I first discovered, and immediately started posting on Gaming World in November of 2001.  I have no claim to fame, and my participation has been somewhat off and on (Ranging from obsessive, to non-existent.)  After the "crash" of 2003, I went away for a long time, partly because the community seemed broken, and part because it got so huge, that it just wasn't a fun place to be anymore.  I came back because I think there may be a revival of the community, and I would like to be a part of it.

I first browsed the forums during my high school graphic design class, mainly.  My friend and I (Username of Samurai_Sword) really got active in the forums, though I took to the whole community a little better.  I don't think that Samurai_Sword has posted at all since about 2004ish or so, though he has a baby and other responsibilities.

When I first joined, I was a senior in high school.  I had aspirations of becoming a game designer, though not much else.  I graduated in 2002, and immediately went to college for a game design degree (Back when they were new and unheard of, and didn't have the reputation of being a lameass degree.)  I dropped out after one year (Go figure.) and started working. (With about 30000usd worth of student loan debt to pay off.  Yeesh.)

I've worked as a Kinko's (Later Fedex Kinko's) copy guy, a graphic designer for an ad newspaper, a Wal-Mart electronics guy, a bridge construction worker, and most recently, and Best Buy computer salesman. 

I remember when Faust thought I was gay, simply because I lived in San Francisco. (The city I was going to college in.)  He was shocked to discover that I wasn't.

I recall creating some 3d battle backgrounds together with Samurai_Sword for someone's RPG Maker 2000 game.  I don't think his game ever went anywhere though.

I remember starting, and then stopping a number of projects, including a "life sim" rpg called Eclectica, a game featuring a character known as "Samurai Slash-em Man.", and an RPG Maker tribute to Megazeux called the Adventures of Zeux.  The final project was a joint effort between myself, Samurai Sword, and another friend who's GW name escapes me (His GW career was brief, but fun.)  That project was massive and ambitious, but faded into obscurity.  (I'm recently trying to sort of revive it, in spirit anyway, only solo.)  To this day, I have never released anything, though I have written a number of articles.

Today, I am married, and I have a son due August 1st.  His name is going to be Lucas.  That has nothing to do with Super Smash Bros. Brawl, in any way, it's merely a coincidence.  I've already prepped to turn him into a gamer as soon as possible, of course.  (Oh, there will be photos.  Mark my word.)

Despite getting ready to have a son, I don't think that will cause me to leave Gaming World again.  I may post less frequently, but I don't intend on leaving.  I forsee late nights where I hold Lucas in my left arm, and type with my right.

Edit:
OH!  I totally remember Faust's old name.  Lord Gremlian!  And Bart was Fenix!  Wow, the past rushes back at you fast.

I first found out about gamingw back when I was 12 through a quick google of how to make games. I then found RM through GamingW. I then went on an 'heh look at my game though it sucks' phase, which most didn't notice. Reading back through my posts, I really was a lot more of an idiot than I am now, so I'm indebted to GW for that. Then I wrote some shitty HEH RIPOFF OF WALUIGI SOAP which got trolled(yeah I realise how dumb it was) to the extreme until I got into an INTERNET FIT(pretty much the only one I've had I think). Mid-2007, I was an idiot again on IRC. I am now still fighting for internet acceptance from the g&d community, but the rest either troll sometimes, or don't really care.

I left for a few months, but came back because of soldat, which is where I stayed during my leave. I would have probably left forever if it wasn't for FGT, and being told about qnet which is where I play until rare gwsoldat gathers.

I think the first person to ever talk to me was Bondo or that guy with the avatar which had two masks his name was Silverdrramma or something.

Uhh, yeah.  That was Olidammara (Dungeons and Dragons God of Tricks and Thieves.)  And that was me.  I went through an identity crisis.  I thought that "Bondo" wasn't good enough, or something, so I tried to change it.  I guess I was just meant to be Bondo.

You weren't always Afura, were you?  Did you go by a different name back in the day?

Edit:
Avatar changed...  for old times sake.

I joined six years go in 2002, and like most people I came here looking for rm2k stuff. It didn't take too long for me to get pretty bored with the whole game making scene, so I lurked quite a bit in other forums before eventually becoming active across the site. During 2004 I had no internet access, so I was away from here for quite a while. I became active again in 2005, and I've just been browsing around here on a basically daily basis. I've been semi-active in this community, but I don't think I stand out all too much. I have met some good people through here, and I like knowing what goes on with the members here... Checking up on their livejournal entries, chatting on AIM, etc. I've also made some good e-friends here who have helped me out with some things like music production, such as Grin Tree.

GW is a cool place to hang out and it helps take the stress out of my day!

I started in the gaming community at RPG2knet (which doesn't seem to exist anymore).  That site was really strict, and I got warned for pretty dumb shit that I can't even remember.  I submitted a demo for a game there, and it was posted for a while, but last time I checked (while the site still existed), it was gone. 

This was all around the time when Don Miguel's site still flourished.  I still remember the sad day when the site closed for good.

I came to GW over five years ago, and spent many hours in the IRC chat room.  I wrote articles for the site, and they made me staff for a few years.  Then the main site started to get buggy, and people stopped posting comments on articles, and pretty soon nobody was able to post anything.  I was relieved of my staff position, but I still had access to the main site editing thing.  For a while, I kept changing the poll so that there would be something new every few weeks, and occasionally I'd write a news thing about what was going on in the forums.  Then the editing thing stopped working, and a while later, the main site was taken down.

So for a long time, I didn't do much here.  I kept checking the boards and posting if I had anything relevant to say.  A few months ago, I started getting more active, and I went into the IRC to talk to some people.  I guess the only reason I'm still here is because I'm a premium member.  I never gave any money to the site, but I'm premium because all fired retired staff members got it. 

What have I learned?  I've learned some basic game-making skills, and that GW is actually a pretty cool place if not many people know you.  Not to brag or anything, but I was pretty well-known back in the day, but a lot of people really, really hated me.  Now, since no one knows me, everyone's pretty nice to me.  I prefer it this way.

I joined a few days before my 15th, joined June 2005. My older brothers mate introduced me into a program I like to call.. Rpgmaker 2000. The first ever example of something made in the maker I saw was Legion Saga III, and instantly I looked into it, and upon looking I found Gaming World.

When I first joined I couldn't really spell that well, still cant now haha, but Ive gotten better. Anyways my main reason to join was to check out some Rpgs people have made themselves, and basically learn about the program, plus I had a lot of free time. Ive always enjoyed this place, never really had any arguments, warns, nothing and for some reason, every time I open firefox now GW is the first place I come to, the shit people post about is interesting sometimes, even comedic and that's what makes this place cool, relaxing in a way haha.

I've been on and off like crazy, leaving and coming back and leaving and coming back. Pretty much, I learned how not to be a faggot. I remember my first project...God, looking back on it I can see it was utter shit but back then it seemed awesome. Sometimes I wish I had the passion I used to for RPG Maker, but I sure as hell wouldn't trade in my maturity for it. 

Frick. Been here a while. I was a longtime member of Developer Dimensions - Gormash's Cavern. I started RM2k Survivor: NYSE towards the end of DD's downfall, and then migrated with everyone else to RPG Infinity. I was there for a long time, and I think that's when I started frequenting GGZ, RPG2knet, and GW. Eventually RPGi died and I kinda stuck around here.

EDIT: Says I joined in August of 2002. Insanity.

EDIT2: Oh yeah, and what I have learned... Not much, honestly. Mostly just little social things, and how to deal with complete faggots.

- Way too long
- Arguing on the internet is pointless
- Garou tourneys

i came in early '04 because this place had RPG Maker tutorials. i then made a new account and stayed to play soldat.

now this place is my home and i can't leave if i tried. i have a load of friends here and on a good day its a really great place to be.

Jesus Christ. I've been here for 6 years. Bart I want my life back.

All I've learned is that at GW, like everywhere else, it's who you know and who you blow.

Whenever you guys started, I was here.  I had been friends with Don Miguel during the RM95 translation days, he introduced me to RPG2KNET and at some point you guys started up and I joined over here.

Though my status says I joined in 2004, I must've joined under another name at an earlier point.  Can't remember what it was.

I've learned that I'm older than most of you guys.  Or at least it feels that way.

DS I thought being finnish got you into Soldat

Also yeah GW really helped me get into more music. I had really trashy taste before I got here. I end up finding a lot on my own but there's a pretty few pointers I got from here, getting me in the cool direction.

I've been here for one or two years and I've learned to not post SERIOUS THINGS on internet forums and that millipedes are poisonous and lethal to birds and this

- Arguing on the internet is pointless

Well I officially joined in 2002, but I visited the main site a lot before then. My community at that time was rpg2knet, but sort of slowly started using gamingw more. I was a webmaster of a rm site called http://www.blade2k.net around that time aswell. I think it's still going.

The main reason I stayed, was becuase at the time I think was doing music for Eternal Saga, a game by Avalanche Studios, which was never completed :'(

Then there was DS' Twin Moons, but that one wasn't completed either

I think the main thing I have learnt from my time on the internet is how stupid people can sound online, but are probably alright guys in real life. Like I have matured online, but not really in real life...

It's also weird, becuase I've never really felt part of the inner circle of this community even though I log on every day. But I like that distance. I think if I got too involved in it all, I would probably make the innevitable leaving topic followed by the I'm back topic. So I like to keep a distance from that sort of drama.

What I like about Gamingw? I think it's a pretty informative way for getting information. Seriously. The amount of shit I've found out from this site is unreal. Sure, I could search for it off my own back, but often I'm not looking for anything in particular and I'll see a topic that catches my eye...