An interesting, and IMHO very useful topic on scanning the community. Nice move, Sandy! And, before I say even a word more, I would like to say a huge thank you in the name of any and all larkinorean players for maintaining your position as the backbone and fundamental element of this fragile community. If it weren't for your organising and dedication (larkiguide may be the most visible aspect, but by far not the only one), there would be even less players left.
I have only very recently returned, after a year and a half of total abscentness. Appearantly, my arrival was just in the nick of time, in terms of character survival. Despite losing, among others, all 100 of my market chars on 25 accounts, and a couple of other secondary-purpose-accs...the core of my fleet: two accounts giving home to my flagship characters and diggers are still intact.
It took a couple of days before I even dared to post on the forum, and a bit longer still to be certain of my intentions as a returning player. Now, realising that this is not a nostalgic occurance, but rather a serious and motivated choice, I dare say: I'm back.
There were two reasons for my "vanishing act overnight", a year and a half ago. One of these is a specific matter of discontent that I would not like to discuss in public (but nonetheless and naturally bound closely to the game). The other reason however was being recruited to another game by a former larkinorean citizen. In a not-too-long period, I left that game (which turned out to be nothing more than a money-hungry-crazy of the creator company), only to move on to WOW. Now, I know it is against FOD regulations to advertize other online games, but I dared to state the name because of the very reason that I do _NOT_ intend to advertize it. Shortly, after nearly a year of constant gameplay, I simply got bored of it, and kept realizing ever-more that despite so many good features of it, it was missing a few things. Characters there are all results of mindless droid-levelling, and even if you hit the highest level, you can keep doing most of your routine actions while nearly(or actually) sleeping. It just got boring.
Here, there's a huge difference. To make a truely good character you need (probably) years of experience, exploration, research and constant focus. Even in the most routine actions such as splatting: if you daze off for a moment: you die. Miscalculate the damage of your opponent's second-to-last hit: you die. Accidentally not clicking on a regenerating option and entering battle: you die. I really missed the sensation of actually using your brain(remnants) while playing, and the whole atmosphere of the game.
All in all, I know ther are only few that return after such long leaves, but I am certainly one of them. And as far as I could see just in the past few days of my reactivated clicking, quite a few Veterans have raked up their weapons...shields...crowbars(wb C:D)...etc for some rekindled action on the field.;) It is good to be back.