Quote Originally Posted by Wingshaw View Post

Definitely it is as Kellerica and RedRobes say: internet changed, pandemic happened, world keeps moving... But also, it's a bit more personal: the beauty of this forum was that it felt like a social space. You knew the people. I joined when the likes of Max, Arsheesh, Ramah, J.Edward, Schwarzkreuz, Azelor, MistyBeee were around (and so many others). Most of them seem to be gone, now, and so it feels like I don't know this place anymore. I'm glad to see RedRobes, Ilanthar, Kellerica, Diamond are still here, but most of the 'old faces' I knew have left, and that just saps the motivation to return.

Wingshaw
I occasionally pop on now and then, looking for any old and familiar faces, but usually get kinda overwhelmed by everything I've missed and log off again soon after. It doesn't help that I haven't had any impetus to make a map in years. The last one I did was the partnered challenge map and I never really finished it. My PC hasn't even been plugged in since we moved bedroom a couple of years ago. I mainly use my laptop now which doesn't have photoshop installed.
I have something of an obsessive personality (the missus would say I fall somewhere on the spectrum and to be fair, she's probably right), so when I get into something I tend to focus on it to the exclusion of all other hobbies. For a long time it was mapmaking, (and then on to programming mapmaking tools), but it eventually went back to writing, (which is why I got into mapmaking in the first place).
I finally finished a novel, although it is VERY different to the story, (which became a trilogy) set in Vaniya which I was writing for years. I didn't even need a map for it! :s
Anyway, all this is to say, I don't come around as often as I'd like or should, but I've never forgotten the friends I made here and all the amazing inspiration I received over the years from this forum.
And who knows, perhaps my obsession is due a sea change and I'll break out the tablet once more soon. I still need to do The Steammancer's Folly Part Two map, which honestly, feels like a millstone round my neck even after all this time. It makes me feel like such a charlatan getting that challenge medal when I never even finished the brief.