NOTE: This is The Column, a regular feature on Apolyton where anyone can write about anything to do with Civilization or the gaming industry as a whole. If you feel like writing, please visit the article submission page.

PREVIOUS ARTICLES

#148 A LOOK AT A DIFFERENT TYPE OF ARTIFICAL INTELLIGENCE Winborne chooses to discuss exactly what the title suggests: a different kind of artifical intelligence. #147 MORE BACKGROUND STORIES, PLEASE... DanQ hopes that the tradition of background stories, such as in SMAC, will continue in future incarnations of the Civ series. #146 THE SWEEP OF TIME Zero_Tolerance is intrigued to ponder how Sid Meier's Dinosaurs and Civilization III will mesh together. #145 WHY THE ALT. CIV. SECTION DESERVES YOUR ATTENTION (PT. 2) Ron Hiler wants to convince you that the playing field for TBS games has not been forgotten, but simply had a chance of venue. #144 THE GROWTH OF REAL TIME STRATEGY RTS games: AS takes a look at their evolution, before returning to his Civ game... COLUMN ARCHIVE

I haven't been at Apolyton for too long, only about half a year, but what strikes me is that it is a international community. As I sit here typing in Canada, I could be communicating with friends I have met over Apolyton, and probably will never meet in real life, who are thousands of kilometers away. With a few simple mouse-clicks and a few strokes of the keyboard, I could meet with people who share the same interests.

Apolyton was made with Civilization in mind, but it has grown to bee more then just another place to discuss Civilization. I could talk about scenario making in the Scenario League forum, or I could just as easily be talking about the elections, or cracking a joke on the Off-Topic Forum. We can convey a lot about our personalities through the forums, and each poster has a distinct writing style. Some are serious, others tend to use more levity.

Through its discussion boards, Apolyton has become a melting pot of many different people around the world. People from the far corners of the globe can meet and talk about common interests and the like. The conversations can inspire, entertain, and even annoy. As I type, there are nearly 8000 members registered on the forums, and more coming in every day. While many are double logins, and others have not been used in months, they represent the ever-increasing population of our community.

Taking a simple look in the Off-Topic Forum, one can already see the vastly different people who post here every day. As I browse through and post casually, I stop every once in a while and admire the sharing of information. Here is a discussion on the "good old days" of Apolyton, there is one on quantum physics, and over there is a story thread. It is almost like reading a newspaper, there is so much material to read each and every day.

Here is a truly international community surpassing any and all barriers, including language and distance. What does distance matter if we can speak with somebody thousands of miles away in a blink of an eye? People far and near can meet one another when they normally could not, due to the distance and the lack of knowledge that such a person exists. Here exists a mechanism for finding people who share common interests with you, and the means to communicate with them. That is what keeps Apolyton alive. New posters arrive, and with every person coming in seeking knowledge on Civilization II, Alpha Centauri, and CTP I & II, a person comes back again and again finding delight in the company of people who share the same interests.

In conclusion,what keeps Apolyton alive and running is the endless conversation that it offers, and meeting people all over the world from the comforts of your own computer table. Now, if you'll excuse me, I'm going back to the Coffee Shop...

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About the author: "Just another Apolyton addict".

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The opinions expressed on this page do not necessarily reflect those of Apolyton CS or GameStats. They are just the personal opinions of the writer.