Is The Forum Getting More Antagonistic?

[R_J_K75]

One particular trend that isn't helping is the increase in personal attacks. I don't previously recall seeing so many posts that were clearly picking on specific posters, and not just their ideas, until recently.

Ive noticed too that people pile on when someone posts an unpopular opinion.

 

[Riley]

The ignore button is effective if there are one or two people that are ruining your experience regularly.

I highly recommend the ignore function.

I’m not seeing much conflict at the moment, probably because 1) I am not following the edition change discussions, and 2) I have a long ignore list (which is solely for my personal happiness; it’s not a judgement of the people I’ve ignored).

 

[Snarf Zagyg]

Is The Forum Getting More Antagonistic?

The best way to avoid antagonists, is to associate with the protagonist.*

*

Spoiler

Wait.... are you saying that the protagonist will encounter the antagonist?????

 

[billd91]

I have a long ignore list (which is solely for my personal happiness; it’s not a judgement of the people I’ve ignored).

I have a relatively long one too but I'm totally judging the people I'm ignoring.

 

[beancounter]

Yep...

 

[CleverNickName]

This happens every time a major update or revision is announced.
People fear change, always have.

 

[FitzTheRuke]

Not sure its "just" edition change.

Conversations tend to polarize into to sides and go downhill more frequently IMO.

Been bothering me for a while.

I think it is (mostly) edition change, but what you've noticed is that just before an edition changes, people will start to bicker about the current edition. It's part of how you know that it's "time" for a change. Warts start to grow on the "old" version. (Usually from option bloat - in particular from unintended consequences from mixing earlier rules with later rules). 5e did a pretty good job of avoiding this for as long as possible (mostly by not adding much material, but also by working pretty hard to avoid conflicts).

But still, the community has collectively anticipated the edition change for awhile (Tasha's probably alluded to it). And started the ball rolling earlier than the reality of it. Of course, the OneD&D Playtest has got it going in full force. But ENWorld is pretty mild as far as these things go. Truly unreasonable people do not last long here.

It's a storm we'll have to weather, though! Stay safe out there.

 

[billd91]

I think it is edition change, but what you've noticed is that just before an edition changes, people will start to bicker about the current edition. It's part of how you know that it's "time" for a change. Warts start to grow on the "old" version. (Usually from option bloat - in particular from unintended consequences from mixing earlier rules with later rules). 5e did a pretty good job of avoiding this for as long as possible (mostly by not adding much material, but also by working pretty hard to avoid conflicts).

I'm not sure with that. Since there is no option bloat, I don't think there's anything inherent about 5e that's driving warts starting to grow.

But still, the community has collectively anticipated the edition change for awhile (Tasha's probably alluded to it). And started the ball rolling earlier than the reality of it. Of course, the OneD&D Playtest has got it going in full force. But ENWorld is pretty mild as far as these things go. Truly unreasonable people do not last long here.

Yeah, much more this. I think any sense that there's an edition coming was generated simply by the knowledge that the 50th anniversary of D&D was coming up. That started the speculation long before WotC affirmed that there would be a 50th anniversary edition. I think that had a bigger impact than Tasha's did.

Add in the general antagonism out there in the public whether on the internet, because of particularly polarizing politics, or the pandemic and we've got a lot of people here, myself included, with a lot shorter fuses. And as much as the mods try to keep out the worst of it, those forces active in the world around us are going to seep in.

 

[Retreater]

If you were to ask me if the forum was getting more agnostic, I'd have to answer I don't know.

 

[Umbran]

I think it is (mostly) edition change, but what you've noticed is that just before an edition changes, people will start to bicker about the current edition.

This does not explain the long-running and rising antagonism about games other than D&D.