D&D 5E Edition Wars, WHY?

GMforPowergamers · Jan 20, 2015

I have noticed a trend, and it is very disheartening. Why do people who dislike something jump into threads to stop people from talking about it?

This is the new face of edition wars... this week alone I have:

1) been told 4e roles where made up only for 4e, and have no place in pre or post 4e discusions... in a thread asking about roles.

2) been told the only way to play 4e is a way no fan of the system plays it (HP)

3) been told that there is no place in D&D for my fav class

4) been told that "real" D&D is not 4e...

5) 5e is most likely failing

6) True D&D is owned by piazo

Now it would be bad enough if this was only this week, but in general I've found this form has become less and less friendly, and more and more adversarial.

SO why is the edition wars heating up again?

Rune · Jan 20, 2015

It's not just edition warring, though. It seems to be an instinctual impulse brought on by an increasing cynicism. And some people just like to threadcrap.

The other day, I posted a thread asking for people to post a particular type of cool story (in a non-system-specific forum). To kick things off, I posted one of my own.

Immediately, I found my DMing ability under assault by people inaccurately assuming facts not in evidence.

For some reason, it was important to those posters to assume these facts in order to fill in the lack of details that had not been included because they were not relevant to the story!

(Fortunately, further discussion has restored civility, but I do wonder why the initial impulse seems to be Attack!)

There was an era when EN World was a refuge on the internet from that kind of behavior. Alas, no longer.

Sacrosanct · Jan 20, 2015

If you think something is edition warring, report the post. Creating threads like this I don't see any outcome other than more arguments.

I am not a mod of course.

Morrus · Jan 20, 2015

iOS vs. Android

Marvel vs DC

It happens with everything. I read up on some of the theories behind the psychology behind it; basically, if you invest in something, you need affirmation that you made the right choice. To that end, you'll actively persuade others that you made the right choice, and if they made a different choice then they made the wrong choice. The amount of emotion attached to these value judgements is, I agree, quite astonishing at times.

One bizarre side-effect of it is that people also rush to ascribe such motives to others. If you mention their preferred brand, the kneejerk reaction is to accuse the speaker of an agenda. For example, I've been told I'm pro-4E, pro-5E, pro-WotC, anti-WotC, anti-Paizo, pro-Pathfinder, and a million other things. It's kinda silly, but confirmation bias will lead you to the most extra-ordinary conclusions.

Hey, I'm as guilty as anyone. Maybe not with RPGs so much, but I've caught myself doing it with phone manufacturers or comic book companies.

We wrote a song about it.

[video=youtube;rfQfy1LJEBs]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rfQfy1LJEBs[/video]

GameOgre · Jan 20, 2015

Because the internet is full of people who are thwarted in their daily lives. What they think isn't viewed as important, what they say isn't considered worthwhile. In short they don't run the show.

If they indeed acted with the judgment, will and force in the physical world that they do online at best they would end up with a bloody nose.

Also our beliefs and viewpoints as well as our self appointed authority on a subject is always questioned in the physical world but here we could be anyone! Here you don't see that I'm a 45 year old balding fat man with a aging truck and a bad back. In the physical world you might hear me talking and say/think who the hell does this guy think he is?

Now all the authority and judgment is present in the psychical world as well. It's just as lot easier to see it for what it is.

My brother in law thinks DC Comics are great and all Marvel is utter $%$%$.
My friend just knows that any movie made before 1990 is worthless.
My mother will tell you all about politics and anyone who disagrees is stupid or worse...evil.
My next door neighbor swears daily that all lawyers are evil blood sucking vampires.

So who knows really, maybe online rpg forums are just as good representation of real life. Just mostly about games instead of all the other #$#$.

JTorres · Jan 20, 2015

[MENTION=67338]GMforPowergamers[/MENTION] I can't say I know much about 4th edition but I can sympathize with your sentiment overall. I was playing in Adventure League for while at a local place that also hosts Pathfinder Society and an Indie RPG night. For the most part, everyone is polite and friendly but a couple of times I've encountered individuals who felt compelled to let me know the "truth" about 5th edition. For instance, one Pathfinder player came to our table one night and went on and on about 5th's "half-written rules", "lack of character options", and several other points before politely being asked to move along by a store worker. Another person snidely replied that he didn't play "mainstream RPGs" when one of the players at our table invited him to join us. Frankly, I didn't even know that kind of snobbery existed in tabletop RPGs but then I've been out of gaming for several years until recently. As to why this happens, who knows. Maybe 5th edition is seen as a threat to a rival game that someone is heavily invested in? Or maybe if 5th edition succeeds they lose a bet (I'm being facetious with this one)? Either way, what some people see as a flaw others will see as a virtue but that won't stop anyone from running their mouth.

Also, how does Paizo own D&D? I thought that was WoTC?

Rune · Jan 20, 2015

JTorres said:
Another person snidely replied that he didn't play "mainstream RPGs"

Nobody does!

Sir Brennen · Jan 20, 2015

JTorres said:
Also, how does Paizo own D&D? I thought that was WoTC?

I think the inference was ownership in an ideal sense, as in somehow Pathfinder is the embodiment of "true" D&D, therefore they own, or are custodians of "real" D&D.

Myself, having played every edition except for the original boxed sets based on Chainmail, it's all D&D, reinterpreted by different authors like Dracula or Sherlock Holmes.

GMforPowergamers · Jan 20, 2015

Morrus said:
It happens with everything. I read up on some of the theories behind the psychology behind it; basically, if you invest in something, you need affirmation that you made the right choice. To that end, you'll actively persuade others that you made the right choice, and if they made a different choice then they made the wrong choice. The amount of emotion attached to these value judgements is, I agree, quite astonishing at times.

One bizarre side-effect of it is that people also rush to ascribe such motives to others. If you mention their preferred brand, the kneejerk reaction is to accuse the speaker of an agenda. For example, I've been told I'm pro-4E, pro-5E, pro-WotC, anti-WotC, anti-Paizo, pro-Pathfinder, and a million other things. It's kinda silly, but confirmation bias will lead you to the most extra-ordinary conclusions.

Hey, I'm as guilty as anyone. Maybe not with RPGs so much, but I've caught myself doing it with phone manufacturers or comic book companies.

best reply ever... I think this sums it up. It just seems like it used to be better around here... maybe that's just rose tinited glasses

Morrus · Jan 20, 2015

GMforPowergamers said:
best reply ever... I think this sums it up. It just seems like it used to be better around here... maybe that's just rose tinited glasses

It used to be much, much worse. Back when 4E was released it was really unpleasant. It's like a stroll in a nice garden in comparison now. Mainly because people became sick to death of the constant edition wars, every major forum banned them, communities started to recognise it and self-policed. These days, if I see edition warriors strutting their stuff, my first thought is "In 2015? Really, dude? Partying like it's 2008, eh?"