D&D 5E Scott Rouse and D&D Team on 5th Edition ("satire")

[Jim Hague]

Seems pretty simple to me (simpler than 4e purports to be, even!); if you see a thread by him, don't read it.

As for "attacks" - I didn't find anything in there particularly attacking. Satirical, yes, but I've seen posts in the same tenor other topics, too. Perhaps it isn't the WotC guys that are thin-skinned, after all.

(And BTW, I don't find it any accident that the WotC crew started posting here again at about the same time that Dungeon and Dragon magazines were killed, and shortly before the 4e release. Do you? I'd guess that has a lot less to do with how they're treated than the information they have to disseminate, but I might be a tad cynical in such things.)

Their coming here has a lot more to do with Russ and the mods and admins rightfully smacking down people being jerks to them than some sort of marketing push, sorry. The WotC guys are gamers, just like us, and they don't appreciate getting harassed any more than we do.

Grow a thicker skin? How about people try being more polite and lay off the geek rage instead?

 

[Keefe the Thief]

Ok, there is acceptable emotion and there is too much. This has left the fields of negativity and reached mount snark. I really liked your insightful posts, Razz, and am sad to see them go with the push of a button marked "ignore".

 

[Sunderstone]

Grow a thicker skin? How about people try being more polite and lay off the geek rage instead?

Last I checked this was a forum with people that may have differing opinions.
While I dont agree with the OP using their names and adding the funny comments (and I did find them hilarious), This is a forum.
The OP should have gone without names. Perhaps using R&D Designer #1, #2, Marketer #3 etc.
Im sorry but "thick skin" is needed at times. Especially here on these forums, as we do see people getting flamed from time to time for stating opinions that are different than others.

Designers are indeed gamers like us. Feedback comes in positive and negative flavors. As well as splatbook option flavors like Satire.

 

[Waldorf]

LOL

Lies wrapped in humor. Pure and simple. Just like "there is no 4e being planned."

Please.

4.5 will be here in 3-4 years.

Their publishing history has revealed as much.

Enjoy 3.5 til they get the bugs worked out of 4e.

Don't "sign up" with your wallet to playtest 4e for them.




Edit - When I first read that article, it seemed like something the disingenuous designers of the game would say to deflect criticism regarding 4e. But now that I think of it, it still seems that way. I rarely agree with Razz about anything, but this is one time when he gets it right.

 

[Jim Hague]

Last I checked this was a forum with people that may have differing opinions.

And how is asking for a bit of civility a problem?

While I dont agree with the OP using their names and adding the funny comments (and I did find them hilarious), This is a forum.

A fact I hadn't missed. And, as you said, opinions differ...and mine is that the comments were about as funny as rotten vegtables.

Im sorry but "thick skin" is needed at times. Especially here on these forums, as we do see people getting flamed from time to time for stating opinions that are different than others.

You realize this is the schoolyard bully argument, right? "Aw, get a sense of humor!" It holds about as much water as 'two for flinching', too.

 

[green slime]

Nevermind

 

[KingCrab]

Humor aside, I think there is a lot of truth here. Since there is no 4.5 coming, my guess is they'll release 5th edition 6 years after 4ed. 10 years between 2nd and 3rd. 8 years between 3rd and 4th. 6 years between 4th and 5th. Makes sense to me (with a cap once the editions start to happen two years apart, of course).

 

[Cevalic]

I laughed Razz.

 

[Agamon]

Yeah, I didn't even note the satire until I was done the Scott quote. That's actually believable to me.

Not a knee slapper, but amusing nonetheless. And I don't see how the actual people mentioned in the OP are insulted in any way. It's satire, sheesh.

 

[WotC_Dave]

Here's my perspective as a WotC guy.

I think the moderators here do a fantastic job at keeping things civil--frankly that's why I've enjoyed coming here for years. (Almost exclusively lurking, but remember: I usually can't talk about what I'm working on.)

I wouldn't worry about us being thin-skinned. Criticism is part of the job. And everything you have to say about something I wrote, well, it's likely I heard it from within the walls of WotC, too, long before the book came out. So you could say I'm pretty well-innoculated.

The RPG R&D department is, after all, about two dozen committed gamers sitting in close proximity, 40-50 hours a week. Suffice it to say that it's not an environment for the thin-skinned.

As for why you're seeing more of us lately, I'm not sure. I know that I'm reluctant to post when I can't talk about what I'm working on. That's a drag--it's like going to a dinner party when you can't really contribute to the conversation. And my own surfing habits here are pretty variable. I'll check the boards every day for a week, then get caught up in a particular aspect of what I'm working on and not even fire up the browser for a few days.

--David Noonan, game designer, Wizards of the Coast.