The blue checkerboard draws forth a teary smile :')

[scymrian]

I first joined this message board in 2003. I was ten years old - or, ten-and-a-half, as I was likely to specify in the way that tweens like to. I don't have the email address associated with that account anymore, so I couldn't log in even if I really wanted to, out of curiosity - and you know what? I do. I can still find what was likely my very first post, or at least in the first ten, an entry in the Book of Warriors in the Gunjin. The Gunjin was what I found through some search engine or web directory that brought me here in the first place. A ten (and-a-half!) year old in the Gunjin. I would like to apologize to anyone who ever shared a battlefield with me.

Apparently, I made this account in early 2021 out of nostalgia, thinking about posting but never did it. I forgot about that until I went to make a new account today and learned that my e-mail address was still in use. Wow!

As you might guess by the fact that I originally signed up when I was ten (and-a-half), VGF was my first real online community. It wasn't the last. I hopped from here to another message board mentioned by a user whom I was developing a friendship with, where I stuck around and made some strong friendships. In high school, I also joined another one about professional wrestling, and when those two went down, I mostly got out of the now-dying message board scene, sticking instead to big-site social media, and Discord servers, and... you know. The whole major corporate internet that we didn't have in 2003, when this place was bustling, and a ten year old didn't have any idea what the internet would turn into.

But even on the big corporate internet, I found some childhood message-board friends - not folks I knew on VGF, but on places I found through VGF. VGF is the spiritual predecessor of some of my oldest friendships. If I recount my story as a life-long internet user, my early days in VGF are always brought up as an important note.

So coming here, and seeing this familiar layout, and seeing some of the old names still active, and knowing that even though social side of the internet is dominated by three or four companies these days, a small place like this can still survive?

:')

[I REALLY HATE POKEMON!]

I'm glad you found your way back! I think VGF was the first online community for a lot of us, if not most of us. It's historically important. Although rare, I sometimes bump into others who used it. Most recently was a small but good YouTuber, Kuroda Kyousuke. It's really neat when it happens.

The big corporate Internet is a good way to describe things now. I still use it but it never felt right, even before it became as sterile, censored, and soulless as it currently is. The big social media sites were interesting at first but I don't know how they hold active users longterm... Like you, I found a couple other online communities, some being forums very much like VGF, but even though they're more active than it currently is here there's something special about this place.

Anyway, welcome back. Do you still like video games?

[scymrian]

I sure do still like video games! Even if the industry insists on making that more difficult. But I like card games even more. So, right now, my sweet spot has definitely been card game video games - your Slay the Spires, your Griftlandses, your Luck Be a Landlords, the new hotness Balatro. That's the stuff that really gets me going these days more than anything else.

[Booyakasha]

Hmmm. It's been a while since I played a deck-builder (last time was probably 'Card Fighters Clash', on the Neo Geo Pocket Color), but I can see the appeal.

Don't know that I ever posted in Gunjin. I was Zelda Forum mod for a long time-----------that's where I spent most of my time. Welcome back, at any rate.

[Shane]

I also joined when I was 10 and a half.

I don't think I ever really played a card game. For a while after Slay the Spire came out there were so many copycats. I do own that game but only played one run but never got back to it again.

[I REALLY HATE POKEMON!]

I sure do still like video games! Even if the industry insists on making that more difficult. But I like card games even more. So, right now, my sweet spot has definitely been card game video games - your Slay the Spires, your Griftlandses, your Luck Be a Landlords, the new hotness Balatro. That's the stuff that really gets me going these days more than anything else.

Yeah, the industry definitely doesn't make it easy lol. They remade a niche game called Another Code recently, and it's been ruined with random censorship, race swapping, and unnecessary story/puzzle alterations. You can't even get a faithful remake these days!

Card-based video games are some of my favorite too, though I'm picky about them and stick mostly to retro. Possibly my favorite aside from Pokemon TCG is Lost Kingdoms, it's a card-based action-RPG, which is really good and a pretty uncommon combination of genres. Monster Rancher Battle Card Game is decent too. I wanted to try the Baten Kaitos remaster, but it was also sullied by alterations... My nephew is pretty into Slay the Spire.

Hmmm. It's been a while since I played a deck-builder (last time was probably 'Card Fighters Clash', on the Neo Geo Pocket Color), but I can see the appeal.

That's a really cool game. It'd be nice if they rereleased it with online play. Switch got quite a few NGPC rereleased but none have online, which is too bad.

I also joined when I was 10 and a half.

I don't think I ever really played a card game. For a while after Slay the Spire came out there were so many copycats. I do own that game but only played one run but never got back to it again.

You were that young when you started this site? I always assumed you were a bit older.

A lot of people find Metal Gear Acid to be a good entry point for the genre, especially if you like the franchise. I can't remember if you do though.

[Booyakasha]

I would totally play up another 'Card Fighters Clash' game. All we have is the NGPC game and the mediocre DS sequel--------that's not a lot. (Actually, I believe I'd play an SNK vs Capcom collectible card game if it existed in real life, as well. That sounds rad.)

[I REALLY HATE POKEMON!]

I would totally play up another 'Card Fighters Clash' game. All we have is the NGPC game and the mediocre DS sequel--------that's not a lot. (Actually, I believe I'd play an SNK vs Capcom collectible card game if it existed in real life, as well. That sounds rad.)

That would be incredible, there's a mobile game by Capcom called Teppen that's kinda similar but it's bogged down with typical mobile game nonsense.

[Booyakasha]

...yeah.

Even without it being a mobile game...actual cards are on a different level. 'Card Fighters Clash' is fun, but it'll never be MtG.

[I REALLY HATE POKEMON!]

I kind of agree, I think both formats have their advantages though. It's more fun to use real cards in person, but it's a lot more convenient to play digitally. Nothing beats the thrill of opening a real pack of cards though lol

[Booyakasha]

Yeah. Thirty years from now, I can see dudes still hanging out playing Magic in gaming shops, pawing through nickel commons, laughing at Bird Maiden and Mountain Goat and all. Doesn't seem like that'll be a thing with digital stuff.

[scymrian]

Yeah, I don't much like our local MtG community, which is what mostly got me out of physical TCGs (although I do still buy the occasional MtG precon so my pals and I have something to do when the mood strikes).

I'm on the record as stating that Pokemon TCG for Game Boy is the greatest game of all time and now that it's on Switch, multiple of my friends have realized that I'm correct. Vindication!

Magic Arena scratches the magic itch enough, the newest Yugioh client was good enough that I got back into it briefly, and I tried the new DBZ card game after it launched on digital last week and it's... okay? It has some interesting ideas. I was heavy into Pokemon TCG Live last year and the way they run that makes me feel like I could just pick it back up anytime and grind up pretty easy now (not the case with the old client) but I haven't touched it in a while. It blows my mind they still haven't come out with a digital client for the new Digimon card game, that looks incredibly fun.

[Booyakasha]

Hmmm. I never tried Pokemon or Yu-Gi-Oh. Still got my MtG collection, even though the only person I've played against in decades is my pal Shane. (Something like fifteen longboxes. Mostly stupid garbage. I like nickel commons, man. My favourite deck is all nickel commons-------------my goblin horde/land destruction deck, the one I named 'Every Land I'm Gobblin' in order to make people curse the day I was born).

I did try Star Wars CCG, but I didn't like it.

[emporornapoleon]

doubt you remember me but i'm still around