Pokémon TCG: Sword and Shield—Brilliant Stars

How long will YOU keep playing Pokemon?

Nineteen replies! ^_^_^_^

Thanks so much, you guys!

I've heard a lot of you people say a lot of your best friends are people you've met at tournaments. Well, that's one thing I don't have. Some of the people I've met are really, really cool, but I don't see them that often, because I don't go to every tournament they go to. If a friend invites me to see a movie or something on Saturday, or there's a school dance, and there's a Pokemon tournament on the same day, I'm not going to go to the Pokemon tournament, unless it's a huge event.

I think this natural hunger for sociality is what's making me question myself. I love being around people, especially the friends I've had for 6+ years now (4th-10th grade). One of my favorite things to do is just sit around and talk about whatever comes to mind. A lot of the people at Pokemon tournaments just talk about Pokemon. I'll definitely be interested, and I won't be putting on a mask and listening falsely to what they have to say, I really enjoy being there, but after I get home I take a break, and everything Pokemon gets lost on me...

MegaComma, you say the kids think people who play Pokemon are stupid or lame? Some of my friends at my school actually know I play Pokemon, but they're still my friends, and some of the best I've ever had. I don't know how hard you're looking to find friends at your school, but I know you're not trying very hard. There has to be some group that'll accept you for who you are. It sounds really cliched, but it's seriously the truth.

Physics Squirrel is probably the best friend I've made so far at tournaments, althought lots of others are cool, like CFK, Hot Mustid, Plaidlesspez, etc. He's a really easy guy to talk to, and he's got two younger siblings in my division (but soon I'll be in Squirrel's...then I'm screwed ;x), so we're pretty competitive. I walk up to him and say "I beat your little brother" and he'll be like, "Well my sister will beat you!" And he actually branches out in conversation. We talk about school, music, life, etc. *cuts to scene of Physics Squirrel and SuperWooper meditating in dark room with inscence candles for light and humming, "ooohhhmmmmm"* ;P

He's really cool, but definitely not as close to me as my IRL friends. And by IRL friends, I mean "friends that when I'm hanging out with, I have a social life" lol. Not just because of that, though, it's because I see 'em 5-6 days a week. Maybe even seven sometimes.

Orange Soda, I noticed your quote, which read something like this:

Orange Soda said:
Deciding to arbitrarily stop a hobby seems a bit odd to me
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Pardon my 14 year old inferior brain, but doesn't arbitrary mean something like spontaneous, or without reason? Maybe I should ask Pooka...teehee o_O

I've got the reasons. It's just because I want to focus my future on my career (read: job), my relationships (which will always end up in break ups until I find a woman desperate enough to marry me, of allll people), and my best friends. First, I need to find some friends. ;x

Really, though, I guess it's because I'm so concerned about sociality and my future that my interest in Pokemon is waning. So it's not really that arbitrary, but I know I'm going to think I made the wrong decision, whatever I do. It's my nature to second guess myself. I do it when I submit my decklist at a tournament, I do it when in life in general. But I've got to make a choice, because if I stay torn between two, I'm going to go nowhere, and just end up doing what I wanted to stop in the first place...

~Wooper the Wise ;P
 
SuperWooper said:
Pardon my 14 year old inferior brain, but doesn't arbitrary mean something like spontaneous, or without reason? Maybe I should ask Pooka...teehee o_O
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I can NEVER resist a question regarding the English language...

"Arbitrarily" doesn't mean that, it just means, uhm... coming to a definite decision. Soda, and myself, can't quite get how you've packaged the hobby into a single block with a definite beginning and end.

Do you like doing it? Do you honestly like playing Pokemon? I have NEVER attended a tournament. I was NEVER a member of a League. Even so, I have played Pokémon since it's beginning. It was huge as a fad, and I could always find someone to play against. Then it slowly died down, and even the shops stopped stocking it. I officially stopped playing it for about a year, because I had no real way to support it, though by then I'd taken up Magic. I still stayed here on the boards. I stayed in contact with you guys, even though none of you have ever actually met me. Around Aquapolis cards started appearing in shops again and, even though there is still no local playgroup, I get a few cards and build a few casual decks. FR/LG has literally just appeared locally (Zapdos-Ex! Sweet!) and I'm having fun exploring the new set.
Magic is my main game. I never decided to stop playing Pokemon; it just settled down. I suppose I could stop; it's certainly a technical drain on my finances, as I can't win anything. But then I'd be giving up a chunk of enjoyment.

Bottom line is, in your own circumstances, if doing that would not involve you missing out on enjoyment, then you can probably safely quit. I get the impression that the game is making you miserable, though I think it's misguided misery. You can always restart later if things look up.
 
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Too late.

Seriously, I got out of the game when it became apparant that it just wasn't going anywhere. This was back in the Haymaker days, remember, around the Gym series just predating Haymaker's fall. Afterwards, the fact that I'd gotten into Magic meant that I just didn't have the money (or time) for two TCGs at once, so I picked the one that I liked more. I still have my old deck (sort of a Haymaker variant with a lot of "rogue tech", like Energy Search), and I'll play it casually on occasion, but for playing competetively, I've basically went on to Magic.

This doesn't mean I've moved on from the entire Pokémon name. Far from it, in fact. I just don't play the TCG anymore.
 
*sigh* It's time to just go back into hiding on the computer, 'cause I have no place left to play in a 1-hour limit. I used to have two handy-dandy locations, each just 10 minutes away from me. Now, both have closed their doors. ;_;
 
I will be playing the Pokemon TCG for as long as it is out. If America stops making the cards and Japan continues to make them, I will play the Japanese cards. Same goes for the Anime and Gameboy games. :)
 
Personally, I will stay with the game with no definite end in sight. There has been no regular league here since the beginning of 2002. I have gotten to three larger-sized tournaments, and that's it, those being the SBZ2 in May 2003, the Dragon Prerelease in November 2003, and the Hidden Legends Prerelease in June 2004. My parents do not support this game. The only times they'll get me cards are for my birthday or Christmas (both in December -_-). Even when the league was still here, they wouldn't let me go. Yet, I still got on my bike numerous Tuesdays after school and later, Saturday afternoons in 2001 and early 2002 just to show up. Even if it was only one game that I got to play, it was fun. There just always was something about the game that drew me towards it.

Now, as for the reasons why I see no immediate end to being involved with the game...
~I almost feel like I owe it to the game to stay involved. Look around the major Pokemon sites nowadays. How many people are still writing articles, etc., on a regular basis? Not many at all. Therefore, if I would decide to stop, I would almost feel guilty. I know a number of people look forward to seeing a new article every 2 or 3 days and have since 2002. The same goes for other people, not just the people like me who contribute material. Other people can look forward to seeing you every week at league or otherwise on AIM to have some fun and burn some time. Honestly, if I wouldn't have been doing this since forever, it seems, I probably would not be writing right now. I've been with this for so long that I feel I have to be.
~It's something to do. I'm not about to get into the long speech, but being around my house can get really boring/annoying. You can only play the same videogames so many times. But, with Pokemon, it's always different. You can always think of a new deck to try out, you can always train a new team on the GBA. It's a unique game. Even though it wasn't always the most exciting thing out there, it was *something*. I really don't think you would realize what the game means to you until after you would leave it.
~And finally, I'm not about to put years and years of buying a lot of cards to waste. :p This isn't really too serious of a reason, but I've been getting a box a set since...? 2001? And before that, I just got a lot of packs/singles.

What you decide on doing is completely up to you. Just take a long look at everything the game does for you. If the good things outweigh other things, so be it, but I don't see that happening for me anytime in the near future. It's a game that makes people feel good, have something to do, and really needs to stay around for years to come.
 
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Dunjohn - Thanks for the reply. I really love this game. It is one of my favorite things to do, but definitely not my absolute favorite thing to do. Sometimes, when I'm in my Pokemon groove, I'll play against myself all throughout the night, constantly testing and strategizing and getting ready for my next tournament or AIM battle. (Dun got appr, and I'm actually kinda glad ;x) But then I just get out of it for a while. I can't really explain why. It's probably because Pokemon is not my absolute number one priority, like it is a lot of my NIRL friends.

Marril - Problem is, I don't have another TCG to distract me because I wanna to completely done w/ TCGs PERIOD by the end of senior year. But Pokemon is definitely going somewhere. Nintendo's stepping up to the plate now. I heard a few people say Wizards is actually looking bad now that Nintendo's doing such a good job, but I won't say that just yet.

Anyway, if you like Magic, that's cool too. Dun lemme disuade ya.

Patriarch - No way, man. Those two weeks when I wasn't on, that was vacation. Don't you worry, Ima still be around for quite a while. For the rest of next year at least, and after 10th grade, I make my final decision. Play until end of senior year, or have a social life... ;P And I won't be on today or tomorrow (friends sleeping over), and that's why I had to get off so soon yesturdee. But I might be able to stay on for a while today in the morning-afternoon.

Baboon - I've visited Pokeschool, and I can see that you write Articles. I don't read them frequently (sorry! ;P), because I like figuring on strategies for cards on my own. Kinda gives me an accomplished feeling. But like you, I've put a lot into this game. I don't buy a lot of cards, but I too write for a website (Pokebeach, in my signature) and I'm helping it with its new server, getting its feet off the ground, and will continue to write there as long as I play Pokemon, unless Ben fires me of course ;x.

And the people I've met, I want to make an impact on those guys before I go. Some are really cool, but there's more of an attraction to being with my real friends. It's the truth, I see those guys so much more often, so we have a stronger "bond", if you will. But I don't think I've done what I can truly do under Nintendo reign. About 934878947 people have told me my skill and tournament records don't match, and that's simultaneously a compliment and an insult. I've made some mistakes, and had bad luck, but I wanna leave a mark on the scene before I get out, and that's really what's keepin' me thinking if I'm making the right decision.

It's basically my desire to win (Pokemon) vs. My desire to make a straighter path for my future (Not Pokemon)

So which will I choose?

Dunno.

But I hope it's the right one.

~Wooper
 
Well..Personally....There is only 2 times I will quit....


1) When it dies/and or I have kids that don't care
2) After I win Worlds at least once and then start to suck again!


I personally feel Pokemon as a Stress revealver.....Plus....I will go to Pokemon because it is the only place where I can be myself and no one cares...Sure I am not the "Best"....But in a way I am....I do lose....But I don't Sit and cry for hours...I shed a tear or 2(Depends on how well I was doing)but that night I will try and fix my according to how I lost...But when I win(Which almost never happens)I don't shout and yell....I say GG and shake there hand then claim my prize....And no...I never win 1st.....The best I have done was 2nd....But I guess I have to say I don't really thing about it......



Tyler
 
the way i look at it, the pokemon tcg has been a great thing for kids of all ages. it helps the younger players read and understand words and helps all players with strategy and understanding how much luck there is in a game. the players that understand the luck part and really enjoy the game are the players that stick with it. that being said, i have seen the game rise to enormous popularity, and then founder to almost dying, then rise again. the latest round of cards has really introduced great strategy and a bit of luck. the players coming into the game now are coming into a great atmosphere that encourage good sportsmanship and great prizes. i personally don't get to play a whole lot, i judge and organize tournaments and tech the new players how to play. but when i do play, i really enjoy seeing what new combos players have come up with and seeing if my deck can still win against the "new" meta-game". i say as long as there are people playing the game, i will play the game too. heck i even still play harry potter! maybe i don't know how to let go, but like i said, if it is being played, i WILL play.....p.s., thanx for reading and excuse me if i make no sense!
 
I really have no idea how long I'll play

the game has helped my social skills a lot actually
I used to be some loser kid until I got into a game where I was no longer a loser
and I also met a lot of people that were actually willing to be my friend

but yeah
great things can't last forever

however,
I have never found pokemon to get in the way of school or anything like that
it actually keeps me moving when times are really slow
so if Pokemon stays out of the way of my education and such, I see no reason why I should quit
 
When I look back, starting this game seems like only yesterday. I remember someone at my Junior High School teling me of this "Pokemon League" at Toys R US, so I had to check it out. This was December of 1999. My time in this game is nearing 5 years, and I must say, so much has happened in that span of time it's ridiculous. Every time a good friend of mine retires and moves on I feel as if I lost a family member. Yeah, yeah, it sounds dumb, but I am the type of person who does not cope well with change. Which is probably why I'm still here.

However, to answer the question, I will never quit. I have met too many people and have learned so much from deck building and strategizing to just pick up and leave. I have had a lot of people I met through this game influence my life, most of the time in a positive way. I hope to continue to meet new people and learn more as I progress further as a gamer.
 
SuperWooper said:
I don't buy a lot of cards, but I too write for a website (Pokebeach in my signature) and I'm helping it with its new server, getting its feet off the ground, and will continue to write there as long as I play Pokemon, unless Ben fires me of course ;x.
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Who's Ben? o_O
 
I'm 38 (39 in a couple of months ouch) and have been playing since jungle. I intend on playing as long as it holds my interest (I'm figuring quite some time). I am obsessed I guess, but it is not my entire life.

As far as your situation I’d like to take this opportunity to say that it has been a pleasure reading your stuff, right down to this very subject. I don’t know if we have ever met, but I have noticed a change in your writings in just the past year (I’ve noticed you mature, sorry if this is out of line). These boards and the game will miss you if that should be your decision. It is a very personal decision and can only be made from your personal point of view. Good luck. Broaden your horizons, where ever that leads you. You are a young man with plenty of time but don’t let it slip by unused. O.K. I'm done now.

Dave II
 
well i have played for 3 years and have fully quit now because yugioh is much better,but i will be the judge for the pokemon leagues and tournaments

all thanks to the modified ban ban thing which cause me to lose $$$$$ and cant sell those cards anymore
 
i began playing pokemon in 98, simply because it was fun and a couple of my friends played it, making trades and battles possible. i began buying cards to play the game, but also made most of my money back by selling valuable cards (heh, charizards selling for $20+). for a while, the game was boatloads of fun, but overmarketing (especially to toddlers and preteens) really began to turn me off to the game. when i started going to saturday tcg sessions at toys r us and was the oldest person actually playing the game and not trying to hawk cards for cash, i began to get frustrated. winning is fun, but not against an opponent who hasn't developed all of his/her complex thought processes. then, cards started getting banned, and pokemon started looking more like magic, so i dropped the tcg altogether, giving all of my cards to my little brother. i played the gb game up until ruby and sapphire came out. to be quite frank, they have gotten too complex for me to enjoy. the gsbots on mIRC were the last place i played pokemon. i dont have the time, money, or will to play pokemon. it doesnt even interest me any more, honestly. i just come here for the discussions and to cherish the time i enjoyed the game and the people i enjoyed it with.
word.


by the way, whoever posted above me, please realize that if you are trying to make money, pokemon is no longer the hot fad to be profitted off of. it hasnt generated much money since the release of the team rocket set. besides, the game is more about fun than money (if you can believe that).
 
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jesschow12 said:
well i have played for 3 years and have fully quit now because yugioh is much better,
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...at making a profit off of, yes, card game... no way in hell. Yugioh sucks more than duel monsters.
 
Jesschow - The only thing better about Yu-Gi-Oh is the show, and even that is kinda lame. The video games and TCGs aren't nearly as good as Pokemon. You're making a huge mistake, RS-on is going to be a blast.

Hot Mustid - It's too close to call. Duel Monsters < Yu-Gi-Oh < Pokemon, I'd say actually.

Dave - Thanks. No, we haven't met. I'm in VA-MD area, you're in Chicago if I'm not mistaken. The only time (maybe) would be the ECSC, and I don't think I saw you or AXE there.

WPM- - I meant John. ;x

Martin - Yeah, I know how you feel, I don't like change much either. Lived in one city all my life, but moved three times. ;P All my moves were 30 miles or less. And I know you've been in this pretty mcuh since the beginning and made lots of friends, just as I have, but I'm trying to accept the fact that change is coming and I've got to prepare. That's why it's so hard for me to get over Pokemon too, because I know I've gotta look ahead at what's coming, but it's so hard to do...

Panda - Yeah, I'm kinda like you. I'm really social, that might be one of the reasons I'm thinking about quitting earlier than college. Also, I have no one who lives REALLY close to me that plays, except one person, and he's a great friend even outside Pokemon. Everybody else is like 45-60 minutes away. Boohoo my life is miserable lol.

Whicker - If Pokemon is what made you "not a loser" then you need to seriously look over your life. No offense whatsoever, but Pokemon technically does, in fact, "make you a loser" from other people's perspective. Not gonna say anything like "their opinion doesn't matter, believe in yourself" crap, just straight up: Playing Pokemon isn't cool.

Thanks to everybody else for posting.

Cya 'round,
~Wooper
 
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