I am hereby announcing my impending retirement as moderator and player of the Civ3 Demogame. Within the next couple of weeks a new moderator will be named and I will fully step down at that time. Until the new moderator is in place I will continue to monitor the Needed Things thread and respond to PMs and reported posts. I will no longer be monitoring the Demogame forum on a thread by thread basis.

There are a couple of reasons why I am stepping down. The primary one is that my RL committments have been growing steadily (some might say exponentially). Many people have noticed that my participation has fallen off. This is a direct result of my time being used by RL concerns. My boss has left the company leaving me and my Program Architect to fill some extremely large shoes. That means more hours at work and less free time. My oldest child is participating in T-ball (I've been volunteered as coach by my lovely wife) and both he and our middle child are in several other summer activities. This is a welcome increase in family time but it comes at the expense of me time. I simply don't have the resources available for a time intensive hobby like the Demogame.

The second reason is that Civ3 has lost its addictive lock on my conciousness. It's still a great game but I find myself firing up Total War or Morrowind instead of Civ3 when I have a bit of time. With Civ3 I know exactly what to do and generally know what will happen to a mind numbing extent. There's not enough excitement left to keep my interest. By extension the same is true of the Demogame. Although the cooperative human element lends some unpredictability for me I still find too many cases of deja vu and not enough cases of deja what.

I have had a blast over the past couple of years playing, meeting and interacting with a fine group of people. We've had ups, downs, some fights and some periods of almost frightening synergy. Thank you all for making it such a fun experience.

I definately understand where you are coming from. I do still play Civ3 sometimes, but rarely finish a game. I do still enjoy the demogame quite a bit, however. I hope you can find the time to drop in and post with us on occasion.:)

i am sad that you go shaitan, but i think we will welcome you on any visit to fanatica in the future...

i also understand it, because i personally also rarely find the time to open up civ of ptw lately... but still the demogame will be something different imho...

You will be truly missed in these forums, Shaitan. I wish to thank you for all the hard work and time that you've put into making the CFC Demogame experience the wonderful place it is. We will only be able to aim for your high standards from this point on.

Good luck in RL, I'm sure you'll do just fine.

Cyc

I'm sorry to see you go, and to see the demogame lose such an excellent player, leader and moderator. I think that the game would have been quite a different beast without your involvement and influence, which is intended to be a compliment in case you were wondering ;)

I wish you nothing but success and fulfilment in all those things that have dragged you from our midst. Farewell :)

Shaitan is leaving the DemoGame? Say it ain't so.... :(

I can understand the need to move on, Shai. In the big scheme of things, this is just gravy. Family is what counts.

Best of luck in your RL endeavors and may you find enough time to focus on and enjoy the things that really matter. Your knowledge and influence on this game will be sorely missed, however. Please stay in touch. :)

DZ

Yes, please stay in touch! I completely understand many of the things you have said in your retirement speech. I join the others in wishing you well and thanking you for your huge contributions to the demogame. Your input throughout these games has taught me much about Civ 3. Thank you!

I also encourage you to stop in from time to time. You are still one of us. :) I think you will find, as I have, that it is possible to participate in the demo game without downloading the save and attending the chats or reading the chat logs. Such participation can be enjoyable without taking an inordinate amount of time.

Good luck!

Shaitan, I understand completely with what your talking about. It's the main reason I haven't been as active as I would like to be in this game. It is a shame that you have to leave, but in the long run it sounds like you and your family will be the better for it. Good luck and its been a true pleasure knowing you through the game.

Goodbye Shaitan. The demogame will miss you. Please do check in occasionally to see how it's going.

I will certenly miss your good advice Shaitan. Please pop in from tme to time when you do get a chance :).

Im glad to see your a good loving dad Shaitan. To bad there aren't more of you out there. Good luck with T-ball. I remember when my dad used to take me, I was always so excited to play and have him watch me :). Good luck with your election buisness as well.

Youre leaving? :( I get your point as and I understand you very well. I never play vanilla anymore, just dyp. The game will become a lesser game when u leave but I guess well just have to manage :)

I hope theres a chance of u coming back and ay least checking in here :)

Of all the 30000 people in the whole foum, I would say that u along with CT and Tunderfall are the most loved and the most famous. The Forum will miss u.

BTW: Morrowind as a lot of fun, but its not that fun when youve made the game :)

You will be missed very much, and yes, please stay in contact, or at least visit every now and then.

Originally posted by Sir John
Of all the 30000 people in the whole foum, I would say that u along with CT and Tunderfall are the most loved and the most famous.

I don't know, Lefty's pretty popular too.

'Tis a sad day when Shaitan leaves.
You will be bery missed, for both your playing and storytelling skills.
God speed, Shaitan, God Speed
Why'd I say that...

Sorry to see you go, Shaitan. You were my first boss in the game, and you are responsible in a large part for making this Demogame what it is. :(

Well Shaitan, it is the best choice you have made. Family's require time, and you'll need it. Bestest luck with your family.

Well, Shaitan, it's been a pleasure playing this game with you. Oh, the memories.
Please be sure to check in every once in a while. Whenever you're ready to return, I'm sure there'll be a spot on the ol' bench for you.

May your future endeavors always be safe.

Shai, you've been in the demogame from the very beginning and always commanded a certain respect and admiration. It is very sad to see you go and I think the rest of us will have to lift greatly to fill the roles you have accomplished with such flair.

Thank you all for the good wishes. I have a horrible guilt complex and I wrestled with this decision for quite a while as I felt like I was abanding y'all. Your understanding has taken that away and left me with just my very fond memories of being here.

Rest assured that I'll stop in to say hi when I'm able. :)

I fully understand where you are coming from, Shaitan. I didn't even notice this thread until this morning, a sure sign of my own demogame-time-management problems. :(

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The aged and weary Prince of Lancre sat wrapped in his robes by the fireplace. It didn't matter that it was late spring; he couldn't shake the chill that seemed to creep into his very bones. He had dismissed his manservant for the night, and was now alone with the crackling fire, a glass of mulled wine, and his thoughts and memories.

He thought back to those days when he had been young; so long ago, yet as clear as if it were yesterday. He was a new Baron, and had been befriended by the Baron at the Marillion. Ahh, those had been the days! The Grand Tournament at the Marillopn, hunting outlaws and brigands in the hills outside Kultis. They had become partners in one of the most profitable companies the world had ever seen. He remembered his excitement, and his nervousness, at receiving his Knighthood under the hands of his friend.

The smile that flickered on his lips at these memories faded, as he remembered another night like this, when he received word that his friend, the Prince of Vanir, had drowned, his boat destroyed by terrorists. He remembered how carefully he had carried the Prince's beautiful daggar to the wake, a substitute for his friend, since his body had never been found.

As he sat musing on these days gone past, he noticed it had gotten darker. The fire must be getting low, he thought. But he couldn't summon the energy to throw on any more wood. So he just sat. Anyone who might have pased by his window would have thought he slept, nodded off by the dying embers in the fireplace.

With a start, he realized it was getting lighter. Morning already? But no, the light wasn't from the windows, nor even the fireplace. It seemed to be growing all around him, although it was brightest straight ahead. A feeling grew on him that he must find the source of that light. He stood, not noticing that his knees no longer pained, that he no longer needed his glasses to see. The feeling was growing more urgent: he must follow that light.

He hurried along, his only thought being to reach that light. At last, after an eternity that lasted but an instant, he reached it, and stepped through. As he was bathed in glorious, beautiful light, he heard a long-familiar voice behind him:

Shaitan: Hello, my friend. I have been waiting for you. The spirits granted my request that I be the one to come show you the way. Follow me to the Hall of Judgement. Afterwards, you can rest, and meet your old friends.

In a bedroom in Castle Kultis, a glass of mulled wine slips from lifeless fingers to the carpet ....

We're all gonna miss you, Shai. I can still remember the great stories we wrote together in the last RPG, and our (failed) attempt to start it up again in this one. I'm sorry to see you go, dude. :(

Have fun in the real world.

Good luck in RL Shaitan. And please stop by from time to time. :)

Maybe you will find time to join us again some time in the future? Anyways, you have done a great job with the demogame so far :)

It will be strange though - you have always been one of the people that has always been here...