12.17.04 

POJO:
PAST
PRESENT
FUTURE

Well all, I tell you, it's nice that I've been able to get so much work done in the deckmech shop! However, I figure that instead of a 15th fix, I'd like to talk about a subject that really isn't being touched, especially now, when apprentice is under fire. I'd like to talk about POJO! ^_^

   Who remembers the days when this site was the absolute center of the Earth? I recall seeing so many excellent articles that gave such insightful knowledge on the deckbuilding, the collecting, the trading, and the PLAYING of this fantastic game. The first time I came to Pojo, I immediately fell in love with the format, the board...the place was just so...neat! I even gave writing a chance, and was all "OMG I GOT POSTED ON POJO!" the first time a fan comment of mine got posted (which was a poorly-spelt piece of grammar gone bad, but we'll forget about that). However, as I grew from someone with a lickitung deck, to a full-fledged, full-time deckbuilder and player, I noticed something disappointing: Pojo going down. This wonderful site, home to the IRC that hosted hundreds of great players ,ready to raise their ladder ranking, is not what it used to be. Fateful events, such as the removal of the 15+ paid trips for 02, prop 15, and the end of Wizards made things at the Pojosama's dojo really tough, and we saw a sad decline, and overall lack of interest in the game.

   Now, you may think that the tone of the aforementioned, and the soon-to-come, is nothing but negative. As I said to sound old-fashioned and weird the other day in debate class...BULLLLLLCORN! Anybody who knows me personally would say right off the bat that I am highly optimistic, and if I'm optimistic about anything, it would be the course this site is taking now! With Nintendo having full control of the game, we are seeing the best out of each Wizards era: the competition of the STS days (albeit somewhat smaller), the prizes of the 2002 Gym Challenges, and the fun of the Super Battlezones (in the form of City Championships). But what the next few comments are about would be the three factors to the following:

-Pojo's long demise
-Pojo's steady recovery from demise
-Pojo's bright future

So, without further adieu, the part most of you may consider the "gloomy" part. Note that everything in this article has a point for us all: the staff, the contributors, and the fans. I think it's important for everyone to establish just what happened then (mostly uncontrollable factors), what is being done well now, and what will be achieved in the near-future.

TOP THREE FACTORS TO THE DECLINE IN POJO COMMUNITY

1st: The loss of the 15+

-No matter who owns the game, or if it's even still going, the core of the Pojo Pokemon community would be anyone in this bracket of the age group, or about to be in it. The 15+ had less hooks to this site because WotC took trips away from them, and this was a severe source of displeasure, so they felt like they could never go World-Class at the card game. The extreme competition factor was gone for them. With this lost, this would lead me into the 2nd biggest piece of the decline

2nd: The loss of Pojo's mass of writers, and the game's older greats

-Great advice makes great appreciation for the source of that advice, which would explain why people felt somewhat...lost without game "leaders." If you put Phill Hellmuth, Gus Hansen, X-22, Fossil Man Raymer, and all the other Poker greats into a little cage of the titans, never to be released again, then less people would tune into the World Poker Tour, and would therefore lose interest in becoming great themselves. At the moment, Pojo does have a nice portion of dedicated, hard-working writers and contributors, although not nearly as many...most of which consist of a...

3rd: Loss of fan appreciation and support

-Without anything to play for, the top players left, and without leaders, the fans felt lost, so they felt less obligated to write themselves. Clear evidence would be December 2002, to January 2003. Over twenty unique articles by what I think would be twenty unique authors severely dwindled to a mere five. Fan morale was dead-low, and with this, the site administrators had no reason to ask for TCG strategies or deck ideas anymore.

SOoooo...as transition from one era to another, let's use the only thing that actually did die out: Wizards of the Coasts' affiliation with the PTCG. So, in a good struggle full of confusion within the fans stuck between the fight, a bunch of players watch in pleasure/horror as their game went from a Hasbro machine...to a Nintendo machine. Luckily, many of the nay-sayers were surprised by the absolutely excellent tournament support to come in the 2003-2004 season, Pokemon Organized Play's first year under control. I applaud their efforts last season to have brought hundreds of us together for a central challenge, the World Championship, in Orlando, Florida. So now, we're in a new Poke-world, but with a slightly behind-the-times Pojo. There are many things that have vastly improved the Pokemon site though, and it has been kept afloat as a result.

TOP THREE FACTORS TO POJO'S RECOVERY

1st: More reasons to keep on playing, so more reason to stick to Pojo

-Under Nintendo, we are given far more activity than ever, and this activity is spread throughout the year, to boot! This is more than just a mouse-cheese-man relationship. It's a domesticated rodent-fine english blue cheese-caring owner type! Win a CC, get a medal, some packs, and a VIP package, for nothing more other than the combination of your skills, luck, deck, and will to drive. No money involved, because premier equals FREE! With such awesome bounty for all, the levels of competition have raised, and have even created rivalries reminiscent to the olden days, so you'll never expect the same tournament twice! If you want a medal, trophy, a free trip, or scholarship, this game is for you!

2nd: Return of former writers/sections

-Martin Moreno and Jason Klaczynski, two great players of the olden days, have returned to writing articles, and are bringing their old words of wisdom to a new time period in Pojo. I have known Martin for a long time, and although having just met Jason recently, I know that they are both great personalities with general concern for the game, and have insightful remarks that people will benefit from. Also, we are noticing a revival in the most interactive sections, such as the deck fixing (*coughcough* PLUG FOR ME!!! XD). Seriously, fan appreciation and contribution is coming back, and for this, I'm very thankful.

3rd: Apprentice awareness

-That sounds like some sort of hokey drug-free program, but it's really the truth. This is partially the reason why I'm writing this long, stretched-out article about the dooms, joys, and later joys of Pojo. People like me have some nearby place to play. However, there are many individuals without a league or tournament location even in a one-hour area. Apprentice is the compensation for what could be just an unfair, cruel twist in the world. Although figuring out "backwashers" would be like the witch hunt of Pokemon, it still gave the program a slight loss in credibility. But, we still need a way to play with others, and build good player relationships all across the USA, so that the next worlds can be even better!

   Although I'm not going to write much longer, I will leave with a few tips to make this Pokemon site's future that much longer to all you fans. There are loads of surprises to come from the 2005 States, Gyms, Stadiums, Nationals, and WORLDS! So, while waiting, here are my tips to you, the viewer:

TIPS FOR A BETTER POJO

GOD ALMIGHTY, I sound more hallmark-y than a friggin' carebear. =/

But anyways:

1: Contribute to this site! I'm not talking about the rob-you-'til-you-are-penniless contributing (although you really should buy the Pojo book. It's a nice lil piece of work ^_-) so much as the robbing of your mind. You don't have to be a deckmech, the 13th heaviest poster on www.pokegym.net, and certainly don't have to dream about selling an Illustrator Pikachu for over $2,000, but I would request that you recount your tournament memories a little more often, talk about a TCG strategy idea you'd like to share, and/or play in that apprentice tournament!

2: Show activity on the forums: I admit that I myself haven't been to the forums NEARLY as much as I'd like to, but I'm hoping I can make it a regular thing nowadays. You guys should, too! Apply yourself to something, and it'll definitely be great =)

3: Have fun, and don't forget about Pojo! This TCG is meant to be all about fun, but if you forget about where to enjoy yourself, then it'll be long gone.

This card game, and this site, in my humbled opinion, have several more years ahead of them, so keep tuned, and show Pojo that you care! ^_^ 

If you would like to contact me with any questions or concerns:

AIM: thegreatcell
AIM: doomed patriarch

e-mail: thegreatcell@aol.com

au revoir, and may your gaming days be ever, uhhh....gaming x_x

Pojo.com is here to provide guidance to all Pokemon trainers out there.  Whether it's the Gameboy Game, N64 or the Trading Card Game, PoJo.com provides all the wisdom you desire. 

If you have cool game tips, a killer deck, or breaking news ... send them to us.  We'll post it on the site ... and give you all the credit.