It's not unusual for me to spend a LOT of time in a forum- reading and replying to threads for hours at a time. Nor is it unusual for me to suddenly slow my interaction, and then disappear for weeks or even months at a time. It's something I've been doing for as long as I've been on the internet, and though I have several theories as to why this is, it's probably not important. However, this time I've come back to a rather unsettling sight, and unfortunately, it's not the first time I've seen it: "people can't get along, so we've closed the forums."

I'll be completely honest. The environment in the forums was making me uncomfortable before I stopped coming last. I didn't really hide that I didn't like people making separate names and/or personalities for their deer and producing huge posts/threads about them. I don't roleplay. I can't and choose not to keep up with it. I felt offended when I was basically told rather blatantly to leave everyone else alone. So, okay... I started only skimming the forums that stuff took place on, and eventually stopped reading them at all. The fact that I now realize I had actively begun avoiding picture threads saddens me (if anyone knows me at all, it should be apparent why).

I have no idea what was going on in those forums recently. Can't say I'm particularly interested in knowing. As just a thought though, I'll say what I always liked about the Endless Forest community when I was active: The refreshingly candid relationship between the people who created it and the people who play it. The fact that there are people who don't like the game was always treated as unimportant. Mistakes from newbies and old regulars alike were treated as not a big deal, or at least nothing more than something to laugh about with no malice intended. Similarly, discoveries, no matter how big or small, or how well-known it already was, were celebrated with equality. These are only a few things.

i went and created a new forum for tef players. this one has a bunch of cool features, like character sheets, signatures, special forums for journals, art, random section, datasharing, and other things. when you post, your deer's name and gender are displayed separately from your forum screenname. i've also uploaded all the action bar icons as emotes.

BUT

i'm not going to tolerate disrespect. i can and will delete threads if i have to. i trust we can all act like friends and be nice to each other. no flaming.

SO

while the forums here are down, let this be another peaceful place to stay in contact with friends and have fun.

http://endlessforum.darkbb.com/

Since we don't know when/if the TEF forums will be reopened, I'm going to continue Scape and Magnet's journal here. (Though I'm a bit upset about losing the journal that was on the forums. So many hours of entry-writing I can't reach. ;_; )
Anyway...I'm gonna let Scape take over now, since he was in the Forest tonight.

[=blue]Scape: I'd heard a rumor going around that spells were sticking to fawns. This made me want to investigate it to see if it was true.
Turns out it was! O.o
Need proof?

X] Fawn-sanity.


I'm sinking! 8O

We are the three mini-fawns.

Fear us, for we are great dancers:

Form totem poles:

And...randomly sprout out of the ground? O.o

8O

I hide under you.


We drowned. 8O

..ok, so it's actually just the deer version of the dead man's float. XD
Magnet was showing Seed how to do this the other day. =]
Then we hid under fawn-Sluggs. XD

What separates us from other animals? Is it speech? Is it the understanding of life and death? Or is it the strive to conquer and control that which is around us? I believe there is much more to the separation of the human from the rest of the animal world.
Take a simple idea--a game where one is the avatar of a stag--and toss in the human element. At first, the novelty of it is grand, and to some it remains a grand design in the simplest of forms. However, this human element needs to socialize on a more human level.
Enter speech. With a game void of human speech, the players seek an outlet, the community forum. It is another simple idea to a simple game. On the other hand, there are some who will never tread on these forums, seeing the novelty of a human-free area as their haven. But there are those who need this human interaction, myself included.
Now enter the human element.
The innocent forum, the community and refuge for those yearning to communicate on this human level, became the perfect outlet. It wasn’t needed to fully experience the Forest, but it was a welcomed addition for a different experience.
Friends were made and characters were forged. It was, in a way, a brand new level to the Forest. Regardless of good intentions, the popularity and growth soon became its downfall.

i'm very confused what's going on... i got an email that a topic i was watching had gotten a reply, and when i went to see it there WAS no forum! did something happen that i'm unaware about? i sort of feel guilty but i dont think i did anything...

[edit] i made a new forum - http://endlessforum.darkbb.com/

"We have closed the forums because we are uncomfortable with what's going on here. We suggest everybody goes and plays in The Endless Forest as a deer. Happy and silent. No more human drama."

"Happy and silent" my *beep*.

I literally cried reading that. Part of the reason I like this game so much IS the human factor. I like talking to people, and knowing the people behind the deer. Actually knowing what to call them since the pictograms are unpronounceable. The forums make it easy to do this.

I hope this is some kind of joke...

...damn it... *wipes away more tears*
Call me pathetic if you wish; I don't give. I just want the forums back. And I'm sure my friends do, too.

Sincerely,
Pega
(Scape and Magnet's human)

...oh heck.
Sincerely,
Lisa

Would you consider me new? I don’t feel new because I’ve lurked on the message boards ever since I started and because by deer, Thyme, has been all grown up for awile. But, I’ve only lurked around, not really talked a lot. If you want you can talk to me, I don’t bite, nor does Thyme….Well, his clone does………

Oh, and in case your all ‘Who is this person?’ I’m Dawn or Ange. I don’t really care which.

het is raar herten in het woud volgen mij achter mij zie ik herten die in een vogel vorm zitten!

I stepped into the Forest in happy mood last Sunday bringing on my fawn in a playful mood. I'm realy sorry that somehow I didnt know what had happened, I had missed that bit of sad news. Just wanted to sorry about being there and not knowing. I felt so bad to find out. If I had known I would of been in a much different mood. Now I know so if you meet Mushroom or Larr at the moment they are being very quiet and calm.

I haven't posted a diary entry in soooo long on the old forum, so I decided to hop on here and make one which I hope I'll consistently update!

Here's some of me hopping and romping around about two days ago. The snow was so pretty. I was running with Adagio (correct me if I'm mistaken, but I'm pretty sure that was her) and an unknown fawn!


Huge picture! But it felt so peaceful running around all willy-nilly in the snow. If only it could stick to the ground!...


Another great shot. I should be, like... A model!


My favorite shot so far. I wish I could make this into a silhouette of sorts to put into my avatar, but I seriously lack in Photoshop skills and have no idea how to use it, ha... Ah well, guess I'll just keep looking at it!


There was a little ceremony on the Playground for Ina/Run, and I was so full of thoughts... And felt very lonely.

From Today:

[i]I came to visit Ina's memorial, and as always, there was a little fawn keeping the flower warm. How sweet; I laid next to Adagio and Twenty-One. I sure miss the twinkling star and candle circle... But the single dandelion still seems precious. Sigh...


Hung out with 21 later on; I love doing this!
(P.S. It's the scared/sniffing combination. Try it sometime! It's sooo cute, I love it. My fave "emote" by far. )