Recently as a part of studies in college, my class looked at virtual communities and how they affected social time with family and friends. Whilst I can't exactly remember the results of the class, it lead me to thinking about what communities are you a part of? (And this doesn't mean advertising your site here).

Personally I'm on a few games sites (which most people know anyway) as well as a couple of IRC channels and forums related to Anime Sydney (Anime Clubs at Sydney based Universities).

Another is gaming clans, usually involved with people I know in real life, of which I have hardly met up with in ages, but do keep in contact through games, which has a somewhat positive impact. Overall for me social time with family is similar to what it has been, although time with old friends in person has decreased due to dispersion.

In summary, this thread is about getting to know a little bit more about yourself, without having to go into specifics, of which many marketing companies would love to advertise their products towards (jokes ;))

I'm joined with 2 communities. (3 in total). This site, Hyper and another gaming site. Actually I guess I'm devoted to 4 including deviantart but altogether they don't really take up too much of my time. Maybe an hour or 2 a day?

I'm living by myself anyway so it's not like I have to spend time with my family

Here, PALGN and Creative Uncut for me. Well forum wise anyway. To be honest I'm only at CU now because of my Moderator position but we all know how I feel about that, sometimes. ;)

PALGN and here though are 'home', so to speak.

I do have a few friends on Xbox Live whom I met through random play, they aren't bad but I'm not sure if you could call that a community or not just yet.

Well I'm on a few forums here and there. This and Hyper are the two main gaming ones (and I do fuck all with the gaming section here anyway). Otherwise the others I stay with for whatever reason I like about them.

The only places that I somewhat follow but only to a point would be DA (watching people, loading my rare art that I think is worth loading, and with the webcomic I help), and a little myspace (only watching a local band that is in the US recording their album).

Here, Hyper, and deviantArt for me.

This place, PALGN and Myspace

1. Generetic - I go here to post some of my DVD cover art which a fair few people use.

2. Aussie Magna - I own a Magna, and I go to this site to see what people are selling as well as get some information.

3. XboxZone - I only go here when I'm really bored, I use to post there heaps often, only as a means of becoming friendly with the moderators who own an Xbox cafe, I was hoping to score a job there.

Okay, I just joined a new forum that has the most seriously screwed up procedure.

You can't upload your own avatar (whether it be from the net or computer), you only have a selection of pre-made avatars, after activating your account, you still can't post. Instead you've got to wait to be validated by some unknown admin. You can't post pictures unless you've been authorised either. IT'S THE MOST SCREWED UP SYSTEM I'VE EVER HEARD OF!

Praises to Evolution for being nice to everybody

Here, PCPowerplay (Hyperions, watch out, the PCPP team is coming to get you...<_<), Empire Online, HLComic.

Hyper and this place. I used to be part of another community which started with the Nintendo Cult (markymark will know the place), then went on to make our own site and forums, where I was an admin. The head guy couldn't be bothered to pay for it anymore (considering he was only about 16 or so when this happened, it's understandable), then the community kind of fell apart. I still have some contact with those guys, though.

If that is the place I think it is then I joined that at some stage or another, didn't I Ali? It sounds familiar...

You're on Empire Online too?

Other than here, I use Myspace. *shrug*

I'm thinking about checking out all my old forums again...

Yeah, same name. I'm pretty much the only D43M0N around, y'know :P