Do Personal Opinions Of Authors, Etc Dissuade You From Purchases?

[ShinHakkaider]

Personally, for what it's worth, I'll buy any product if I think it's good, no matter what the writers private opinions. I even bought a book written by a guy who trashed one of my own books in an ambush review. I beleive in free speech and free thinking.

BD

I believe in free speech and free thinking as well, but that doesnt mean that I have to support jerks who I happen to vehemently disagree with.

 

[big dummy]

I believe in free speech and free thinking as well, but that doesnt mean that I have to support jerks who I happen to vehemently disagree with.

What does somebodies philosophy or politics have to do with a book about dragons or swords or spells? You are trying to punish people who don't agree with you. It's going to lead to less and less people being honest.

This, to me, is yet another piece of a trend which is increasingly leading into an Emperor Has No Clothes situation. If the game does stagnate again it will be, in my opinion, due to the attitude of a lot of the fan base. It's already like "hear no evil, see no evil... or ELSE!!!"

You know, after reading this thread, I'm glad I don't write D20 stuff any more. There are some really nice people in this genre, in the industry and just into this game, but there are also some really vile people, who make me frankly not want to waste my time writing material for. I'm not specifically referring to you ShinHakkaider, I don't know you... but I am really frustrated with some of the general attitude I encounter in places like this.

I've always been someone who, while into other games, was open to D&D as well. D&D was my first love. I still remember my first lame character in Summer camp, an elf magic user with nothing but the lowly ability to cast "dancing lights", soon killed by orcs for struggling while captive. A truly magical moment to me. I'll really never forget that first game and the charge I felt. I won't forget many other games in high school, in the army, as a young adult later on.

But it seems like since 3.X has come out, there is a nastyness which has crept in somehow, I've noticed it in gaming groups and I've noticed it bigtime online. Most people I know who play other games abhor D&D, specifically because of the fan base. I thought they were crazy, but I'm beginning to see some of that. Because even if it's a small proportion of players who are nasty like this, they seem to be gaining ground... gaining an influence on the overall culture of the game far beyond their small numbers, driving some people away while attracting more like themselves. Dialogue about the future if the game already seems to be effectively almost forbidden, discussion of any general aspect of D&D (as opposed to specific, like feats or spells) can really get you in hot water. Thats really crazy if you think about it. (It would be like going on a road trip where opening the map was forbidden, discussing the destination was forbidden....)

(because trust me, you have a lot more influence in here than you think)

Now you can add to that that if you are a writer, you better be doubly careful to keep your mouth shut. Your stuff can be boycotted or worse, companies who have been nice enough to print your work can end up receiving the blame.

I know you have a lot of writers in this genre, a high percentage of players are wanna be writers at heart. You have quite a valuable resource of creativity in all those people. I just hope you don't burn it all out though in spite of that abundance, because you are alienating some of those folks at a very alarming rate. I know because I hear the same from a lot of other writers. Very few are as pugnacious as I am and therefore you are very unlikely to hear from them their true feelings on a lot of these matters.

BD

 

[BadMojo]

As another poster said, I won't support publishers who steal material and flagrantly violate the D20 license because I feel that it's bad for this tiny little niche hobby, but other than that I don't mind if authors say or do things I disagree with.

It's natural that I won't agree with everything that various authors do or say and some people tend to be less, uh, tactful than others on message boards, etc. The only caveat I have with this is that I won't buy products from someone who's personally treated me with disrepect. This did happen to me with a non-D20 author and I refuse to put money in his pocket since he treated me like dirt for no particular reason on more than one occasion.

Other than that, the folks who write RPG books are human and I certainly wouldn't hold them to a higher standard than I hold myself.

 

[Man in the Funny Hat]

I have not yet come across a game author/publisher whose public behavior and personal opinions caused me to avoid their products. Yet. Game products or the game industry are certainly NOT where such opinions ought to be aired for purposes of furthering those positions. At best those who HAVE approached that line have not offended me. Sometimes because they publicly echo my own personal beliefs and attitudes in doing so anyway, and sometimes because though I might disagree with them vehemently I don't CARE what their ignorant opinion is on a subject and happily disregard it. Similarly I disregard the opinions of the vast majority of actors, directors, etc. in Hollywood and the entertainment industry in general. Just because someone might have found a convenient platform to air their unrelated views doesn't mean I should give them any heed.

 

[Infiniti2000]

Absolutely it affects my purchasing decisions. How could it not?

 

[prosfilaes]

What does somebodies philosophy or politics have to do with a book about dragons or swords or spells? You are trying to punish people who don't agree with you. It's going to lead to less and less people being honest.

I don't see many people here making a big fuss about whether they agree with them. It's about whether they're treating the people around them well. I don't see any more reason to buy from someone who's rude to me on a forum than there is to buy from someone who's rude to me in a store. And I think it's a very good thing when people who make other people's days worse suffer negative effects from it.

but I am really frustrated with some of the general attitude I encounter in places like this.

So why should I buy from people who frustrate me with their lousy attitude?

 

[prosfilaes]

I know that I have thought twice about reading Oscar Scott Card, because of his screeds. It's at least partially because they felt like rhetoric-filled screeds rather than well-written position papers, but I know the position taken also had an effect. And it's also because his works are so philosophical that it's hard to seperate the two. It's more that I have negative associations, rather than a conscious boycott.

I left the Steve Jackson Games forums after I had a run-in with an employee who misinterpreted what I said and chose to accuse me of slander rather than take it as a mistake. I haven't boycotted SJG, but I think I've not bought books because I don't associate with GURPS players online anymore.

 

[TheAuldGrump]

Yes.

There are people who's views I find so opposite mine own that I will not purchase their products. (Not politics or religion, but ethics, and a respect for other's points of view.)

There are people who's behavior when encountered at conventions or on message boards was so rude that I will not purchase their products.

There are people who have so demonstrated their ignorance of the material that they are supposed to be covering that I will not purchase their products.

On the flip side there are people who have expressed themselves cordially, with dignity and a firm grasp of the subject at hand, with the result that I have sought out their products.

The Auld Grump

 

[Dannyalcatraz]

What does somebodies philosophy or politics have to do with a book about dragons or swords or spells? You are trying to punish people who don't agree with you. It's going to lead to less and less people being honest.

It would be heavily dependent upon the opinion and the person- it would be very difficult for someone Jewish to buy even an EXCELLENT product from "ThirdReichD20.com" or someone who is Black to buy something from "KlanDragon Publishers" just on principle.

It would be even more difficult if some of their philosophy seeped into the product.

...not that I have seen any such products or heard of any such writers.

(Well, except for the well known mysoginies of FATAL, of course!)

 

[genshou]

Other.

GMSkarka has, on a number of occasions, annoyed or slightly offended me indirectly. But I usually get over it and realize what he's saying is pretty canny. I'd happily buy his books if I had any money.

A certain other person I do not buy from. Things he has said have offended me on a level beyond the superficial. I know he has a reputation for writing some good material, but he won't be selling any of it to me.

Customer service matters. Anyone who is trained in sales will tell you how much. If someone offends my sensibilities I won't buy from them again unless there is a reconciliation.