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Someone (or several people) have recently pointed out that we spend a lot of time bashing WotC and 4/e -- and I've certainly done my share. For the record, I think WotC is earning a lot of it. There I go again!
That said, this has always been a positive, friendly community, of which I've been proud and pleased to be a part. I think the rancor over the magazine transition (exacerbated by an impending 4/e release) is changing who and what we are, for the worse.
Personally, I'm going to try to stay away from my angrier and meaner sentiments and try to stick with the good stuff -- we have a lot of that here.
Just a thought.
Regards all :)
Agreed we must stop ourselfs from degrading into other unmentionable boards.
That's exactly how I felt! I can't say enough how I enjoy participating in discussions here, and how impressed I am with the members and those that run these forums (Paizo, of course).
:)
I took a "news break" from 4e. crap for a while, and besides Erik Mona's thread w.r.t. their tardiness in supplying the SRD, I really haven't commented or read about it for 3 weeks. It's a nice feeling.
I had the opposite experience. Not only have I pumped out lots of criticism, but I've gotten mired in the same stuff over at the WotC boards -- which I'd never participated in before :(
All the bad karma's just become too much.
I AGREE!!!!!
There are some people (names with held to avoid flaming and hard feelings) who are now in a place that no matter what happens nothing is good enough.
I agree with our good Werewolf - I mostly avoid the 4e threads and never go the WotC boards these days.
Can't we all just get along....:)
I will glady live in Pathfinder land for now and sort out the bodies in the spring...
I wouldn't be too worried about it. While I'm not a frequent poster, I read and occasionally post on Paizo, ENWorld, and Wizards. I think that anyone suggesting that the Paizo boards are "bashing" WOTC doesn't know how to take criticism. Whether the criticism is constructive or just venting that "<something WOTC mentioned> sucks", it's just criticism.
Not only does WOTC publish an entertainment product, which invited reviews and criticism, but one of the beauties of the internet and playtesting is that criticism is welcomed. If WOTC sees some valid concerns, they may make changes to 4E - maybe not big ones at this point, but they already have changed their mind about advancing the Eberron timeline based on fan reaction. I plan to keep posting and blogging and talking to fellow gamers about my concerns and problems with 4E, as well as about the things I like about it so far. Hopefully, by the time it comes out, there will be more things I like than I don't.
Mosaic
(Pathfinder Adventure Path Charter Subscriber; Roleplaying Game, Campaign Setting, Companion, Modules, Battles Case Subscriber; GameMastery Superscriber)
Thank you for suggesting this. There seem to be an unusually high number of trolls these days, but I think, in part, it may be our recent negativity that has attracted them. I will try to be more positive and focus on the reasons I got into RPGs in the first place (and again as an adult!) - I really enjoy the creativity they bring out in people, including myself. Damn, there are just some really good yarns out there, and even when I'm not playing, I like to read this stuff. How's that for positive? I'll try to think of some good threads ...
One other thing though. The trolls. I for one plan to simply shun them. I'm not going to respond. I'm not going to defend anyone, I'm not going to engage them, I'm not even going to follow their threads. They will be dead to me (or stone, or whatever happens to trolls when they go away). Seriously folks, please just ignore their posts completely if you can, and if they start a thread, "Paizo sucks!" or something, let's just let the it sit there and wither away without a single post. As if it didn't exist. I love a good debate and constructive criticism is awesome, but there are some people just spoiling for a fight and don't care what it's about. I get turned off by the ugliness. These boards, and the noble folk who inhabit them, are better than that.
Someone (or several people) have recently pointed out that we spend a lot of time bashing WotC and 4/e -- and I've certainly done my share. For the record, I think WotC is earning a lot of it. There I go again!
That said, this has always been a positive, friendly community, of which I've been proud and pleased to be a part. I think the rancor over the magazine transition (exacerbated by an impending 4/e release) is changing who and what we are, for the worse.
Agreed. I used to really enjoy coming to the Paizo boards, as they were full of informative, imaginative, humorous, and friendly discussions. Now I can barely stand to skim the recent posts on the front page. The character of the community seems to have completely changed, and it saddens me. Whether or not I actually agree with the points anybody's making, it's exhausting to slog through post after post of people b#&%+ing about every little thing WotC does now.
EN World has retained a more balanced and civil community discussion, with people on opposite sides of multiple issues avoiding the degeneration into pointless repetitive rants (uh, mostly). It's hard for me to see these boards as anything but a rabidly anti-WotC whinefest anymore, and I doubt I'm the only one that sees it that way. It's disappointing, because by avoiding these boards, I'm also missing out on all the other fun discussion that used to take place here.
Sebastian asked a very good question to Lisa Stevens about this very thing in last night's chat. Go read it over here.
I actually went and made a new thread about it. Sorry to bail on this one, Lisa's point just seemed like the type of thing that should be front and center in this discussion.
Recently I've been posting about the beholder interview. I really liked it, so I let WotC know. If you haven't seen the flash cartoon it ends with the beholder saying "(beep) this, I'm outtah hear." The beep was a loud edit and left the viewer to guess as to what was said.
As could be guessed the thing has stirred some controversy. I was taken back by the WotC staffs reaction to criticism. Chris Perkins and some other staffers were very dismissive and even condensending about criticism about that infamous beep. Anyway Eric Mona and Paizo difinitly have a different approach to dealing with D&D fans. You just gotta love these guys. Maybe because if Eric and others Paizo staff steps out of line the Community hear will let them know. Over at WotC, disagree with the Wizards and the minions will hammer you, they get unconditional support. I think it's because Eric and Paizo are just cool people.
Thanks for caring Paizo.
DM Jeff
(Pathfinder Adventure Path Charter Subscriber; Roleplaying Game, Campaign Setting, Companion, Modules, GameMastery Maps Subscriber)
I would complain more over on the wizards boards, but then I'd have to sign up for Gleemax.
I think one of the things that has made it hard for those of us on these boards is the fact that there seem to be a lot of people here who are disappointed, and its reassuring to share our feelings.
What it is, exactly, that we are disappointed about is different from person to person. For me its the cancellation of the print magazines, and some (but not all) of the new fluff. The annoyance over the fluff change will probably fade in a year or so, but I'm not sure when, if ever, I will okay with the disappearance of Dragon and Dungeon. I've been reading it since I was five years old, after all.
Don't get me wrong, I'm excited for 4th edition, even if I think its coming a few years too early. I look forward to learning new rules, and making new stories. I do not think of Paizo as the "anti-4th edition" home. But I also don't think we should stop dissenting just to spare people's feelings.
Unless, of course, the staff of Paizo asks us not to. Then I would stop. Its their boards. I just pop in here.