Is The Forum Getting More Antagonistic?

[Reynard]

I think people like to fight. I can't count the times a discussion is going on and someone swoops in with an argument about a certain playstyle, edition or play element that has nothing to do with the subject at hand but forms the foundation for a vehement argument.

And I get it: when you are lonely or feeling like your IRL friends and family just don't want to engage with the things you want to talk about, you turn to your online communities. But sometimes the responses are to few or too bland and the obvious answer surfaces in your mind: go controversial. So you say something about 5e but hint at something about 4e, or whatever. It's not important. What matters is the lively thread emerges and you get that sweet, sweet dopamine from both the allies and the enemies.

In short: we're screwed.

 

[Umbran]

Sure. But that and five bucks will get you a cup of coffee.

I don't really understand what you are on about at this point.

 

[Lanefan]

I have a crazy theory that if ENWorld removed the "Like" button there would be an upswing in positive posting. This is just my own thinking, but when someone agrees with a post, they have two options: reply with an agreement, or press "Like." When someone disagrees with a post, they only have one option (other than ignoring the post): posting a disagreement. This leads to more disagreement posts populating threads, and fewer agreement posts being posted.

I suspect all that would happen would be an increase in posts saying nothing more than "I agree".

However, the 'Like' button has other uses. Many's the time I've 'Like'd a post not because I agree with it but as an acknowledgment of the thought that someone put into their words. And the 'Laugh' button has to stay.

I just wish there was a 'Facepalm' option as a response to bad puns.

 

[AnotherGuy]

I just wish there was a 'Facepalm' option as a response to bad puns.

I wouldn't use it for that

 

[Bedrockgames]

I've been lurking here for... a year? Two now? And I enjoy looking at people's thoughts on all kinds of TTRPG stuff. I enjoy the "what piece of art made you love X" threads, I enjoy the breaking down of game mastering styles, I enjoy having a place to check for RPG news.

But I feel like I'm seeing a lot more bickering over relatively minor things since the 1DnD playtest started, in particular. And it kinda makes me sad, because this has been a place I enjoy coming to check and now I feel like I'm seeing posters that I tend to like the posts of getting snarky with others, I'm seeing more moderation actions, and pretty much every thread that goes past 10 pages I feel like I need to mentally prepare myself before checking it out because it's almost a guarantee that people have gotten mean.

Is this all in my head? Is the prospect of the new edition making people more testy? What's going on, here?

I think things get a bit more spicy anytime an edition change-over is on the horizon. I haven't particularly noticed it this time around but maybe I missed those conversations. The editions wars between the 3E to 4E change and the 4E to 5E change were pretty ferocious. I am mostly seeing the normal levels of feuding here lately (which is to say, not zero, but for the most part nothing like prior edition changes).

My advice is try to pull back emotionally from these sorts of discussions if you are noticing patterns of behavior that bother you, and to lean on being kind to other posters as much as possible. I think a number of things happen during edition wars but something I usually sense is some of the meanness and sniping, can come from stuff in peoples lives that have nothing to do with gaming at all (and the gaming discussion seems to be a conduit for the sadness, anger or frustration they are feeling). Don't get me wrong, there are also posters who just love a good edition war. But I found in most circumstances, certainly not all, being nice to someone who is behaving that way has a much more positive effect on their posting style than when I meet angry post with an angry response (and I am certainly not guiltless when it comes to bickering over edition minutiae myself). But definitely pull away from discussions if they are stressing you.

Also like others have suggested the ignore button an be useful (even if you just need it for a day). The worst thing that can happen to you in these discussions is you see a post, it makes you angry, so you post something worded in a way you wouldn't have normally worded it, and then feel bad later. If you can, its best to either ignore those posts or wait a while before responding so your brain is cooler when you write.

 

[Alzrius]

I don't really understand what you are on about at this point.

Google is your friend.

 

[Umbran]

I wouldn't use it for that

Which is exactly why we don't have it, or the rolleyes.

 

[Umbran]

Google is your friend.

I am quite aware of what the aphorism means, thank you.

In the context of our exchange, it doesn't make a whole lot of sense. I cannot Google search the content of a poster's head to find that out.

 

[Umbran]

And the 'Laugh' button has to stay.

In the context of the forums becoming more antagonistic, actually, there's a pretty good argument that it should go. Its use in a mocking way is becoming a problem.

 

[Snarf Zagyg]

I cannot Google search the content of a poster's head to find that out.

Give it five years….