Some of the most memorable parts of gaming have never been the mechanics alone. They are the people you meet, the groups you become part of, the rivalries you remember, and the stories that come out of playing together.
That has always felt especially true in MMOs and other persistent online games, where the community around a game can become just as important as the game itself.
Over the years, games have become more streamlined, accessible, and connected in a lot of ways. At the same time, I have felt that some of the systems that once encouraged players to meet, interact, and build communities have gradually faded into the background.
AltNet grew out of the idea of building a place where players can stay connected around the characters and games they enjoy — somewhere to connect characters, see what they have been doing, share with other players, and stay involved with the communities around the games we love.
My hope is that AltNet can help bring back a little of that feeling: a place where the character you play is more than a name on a login screen, and where the people behind those characters can build communities that extend beyond a single session or game.
AltNet is still at the beginning, and it will grow alongside the players and games it supports.