JesseMcCloud
AKA Zessei, Herald of Fate
I'd like to preface this with a little backstory:
I was a big, BIG fan of StarCraft, the RTS by Blizzard. In fact I still am, in that I buy the novels, the calendars, the occasional toy, etc. But I hardly play any more, outside of the single-player campaign, or the occasional team game with IRL friends. And it's no real mystery: StarCraft has grown to have a very toxic community. Festering with butthurt, a lack of developer feedback or acknowledgement, and a dwindling competitive scene, the community has grown into a cancer too large to cut out, and is dealing irreparable harm to the game. Even players who try to offer constructive criticism or helpful feedback must endure ad hominem attacks and trolling so vitriolic it's hardly believable.
So, as you're assuredly thinking, why am I bringing this up?
Because, Greg, I am so thankful for this community. We have genuinely warm, friendly, and helpful individuals who love the game and want to see it prosper. Sure, we get the occasional troll here and there, or the overzealous fan who didn't read the Terms and Conditions of having an account, but I can count the number of people on my ignore list with one hand.
And the moderators are wonderful to deal with. They offer gentle rebukes and discipline where it's merited, but never without explanation, and never with scorn or intended humiliation.
But most importantly I am thankful for YOU. Whether you've just today created your own account, or have been here since the site's inception, you are part of one of the best darn communities on the whole Internet. You are part of a community who offers sincere advice and commendation without condescension; a community that hosts events and encourages the community's growth, and at personal (and not insignificant) cost; a community that simply loves Nintendo and the wonderful amalgamation of its history that is Super Smash Bros.
With all of this appreciation going around, please snag a handful of it for yourself, and apply it squarely between your shoulder blades. You deserve it.
One last thing: I want to offer a warm, heartfelt welcome to all of the members who are just now opening accounts. Please don't be afraid to voice your concerns, or ask for advice, or offer encouragement, or just express your overflowing HYPE to anyone who will read your posts. We all here love Smash, and believe that it can be a force for good. We all want to see new gamers pick up a controller and start smashing with the same sense of joy and wonder we all did our first time.
That's what makes us Smashers: not just the fact that we play Super Smash Bros., but the fact we're smashing down all the walls of hate, prejudice, and elitism that divide so many other gamers playing so many other games, solely so that we can all pick up a controller and play the most fun game on the planet.
Welcome aboard,
Jesse McCloud
I was a big, BIG fan of StarCraft, the RTS by Blizzard. In fact I still am, in that I buy the novels, the calendars, the occasional toy, etc. But I hardly play any more, outside of the single-player campaign, or the occasional team game with IRL friends. And it's no real mystery: StarCraft has grown to have a very toxic community. Festering with butthurt, a lack of developer feedback or acknowledgement, and a dwindling competitive scene, the community has grown into a cancer too large to cut out, and is dealing irreparable harm to the game. Even players who try to offer constructive criticism or helpful feedback must endure ad hominem attacks and trolling so vitriolic it's hardly believable.
So, as you're assuredly thinking, why am I bringing this up?
Because, Greg, I am so thankful for this community. We have genuinely warm, friendly, and helpful individuals who love the game and want to see it prosper. Sure, we get the occasional troll here and there, or the overzealous fan who didn't read the Terms and Conditions of having an account, but I can count the number of people on my ignore list with one hand.
And the moderators are wonderful to deal with. They offer gentle rebukes and discipline where it's merited, but never without explanation, and never with scorn or intended humiliation.
But most importantly I am thankful for YOU. Whether you've just today created your own account, or have been here since the site's inception, you are part of one of the best darn communities on the whole Internet. You are part of a community who offers sincere advice and commendation without condescension; a community that hosts events and encourages the community's growth, and at personal (and not insignificant) cost; a community that simply loves Nintendo and the wonderful amalgamation of its history that is Super Smash Bros.
With all of this appreciation going around, please snag a handful of it for yourself, and apply it squarely between your shoulder blades. You deserve it.
One last thing: I want to offer a warm, heartfelt welcome to all of the members who are just now opening accounts. Please don't be afraid to voice your concerns, or ask for advice, or offer encouragement, or just express your overflowing HYPE to anyone who will read your posts. We all here love Smash, and believe that it can be a force for good. We all want to see new gamers pick up a controller and start smashing with the same sense of joy and wonder we all did our first time.
That's what makes us Smashers: not just the fact that we play Super Smash Bros., but the fact we're smashing down all the walls of hate, prejudice, and elitism that divide so many other gamers playing so many other games, solely so that we can all pick up a controller and play the most fun game on the planet.
Welcome aboard,
Jesse McCloud
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