http.

[Xantan]

I believe this is also due to the fact that Total War as a franchise has declined in popularity, especially recently, and a lot of the traffic from here was taken by Reddit and the Steam forums. It's easier for people.

Plus, this place is already 25 years old...

[Seamus Fermanagh]

Oddly fond memories of this place.

It's like wandering the paths of an amusement park closed a few years back but never torn down; seeing in your mind's eye the clowns and the balloons and the bright whirling lights...

[spmetla]

I believe this is also due to the fact that Total War as a franchise has declined in popularity, especially recently, and a lot of the traffic from here was taken by Reddit and the Steam forums. It's easier for people.

Plus, this place is already 25 years old...

Yup, steam reddit, and discord forums are the usual now for sure.

Total War's franchise decline in popularity a lot though which has a lot to do with the lack of good products they've been making. Would be nice if there were a Napoleon: TW 2 timed to coincide with the new movie coming out but alas that is not the case.
Guess part of the problem is also that so many 'games' are mobile games or console now, games for just PCs are no longer mainstream and therefore much less profitable.

I remember how there used to be developers that frequented these forums in addition to the official forums when I first signed up for this place.

[Papewaio]

I occasionally log on. But with the rise of social media and other forums it is way to quiet. I was thinking of the discussions we used to earnestly have here.

I’m more active at Ars Technica nowadays, but busy with work and life.

I first joined this site when I moved to Sydney and was working an IT Helpdesk job and had no time for a social life with not enough time or mone. I’ve gone from my mid twenties to fifty now. Of course I’ve grown up a lot too, hence why after I turned fifty I got into Gunpla ;).

I still play video games, but mainly of all things COD Mobile.

[Idaho]

Hello old timer ;)

[edyzmedieval]

I know that this place is rather silent these days, but I want to make it clear that we are not going anywhere :)

Probably only when Total War will not exist any more, but the series is still very popular, and that will be going strong hopefully in the future. Yes, it's quiet here, but it's a good time machine. We're not going anywhere.

If you wish to discuss various topics with the rest of the patrons, you're invited to post and encourage.

[spmetla]

Glad to hear it's not going anywhere. Just gotta hope that there's more Total War games coming out that I'll like!

[Ser Clegane]

With all the madness in the world during the last couple of years I sometimes wonder what discussions might have been in the Backroom with the old crowd.
Thanks to those who still keep this place alive and the beer cold

[Kurando]

April 2024 will mark 25 years since it all started. Almost unimaginable in internet-time. Without a doubt Das Org is one of the oldest forums in continental existence on the entire net.

[spmetla]

Will be an interesting anniversary in a way. This forum has certainly seen the change of how things happen on the internet for gaming and the gaming community.

[edyzmedieval]

With Shogun Total War's announcement about 25 years ago - 25 years ago, 1999... - this place is Ancient History in internet years. And it's still here.

There's a discussion to be had about forums, and internet as a whole, but with social media experiencing a significant downturn as of late, we might get the chance to see the revival of forums.

[spmetla]

I still find forums the best way to keep with mods for games, track bugs and fixes and so on. The official and unofficial paradox forums are still very much alive and well for almost all their games and some forums like the Subsim forums https://www.subsim.com/radioroom/index.php are the only place which I can easily find of all a type of game across the industry.

I haven't played TW: Pharaoh but from what I've read it's just not something that'll bring in more players. Rome, the Middle Ages, and the early modern period are the most popular TW games but making another reboot is probably hard to justify for a declining PC gaming industry.

[Hooahguy]

Oddly fond memories of this place.

It's like wandering the paths of an amusement park closed a few years back but never torn down; seeing in your mind's eye the clowns and the balloons and the bright whirling lights...

This is how I feel as well. Ive made real-life friends through this forum, and even though I havent visited in quite some time, it will always hold a special place in my heart. Nearly 15 years since I joined! Hard to believe so much time has passed.