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Another year, another birthday message (last year not withstanding, during which time I was far too preoccupied with the impending presence of my flesh-and-blood baby to actually write much for this baby I've had fifteen years now). That's right, scorekeepers at home, this birthday is our fifteenth, and you might have noticed we've given the site - and we hope you - a present in the form of a shiny new revision. We've taken the liberty of generously forcing all of you to see it, though all of our classic skins are still available for you to switch back if you don't think the new skin, called "Skyglade," is the fanciest thing we've ever done. If you want to switch back, though, you can; the way to do it on the site is on our style selector, and the way for the forums is in your control panel. And, if you're not seeing it on the site but think you should be, try to reset your CoN skin selection entirely.

Skyglade represents years (on-and-off) of design work on the part of Tiddles and myself to make sure we could bring you something that freshens things up without losing the qualities people enjoyed most in Persona (fanart in particular, which you'll have seen before if you're a forum regular, designed especially for this theme by Rujuken). Not only that, you'll notice that all our themes are carrying a special anniversary version of our logo. As I've said before, the Caves of Narshe is a hobby run by professionals, so if you want to know more about why Skyglade is the best thing we've ever done for the site and its users (like it or not!) check out our freshly-updated CoNHistory.

Fifteen years is a long time. I've said this before, but it's worth repeating: over that kind of time, a lot of things change for all of us. It's made it mostly impossible to churn out content at the
rate we once could, which makes all the more proud of our accomplishments so far this year. It's among our greatest sources of pride that we can still be here presenting you this site, a site which we're still excited to improve. A site which we hope, and indeed know, is still useful and relevant to players of the old games, and can continue to be over time. We owe a great debt to every single human, animal and robot who has helped us along the way, including Climhazzard, from the patient staff who've tirelessly trawled through game data, to the fanfic writers and fanartists, to every single forum poster and chatter who's stopped by and chatted with us along the way.

I've mentioned before that our fifteen-year mark predates just about every Final Fantasy site that still exists, but thinking of fifteen years made me wonder what other sites on which CoN has seniority. Here's a few: Livejournal. Myspace. Facebook. Twitter. Flickr. Photobucket. Microsoft. (At least Microsoft was almost as ugly back then as CoN.) CoN is even older than Wikipedia! Anyway, listing those is certainly just a conceit - we'd never be considered to be in the ballpark of any of those sites, but it's worth noting that you don't just start a site and keep it going that long unless you have at least some of the dedication required to build a sustainable project from the ground up, and we do have that in common with those web Illuminati.

The sites in that list, even the ones spiraling into oblivion, are an interesting part of CoN's evolution, particularly as it relates to our slowing community growth. We know that we can never supplant Facebook or Twitter. We know that the way we operate the informational sections of our site is no longer trendy in the face of crowdsourced content. We're cool with it, because we're not looking to be everything to everyone. We are looking to remain the best source of gameplay information for the games we cover, and we are looking to keep you reading this interested in talking to all your fellow CoN members. Of course, we want you all to stay involved, and we'll do everything we can to help. We know that we're a niche, and we're thrilled that you choose to spend some of your attention and time with us - we know firsthand that the supply of both is finite and more and more splintered every year. So, if you don't have the time to come here and post or chat the way you used to, that's alright. We understand. Try to do us a favor, though - if you're on your social network of choice, why not share or retweet our posts and content? The more people we expose to CoN, the better off we are as a community. If you don't think your friends will care, then you're hanging out with the wrong folks online and need to spend more time here, anyway. Of course.

Some things don't change. We're here, and so far in 2012 we've done a pretty bang-up job of new content. Our Final Fantasy V Advance project was a bit of a shambles in 2011, but we stepped up and really got it done in 2012. Skyglade was two completely separate projects for years before now, and it's just in the last few months that we got together and really made it happen. There's still life in this site, and that means there's still something for you to contribute. Among Square Enix fans, you guys are pretty much the best of the best, and that's why we're here. We want to hear from you, and we want to continue to create the content that creates more of you. You can say what you will about the state of Square Enix and the Final Fantasy franchise, and you should. But what CoN has is the kind of Final Fantasy that gamers everywhere should experience, and that's why we're all here. We want to continue to be the best portal on the internet to evangelize some of the finest games yet made, and the best way to do that is for all of us to be here and continue to do what we've done for one, two, five, or even fifteen years.

Insert "Challenge Accepted" meme here. Except, please, totally don't. You know that we don't roll that way. But take today to get back in touch with us - we've got small tokens of appreciation for those who do!

If you've taken your new dose of CoN history, you'll know that I started designing Skyline, the prototype of the new theme, in 2005. I was going to try to demonstrate just how bloody long ago that is with some events that happened in the mean time, but since even April feels like a lifetime ago lately, 2005 seems like someone else's memory, never mind the five years before that when I started here. Anyway, it's a good job Josh was able to spruce the theme up in the mean time: the final result is something I'm very proud of my part in, and I hope you like it too. And the winged logos! Lovely. I need an excuse to use them every day.

I'll echo Josh's sentiments, which I definitely didn't ghostwrite a bunch of anyway. Thanks to absolutely everyone who's helped and participated over the years, and extra special thanks to the ones who've kept in touch, and extra extra special thanks to the three or four people who still visit and might consider posting in this topic.

This post has been edited by Tiddles on 31st July 2012 15:20

I didn't have a lot to do with the celebration itself aside from helping with the many forum testers, but I did actually do work in the five years since the tenth anniversary. This is a pretty awesome milestone and it's amazing to me that we have people who've been around for so dang long at the same site, and it's equally amazing that we still have people coming out of the woodwork to join as new members and celebrate the older FFs that we cover.

If you don't spend time with us already, consider joining us in CoNChat. My link to chat lured a few people in for the recent Euro Cup tournament, so hopefully more of you will come join the party. We're most active on weekdays, oddly enough.

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Hey, put the cellphone down for a while
In the night there is something wild
Can you hear it breathing?
And hey, put the laptop down for a while
In the night there is something wild
I feel it, it's leaving me

Happy CoNniversary to everyone! It's really something to consider how much time and care have been put into this site over the past decade and a half, and I'm glad to have played and to continue playing some small part in its growth. Despite the above-mentioned changes in the internet at large and the changes in my own life, CoN is still the first page that loads every time I bring up an internet window and the place I call home.

Thanks to everyone who has come here over the years, from our top staffers to those who break their rules and from the handful of veteran never-say-die posters to those who have only a brief burst of activity; thanks to everyone who has helped make this humble corner of the web the clean, reliable and conversational place that has meant so much to me.

Edit

I'll echo Neal's invitation to anyone who'd like to visit chat, as well as add that next month's (aka tomorrow's) new quizzes will feature a couple of CoN questions.

This post has been edited by Death Penalty on 31st July 2012 16:02

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Currently Playing : Final Fantasy V
Most Recently Beat : Elder Scrolls: Skyrim
Favorite Game : Final Fantasy X

The newest CoNcast is up! Have a listen!

My God, we're all old! Just so, I can't think of anywhere on the web I'd rather argue about nonsense than here. I actually just got a friend playing VI for the first time the other day, so it goes to show, everything old is new to someone. Happy Birthday, to the only forum I visit.

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If you've been mod-o-fied,
It's an illusion, and you're in-between.
Don't you be tarot-fied,
It's just alot of nothing, so what can it mean?
~Frank Zappa

Sins exist only for people who are on the Way or approaching the Way

Hard to believe FF6 has been out for over 18 years. If FF6 were a human, it would be considered a legal adult.

I could've sworn I was around here before 2004 when it says I joined. Maybe I created an account and forgot about it. I know I used the name "Moogle" on one of these boards a looong time ago.

This post has been edited by LeviathanMist on 31st July 2012 17:27

Wow, CoN sure has grown old. I'm only a few months away from being a 5-year member. Thinking back 5 years, CoN is the only site I was active on then that I'm still active on today. It's pretty odd seeing as I stumbled upon the site through a topic about FFVI Siegfried on GameFAQs Here's to another 15 years!

Also, I'm usually pretty conservative when it comes to forum styles, but Skyglade looks great and I'm pretty sure I'll keep using it. Maybe I should celebrate by switching my avatar as well.

Another Happy Birthday to my online home away from home. 15 years is huge, and I'm glad to have been around for as many of those as I have.

The new layout/theme/thing is pretty damn slick, I have to admit, so huge props to the boys that worked so hard to bring it to us. Yeah, I know, I probably should've bothered to help with the testing, but come on, we all know my #1 function here is to make everyone else look like a better person by comparison, and to that extent I work the hardest.

I'll third what our staff has been saying too, if you're not already hanging out with us in CoNchat, you're missing out.

Happy Birthday, CoN, here's to another 15. (And Josh's face at imagining having to do this for another 15 years.)

Happy Birthday, CoN! ^_^

I'm not nearly as active here anymore as I should be, but I do stop by every now and then to check up on things. I'm very glad I chose today to stop by! The new forums and main page look beautiful! Great work, everybody!

I have to give a big thanks to all the staff (well, active staff) who kept this site running so smoothly for so long. I know CoN means a lot to many of us, even if we aren't very active anymore. :D Here's to another 15 years!

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Is PJ

Happy CoNniversary to you all! I'm really impressed with all the work you've put into this, I hope you're all very proud - you sure as hell should be!

I've only been around and about for a matter of months on here now, but I'm seriously wishing I'd rocked up years ago - hopefully I can make up for that by being here for years to come - and developing from serial lurker to serious contributor (one day...maybe...)

And, I should add, thank you very much for creating such a useful and enjoyable site/forum!

Congrats, fellas!

This post has been edited by Stiltzkin on 31st July 2012 21:08

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We apologise for the inconvenience

Happy birthday, CoN! Pretty soon you'll be legal.

Seriously though, I commend all of you (who are involved with running the site) because even though I haven't played any Final Fantasy games in the last 4-5 years, I still come here for the impressive sense of community.

There's not much to add here other than to echo what has already been said. 15 years is crazy, and it seems like just yesterday when we were celebrating anniversary #7-8. Happy CoNniversary!

Congratz! Lets hope it lasts another fifteen eh?

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http://www.freewebs.com/thiefsrpgs/ro.gif

ROFL @ Neal's Avatar

This is one site I visit everyday, given the chance. No, I'm not logged in everyday, and I post even less these days, but I'm definitely here (browsing posts, checking out news, perusing the increasingly excellent fanart gallery, etc.) everyday . And for almost seven years! I think that speaks to the quality of the site.

Plus I recently made some considerable (by my standards) AmaCoN purchases. Hopefully, if those registered, they'll help keep the site going even longer.

Keep up the good work, everyone .

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Console RPG Cliches

Happy 15th birthday CoN!
I haven't been around here for as long as many, but I really appreciate this community and the hard work that has gone in to keeping it running.

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FF games completed: I (psp), II (psp), III (DS), IV (psp), V (GBA), VI (GBA), VII, VIII, IX, X, XI: Nations-Rhapsodies of Vana'diel, XII, XIII, XIV, XV.
Spin-offs: FFIV: Interlude & The After Years, Crisis Core: FFVII, X-2, XIII-2, Lightning Returns, Type-0 HD, Dissidia, Dissidia 012, and Tactics (original & WotL).
Enjoyed them all.

Happy birthday!

A safe haven in the intrnet, no doubt. Congrats to everybody for the good work all these years (i've been around since 2004, but signed in only 2 or so years ago ).

Live long and prosper, CoN.

This post has been edited by Kirchewasser on 1st August 2012 02:02

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Live Long and Prosper!

While I can't claim to have been a CoN member for 15yrs (officially 10 in December), I can truly say that I lurked, read fanfiction and oogled fanart for almost all those 15. This is only one of two sites still out there that I started with on my internet journey back when I was a 16yr old girl. Lots of stuff has changed (some for the better, some for the worse) but CoN isn't just "around" it's alive and kicking

Thank you Josh, Neal, Tiddles, and Elena99 wherever you might be nowdays.



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kame, tortue, tortuga, schildkröte, tartaruga, turtle

"Arthur Dent?"
"Yes."
"Arthur Philip Dent?"
"Yes."
"You're a total knee biter."

Quote (Galsic @ 31st July 2012 17:39)

ROFL @ Neal's Avatar

Isn't it wonderful? I think it should be the default XV image. Maybe it would work better exactly eight months from now, though.

--------------------

Hey, put the cellphone down for a while
In the night there is something wild
Can you hear it breathing?
And hey, put the laptop down for a while
In the night there is something wild
I feel it, it's leaving me

Quote (Neal @ 1st August 2012 12:03)

Quote (Galsic @ 31st July 2012 17:39)

ROFL @ Neal's Avatar

Isn't it wonderful? I think it should be the default XV image. Maybe it would work better exactly eight months from now, though.

I also appreciate your slight variation in title (Delicious Cookie -> Delicious Logo). As well as the slight variation in my own, the existence of which I was unaware until about six hours after someone changed it. For the better, of course!

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Currently Playing : Final Fantasy V
Most Recently Beat : Elder Scrolls: Skyrim
Favorite Game : Final Fantasy X

The newest CoNcast is up! Have a listen!

I'm sad I was out all day yesterday, but happy belated birthday to CoN! I don't come around here much anymore (though I did recently make a triumphant return to CoNchat..and have proceeded to mostly idle since then) but every time I log in I think back to all the memories I've had here...not all good, but it's funny to look back at myself 7 years ago when I joined and see how much I've changed. And, frankly, CoNchat had a part in that - a 13 year old in a chatroom filled with people in their late teens and 20s isn't necessarily received too well, and I had some growing up to do.

More than that, I've made some really good friends here. Again, I don't talk to them anywhere nearly as much as I used to, but CoNchat and occasionally the forums themselves over the years have provided a great community which I was/am happy to be a part of, even if it wasn't always happy to have me. Josh, Tiddles, Neal, and all the rest of the staff - thank you. I never really though I'd look back on my life and think of a website as having a contributing factor in my maturing, but I probably spent more time in CoNchat between the ages of 13-16 than I did with anyone else. That's...sort of sad, but there it is.

So, congratulations to Josh, to CoN, the rest of the staff, and all of the friends I've made here in the last few years. Here's to 15 more!

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Squenix games completed:

FFIII
FFIV
FFVI
FFVII
FFIX
FFX
FF Tactics: Advance 2
Chrono Trigger
Dragon Quest 8
Dragon Quest 11
Super Mario RPG

A belated happy birthday to CoN! I've only been around a limited time, but this has been an immense source of incredible information for me, and a great place to go to discuss things. Congratulations to all those who've kept it going.

Thought I'd already said "Happy Birthday CoN" here but I guess I didn't. So, Happy Birthday CoN!



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"Only the dead have seen the end of their quotes being misattributed to Plato."
-George Santayana

"The world will little note, nor long remember what we say here..."
-Abraham Lincoln, prior to the discovery of Irony.

I'm still waiting for when CoN turns 21, then we can have a real party!

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Arts

Farts

Twarts

I've been a proud member of this site for years now, and I'm proud to say "I'm still here!" I have no plans on going anywhere either. This is my favorite website for news, and all things Square, and it share stay this way. Happy Birthday Caves of Narshe!

Ahoy. I was talking design with coworkers at a new job today when I realized that CoN would be a perfect example of good design. So here's me being thrilled and not at all surprised by the fantastic theme update. Happy birthday, CoN

Happy Birthday ! Even though I haven't been here for that long !

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Top Three fave Final Fantasies Final Fantasy VIII, Final Fantasy IX, Final Fantasy V [ GBA ]

It was a pleasant surprise to just turn up after a few month hiatus and see this crisp new layout before me. I'm impressed! The site looks sharp and this is indeed worthy of an anniversary.

Man, fifteen years, hey? That is an impressive amount of dedication to a volunteer project! Kudos to all the senior staff involved for keeping this going for the freeloaders like myself haha.

Seriously, though, everything you've said in your post rings true: this place has some dedicated fans who are both intelligent and fun to talk to. You've generated meaningful content that is useful for anyone trying to play through the classics of this beloved franchise, and the fanart/fanfic sections provide hours of entertainment!

Thank you, thank you, thank you, and keep up the good work knowing full well that it is appreciated.