Wizards: Musings on the new DDi disaster

[Imaro]

They're calling it a "diaster" because each new poster needs to use more and more over-the-top verbiage to make their comment stand out against the other dozens of people doing the same thing.

Or... and I know this is a stretch... many of them are previous users of the original CB and in their minds, the state the old CB was in compared to the new... makes it a disaster. YMMV of course.

Very few people come on two or three days in and just comment "It wasn't in a very good state and there are some obvious problems with it. Many of them will probably get taken care by the end of the week... but for a roll out, it didn't set a very good first impression."

Why should they, if that's not how they feel? Many have been, for all practical purposes, misled as far as what was going on with the original builder for close to two months now, are paying for this tool (Some locked into subscriptions before they knew this was happening), and it works worse (for many) than the tool they originally had... I'm sorry I could see your point if this was a free beta for feedback... but when people's money is involved I believe they have every right to express their dissatisfaction in a manner they choose... and you don't have the right to tell them what is the "right" way to phrase how they feel about the mess...

to me the fact that you have the audacity to believe that you know how each person should feel about this development better than they do, as well as how they should phrase said feelings is beyond arrogance and more than a little condescending.

Who wants to come online and post something like that? That's no way to get XP!

I would assume that those who feel that way would... right? As far as XP... there's also nothing like a few smilies to cover up broad sarcastic jabs to garner some either... right?

 

[Henry]

I leave these boards for a few weeks, and look what happens!

Merric, leading the charge against WoTC.

Who would have thought it? Welcome to the Dark Side, Merric!

I see it a different way. If it's Merric who's saying that WotC has a Charlie Foxtrot on their hands, then there are serious problems indeed.

 

[DEFCON 1]

As far as XP... there's also nothing like a few smilies to cover up broad sarcastic jabs to garner some either... right?

Oh no, no, no... please don't misunderstand me. I'm not trying to cover up my sarcastic jabs at all! I used smilies to specifically emphasize how ridiculous I think many people are with the amount of vitriol they spew out over and over again, even after twenty-seven people previous to them in the thread said the same exact things, only with much more elegance and grace.

If you are all right with ranting about "disasters" and how WotC "can't do anything right", and that you "have no faith in the company" or any other hyperbolic language you and everyone else use to describe how "incensed" you are and how WotC "spits in the face of their customers"... (all the previous statements are paraphrases of comments I've seen here on ENWorld from all manner of poster time and time again)...

...then you also have to be all right when the rest of us poke fun at you for getting so worked up about it. Yes, money is involved... but if that's the case, you'd be better served writing to WotC to cancel your subscription than come on here typing about how you're being ripped off. I'm sorry if I "offend" you... but if people used moderated, less emotional, somewhat balanced statements in describing the problems they are having... I wouldn't say a darned thing, PLUS WotC might even read your well-thought-out concerns and take them into account, rather than have their eyes glaze over three lines in with another rant full of sound and fury but signifying nothing.

And because this is my 3,000th post... I will now use a bunch of smilies.

 

[Imaro]

Oh no, no, no... please don't misunderstand me. I'm not trying to cover up my sarcastic jabs at all! I used smilies to specifically emphasize how ridiculous I think many people are with the amount of vitriol they spew out over and over again, even after twenty-seven people previous to them in the thread said the same exact things, only with much more elegance and grace.

If you are all right with ranting about "disasters" and how WotC "can't do anything right", and that you "have no faith in the company" or any other hyperbolic language you and everyone else use to describe how "incensed" you are and how WotC "spits in the face of their customers"... (all the previous statements are paraphrases of comments I've seen here on ENWorld from all manner of poster time and time again)...

...then you also have to be all right when the rest of us poke fun at you for getting so worked up about it. Yes, money is involved... but if that's the case, you'd be better served writing to WotC to cancel your subscription than come on here typing about how you're being ripped off. I'm sorry if I "offend" you... but if people used moderated, less emotional, somewhat balanced statements in describing the problems they are having... I wouldn't say a darned thing, PLUS WotC might even read your well-thought-out concerns and take them into account, rather than have their eyes glaze over three lines in with another rant full of sound and fury but signifying nothing.

And because this is my 3,000th post... I will now use a bunch of smilies.

Wait so you're equating... complaining about the services, business practices and quality of WotC products... with making fun of other posters? How does that correlate again. I mean you're no moderator but you get to decide how people should express themselves... or you're right to make fun of them... really, get over yourself.

Honestly I could care less what you think, however I do feel your passive-aggressive jabs at other posters (as opposed to just stating your feelings as to WotC's as a business like they've done) are just as hyperbolic and pointless and negative as the comments you supposedly rally against and hold yourself to a higher standard than... hypocrisy is great though...

 

[Nichwee]

... hypocrisy is great though...

Actually there was no hypocrisy - he specifically stated that being willing to come on to a message board and post a rant aimed at people not on that board and full of hyperbole is acceptable, aand so is coming on to the board to rant at or ridicule those who partook in the aforementioned activity.

It would only be hypocrisy if he then said "You can't ridicule me - its not allowed". He didn't say that - thus no hypocrisy.

He instead used sattire to allude to the fact tha a lot of time/effort/typing are used ranting on these boards when the wants expressed could be better served by a ration arguement delivered to the appropriate persons.

I don't defned his actions, or those of whom he was mocking, but I do agree that a lot of effort goes into griping. But then some peeps just like to gripe - it makes them feel better, so more power to them - but I do note it would serve that need just as well for a stickied thread to be titled "Get that Rant off your chest" and save peeps the time and bother of scanning rants to see if anything useful actually got said.

 

[Piratecat]

Heh. Welcome to the world. In any population you'll have lots of people who are moderate, and lots of people who are more strident or prone to hyperbole. People express themselves in different ways. Learning to read between the lines when even the relaxed people become annoyed is essential to understanding a message board. I think very few people do so to "get xp."

Quite a few people are (imo justifiably) annoyed right now. WotC recognizes this and is working to fix it. It'll get better.

But don't mock people, please. It makes discussion more difficult.

 

[Imaro]

Actually there was no hypocrisy - he specifically stated that being willing to come on to a message board and post a rant aimed at people not on that board and full of hyperbole is acceptable, aand so is coming on to the board to rant at or ridicule those who partook in the aforementioned activity.

Wait a minute so now ranting about the products and services a company offers for purchase... is "ranting at people not on that board". When did companies, businesses, etc. become "people"? I haven't seen anyone personally attack a WotC employee in this thread... maybe I missed it (and if I did cool, but that wasn't what Defcon was addressing.) but talking about the products is not the same as making personal attacks against said people. On the other hand mocking actual people who have posted is.

 

[Piratecat]

Enough. Back on topic, please.

 

[Nichwee]

Wait a minute so now ranting about the products and services a company offers for purchase... is "ranting at people not on that board". When did companies, businesses, etc. become "people"? I haven't seen anyone personally attack a WotC employee in this thread... maybe I missed it (and if I did cool, but that wasn't what Defcon was addressing.) but talking about the products is not the same as making personal attacks against said people. On the other hand mocking actual people who have posted is.

Fair point - feel free to reread my comments as "ranting at, and about, a company not present on that board".

And as I said I do not condone, or comdemn, his behaviour, or those of anyone on this board as that is not my place - I just pointed out that he showed no case of hypocrisy. He merely said, in paraphrase, "If people can post rants, I can post mockery". This is not hypocrisy. It is not polite either, but you accused him of hypocrisy.

I agree with him that a lot of needless hyperbole is being thrown around (his posts included) but hyperbole is something almost everyone on this board is guilty of at some point, so I don't expect any amount of ranting or mockery to stop it. People tend to 'overstate' on boards, I assume to compensate for the lack of the emotive expression one has available in speech but not text.

Personally I am rather ambivalent about the new CB (it does the job ok, but definately needs work), non-plussed about the VT (I play with friends in person) and enjoy the hobby itself. As long as the last remains the case I have no mayor complaints tbh. Worse case I end my DDI sub.

 

[Oldtimer]

If you are all right with ranting about "disasters" and how WotC "can't do anything right", and that you "have no faith in the company" or any other hyperbolic language you and everyone else use to describe how "incensed" you are and how WotC "spits in the face of their customers"...

Let's see here. The launch of CB2 was a disaster as software launches go. From experience it would seem that WotC can't do anything right in the digital arena. And, personally, I have no faith in the company to improve. I don't seem to have any spit in my face at the moment, but WotC have certainly lied in the face of their customers.

...then you also have to be all right when the rest of us poke fun at you for getting so worked up about it.

No, I'm not all right with that. Not at all. We have every reason to be worked up, not only because we paid money to WotC for their service, but also because we love D&D and really, really want the publisher of that game to do things that benefit that game. At the moment they are more like a bull in a china shop and we feel upset about that.