And the rest is silence.
- Thread starter Michael Morris
- Start date
Axiomatic Unicorn
First Post
Horacio said:
Disclaimer: The following comments should be read as entirely light-hearted thoughts.
Your comments in this thread started as a reply to me, asking why I was being harsh.
In a few posts, it became a discussion of flames and people who post flames being jerks.
This then led to the idea that some people don't acknowledge the humanity of other people.
This led to references to "ethnic cleansing"
and "dangerous ideas".
My conclusion: Trying to limit the freedom of people to express their own thoughts is far more dangerous than potentially hurting someone's feelings.
REMINDER: "light-hearted" ------ I am well aware that I have not been accused of anything more than "being harsh".
And I don't feel that I was at all unjustly harsh.
My only regret is that I didn't simply remain apathetic.
Wolfspider
Explorer
One thing that I've noticed from my time participating in internet discussions is that whenever someone starts comparing something somebody said did to the actions or words of a dictator (like Hitler, for example), it's a sure sign that things have gotten out of hand and the flames are really going to start roaring.
It's the worse kind of skewed hyperbole imaginable. Saying that some people are better than others IS NOT the same thing as killing six million Jews.
For example, in this thread from RPG.net, the poster "Evil Fungi" compares somebody's comment that people should wait to judge a game until it's actually come out to people not standing up to Hitler's racial purification. Yikes! Yes, things really got out of hand after that.
I think that message boards should be set up to automatically delete any post with the word Hitler in it.
Oops! Now that I've mentioned the H-word (even though I was just using it as an example), I'm sure this thread will go up in a firestorm and have to be closed. How ironic.
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Back to the real point of discussion here... 
The point has been made, and I think is correct that unless your campaign setting is in print and sits on the shelf in your gamestore then few people are gonna be interested enough in it.
I downloaded Dusk to take a look and I'm impressed. A hell of a lot of work has gone into that and it looks fantastic.
Have you not thought about looking for a publisher to stick this out on the shelves. All it needs is a map and a nice cover, and it's read to go.
Oh.. yes, thats should have been "hot cakes" not "hot cokes"
The point has been made, and I think is correct that unless your campaign setting is in print and sits on the shelf in your gamestore then few people are gonna be interested enough in it.
I downloaded Dusk to take a look and I'm impressed. A hell of a lot of work has gone into that and it looks fantastic.
Have you not thought about looking for a publisher to stick this out on the shelves. All it needs is a map and a nice cover, and it's read to go.
Oh.. yes, thats should have been "hot cakes" not "hot cokes"
Kid Charlemagne
I am the Very Model of a Modern Moderator
The only thing I'm going to add to this is something that Ryan Dancey said many moons ago, when discussing why WoTC wasn't doing Ravenloft, Dark Sun, Planescape, Spelljammer, Dragonlance, Mystara, or (really) Greyhawk anymore.
Only a small subset of gamers buy world settings, and anything branded as being "for" a world setting is often passed over by buyers since they feel it won't be of use to them.
If Wizards is (mostly) getting out of the world setting business, then it only stands to reason that 3rd parties will find it rough going. There is a proliferation of world settings out there right now, and I'd bet most are faring poorly, in comparison to the "generic" D20 products. I'd love to see sales figures supporting or not supporting that idea, though.
World creation is a labor of love, and it should be done for it's own sake.
However, having a nicely produced product ("selling" or not) could help you get actual, paying work, if that's what you're interested in. As Colonel Hardisson pointed out, his independent film didn't sell worth beans. However, it's possible that if it was any good (even just visually speaking, or for the script) that it could get him in the door of a larger production. Today's films are littered with actors and directors who got their start on low-budget independent or student films. I could name dozens of names, including a lot of very big stars in the field.
It's possible that this could be used to help you in that way. But it's up to you. And guilt trips laid on us isn't a great way to build a consumer base.
Only a small subset of gamers buy world settings, and anything branded as being "for" a world setting is often passed over by buyers since they feel it won't be of use to them.
If Wizards is (mostly) getting out of the world setting business, then it only stands to reason that 3rd parties will find it rough going. There is a proliferation of world settings out there right now, and I'd bet most are faring poorly, in comparison to the "generic" D20 products. I'd love to see sales figures supporting or not supporting that idea, though.
World creation is a labor of love, and it should be done for it's own sake.
However, having a nicely produced product ("selling" or not) could help you get actual, paying work, if that's what you're interested in. As Colonel Hardisson pointed out, his independent film didn't sell worth beans. However, it's possible that if it was any good (even just visually speaking, or for the script) that it could get him in the door of a larger production. Today's films are littered with actors and directors who got their start on low-budget independent or student films. I could name dozens of names, including a lot of very big stars in the field.
It's possible that this could be used to help you in that way. But it's up to you. And guilt trips laid on us isn't a great way to build a consumer base.
ColonelHardisson
What? Me Worry?
Henry said:
Yeah, we were up for a few things - the Oscarz are one thing I don't remember us being up for. I'll have to double check that.
As for posting it online digitally, there was some effort made in that direction, but the director decided not to do it. I'll talk to her about it again.
Thanks for the interest!
Axiomatic Unicorn said:
Maybe true, I don't remember if it was to you or to other 'harsh' post..
And, that wasn't for you.
I didn't say you (or anybody here) were flaming.
My more sinceres apologies if you or anybody here thought so.
After my post, somebody began to speak about flaming and internet, and there I answered, about anonymouss flaming in internet.
Nobody here, and in general, nobody in ENWorld do it.
It was a rant against internet habits, because I was a bit oversensitive due to other forums.
O.K., it was partially my fault. Somebody say "not everybody is equal human" and I said I hate that line of tought, because it has brought too much pain to the world. So I don't like it even as a joke.
I didn't say anybody here liked "ethnic cleansing". I didn't say anybody here were *put politic insult here*
I only said I don't like joking with phases like "not everybody is equal human".
And I said I didn't think it was dangerous because of a real danger, but because it can generate a flame war easily, as it has done...
I don't try to limit anobody capacity to express their thoughts. I like freedom of expression. But IMHO you must learn to use your freedom. Your freedom finishes where other people freedom begins, we say in Spain, you are free to say anything you like, but you should try to say it in a way not hurting to other people feelings.
Well, I still feel you were a bit harsh. When you have worked for a long time in a project, and you fell proud of it, and nobody or only a few people appreciate it, it's normal (it's human) to write some posts like Morris did, IMHO. Maybe form the outside it can seem he is a bit too proud of his brain child, but I think it's a normal reaction.
And I don't regret that yoiu didn't remain apathetic, I like a good discussion like that
Light-hearted, of course
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