Return of the Edition War

[Darrin Drader]

Call of Cthulhu is the one true roleplaying game. All others are dinner.

 

[Piratecat]

Call of Cthulhu is the one true roleplaying game. All others are dinner.

I hate to say it, but Pelgrane's Trail of Cthulhu is better.

Oh, yes. I did go there.

 

[Fifth Element]

There are differences between Fourth Edition and earlier editions.

Why must every comment that mentions a difference be labeled WAR?

It musn't. That was not implied. Note my use of the term "vitriolic" in the OP.

Not every thread that discusses differences between editions is an edition war. But all too often these threads become edition wars, when someone pipes in with "this edition sux, my favotire is the only god one!"

And yes, this should have been in Meta. Thanks for the move, mods.

 

[Ariosto]

If Trail is the Gumshoe derivative, then I'll stick with Call (which in my book is simply nonpareil, but of course everyone has an opinion).

When D&Ders beat their glaive-guisarmes into ploughshares, we'll know it's time for something new, shiny and thoroughly incompatible with the last $1000 worth of game products you bought.

Then shall nostalgia driven 4E devotees take up the wailing and gnashing of teeth incumbent upon curmudgeons. Then shall 5E evangelists don the nerd mantle of insisting that every friend of theirs must like their new best friend just as much.

The Circle of Life goes ever on.

 

[ProfessorCirno]

The big issue is that people have put emotional stock on 4e, be it for or against. Some people foam at the mouth whenever anything that could be taken as criticism is mentioned against anything that's remotely related to 4e or Wizards. Some people foam at the mouth whenever someone even thinks about suggesting that 4e might have even the smallest positive about it. it's not something you can solve with reasonable and enlightened debate, because it's not about logic or understanding. It's about "I'm right, they're wrong."

The worst thing about it isn't just that it's polarizing, but that it makes people on both sides groan and feel ashamed for liking D&D at all. If I want to have a nice, honest discussion about Pathfinder, I can't if someone runs up and yells in my ear how I'M WRONG OMG WAT DO U THINK UR DOING THIS GAME SUX SO MUCH. If I want to have a nice, honest discussion about 4e, I can't if someone runs up and yells in my ear how I'M WRONG OMG WAT DO U THINK UR DOING THIS GAME SUX SO MUCH. And again, whenever that happens, it disenfranchises people who might have legitimate complaints about either game, because suddenly they're being forced into taking sides.

Really, it's that last one that irks me so much - the idea that there has to be "sides." Nothing devolves a discussion further then forcing everything to be polarized into them vs us, with nothing in between. If there's anything involving the edition wars that needs to be permabanned, it's the notion that people need to take sides.

Edit: Oh yes, and Changeling: The Lost is far better then Otakukin: The Glamourbombing ;p

 

[Piratecat]

Nothing devolves a discussion further then forcing everything to be polarized into them vs us, with nothing in between. If there's anything involving the edition wars that needs to be permabanned, it's the notion that people need to take sides.

Now, that's interesting. So, what do you think works better for a messageboard: One big forum to discuss both Pathfinder and all D&D editions, or separate forums to help separate threads into ones that people will find most interesting for what they want to play?

 

[kenmarable]

No, it comes from the definition of third party.

The first party is the seller, WoTC. The second party is us, the consumer.

2pp is PEOPLE!!!

(Someone had to say it.)

Now, that's interesting. So, what do you think works better for a messageboard: One big forum to discuss both Pathfinder and all D&D editions, or separate forums to help separate threads into ones that people will find most interesting for what they want to play?

Hey, personally, I really like the split of a General, and then edition specific forums for rule-specific threads. Because a lot of interesting discussion is edition neutral. (In fact, pretty much the only stuff I find interesting is typically edition neutral.)

 

[Umbran]

There's any number of factors probably at play.

Here's an interesting thought for you - how many of the people posting nastily are in the northeastern and midwestern United States? Because both areas have been having cruddy weather for a couple weeks now. Our normally sunny and pleasant late spring and early summer has turned into cloudy, rainy (occasionally floody) ick. It doesn't lead to good tempers. Especially not on what was a semi-holiday weekend.

Not that this is an outright cause for everyone, but an influence? Perhaps...

Anyway, along with P-cat, I'd like to see folks quit trying to work out their grudges, and get back to the business of playing the game. Talk about your game, or cool stuff to do in a game, or great funny bits for your game, or resources you found for your game.

I would love a week where nobody talked about anything on the boards that wasn't about playing the game.

 

[Mark]

There's any number of factors probably at play.

Here's an interesting thought for you - how many of the people posting nastily are in the northeastern and midwestern United States? Because both areas have been having cruddy weather for a couple weeks now. Our normally sunny and pleasant late spring and early summer has turned into cloudy, rainy (occasionally floody) ick. It doesn't lead to good tempers. Especially not on what was a semi-holiday weekend.

Not that this is an outright cause for everyone, but an influence? Perhaps...

It's true that around Chicago this has been the worst few weeks leading into Summer in a long time. And this in a year when a lot of people cannot even take a typical vacation.

Anyway, along with P-cat, I'd like to see folks quit trying to work out their grudges, and get back to the business of playing the game. Talk about your game, or cool stuff to do in a game, or great funny bits for your game, or resources you found for your game.

I would love a week where nobody talked about anything on the boards that wasn't about playing the game.

Like post in the Fatherly Gaming Tales thread in honor of Father's Day -

http://www.enworld.org/forum/general-rpg-discussion/257957-fatherly-gaming-tales.html


And report threads where people appear to be trying to start up edition wars. The mods cannot be everywhere and when they see the patterns they will deal with the offenders.

 

[ProfessorCirno]

Now, that's interesting. So, what do you think works better for a messageboard: One big forum to discuss both Pathfinder and all D&D editions, or separate forums to help separate threads into ones that people will find most interesting for what they want to play?

Eh, I don't think the sides are neccisarily 3e vs 4e, or even other editions vs 4e, though. I think the sides came about from some people being fanatical about hating 4e and needing others to do so, and others being fanatical about loving 4e and needing others to do so. I think "edition war" is somewhat of a misnomer as it implies editions fighting each other; on the contrary, I think the whole thing is about and just about 4e.