The CTFG circlejerk: an in-depth study
2
New OP, Posted on 6 December 2012
With the recent events which resulted in direct changes to FAKKU’s moderator lineup, and the cause of it directly resulting from CTFG, I thought it was a good time to bump up this thread. After all, I’m on holiday again, and I am intensely interested in spending some time looking into this incredibly intriguing culture once more. We have had some great discussions for the previous topic, “What is so alluring about CTFG’s culture”. I apologize for not replying to some of you before, because as said I had some exams coming up. I have taken the time to reply to all of you now, and now I feel it’s appropriate to move on to a new topic.
What is there to talk about? Well, if we look at the topic I posted back in June, there was actually a part of CTFG that we skipped out on. I said that I would come back to it, and there is no better time than right now to consider this topic - especially considering that one of FAKKU’s most iconic staff has just quit the moderator team because of it. This is the part that I was referring to:
There are many factions within the CTFG, and there is no doubt that underneath the hood, many, many people that hate one another, as well as many groups hating many other groups and vice versa. The reasoning is usually less than trivial, but in CTFG culture, emotions are always intensified tenfolds. This is actually an interesting study that deserves another thread, but for now we’re not going to focus on it.
As doswillrule said, CTFG culture is incredibly insular. It's almost impossible for those who don't frequent CTFG to know what's going on inside CTFG, let alone know what's going on under the hood. However, I excluded this from the discussion before because realistically, it's impossible to understand this concept unless you dive deep into CTFG yourself, and many of us who come to SD don't have a few hundred hours to invest. However, recently, an event occurred in FAKKU which actually showcases the extent of this circlejerk very well, so I thought it was a great time to discuss this topic here in this thread.
Even back in the days when I was active in CTFG, and was part of a thread called The Chat Thread 2.0, the FAKKU moderator team (except Gambler) has always had a habit of locking our threads for absolutely no reason whatsoever, just so that we won't reach a specified page count. This did not go against any rules, because CTFG was part of IB, and trolling is OK in IB, even if moderators do it.
One day, waar decided to have his bit of fun, and decided to lock FAKKU Café v3 without any apparent reason. He was going to unlock it again after a very short while like always, but one user who never really visits FAKKU Café decided to use this as a chance to get Internet fame by asking waar if he could make a new thread (after all, FAKKU Café is one of the most popular threads/group of people on CTFG). waar, being a person who was not interested (or knowledgeable) about CTFG culture simply said yes, and this resulted in the thread called Way Cooler Than FAKKU Café Café. FAKKU Café residents then pretty much erupted, because to many people, the idea of another person running their thread was unacceptable. waar then proceeded to ban a few people as he saw fit. A few hours later, Jake came online and reversed everything waar did. Throw that in to a pile of dissatisfactions he already had with the site, waar decided to quit.
As I said, this is a discussion about CTFG's circlejerking culture. The reason why I chose this example is because of its transparent outcome - waar resigning from his position, and the fact that the last straw that tipped him off was because he came to realise the circlejerking which exists under the hood in CTFG. waar, as we all know, is a person who usually doesn't give much of a **** for anything, but even he was noticeably annoyed at how CTFG worked. For those of us who never visit CTFG or get deep into the culture, it's actually impossible to understand the extent of how deep the circle jerking is, but I thought that this was a good opportunity to show just how big this issue is.
I loved CTFG, and we have already spent three pages discussing why so many people including myself love it. However, aside from all the virtual hugs and kisses, we now also know (even though not to its full extent) of just how much hate goes on under the hood. As a previous CTFG-regular, of course I knew about it, and I mentioned it in the previous OP as well. However, that wasn't the main focus of the discussion. I would like to keep the question the same as before, but now adding in our new-found knowledge of what's going on under the hood. The revised question is:
"What makes CTFG culture so alluring even though under the facade, there is an almost limitless amount of hate and circlejerking?"
To throw a few examples out there, this was a case of when I just joined the Random Squad and wasn't aware of who hated who in the CTFG. I merely talked to TehMikuruSlave a bit (no more than 10 lines about Pokemon) on IRC once, and within half a day, I was already bombarded with PMs from other Random Squad members, many of them exclaiming how "you had betrayed our trust", and how "I didn't think you'd sink this low". I was shocked at just such a little thing can cause a huge commotion - and I'm sure waar was equally surprised with this recent incident. I have so many more stories that I can share, but I think we understand the main point here now.
Every person who frequents CTFG are not friends with everyone else. Yes, they get hugs and kisses from some people. Real, emotional hugs. However, they will also get a lot of hate from others. Real, emotional hate. CTFG is a form of role-playing, and for many people who frequent it it's just as important as their real lives. However, is CTFG is a form of escapism from real life like we previously discussed, why do people still find it alluring despite it not being just sugar and spice and everything nice? As we can see now, every time you log onto CTFG, you will also have to meet your fair share of haters.
And mark my words: I talk from experience: the hate that one can get from CTFG can reduce him to tears if CTFG is a central part of his life. Many years ago, CTFG had been that important to me. Naturally, I have shed real tears because of CTFG drama. Yet I still kept going back every day.
I know that true CTFG-goers can't refuse my point, since I was a CTFG-goer once and I know this line of thought. You all know it's true - so why do you AND I keep coming back? I welcome your comments in this thread, as with the previous question.
Previous OP, Posted on 8 June 2012
This topic was brought up about a week ago in a now-locked thread in Incoherent Babbling, and to be honest, this has always been a matter of interest to me. The contrast between CTFG and Internet culture in general (which includes the rest of FAKKU) is just so blatant, I believe it can even be used as a case study for Serious Discussion.
As doswillrule mentioned, CTFG and IB used to be one and the same. Back in 2008 when I joined the site, IB was a completely different place, and its culture is almost an exact replica of CTFG today. In fact, this culture was quite apparent across the whole site. It was CTFG's culture (that was evident throughout the entire forums back then) that intrigued me to such an extent that I signed up for the forums in the first place. The sheer sight of a community that was so tight-knit and friendly was just such a rarity to behold on the Internet. If you actually dig up threads from 2008 and 2009, you will see that FAKKU truly was a small, tight-knit community, and you probably rarely count more than 50 different faces, and you won't find any flaming in them either, or any of the kind of posts you expect to see in IB today.
The point of this thread is a study on CTFG culture (or if you want to call it, IB culture pre-2010). Around 2009, I pretty much knew every active user on FAKKU and I actively took part in CTFG culture that doswillrule talked about. Everything he says is spot-on. It does indeed "foster this weird kind of idealism which is totally out of step with the real world". However, I enjoyed it. I enjoyed it a lot, and I remember spending many hours on FAKKU every day just so that I can be a part of it. I have had a long history with the site, and I don't see a need to talk about it in this thread, but I can testify that there was something incredibly luring about being part of this "ideal World" where everyone is so friendly and caring for one another, and there's not a worry in the World.
We called each other cute nicknames. I would spam emoticons every time I type. I was married to Noel in the marriage thread and we would exchange incredibly cheesy posts everywhere. The list goes on - I was in love with "CTFG culture".
In the real World, I am a Medical student who goes to a prestigious university. Every day the thing I look forward to the most was come back onto FAKKU, the place I know I will get lots of virtual hugs. I remember looking forward to talking to Korou-nee about how my day went. I remember looking forward to coming home to a place that I can call home.
Of course, this ideal World is fragile, and as FAKKU became more mainstream, the entirety of this culture was shoved into a new forum known as the CTFG. As doswillrule noted, many of these people are "fantastically insecure". This is why every single friend who I know from that time period has now left the site after the trolling and flaming started pouring into the now-seperated IB. I am still here, but with a different outlook. Back in 2009, I treated FAKKU as a second home. Now I treat it like any other Internet forum I'm a part of.
I'm not saying that CTFG culture hasn’t changed itself. There are things that have stayed the same. For instance, certain groups in CTFG is still the same as it always was, except with different people. I distance myself from it now because the people I were with I will forever consider an extended family, and they can never be replaced. I know the feeling of being in a virtual extended-family because I remember the utter sadness I was in when everything shattered. I was on Skype with Mr. Bushido and Zeriam, and with Korou-nee in another MSN conversation as I wrote that single word which composed my goodbye thread. I remember that feeling clearly - it was no less heart-breaking than losing any family member. When I rejoined FAKKU a year later, I made sure to treat it as normal Internet community than an extended family like I did before.
There are things about CTFG however, that have changed. For one, as the amount of people in CTFG increased over the years, the fact that emotions are so readily displayed in the culture, the amount of circlejerking is bound to increase. Even when I was part of CTFG culture a few years ago, it cannot be denied that even within my close group of friends, there were plenty of circlejerking going on. Because CTFG is even bigger now than before, the circlejerking is even more present. There are many factions within the CTFG, and there is no doubt that underneath the hood, some people hate one another, as well as some groups hating other groups. The reasoning is usually less than trivial, but in CTFG culture, emotions are always intensified tenfolds. This is actually an interesting study that deserves another thread, but for now we’re not going to focus on it.
Back to the main point, just what is it about CTFG that's so alluring? What made it such a special place to me before, and still a special place to the people today? Looking at the posts there now, there's no doubt that the CTFG residents treat it just as importantly as I treated FAKKU back in the days. It is a place where everyone gives each other virtual hugs, are extended virtual families and all-round loving. It’s also a place where under the hood, hate is widespread and facades are up just to feel wanted by other people. Even when drama happen in the CTFG, it's taken as seriously as real life ones. Who can blame them? To them, CTFG is just as important as real life, if not more important.
I welcome anyone from CTFG to comment in this thread. I don't know most of you, but I understand you. I was here from the start, and I know how important this place is to you all. If you're not from CTFG, your input is also very valuable as it sheds insight from a non-biased perspective.
I happen to have an Anatomy exam next Tuesday and Physiology exam next Thursday, so I won't comment too much but I will definitely read everything and hopefully comment more when exams are over in a week. Typing this up was a good way to procrastinate...
Addendum:
A recent conversation I had with mibuchiha and Asphodel in CTFG, relevant to this topic can be read here. It's relevant to this current topic, and definitely worth your time to read.
With the recent events which resulted in direct changes to FAKKU’s moderator lineup, and the cause of it directly resulting from CTFG, I thought it was a good time to bump up this thread. After all, I’m on holiday again, and I am intensely interested in spending some time looking into this incredibly intriguing culture once more. We have had some great discussions for the previous topic, “What is so alluring about CTFG’s culture”. I apologize for not replying to some of you before, because as said I had some exams coming up. I have taken the time to reply to all of you now, and now I feel it’s appropriate to move on to a new topic.
What is there to talk about? Well, if we look at the topic I posted back in June, there was actually a part of CTFG that we skipped out on. I said that I would come back to it, and there is no better time than right now to consider this topic - especially considering that one of FAKKU’s most iconic staff has just quit the moderator team because of it. This is the part that I was referring to:
ImperialX wrote...
There are things about CTFG however, that have changed. For one, as the amount of people in CTFG increased over the years, the fact that emotions are so readily displayed in the culture, the amount of circlejerking is bound to increase. There are many factions within the CTFG, and there is no doubt that underneath the hood, many, many people that hate one another, as well as many groups hating many other groups and vice versa. The reasoning is usually less than trivial, but in CTFG culture, emotions are always intensified tenfolds. This is actually an interesting study that deserves another thread, but for now we’re not going to focus on it.
As doswillrule said, CTFG culture is incredibly insular. It's almost impossible for those who don't frequent CTFG to know what's going on inside CTFG, let alone know what's going on under the hood. However, I excluded this from the discussion before because realistically, it's impossible to understand this concept unless you dive deep into CTFG yourself, and many of us who come to SD don't have a few hundred hours to invest. However, recently, an event occurred in FAKKU which actually showcases the extent of this circlejerk very well, so I thought it was a great time to discuss this topic here in this thread.
Even back in the days when I was active in CTFG, and was part of a thread called The Chat Thread 2.0, the FAKKU moderator team (except Gambler) has always had a habit of locking our threads for absolutely no reason whatsoever, just so that we won't reach a specified page count. This did not go against any rules, because CTFG was part of IB, and trolling is OK in IB, even if moderators do it.
One day, waar decided to have his bit of fun, and decided to lock FAKKU Café v3 without any apparent reason. He was going to unlock it again after a very short while like always, but one user who never really visits FAKKU Café decided to use this as a chance to get Internet fame by asking waar if he could make a new thread (after all, FAKKU Café is one of the most popular threads/group of people on CTFG). waar, being a person who was not interested (or knowledgeable) about CTFG culture simply said yes, and this resulted in the thread called Way Cooler Than FAKKU Café Café. FAKKU Café residents then pretty much erupted, because to many people, the idea of another person running their thread was unacceptable. waar then proceeded to ban a few people as he saw fit. A few hours later, Jake came online and reversed everything waar did. Throw that in to a pile of dissatisfactions he already had with the site, waar decided to quit.
As I said, this is a discussion about CTFG's circlejerking culture. The reason why I chose this example is because of its transparent outcome - waar resigning from his position, and the fact that the last straw that tipped him off was because he came to realise the circlejerking which exists under the hood in CTFG. waar, as we all know, is a person who usually doesn't give much of a **** for anything, but even he was noticeably annoyed at how CTFG worked. For those of us who never visit CTFG or get deep into the culture, it's actually impossible to understand the extent of how deep the circle jerking is, but I thought that this was a good opportunity to show just how big this issue is.
I loved CTFG, and we have already spent three pages discussing why so many people including myself love it. However, aside from all the virtual hugs and kisses, we now also know (even though not to its full extent) of just how much hate goes on under the hood. As a previous CTFG-regular, of course I knew about it, and I mentioned it in the previous OP as well. However, that wasn't the main focus of the discussion. I would like to keep the question the same as before, but now adding in our new-found knowledge of what's going on under the hood. The revised question is:
"What makes CTFG culture so alluring even though under the facade, there is an almost limitless amount of hate and circlejerking?"
To throw a few examples out there, this was a case of when I just joined the Random Squad and wasn't aware of who hated who in the CTFG. I merely talked to TehMikuruSlave a bit (no more than 10 lines about Pokemon) on IRC once, and within half a day, I was already bombarded with PMs from other Random Squad members, many of them exclaiming how "you had betrayed our trust", and how "I didn't think you'd sink this low". I was shocked at just such a little thing can cause a huge commotion - and I'm sure waar was equally surprised with this recent incident. I have so many more stories that I can share, but I think we understand the main point here now.
Every person who frequents CTFG are not friends with everyone else. Yes, they get hugs and kisses from some people. Real, emotional hugs. However, they will also get a lot of hate from others. Real, emotional hate. CTFG is a form of role-playing, and for many people who frequent it it's just as important as their real lives. However, is CTFG is a form of escapism from real life like we previously discussed, why do people still find it alluring despite it not being just sugar and spice and everything nice? As we can see now, every time you log onto CTFG, you will also have to meet your fair share of haters.
And mark my words: I talk from experience: the hate that one can get from CTFG can reduce him to tears if CTFG is a central part of his life. Many years ago, CTFG had been that important to me. Naturally, I have shed real tears because of CTFG drama. Yet I still kept going back every day.
I know that true CTFG-goers can't refuse my point, since I was a CTFG-goer once and I know this line of thought. You all know it's true - so why do you AND I keep coming back? I welcome your comments in this thread, as with the previous question.
Previous OP, Posted on 8 June 2012
doswillrule wrote...
CTFG is, for the most part, an incredibly insular community. Those chat and roleplay threads foster this weird kind of idealism which is totally out of step with the real world. Some of the people who live in there are just fantastically insecure; we've seen it countless times when they or their 'friend groups' pop into IB to defend each other. At least when chat threads were in IB, those communities melded; anyone who couldn't take an insult on the chin didn't stick around. I think it's improved slightly though. Someone should do a case study on that place, it's fascinating.This topic was brought up about a week ago in a now-locked thread in Incoherent Babbling, and to be honest, this has always been a matter of interest to me. The contrast between CTFG and Internet culture in general (which includes the rest of FAKKU) is just so blatant, I believe it can even be used as a case study for Serious Discussion.
As doswillrule mentioned, CTFG and IB used to be one and the same. Back in 2008 when I joined the site, IB was a completely different place, and its culture is almost an exact replica of CTFG today. In fact, this culture was quite apparent across the whole site. It was CTFG's culture (that was evident throughout the entire forums back then) that intrigued me to such an extent that I signed up for the forums in the first place. The sheer sight of a community that was so tight-knit and friendly was just such a rarity to behold on the Internet. If you actually dig up threads from 2008 and 2009, you will see that FAKKU truly was a small, tight-knit community, and you probably rarely count more than 50 different faces, and you won't find any flaming in them either, or any of the kind of posts you expect to see in IB today.
The point of this thread is a study on CTFG culture (or if you want to call it, IB culture pre-2010). Around 2009, I pretty much knew every active user on FAKKU and I actively took part in CTFG culture that doswillrule talked about. Everything he says is spot-on. It does indeed "foster this weird kind of idealism which is totally out of step with the real world". However, I enjoyed it. I enjoyed it a lot, and I remember spending many hours on FAKKU every day just so that I can be a part of it. I have had a long history with the site, and I don't see a need to talk about it in this thread, but I can testify that there was something incredibly luring about being part of this "ideal World" where everyone is so friendly and caring for one another, and there's not a worry in the World.
We called each other cute nicknames. I would spam emoticons every time I type. I was married to Noel in the marriage thread and we would exchange incredibly cheesy posts everywhere. The list goes on - I was in love with "CTFG culture".
In the real World, I am a Medical student who goes to a prestigious university. Every day the thing I look forward to the most was come back onto FAKKU, the place I know I will get lots of virtual hugs. I remember looking forward to talking to Korou-nee about how my day went. I remember looking forward to coming home to a place that I can call home.
Of course, this ideal World is fragile, and as FAKKU became more mainstream, the entirety of this culture was shoved into a new forum known as the CTFG. As doswillrule noted, many of these people are "fantastically insecure". This is why every single friend who I know from that time period has now left the site after the trolling and flaming started pouring into the now-seperated IB. I am still here, but with a different outlook. Back in 2009, I treated FAKKU as a second home. Now I treat it like any other Internet forum I'm a part of.
I'm not saying that CTFG culture hasn’t changed itself. There are things that have stayed the same. For instance, certain groups in CTFG is still the same as it always was, except with different people. I distance myself from it now because the people I were with I will forever consider an extended family, and they can never be replaced. I know the feeling of being in a virtual extended-family because I remember the utter sadness I was in when everything shattered. I was on Skype with Mr. Bushido and Zeriam, and with Korou-nee in another MSN conversation as I wrote that single word which composed my goodbye thread. I remember that feeling clearly - it was no less heart-breaking than losing any family member. When I rejoined FAKKU a year later, I made sure to treat it as normal Internet community than an extended family like I did before.
There are things about CTFG however, that have changed. For one, as the amount of people in CTFG increased over the years, the fact that emotions are so readily displayed in the culture, the amount of circlejerking is bound to increase. Even when I was part of CTFG culture a few years ago, it cannot be denied that even within my close group of friends, there were plenty of circlejerking going on. Because CTFG is even bigger now than before, the circlejerking is even more present. There are many factions within the CTFG, and there is no doubt that underneath the hood, some people hate one another, as well as some groups hating other groups. The reasoning is usually less than trivial, but in CTFG culture, emotions are always intensified tenfolds. This is actually an interesting study that deserves another thread, but for now we’re not going to focus on it.
Back to the main point, just what is it about CTFG that's so alluring? What made it such a special place to me before, and still a special place to the people today? Looking at the posts there now, there's no doubt that the CTFG residents treat it just as importantly as I treated FAKKU back in the days. It is a place where everyone gives each other virtual hugs, are extended virtual families and all-round loving. It’s also a place where under the hood, hate is widespread and facades are up just to feel wanted by other people. Even when drama happen in the CTFG, it's taken as seriously as real life ones. Who can blame them? To them, CTFG is just as important as real life, if not more important.
I welcome anyone from CTFG to comment in this thread. I don't know most of you, but I understand you. I was here from the start, and I know how important this place is to you all. If you're not from CTFG, your input is also very valuable as it sheds insight from a non-biased perspective.
I happen to have an Anatomy exam next Tuesday and Physiology exam next Thursday, so I won't comment too much but I will definitely read everything and hopefully comment more when exams are over in a week. Typing this up was a good way to procrastinate...
Addendum:
A recent conversation I had with mibuchiha and Asphodel in CTFG, relevant to this topic can be read here. It's relevant to this current topic, and definitely worth your time to read.
-2
Wait did you just delete my comment? Wow you are a CTFG user.
In what conceivable, rational, articulate way did you even think this belonged in SD or was SD material? OH HEY I LEIK THE CHAT THREAD OH HEY I LEIK HOW I CAN ACT LIKE A 12 YR OLD WEEAB. Analysing CTFG culture? How can you even be serious.
Also don't you have nekohana or w/e now?
In what conceivable, rational, articulate way did you even think this belonged in SD or was SD material? OH HEY I LEIK THE CHAT THREAD OH HEY I LEIK HOW I CAN ACT LIKE A 12 YR OLD WEEAB. Analysing CTFG culture? How can you even be serious.
Also don't you have nekohana or w/e now?
0
Anesthetize wrote...
Wait did you just delete my comment? Wow you are a CTFG user.Wait, what? Who are you talking to? Last time I checked I don't have the power to delete anyone's comments. Also, I don't consider myself a CTFG user.
Anesthetize wrote...
In what conceivable, rational, articulate way did you even think this belonged in SD or was SD material? OH HEY I LEIK THE CHAT THREAD OH HEY I LEIK HOW I CAN ACT LIKE A 12 YR OLD WEEAB. Analysing CTFG culture? How can you even be serious.Your post violates SD's Rules and Guidelines. If you think a thread is useless, you shouldn't reply to it. You should report it and wait for Tegumi or Gambler to decide that it's useless. Then they'll lock it.
Hibia wrote...
Keep Your CoolTry not to directly attack the poster of the thread, don't go overboard and refrain from screaming at your monitor. They really don't like it.
Don't reply to horrible threads just to make fun of how horrible they are
If you think a thread is useless, don't bump it by posting in it. That's what Random and Incoherent Babbling is for.
0
I vaguely remember IB of 2008 I do remember games was once mixed into IB. And that tea chatroom. I see that you registered on fakku almost a month after I did, and that was when there was an mote mote going on. Damned voters not enough for sigrun. Me disapoint still about that.
But I believe what you wanted is the mix of CTFG and IB together.
I do remember people being nonsensical without alot of fags word being thrown around. However I enjoy IB in its current form today. Plenty of people that lacks of thick skin and posts really terrible posts tend to die in the line of fire.
What I remember the most is that there used to be a forum goer really that likes to type in red text, and her posts was reasonably interesting to read.
And back back back then in 2008 I can't really remember much about IB because my subforum of choice back then was random and SD and Videogames with occasional IB i think.
Honestly, If anything, SD used to be super good in the past, people could handle the criticisms without getting butthurt and actually discuss.
But the last time I posted in SD, alot of people got butthurt at my disagreement and my present of reasons why. Never looked back, I only posting here because its imperialx thread.
Perhaps a lack of good conversation starters is all that IB lacks at the moment. Alot of newbies try and usually fail due to how terrible their first posts is. Honestly. It even feels like they're underage and mentally unprepared to converse in first place. On second hand, I didn't know that you still alive imperialx.
However it wasn't 100% CTFG.
IB was nonsensical back then and it still is today however in different shades of grey. Its just that CTFG is moar of a post spammer than IB is. Heck if we tried to spam like ctfg does in IB we'll get in trouble quite easily I think I got warned once just for having a conversation with another IB goer. Happened like a year ago. Can't have conversations without mods telling you to take it to the PMs but you can have conversations in CTFG. Seems hypocritical to me!
EDIT: Oh yeah due to someone reminding me, if anything, CTFG has bit worser culture than IB. There is plenty of backstabbing going on there and people is dishonest about their intentions.
People have told me that they're more afraid of CTFG than IB.
And that at least IB is straightforward and honest about their intentions.
Like, If i gonna raep you, I raep you ;O
But I believe what you wanted is the mix of CTFG and IB together.
I do remember people being nonsensical without alot of fags word being thrown around. However I enjoy IB in its current form today. Plenty of people that lacks of thick skin and posts really terrible posts tend to die in the line of fire.
What I remember the most is that there used to be a forum goer really that likes to type in red text, and her posts was reasonably interesting to read.
And back back back then in 2008 I can't really remember much about IB because my subforum of choice back then was random and SD and Videogames with occasional IB i think.
Honestly, If anything, SD used to be super good in the past, people could handle the criticisms without getting butthurt and actually discuss.
But the last time I posted in SD, alot of people got butthurt at my disagreement and my present of reasons why. Never looked back, I only posting here because its imperialx thread.
Perhaps a lack of good conversation starters is all that IB lacks at the moment. Alot of newbies try and usually fail due to how terrible their first posts is. Honestly. It even feels like they're underage and mentally unprepared to converse in first place. On second hand, I didn't know that you still alive imperialx.
However it wasn't 100% CTFG.
IB was nonsensical back then and it still is today however in different shades of grey. Its just that CTFG is moar of a post spammer than IB is. Heck if we tried to spam like ctfg does in IB we'll get in trouble quite easily I think I got warned once just for having a conversation with another IB goer. Happened like a year ago. Can't have conversations without mods telling you to take it to the PMs but you can have conversations in CTFG. Seems hypocritical to me!
EDIT: Oh yeah due to someone reminding me, if anything, CTFG has bit worser culture than IB. There is plenty of backstabbing going on there and people is dishonest about their intentions.
People have told me that they're more afraid of CTFG than IB.
And that at least IB is straightforward and honest about their intentions.
Like, If i gonna raep you, I raep you ;O
0
Callonia wrote...
I only posting here because its imperialx thread.Why hello there, Callonia. How long has it been? Probably two years.
Callonia wrote...
On second hand, I didn't know that you still alive imperialx.Well yeah, ever since CTFG got split and all the good posters left as a result, IB turned to **** and I stopped posting there. I've always been alive in the Tech Department, Video Game, Anime Discussions and all those other sections.
Callonia wrote...
But I believe what you wanted is the mix of CTFG and IB together. No, not at all. If that happened today, CTFG would be ruined and a lot of people will leave the site in tears.
Callonia wrote...
I do remember people being nonsensical without alot of fags word being thrown around. However I enjoy IB in its current form today. Plenty of people that lacks of thick skin and posts really terrible posts tend to die in the line of fire.I do remember people being nonsensical without alot of fags word being thrown around. However I enjoy IB in its current form today. Plenty of people that lacks of thick skin and posts really terrible posts tend to die in the line of fire.
Well, the purpose of this thread is actually a study on CTFG's highly unique culture. You're one of those people who have seen it (although you haven't seen it for a long time since most of the oldies left after CTFG got split).
CTFG is literally a virtual role-play World. Like I said, people go there to get virtual hugs, establish relationships and literally interact with each other and their personal lives. It's an extremely unique habitat on the Internet and as one who has been a part of it once (and know how much of an importance it can have on your life while you're there), I really want to have a closer look at it from a broader perspective.
Callonia wrote...
Oh yeah due to someone reminding me, if anything, CTFG has bit worser culture than IB. There is plenty of backstabbing going on there and people is dishonest about their intentions.People have told me that they're more afraid of CTFG than IB.
And that at least IB is straightforward and honest about their intentions.
Like, If i gonna raep you, I raep you ;O
You're still the same as I last remembered you Callonia. You didn't really get into the virtual role-play like CTFG culture even when the Random Squad was at the peak of their influence and it effected the whole forums. :P
I said in the OP as well, "Even when drama happen in the CTFG, it's taken as seriously as real life ones." Trust me I know, I've been part of many dramas. This is all part of what makes CTFG so interesting as a subject for case study, don't you think?
0
"A highly unique culture." Personally, I do believe that is the most appropriate phrase to explain CTFG in a single sentence.
However, there is only one thing that I want to point out: all the virtual hugs, role-playings and such; aren't they not just acts of escapism from the real life?
However, there is only one thing that I want to point out: all the virtual hugs, role-playings and such; aren't they not just acts of escapism from the real life?
1
mibuchiha
Fakku Elder
As one of the oldfags and active CTFG lurker, I agree that it was an ideal world of sorts. I don't know about being insecure though. I admit that I don't like how IB is now, but I think I can take the insults without much problem. I even visit IB often to find really funny threads. While those are rare, mostly are just stupid, but at least I know from my lurks that I don't hate IB. It's just that the general 'feel' of IB isn't how I like things, it isn't my way of speaking, my way of choosing words and interacting, therefore it's difficult for me to be actively involved there.
As for CTFG. Or pre-2010 IB. Yes, it was almost real to me. Everything felt so dear, how people would chat together and so on. I made friends. I loved visiting the place, I used to look forward to seeing the users. It felt as if I was interacting irl just the same, without (at least that was how it appeared to me) all the fake pleasantries.
Then come the split. Many users quit due to that, all the people I loved to chat with. That came as a shock to me. They moved on to different place, some never visited F! ever again. It was confusing to me. I wasn't attached enough with the place to move to a different forums simply due to a forum section split and I wasn't too detached that it didn't affect my feelings. So through the confusion I chose to simply adapt with the change, keeping my interactions with the friends that remained.
That period taught me about what I really loved about CTFG. It's the friendships. All the interactions felt real. It's not about the place, and honestly, I came to dislike the overly utopian feel of the current CTFG. Everything seems so silly, like people playing friends, having fun together and that's it. Of course, I wouldn't assume that's all the new users that frequent CTFG are, but that's how it appeared to me. I dislike the seemingly shallow interactions, it feels like I've lost what I loved so much about CTFG back then.
Perhaps it was just me growing up, or maybe I've changed to be more apathetic. I'm not sure. Looking through my post history made me feel so alien, I felt from my earlier posts the same silliness I dislike in the current CTFG. I even had a friend pointed that out for me. And of course, new users aren't all bad to me. Some of them I would call my true friends, and there's someone even beyond that to me. But that doesn't change the fact I'm detached from the current CTFG. I just maintain a thread there. Yes I do lurk, but I post quite rarely and only to chat with few people. Like when the split happened, I am not clinging to what's no more, it's just that I have no reason to quit, some of my friends are still active and at times CTFG does provide my excitement dose.
So... yeah. It's definitely a highly unique culture. I however do not see it as escapism, at least it is not a form of escape to me. I can separate it and my life fairly well, I know the importance of both, and I know which are the parts of the two I want to join together. Even if I'm no more than a lurker there now, it's still true that CTFG meant a lot to me. Lifechanging, even.
As for CTFG. Or pre-2010 IB. Yes, it was almost real to me. Everything felt so dear, how people would chat together and so on. I made friends. I loved visiting the place, I used to look forward to seeing the users. It felt as if I was interacting irl just the same, without (at least that was how it appeared to me) all the fake pleasantries.
Then come the split. Many users quit due to that, all the people I loved to chat with. That came as a shock to me. They moved on to different place, some never visited F! ever again. It was confusing to me. I wasn't attached enough with the place to move to a different forums simply due to a forum section split and I wasn't too detached that it didn't affect my feelings. So through the confusion I chose to simply adapt with the change, keeping my interactions with the friends that remained.
That period taught me about what I really loved about CTFG. It's the friendships. All the interactions felt real. It's not about the place, and honestly, I came to dislike the overly utopian feel of the current CTFG. Everything seems so silly, like people playing friends, having fun together and that's it. Of course, I wouldn't assume that's all the new users that frequent CTFG are, but that's how it appeared to me. I dislike the seemingly shallow interactions, it feels like I've lost what I loved so much about CTFG back then.
Perhaps it was just me growing up, or maybe I've changed to be more apathetic. I'm not sure. Looking through my post history made me feel so alien, I felt from my earlier posts the same silliness I dislike in the current CTFG. I even had a friend pointed that out for me. And of course, new users aren't all bad to me. Some of them I would call my true friends, and there's someone even beyond that to me. But that doesn't change the fact I'm detached from the current CTFG. I just maintain a thread there. Yes I do lurk, but I post quite rarely and only to chat with few people. Like when the split happened, I am not clinging to what's no more, it's just that I have no reason to quit, some of my friends are still active and at times CTFG does provide my excitement dose.
So... yeah. It's definitely a highly unique culture. I however do not see it as escapism, at least it is not a form of escape to me. I can separate it and my life fairly well, I know the importance of both, and I know which are the parts of the two I want to join together. Even if I'm no more than a lurker there now, it's still true that CTFG meant a lot to me. Lifechanging, even.
1
Ooh, the first response from a CTFG-goer. I hope more of these show up. This thread is kind of dead right now.
I've been looking forward to you writing up a reply because I know you were one of the few people who was active along with me in pre-2010 IB that's still relatively active on the site. This pretty much sums up my feelings towards FAKKU back then as well. Everyone knew everyone else, and it was pretty much my second life.
I'm not sure if you remember it as clearly as I do, but the split happened because as FAKKU became more and more mainstream, trolling, flaming, flaming and all that common Internet culture started rolling in. I've always been vocal about how FAKKU's moderation has problems and this is where it showed the most. Because of the lack of active global moderators (Teclo? Who?), the initial trolls weren't banned when they came in.
If the moderators had acted as soon as the new trolls started showing up, FAKKU's original integrity would have been kept since that would have set an example of what would happen to trolling and baiting. However, since they were too lazy to act, trolling and flaming became the norm as they went unpunished. By the time they realized this, it was already too late because they couldn't afford to ban 75% of the user base. That's why they split CTFG from IB - the oldies and the newfags just do not get along.
It's not really hard to understand why everyone started leaving...I mean, KLoWn was an acting moderator when I celebrated my 2000th post, and he had no hesitation declaring that the posters that started arriving post-2010 are just "plain shit". Given his position, I think that it's something the staff understand. However, they cannot risk offending that many users now that 90% of the forums are the "newfags" KLoWn talked about.
Perhaps it was just me growing up, or maybe I've changed to be more apathetic. I'm not sure. Looking through my post history made me feel so alien, I felt from my earlier posts the same silliness I dislike in the current CTFG. I even had a friend pointed that out for me. And of course, new users aren't all bad to me. Some of them I would call my true friends, and there's someone even beyond that to me. But that doesn't change the fact I'm detached from the current CTFG. I just maintain a thread there. Yes I do lurk, but I post quite rarely and only to chat with few people. Like when the split happened, I am not clinging to what's no more, it's just that I have no reason to quit, some of my friends are still active and at times CTFG does provide my excitement dose.
This is one part where I'll be disagreeing with you on. Even now, I believe that we're keeping our distance from CTFG for the same reason. As you said, if we look back at our posts back in 2009 and 2010, there's actually not that much difference in those compared to the current CTFG posters. While I have distanced myself from the current CTFG, I do know people there still and I believe the friendships, realistic interactions and virtual utopian feel that we grew to love back in the "Golden Age" are still all present, just with different characters.
The reason why we both distance ourselves from the current CTFG is, I believe, in inability to get over the shock of the time when all our close friends started leaving the site during the IB-CTFG split…it was just so sudden, and as I said, I shed real tears over incidents back then (no exaggeration). The things we lost are not things that can be replaced…and that's why we can't settle into the current CTFG. It's not that we can't, to be precise. It's that we don't want to.
If you own a dog you truly loved, when he dies, would you buy a new one? A lot of people say no to that question. Why? The answer is the same as why we don't deeply join the CTFG again. Same reason. Not because a new dog or a new CTFG would be physically different - it's an emotional thing. I think the "Golden Age" of FAKKU is still living on in the current CTFG - including all the dramas that we were so "fond" of.
I can't really call it CTFG because...ever since the split I've never really been a part of it, so I'll say that being a part of pre-2010 IB meant a lot to me as well - and definitely life-changing. It taught me about interpersonal relationships more so than anything I had encountered in real life up to that stage in my life. It taught me many burdens and responsibilities of being in a relationship, and how important friendships can be - as well as how easily trust can be broken. As Callonia said, it's definitely more intense than IB, but hey, that's what a virtual World is like. The experiences I learnt there will not be forgotten.
I think the main thing we got out of this is a reminder that CTFG culture isn't escapism. Given my experiences with pre-2010 IB (and probably the current CTFG), there's probably more drama, slander and backstabbing going on than in real life itself. However, in the midst of that, true friendships and relationships are formed between people. I guess this amazing social interactive space is just one of the reasons we have yet to uncover of why people keep coming back to CTFG.
mibuchiha wrote...
As for CTFG. Or pre-2010 IB. Yes, it was almost real to me. Everything felt so dear, how people would chat together and so on. I made friends. I loved visiting the place, I used to look forward to seeing the users. It felt as if I was interacting irl just the same, without (at least that was how it appeared to me) all the fake pleasantries.I've been looking forward to you writing up a reply because I know you were one of the few people who was active along with me in pre-2010 IB that's still relatively active on the site. This pretty much sums up my feelings towards FAKKU back then as well. Everyone knew everyone else, and it was pretty much my second life.
mibuchiha wrote...
Then come the split. Many users quit due to that, all the people I loved to chat with. That came as a shock to me. They moved on to different place, some never visited F! ever again. It was confusing to me. I wasn't attached enough with the place to move to a different forums simply due to a forum section split and I wasn't too detached that it didn't affect my feelings. So through the confusion I chose to simply adapt with the change, keeping my interactions with the friends that remained.I'm not sure if you remember it as clearly as I do, but the split happened because as FAKKU became more and more mainstream, trolling, flaming, flaming and all that common Internet culture started rolling in. I've always been vocal about how FAKKU's moderation has problems and this is where it showed the most. Because of the lack of active global moderators (Teclo? Who?), the initial trolls weren't banned when they came in.
If the moderators had acted as soon as the new trolls started showing up, FAKKU's original integrity would have been kept since that would have set an example of what would happen to trolling and baiting. However, since they were too lazy to act, trolling and flaming became the norm as they went unpunished. By the time they realized this, it was already too late because they couldn't afford to ban 75% of the user base. That's why they split CTFG from IB - the oldies and the newfags just do not get along.
It's not really hard to understand why everyone started leaving...I mean, KLoWn was an acting moderator when I celebrated my 2000th post, and he had no hesitation declaring that the posters that started arriving post-2010 are just "plain shit". Given his position, I think that it's something the staff understand. However, they cannot risk offending that many users now that 90% of the forums are the "newfags" KLoWn talked about.
mibuchiha wrote...
That period taught me about what I really loved about CTFG. It's the friendships. All the interactions felt real. It's not about the place, and honestly, I came to dislike the overly utopian feel of the current CTFG. Everything seems so silly, like people playing friends, having fun together and that's it. Of course, I wouldn't assume that's all the new users that frequent CTFG are, but that's how it appeared to me. I dislike the seemingly shallow interactions, it feels like I've lost what I loved so much about CTFG back then.Perhaps it was just me growing up, or maybe I've changed to be more apathetic. I'm not sure. Looking through my post history made me feel so alien, I felt from my earlier posts the same silliness I dislike in the current CTFG. I even had a friend pointed that out for me. And of course, new users aren't all bad to me. Some of them I would call my true friends, and there's someone even beyond that to me. But that doesn't change the fact I'm detached from the current CTFG. I just maintain a thread there. Yes I do lurk, but I post quite rarely and only to chat with few people. Like when the split happened, I am not clinging to what's no more, it's just that I have no reason to quit, some of my friends are still active and at times CTFG does provide my excitement dose.
This is one part where I'll be disagreeing with you on. Even now, I believe that we're keeping our distance from CTFG for the same reason. As you said, if we look back at our posts back in 2009 and 2010, there's actually not that much difference in those compared to the current CTFG posters. While I have distanced myself from the current CTFG, I do know people there still and I believe the friendships, realistic interactions and virtual utopian feel that we grew to love back in the "Golden Age" are still all present, just with different characters.
The reason why we both distance ourselves from the current CTFG is, I believe, in inability to get over the shock of the time when all our close friends started leaving the site during the IB-CTFG split…it was just so sudden, and as I said, I shed real tears over incidents back then (no exaggeration). The things we lost are not things that can be replaced…and that's why we can't settle into the current CTFG. It's not that we can't, to be precise. It's that we don't want to.
If you own a dog you truly loved, when he dies, would you buy a new one? A lot of people say no to that question. Why? The answer is the same as why we don't deeply join the CTFG again. Same reason. Not because a new dog or a new CTFG would be physically different - it's an emotional thing. I think the "Golden Age" of FAKKU is still living on in the current CTFG - including all the dramas that we were so "fond" of.
mibuchiha wrote...
So... yeah. It's definitely a highly unique culture. I however do not see it as escapism, at least it is not a form of escape to me. I can separate it and my life fairly well, I know the importance of both, and I know which are the parts of the two I want to join together. Even if I'm no more than a lurker there now, it's still true that CTFG meant a lot to me. Lifechanging, even.I can't really call it CTFG because...ever since the split I've never really been a part of it, so I'll say that being a part of pre-2010 IB meant a lot to me as well - and definitely life-changing. It taught me about interpersonal relationships more so than anything I had encountered in real life up to that stage in my life. It taught me many burdens and responsibilities of being in a relationship, and how important friendships can be - as well as how easily trust can be broken. As Callonia said, it's definitely more intense than IB, but hey, that's what a virtual World is like. The experiences I learnt there will not be forgotten.
I think the main thing we got out of this is a reminder that CTFG culture isn't escapism. Given my experiences with pre-2010 IB (and probably the current CTFG), there's probably more drama, slander and backstabbing going on than in real life itself. However, in the midst of that, true friendships and relationships are formed between people. I guess this amazing social interactive space is just one of the reasons we have yet to uncover of why people keep coming back to CTFG.
0
My opinion is pretty much like what the other people said, except that my joining-date is post-2010. Fakku was the only forum I frequented during that time, and it's solely because of the friendly community of IB back then (now CTFG). Without I realize, I kept trying to online there as much as possible, I was so excited to see new posts, my favorite users, and their jokes. I did consider them as my online-family, if not more than that.
My favorite place was Fakku Cafe (without V2 or V3), and I admit that I was into hugging or drama stuffs since I wanted to adapt and be accepted (pathetic, I know). Perhaps, due to that, some people disliked me. They showed their distaste against me. I was new in the world of Interwebz, thus, it made me sad to annoy people that I don't know even though I didn't really mean anything ill within both my words and actions. Fortunately, people whom I consider friends cheered me up, and I grew up with them, supporting each other.
Time flows, then Fakku Cafe has 'V2' on its name. I realized that there was something off, but I wasn't sure of what is it. In my confusion, there I saw more and more new people coming, and I found most of their words and actions kinda disturbing. I'm well aware that I was like that too, and perhaps my distaste is because I'm growing up, I kept trying to persuade myself that I don't have the right to judge them. But in the end, I couldn't bear it, I'd rather leave and be a lurker than to show my distaste since again, I don't have the right to judge nor to order them.
Following that, some of my favorite users left. Some had things to do with their own life, while the others just simply disliked the current culture in CTFG. My hate persuaded me to leave the place once and for all, but then, a good friend of mine suggested that we should make a thread that has rules and is different than any others, that is Touhou Game Club.
Now I'm still posting in CTFG, or more precisely at Touhou Game Club.
I'm not saying that the new users are all bad, it's just me who couldn't adapt to their culture. Or maybe it's also me being apathetic. But still, I cannot deny that CTFG was and still meant a lot to me. I found a lot of friends and grew up with them. To be honest, I am not sure of anything that I can call 'culture' of CTFG back when I was still active, they were simply my online family, or could be more.
My favorite place was Fakku Cafe (without V2 or V3), and I admit that I was into hugging or drama stuffs since I wanted to adapt and be accepted (pathetic, I know). Perhaps, due to that, some people disliked me. They showed their distaste against me. I was new in the world of Interwebz, thus, it made me sad to annoy people that I don't know even though I didn't really mean anything ill within both my words and actions. Fortunately, people whom I consider friends cheered me up, and I grew up with them, supporting each other.
Time flows, then Fakku Cafe has 'V2' on its name. I realized that there was something off, but I wasn't sure of what is it. In my confusion, there I saw more and more new people coming, and I found most of their words and actions kinda disturbing. I'm well aware that I was like that too, and perhaps my distaste is because I'm growing up, I kept trying to persuade myself that I don't have the right to judge them. But in the end, I couldn't bear it, I'd rather leave and be a lurker than to show my distaste since again, I don't have the right to judge nor to order them.
Following that, some of my favorite users left. Some had things to do with their own life, while the others just simply disliked the current culture in CTFG. My hate persuaded me to leave the place once and for all, but then, a good friend of mine suggested that we should make a thread that has rules and is different than any others, that is Touhou Game Club.
Now I'm still posting in CTFG, or more precisely at Touhou Game Club.
I'm not saying that the new users are all bad, it's just me who couldn't adapt to their culture. Or maybe it's also me being apathetic. But still, I cannot deny that CTFG was and still meant a lot to me. I found a lot of friends and grew up with them. To be honest, I am not sure of anything that I can call 'culture' of CTFG back when I was still active, they were simply my online family, or could be more.
0
I have to admit, though my Joining date is pre 2010, I lurked until after the split mostly.
Its not all fun and games in CTFG, there is a lot of hate going on (if not openly shown). but Frienship and relationships still show on the foreground
As for the "newfags" - you can have a lot of fun with them. some aren't quite bad and live their way into CTFG well. However, the annoying things are the wannabe trolls that get redirected from IB or the Summerfags.
then there is people like Thugshit 1 to 26 I guess.
Its not all fun and games in CTFG, there is a lot of hate going on (if not openly shown). but Frienship and relationships still show on the foreground
As for the "newfags" - you can have a lot of fun with them. some aren't quite bad and live their way into CTFG well. However, the annoying things are the wannabe trolls that get redirected from IB or the Summerfags.
then there is people like Thugshit 1 to 26 I guess.
1
CTFG, or the phenomenon that drives it, is basically roleplaying, except you're not spending a lot of time developing your character in an aggressive manner. There's a weird balance that is struck when you spend a little time filtering your words through courtesy or flavor, but don't devote as much to the point where you feel like you're acting. It's very accessible. You sort of displace a positive, simplified version of self into a stream of other people doing the same thing.
That being said, I think CTFG and IB are both forms of this casual expression of displaced self, where we be ourselves, but generally exhibit only one or two facets, then edit it before we display it to others.
However, there is only one thing that I want to point out: all the virtual hugs, role-playings and such; aren't they not just acts of escapism from the real life?
Possibly, although I am more likely to believe that nowadays it is escapism from other prevalent internet cultures, particularly internet apathy.
IB is actually very escapist at its core as well. The reason why the board is popular is because it does not have the restrictions that generally come from interacting with real people, where hurting their feelings could otherwise be detrimental to the mood. Guilt is actively avoided there. It's not an accurate reflection of a typical social structure.
Personally, if we're going to be hung up on one thing, it shouldn't be escapism simply because we're all under the same umbrella in the abstract.
That being said, I think CTFG and IB are both forms of this casual expression of displaced self, where we be ourselves, but generally exhibit only one or two facets, then edit it before we display it to others.
zeroniv_legend wrote...
"A highly unique culture." Personally, I do believe that is the most appropriate phrase to explain CTFG in a single sentence.However, there is only one thing that I want to point out: all the virtual hugs, role-playings and such; aren't they not just acts of escapism from the real life?
Possibly, although I am more likely to believe that nowadays it is escapism from other prevalent internet cultures, particularly internet apathy.
IB is actually very escapist at its core as well. The reason why the board is popular is because it does not have the restrictions that generally come from interacting with real people, where hurting their feelings could otherwise be detrimental to the mood. Guilt is actively avoided there. It's not an accurate reflection of a typical social structure.
Personally, if we're going to be hung up on one thing, it shouldn't be escapism simply because we're all under the same umbrella in the abstract.
0
Speaking to the state of the entire site, having little experience with CTFG:
I remember when the community started to go to shit.
Back in the day, IB had the intelligence level to today's Random. SD was for near essay long posts, and the current IB was a bannable offense.
Something changed, along the way.
(A clue: it starts with "H," and mentioning it used to get people banned.)
That probably wasn't the primary reason, but it's a good landmark. Banning people for stupidity isn't always the best idea, but history has shown it to be effective at delaying the symptoms of decline.
(Especially after a site has established itself as well as Fakku. An iron hammer could do wonders now.)
****
But, the past is the past. Now, it would probably be effective to reach out to the new community and build social ties.
Fakku was just a gateway, the path led all across these internets. Sometimes, it even breached the gap to the land of "real life."
I remember when the community started to go to shit.
Back in the day, IB had the intelligence level to today's Random. SD was for near essay long posts, and the current IB was a bannable offense.
Something changed, along the way.
(A clue: it starts with "H," and mentioning it used to get people banned.)
That probably wasn't the primary reason, but it's a good landmark. Banning people for stupidity isn't always the best idea, but history has shown it to be effective at delaying the symptoms of decline.
(Especially after a site has established itself as well as Fakku. An iron hammer could do wonders now.)
****
But, the past is the past. Now, it would probably be effective to reach out to the new community and build social ties.
Fakku was just a gateway, the path led all across these internets. Sometimes, it even breached the gap to the land of "real life."
0
Mod Note: I would urge all users to refrain from flaming or insulting other members. Otherwise, the relevant posts will be deleted and perhaps, further action, taken.
In addition, I was initially wondering if this topic is suitable for the Serious Dicussion section, but after reading through the posts, I realized that the focus lies with the culture of the Chat Topics and Forum Games, akin to MMORPGS, chat rooms, albeit on a smaller scale. Thus, it shall remain here... for now.
Sorry for the inconvenience caused.
ITT: Good old times and Familiar Faces.
Jokes aside and getting back on topic, I for one, enjoy visiting the Chat Topics and Forum Games section. To a certain extent, it helps me to relax, as well as take a break from my duties as staff member. Over there, I feel as if I could speak with most users on any issue under the sun. However, there are times when I wonder if I am treated differently because of my position as a staff member.
If I were any ordinary bear, would anyone pay me any attention or listen to my woes?
I have always believed that it is easier to speak with online friends on certain issues, who are less judgemental, as compared to those in real-life. Both good and bad advice may be given, but at the very least, we obtain further input from all angles.
In addition, each user has their own definition of an ideal state. Perhaps, the Chat Topics and Forum Games section, and so many other online community, which allow users to make friends and perhaps converse freely, whilst not being constricted by a topic at hand, is what makes them appealing and alluring.
Truth be told, there have been occasions when I felt like leaving Fakku, due to real-life commitments such as work and studies, but whenever I recall friends whom I have made, it motivates me to return. Maybe one day, when my friends are no longer around, it is time to say goodbye too.
In addition, I was initially wondering if this topic is suitable for the Serious Dicussion section, but after reading through the posts, I realized that the focus lies with the culture of the Chat Topics and Forum Games, akin to MMORPGS, chat rooms, albeit on a smaller scale. Thus, it shall remain here... for now.
Sorry for the inconvenience caused.
ITT: Good old times and Familiar Faces.
Jokes aside and getting back on topic, I for one, enjoy visiting the Chat Topics and Forum Games section. To a certain extent, it helps me to relax, as well as take a break from my duties as staff member. Over there, I feel as if I could speak with most users on any issue under the sun. However, there are times when I wonder if I am treated differently because of my position as a staff member.
If I were any ordinary bear, would anyone pay me any attention or listen to my woes?
I have always believed that it is easier to speak with online friends on certain issues, who are less judgemental, as compared to those in real-life. Both good and bad advice may be given, but at the very least, we obtain further input from all angles.
In addition, each user has their own definition of an ideal state. Perhaps, the Chat Topics and Forum Games section, and so many other online community, which allow users to make friends and perhaps converse freely, whilst not being constricted by a topic at hand, is what makes them appealing and alluring.
Truth be told, there have been occasions when I felt like leaving Fakku, due to real-life commitments such as work and studies, but whenever I recall friends whom I have made, it motivates me to return. Maybe one day, when my friends are no longer around, it is time to say goodbye too.
0
I have realized that continuing to respond to posts in this thread will take up too much of my time, and my final exams are next week, as stated in the OP. Thus, this will be my last post in this thread until next Thursday. Please continue the discussion in my absence - I will be back on Friday 15 to carefully read everything and reply accordingly. I love what we've done so far. Keep it up, guys! :D
In other news, this is the longest post I have ever typed up since joining FAKKU. Not bad.
Very good! You're one of the users of CTFG after the split has happened. I don't know many of you so it's great that you replied.
Here is where I need to correct you on something. Firstly, everyone goes to the CTFG to get virtual hugs and the "drama stuff", since that's what CTFG is about - role-play of a virtual utopian World. It's not "pathetic" because, face it, everyone wants virtual hugs. Why does My Little Pony have such a big fan base? Same thing. People want to escape from the Internet's apathetic culture that 4chan pioneered. This point is actually addressed later.
As for the people disliking you, that's also normal. There isn't a single person in CTFG that doesn't have haters. If you deeply engage yourself in a virtual World like CTFG, it's impossible to not have enemies, just like real life. It's not because of the fact you like virtual hugs - it's just that they don't like you regardless of what you are.
IT's because you can make genuine enemies that you can also make genuine friends. That is the CTFG.
Following that, some of my favorite users left. Some had things to do with their own life, while the others just simply disliked the current culture in CTFG.
I'm not saying that the new users are all bad, it's just me who couldn't adapt to their culture. Or maybe it's also me being apathetic. But still, I cannot deny that CTFG was and still meant a lot to me. I found a lot of friends and grew up with them. To be honest, I am not sure of anything that I can call 'culture' of CTFG back when I was still active, they were simply my online family, or could be more.
OK so here is where you're wrong. CTFG has never changed. This culture has never changed from the start. Just like how I stopped coming to CTFG after it got split from IB, and you stopped caring after FAKKU Cafe reached "V2", new people came in and old people left.
Nothing was off…you just don't want to be a part of CTFG culture anymore. The ones who changed are us, not CTFG. Your story is the same as mine, except that in my case my World shattered suddenly within a period of a few days, and the blow was so devastating I was left in tears. For you it was a calmer, less painful experience.
Its not all fun and games in CTFG, there is a lot of hate going on (if not openly shown). but Frienship and relationships still show on the foreground
Yes, this is spoken like a true currently-active CTFG-goer. There is so much hate, backstabbing, slandering and Korean-esque drama on the backstage of CTFG. This isn't visible to people who never truly get into it, but for anyone who is deeply involved in CTFG, this cannot be denied. I didn't mention this too much in the OP topic since it wasn't too relevant to what we are talking about - why CTFG is so alluring to so many people?
This is possibly the first post in this thread that has started to address the heart of the phenomena that is CTFG, and I congratulate you for bringing up the concept of "role-playing". The reason why this thread cannot afford to be moved away from Serious Discussion is this very fact - if you call CTFG a role-play, you will undoubtedly become an outcast for life at the CTFG. To the deeply involved CTFG-goers, CTFG is definitely not a role-play - to them, it's their life!
Here in SD people like you will be protected from personal attacks and flaming from angry citizens of CTFG as this is possibly the last sub-forum on FAKKU that still utilizes systematic moderation.
Bingo - that's the start of our road to finding our answer. Ever since Web 2.0 replaced Web 1.0, and users started using the Internet as a tool for communication rather than just a consumer of existing knowledge, the Internet has been apathetic. This is largely due to the big influences of anonymity and 4chan - and the very nature of humans "enjoying" being mean to others. Not all people are like this, and some people want the very opposite - they want to be loved, cared about, and to an extent - narcissistic.
Yes! Finally we have hit one of the key points in this topic of discussion: why is CTFG, a forum that is completely in contrast with the post-2010 IB, all under the overlord that is Incoherent Babbling? There is indeed a deep and coherent answer for that, and you nailed it. I was hoping that people would come to this conclusion eventually, but I didn't expect someone to get it this early on during Page 1!
Some of us come online to get virtual hugs and kisses from everyone else.
Some of us come online to find pleasure in being mean to people.
Some of us come online to form friendships and find counseling.
Some of us come online to troll and annoy others, and find amusement in such actions.
At the end of the day, all of this is done for the exactly same reason: I am discontent with real life - I want a second life.
It's not always escapism, and I don't like that word. Just because one wants to have a virtual life doesn't mean that he wants to escape from real life. These are two mutually exclusive elements. Of course, many users of CTFG and IB are very insecure and are escapists. That's the first thing doswillrule mentioned. This is true.
Something changed, along the way.
As I said, it was a gradual thing. There weren't enough moderators, and when the trolls started coming in they weren't taught a lesson. They became role models of new members, and so fourth until IB turned to complete ****.
CTFG is an incredibly touchy topic because it's literally as important, if not more important than real life for many users. It cannot be emphasized how important it is that this thread stays in SD where it will be under protection by moderators. If this gets moved to Random or IB we will get mauled by angry people from both CTFG and IB.
We have already reached this conclusion from Futabot's insightful posts. This is what the CTFG is about, after all! Nice, isn't it? I completely understand your feeling.
Alright, I know this isn't relevant to the topic at hand, but let me tell you one thing, Gambler. This concept of you being treated "differently because you are a GM" is complete nonsense. I do lurk in the CTFG and I can see how you're being treated there. You don't have to feel that you're getting any special treatment because you're not. CTFG is literally that friendly to everyone as long as they don't post in IB. Well, on the surface, at least. :)
Many of the prominent users in CTFG nowadays are not even FAKKU Elders, and trust me, they get a lot of virtual hugs and kisses. They pay attention to each other's problems, are supportive of each other, and are really just big, loving families. (The interactions between families is where the dark side of CTFG shows itself, but you'll never really see it unless you get really deep into CTFG).
It's because you haven't yet made CTFG your second life (gone deep) that you also never noticed that no one is treating you differently just because you're a GM. Everyone is equal in the CTFG and titles mean nothing. Just relax.
However, a special tip for you Gambler, just because you're a really important friend and I know to an extent the stress you already face in your life - don't get too deep into CTFG. If you get too deeply involved and learn of the malicious stuff there, it is actually emotionally taxing and stressful. We don't need any extra stress after your already stressful day.
Just visit it now and then and enjoy. That's the best way of utilizing CTFG for you. :)
Well, conversing freely, not restricted by a topic…these are definitely great, but I don't believe it's what makes CTFG become something as important as a second life to many of the members there. After all, the same can be said for IB. And I'm sure no IB-regular would say that IB is their second life.
It's definitely the intimacy, the role-playing and the virtual emotions that are experienced once when has truly fitted into CTFG culture. This is something IB doesn't have.
I never thought these words would come out of your mouth. :(
I have sentimental attachments to this forums. Even if all my old friends have left, I'm still here. Don't even start thinking about leaving, Gambler. Just because we will still be in touch doesn't mean you're allowed to leave the forums. Without you this place will become a real mess. Seriously, just don't consider it.
I know this is off topic, but again, don't you dare leave. :(
In other news, this is the longest post I have ever typed up since joining FAKKU. Not bad.
Old - Jenkins wrote...
My opinion is pretty much like what the other people said, except that my joining-date is post-2010. Fakku was the only forum I frequented during that time, and it's solely because of the friendly community of IB back then (now CTFG). Without I realize, I kept trying to online there as much as possible, I was so excited to see new posts, my favorite users, and their jokes. I did consider them as my online-family, if not more than that. Very good! You're one of the users of CTFG after the split has happened. I don't know many of you so it's great that you replied.
Old - Jenkins wrote...
My favorite place was Fakku Cafe (without V2 or V3), and I admit that I was into hugging or drama stuffs since I wanted to adapt and be accepted (pathetic, I know). Perhaps, due to that, some people disliked me. They showed their distaste against me. I was new in the world of Interwebz, thus, it made me sad to annoy people that I don't know even though I didn't really mean anything ill within both my words and actions. Fortunately, people whom I consider friends cheered me up, and I grew up with them, supporting each other. Here is where I need to correct you on something. Firstly, everyone goes to the CTFG to get virtual hugs and the "drama stuff", since that's what CTFG is about - role-play of a virtual utopian World. It's not "pathetic" because, face it, everyone wants virtual hugs. Why does My Little Pony have such a big fan base? Same thing. People want to escape from the Internet's apathetic culture that 4chan pioneered. This point is actually addressed later.
As for the people disliking you, that's also normal. There isn't a single person in CTFG that doesn't have haters. If you deeply engage yourself in a virtual World like CTFG, it's impossible to not have enemies, just like real life. It's not because of the fact you like virtual hugs - it's just that they don't like you regardless of what you are.
IT's because you can make genuine enemies that you can also make genuine friends. That is the CTFG.
Old - Jenkins wrote...
Time flows, then Fakku Cafe has 'V2' on its name. I realized that there was something off, but I wasn't sure of what is it. In my confusion, there I saw more and more new people coming, and I found most of their words and actions kinda disturbing. I'm well aware that I was like that too, and perhaps my distaste is because I'm growing up, I kept trying to persuade myself that I don't have the right to judge them. But in the end, I couldn't bear it, I'd rather leave and be a lurker than to show my distaste since again, I don't have the right to judge nor to order them.Following that, some of my favorite users left. Some had things to do with their own life, while the others just simply disliked the current culture in CTFG.
I'm not saying that the new users are all bad, it's just me who couldn't adapt to their culture. Or maybe it's also me being apathetic. But still, I cannot deny that CTFG was and still meant a lot to me. I found a lot of friends and grew up with them. To be honest, I am not sure of anything that I can call 'culture' of CTFG back when I was still active, they were simply my online family, or could be more.
OK so here is where you're wrong. CTFG has never changed. This culture has never changed from the start. Just like how I stopped coming to CTFG after it got split from IB, and you stopped caring after FAKKU Cafe reached "V2", new people came in and old people left.
Nothing was off…you just don't want to be a part of CTFG culture anymore. The ones who changed are us, not CTFG. Your story is the same as mine, except that in my case my World shattered suddenly within a period of a few days, and the blow was so devastating I was left in tears. For you it was a calmer, less painful experience.
Melfice_1 wrote...
I have to admit, though my Joining date is pre 2010, I lurked until after the split mostly.Its not all fun and games in CTFG, there is a lot of hate going on (if not openly shown). but Frienship and relationships still show on the foreground
Yes, this is spoken like a true currently-active CTFG-goer. There is so much hate, backstabbing, slandering and Korean-esque drama on the backstage of CTFG. This isn't visible to people who never truly get into it, but for anyone who is deeply involved in CTFG, this cannot be denied. I didn't mention this too much in the OP topic since it wasn't too relevant to what we are talking about - why CTFG is so alluring to so many people?
Futabot wrote...
CTFG, or the phenomenon that drives it, is basically roleplaying, except you're not spending a lot of time developing your character in an aggressive manner. There's a weird balance that is struck when you spend a little time filtering your words through courtesy or flavor, but don't devote as much to the point where you feel like you're acting. It's very accessible. You sort of displace a positive, simplified version of self into a stream of other people doing the same thing.This is possibly the first post in this thread that has started to address the heart of the phenomena that is CTFG, and I congratulate you for bringing up the concept of "role-playing". The reason why this thread cannot afford to be moved away from Serious Discussion is this very fact - if you call CTFG a role-play, you will undoubtedly become an outcast for life at the CTFG. To the deeply involved CTFG-goers, CTFG is definitely not a role-play - to them, it's their life!
Here in SD people like you will be protected from personal attacks and flaming from angry citizens of CTFG as this is possibly the last sub-forum on FAKKU that still utilizes systematic moderation.
Futabot wrote...
That being said, I think CTFG and IB are both forms of this casual expression of displaced self, where we be ourselves, but generally exhibit only one or two facets, then edit it before we display it to others. Although I am more likely to believe that nowadays it is escapism from other prevalent internet cultures, particularly internet apathy.Bingo - that's the start of our road to finding our answer. Ever since Web 2.0 replaced Web 1.0, and users started using the Internet as a tool for communication rather than just a consumer of existing knowledge, the Internet has been apathetic. This is largely due to the big influences of anonymity and 4chan - and the very nature of humans "enjoying" being mean to others. Not all people are like this, and some people want the very opposite - they want to be loved, cared about, and to an extent - narcissistic.
Futabot wrote...
IB is actually very escapist at its core as well. The reason why the board is popular is because it does not have the restrictions that generally come from interacting with real people, where hurting their feelings could otherwise be detrimental to the mood. Guilt is actively avoided there. It's not an accurate reflection of a typical social structure.Yes! Finally we have hit one of the key points in this topic of discussion: why is CTFG, a forum that is completely in contrast with the post-2010 IB, all under the overlord that is Incoherent Babbling? There is indeed a deep and coherent answer for that, and you nailed it. I was hoping that people would come to this conclusion eventually, but I didn't expect someone to get it this early on during Page 1!
CTFG and IB are built upon the exactly same principles!
Some of us come online to get virtual hugs and kisses from everyone else.
Some of us come online to find pleasure in being mean to people.
Some of us come online to form friendships and find counseling.
Some of us come online to troll and annoy others, and find amusement in such actions.
At the end of the day, all of this is done for the exactly same reason: I am discontent with real life - I want a second life.
Futabot wrote...
Personally, if we're going to be hung up on one thing, it shouldn't be escapism simply because we're all under the same umbrella in the abstract.It's not always escapism, and I don't like that word. Just because one wants to have a virtual life doesn't mean that he wants to escape from real life. These are two mutually exclusive elements. Of course, many users of CTFG and IB are very insecure and are escapists. That's the first thing doswillrule mentioned. This is true.
Aud1o Blood wrote...
Back in the day, IB had the intelligence level to today's Random. SD was for near essay long posts, and the current IB was a bannable offense.Something changed, along the way.
As I said, it was a gradual thing. There weren't enough moderators, and when the trolls started coming in they weren't taught a lesson. They became role models of new members, and so fourth until IB turned to complete ****.
Gambler wrote...
Thus, it shall remain here... for now.CTFG is an incredibly touchy topic because it's literally as important, if not more important than real life for many users. It cannot be emphasized how important it is that this thread stays in SD where it will be under protection by moderators. If this gets moved to Random or IB we will get mauled by angry people from both CTFG and IB.
Gambler wrote...
I for one, enjoy visiting the Chat Topics and Forum Games section. To a certain extent, it helps me to relax, as well as take a break from my duties as staff member. Over there, I feel as if I could speak with most users on any issue under the sun. We have already reached this conclusion from Futabot's insightful posts. This is what the CTFG is about, after all! Nice, isn't it? I completely understand your feeling.
Gambler wrote...
However, there are times when I wonder if I am treated differently because of my position as a staff member. If I were any ordinary bear, would anyone pay me any attention or listen to my woes?Alright, I know this isn't relevant to the topic at hand, but let me tell you one thing, Gambler. This concept of you being treated "differently because you are a GM" is complete nonsense. I do lurk in the CTFG and I can see how you're being treated there. You don't have to feel that you're getting any special treatment because you're not. CTFG is literally that friendly to everyone as long as they don't post in IB. Well, on the surface, at least. :)
Many of the prominent users in CTFG nowadays are not even FAKKU Elders, and trust me, they get a lot of virtual hugs and kisses. They pay attention to each other's problems, are supportive of each other, and are really just big, loving families. (The interactions between families is where the dark side of CTFG shows itself, but you'll never really see it unless you get really deep into CTFG).
It's because you haven't yet made CTFG your second life (gone deep) that you also never noticed that no one is treating you differently just because you're a GM. Everyone is equal in the CTFG and titles mean nothing. Just relax.
However, a special tip for you Gambler, just because you're a really important friend and I know to an extent the stress you already face in your life - don't get too deep into CTFG. If you get too deeply involved and learn of the malicious stuff there, it is actually emotionally taxing and stressful. We don't need any extra stress after your already stressful day.
Just visit it now and then and enjoy. That's the best way of utilizing CTFG for you. :)
Gambler wrote...
In addition, each user has their own definition of an ideal state. Perhaps, the Chat Topics and Forum Games section, and so many other online community, which allow users to make friends and perhaps converse freely, whilst not being constricted by a topic at hand, is what makes them appealing and alluring.Well, conversing freely, not restricted by a topic…these are definitely great, but I don't believe it's what makes CTFG become something as important as a second life to many of the members there. After all, the same can be said for IB. And I'm sure no IB-regular would say that IB is their second life.
It's definitely the intimacy, the role-playing and the virtual emotions that are experienced once when has truly fitted into CTFG culture. This is something IB doesn't have.
Gambler wrote...
Truth be told, there have been occasions when I felt like leaving Fakku, due to real-life commitments such as work and studies, but whenever I recall friends whom I have made, it motivates me to return. Maybe one day, when my friends are no longer around, it is time to say goodbye too.I never thought these words would come out of your mouth. :(
I have sentimental attachments to this forums. Even if all my old friends have left, I'm still here. Don't even start thinking about leaving, Gambler. Just because we will still be in touch doesn't mean you're allowed to leave the forums. Without you this place will become a real mess. Seriously, just don't consider it.
I know this is off topic, but again, don't you dare leave. :(
0
devsonfire
3,000,000th Poster
Fuck, this thread is 3 times longer than my English essay.
OT: I don't see why there should be a "conflict" between CTFG and IB.
Maybe because I joined the site a little less than a year ago. So I don't know what's going on.
My point is, why the tension? I don't understand.
And for the family part, I can relate.
It came across my mind for the past week to leave Fakku, I have exams and stuff, but it's not happening since I always come back whenever I have spare time or I feel like shit.
It became some sort of escapism for me.
OT: I don't see why there should be a "conflict" between CTFG and IB.
Maybe because I joined the site a little less than a year ago. So I don't know what's going on.
My point is, why the tension? I don't understand.
And for the family part, I can relate.
It came across my mind for the past week to leave Fakku, I have exams and stuff, but it's not happening since I always come back whenever I have spare time or I feel like shit.
It became some sort of escapism for me.
1
ImperialX wrote...
I'm not sure if you remember it as clearly as I do, but the split happened because as FAKKU became more and more mainstream, trolling, flaming, flaming and all that common Internet culture started rolling in. I've always been vocal about how FAKKU's moderation has problems and this is where it showed the most. Because of the lack of active global moderators (Teclo? Who?), the initial trolls weren't banned when they came in.If the moderators had acted as soon as the new trolls started showing up, FAKKU's original integrity would have been kept since that would have set an example of what would happen to trolling and baiting. However, since they were too lazy to act, trolling and flaming became the norm as they went unpunished. By the time they realized this, it was already too late because they couldn't afford to ban 75% of the user base. That's why they split CTFG from IB - the oldies and the newfags just do not get along.
I think the circumstances of Teclo's disappearance go some way to explaining why moderators became a less visible presence. One might also argue that a core of users close to Jacob were emerging who had significant disdain for that dominant culture, but that's speculation, and I don't claim to speak from any position of authority there.
ImperialX wrote...
Here is where I need to correct you on something. Firstly, everyone goes to the CTFG to get virtual hugs and the "drama stuff", since that's what CTFG is about - role-play of a virtual utopian World. It's not "pathetic" because, face it, everyone wants virtual hugs. Why does My Little Pony have such a big fan base? Same thing. People want to escape from the Internet's apathetic culture that 4chan pioneered. This point is actually addressed later.
As for the people disliking you, that's also normal. There isn't a single person in CTFG that doesn't have haters. If you deeply engage yourself in a virtual World like CTFG, it's impossible to not have enemies, just like real life. It's not because of the fact you like virtual hugs - it's just that they don't like you regardless of what you are.
IT's because you can make genuine enemies that you can also make genuine friends. That is the CTFG.
What really intrigues me is how truthful these relationships are. Not genuine - I don't doubt that they exhibit all the qualities of a strong friendship - but how deep they really run. If you're essentially roleplaying, if everything is written in text, is there not both a natural tendency for showmanship, and the exaggeration of personal traits?
Anonymity is one of the most studied internet phenomena, but I believe it has an interesting application here. If you're 'getting to know each other' so deeply in CTFG, what happens when a friend finds out something revelatory? Just like the conversations and the overarching culture, it seems like some of these friendships might be rather idealistic. It seems to me, having heard countless stories about users which run counter to the image they present, that people in CTFG develop more of a persona than you might by talking to people through other means.
If I'm talking to someone in normal terms on Skype, and voice chatting with them, and sharing what I'm doing on a daily basis and details about my life, that allows someone to formulate their own judgement about me. If anything comes to the fore, it shouldn't be surprising, because it's only perverting their own impression of me (ultimately, it shouldn't be surprising at all).
But when you present an inflated character for your own enjoyment and security, you're also opening it to scrutiny. It's a kind of personality politics, I guess - hence the 'backstabbing' and character assassination.
I certainly feel that you can make good friends through the internet, but I wonder if CTFG sometimes provides an illusion of deep friendship when the conditions breed tenuousness.
0
Hey there! I’m a fellow old member, my name used be “Takazaki” and “Nagato Yuuki”. I too, really loved and treasured the community before. My time going to the forums decreased since most of the old members I knew disappeared from the forums, one by one. I was one of them.
I may not be someone significant, but I am an oldfag that tried to make the community a better place. I opened up threads like †˜Avatar and Sig’ requests, happily offered to edit some pictures for members without demanding reps. They were delighted, I had fun.
Now the forums didn’t have the feel that I was used too before. As the CTFG sub-forum emerged, I tried to get myself used to it, meeting new members, and new net friends. I gave them a warm welcome as an old member but I didn’t spend much of my time conversing with them. The CTFG felt very distant, I don’t know most of the people there now. I had now put my other priorities on top of the Fakku forums.
Oh! I didn't know that I welcomed you to Fakku, it’s been so long. I remember you quite well ImperialX, you’re one of the denizens of IB before. Those days were really fun. To be honest, I looked up to you and thought that you were a forum 'role-model' lol
Though we really haven't got to know each other that much.
Korou,
was one of the members that made me feel at home at the forums. Along with “Rin_Penelope” and “Blank_Zai”, they made me enjoy the forums. I was a new member back then, seems like my encounter with this people started my adventure here at Fakku’s community.
Mr. Bushido and Zeriam,
I really miss those bastards! I really had fun talking and making jokes with those two.
I think what you said is true, they’re the same as us. They treat those forums as how we treated the ones before. It’s a part of them now, something to look forward to everyday. They look forward to the hugs and kisses, the greetings, the surprises, etc.
It’s something that I think that we old members miss and longed for.
I may not be someone significant, but I am an oldfag that tried to make the community a better place. I opened up threads like †˜Avatar and Sig’ requests, happily offered to edit some pictures for members without demanding reps. They were delighted, I had fun.
Now the forums didn’t have the feel that I was used too before. As the CTFG sub-forum emerged, I tried to get myself used to it, meeting new members, and new net friends. I gave them a warm welcome as an old member but I didn’t spend much of my time conversing with them. The CTFG felt very distant, I don’t know most of the people there now. I had now put my other priorities on top of the Fakku forums.
Oh! I didn't know that I welcomed you to Fakku, it’s been so long. I remember you quite well ImperialX, you’re one of the denizens of IB before. Those days were really fun. To be honest, I looked up to you and thought that you were a forum 'role-model' lol
Though we really haven't got to know each other that much.
ImperialX wrote...
I was on Skype with Mr. Bushido and Zeriam, and with Korou-nee in another MSN conversation as I wrote that single word which composed my goodbye thread. I remember that feeling clearly - it was no less heart-breaking than losing any family member. Korou,
was one of the members that made me feel at home at the forums. Along with “Rin_Penelope” and “Blank_Zai”, they made me enjoy the forums. I was a new member back then, seems like my encounter with this people started my adventure here at Fakku’s community. Mr. Bushido and Zeriam,
I really miss those bastards! I really had fun talking and making jokes with those two.
ImperialX wrote...
Looking at the posts there now, there's no doubt that the CTFG residents treat it just as importantly as I treated FAKKU back in the days.I think what you said is true, they’re the same as us. They treat those forums as how we treated the ones before. It’s a part of them now, something to look forward to everyday. They look forward to the hugs and kisses, the greetings, the surprises, etc.
It’s something that I think that we old members miss and longed for.
0
Data Zero
Valkyrie Forces CO
Whats so alluring about CTFG?
I dont know. I feel like im home there. And the virtual hugs and occasional kick in the arse for being stupid helps to get away from the harsh reality that is the world we live in.
Besides you can meet all kinds of people. Like AnzeiKasumi and Asuzu. Cant foget Lance117 And Keirova_47. And cafe owner luinthoron.
People will always come and go here, but the place stays.
I dont know. I feel like im home there. And the virtual hugs and occasional kick in the arse for being stupid helps to get away from the harsh reality that is the world we live in.
Besides you can meet all kinds of people. Like AnzeiKasumi and Asuzu. Cant foget Lance117 And Keirova_47. And cafe owner luinthoron.
People will always come and go here, but the place stays.
0
I wonder, does the friendship in CTFG can really be called "true friendship"? People have different opinion, but to me, if there really is some real deep bond between users, they won't just quit because of a forum change.
0
To be honest, I never felt any kind of attachment to CTFG threads nowadays. I don't even know what's the appeal of this CTFG culture. Maybe because I rarely showed up on the forums, but I don't understand what kind of enjoyment you get from role playing, doing *actions* like *glomp*, and making friends(if you want to call them so) from simply doing those kind of interactions. And I can never get the idea of multiple chat threads, looking at the current CTFG it's like everyone needs to have his own thread, much like a house for every person. Is it for exclusivity, or what? I don't get the point. All I wanted was to chat and play games.
I used to hang out in RS for a short while before they moved out (I still feel guilty for not remembering their URL ;_;) then Kazenoken's first Chat Thread, and then the early Cafe. I met some nice users there like Kaze, K-A, mibu and Rin. They were some good fellows, and we could have nice discussions or just fooling around with ಠ_ಠemoticons and everyone would get along. It was so simple yet fun.
Then I was off for quite a while, and when I got back everything changed. New people, dramas happened, users marrying, inside jokes and circlejerking everywhere. I was not a big fan of drama or role playing and stuffs like hugs or glomps, so I couldn't really blend in because all I wanted was lighthearted chats, some music recommendations, funny image/video to share, or quality discussions once in a blue moon, the way old CT used to roll. Now various groups of users started making their own cliques, separating themselves from non-frequent CTFG users and having their own 'fantasy worlds' with their husband or servants or whatever. When people I cared about started to leave, I started to care less. Shit's getting more random than IB.
I used to hang out in RS for a short while before they moved out (I still feel guilty for not remembering their URL ;_;) then Kazenoken's first Chat Thread, and then the early Cafe. I met some nice users there like Kaze, K-A, mibu and Rin. They were some good fellows, and we could have nice discussions or just fooling around with ಠ_ಠemoticons and everyone would get along. It was so simple yet fun.
Then I was off for quite a while, and when I got back everything changed. New people, dramas happened, users marrying, inside jokes and circlejerking everywhere. I was not a big fan of drama or role playing and stuffs like hugs or glomps, so I couldn't really blend in because all I wanted was lighthearted chats, some music recommendations, funny image/video to share, or quality discussions once in a blue moon, the way old CT used to roll. Now various groups of users started making their own cliques, separating themselves from non-frequent CTFG users and having their own 'fantasy worlds' with their husband or servants or whatever. When people I cared about started to leave, I started to care less. Shit's getting more random than IB.
