I would and for the most part have used private trackers for either a specific type of thing or a specific kinda obscure or not very popular title. I find that the more not well known a thing is, the more likely it’s going to be found and (re)seeded on a private tracker.

I was able to ask for an invite on a public forum, and I was able to use my demonoid (remember demonoid?) stats as proof back when they were semi private.

if you can show that you are a good and consistent uploader someone usually will sling an invite your way.

I’m not really a fan because in a lot of cases it forces you to download stuff you might not want just to establish and maintain an acceptable ratio so eventually you can get the stuff you do want.

if I wanted something obscure and not really interested in the popular thing I’m either wasting bandwidth and/or server space starting out or searching for that thing on a public tracker.

the one private tracker I do use is extremely generous with upload credits for newbies and I was able to take advantage of that plus contribute something right away so I didn’t and still don’t have any issues but I know that’s not the case with some people.

would you like to know more?

I realize this is an overgeneralization I’m making.

every game made since the ps2 was officially retired. I don’t hate them because they’re hard and I’m just not getting the handle of gameplay. I hate them for specific reasons:

1. the reliance on online modes. games used to be a singular affair between the player and the game. since 2008 online modes have become increasingly necessary to a requirement. with online modes comes a need for a server dedicated to that game. so what happens when the company shuts that server down? you’re sol. and piggybacking on that
2. games are released buggy out of the box. before a game wasn’t published until it was done. now it’s released on a target date and patches get released along the way. so if you happen to be in a position where you have the physical media but no internet you could have a broken game and not be able to do anything about it. I just think about that situation with the tony hawk game where the manus didn’t ship the game on the disc and players had to download the entire game as an “update”. and what’s going to happen when that server shuts down?
3. games are moving to downloads instead of on physical media. I’m a full believer in you buy a game you own it. some game publisher just said recently that players shouldn’t own their games anymore. gaming is going to move to a streaming model where you own a service (console/platform) and games will move on and off it when a licensing deal expires. sorry I don’t want any part of that.
4. games made that don’t require you to be online to have any kind of gameplay are becoming rare. I’m the game player that plays the game just to play the game and doesn’t want to play against another human player online. my competitive juices don’t flow that way. I’m perfectly fine playing against the game’s ai.

tldr the internet killed gaming for me.