Is it just me?

[Ipissimus]

Is it just me or is there a mile-wide streak of anti-creative sentiment running through the RPG community lately?

No, I'm not talking about religious beliefs, I'm talking about the singular phenomenon whereby whenever anybody creates anything new for a game or throws out an idea at least one person has to smother it or die in the attempt.

I'm not talking about any single episode in particular, just in general. Every new class, prc, rule, skill, house rule, character build, adventure idea, new spell, new feat, everything! I've been noticing it happening for years now, ever since around 2000 on every forum I've attended, even in my own gaming group. I could understand if it were just blatently overpowered PrCs or third party material or house-rule stuff, alot of which needs to be treated with caution. But official sources, made by the people that create the game?

I'm not talking about open and frank discussion or debate, but the prejudice against creating any new material whatsoever. The sheer tenacity I've seen and experienced to attempt to kill even throw-away campaign ideas is just something that I don't understand. Where has the creative urge for the game gone? Where's the spirit of exploration, experimentation, of fun, of adding to the games that we love so much and making them stronger? Why do we, with even the most draconian of rules sets, have to follow the letter of the law if it interferes with our enjoyment?

So I ask, is it just me that's feeling this way?

 

[Henry]

That's not RPGs, that's all of human history! Even Jobs and Wozniak were told the Apple would never sell!

There's always someone to decry how something is not a good idea. The really good ideas, however, withstand the negativity, and persist, or show up in others' work, and that's how you really know they're good ideas, in my opinion.

 

[Frostmarrow]

Yup. On the internet everything is a bell curve. The strange thing is the brontosaurus' tail is a lot more vocal than the bulk of the body or even the head.

 

[hong]

I think it's just you. Doesn't seem to me that there's particularly more anti-creative sentiment now than at any other point since 3E's release.

 

[Argus Decimus Mokira]

Yup. On the internet everything is a bell curve. The strange thing is the brontosaurus' tail is a lot more vocal than the bulk of the body or even the head.

"Also, Dude, brontosaurus is not the preferred nomenclature. Apatasourus, please."

/endjack

-Matt

 

[hong]

"Also, Dude, brontosaurus is not the preferred nomenclature. Apatasourus, please."

/endjack

-Matt

"Apatosaurus"

 

[Frostmarrow]

"Also, Dude, brontosaurus is not the preferred nomenclature. Apatasourus, please."

/endjack

-Matt

Ah but... *wiggle-wiggle* ...I was refering to the shape of the brontosaurus with which many are familiar. So it matters not if the brontosaurus swapped head and name - for the real animal is not an issue here.

Allow me to quote Ann Elk: "All brontosauruses are thin at one end; much, much thicker in the middle; and then thin again at the far end."

 

[Huw]

Ah but... *wiggle-wiggle* ...I was refering to the shape of the brontosaurus with which many are familiar. So it matters not if the brontosaurus swapped head and name - for the real animal is not an issue here.

Allow me to quote Ann Elk: "All brontosauruses are thin at one end; much, much thicker in the middle; and then thin again at the far end."

Ah, but modern reconstructions show the apatosaurus (as well as diplodocus and seismosaurus) with a flat back and a horizontal neck and tail.

Isn't this argument now prooving Henry's original answer?

 

[Frostmarrow]

I concurred with Henry.

Look, the tail is flailing, the body is thick and the head is swapped. Does that answer you question?

 

[ShinHakkaider]

Is it just me or is there a mile-wide streak of anti-creative sentiment running through the RPG community lately?

No, I'm not talking about religious beliefs, I'm talking about the singular phenomenon whereby whenever anybody creates anything new for a game or throws out an idea at least one person has to smother it or die in the attempt.

I'm not talking about any single episode in particular, just in general. Every new class, prc, rule, skill, house rule, character build, adventure idea, new spell, new feat, everything! I've been noticing it happening for years now, ever since around 2000 on every forum I've attended, even in my own gaming group. I could understand if it were just blatently overpowered PrCs or third party material or house-rule stuff, alot of which needs to be treated with caution. But official sources, made by the people that create the game?

I'm not talking about open and frank discussion or debate, but the prejudice against creating any new material whatsoever. The sheer tenacity I've seen and experienced to attempt to kill even throw-away campaign ideas is just something that I don't understand. Where has the creative urge for the game gone? Where's the spirit of exploration, experimentation, of fun, of adding to the games that we love so much and making them stronger? Why do we, with even the most draconian of rules sets, have to follow the letter of the law if it interferes with our enjoyment?

So I ask, is it just me that's feeling this way?

No D00d, it's definitely not just you.