I began playing early 2014. Throughout these 3 years I learned a lot, be that spar, pk, money-making strats etc. It's an MMO, I couldn't expect much of it but I'm still here and still having fun doing what I learned to do. I met new people and sparred/towered with them and had some good times. I'm only more inactive nowadays because I'm now a junior in high school. I can't balance the constant attention of keeping spar skills up with school stuff.
When I started out playing, towering and spar seemed a lot better. The community was just secure and less hateful unless I was too young to pay attention.
Like others said, the new content from the gfx and scripting team has gotten better, but spar has stayed the same and towering has no reward. Players need to connect more, and I don't really see much of that. I see simple conversations or people afk or GSTs with salt after a guild wins. I don't think anything has really changed besides people coming and going. Good sparrers left, new ones came. Old tower guilds have come and gone, as well. It's just a little cycle right now where people are bored and growing up. There isn't much around to really keep people around like before, and that's like what others said: Players grew up, don't feel the same when they first started or simply want more.
I feel a the same way a little bit. I don't feel the same as I did back then, but a lot's happened in the past 3 years, and my view on a lot of things changed. I also want to see more things that will keep me interested. I love sparring, and towering was great, but there just needs to be more. It could be anything, be that an improvement to the game or simply more features. The game needs less problems. The community is pained by some of these problems and it brings negativity.
That's all I really have to say.