Hey. It's been a while.
I don't know how many people remember me. I don't know how many people that I know left in the time I've been absent. I don't know how many new, exciting people came and made this place even more vibrant and fun that it was when I left. And even though part of me would love to check and update myself about how wonderful this forum has become, most of me is still too scared to check.
Let me back up a bit:
When I first started playing EtG, it was from the (illegal) mofunzone.com. I really didn't know what I was doing — the internet was still kinda young, and I was still a kid. Card games like Yu-gi-oh fascinated me and this simple flash game looked really cool.
After a while, I wanted to rediscover this game in middle school. I had forgotten the name, but I really wanted to revisit the game. So after some arduous Google searching, I finally found it. I had it! This EtG game filled with different elements and creatures and spells and pillars. It felt like it had so much potential to be an awesome game. In many ways, it was an awesome game.
I actually didn't know about this forum until much later. I had no idea of any decks like PDials or Instosis. I thought FGs were unbeatable. I had no idea of grinding or tournaments. I literally knew nothing about the forum. Until, I don't know, I stumbled upon it.
And now this is when I have to give my thanks to everyone in the forum. For those who have pointed out my errors. For those who have looked at my card creations. For those who have looked at my decks and feedback. For talking to me. For noticing me.
I had suffered from depression. This forum was something that I could live for. I could come back, update posts and discuss something that completely digital while being completely anonymous. There was a feeling of community, I guess. And I guess this place is partially responsible for making me more sophisticated and respectable in real life. How ironic that in an internet community, full of people that could be halfway across the world and that you'll never meet, can alter your life so radically without meaning to.
EtG itself, though, was getting a bit stale. And while I enjoyed creating new decks and coming up with clever combinations, it just stopped clicking. Grinding seemed like a tiresome chore on endless repeat. Even going to the Oracle each day and finding the correct deck to face the predicted FG was getting too tedious. I stopped going on EtG altogether.
Maybe it was because I spent less time invested on this site and elementsthegame.com, I was able to focus on schoolwork more. I was able to get less distracted. Perhaps. Whatever the case, I peeled myself away from this and instead concentrated on raising my flimsy GPA. I suppose it has worked - I rose up a clean 2 tiers from the embarrassing depths I once was.
I've mentioned before that EtG could be enormously addicting. It's certainly true: I'm not the only one that has expressed this opinion. So now I'm scared to go back to the game that I once so enjoyed. I hope you guys can understand me. I hope you guys will not judge me (too hard). Forgive me. Please don't tell me to come back. I may not be able to resist the persuasion and temptation. I guess I'm happy to keep things the way they are, and I want to keep this decision final. At least for now.
I most definitely won't be coming back. But I hope this place will thrive on and live without me. Keep it strong guys. I may not be here, but this place will forever be with me.
You can take the tiger out of the jungle, but you can't take the jungle out of the tiger. I will remember this place, always. Thank you.
