Leaving (for now).

[steviedreamer]

Hello, fellow promoters.  I don't know if this is the appropriate place to post this, but I think it is.  

I need a break from FG for now.  I am leaving the community for the foreseeable future.  Recently, I posted about LGBTQ+ wrestlers.  The post was just an inquiry, but some promoters turned it into a political battlefield.  It's not because of this that I am taking time off, but that may have contributed to my move.  (Thanks, however, to the  promoters that defended the post.)  If one wants to know about a how or why a certain wrestler is represented, the discussion should not turn into a heated political diatribe by some promoters who just want to further their own political beliefs or who feign 'tolerance.'  Representation is as important in science-fictionn and wrestling as much as it is in real life.  Enough said about that.

Also, this game is not what I started playing in 1987.  Granted, things and people change over time.  It's the way of the world.  Either you adapt/bend, or you leave.  Myth Worlds is an excellent set with spectacular characters and story written by Tom.  But I am not feeling it.  These major universe-changing stories, for me, have killed the simple story of professional wrestling within a science fiction backdrop.  Maybe this is another reason.  Maybe it connects with the first reason.  Whatever happened to this game?  It's not the bull that I was able to grab by the horns in 1987.  Some of the best storylines were War Games and Revolution... now, to me, these are just grandiose plots sans the wrestling factor.  This is not a cry out against Tom, our awesome host and creator.  It's just my opinion/soapbox/whatever...  Some of the product lines such as Reimagined, Futureshock, Kronos, and FTR (all viable) are being pushed aside for 'other things.'  Understandable, as this is a marketable product... But still...

Third, this game has become so... cliquish.  There are people who have the ins whilst others have the outs.  I don't have to elaborate on this.  You all know what I mean.  The 'community' feel to me is gone.  Everyone is in  their own little bandwidths.  Hopefully, some of you do not take my last reason to heart.  I have met some really cool people here over the years with whom I stilll talk to on a daily basis about the game, wrestling, and just life.  

I need to take a long break from FG forn the foreseeable future.  Thank you to the promoters who have contributed to my enjoyment of this product over the years.  And thanks for Tom for continuing to fight the good fight!

There are a few new tabletop games wrestliing-related that I want to try, give a go, play.  Hope all is well for everyone in the future.

Here's to future days.  Here's to future ways...

Stevie (Dreamer)

[Bazzy]

Good luck and take care

[bear805]

sorry to see you go but good luck and have fun in whatever endeavor you decide to pursue

[LAWraith]

Aww no, you were a valued part of this community but I also get taking breaks. Hope to see you again soon.

[mike824]

Be well Stevie. Thanks for sharing so openly. Wishing you all the best!

[FCB72]

Be well Stevie.Hope you make a return down the line.

[on_the_edge]

Take care. You will be missed. As far as the game, just a suggestion, remember "it is up to you promotor". While I enjoy the canon and booklets I just use it as a springboard to what I want to create. The universe in danger storylines are cool but I dial back on them and try and make my promotions more like real wrestling. Just with a bit more flair. I hope the path you take makes you happy and you find peace and joy. If you miss us know that the boards will be here if you decide to return.

[cotgfb]

Stevie, I'm sure I speak for all when I say we are sorry to see you go, but hopefully, as you implied, it is only a break from the game not a permanent departure. One thing I will miss is your continuous asking when there will be women wrestlers in Future Shock/CWF. Mike's telling you that the women have their own federation on Centra and will not be joining the CWF doesn't seem to deter you from asking. Good luck with your future endeavors and we hope to see you back with us in the future.

[riho4life]

IMHO the community should have no bearing on anyone's playing time. There's no need to stop playing just because of having disagreements with forum posters.

Some veterans from the late 80s/early 90s do not play modern sets for many of the reasons Stevie outlined, so it's not a hot take anyway. I also think there is a silent majority of fans who play random sets from all eras, mix franchises, and use bootlegs. So players should not feel pressured into buying every new set or keeping up with cannon. There's nothing stopping us from playing War Games every season besides a self-imposed desire to follow the manuals.

Finally if Reimagined, Futureshock, Kronos, and FTR were truly "viable" (i.e. profitable) they would be continued. Just like real pro wrestling, having 5-star ratings from Dave Meltzer (in this case, Steve's opinion on these lines) isn't as important as actually drawing money. Should be noted that Futureshock, Kronos, and FTR were in the hands of other writers doing all the heavy lifting, so the new Multiverse set is Tom's try at this. And although Reimagined seemed like a good idea (colorize the older sets for new players with some stat massages) it was kinda short sighted in that there are just too many sets to do and the demand wasn't there, especially with Online play being more accessible. I found the new Classics release to be a Starter Set to Reimagined, so it's kinda still in the mix. And I wouldn't close the door on another FTR set one day too.

[tafkaga]

It's good to take a break sometimes. I hope after a while you'll realize that none of that junk matters at all. It's just a game, a very fun game, and you can play it the way you want to.

I can understand being nostalgic for the early days of COTG though. There's nothing like that early B&W Chuck Carter art and those simple stories, but this story has been ongoing for 40+ years now so it's no surprise the stakes have risen to cosmic proportions.