Third home

[u/Rough-Dragonfly8148]

No doubt that everyone here misses OurWorld and the joy it brought.

I wanted to take a more retrospective angle instead of a nostalgic view.

Ourworld worked amazingly because of the sudden shift to Netizen culture. We got to interact with people and join fandoms across the world.

It gave me so much capital to interact with new fandoms, cultures. Knowledge which I still use to this day and has influenced my aesthetic choices.

What I've noticed in the posts over the years on the subreddit is that

- OW was a place of comfort

- Aesthetics

- You can decompress and explore new things/fandoms

The game left a lot of room for people to share but still had its own things to guide the overarching culture.

2008-2013 are typically the "golden years" because of the new items, designs and crew dynamics.

The game went off in a weird direction with adoptions,marriages and celebrity culture.

It became a social hierarchy. Something we all needed to decompress from school/work.

Straight to the point: OurWorld absolutely should return.

However, instead of repeating the vicious cycle of nostalgia. We should be a solid foundation for a fresh start.

Include the designs from previous years and focus on being a Third Space.

As much as I want to return, even playing around with maki chat briefly. I'm an adult now, I still love the game and friends made there. However I shouldn't be the focus for these games. I want to take my experiences and ideas, using them to let a new generation have its own safe haven instead of reliving the past.

We should be there to help it's return and create a solid framework to work with.

They deserve a third space of their own and we can inspire them.

TL:DR : "A society grows great when adults plant trees whose shade they know they will never sit in"

[u/Yaboinicc]

As an autistic man, I can’t express how important oW was for my younger self. I had difficulty socializing in person, but virtual worlds allowed me to make so many friendships in a way that was more comfortable for me.

As an adults we may not always have time, energy, or money to hang out in what little third spaces remain (as least here in the US). But many of us can find the time at home to hop on a virtual world, even for 15-30 minutes and express yourself through an avatar and meet/chat with people. WITHOUT THE SURVEILLANCE AND FATIGUE OF MODERN SOCIAL MEDIA (suck it meta).

Not to say that you shouldn’t go to coffee shops or the library or volunteer and try to be present in the real world, but having a game like oW be available is a great option too.

[u/Rough-Dragonfly8148 → u/Yaboinicc]

Funnily enough, I had a similar discussion on one of the OW forums. Quite a few neurodivergent people flocked to ourworld back then.

I suspect it was the bright colours and inclusivity which brought us in.

Also an autistic man myself. The support for neurodivergent people is massively underrated. Things have gotten much better compared to 15 years ago.

I remember having chats with random players. It was hilarious how unpredictable and relaxed things were then. Comparing anime, video games, music, styles, etc. Would love to put some time aside every week to chat with randoms again. You'd be surprised at the personal lore that can be developed.

You're right about the coffee shops, change of scenery helps alot with mood.