- benjameenbear
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Member for 10 years, 1 month, and 6 days
Last active Sun, Mar, 29 2020 08:19:39
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Jun 12, 2019benjameenbear posted a message on A New and Exciting BeginningThis is certainly an unexpected development. I know that MTGSalvation is a great site and has excellent memories. I am part of the group that will be heading over to the new site. I warmly wish all MTGSal users who choose to stay an excellent home!Posted in: Articles
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Nov 20, 2017benjameenbear posted a message on Jaya Ballard ReturnsBy the way, these are my favorite articles on the whole site. Thanks for linking the research together in a plausible way!Posted in: Articles
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Fair enough. I still won't take back anything I said, because I genuinely believe that MTGNexus will provide a better experience for the MTGSal community and because of the reasons that ISBFinder states below.
100% agreed. This transition was handled in an embarrassing fashion and I don't feel any qualms about my thread. The sudden feeling of sickness in my gut was awful as is the sense of outrage that MTGSalvation's regular staff were sidestepped for some random Curse dude for acquisition.
I genuinely believe in the sentiment and thread that I've posted here, no matter how disingenuous or cutthroat it may feel. I'm sure it will be taken down eventually, but I have no desires to remain active on this site.
With the formal launch of MTGNexus, a project started by some of the more influential Moderators and Administrators of MTGSalvation, I want to share something really important with you.
The changes to MTGSalvation that have occurred since the beginning of this year and with the sudden closing announcement that came earlier this year, my confidence in this site has been shaken. I remember the gut wrenching sadness I felt when the announcement of MTGSalvation's closure posted on the banner. I'd been an active part of this community since 2014, and the time and energy I had invested in writing Primers, helping fellow MTGSal users, and the support I had received from other users has shaped my MTG skillset in profound ways, making me better.
There was a true sense of despondency that came over me when I processed the realization that this site, of which I'd spent so much of my life frequenting and contributing to, was dying.
And there was nothing I could do to save it.
The decision was being made way over my head and the only thing I could do was sit by its bedside and stoically watch its last gasps.
To tell you a little bit of my story, and give context as to why I love MTGSalvation so much and why its closure was so devastating to me, I need to take you back to my personal hell, one I have struggled with for years, and one that I couldn't have gotten out of without MTGSalvation.
It was 2010, and I was vomiting outside of my apartment for the second time that night.
And yet I still wanted to go back inside and taste that vodka.
Burned to taste it again, actually.
Yes, I was an alcoholic at the ripe old age of 20.
And the only thing that got me through the addiction recovery process was Magic: The Gathering and this site.
You see, like many of you, I had come to love Commander as a format and I had gotten that bug to optimize my decklists and check out new ideas, constantly finding new strategies, combos, playstyles, anything that would help me improve and win more Commander games. I was part of an active playgroup that met 2-3 times per week to play Commander and I was obsessed with trying to be the best player in that playgroup. This desire was so powerful that it led me to scour the internet for "EDH" content. When I first discovered MTGSalvation, I thought I had stumbled on a treasure trove and immediately dived in. I lurked on the site for years before finally making the commitment.
And I discovered a community that felt the same way I did.
I had found a community that I could emotionally connect with, one that wanted the same things I did.
And this connection was what finally lifted me out of my head and the environment I was drowning in. Posting on MTGSalvation and checking what people had said to my posts and threads became more important than finding the next drink. Taking the suggestions and strategies I was learning on MTGSalvation and implementing them in my games eclipsed the desire to taste alcohol.
I still went through craving and withdrawal hell, but I could NOT have done it without the medium that was MTGSalvation, MTG, and my playgroup.
MTGSalvation was a community that engaged my creativity, helped me to overcome what could have been a deadly addiction, and has provided a form of entertainment and sense of importance that I have cherished over the years. It helped me to feel part of something greater than myself, a chance to participate, help, and encourage other players.
But in recent months, I've found this feeling regarding MTGSalvation fading. Requests that I've made as a Moderator have not been recognized or acted on. Other Moderators and Admins had a pessimistic attitude about the wellbeing and direction of the site as a whole. The sudden and completely paralyzing announcement of MTGSal's closing shocked me, and my faith in the site has been shaken irreversibly.
Did you notice how the site just simply stopped working on 7/11/2019? How you couldn't access the forums for nearly the whole day? When was the last content rich article published on MTGSal? If you've had ideas on how to improve the MTGSal experience, have you received any feedback beyond the "we'll request it from our developer team"?
I'm sorry to inform you that this site has stagnated, and I don't see any signs of it improving in the near future.
But, you no longer need to miss out, wishing you had a better experience to belong to. There is a new site that has been developed by the most influential and tech savvy segment of the MTGSal staff, and they (along with myself) have committed ourselves wholeheartedly to this new site.
And we want you to be a part of our project and share the passion and dedication that has made you a member or lurker of MTGSalvation!
Come and Join Our Home at MTGNexus!
The differences between MTGNexus and MTGSalvation are notable and very visible to me, and I'll try and communicate them to you, dear reader, so that you can make an informed decision.
First, MTGNexus is owned and hosted as its own domain. While this may seem inconsequential to you, this means that the site itself is able to be accessed by most computers, whether or not they're part of a corporate network or your personal laptop. This means that you WILL be able to access MTGNexus regardless of where you are or what type of network you're interfacing with. This makes your involvement with the MTGNexus community much more reliable and intuitive, helping you to stay engaged and participatory throughout the course of a day. Look, when you post something you want to see the feedback on it or be able to quickly look up a decklist while you're on your lunchbreak at work. With MTGNexus being its own domain, it is much more likely that you will be able to stay active and involved with the community and friends that you've made on MTGNexus while staying up to date with your favorite decklists/threads.
The primary users that made MTGSalvation as a site function have already left MTGSal. Feyd_Ruin, the chief CTO-like guy on MTGSal, is now the principal operator and owner of MTGNexus, and he doesn't have the time to support two different sites. Who will be doing the tech stuff and troubleshooting for MTGSalvation now that he's gone? There has been no formal announcement, posts, or threads as to the direction of MTGSalvation since its 11th hour purchase and I am currently unaware of how and who is going to run this site. Do you really want to stay with MTGSal as it rides the waves of tech developments and difficulties that are sure to come with the loss of Feyd-Ruin's massive experience and knowledge?
Cryogen, one of the Moderators here who has personally built real relationships with the founders of Commander and has a real, working relationship with Sheldon Menery himself (sorry if I misspelled your last name, Sheldon!) is now an Administrator of MTGNexus and has already brought Sheldon on board with MTGNexus. Who is going to step into cryogen's role now and make MTGSalvation a legitimate forum of discussion for the RC and CAG? I don't know, and that uncertainty is deeply troubling for me and should be for you too.
Airithne, one of the hardest working Mods on the site with an awesome personality and dedication for Commander that is irrefutable, is a key member of MTGNexus and will be personally overseeing many of the changes and updates that you have probably WISHED MTGSalvation would do. Wildfire, another member and Moderator from MTGSAl, has also become a key member of MTGNexus and is using her influence to make MTGNexus the premier Commander content site on the internet. The majority of the Commander Primer Committee, including the diligent toctheyounger, darrenhabib, Guerte, Kelzam, and others, have already made the jump to MTGNexus and have no desire to come back and actively participate on MTGSalvation. Who will be maintaining the Commander Primers that you enjoy reading and reviewing?
In short, who is going to be stepping up to fill the gaping hole of talent that has now formed MTGNexus? There has been no announcement, and I'm not certain one will be coming any time soon. Feel free to "stay with the devil [you] know" but I'd rather trust the people I DO know that you may not be aware of as being the critical volunteers that have made MTGSalvation as a site function.
The coding features and customization available on MTGNexus are, quite simply, leaps and bounds better than what is currently offered on MTGSalvation. Stop reading this message and check out the following Primers:
Kelzam's Ayli Primer, found here.
Darrenhabib's Will & Rowan Kenrith Primer, found here.
Rumpy5897's Feather, the Redeemed Primer, found here.
MTGNexus has a degree of customization and coding flexibility that is superb and, in my opinion, superior to what MTGSal has available to it. Are you looking to be a legit content creator for MTG? I believe that Nexus has the best tools available for your content and ideas and I'm excited to invite you to see what you can do on the beautiful, new platform. With Feyd-Ruin's expertise and personal commitment to the site, I can confidently assure you that the site will continue to get better and better until it becomes THE destination for any type of MTG focused content or MTG aggregation.
But most importantly, our community has already proven to be supportive and inclusive of its current members. And we want you to be a part of MTGNexus and make it your MTG based home on the internet, the spot where the best of the best reside. Let your voice be known and you could even have an impact in the way that MTGNexus develops as a site! We can't grow MTGNexus into the best MTG site in the world without your participation and support.
So Come and Join Our Home at MTGNexus and Help Shape the New MTG Destination site!
The link for the new Urza thread on MTGNexus will be coming shortly. To check out my Memnarch thread, which is a great way of showcasing Nexus' coding power and to give you an idea of how I'll be formatting all of my future Primers, click on the link here.
It's been a great time being a member of this community. Truly, this site has been a lifeline for me in my lowest life moments and I've grown and developed as a player in direct response to the feedback I've received, the comments I've read, and the decklists I've perused on this site. MTGSal has been my online MTG home since 2009 and I have nothing but fond memories of this site.
However, in light of the closure announcement of MTGSal and its attendant 11th hour resurrection, I have personally decided to commit myself fully to the MTGNexus project that Feyd_Ruin has started. My reasoning, which I hope you'll respect and appreciate, is explained below.
It's been a great adventure on MTGSal, and I'll be stepping down from all responsibilities on MTGSal by the end of 7/11/2019 at the official launch of MTGNexus and will be removing all of my content, with the exception of decklists from MTGSal as a site. I will NOT be updating the MTGSal threads and will not be actively contributing to MTGSal except on the rare occassion that my fancy is struck.
I wish you the best journey should you remain on MTGSal, but I would encourage you to give MTGNexus a try. It's already got a lot of participation and a large segment of the MTGSal community has already made the jump.
Why not you? It's your chance to start over fresh, contribute in a meaningful way to a new platform, and have a chance to positively shape what will become the premier MTG site on the internet.
Adieu, my friends!
It's been a great time being a member of this community. Truly, this site has been a lifeline for me in my lowest life moments and I've grown and developed as a player in direct response to the feedback I've received, the comments I've read, and the decklists I've perused on this site. MTGSal has been my online MTG home since 2009 and I have nothing but fond memories of this site.
However, in light of the closure announcement of MTGSal and its attendant 11th hour resurrection, I have personally decided to commit myself fully to the MTGNexus project that Feyd_Ruin has started. My reasoning, which I hope you'll respect and appreciate, is explained below.
It's been a great adventure on MTGSal, and I'll be stepping down from all responsibilities on MTGSal by the end of 7/11/2019 at the official launch of MTGNexus and will be removing all of my content, with the exception of decklists from MTGSal as a site. I will NOT be updating the MTGSal threads and will not be actively contributing to MTGSal except on the rare occassion that my fancy is struck.
I wish you the best journey should you remain on MTGSal, but I would encourage you to give MTGNexus a try. It's already got a lot of participation and a large segment of the MTGSal community has already made the jump.
Why not you? It's your chance to start over fresh, contribute in a meaningful way to a new platform, and have a chance to positively shape what will become the premier MTG site on the internet.
Adieu, my friends!
It's been a great time being a member of this community. Truly, this site has been a lifeline for me in my lowest life moments and I've grown and developed as a player in direct response to the feedback I've received, the comments I've read, and the decklists I've perused on this site. MTGSal has been my online MTG home since 2009 and I have nothing but fond memories of this site.
However, in light of the closure announcement of MTGSal and its attendant 11th hour resurrection, I have personally decided to commit myself fully to the MTGNexus project that Feyd_Ruin has started. My reasoning, which I hope you'll respect and appreciate, is explained below.
It's been a great adventure on MTGSal, and I'll be stepping down from all responsibilities on MTGSal by the end of 7/11/2019 at the official launch of MTGNexus and will be removing all of my content, with the exception of decklists from MTGSal as a site. I will NOT be updating the MTGSal threads and will not be actively contributing to MTGSal except on the rare occassion that my fancy is struck.
I wish you the best journey should you remain on MTGSal, but I would encourage you to give MTGNexus a try. It's already got a lot of participation and a large segment of the MTGSal community has already made the jump.
Why not you? It's your chance to start over fresh, contribute in a meaningful way to a new platform, and have a chance to positively shape what will become the premier MTG site on the internet.
Adieu, my friends!
It's been a great time being a member of this community. Truly, this site has been a lifeline for me in my lowest life moments and I've grown and developed as a player in direct response to the feedback I've received, the comments I've read, and the decklists I've perused on this site. MTGSal has been my online MTG home since 2009 and I have nothing but fond memories of this site.
However, in light of the closure announcement of MTGSal and its attendant 11th hour resurrection, I have personally decided to commit myself fully to the MTGNexus project that Feyd_Ruin has started. My reasoning, which I hope you'll respect and appreciate, is explained below.
It's been a great adventure on MTGSal, and I'll be stepping down from all responsibilities on MTGSal by the end of 7/11/2019 at the official launch of MTGNexus and will be removing all of my content, with the exception of decklists from MTGSal as a site. I will NOT be updating the MTGSal threads and will not be actively contributing to MTGSal except on the rare occassion that my fancy is struck.
I wish you the best journey should you remain on MTGSal, but I would encourage you to give MTGNexus a try. It's already got a lot of participation and a large segment of the MTGSal community has already made the jump.
Why not you? It's your chance to start over fresh, contribute in a meaningful way to a new platform, and have a chance to positively shape what will become the premier MTG site on the internet.
Adieu, my friends!
It's been a great time being a member of this community. Truly, this site has been a lifeline for me in my lowest life moments and I've grown and developed as a player in direct response to the feedback I've received, the comments I've read, and the decklists I've perused on this site. MTGSal has been my online MTG home since 2009 and I have nothing but fond memories of this site.
However, in light of the closure announcement of MTGSal and its attendant 11th hour resurrection, I have personally decided to commit myself fully to the MTGNexus project that Feyd_Ruin has started. My reasoning, which I hope you'll respect and appreciate, is explained below.
It's been a great adventure on MTGSal, and I'll be stepping down from all responsibilities on MTGSal by the end of 7/11/2019 at the official launch of MTGNexus and will be removing all of my content, with the exception of decklists from MTGSal as a site. I will NOT be updating the MTGSal threads and will not be actively contributing to MTGSal except on the rare occassion that my fancy is struck.
I wish you the best journey should you remain on MTGSal, but I would encourage you to give MTGNexus a try. It's already got a lot of participation and a large segment of the MTGSal community has already made the jump.
Why not you? It's your chance to start over fresh, contribute in a meaningful way to a new platform, and have a chance to positively shape what will become the premier MTG site on the internet.
Adieu, my friends!
It's been a great time being a member of this community. Truly, this site has been a lifeline for me in my lowest life moments and I've grown and developed as a player in direct response to the feedback I've received, the comments I've read, and the decklists I've perused on this site. MTGSal has been my online MTG home since 2009 and I have nothing but fond memories of this site.
However, in light of the closure announcement of MTGSal and its attendant 11th hour resurrection, I have personally decided to commit myself fully to the MTGNexus project that Feyd_Ruin has started. My reasoning, which I hope you'll respect and appreciate, is explained below.
It's been a great adventure on MTGSal, and I'll be stepping down from all responsibilities on MTGSal by the end of 7/11/2019 at the official launch of MTGNexus and will be removing all of my content, with the exception of decklists from MTGSal as a site. I will NOT be updating the MTGSal threads and will not be actively contributing to MTGSal except on the rare occassion that my fancy is struck.
I wish you the best journey should you remain on MTGSal, but I would encourage you to give MTGNexus a try. It's already got a lot of participation and a large segment of the MTGSal community has already made the jump.
Why not you? It's your chance to start over fresh, contribute in a meaningful way to a new platform, and have a chance to positively shape what will become the premier MTG site on the internet.
Adieu, my friends!
It's been a great time being a member of this community. Truly, this site has been a lifeline for me in my lowest life moments and I've grown and developed as a player in direct response to the feedback I've received, the comments I've read, and the decklists I've perused on this site. MTGSal has been my online MTG home since 2009 and I have nothing but fond memories of this site.
However, in light of the closure announcement of MTGSal and its attendant 11th hour resurrection, I have personally decided to commit myself fully to the MTGNexus project that Feyd_Ruin has started. My reasoning, which I hope you'll respect and appreciate, is explained below.
It's been a great adventure on MTGSal, and I'll be stepping down from all responsibilities on MTGSal by the end of 7/11/2019 at the official launch of MTGNexus and will be removing all of my content, with the exception of decklists from MTGSal as a site. I will NOT be updating the MTGSal threads and will not be actively contributing to MTGSal except on the rare occassion that my fancy is struck.
I wish you the best journey should you remain on MTGSal, but I would encourage you to give MTGNexus a try. It's already got a lot of participation and a large segment of the MTGSal community has already made the jump.
Why not you? It's your chance to start over fresh, contribute in a meaningful way to a new platform, and have a chance to positively shape what will become the premier MTG site on the internet.
Adieu, my friends!
It's been a great time being a member of this community. Truly, this site has been a lifeline for me in my lowest life moments and I've grown and developed as a player in direct response to the feedback I've received, the comments I've read, and the decklists I've perused on this site. MTGSal has been my online MTG home since 2009 and I have nothing but fond memories of this site.
However, in light of the closure announcement of MTGSal and its attendant 11th hour resurrection, I have personally decided to commit myself fully to the MTGNexus project that Feyd_Ruin has started. My reasoning, which I hope you'll respect and appreciate, is explained below.
It's been a great adventure on MTGSal, and I'll be stepping down from all responsibilities on MTGSal by the end of 7/11/2019 at the official launch of MTGNexus and will be removing all of my content, with the exception of decklists from MTGSal as a site. I will NOT be updating the MTGSal threads and will not be actively contributing to MTGSal except on the rare occassion that my fancy is struck.
I wish you the best journey should you remain on MTGSal, but I would encourage you to give MTGNexus a try. It's already got a lot of participation and a large segment of the MTGSal community has already made the jump.
Why not you? It's your chance to start over fresh, contribute in a meaningful way to a new platform, and have a chance to positively shape what will become the premier MTG site on the internet.
Adieu, my friends!
It's been a great time being a member of this community. Truly, this site has been a lifeline for me in my lowest life moments and I've grown and developed as a player in direct response to the feedback I've received, the comments I've read, and the decklists I've perused on this site. MTGSal has been my online MTG home since 2009 and I have nothing but fond memories of this site.
However, in light of the closure announcement of MTGSal and its attendant 11th hour resurrection, I have personally decided to commit myself fully to the MTGNexus project that Feyd_Ruin has started. My reasoning, which I hope you'll respect and appreciate, is explained below.
It's been a great adventure on MTGSal, and I'll be stepping down from all responsibilities on MTGSal by the end of 7/11/2019 at the official launch of MTGNexus and will be removing all of my content, with the exception of decklists from MTGSal as a site. I will NOT be updating the MTGSal threads and will not be actively contributing to MTGSal except on the rare occassion that my fancy is struck.
I wish you the best journey should you remain on MTGSal, but I would encourage you to give MTGNexus a try. It's already got a lot of participation and a large segment of the MTGSal community has already made the jump.
Why not you? It's your chance to start over fresh, contribute in a meaningful way to a new platform, and have a chance to positively shape what will become the premier MTG site on the internet.
Adieu, my friends!
It's been a great time being a member of this community. Truly, this site has been a lifeline for me in my lowest life moments and I've grown and developed as a player in direct response to the feedback I've received, the comments I've read, and the decklists I've perused on this site. MTGSal has been my online MTG home since 2009 and I have nothing but fond memories of this site.
However, in light of the closure announcement of MTGSal and its attendant 11th hour resurrection, I have personally decided to commit myself fully to the MTGNexus project that Feyd_Ruin has started. My reasoning, which I hope you'll respect and appreciate, is explained below.
It's been a great adventure on MTGSal, and I'll be stepping down from all responsibilities on MTGSal by the end of 7/11/2019 at the official launch of MTGNexus and will be removing all of my content, with the exception of decklists from MTGSal as a site. I will NOT be updating the MTGSal threads and will not be actively contributing to MTGSal except on the rare occassion that my fancy is struck.
I wish you the best journey should you remain on MTGSal, but I would encourage you to give MTGNexus a try. It's already got a lot of participation and a large segment of the MTGSal community has already made the jump.
Why not you? It's your chance to start over fresh, contribute in a meaningful way to a new platform, and have a chance to positively shape what will become the premier MTG site on the internet.
Adieu, my friends!
Additionally, I'll be removing ALL of my content from MTGSal and transitioning over to MTGNexus, as a heads up. I recommend checking it out, as it's a beautiful new platform with an awesome staff, super cool coding capabilities, and the same functionality of MTGSal. I'll be making a formal post in the cEDH forums and the regular Commander forums to persuade people to switch over, so stay tuned.