what about the future?

[Matryx]

Originally Posted by Annette

Not really a "community", I guess, but there is an active game matching service at http://dom3.matryx.org.uk/ Anyone without a valid key need not bother, though. The administrators will verify your purchase with us.

Most of what you say is correct
I run this tracker service, on behalf of our community within the Something Awful forums - there's no link back to the forums from the tracker because everyone on the tracker already knows where they are. Yes I do validate purchases before you can sign up for the tracker, but more importantly this site was set up primarily for myself and my friends and are not generally open to the public so you also need to be verified as a forum member over there.
If anyone did decide to pay and join the forums (yes, I said 'pay' - helps keep the bad eggs out as your account is literally worth something and bans are bans), then get to know us and you'll be welcomed in assuming you're not a troublemaker or a jerk. Anyway, yes - nice healthy community. Over 300 people registered on just my tracker site within that community, and scores of games active at any one time.
Not really sure what point I was trying to make, but perhaps just to serve as an example of a relatively recent community set up from scratch?

I do understand arguments against the megathread approach, but the forums themselves cover too much ground to have a subforum for every single topic anyone wants to talk about.

As for in-game policy re: leaving - there's nothing against getting subs in at all - happens all the time. I should know - I administrate swapping the players over on the trackers so passwords and email alerts for new turns go smoothly.
Equally, there's a general standing rule that if you're not having fun, you shouldn't have to play. Not all games are run like this - some specifically say if you go AI you're not welcome in another game run by that host. It's all specific to the individual.
Don't let a few poor assumptions and your own short sightedness cut you off from good opponents.

[Soyweiser]

Originally Posted by Matryx

Don't let a few poor assumptions and your own short sightedness cut you off from good opponents.

Could we all please stop with the constant hostility towards each other?

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Edit about the quitting after losing one big battle, that is partly true. It was even mentioned in Lets Play Dom3 somewhere on the SA forum.

Edit2:
Lets plays are great btw. Love that part of SA.