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I know for myself a lot of the "lost luster" seems to come from what I perceive as a shortage of homebrew topics and/or high-concept "how a game system works" conversations. I don't get much out of another "how do I stack the most bonus to hit with a scorching ray" type conversations, but something that steps outside the details is always fun. Alternate systems, unique campaign ideas, what the goal of a piece of game design is... those sorts of things. They seem to be lacking these days, possibly tied to the reduction of rehashed topics like C/MD and "does the paladin fall".
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I'm sorry if I have offended some people as I said its just my opinion, but I needed to vent a little and my opening post was quite reserved. So anyway a HAPPY CHRISTMAS and a GREAT NEW YEAR and hopefully a more entertaining message board in 2017.
EtG
I do miss Gary Teter, Erik Mona and the rest posting more frequently, though. :(Well, hello. :)
Please Erik, stop wasting time posting and go back creating the best minis ever.
Please.:-)
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I wasn't offended, point taken. :-)
Everyone needs to vent every once in a while.
Have a Merry Christmas to you as well. :-)
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I'm sorry if I have offended some people as I said its just my opinion, but I needed to vent a little and my opening post was quite reserved. So anyway a HAPPY CHRISTMAS and a GREAT NEW YEAR and hopefully a more entertaining message board in 2017.
EtG
No, calling out individuals isn't "just your opinion," and "sorry you were offended" isn't an apology.
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As an aside this is not an excuse for anything but I suffer from depression and used the boards as a way to escape for a time. Unfortunatly it bubbled over to the boards for the first time and hopefully the last. Someone up thread said to take a break for a while and after the weekend I will probably avoid the boards till about mid January. Fingers crossed that this helps.
ALL THE BEST FOR 2017 & ENJOY CHRISTMAS EVERYONE.
EtG.
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No big deal!
It happens to us all. :-)
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It's taken a bit longer to get to this thread as I'd have liked but: change is inevitable in any online community. As our hobby (and Paizo's outreach/product lines) expands, so too does the pool of folks coming to our site. And, with most hobbies, devotion and interest waxes and wanes over time. You are not wrong that the environment on our forums has shifted, and having watched it very closely, it's a very different place from 3, 5, or 10 years ago (though, admittedly, that was before my time here). The best way to see the change you want in a place like our forums is to participate in a way that you'd like to see (IE: engaging positively, offering advice/suggestions, working with our moderation team when things get hairy, and so on).
As an aside: it does look like the issue has been resolved between the folks involved, but singling out individuals can be a fairly volatile method of expressing your concerns with a community at large. Had we been more on top of addressing this thread, it may have been removed altogether for that reason.
Should you ever need to actually "vent" about our community or express concerns over an individual poster, emailing community@paizo.com is a better venue that our public Website Feedback subforum.
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There are still some cool "high-concept" threads coming out. I'm a big fan of "The Aeons Sigh", for instance.
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There are still some cool "high-concept" threads coming out. I'm a big fan of "The Aeons Sigh", for instance.
I've just started following that one, and it's been pretty interesting so far. I'm really hoping it doesn't get derailed too soon. Might be nice to make a "high-concept" index? Something like a "greatest hits" for the Paizo messageboards would be cool.
Threads like this are the problem. Worry less about the cool kids constantly saying "look at me" and focus more on helping others enjoy the game. The forums work best when posters come together to share ideas about ways to enrich the game through lore or mechanics. I've been enjoying the various First World and Maure Castle threads lately.
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I agree with Chris that things have changed, and there are people I miss.
I am posting and lurking here much less.
Ah, well.
All good things...
P.S. Happy Holidays everyone.
I know, it is a busy year and no time, I just miss it. Thanks nice Paizo people for the constant positive interaction. Best of luck and happy holidays to you too of course.
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Worry less about the cool kids constantly saying "look at me"
I'm cool, right?
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ACKNOWLEDGE ME
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Maybe if I triple post, the other posters will like me more!
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[Insert something annoying and levitatey here]
[Initiating hearty laugh at own wit]
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*Captain Levity Alias*
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ACKNOWLEDGE ME
Ckorik > Kobold Cleaver.4896: Flags [S.], seq 1199622835, ack 1906016237, win 5792, options [mss 1460,sackOK,TS val 724817121 ecr 290511723,nop,wscale 6], length 0
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*Captain Levity Alias*
Well, okay, but you're going to have to give me a push, I can only go up or down.
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Worry less about the cool kids constantly saying "look at me"I'm cool, right?
Just walk outside in shorts & no coat and you'll be extremely cool in no time at all. (Assuming that it's half as wintery where you are as it is where I am right now.)
It's a secret that the Illuminati don't want you to know about. *nods convincingly*
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I'd lose my toes. The snow's six inches deep over here!
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I'm a kobold. I can basically wear one boot.
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I'm surprised he was able to get out of the second grade classroom.
I suppose Christmas break is pretty much a death sentence for class pets.
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Worry less about the cool kids constantly saying "look at me"I'm cool, right?Just walk outside in shorts & no coat and you'll be extremely cool in no time at all. (Assuming that it's half as wintery where you are as it is where I am right now.)
It's a secret that the Illuminati don't want you to know about. *nods convincingly*
Man, I'll never be cool where I am.
I just finished doing a hot yoga session in my back yard.
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Me, I blame Facebook. And Joss Whedon. But mostly Facebook.
In many ways we don't need forums anymore. I come here because I love you all (except that MCRIB hogging Kryzbyn!) and I prefer a medium of Internet communication where a modicum of privacy can be expected.
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Well I went through this phase a long time ago, so I can somehow relate to that. To me, it was when the PFRPG open beta started. Suddenly the discussion was mainly about a topic I was not really interested in, there was also a sudden explosion of new members on these boards as well as an increase in hostility (at least I can't remember things being as hostile before even when not everything was peaceful communication before.
In retrospect, though, it had in fact much more to do with what I was going through in private life, so instead of just enjoying what was still there (the Campaign Setting and the AP threads and boards, mainly), I decided to focus more on the negative aspects and got frustrated by that. So basically my own mistake.
Now that I kinda returned to the boards and started posting more often, the main thing I miss (apart from some regulars of old) is that, due to the sheer size of the boards, there's no way I can read everything, so I might miss out on a lot of interesting topics, hilarious jokes and meaningful discussions.
But there are still great people to meet here, some I didn't knew before and everytime I look I still find something that is useful for my own games or at least worth thinking about.
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Me, I blame Facebook. And Joss Whedon. But mostly Facebook.
In many ways we don't need forums anymore. I come here because I love you all (except that MCRIB hogging Kryzbyn!) and I prefer a medium of Internet communication where a modicum of privacy can be expected.
Wait...who are you?
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Me, I blame Facebook. And Joss Whedon. But mostly Facebook.
In many ways we don't need forums anymore. I come here because I love you all (except that MCRIB hogging Kryzbyn!) and I prefer a medium of Internet communication where a modicum of privacy can be expected.
Wait...who are you?
Kryzbyn's gotten to you too?!?
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Yeah, leave Joss Whedon alone!
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I blame Odraude. He's a real piece of shit.
Also, for me, it's been non stop. From my finals to graduation to an unexpected move to rennovating a f$$$ed house to trying desperately to find a job, it's been rough to say the least. The only thing keeping me sane is the fact that I run a D&D game on Wednesday nights.
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As someone who's been a lurker and not a board personality I still find that a lot of the names I recognize pop up constantly. I do appreciate the atmosphere KC and Cap Yesterday bring to any board they visit, Brain in a Jar, BigNorseWolf and Rysky are examples of posters that I notice immediately on any thread they comment on and it is always a treat to see a name pop up I recognize while I lurk.
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I'm surprised he was able to get out of the second grade classroom.
I suppose Christmas break is pretty much a death sentence for class pets.
goblin babies think a party of class pets that have to escape over the winter break could actually be a pretty fun RPG adventure. "This. is. sewious."
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I will start this with saying that I am a regular poster now but have been a watcher since Rise of the Runelords came out. Now I don't know if this is a trend, fad or the end of an era but the boards to me are no longer a fun place to visit all the time. Part of this is the disappearance of long time posters or just their self imposed exiles but the boards have become a less fun place. I haven't seen Set, Dabble, Ryjin, Spalding, Purple Furry Cat Gnome, Ashiel and DTBone but the boards are both more quiet, empty and less enjoyable than before. Some of this is possibly due to life, bans or just time but I also notice Jiggy less and TOZ isn't everywhere. Its also annoying with some posters attempts at levity Captain Yesterday and his infinite aliases for example and the more not really hostile but abruptness of the boards. I am well aware that this is my opinion but the Messageboards no longer feel like they did, whether this change is good or bad I cant tell. My honest opinion is that the fun and enjoyment of the boards has gone I'm just hoping that its a short lived thing but I honestly cant tell.
Sorry about the rant but this has been bothering me for a while now, hopefully thing change. Anyway thanks for your time.
Arran Out.
Short answer: It depends on the forums you frequent.
Old man's long-winded storytime answer:
I noticed much of the same over much the same timespan as you: When I first started posting to the Advice or Rules forums in 2012, I could expect to receive a few friendly, helpful pointers. The AP-specific threads were a wealth of friendliness and support. Unfortunately, as time has worn on, there are a set of self-appointed, "There is Only One Way to Play, and that is My Way!" posters who have taken over both the Advice and Rules forums. It seems that any question you ask, no matter how trivial ("Should my red-skinned tiefling get a red or a green dress?") turns into a flame war between these "One Wayers" and the "Freedom Fighters" who argue on your behalf. And no matter how hard you try to stay silent and wish you'd never started the thread, one group or the other is going to vilify you, rake you over the coals, attribute attitudes, opinions, and personal attributes to you that you never espoused, and otherwise make your posting experience miserable. If your request for advice doesn't turn into a 300+-post flame war that Chris or Sara Marie eventually has to lock, you've gotten lucky.
So I hid both forums.
It does miracles for your enjoyment of Paizo.
It's frustrating because I still do have legitimate rules questions ("How does Neutralize Poison work against multiple doses of the same poison?") and I have to keep going back through my Posts list to find them, but it's still far less frustrating than the alternative.
And the AP-specific threads are still wonders of helpfulness and support, and the non-political Off Topic discussions are a blast.
Someone else said something similar, but I'll re-iterate:
- Hide the Rules section
- Hide the Advice section
- Hide any political threads that pop up without reading them
Your Paizo experience will be vastly improved.
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I am not one of the 'old guard'.
However, it is interesting to note after a month or thereabouts of no political threads, that the overall animosity of the forums appears to have mellowed a bit.
Unfortunately, some of the threads in the political themes were sort of helpful in learning more about things that I never would have heard about anywhere *other* than on the Paizo forums, and it feels like I've lost that way of becoming informed, much to the detriment of education.
Is it a good thing? A bad thing? Or just a thing?
I couldn't tell you, but I'm glad for the folks that are still here and posting in the spirit of community, even if the humor isn't quite my cuppa.
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I'd recommend the OP adopt a 'glass half full' perspective.
I've been posting here for several years and people do tend to come and then go after a few years. I suspect there will always be people one misses who you used to go back-and-forth with a lot, but there are probably also new people just starting to pop up with whom you have affinity (or enjoy arguing with).
I think it's the nature of being on an internet forum for a long time. Whilst it is sad to think of friends you used to interact with daily who you no longer see anymore, it's also a great place to meet people with wildly disparate views but with a common shared joy. That's something that can be hard to find in real life if your interests are less mainstream.
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ACKNOWLEDGE ME
No.
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I noticed much of the same over much the same timespan as you: When I first started posting to the Advice or Rules forums in 2012, I could expect to receive a few friendly, helpful pointers. The AP-specific threads were a wealth of friendliness and support. Unfortunately, as time has worn on, there are a set of self-appointed, "There is Only One Way to Play, and that is My Way!" posters who have taken over both the Advice and Rules forums. It seems that any question you ask, no matter how trivial ("Should my red-skinned tiefling get a red or a green dress?") turns into a flame war between these "One Wayers" and the "Freedom Fighters" who argue on your behalf. And no matter how hard you try to stay silent and wish you'd never started the thread, one group or the other is going to vilify you, rake you over the coals, attribute attitudes, opinions, and personal attributes to you that you never espoused, and otherwise make your posting experience miserable. If your request for advice doesn't turn into a 300+-post flame war that Chris or Sara Marie eventually has to lock, you've gotten lucky...
And the AP-specific threads are still wonders of helpfulness and support, and the non-political Off Topic discussions are a blast.
Someone else said something similar, but I'll re-iterate:
- Hide the Rules section
- Hide the Advice section
- Hide any political threads that pop up without reading them
As usual, I agree with NH about 100%!
I've been hanging out here since 2011. When I started, the Rules section was just starting to bend toward pedantry, but was still pretty useful, and the Advice board was a mostly-freindly place.
Today, I completely avoid both boards, and I very liberally hide any threads that push my buttons.
The boards are so much more pleasant when you do that!
Back to the OP: There are a whole lot of former posters I miss. At the same time, there are also a few long-time posters whose recent absence has made the boards a better place. And there are a whole lot of newer posters that I absolutely love interacting with.
Forums change over time. For that matter, so do in-person social circles. That's just life.
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As an aside this is not an excuse for anything but I suffer from depression and used the boards as a way to escape for a time.
I'm glad you added this because I was going to point out that it sounded like a sign of depression to me. One I've experienced myself. There are a host of studies examining the link between online communities, social media, and depression. I think the best advice is to take breaks. Take care of yourself.
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I will start this with saying that I am a regular poster now but have been a watcher since Rise of the Runelords came out. Now I don't know if this is a trend, fad or the end of an era but the boards to me are no longer a fun place to visit all the time. Part of this is the disappearance of long time posters or just their self imposed exiles but the boards have become a less fun place. I haven't seen Set, Dabble, Ryjin, Spalding, Purple Furry Cat Gnome, Ashiel and DTBone but the boards are both more quiet, empty and less enjoyable than before. Some of this is possibly due to life, bans or just time but I also notice Jiggy less and TOZ isn't everywhere. Its also annoying with some posters attempts at levity Captain Yesterday and his infinite aliases for example and the more not really hostile but abruptness of the boards. I am well aware that this is my opinion but the Messageboards no longer feel like they did, whether this change is good or bad I cant tell. My honest opinion is that the fun and enjoyment of the boards has gone I'm just hoping that its a short lived thing but I honestly cant tell.
Sorry about the rant but this has been bothering me for a while now, hopefully thing change. Anyway thanks for your time.
Arran Out.
It's the lack of Mikaze which has turned me off the boards. Also, less RL time, but mostly Mikaze being MIA for so long. :(
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TBF, Ambervale is just waiting on you to get moving again.