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+--- Thread: To the community i dearly love. A message for you all. (/showthread.php?tid=78)
To the community i dearly love. A message for you all. - BigMur - 07-13-2024
7 1/2 years ago I was diagnosed with a chronic brain disease with a very long name. I suffered a brain hemorrhage that left me in a very bad way for over 13 months.
After undergoing 2 brain surgeries I was given another chance at life. While stuck in my lift chair recovering and gaining back my strength, I began playing games online.
I played some golf games, word games, and Mahjong. I stumbled on a Backgammon site or two and played some.
I had only played a few times when I was in college but didn't understand it. It was fun, but not my favorite of all the online games.
I played on a few sites before I stumbled on SimplyBG.com .
Very quickly I was drawn in by the banter going on in some of the matches.
Some just said gl and gm when it was over, but others engaged me in fun conversations.
I think the 1st conversation I remember was with member "Maclaren" from Canada.
I mentioned that I liked to golf. He told me that his best memory on a golf course was when he shot a buck on a fairway, hilarious!
I was fascinated by the back games between Paul C. and Thomas Z that I would watch live from the site.
Their dialogue with each other cracked me up. My ELO slipped 13 or something before I started getting the hang of it (thanks to my new friends Raymond and LDC).
In no time at all I was hooked! This site was awesome! It was a gaming site, but more than that, a community of a vast variety of souls who shared a love for backgammon.
I believe the owners, Frank, and right-hand man Hank, have done an amazing job creating an extremely unique environment to play an exciting game.
In my opinion, the community aspect they have created sets this site apart, along with the many tournaments that the community can participate in.
As in all communities, there are disagreements and misunderstandings.
I had a long chat with Frank a couple of hours ago and he explained some changes on the site that were being implemented which concerned me and other tournament directors, regarding some of the social aspects of the site.
He did a great job explaining his desire to balance the social and technical aspects of the site's future.
I can see clearly that his heart is in the right place with his vision for the site, and we discussed an idea I had pitched to Hank regarding a "private parlor" where the social aspect many of us have come to love can carry on as it has been all along.
Anyone who would choose could be invited into this Parlor, which would contain multiple tourneys, which would have a chat board that I would moderate and would welcome a variety of dialogue, opinions, critiques, jokes, pics, etc...
There is an annual fee that varies according to a number of tournaments in the parlour. The cost will be covered by members on a donation basis.
There are many who have expressed the desire to pitch in, but I want those who are lower income, or simply feel the annual fee they have already paid is all their experience is worth to them, that it is genuinely ok not to donate.
I received a call from a friend and fellow BG Junky on this site who has generously offered to pay whatever the donations fail to cover.
It was a Blast meeting and chatting with this guy after years of knowing him on this site.
He expressed his love for this site and his appreciation of the creators and all who make it the place it is.
Anyone who chooses to enter can do so and get this... you can join the parlor and play all the tournaments you'd like. NO TICKET Necessary!
The Openplay parlor is used primarily to direct people to casual games and tournaments. Lots of the live information about the site is accessible there.
Feedback tools to communicate w/higher ups and whatnot are available on every page of the site.
The community forum is easy to access once you get the hang of it.
The alert system recently implemented will keep you informed of things that pertain to you.
Chatting in matches will go on as usual, but please keep in mind that certain conversations can lead to problems just like in any community. Gossip and slander can lead to trouble...
Well, I hope I didn't bore you. I am a trucker, not a writer. But like you, I like BG and I love this community.
My sincere thanks to Frank and Hank and all of you in SimplyBGville! Your's truly, BigMur
RE: To the community i dearly love. A message for you all. - hank - 07-13-2024
Thank you for sharing with us, Murray.
The support you've already shown and put into this site is greatly appreciated.
Your post here and your earlier post, Private Parlour , are making a difference for many. Giving many an option to choose.
Based on the poll results thus far, "I am interested in joining a Private Parlour" ... 15 have voted "Yea"
AngieS, Annie, BigMur, Buford, Catherine G, James D, Jeremy P, Liz G, Margot, Marty S, Pete D, Poncho V, Richard B, Trish H, glenn
That's a great start! Congratulations.
If the decision to move forward with a Private parlour, let me know ASAP. Schedules at the moment may cause a small delay getting it setup.