D&D General Differences Between D&D Boards

[Hussar]

@Morrus , I have to second @Doc_Klueless. I didn't notice your redtext until my second or third pass.

Oh thank you for this. I thought it was just my color blindness making it hard to read. @Morrus, yeah, I think bolding would help.

 

[Mikeythorn]

I like both RPGNet and Enworld. The moderation at Big Purple is strict, but I get it. They have a number of LBGTA members and want to make it a safe place for them, and further they are primarily a board for people who play games and want to prevent hostility between members over topics like politics and religion. RPGNet also leans towards games that I really like (games by companies like Fria Ligan and Modiphius as well as older games like Pendragon and Runequest), and is a great source of information on those.

 

[happyhermit]

... They have a number of LBGTA members and want to make it a safe place for them, and further they are primarily a board for people who play games and want to prevent hostility between members over topics like politics and religion. ...

I don't think that's quite a fair assessment of their site. They are proud of the discussion of politics on their site. Off the top of my head I can also think of outspokenly LGBT people who have been permabanned. It isn't so straightforward.

 

[Haffrung]

RPGnet is the most political RPG forum I’ve ever seen. By far. I have my doubts over how many of the most prolific posters and mods even actively play RPGs.

 

[Mikeythorn]

I don't think that's quite a fair assessment of their site. They are proud of the discussion of politics on their site. Off the top of my head I can also think of outspokenly LGBT people who have been permabanned. It isn't so straightforward.

That is probably fair. I guess the point I was trying to make was that “no group attacks” is a key rule - and that it’s origin probably stems from a desire to make the site inclusive. But it is applied across the board (although I have noticed that they are a little less likely to use it when the group being attacked comes from the US right).

I disagree that they are proud of their “politics” as Haffrung put it though. They are proud that they have an inclusive and a safe space for people of all persuasions. I do not regard that as a political stance, just a human one.

 

[Bohandas]

In addition to criminally bad search functions, the amount of RPG forums that STILL don't have a dark mode or mobile-friendly GUI is mind-boggling.

In my experiences mobile versions of website GUIs are usually garbage. I generally wind up having to load up the desktop version anyway bacause the mobile version is missing so much functionality

 

[Hussar]

In my experiences mobile versions of website GUIs are usually garbage. I generally wind up having to load up the desktop version anyway bacause the mobile version is missing so much functionality

Y'know I didn't realize they had finally put the dark mode back on En World. I scrolled down to the very bottom of this page and saw the mode selection and changed to dark. My eyes thank you.

 

[happyhermit]

That is probably fair. I guess the point I was trying to make was that “no group attacks” is a key rule - and that it’s origin probably stems from a desire to make the site inclusive. But it is applied across the board (although I have noticed that they are a little less likely to use it when the group being attacked comes from the US right).

Exemptions to the rule about group attacks includes government employees in certain areas, and support for the current US government is banned.

I disagree that they are proud of their “politics” as Haffrung put it though. They are proud that they have an inclusive and a safe space for people of all persuasions. I do not regard that as a political stance, just a human one.

I could be wrong, but I know when people have proposed extending a "politics free" period they were vehement about the fact that they wanted political discussion allowed on the site.

This could be straying a bit far but one of their (now former?) moderators was sued for libel, had to make a payment, then apologize publicly. The site buried the apology, but I wonder if it will affect how they move forward.

 

[CapnZapp]

The moderation of rpg.net is so oppressive you basically can't say bad things about a game.

I realize a very heavy hand is needed when it comes to politics and discussion related to gender/sexuality.

But they're moderating role-playing games equally hard. It has sucked out all my joy of participating there, except for a very limited number of highly specific topics.

Basically their problem is that politics and gender issues (the whole liberal-conservative war that's engulfing the US) are discussed at the same board as silly elfgames: say something bad about a game and you're treated as if you ate a baby.

 

[Bohandas]

Basically their problem is that politics and gender issues (the whole liberal-conservative war that's engulfing the US) are discussed at the same board as silly elfgames: say something bad about a game and you're treated as if you ate a baby.

Yeah. People need to lighten up.

 

[CapnZapp]

Yeah. People need to lighten up.

Well, no, my point was that rpg.net is moderating ttrpgs as if people's identity, self-worth, and outlook on the future were at stake. You know, like when you discuss politics or gender identity.

If you say something hurtful on the topic of abortion, or transsexuality, or gun control, that can come across as incredibly hurtful and create a bitter discussion climate.

But if I criticize your pretend Elf Barbarian, or somebody's rule for Hit Point recovery in a fictional fantasy game, that doesn't quite reach that level of acrimony... not in my book, at least.

Zapp

 

[Umbran]

Mod Note:

Hey, folks. Some of you may have missed this back on the first page of the thread....

Just to get this out there in advance -- the thread is fine, but what we're NOT going to do is say mean things about another community. Feel free to say what you enjoy about other forums, but there's no need to insult anybody. Be nice.

And then this on the second...

OK, we're not going to talk about politics, even by proxy when describing other forums.

And then this on the third...

I thought I was pretty clear we weren’t going to use this thread to attack other boards. I don’t want to have to close this down, but I’ll repeat: talk about what you like about other boards. We’re not going to be the type of place that defines itself by how it tears down others. Calling moderators on other forums names very much falls within that.

Maybe you can see the theme, now, that it is pointed out.

So, please folks, stop with trashing on other communities and their moderation. It is a bit of cross-community respect we should be cultivating.