My experience has been quite different. Over the years I've come back, had fun in mid-ranges, and then at hero encountered tight-knit elite vets, and once I showed my true colors it was keep up or don't, whatever, you clearly aren't one of us.

Much different culture now, and a lot of new blood. Which may explain fortress blow up. Maybe empire needs to be more newbie friendly, but that's peripheral to my point. Being, people talk to me now even though I suck.

Discord is an improvement from my standpoint, too. I recall pissing matches on qhcf.net and no imm feedback ever. Now we practically are talking directly to them. Maybe that's a double-edged sword. I can tell that a number of players stay off of it, and the game is so nuanced that misinfo and opinion can combine in toxic ways - maybe if you actually know what's going on in this game it's a lot more maddening.

I've never tried empowerment - still scarred from my string of unempowered healers ages ago, so, I can't blame you there!

I think this game, making characters is kind of like building a baby, keeping it or discarding it, but damn if someone disagrees with your parenting... and it's very hard to remember that these are pretend babies and we can make new ones whenever we want.