What the hell was Gaia Online again?

[WindupAtheist]

Isn't this some Korean thing Signe posted about?  If not, you could have fooled me.  I only ask because I've started seeing gametime cards for this thing turning up in plain old American drugstores right next to all the cellphone minutes and gift cards and shit.  Apparently they're on some sort of US market push?

[Trippy]

Despite the Japanese looking style Gaia Online is actually developed by a US company (based in San Jose, CA).

[Talonus]

The website is basically just a big forum, not a game, though they seem to now have some flash games. The gift card thing is apparently just purchasable "gold" that members use to pay for stuff for their forum avatar, etc. Considering the size of the forum userbase and the associated server costs, it isn't too surprising they're doing something like this.

[Signe]

No!  It's no where near cute enough for my endorsement!

[Venkman]

The game is actually pretty successful, which is the reason they can start selling gift cards through brick & mortar.

[Trippy]

The website is basically just a big forum, not a game, though they seem to now have some flash games. The gift card thing is apparently just purchasable "gold" that members use to pay for stuff for their forum avatar, etc. Considering the size of the forum userbase and the associated server costs, it isn't too surprising they're doing something like this.

Ah, no. Their Web site to non-logged in users sucks beyond belief but they have a browser-based virtual world client that your avatar can move around in and talk with other players a la Habbo Hotel except with much better graphics. Playing the Flash games earn you money to buy stuff for your avatar and your dwelling, unlike Habbo where you have to cough up RL money to buy anything.

[Talonus]

Ah, no. Their Web site to non-logged in users sucks beyond belief but they have a browser-based virtual world client that your avatar can move around in and talk with other players a la Habbo Hotel except with much better graphics. Playing the Flash games earn you money to buy stuff for your avatar and your dwelling, unlike Habbo where you have to cough up RL money to buy anything.

My mistake. The last I remembered it was mostly just the horrible forum where kids typed in size 32 font and had signatures that would fill up a quarter of the screen. At that point the "gold" was just for avatars and such.

[schild]

The last I remembered it was mostly just the horrible forum where kids typed in size 32 font and had signatures that would fill up a quarter of the screen. At that point the "gold" was just for avatars and such.

That's what it used to be, yes.

In fact, I trolled there like 7-8 years ago.

At one point I do believe it was the largest US based forum. As in most readers and most posters. It was disgustingly fast and impossible to follow.

[LC]

GO is a haven for closet furries, and the wapanese.

[schild]

GO is a haven for closet furries, and the wapanese.

I don't know why you'd use the term "closet."

There's NOTHING Closet about that place.

[LC]

GO is a haven for closet furries, and the wapanese.

I don't know why you'd use the term "closet."

There's NOTHING Closet about that place.

Do they have furry characters now? I haven't looked at it in a long time. They were just role playing the fur when I was there last. Maybe "closet" was a bad choice.

[schild]

They've had furry shit since launch duder. They gave out fox tails on one of the first holidays there.

I threw up a little in my mouth when I logged in, that's why I remember.

[LC]

They've had furry shit since launch duder. They gave out fox tails on one of the first holidays there.

I threw up a little in my mouth when I logged in, that's why I remember.

I only stayed for about 5 minutes. I guess I missed the furry gear. Anyone remember Furcadia? GO must be the evolved form of Furcadia.

Raph seems to like Gaia Online.

[Raph]

GO is the second largest forums on the Internet, behind Yahoo. They are very very popular. Also, their population is mostly (gasp) roleplayers -- that is what goes on in those forums, mostly.

And their cards at retail are also very popular. They are for sale at major retailers, not at GameStops.

[schild]

No, Raph likes money (much love, Raph) and big ideas that he can write about.

No one in their right fucking mind can like Gaia Online. Those are the kinds of people you want to vaporize, or at the very least keep from breeding.

[Raph]

No, Raph likes money (much love, Raph) and big ideas that he can write about.

No one in their right fucking mind can like Gaia Online. Those are the kinds of people you want to vaporize, or at the very least keep from breeding.

Oh, come on. It's basically just ordinary teens, especially geek teens of the sort who grow up to be you (in the plural sense).

What, you think the BBSes or whatever you used to hang out on were paragons of intellectual discourse? Plenty of folks here were 14 on UO, and we know what that community was like...

[Venkman]

Shit, I was 29 in UO and no better :)

And yea, I quite honestly see little difference between GO forums and some of the crazy that went on back in the day. Generations define themselves by how much more mature they are than the next one though ;)

[schild]

Look, I love anime as much as anyone. But lines are drawn in STONE.

When I was <12 I was making fun of the furry fuckers playing red dragon, tele-arena, trade wars, whatever. The internet broke me in very VERY early.

There are ordinary teens. And then there's this other part of the internet. The part of the internet that even /b/ knows they're worth ridicule.

And I am by NO MEANS conservative.

[LC]

When I was <12 I was making fun of the furry fuckers playing red dragon, tele-arena, trade wars, whatever. The internet broke me in very VERY early.

I was trolling on usenet.

I think this says just about everything that needs to be said about GO.

[tmp]

There are ordinary teens. And then there's this other part of the internet. The part of the internet that even /b/ knows they're worth ridicule.

There's anything /b/ doesn't ridicule?

Srsly that's like saying there's computer users even mac lovers feel to be beneath them.

[schild]

Oh, /b/ makes fun of everything. But I'm saying they KNOW Gaia Online is worth ridicule. So much so that they don't even bother with it anymore. It's old, unstoppable, hat.

As of September 15, 2007, Gaiafags can now become a furry using an item called "Superior Form." This allows their avatar to turn into a furfag.

Well. That's 101% funny.

[Sky]

Oh, come on. It's basically just ordinary teens, especially geek teens of the sort who grow up to be you (in the plural sense).

What, you think the BBSes or whatever you used to hang out on were paragons of intellectual discourse? Plenty of folks here were 14 on UO, and we know what that community was like...

I always thought the college demographic was the worst part of UO.

GO is another huge one at the library. It's mostly that, Runescape and Adventure Quest afaik. If there weren't legal issues, I'd set up WoW in the computer lab, the poor bastids.

[Ixxit]

I think this says just about everything that needs to be said about GO.

YOiks    This Thread is more meaningful with pictures.

[Sky]

Honestly, those are the kids we want at the library. The geeky ones with fetishes are no problems, and actually pretty interesting people.

I could live without the gangsta thugs (any ethnicity) just coming in for the myspace hookup, thanks. Not that I mind them accessing myspace, but they tend to be loud and obnoxious and never do anything but malinger until a computer is freed up.

At least the geeky fetish kids will grab a book or talk quietly at a back table.

[Signe]

Except when furry people get together and rub each other, I have to agree with Sky.  Mostly.  I think anyone, costumed or not, having a rub fest would make me gag a wee bit.  I've only seen that sort of thing on tv or the intertubes, though, so for all I know they do it for the camera.  Anyway, geeky emo fetish kids are sensitive and adorable.  They usually make me smile at them.  It doesn't usually last forever, does it?  I've haven't seen any emo pensioners yet, although I've seen one or two gothy or punky looking oldsters in SoHo in the past.

[Surlyboi]

New York SoHo or London SoHo?

[Signe]

London SoHo, sorry.  I've never been to NY SoHo.  Of course, you wouldn't know that, would you?  Unless I told you and I didn't.  Why would I? 

I think my blood sugar is low.  I'm getting goofy.

[Endie]

My mistake. The last I remembered it was mostly just the horrible forum where kids typed in size 32 font and had signatures that would fill up a quarter of the screen. At that point the "gold" was just for avatars and such.

Change "such" to "searching" and you've described most of Something Awful.