Age of Strategy Forums

Thought you'd never see me again, hmm? Well, I'm a little older, a little rougher around the edges, and I barely resemble my Hall of fame picture anymore, but I'm back folks.

Ok, a more thorough explanation is in order (and a more heartfelt one):

I think I dropped off the map about 1-2 years ago. I can't even remember what was happening in life back then that caused me to vanish and almost totally forget about this game, but I think it had something to do with getting a new position at my job back then (which absolutely took my 100% to survive and excel at). Life since then has been a flurry of "more important" things: 2 jobs, school, a car, friendships, 2 relationships and subsequent breakups, etc. I practically stopped playing games altogether over the past two years. Plus, my tablet broke sometime during all of that, so that was the final nail in the coffin for my vanishing.

However, I'll be honest: I've really missed the community here, and the great times I had with this game and the people who play and design it. I haven't felt as much of the community in any other game before or since. I'll be real -- you guys seriously helped me through one of the loneliest and most depressing periods of my life in highschool years ago, and this place was really an outlet I genuinely loved to invest in. There were definitely a few times in highschool years ago where I was at such a low that I was legitimately considering suicide but thought "What will happen to AoS if I disappear though " Seriously, as lame as it might sound, you guys have absolutely no idea how much the great community here helped me cope and get through that chapter of life full of heartbreak, family issues, and all the other great things life throws at you. *sniff sniff*

Today, I'm in a much, much better place. I'm still ridiculously busy at times, but I'm getting my bachelors of engineering at a fantastic school, I have a great group of supportive friends, a very hopeful financial situation, and life is starting to (sort of) pull together. This holiday month has been my first "real" break in almost 2 years, and I started thinking about this game and realizing how great it was, and how probably everyone was wondering what the heck happened to me lol.

So, guess what guys: I'M BACK!!! I figured out how to get the game through an android emulator, so I'm also back in-game.

Once the next school semester starts, I'm sure I'll be a bit less active at times, but I'll be around. I need to brush up on all the new stuff, but I was honestly so happy when I opened the game and saw that many of the great ideas from years ago have been added. I wonder if any of the other old-timers are still around, but from the looks of it I'm not the first to return out of nowhere lately!

It's good to be back, and I apologize for pulling a Houdini on everyone. Sometimes, life happens, and you just have to accept it and sail on. But thankfully, the winds of fate have brought me back once more to these familiar shores.

Welcome back!

Your post is awesome and moving!
I am happy you are ok, and you must know you are not the first saying that this community can be a good cure to things in life - and i think it is awesome!

I designed the games in the first place to make fun, to swipe away a little the pressing problems, to make people happy as i felt myself happy playing such strategy games - even in the old days of AOE / AOK chicdhood memories i felt the same.
And later i felt the lack "community feeling" so i made the forum where others can help the games to grow, and it turned to be a melting pot of nice and creative people and resulting in mega awesomeness

Since u left we got published the AOW version so u can check that too, if u like WW2 theme!

Very Warm Welcome back!

daniel

Welcome back, @DoomCarrot!
I hope to challenge you again but in AoF. It changed drastically though since your left.

Sunrise samurai also unfortunately has left as well though and we do not know when he will return if he will.

I do not recommend you in aof to touch scalefolks because they are for now showcase and were implemented completely different from how they supposed to be.
Currently in aof we are working on dwarves and later on undeads.

One major addition for aof and other Ao-games - now it is possible to make skirmish multiplayer maps with preset tc placement, starting positions and at the same time choosable starting unit counts + choosing race for your own.
And i've made quite a bunch of such maps for aof.

i 100% agree with how u felt about this community, i too had just recently started again after a long break looking forward to finally playing the long awaited match with u but u will probably need time to get used to the new age ofs so no pressure

Let's be honest, forumers are like cats, they come back when they get hungry. At least I did, too. Welcome back!

Thanks guys, it is good to see a lot of familiar people still around and active!

I do need to play some skirmish maps to test out the new stuff, I have a strong feeling the meta has changed quite a bit since I left, but I'm sure we can get some multiplayer games going again soon (although I'm probably gonna get wrecked the first few times).

I'm also really happy to see dwarves and scalefolks being implemented, a lot of work went into those races even before my disappearance! A lot has changed in a very good way it seems!

It is great that you are here once more, we had great fun and ideas before you left.

Im glad you are back man, your post is very heartwarming im glad you are ok.

DoomCarrot is back.

Thanks guys, good to see you're all still around as well.

Can't believe I forgot to post here.

Welcome back DoomCarrot
We missed you during the past 1 and a half years.

Wow @DoomCarrot.....I didn't know you were at highscool when you started here....I can definitely take inspiration from your post since right now....I am kind of new and also a highschool student and also having a bit of problems irl