What happened???

[darkseed2012]

This site used to be very active when I joined 11 years ago. Now it's basically a shadow of what it used to be.

[Kellerica]

It has quited down in the past couple of years, definitely. I think it's a combination of many things - forums are just becoming more and more like relics at this point, and many of the people who used to be the most active here are just too busy these days. Many of them so busy with their paid cartography work, mind you, which is kind of cool. I'd also venture a guess that the pandemic has quieted things down even further - I don't know about the rest of you, but I've been a bit burnt out with... well, just everything for a while now. And I too have a lot of commission work, which kind of takes all the mapping energy I can muster.

[Redrobes]

There is definitely less chatter on the boards compared to several years ago but I would have to say that for the less chat people are still posting some unbelievably great maps. The standard seems to have widened and the top tier is getting higher than ever. But I think that leaves quite a few people behind and destroys enthusiasm to produce something that is personally fine but would not cut it in a competitive environment like commercial maps.

But RPGs in general have had a bit of a resurrection thanks to covid so I think more people are playing but I expect that they are using pre bought modules.

The internet in general is dying. This is one of the better sites where content is being made and distributed by individuals instead of fast paced low grade tiktok style rubbish. Part of that is that the internet has become commercial. Also people interact with it via a phone screen instead of PCs so its more dominated by consuming content rather than creating it. Its a lot like the music industry. Compared to the 90's, 80's, 70's and 60's etc there are no bands any more. Just individuals managed by commercial interests - usually people visually appealing where only a smaller fraction of them have true musical talent. The push for quick results has made the barriers to entry on any content creation very high and so getting over that barrier is more effort and so less people are able to do it.

Right now, end of 2022, it seems to me that everyone is hustling to get by and mapping is taking a back seat.

[Wingshaw]

I can give my perspective here. I used to be fairly active, both on the forum and within my own mapmaking. And then... life happens. You map less, you visit the forums less, a pandemic grips the world, and you suddenly find that a site and a hobby you once enjoyed has faded from your routine. I still like maps, but I can't seem to find the time to make my own, or even interact with the forums. At least, not regularly...

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.

I don't know if that helps. It's a bit "doom and gloom". I'd like to return more often, but I know that promise means nothing until I actually show up and post things regularly. But, for what it's worth, that's my take on the status of the Guild nowadays :/

Wingshaw

[Wired]

I'm way less active than I really ought to be, given the great crowd that's still here. But in my case it's a bit of social media fatigue. FB, Insta, now Twitter, a few message boards, the acquisition of commissions... feels like that leaves less and less time for the joy of mapping and world building.

[johnvanvliet]

i know for me most if not almost all of my maps are more textures for 3d software and not maps for this site, per-say
so i do not post all that much , but i check the site most days to see what is going on .

[darkseed2012]

I never really left here, I just lurk since I'm no longer able to create my maps anymore and lost the SD card that had my WIPs on it. I don't even have the tools to restart either. I kind of miss seeing world building take place here.

[Edward Tait]

I never really left here, I just lurk since I'm no longer able to create my maps anymore and lost the SD card that had my WIPs on it. I don't even have the tools to restart either. I kind of miss seeing world building take place here.

Fully aware of losing SD card is frustrating (I have had 2 External go bad and one I had to pay 2500 to get it recovered). Not sure about the tools are talking about but I just started using GIMP and making progress on my first attempt in mapping, I am sure you can dig down and find a way to scratch the itch to build LOL.

[Diamond]

For me, it was first job-related, then pandemic-related. I had some major work-related crap go down in early 2019 which kind of ruined the year for me, then just as I was getting enthusiastic about joining RPG groups, mapping, etc, covid hit and kind of shut me down.

I'm in a much better place now - physically, job, medically, and psychologically, if not financially - and I'm slowly getting my mojo back. Not gonna lie, it's an uphill battle and some days (weeks) I just don't have it in me. Part of it I think is that I turned 50 this year and the end is now definitely closer than the beginning, and so many things I'd envisioned myself accomplishing when I was 20 or 30 I now know will never happen. Mostly I'm okay with that, but some days... well... I'm not. In 2023 though, I do want to start more WIP threads. I think having something in progress on the boards attracts more attention over a longer period of time than posting finished maps only does. Not that there's anything at all wrong with that either!

Anyway, ramble/rant over. Here's to a better 2023!

[Azélor]

I hope all of you are well.

Like other said, the pandemic really took a tool on my motivation and not just for mapping.
I had a pretty crappy job in the last two years as well. Now it's better.
I hope getting back to mapping but never find the motivation to do so. Mapping can be very time consuming for me.

By the way, how is the site doing financially? I noticed that we haven't been meeting our target for several months.
Going to donate some Simoleons now.