In the spirit of the end of year review, I've noticed recently that a few people (including myself) have mentioned that they've been playing since near the beginning of the realms - usually either lamenting long-lost, much-loved characters or stroking their e-peen about how they remember when Glomdoring wasn't even a player org - but often pointing out that there are almost no players from the early days left any more. Since I've noticed several different people say this in the last few weeks, it occured to me that perhaps we're not all that rare. So, if you started playing early, chime in! My prediction is that a lot of us have been playing together for the majority of a decade and don't even know it.

For my part: I created my first character on the first day of open beta, which was October 7, 2004. To set the scene, I was 16, Facebook wouldn't open to the public for another two years, and there was no way Bush could win a second term. My first character was a Geomancer (the name began with a J, and I don't remember it), but I got bored with that after a few weeks and decided to create 'Okin', as a Moondancer. I got caught up with other things, but when Glomdoring was released half a year later, I was back for good. I played Okin for a solid five years, and I still pop back on as him every few days just to check stuff out. I'm currently playing in Hallifax and loving it; massive rave for Sylandra, Daraius, Nihmriel, Ileein, Prav and everyone else.

Share stories!

Day 2 thanks to Anarias. Took a few weeks to settle into my main (Nejii) but now I'm taking a break and playing in Hallifax, the cooler players of which I will refrain from naming cause I don't think they've all figured out who I am yet.

EDIT: Also I was completely retarded at that age. Man.

So you're telling me nothing changed?



/troll

I guess I'm not especially active currently, but I'm still around from time-to-time and I go through phases of activity. I was around in public beta and off-and-on ever since...

I disapprove of this thread's title, makes it sound like we're all in a senior home (that is an awesome smiley)

Wow, my first character was a Lucidian Geomancer who became a Nihilist later. But at that time Mag was full of, um, unsavoury characters and beating on Celest all the time (the Pool of Stars went into negative power), so I switched sides. First with a Celestine, experimented a bit with Moondancer and Serenguard, and finally stuck with Wuy as an Aquamancer. Oh and when beta ended we got tons of free credits and lessons! I think that's one reason why I stuck it out so long and... now I'm still here.

When I started I was the same age as Shiri but didn't take him seriously at all. We were all pretty retarded.

EDIT: Wait no, Shiri is a little kid. I was the same age as Okin.

First day, but not until late into it, because I couldn't think of a name I liked for my first character.

Some time in open beta I made my first character, but was still trying to get over the deaths of two close relatives, so I had trouble sticking around. I later came back and created Diamondais and have played on and off since on various characters, though Diamondais, Dylara and Mieari are probably the only well known ones.

I'm actually moving into that phase of it's more obligation than fun to play right now, which is kind of sad but I'll be back eventually.

I created Nihmriel on the first day of open beta. Nihm's earlier life was rather unsettled, looking back, and I spent the first few years mostly wishing for Hallifax. Usually that means a huge disappointment whenever one's wish finally arrives, but in this case it worked out brilliantly. I've never played any other characters, excepting an occasional short-lived attempt at alting somewhere. It's a little scary to reflect that I have, therefore, been playing the same character fairly consistently since I was only just out of my teens.

Lusternia is a fantastic game, but no game is enough in itself for six or seven (or eight, or nine...) years without a good community of players. It's thanks in large part to a few individuals that I've stuck around so long: Arel, Ashteru, Saaga, Elostian, primarily. These days I can add quite a few more names to that list, which means I'll probably be hanging around for quite a while yet.

Here's hoping anyway. I can't imagine where I'd find a regular, long-term hobby to replace it after so many years.

I was there on Open Beta, but not as Tully. Didn't play much until the Tully days--I had to create a character that wouldn't have to constantly grind for XP so I wouldn't get addicted.

Ended up going mostly inactive in spring of 2008, popping up for special occasions, until this Anniversary, where I will not be as active as I used to be but will be around enough for people to know me.

I've played regularly since day one, same character, same commune, same guild.

Heh, Cool thread. I joined, going by the dates already said, about oh...a month or so shy of a year after the game opened. in other words, start of september 2005. had just started college. Still on college. this game probably hasnt helped that. All the old people I knew then, I havent seen in ages. I got bored after an few years, and made a few alts. silvanos is lovely, although, ah...going insane, currently. So, I must be the youngest here, which is amusing, now.

You're like 5 months older than me, what are you talking about?

I've been here on and off since open beta, but more on than off. Started as an Aquamancer with a bunch of people, but the only people from that original guild I can think of who are still around are Shiri, Geb, Dysolis, and Wuylinfe. Although I certainly could be forgetting some...

I really thought you were 12 or 13 at that time... oh well, take it as a compliment!

Funny how a bunch of the veteran Aqua crew have migrated to Halli now. Acrune is supposedly around but in a different persona

Haha! I just remembered the first time joining Aquas I bugged Shamarah so many times to keep changing my title and my last name =D

Been playing on and off since open beta, but since I've had so many goddamn characters I've got nothing to show for it but my current (crappy) alt. I'd be omni-trans and have a good few artis if I'd just stuck with Jack in the Nihilists...

Vesar? Was he an aqua back then or am I forgetting a transitional paladin phase or something?

I joined back in Open Beta. Not entirely sure when, but according to the Lusternian date converted March 4, 2004 so probably not at all correct. My first character was a dracnari geomancer who's goal was to bring back Gaudiguch and become a pyromancer. Eventually, Mag kicked out a bunch of people who were trying to bring back Gaudi/Halli and I lost interest in having a rogue character. I created Arel sometime in December of 2004 (according to the Lusty date converter again) as a Nihilist... I really loved old-time Mag. Didn't expect to end up with Arel as he is now, but it's been a ton of fun.

Man, I remember that. Didn't they introduce a tax for people trying to bring back Halli/Gaudi? "10K a year until they're released"? Imagine if they'd followed through on that.

Yeah, I was was like level 30 and had no gold, so I had to quit, but Mag would have been making bank. I think it was 10k a year while you were in the Halli/Gaudi clans (they had different names way back then, though).

I remember that!

I tried to help release them from Seren, had a chat with the MD leaders at the time to make sure it was okay, then later on joined Celest and then just gave up on the character.