Realization : I have been playing gemstone longer than I have not

[g++]

I just realized today I have been playing gemstone since it went live on AOL in 1995. I am also 26 years old so at some point before 2009 I will have been playing gemstone off and on the majority of my life....A quick run down of who I was at various times.

1995-1998 Ishammel Dwarf Ranger, stats so bad he was unviable at level 26
Good Friends during this time : Joschi, Joda, Baser, Daegandal

So I rolled...
Gulath Maralith Elf Wizard in 1997 - 2000 Sold for 1700 dollars @level 126 because I was starting college and needed a new computer.

Also played:
Kainy Dark Elf Sorcerer gave away with gulath
and played Shaukal for Greg from level 80-120 because Greg didnt feel like playing anymore and we were good friends. He never came back though.

Good friends during this time : Jamousii, Daegendal, Angellisa, Shaukal, Callinar(All Gone)

2000-2007
Played a wizard, rogue, and cleric from about 0-80 MAing most of the time
then sold them off recently.
Good friends during this time : Jamousii till about 2005, then basically none
Currently playing empath, bard, wizard theyr at about 20th level as of today.

I dont really even know why I play anymore, theres just something comforting about a world that never really changes. I tend to play more during rough patchs kind of like a crutch. I dont mean to give the impression Im sitting around lonely and depressed, I have a very active life. I got my degree work full time. Have alot of good friends and go out often but for some reason still feel compelled to come back. Just thought I would share and see if anyone else has a similiar history or god forbid if any of the people I have lost touch with over the years are still around.

[Stanley Burrell]

What's up with people making "It's reached more than half my life" remorseful comments? (You don't really look to be doing that.)

I've been able to read English, do math, and not wear diapers for more than half of my life too.

Time obsessions about time itself are weird.

[Khariz]

Hmm yeah, I'm 27, and I've been playing GS for almost 14 of those years. Scary.

[Stanley Burrell]

Scary.

What is?

[Khariz]

What is?

The thousands of hours of my life I have poured into this game.

[Stanley Burrell]

The thousands of hours of my life I have poured into this game.

Yeah that's... Truly terror-inspiring; tell the kids to stay inside? You're going to do what you're going to do, no matter what -- And what you've already done is glued with that much more permanence.

How can any possible hobby, so long as it ... legal ... and doesn't kill fluffy miniature poodles beget substantial paranoia to the point where it reaches "Scary" status?

[g++]

What's up with people making "It's reached more than half my life" remorseful comments? (You don't really look to be doing that.)

I've been able to read English, do math, and not wear diapers for more than half of my life too.

Time obsessions about time itself are weird.

I was not really trying to say I regret playing gemstone I don’t operate under the illusion the worlds full of awesome things to do if I just stop playing gemstone. Honestly I would likely just use the free time I spend on gemstone getting drunk. I was just stating I realized today I have been playing a game for 50% of my life and felt like reminiscing a bit.

[Stanley Burrell]

I was not really trying to say I regret playing gemstone


(You don't really look to be doing that.)

:foshizzle:

[g++]

Yeah, I mean I quoted your whole post which seemed to be asking about time obsessions. I began my post by stating something your post already alluded to, but then proceeded to state explicitly why I made a post that dealt with time obsessions. I wasn’t really trying to be contradictory, the point of the second post was to explain why I made the first.

[diethx]

but for some reason still feel compelled to come back.

Yeah, it's the same for me. I've taken a lot of breaks (some a year or two long), but I always find myself coming back. I certainly don't enjoy the game like I used to when I first started playing and for the 5 or so years after that, as most of my old friends are gone, and people seem to really irritate the shit out of me now. But I still play off and on, and probably will until the game dies, heh.

[Celephais]

Yeah, it's the same for me. I've taken a lot of breaks (some a year or two long), but I always find myself coming back. I certainly don't enjoy the game like I used to when I first started playing and for the 5 or so years after that, as most of my old friends are gone, and people seem to really irritate the shit out of me now. But I still play off and on, and probably will until the game dies, heh.
Same here... it's weird, when I play now it feels very... empty. It's almost like I'm only playing to achieve the goals I had set for myself when I was playing and enjoying, and now I'm condemned to purgatory until I complete said goals. (Not just leveling goals, but things like getting the right equipment/alterations/etc).

[Soulpieced]

You hit it Celephais. When I started the bard, I have the grandiose idea of having the highest AS in the game. Of course after numerous changes including the fixskills nonsense and reallocation, the whole landscape and premise of Gemstone changed. Also having all of the best gear pretty much possible leaves little to be desired equipment wise. I guess I've won Gemstone?

Also, it pays to remember the early years, especially to my first character Slustthered, second Debonaire, and obvisouly Soulpieced whom I'm still playing to this day.

[Gan]

10 years for me this year.

:-|

[Asha]

I play just to throw silvers on the pile and add to the gelatinous cube of pure exp.

But sometimes i still get that flicker of good times, usually when I meet someone with a decent talent to RP.
I'm 29 and I've only been playing about 8 years.
Devyon Dmur ~ Giant sorc 2000 - 2001
Afrey Corjaan ~ Dwarf Warrior 2001 - 2002
Shimmerain Karyeu ~ Delf sorc 2002 - 2006 / break / 2008 -

[CrystalTears]

Oy. About 10 1/2 years for me.

I think it's both the game has changed and I've changed. I've gone through a divorce and a remarriage. I've moved from one state to another. I've held five different jobs. I've quit this game at least three times.

I miss people like Baser, Fezic and Silencia (I think that was her name) and Furious.. people I played with when I started and molded my character to who she is today. I just don't have the heart, or patience, to meet new people. It will happen, but since I'm not "in love" with the game, the enthusiasm isn't there like it used to be.

I may quit again sometime this year. Who knows.

[Keller]

I've had an active account since the 7th grade. That's . . . a long fuckin time. I guess that's like 14 years?

Soulpieced, who was your RL friend you played with on Debonaire? I remember my warrior, Deb, and him grouping often.

[Stanley Burrell]

Yeah, I mean I quoted your whole post which seemed to be asking about time obsessions. I began my post by stating something your post already alluded to, but then proceeded to state explicitly why I made a post that dealt with time obsessions. I wasn’t really trying to be contradictory, the point of the second post was to explain why I made the first.

Cool, O.K. I was just being more in general, in general.

<<Yeah, it's the same for me.>>

Me three, I mean too.

/punfail

[Soulpieced]

Ignorak/Siraris.

[Gan]

I may quit again sometime this year. Who knows.

:(

You know where that goat pin goes if you do. :p

[Some Rogue]

:(

You know where that goat pin goes if you do. :p

To me!

[RichardCranium]

Twelve and a half for me and not a character past 15. If Soulpieced wins Gemstone I farealdoe fail it.

[Gan]

To me!


Survey says!


http://www.jamesnares.com/images/Red-x.jpg

[Stanley Burrell]

The Village was a good movie.

[Warriorbird]

Lemonade was a popular drink, and it still is
I get more props and stunts than Bruce Willis
-Guru

[TheEschaton]

It'll be 13 years this June, and I'm turning 27 in May, so I guess I got another year until the whole 14/28 thing.

woooooooo.

-TheE-

[CrystalTears]

:(

You know where that goat pin goes if you do. :p
Shit.

Guess I'm not quitting then. :D

[Stretch]

7th grade.

So...winter 96? Early 97? Something like that.

Of course, I've been on the one year on/one year off cycle since 2000, so I haven't reaaaaaally been playing 11 years.

[mgoddess]

I've only been seriously been playing without a break for four years this summer (though I did have a month trial in 2001, but then my husband and I went on a college-student budget). And still, out of eight characters, my oldest is only 50. Of course, I've got seven other characters between 14 and 38... and I'm not as keen on getting to cap as I am on getting them "looking right" (aka, alterations, skills, etc.).


7th grade.

So...winter 96? Early 97? Something like that.

Of course, I've been on the one year on/one year off cycle since 2000, so I haven't reaaaaaally been playing 11 years.
Fuck, I'm feeling old again.

This reminds me of being in college again. Every single class I'm in... all but maybe one or two students (out of the 20-30 in each class) are 20 or so, when I'm going on 27. There was a gal in my Intro to Speech Communication class last week doing an informative presentation on sunscreen... she, of course, used the first sentence from the Class of 1997 commencement speech song-thing for the ending of her speech. The gal giving the speech, and every else in the class (except for me and our teacher) had no idea who or what the fuck the speech-song was about... and I was just finishing my first shot of 9th grade when it came out.

I feel like a fucking old-timer at school.... ugh.

[diethx]

Same here... it's weird, when I play now it feels very... empty. It's almost like I'm only playing to achieve the goals I had set for myself when I was playing and enjoying, and now I'm condemned to purgatory until I complete said goals. (Not just leveling goals, but things like getting the right equipment/alterations/etc).

Yeah, exactly how I feel. Crazy.

[diethx]

I'm 26 (27 in September), and I started playing when I was 15, although I have no idea when exactly during that year. So yeah, it'll be a few more years til i'm at that mark. I'm quite sure i'll get there though.

I'm so not even going to go over all the people I miss, because it's just going to make me QQ. I kind of miss my old character sometimes, just not her rep as i'm so ridiculously over RPing a sluttinsky, lol. I love my little recluse (except during events) girls though.

[Asha]

please RP a sluttinsky again!

[diethx]

please RP a sluttinsky again!

Ha, you don't even know my characters!

[mgoddess]

I'm 26 (27 in September)
When in September?

(Edit: Nevermind... :whistle: )

(My birthday's the 6th. :) )

[LMingrone]

I started the day it hit AOL. Don't know how long that is, but I'm about to turn 26, so it's probably pretty close to half my life. Damn. Never thought about it like that.

[Daniel]

It's insane to think, that at 25 years old I'm a combat veteran, and an NCO in the Army Reserves and the first person to ever mention the possibility of joining the military was someone I know through GS. At the time it was like some crazy ass fucking idea because I was still in like the 10th grade.

[Daniel]

I started the day it hit AOL. Don't know how long that is, but I'm about to turn 26, so it's probably pretty close to half my life. Damn. Never thought about it like that.

Dude. Dec 6th 1996 was the greatest day of the world.

*Edit it's sad that I missed the date by a full decade.

[Drisco]

5 Years and never capped a character.

Le sigh

[diethx]

5 Years and never capped a character.

Le sigh

rofl, boohoo.

Try 11 years and never capped a character.

[Drisco]

Ahaha you winn. I actually doubt I will ever cap a character tbh. I've tasted the capped scene and I don't know if I can go back to being young.

[LMingrone]

Dude. Dec 6th 1996 was the greatest day of the world.

*Edit it's sad that I missed the date by a full decade.

I miss coming home from school to parents who just got a $1600 AOL bill. Fun fun fun.

[Daniel]

I miss coming home from school to parents who just got a $1600 AOL bill. Fun fun fun.

Lol.

Mine was about 6 grand because for some reason a number in the same area code was considered long distance if it was over 15 miles away. It didn't help that my deadbeat dad didn't open the phone bill for like 3 months either.

Needless to say I went without a house phone for most of my teenage years.

[LMingrone]

Lol.

Needless to say I went without a house phone for most of my teenage years.

Same here. I got a summer job and got one of those huge Zack Morris cell phones. It's amazing how many girls that stupid thing got me. Thanks GS!!!

[TheEschaton]

I got one $500 bill and my parents clamped me down to the 20 "free" hours you got with your monthly subscription. So I played in '95, but not that much.

-TheE-

[Celephais]

I got one $500 bill and my parents clamped me down to the 20 "free" hours you got with your monthly subscription. So I played in '95, but not that much.

-TheE-
haha, I love how 20 hours a month is considered "not that much".

I remember reading an article mentioning the horrors of some Dr who slaved for hours at work, and would come home and play a little EQ to unwind. He'd play about 10 hours a week, and spend the rest of his non-work/sleep hours with his family, and the article portrayed him as some obsessed freak who was denying his family love.

[ElanthianSiren]

Think I played like 12-13 years and never capped a character. Oh well.

I remember Gulath and Shaukal for that matter and Angel and Jamousii; I used to play Kiera.

I don't regret the time I spent in GS really, most definitely not during HS. Also, I stopped enjoying playing when I wasn't RPing anymore, but oddly enough, I'm fine with not RPing in WoW. There, I like killing people, but I Never went in with the expectation of RPing like I did in GS. Before I quit, playing GS was like looking at a sagging old building that was once splendid.

[TheEschaton]

4 hours a week Celephais? During summer vacation that was nothing at all.

God, I miss summer vacation.

[Celephais]

4 hours a week Celephais? During summer vacation that was nothing at all.

God, I miss summer vacation.
I agree, I don't think it's a whole lot either considering my gaming habits at the time. I spent most of my free time trying to scrape together enough money to pay for my $3 an hour addiction. I just find it funny that everyone here considers 20 hours a month as not much, when the rest of the world would consider us game addicts.

[Stanley Burrell]

Fuck, I'm feeling old again.

This reminds me of being in college again. Every single class I'm in... all but maybe one or two students (out of the 20-30 in each class) are 20 or so, when I'm going on 27.

Unless you're a dinosaur, physically, being 27 around 20-year-olds = nothing.

I just say this because a lot of late 20s early 30s kids/adults/whatevers I've met have always kept a trendy level of teenybopperness about them and they're pretty much indistinguishable amidst the rest of the class.

Age is in the mind, party people.

[diethx]

Think I played like 12-13 years and never capped a character. Oh well.

At least you got close, Kiera is like 80something. Highest i've gotten is 65ish GSIII, mid-50s, GSIV, lol <pathetic>

[g++]

Think I played like 12-13 years and never capped a character. Oh well.

I remember Gulath and Shaukal for that matter and Angel and Jamousii; I used to play Kiera.

I don't regret the time I spent in GS really, most definitely not during HS. Also, I stopped enjoying playing when I wasn't RPing anymore, but oddly enough, I'm fine with not RPing in WoW. There, I like killing people, but I Never went in with the expectation of RPing like I did in GS. Before I quit, playing GS was like looking at a sagging old building that was once splendid.


I was actually worried someone might remember Gulath well, suffice to say a 16 year old should not have a 126th level wizard in a role playing game. I was quite the little asshole back then <g>.

[TheEschaton]

ES used to play Kiera? Huh...

[Stanley Burrell]

I was actually worried someone might remember Gulath well, suffice to say a 16 year old should not have a 126th level wizard in a role playing game. I was quite the little asshole back then <g>.

Gulath + Jamousii, Artistansas & Falisene, Tenderhand, Rubytears and Driikn ... Are the reason why those cool mass spells got nerfed to self cast only and unstackable. And I love you guys for it, er did, at the time you kept freebie'ing me :)

And whichever owner parked Suvar in the Merchant Guild, inviz' 24/7, while Violenttmoon always used to idle there too, also did pimp spell sheeit for me.

:heart: y'all.

[diethx]

ES used to play Kiera? Huh...

She still does. Well, she owns her still anyway, but it's NOT LIKE SHE PLAYS ANYMORE.

[ViridianAsp]

I've been playing almost eight years now, half of those I spent playing my dhe'nar rogue (no, don't ask who because I played her terribly.), then I played my first wizard and elf named Fidelty....which everyone called Fidelity...though that wasn't the idea of the name, even though my best friend made her sister who was Idyllica. Then three years or four, I made Hadya....

I play a whole slew of little characters...

I have about two mains now that I really play.

[Clove]

I've been mackin' the hotties more than half my life. Baser, eh? Interesting.

[fallenSaint]

I miss the good ol days of Mid 90's playtime. Chillin in Icemule, dreaming of the day I can make the trip to Landing solo. Awe inspired by my drake falchion... reading every damn room I walked into before I tried to move on or interact with anyone. Good times, now I'm addicted to cybercrack and can't get off ;(

Giiliith was my first Rogue, lasted very short life when I realized I cant go supper happy with the training plans.

Giil was my guy for quite some time after that, the list just grows immensely with many a failed experiments from there.

[g++]

Baser, eh? Interesting.

Keep up with him?

[Augie]

I think for me what made a difference in why I chose to quit was that it just wasn't fun anymore -- I was playing only out of habit. I played for 11 years straight until 9 months ago (I only know it's 9 months cause I reactivated last night and that's how far behind I was on guild dues).

And last night as Steve and I started selling off stuff on the accounts, I realized how much shit we stockpiled over 11 years and some items that we thought we'd never get rid of we were selling off to the pawnshop heh.

I will never sell Augie or a couple of her key items (the tart-cutter, the step ladder, her wedding band, etc)...but I really just don't care about playing anymore. Any of her clothes, weapons, armor, toys, all this stuff that I have sitting in lockers that hasn't seen the light of day in years -- that's all gonna go.

I figure I'd rather do that and keep the items in game for those few people who still DO play as opposed to just leaving the accounts shut down and people not getting to enjoy the items the way I have.

I think of all the thousands of hours and thousands of dollars we've spent on the game over the last 11+ years, and I don't regret it at all. I've made some amazing life-long friends from the game and met a lot of really cool people. It's just time to move on.

[StrayRogue]

OMG auction time.

[Augie]

OMG auction time.

LOL totally...last night was the first time we logged in and all we did was sell off locker junk on as many characters as we could. I think by the end of the night, I had deleted 7 locker characters completely off the account.

Once we get the junk cleared off, we'll have a good idea of the true amount of stuff there is to sell.

[Durgrimst]

LOL, I love fluff and little scripted toys, sell to me not the pawnshop.

[Sean]

Originally Posted by TheE
I got one $500 bill and my parents clamped me down to the 20 "free" hours you got with your monthly subscription. So I played in '95, but not that much.

-TheE-

Your probably better for that .. imagine how much it would have sucked to have advanced Bello to a significant level pre fixskills.

[TheEschaton]

LOL, he sucked sooooooooooo bad. Giantman warrior - usually you couldn't fuck that up. I managed to, somehow. The Glacier was a horrible, horrible nightmare for me.

Edit: Not to mention, I tried to make his name based on a Greek myth/etymology (Bellerophon), but misremembered the name and named him Bellophorus, combining the real name with the Bosphorus, where I thought Bellerophon fell.

-TheE-