One Year Ago

[Dave G]

Eric,

There are a number of things you have done that have impressed me, you are one of the most seemingly level-headed people I've seen on-line, you handled conflicts and our shenanigans with grace and firmness. You know how to defuse tense threads with the single post, and you have become a friend.

When I found out you were leaving, I was saddened yet optimistic, I knew this community would find a way, and through the efforts of Saint Morrus and Co. it happened.

We're glad you've been able to stick around, I know life is complicated, but it is much better with EN World and the traditions which stand behind it... you are a part of those traditions, and a hero in your own right!

 

[Simplicity]

It's been ANOTHER year? Dang...
Weren't we just talking about
ninja brainmoles and pickachus in
the Monster Manual?

Isn't the Pantheon around here somewhere
deifying people, talking about lemon curry,
and running amok?

I'm sure that I just saw Squirrel Nutkin dancing
to Disco Inferno... That logo in the upper corner
keeps changing. He must be around. Come on,
Nutkin! I wanna burn the mutha...
("Shut yo mouf." would be what I'd expect from
Eric's Grandma.)

Boy, it does seem rather quiet around here sometimes.
Is it just me?

 

[Orryn Emrys]

It seems like it's been so much longer! (For that matter, it seems like it's been more than 2 years since 3E hit the market...) Strangely...I actually missed the announcement at the time, though I had regularly spent time on the site during the months leading up to the release of 3rd Edition...and have been a regular ever since...but I was out of touch for a short while and it took me a while afterward to figure out that everything had changed hands. My gaming group and I appreciated all the hard work you did at the time, Eric... and the site has continued to be a fantastic resource in the year since.

I just wanted to thank you and Morrus for all the hard work and great service to gamers worldwide.

 

[EricNoah]

Aw, gosh guys, thanks for the love!

The struggle I was having over the quality of my personal life vs. the quality of my online life was getting greater and greater over the course of many months. I'd been running this marathon and there was no end in sight -- unless I just stepped out of the race. It was a hard thing to do -- I loved my site, and I loved the community -- but it has indeed turned out to be the best thing for me.

The strong memories for me include: posting that first announcement and then heading out to spend some time with friends -- I came back to chaos. I had something like 400 messages in my e-mail, people on the boards were in panic. And then of course the boards went down (yay Gamespy! ).

When I made the decision to quit, I sort of knew Russ would be interested in taking the reigns. I wasn't sure how well he'd be able to handle the workload though. But as we've all seen, he's tireless, and he has innovated. One thing I appreciated about him was his ability to rally help for the site -- I hope he continues to do that, get other people involved and responsible for parts of it, because that was something I never did and I think we all saw the results of me trying to "do it all."

When I look at my days now, and think about my 2 years at the helm, I just can't figure out where I got all of the time to do it. I'd never be able to go back to a schedule like that.

And quite honestly, I never thought I'd be as involved with the site as I am now, a year later. I figured I'd fade into the mists of time, blah blah blah. But within a few days of quitting I got this interesting e-mail from Scott Mathews, who wanted my input on a little program that was later to be known as eTools. And it was that move that sucked me back into the community. I needed to stay in touch because of that, basically.

But there were other things, too -- the great Chicago Game Days arranged by Mark. My unhealthy attraction to Nutkinland. A desire to help Russ handle the huge task of getting my old D20 Guide and his D20 Reviews merged together. The thrill of being involved with the ENnies now that they were a slightly bigger deal (GenCon, etc.). But mostly ... it was you guys. You message board people are so darned entertaining when you're on your best behavior.

Russ doesn't know this yet (he will when he reads this though) but I'm about to take a step back from here again. Not far away. Part of it is that school is starting soon and so for a while it will be work, work, work. Part of it is that I forsee myself becoming heavily involved with Fluid's message board community -- I find that I love creating/entering content for eTools, helping people with their problems or questions, etc. But I will be around -- just not 24 hours a day as it seems I have been this summer.

Thanks again guys! You're the reason ... for, well, everything.

 

[Tharkun]

Morrus sure did a wonderful thing by helping EN World live on past that day, thanks Morrus!! I found the site a while before it died off and once I found it man I couldn't get enough

Seems like that's a recurring thing don't it?

Sure am glad I de-lurked "back in the day" (you could say I'm a second generation En Boarder). I'm also glad that when it was announced not to be stealing peoples handles I could get mine back...whew!

 

[the Jester]

Ah, Eric...

I miss those heady days of wondering what would be in the new edition, of looking forward to seeing your site every day before and after work. I remember how impressed I was with your ability to keep things cool. I remember how afraid I was that this community would die or change so badly that it would be unrecognizable after you left.

I remember deciding that I'd do my damnedest to do my part, however small, to preserve the _feeling_ you gave the place.

I remember my shock at how seemless the transition was, at how much the community stayed the same. When Moruss took over I was afraid it would turn to crap, and when it didn't I realized how lucky we are all to have such a fantastic new Eric.

That's how I thought of him for the first few weeks- the New Eric.

He's not you; he's Moruss, and things have not turned to crap, they've stayed golden, and I know that it is in large part thanks to all of us. You did the impossible with your site: tuned the whole community to one wavelength and set up a powerful group dynamic. Moruss has done the impossible too by keeping the wave flowing and even, yes, improving things as time went on. My God! What we owe you for starting all this.

If we ever meet, I'll buy you a beer.

Assuming I'm not flat broke; if I am, I'll steal you one.

 

[William Ronald]

Eric,

I think the rest has been good for you. Morrus has done admirable in continuing the work you began. It is hard to think it was a year ago.

Hope to see you at an upcoming EN World Chicago Gameday!

 

[Illuminae]

I remember DM´ing D&D 2.9 Edition using the scoops on your site, ehehhehe.

All we knew when making characters were the name of the skills, those basic DCs, some descriptions of the feats (I think), the new atributes table and some class abilities!

MILLION TIMES BETTER THAN 2nd EDITION!!!!!!!

After 4 years playing 2nd edition (2 using books with a translation that made them seem like one of those riddle-magazines, and 2 more using the english version, and discovering that the translation wasn´t the main problem) seeing those rules was HEAVEN!!!!!

THANK YOU ERIC!!!!!!!!!!!!

 

[Artoomis]

Thought I'd join in the love fest and say, "Thanks, Eric."

The two biggest things I recall are:

1. Hearing that the Third Edition had rules for "everything" - every possible scenario.

2. Finding out (no surprise) that #1 was not true (no rules for underwater combat, for starters).

Still, the hype was amazing!! And, of course, the system IS better than it was.

 

[Terraism]

Ah - how can I let this one slip past, hm?

Joining the choir once more, it's been a great trip. This site's turned me into an internet junkie - before I started visiting, I was running a 56k that I turned on once every two days. (Note - this didn't preclude me from being on the computer 24/7.) It took me about a week to get sucked into the great community, and my standoffishness didn't last too long after that. Suddenly I had a reason to rush home after school - to check the site.
I remember reading the announcement, that 'fateful day,' and just feeling that hollow, ickybad feeling in the pit of my stomache. I swear, my friends were sick enough of hearing about it by the end of the week that they were about ready to cut my connection. [Justin, you have a problem. Don't deny it. You're an addict. ] But, still - since then everything's gone pretty well. We've lost a lot of old, familiar faces - but then, we've gained a lot too. So, now that this got longer-winded than I'd intended and just repeated the obvious, I'm going to shut up now. I'm just glad you're still around, Eric.