Just read through all 10 pages of this because I love nostalgia...
To be honest with you, in the scheme of some of the players out there I haven't been playing as long as them, I remember joining with the 30 minute resets and I still to this day prefer the old EXP system over the current one. (But that may be the nostalgia talking since I still prefer CoD2 over EVERY other shooter since it was the first game I played online. 2,000 hours of that one, and i'm catching up with M&BW with something like 1,600 hours! ^^)
With regards to Bjord, you were the only person to ever make me rage-quit ANYTHING, if you can call being fed up of being continually insulted for no good reason of course.
Although you have grown up a hell of a lot since you have "returned" to cRPG. (more or less just the forums it appears.)
I have to agree that pretty much everyone knew everyone, even the newer players were quickly known if they could show themselves having a little bit of a flair for the game but I do remember my first days being the darkest, I tried my hardest to copy Replica (no ironic comments here) in my first days (who as I remember was only running around with a very basic bow and light armour.), was kind of like my role model in the beginning, sadly no longer plays but I have caught a glimpse or two over the past two months of him being online, really need to get him back Mercs!!!
Down that route as well, the mallet swinging archers. I believe it was Connasse..? who was always hiding the EXP barn with a mallet, after he ran out of his 50 arrows, he'd start swinging it wildly at the door, I can always remember those moments, and of course I am sure everyone remembers their very first "epic kill streak" or "beating the odds". Mine was beating down 4 guys (including Sawa in his plated armour) in something about the same tier as pilgrim disguise with a mallet and nothing else all on my own, but that's bragging rights for my first ever "recognition on the servers" which was, to my great joy, from Replica!
Anyways, a good thread to have started.
P.S. Out of interest, how long as cRPG been running these days? I believe I am up to a year and a half or coming up to two years, something similar anyways.