Oddworld currently has no dedicated discussion platform aside from this forum. Social media are a nice way of delivering news and having limited interaction with a fan community, but it is not suited for in depth discussions. For example, the idea thread for New 'n' Tasty that we had running here during its development, social media is not suitable for that kind of stuff.

Putting the forum back in a decent shape means that we could provide that platform again like we did in the past, a place to bounce ideas around and chat directly with the developers about subjects that go deeper than what can be discussed on social media. In return it could mean OWI, once again, actively endorsing and promoting the forum on their website. Both those things were the case in the past but have been lost as this forum went down hill.

I understand, Havoc. But don't you think that you are idealizing the past ? I remember some members of this forum (especially Connell) were angry because JAW didn't care about the advices who were given to improve Nn't.

I don't. I honestly think NnT is inferior to AO in many aspects, nostalgia aside.

I almost want to start posting regularly again just to watch the new people take things seriously.

Those of you who think the people here are mean to each other, and that's why the place is dying: You have short memories. When this place was at its most active it was one of the cruelest, nastiest sites I've ever been on. People were legitimately awful to each other. Not in a funny way.

In a way this place has been a weird social experiment on what happens if a bunch of teenagers are let loose on the internet without any sort of serious moderation. The moderators we did have, including the owners, were all teenagers as well at the time and it just turned into a clusterfuck. Over time we established this really weird, hostile culture. There were good discussions to be had but if shit went on, shit really went on. Some of the most heated discussions here must have really left a permanent mark on people, myself included.

How about you just answer his questions in a polite manner instead of snarking? They're completely acceptable things to ask.

One guy left because of negativity. The rest left because JAW are not (as far as we know) actively working on anything Oddworld, and OWI have nothing at all to announce.

You guys seem to think like there was a golden time when we had a wonderful, active relationship with OWI. The sum total of Inhabitant posting in OWF pre-2005 was an occasional post from Alf when there was some news or if someone was posting a blatantly incorrect rumour and he wanted to set the record straight.

The fact is, OWI is not doing fan relations at all at the moment. When's the last time they posted a Dear Alf or any other fan news? When's the last time they posted anything that wasn't about a release? Even back when they were doing fan stuff every month, they never really released any information about upcoming games until it was time to do a full PR blitz. Lorne et al. have always held their cards very close to their collective chest.

Slightly unrelated to the current topic, but I find it amusing how a thread dedicated to discussing inactivity has caused a surge of activity and a somewhat interesting discussion. Arguments aside, I think this is a good thing. We need some healthy discussion about the state of things and I'm hoping this will make some sort of difference. Or y'know it could be buried in the dust and forgotten about in the next month...

What defines an 'oddworld fan'?

Am I an oddworld fan? I like strangers wrath and New n Tasty, and Ill probably buy any further games they release. Ive put legitmately about 1k hours into New n Tasty. Or am I just a person who likes oddworld sometimes?

It's kinda typical though, it's sorta similar (at least imo) to the way mentioning how awkward a situation is in small talk can alleviate the awkwardness.


On other topics of oddworld, the modding section would probably be a little more active once there's more work done on the open source alive engine; it got pretty stale having to work within the limitations of the old AO/AE engines because stuff just didn't work (electric fences prime example).

That, and I personally got bored of AO/AE because the levels feel like such a drag after having to play through them over and over to test stuff (the level select cheat never seems to work on mine).

For level select, holding left shift press: down, right, left, right, left, right, left, up. That has always worked for me.

Was it on a laptop by any chance? Have you tried another keyboard?

I've tried on a bunch of different computers, I was always convinced that the PC version didn't have it until other people said theirs work with that cheat. Not a clue why. Do laptops sometimes have a bug that it doesn't register or something?

I think that the real fans care about Oddworld as a whole (they want to know more about the universe, so they will read this forum and the Oddworld encyclopedia). They are even willing to talk seriously about it. Whereas, for the majority of people, the games are already enough. They don't want to hear about Gorman Disenza or the story behind Munch's Oddysee. Don't worry, you don't have to be as "nerdy" as Max the mug to be called a "fan".

The only criteria needed to be able to consider yourself a 'real' fan is to like the thing and that's about it. Some fans like to immerse themselves in the more expansive information about something while others never delve that deep into it. Creating a barrier between fans based on how deep their interest is always struck me as being really silly

You don't seem to understand. I'm not "creating a barrier between fans". If it's just about "liking" something then, ok, everybody is a fan of everything. Also, here is my question, how do you explain that OWF is the only real forum worldwide - unlike many fandoms - about Oddworld (since the beginning) ? If it isn't a "niche", I don't know what it is.

At one point OWF wasn't the only forum dedicated to the fandom. Over time all the others shut down whilst this place stuck around. As Nate said, a severe lack of new info over the last decade has seen to condemn those familiar with the majority of the story and canon to wander away. Those of us left are here either out of nostalgia, friendships that surpass Oddworld or in the hope that one day we'll be privy to a glut of new OW info.

It's interesting. Could you tell me more about these forums ?

You can't truly consider yourself an Oddworld fan unless you have written a fanfiction featuring Master Chief, and Stranger entangled in a brutal, bloody, carnal butt romance.

I am the only true Oddworld fan.

Not much, I joined on 2008 when other forums were in freefall. I know there was an ozzie fan forum. Nate would be much more equipped to explain to you than I.

@Oanst: this is Cricket to Blueballs...

Such heresy! My Oddword fanfic was the best one!

Does it include a sex scene with Master Chief? No? Then it, and you by association, is inferior.

It does now.

Welcome to the fandom!

Nope. I know of a few fansites that fell along the wayside (several of them linked at the top of this very page), but not really any other forums.

I remember another forum. From what I recall, they came here to advertise. It had little activity and looked ugly, according to my vague memory.

Wasn’t that place Russian or Czech or something? I think I remember them coming here.

I think so. Funnily enough, I was going to say I thought it was European, but STM's talk of Aussies made me doubt myself. Cheers, STM.

(Y)

No Nathan you fool, we must continue to complain about why no one talks about the dead thing! (And I don't mean Peter)

Nate's right. We don't have to do this here. We've got whole 2 new threads of discussing dead things. Also, talking a lot might solve our little problem of not talking.

Come on, Hobo, come back to being a regular member. Save OWF!

I'm trying I swear.