Gaming Fans Absolutely Blow My Mind - A Rant

[Rechan]

What surprises me is that people assume this is limited to the internet.

It's not limited to it (everyone knows that guy who cannot say anything positive), but it's Worse on the internet. As per the infamous Penny Arcade explanation (warning: language).

 

[IronWolf]

Yeah, our hobby gets mainstream coverage and instead of just being happy seeing a game highlighted in these larger media outlets folks have to fill the comments with edition wars and preferences. So what they didn't highlight your favorite game or version, be happy there was some coverage of our niche hobby!

I don't mind the edition discussions on RPG forums. It is sort of why we all hang out to a degree, to discuss pros and cons, what is done well, what isn't (in our opinion) and such. But there is no need to carry those discussions over to the comment sections of mainstream sites.

 

[Desdichado]

Your mistake is assuming that gaming makes gamers different than other people.

Bingo! Gamers are just people. Whatever is common for people in general will be common for gamers too in about the same degree. This has been a pet peeve of mine for years; the expectation by some gamers that gamers are somehow "different" or "special" relative to people who happen to have other hobbies. I even named it the Torm Fallacy at one point.

 

[Hussar]

Oh, hey, I don't really make much distinction between Gamers and people. And, yes, I suppose I shouldn't be surprised. But, it still bugs the heck out of me. Particularly since so many gamers spend so much time lamenting on the lack of mainstream acceptance of the hobby.

I know, I shouldn't be surprised, but, dammit, I'm also going to condemn this kind of crap every time I see it.

 

[TheAuldGrump]

This is something that the Wolfman can get.

(XP for the first to get the ref)

'Wolfman has nards?' - Monster Squad.

People are people - I know that I still get angry when I think of the lead up to 4e and the GSL.

People vent, either to their publican, their mates, or on the interweb.

Stupid as that sounds, it is healthy. We are trouping primates, we fling poo.

I can pinpoint the exact post on another forum where I went from being mostly angry at WotC to mostly worried that D&D might go away.... I am glad that WotC is doing something about turning it back around.

The Auld Grump

*EDIT* Not hiding development was a big step, in my estimation.

 

[NewJeffCT]

It's Nerdgate over the Nerdrage. Or, Nardrage over the... oh, never mind.

However, you can go into any forum on the internet and find people making wildly bad comments, be it sports, politics, religion, gaming, etc. Want to really see passion - find some discussions about raising/disciplining children on the internets.

 

[Dannyalcatraz]

This is something that the Wolfman can get.

(XP for the first to get the ref)

(XP for the first to get the ref)
'Wolfman has nards?' - Monster Squad.

My thoughts exactly.

 

[Mallus]

HOLY CRAP! Are you freaking kidding me? D&D gets a nice mainstream, upbeat news story and people are crapping on editions?

Look on the bright side, D&D is getting a whole slew of mainstream news story's right now; CNN, The New York Times, Forbes, Time, heck even Perez Hilton's site had a post about it. I'm waiting for the wife to inform me Tom and Lorenzo --the fashion bloggers-- wrote about the new edition.

This says to me WotC is doing something very, very, right this time around.

What bothers me about the community response to this is the number of people --including folks around here-- who keep describing the D&D community like it's dominated by warring camps of partisans; entrenched and unwilling to try something different. As if they're representative of the majority, and not loud outliers who simply like a good argument online.

Sometimes I'm left with the feeling my gaming group is made of unicorns. Rare, magical beasts because we've enjoyed several versions of the game. Surely we must not exist, or do so in terribly small numbers, hidden from sight.

 

[Desdichado]

Sometimes I'm left with the feeling my gaming group is made of unicorns. Rare, magical beasts because we've enjoyed several versions of the game. Surely we must not exist, or do so in terribly small numbers, hidden from sight.

You're like voters for Nixon to internet D&D discussion posters' Pauline Kael, huh?

 

[Mark CMG]

Look on the bright side, D&D is getting a whole slew of mainstream news story's right now; CNN, The New York Times, Forbes, Time, heck even Perez Hilton's site had a post about it. I'm waiting for the wife to inform me Tom and Lorenzo --the fashion bloggers-- wrote about the new edition.

This says to me WotC is doing something very, very, right this time around.

What bothers me about the community response to this is the number of people --including folks around here-- who keep describing the D&D community like it's dominated by warring camps of partisans; entrenched and unwilling to try something different. As if they're representative of the majority, and not loud outliers who simply like a good argument online.

Sometimes I'm left with the feeling my gaming group is made of unicorns. Rare, magical beasts because we've enjoyed several versions of the game. Surely we must not exist, or do so in terribly small numbers, hidden from sight.

Indeed. In the last year I've played in games of all edition except 2E (and not because I would have turned down the opportunity) as well as a dozen or so other RPGs and nigh-countless boardgames, card games and wargames. I certainly understand how time restrictions prevent some folks from trying more but I hope those with the time make the effort to be open and experience a bit beyond their usual horizons.