Words Uttered in a Void

I return to minecraft every few months, largely for vanilla or map-making purposes. It has been a while since I've logged onto CTF. Things have changed a bit too much for me to ever really invest in the game anyways. I would log in, and shortly log out because I was not familiar with whoever was on. But for whatever reason, seeing my list of servers made me want to see what is going on in the communities I have left behind.

It is a tragedy that during its peak, the game was neglected out of greed (and necessity) by some random dude who probably never intended on making a living off a block game. Never did I think I would spend a majority of my teens playing a block game, either. Looking back, I owe a lot to this gamemode and the people I encountered many years ago. I joined quite a few teams, met quite a few people, etc. I don't really remember who I was back then. I had quite a few more friends, but I was surely a lot more annoying and loud.

I look back at the "Golden Age" of CTF with nostalgia like any other individual, and grew cynical like anybody else. I started to hate the game, I got obsessed with balance, and went to many lengths to argue with a bunch of other teenagers about how insta-kills would work to bring the game to its ruin (I was wrong lol).

Even so, CTF lives. Not in any meaningful way, but in a cultural way. That's what I think it was all about, anyways. Because even after I stopped playing CTF, I would still hang out with the people I once played hours of the game with. Hell, given a list of old CTF names I could probably remember all the unique little interactions that have occurred in this community. Unfortunately, the YAF and Discourse days grow blurrier and blurrier. Even the earlier days of Brawl have faded, as I lost touch with the community. In hindsight, I ended up losing touch because of "depression", my departure aligned about the time I started enrolling in therapy. I believed I was hated by most relevant members of the community, feeling like I was a relic of the past. I felt like I didn't belong, and thats why I stopped playing.

This game is pitiful without its people. The game is its people. The only reason this dead gamemode exists is because a few people are still holding on. I commend them, I was once like that too. Alas, I wish that there were more that could be done. Not because I wish I could recapture any glory days, or anything. My reason is simpler.. its because I would like this forum to stay. Many people don't like the idea of their past being recorded, but to me it proves that my life was spent doing something I cared about.

Staff incompetence and fear killed the game. The game didn't evolve when it needed to the most. Now the changes are a mere show. Nothing really changes. The game would be better off reborn with a brand new vision. But alas, CTF lives and dies by its insular nature... The 20-30 people who still play may be the majority of players who matter when it comes to pleasing, but when you factor in the many who have left... maybe there should have been more radical changes. When CTF was neglected it held on because of its playerbase, and when Brawl took charge and possible change was actually feasible, it was played too safe. It is too late. Even if you gambled everything, changed everything, and hoped that it would bring some sort of life.. it's too late for that.

But alas, I would like to tell my nephew about this Minecraft server I played, and hop on to play with him when he is old enough. So I root for the game to live. I root for the game to thrive! But fantasy only gets one so far. For all that everybody has contributed to continue the legacy of MCPVP's Minecraft Capture the Flag..

ty

ctf was an mlg e-sport for a bit isn't that wild then mcpvp DIED