This may be the final cycle. With the total active userbase hovering between 30 and 40 members, and a donation graph that looks like the arc of a heavy ball making its final few, weak bounces before coming to rest (or maybe it has come to rest - there have been no donations in over 30 days), the time has come to consider making this cycle the last SSW cycle.
It has come up before in the context of people being worried that it would happen at anytime without warning, but I've said before I'd give you guys some warning if it looked likely. Here's your warning. (:
If the cycle ends before Jan 1, I'll most likely just let the rest of December run out in Anarchy state without doing a Reset. There will probably *not* be any new Xmas content (Malcolm Ten will prolly just send you the party hat, and you'll get the final champagne bottle if you're wearing the hat on New Year's).
At some point soon after Jan 1 2012, I'll disable logins and shut down the rollover scripts and the "Space Radio" station (RFX will remain running, of course), and get the site ready for archiving. There'll prolly be a last Reset then to clear out all non-reset safe items in people's inventories, and then I'll back up the database and site files into a bundle that can be used to re-start the site from that state at a later date, if circumstances conspire to make SSW live again. At this point, I just can't afford to keep it going on my dime, IYKWIM, and I think it's about time to concentrate on something new.
I hope you've had as much fun playing SSW as I've had building it! (:
PS: perhaps the Mayans were right about the Universe ending in 2012?
NOOOOOOO!!!! and yes sir i've had as much fun playing as you have building. to belong to a game where your ideas are listened to and then made real before your eyes was inspirational to me, and i'll always treasure the moments i've had here....IF you ever start this up again i'll be one of the first ones back into space making your head hurt with my nonsense:) i tip my hat to you sirrah!
Thank you to Munk for creating this wonderful game and keeping it going for as long as you have. Thanks to all my fellow popsickles for being such awesome people. As solid as the foundation of the game is, it wouldn't be nearly as much fun without each and every one of you. SSW may fade, but the memories will remain.
This makes me so sad :( It is too bad having a small monthly cost to play was shot down to keep it alive. I have met some AMAZING people on here and have been able to find some of them on facebook to stay in touch. I will miss this game so much. I really hate change......
I will miss this game as well. I've met a lot of wonderful people here and had tons of fun! This game is certainly a unique and creative one, and it will be greatly missed.
Thank you, munk!! :)
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You all can find me at KoL (as VioletRay), Paradox the Musical (as Werecat), or a game called Popmundo (as Eboni Littleton) if you want to stay in touch and you don't already have another way to contact me.
When I started playing this it reminded me of my days playing trade wars 2000 for the first time on an old BBS system that I reached through the university's internet system. I spent so many hours waiting for my turns to refresh daily so I could explore more space and dominate with my trade guild. That was possibly the best part of this game for me, resurrecting my geeky past for the new old geek me.
I hope you keep our email database, and when you come up with your new project, you'll drop us all a line to maybe move on over there and try that out too.
'course, if you want a few ideas, I'm sure I have a few to give ya... and I don't doubt so do a few others who have played the game.
Heh, I *loved* TW2000 back in the BBS days. I ran a copy on the True Sons of Liberty BBS back in early 90's. I'm happy that you noticed the influence. (:
Oh well, I had wondered how long it would take for this to happen. I'll always remember those first few cycles I played with all the PvP, and general debauchery going on as some of the most fun time I've had playing games.
I'll bundle it all up as a tar.gz file and the site will most likely cease to exist except for that backup. It would be a lot of work to just have certain parts accessible, and that would require keeping the site hosting up which sort of defeats the purpose (:
Later on, though, I will probably split out the records and maybe some other stuff (read-only format, so no active forums or syndicates) and put them up in a subdirectory of my personal site.
I would be more than willing to pay a monthly fee to keep this game up and running, figures this happens right when I decide to give this game another try. *sigh* I really want to start a movement to try and get some more active players, I really don't want to see this place go down, I first heard of SSW when they were doing that radio donation drive for the woman who lost her son, forget her name exactly she was both a KoL and SSW player though, I believe.
I'm glad to hear she's doing well! Seing her youtube videos was absolutely heart breaking.
Anyway, I'll be sure to play the hell out of whatever game you come up with next! Hopefully it'll be browser based like this one, good screen reader friendly browser based games can be tricky to find these days :d
"Aye, Starbuck, it was MOBY DICK that dismasted me -- that accursed white whale gave me this dead stump I stand on -- made a poor, pegging lubber of me -- I'll chase him round Good Hope, and round the Horn, and round perdition's flames before I give him up. AND THIS IS WHAT YE HAVE SHIPPED FOR MEN -- WILL YE SPLICE HANDS ON IT NOW?" . . . "Aye, aye!" shouted the crew . . . "God bless ye, men," sobbed Ahab.
There are many words and many feelings that I have, yet I am seemingly unable to articulate.
I am sad, though partially responsible as I have been a lazy popsickle.
I am grateful for all of the good times, good friends I have made, many space battles and stalking the masses only to have them curse my name in the end.
I will miss my hatesmails. Yes, yes I will. Hundreds of hours of my life well spent. :)
I'll always remember the outpouring of love and support from the community, that which truly restored my faith in humanity. I now feel the need to continue to pay it forward for the rest of my life in gratitude- it will take me at least that long to give what I received (emotionally, spiritually and financially).
Thank you dear Munk for giving us such a gift, and I look forward to experiencing your future crazy creations.
<3 and </3
Pretty bummed but can understand. I may not check in very often but I still keep a tab open to SSW in at least one browser to remind me to check in when I can. Unfortunately the time requirements to really play the game competitively just got to be too much for me between suddenly having office hours again and then a new kid.
I had hoped to sneak back in at some point and start playing again but just haven't been able to find time :( If you start another game though please be sure to have me on an e-mail alert list to let me know!
Maybe I'll have to actually log back into KoL again sometime (I'm Cios) not that I was very good about logging in there anymore either once I found SSW :)
This makes me sad :( I'm a pretty casual player and miss days at a time, but I've always enjoyed it when I do play and have been happy to donate in the past. I'm very sorry to see it go. Thank you Munk for everything!
It's definitely been a ride. I wish I had been more involved, but the cycles I played were fun. See you guys on the other side! I'm dician in every game I play, but I haven't logged into KoL in months.
I'll never forget my Triads and all the fun I had in chat. I have my society buttons I got at con that one year, stickers, and two mouse pads. Never did end up with a T shirt, or it would probably have ended up like my progression of KOL shirts, which get worn until they have holes in them.
This wasn't really my normal kind of game, I'm a heart/diamond, and I hate beating other people up for their lunch money LOL. But I know a lot of people who are really into the whole PVP thing and loved this game. For me, it's always about collecting all the goodies. And I'll never forget that loveboat thing where I spent all my adventures for several days just trying to get a pair of pants so I could continue past the first area. For some reason, this game always wanted me pantsless ;)
Glad to hear Aces and Ads are doing well :)
I've been peeking back into KOL lately and ran into Crash there the other night. I'm unisus80 there, just like pretty much everyplace I go online except here and neopets. I've been noticing a lot fewer people on KOL these days too, not sure why.
It was a good ride and at one point I had a lot of fun here. I've been homeschooling my kids for the past several years so my world has pretty much become work, research, and typing assignments. I actually play those fluff facebook games that require no thinking whatsoever to relax nowadays. I have learned a lot in the process of teaching my children though.
Thanks for the memories :)
well, was a good run, wasn't ever really terribly active, but, fun game to sit down and spend a few minutes a day.. think I got a handful of folks to try it, none stuck around.. anywas, so long and thanks for all the fish! or whathaveyou.
It has been a great time here, I have not played as much in a while, but I made a bunch of great friends here, and I still wear my ES shirt proudly, will miss all of you and Munk, I have thoroughly enjoyed the game here, can't wait to see what you come up with in the future.
Back to join the chorus of folks who haven't been active for a while, but who will always remember SSW fondly.
New friends who remain to this day were met here. Existing friends became closer. And I tot to bang legless vampire hookers.
I'll always remember those first few cycles, when we were all figuring things out. The ad hoc teamwork unique ti any game I've played. And, yes, the geek drama.
Munk ... thanks for creating something special here. It was a damn fine run and even if, as one of the legion of new Oddie parents, my time is limited, I look forward to whatever comes next.
Oh wow. I'm another one who hasn't been around for awhile, but I always intended to get back into it again someday. Sad to see that wont be happening. Great game, great people, sad to see it go.
Awww. I spent so many hours on this game a couple of years ago, and got to know so many awesome people. Sorry you couldn't find a way to sustain it, munk, and thanks for all the hard work making it exist and keeping it going this long. As others have said, please retain the email list and let us know what you do next!!
Anyone wants to keep in touch, I have a facebook acct.(Bridget Peterson) and my email's destructomatikATgmailDOTcom.
I have a slew of KOL accts.(yrbrtzl has seen the most recent use, but also a pandamonieum, garlicbutter, artichoked, destructomatik,... damn. I kept starting new accts. when I tried to get back into the game to start fresh, then dropped out again) but I rarely play it these days, am pandamonieum over on paradox as well but rarely play that either. Too busy playing real life... (:
This is sad! Goodbye SSW, fellow popsickles, and munk!
Sorry this is going away, I was just getting the hang of it. <3
Find me (McFeisty) on KoL, ParadoxTheMusical, Muffins, and Hobowars (HW1). I used to do Facebook stuff, and I touch base there every so often, smail me if you want that name, or use my gmail account to contact me (I'm mcfeisty at gmail dot com).
Thanks for the fun and excitement, munk, keep it real, hope to be aboard for your next project, when/if it debuts. <3
Much like everyone else I am sad to see this go, I had gotten things down to a science. I enjoyed the highs and the lows of getting to know people. I was also amazed at how far this game had reached out (with out any major sponsor or push other than word of mouth) and I hope that if anything happens in the future we can all get back together.
I have started a KOL account (still am clueless) as the same name as here... I also have the Facebook thing going on as well.... just send an smail and I will give you who to look for.
Have fun in things and hope you all have a great time in life!
Thank you Munk for hosting and making this game... it has been a blast!
I was far from a regular and I didn't pay a lot of attention but I confess that this makes me really sad. I offer my support in your future endeavors (most notably in the form of BBQ at your wedding). But seriously, in all your future endeavors. Who knows what is next?
I'm sorry to hear that this has come to pass.. I've had fun in the past when I played regularly; and great times when I wasn't but popped in to chat! I can't wait to see what you come up with next, Munk!!
....so I guess I should just stick this $20, that I was planning on donating, in your bday package? :D
Munk, sir, it has been fun. Sorry I have not been playing much this last year. Real life has thrown me some curve balls. I will never forget the fun I had here and at the one and only SSW con I went to.
I'm sorry to see this place go. I haven't been able to play actively for quite a while, but I had so much fun during the time I spent here.
For anyone who actually remembers me ;p I'm on G+ here: http://gplus.to/daisywreath and on Facebook under the same name as G+. I also do KOL sort of sporadically -- my username there is the same as here.
Munk, thanks for everything you've done over the years making this such a great place <3
Wow, I didn't expect this. I'd just began to wonder what was going on over here and came back to wander around a bit, weird coincidence to see it being shut down. Agreed with what everyone else has said, a lot of people put a good amount of work into this place. On top of that list is munk, obviously.
I remember spending hours and hours playing this game and enjoying it quite a bit, fun times in chat, etc. Thanks for making it and giving me the chance to meet all the people I did, munk. Sorry I didn't stick around through the harder times.
Just to add my voice to the throng ... thanks to everyone for all the help and great times. I am glad that i came back even if it was only to see the end. Monk i am still amazed at this creation of yours and cant wait to see what you share next.
Everyone is here dropping contact info and I know I said hit me up on KOL, but I've grown to trust some of you. Previously, Munk is about the only person in the world that can easily connect hAvAAck with the person that uses the sn. If you want to hit me up IRL throw me a smail or a kmail over on KOL and I'll give you the info. Keep on rockin and see you all on the other side!
