D&D 5E (2014) Justin Alexander's review of Shattered Obelisk is pretty scathing

[Sparky McDibben]

According to part two of his review:

Project Lead: Amanda Hamon
Writers: Richard Baker, Eytan Bernstein, Makenzie De Armas, Amanda Hamon, Ron Lundeen, Christopher Perkins

Chris Perkins let something that bad go out? Yeesh.

 

[MonsterEnvy]

I just read that section, nothing says the wellspring connects, or not, to the outside world (unless it is later somewhere). It says the area was breached and flooded long ago....so who know?

The map shows the water continues off map.

 

[Whizbang Dustyboots]

Alexander isn't alone in his angry pronouncements from atop a handmade throne. Bryce over at Ten Foot Pole is even angrier and more nitpicky in his reviews of OSR adventures. That said, when he rates something "the best," it's touted to the high heavens, because it means the adventure is going to be very, very good and very easy to use.

I don't think being a rigorous reviewer requires being a jerk. And by turning potential readers off, it actually hinders spreading the gospel that adventures should be held to a high standard.

 

[Sparky McDibben]

I don't think I've ever found Alexander pompous, uptight, or vitriolic. I've usually seen exceptionally good critiques and some genuinely revelatory posts. So I'm a little confused here. Still, it saved me some money and I'm appreciative of the critique.

 

[Whizbang Dustyboots]

I don't think I've ever found Alexander pompous, uptight, or vitriolic. I've usually seen exceptionally good critiques and some genuinely revelatory posts. So I'm a little confused here. Still, it saved me some money and I'm appreciative of the critique.

People are likely conflating some of his YouTube videos with his written works.

 

[Zaukrie]

The map shows the water continues off map.

which tells us nothing...you said "recent entry" and I said I don't see that. I'd argue we don't know....but this is such a nitipck, I'll just stop on this point.

The adventure needs a lot of work for me to like it, which stinks, because I love the far realm and mind flayers....by a lot, I mean more than normal. We can disagree on that. I'm ok with that.

 

[Sparky McDibben]

I would also ask why they excluded a map of the arena boss fight? Is there just nothing going on in this room?

 

[strawbellebelle]

Imagine a world where people form their own opinions instead of extolling the virtue of any opinion expressed by white men who think everything has to cater to them and them alone, and who profit off of making other white men angry at people angry white men have decided deserve to be hated.

I guarantee half of the people cheering on this dudebro haven't read a word of what he "critiques" and just think he must be valid because he's angry at the people they also don't like (but spend all of their time fixated on the game they make, because the indignance of creators making things not aimed solely at them).

 

[Whizbang Dustyboots]

Imagine a world where people form their own opinions instead of telling angry white men on the internet that if they're angry and vitriolic and outright insulting and denegrating towards the creators of things they don't like, clearly they must be justified in having such strong opinions.

This feels like two separate issues:

Is there any value to criticism at all? You will find many people on this board who say no.

And do we (and the various algorithms) need to reward obnoxious behavior? I'd say no, but I also have no control over any algorithms and wish, for many reasons, that they didn't create an incentive to be inflammatory.

 

[Charlaquin]

Imagine a world where people form their own opinions instead of extolling the virtue of any opinion expressed by white men who think everything has to cater to them and them alone, and who profit off of making other white men angry at people angry white men have decided deserve to be hated.

Forming your own opinions is great, but not if you have to buy the product to get enough information to do so. The point of reviews is to help people decide if they want to spend their money on a thing or not. If you buy the book and then decide you don’t like it, that money was wasted.