Debating on posting this, here we go. I can only answer for myself, but what keeps me coming back isn't the game Bungie is working on, it's not the site features, it's not the "exclusive content that I unlock for doing something", and it's not the crazy moments that happen on the forums (well, sometimes it is). It's the lifelong friends I've made through gamenights, private groups and regular forum interaction that goes beyond the level of simply seeing a username on a forum board. There is definitely a cycle to the way game development runs, but also the way a community is shaped over an ever changing member base. There are users that think community interaction around here ONLY happens on bungie.net, and that is absolutely not true. There are websites based on private groups that originated here and they've grown so large, they had to move offsite. Lots of members (myself included) have private chat channels like skype where we talk to other members on a daily basis. We've been chatting daily for over a year now. There are groups on facebook, events around PAX and offline gatherings where real people gather to talk about life - but they met through bungie.net. [quote]Have you guys ever even got bored of the community, do you notice what I view as this cycling community?[/quote] Bored? Never. Sure, I've taken breaks for a few days because I'll be busy with things happening but I've never left the community for extended (years) lengths of time. We always make ways to enjoy ourselves. The great thing is that Bungie hosts these ways and we can create whatever we want from it. The Community Interviews, Montages, Community Carnage, HaloCharts, ARG's, Private Groups were all there because we supported them and made it what they are. If you want to create something awesome for the community, don't wait around, go do it. [quote]I would like things within the community to change but I don't know how or what would be satisfying and how it would be changed.[/quote] Don't wait for change, change it yourself. The most difficult part is taking the first step. Heck, I remember back in 2008 when I barely knew any of the members that hung around this place. I was a bad member. I received A LOT of bans for stupid things. Last year over Xbox Live I asked a forum ninja if he could tell me my ban history. He said "I can't give you an exact number, but it's fairly lengthy compared to some of the others I regularly see." Here's all I did to begin. I joined groups. I joined lots of groups. I joined active and inactive ones. I messaged the group founders. If they were inactive, I left them. I joined more. The more you stick around here, the more you notice "cliques" in bungie.net. It's just like high school, you laugh, but it's true. You eventually start finding the members that you click with and start forming your own movement. However, you will never find those members until you start looking. It's not an overnight process either, I've spent a couple years through groups and game-nights making different friendships and still going. Eventually you find a place that will work for you. All in all, I think many of us notice the cycle. Friends and seeing how everyone evolves keeps me coming back. If they all left, I wouldn't' be around here much longer. It's greatly changed my bungie.net experience. I was debating on posting this, ah, what the hell. /blog