At Least 4 Months For Conversion Documents

Those waiting for official conversion documents from earlier editions of D&D to 5th edition are going to have to wait a bit longer. WotC's Mike Mearls says that "the person who needs to do the final approvals on them is serving on a jury that will take another 4 or so months. Sorry!" So it looks like we're talking July/August at the earliest. Thanks to Adrian for the scoop.

 

[Sailor Moon]

Corporate? Not really- a lot of the people Umbran is talking about were in small companies or solo designers.

Not only that, we had people in the bigger companies who actually used their position to fast-track certain inquiries... Haven't seen the ones I know of in some time.

I've heard some people just can't take criticism and take it personally. Every message board is going to have a few A-holes but that's the Internet. Well I guess they couldn't handle the heat so they got out of the fire.

 

[Umbran]

Hard to give respect when they give you the same old corporate BS.

Actually, it isn't. We tell ourselves that because we don't want to give it, and want to justify our actions. Showing respect is as easy as controlling your impulses.

I've heard some people just can't take criticism and take it personally.

Most people can't *give* criticism, either, so there is that.

Every message board is going to have a few A-holes but that's the Internet.

That's more nonsense rationalization. As soon as you say, "but that's the internet," you are essentially giving license to the A-holes, by sending the message that you are going to tolerate their behavior. Thus, the statement becomes self-fulfilling prophecy.

Well I guess they couldn't handle the heat so they got out of the fire.

Heh. That is very easy to say when you aren't the one with the blowtorch aimed at you for trying to be nice.

 

[Morrus]

I've heard some people just can't take criticism and take it personally. Every message board is going to have a few A-holes ....

Talking of that - do you know ForeverSlayer, XunValdorl_of_Kilsek, The Black Ranger, Dominar Rygel XVI, and other exciting banned usernames, or do you all just share a mobile phone and identical opinions and posting styles?

 

[SkidAce]

Actually, it isn't. We tell ourselves that because we don't want to give it, and want to justify our actions. Showing respect is as easy as controlling your impulses.



Most people can't *give* criticism, either, so there is that.



That's more nonsense rationalization. As soon as you say, "but that's the internet," you are essentially giving license to the A-holes, by sending the message that you are going to tolerate their behavior. Thus, the statement becomes self-fulfilling prophecy.



Heh. That is very easy to say when you aren't the one with the blowtorch aimed at you for trying to be nice.

I wish I could give this post all the xp, and get certain people to read and comprehend it.

Well said.

The street runs both ways folks...

 

[Mark CMG]

Working as a game designer, or otherwise for a game company, is not "public life".

The best way to make sure you get no information, is to be overly critical when you are given information. If they are going to be damned for speaking, or damned for not - well, not speaking is really easy. So, it pays to be a tad gracious and forgiving when they do speak, especially when they are brave enough to speak as individuals, rather than as carefully crafted and impersonal press releases.

We used to get game designers come here to post, and talk with fans. No more, for much the same reason. Treating them like they were people who deserved a little respect even if they weren't perfect seems to be beyond us.

Some still come around and are traditionally some of the biggest supporters and contributors to EN World, though the number is relatively fewer than in the early days. They might not always be the perfect diplomats but generally speaking their hearts seem in the right place.

 

[billd91]

Working as a game designer, or otherwise for a game company, is not "public life".

Not in the sense that a politician or celebrity is living a public life and thus isn't subject to the same invasion of privacy, no.

But shouting out the world on Twitter or any other form of social media? That's making a pretty public statement. And while I do think people can take it too far (as I think some posters in this thread are doing), public statements are fodder for public discussion, debate, and public jumping to foolish/wise conclusions.

If anything, I think this issue helps to highlight how bad social media communication can be. Dropping an excuse why an expected product is late on Twitter, even as an aside to another person? Probably not the best move. While I don't think a press release needs to be carefully crafted for everything, Twitter is just about the worst forum for making that comment that I can think of at this moment. It's witnessable by pretty much everybody and doesn't support a lot of nuanced explanation. In other words, it's fundamentally garbage media - yet, strangely, is being archived by the Library of Congress.

 

[Dannyalcatraz]

But shouting out the world on Twitter or any other form of social media? That's making a pretty public statement. And while I do think people can take it too far (as I think some posters in this thread are doing), public statements are fodder for public discussion, debate, and public jumping to foolish/wise conclusions.

If anything, I think this issue helps to highlight how bad social media communication can be. Dropping an excuse why an expected product is late on Twitter, even as an aside to another person? Probably not the best move. While I don't think a press release needs to be carefully crafted for everything, Twitter is just about the worst forum for making that comment that I can think of at this moment. It's witnessable by pretty much everybody and doesn't support a lot of nuanced explanation. In other words, it's fundamentally garbage media - yet, strangely, is being archived by the Library of Congress.

...which supports Umbran's assertion about damned if you do or don't position.

Twitter ISN'T the best- I hate it, personally, and don't use it (and won't unless forced to)- but it IS one of the big weapons in the typical organization's PR arsenal these days.

Here, the reason for the delay is simple: the person responsible for the final "whatever" on this low-priority product in a small company is unavoidably entangled in doing their civic duty for several months. No further exposition is necessary. It may not even be possible. Twitter seems a near perfect vehicle for releasing that tidbit of info because not much else needs or can be said on the matter.

But that isn't enough for some.

 

[billd91]

...which supports Umbran's assertion about damned if you do or don't position.

Twitter ISN'T the best- I hate it, personally, and don't use it (and won't unless forced to)- but it IS one of the big weapons in the typical organization's PR arsenal these days.

Here, the reason for the delay is simple: the person responsible for the final "whatever" on this low-priority product in a small company is unavoidably entangled in doing their civic duty for several months. No further exposition is necessary. It may not even be possible. Twitter seems a near perfect vehicle for releasing that tidbit of info because not much else needs or can be said on the matter.

But that isn't enough for some.

No, I have to disagree with Twitter being a near perfect vehicle for that. A much better vehicle is a statement on their own website with links to it posted on Twitter, Facebooks, whatever. I understand that a quick tweet may have seemed a convenient vehicle, but as soon as elaboration is asked for (as I'm sure it has been), it should be obvious that the medium and the message have been insufficient and elaboration is necessary.

I work at a company that makes medical record software (among other applications) and if dates slip for us, it's a priority to get that information out to our customers. The nature of our products makes that more important than RPGs, sure, but there's still a good principle of customer service embedded in there. If you know what products are delayed by jury duty, post the info rather than leak it out.

And frankly, I don't care if people are going to speculate and grouse no matter what you do - haters are going to hate. You're not going to mollify them. And you can probably not sweat your fanboys and white knights. But I think both groups are minorities. The group you want to keep thinking well of your efforts is the group in between.

 

[Umbran]

But shouting out the world on Twitter or any other form of social media? That's making a pretty public statement.

As is posting on public messageboards, you know.

The Golden Rule should apply. Treat them like you yourself wish to be treated. If that person making a public statement can be criticized, then, by extension, our public responses to it are open to criticism as well.

And while I do think people can take it too far (as I think some posters in this thread are doing), public statements are fodder for public discussion, debate, and public jumping to foolish/wise conclusions.

You had me up to that last bit about jumping to conclusions. That's not okay. It may be common, but goodness forfend someone suggest we, *gasp*, try to be mindful and improve ourselves a bit!

If anything, I think this issue helps to highlight how bad social media communication can be. Dropping an excuse why an expected product is late on Twitter, even as an aside to another person? Probably not the best move.

That may be. But, is *us* talking about it constructive? I mean, if you want to drop a letter to WotC about their communication style, that would make sense. But talking to third parties, and hoping or expecting that to impact WotC is kind of the poster child for passive-aggressive behavior, isn't it?

 

[billd91]

That may be. But, is *us* talking about it constructive? I mean, if you want to drop a letter to WotC about their communication style, that would make sense. But talking to third parties, and hoping or expecting that to impact WotC is kind of the poster child for passive-aggressive behavior, isn't it?

If you feel that way, you're free to leave the conversation.