The "I Didn't Comment in Another Thread" Thread

[Hussar]

4e, Vistani, Noble Savage Kit, Kender, Orcs, Vampire the Masquerade, Drow, Orcs of Thar, Half-Orcs, Oriental Adventures...etc
Some people have emotional connections with some or all of these products. Many of us had to listen to persons who had emotional connections. If I recall correctly you were crusading for some of these emotional connections.

Emotional connections with a product is a thing.

I think you have me confused with someone else. I've crusaded some of these issues, true, but, rarely from the position of "I hate this so you shouldn't play it."

I can honestly say that I don't really have an emotional connection with anything D&D other than I find it a fun thing that I do. About the only emotion I generally feel is a large heaping of annoyance at watching people constantly, and consistently, take large steaming dumps about games they don't even play.

It's why I avoid a lot of genre stuff anymore to be honest. I just cannot handle the screaming, frothing of the mouth, constant negativity surrounding any fandom. I know that it's only a tiny slice of the fandom, but, it's kinda like a swimming pool. Even though there is only one turd in the pool, I still won't swim in it.

 

[AnotherGuy]

I think you have me confused with someone else. I've crusaded some of these issues, true, but, rarely from the position of "I hate this so you shouldn't play it."

True, I didn't mean it that you've told people not to play something. Only from the perspective that emotional connection to products exists a lot in this hobby (at least on Enworld or online I should say). Which is what @billd91 was saying that one needs to listen to their market.

I can honestly say that I don't really have an emotional connection with anything D&D other than I find it a fun thing that I do. About the only emotion I generally feel is a large heaping of annoyance at watching people constantly, and consistently, take large steaming dumps about games they don't even play.

There are people who are also quite subtle in their ways of taking large steaming dumps by continuously starting long engaging threads with seemingly an innocent question only to advertise, with their constant thumbs-upping cohorts, their brand of playstyle is superior. At least with the shouters, their position is clear from the outset, they do not hide behind niceties.

It's why I avoid a lot of genre stuff anymore to be honest. I just cannot handle the screaming, frothing of the mouth, constant negativity surrounding any fandom. I know that it's only a tiny slice of the fandom, but, it's kinda like a swimming pool. Even though there is only one turd in the pool, I still won't swim in it.

This is tricky because we all belong to some degree to some fandom - whether it be a particular RPG setting, particular fantasy or sci-fi series, particular set of movies. It is fair to say we have all been disappointed at some stage. The key is not to scream and froth, but rather quietly cry in the corner bitterly unhappy for what has become of one's beloved product. I kid.

 

[billd91]

But how many?

I'm not being facetious here. How many people's emotional connections with a product do I have to listen to?

And what if those emotional connections are tied to things that I really don't feel comfortable putting in my product?

Frankly, people having emotional connections to a product is largely the problem here. If someone's emotional connection to pineapple pizza is so strong that they will DEMAND that no pizza restaurant, including the ones they don't even eat at EVER sell pineapple on pizza, then, well, those folks can go soak their heads.

"I don't like it" is perfectly fine. "I don't like it so I don't eat it" is also perfectly fine. "I don't like it so YOU can't eat it" is never fine.

It's about understanding your market. People don't rant for no reason whatsoever. And just because someone or multiple someones out there in the market disagree with those rants and discount them as "factually wrong" or whatever, that doesn't mean they won't have an impact on any product success. Companies would be wise to try to understand those market segments, get an idea how big they are, and then decide how or if they will address them.
It's true there will be some things they can't address. If someone was ranting about New Coke because of an idiosyncratic association with trauma ("when I tried my first sip, I was distracted and stepped out into the road where a kid on a Huffy ran into me, knocked me down, and I lost my two front teeth"), they probably have no way of understanding it. But if people are complaining because Coke sold them on brand identity with their slick marketing over the last decades and changing the formula undermines that identity, then maybe they need to think about it a bit harder. Is it still a small minority? Then maybe they don't need to conform to their rant. But if it's big (and growing), then maybe it indicates the risk of the new direction is a lot higher than its value. And if they're ranting because Coke's efforts are aimed at diversifying its market by including minorities in its advertising (whether racial, religious, sexual, or any other demographic difference) and they're trying to gatekeep, then maybe those complainers are a market segment they want to shed.
But if they don't know what they are, how big they are, or, and this is the topic of discussion, discount their objections cavalierly or defensively (or myopically by just focusing on product design) they don't know their market and may be putting out a product not enough of it wants to sustain the viability of the product line.

 

[eyeheartawk]

If someone was ranting about New Coke

I miss TAB

 

[Snarf Zagyg]

There are people who are also quite subtle in their ways of taking large steaming dumps by continuously starting long engaging threads with seemingly an innocent question only to advertise, with their constant thumbs-upping cohorts, their brand of playstyle is superior. At least with the shouters, their position is clear from the outset, they do not hide behind niceties.

Look, I understand that the thread is about pizza. But I am talking about pizza! And I think that the only proper way to talk about pizza is by using the eating examples from a restaurant I ate at in 2005 that was a knockoff off WD-50 located in Tacoma, Washington. See, the only way to truly understand pizza today is to discuss the 30 course foam meal I ate in 2005!

 

[payn]

Edition churn got you down? Tired of all the frustration? Why not head over and enjoy life a bit with songs in Payn's Music league?

 

[Snarf Zagyg]

Edition churn got you down? Tired of all the frustration? Why not head over and enjoy life a bit with songs in Payn's Music league?

Sorry. I only use Spotify for my fraudulent Dalmatian business.

 

[CleverNickName]

I miss TAB

This is just BadWrongDrPepper, isn't it?





(I also miss Tab.)

 

[eyeheartawk]

This is just BadWrongDrPepper, isn't it?





(I also miss Tab.)

No, that's Pibb.

(I also vastly prefer Mr. Pibb to Dr. Pepper)

 

[Snarf Zagyg]

No, that's Pibb.

(I also vastly prefer Mr. Pibb to Dr. Pepper)

Me too.

I mean, let's face it. Mr. Pibb is not nearly as pretentious as "Dr." Pepper. Did you know that Dr. Pepper isn't even a medical doctor? That's right- Pepper got his doctorate in Creative Writing and Literature. I totally respect the work he put in, but making everyone call him Doctor? At poker night?

A little pretentious. I'm going to hang out with Pibb.