RPG Theory- The Limits of My Language are the Limits of My World

[Fenris-77]

I'm not entirely sure, but I'm reasonably certain that we will be hearing about the great Coke/New Coke fiasco soon!

Only Bards and Gnome Paladins drink New Coke. Says so in the bible.

 

[Ovinomancer]

As a North Carolinian, I was always more a Pepsi guy.

I knew there was something wrong with you, but I didn't expect it to be being a Pepsi-lover.

 

[Snarf Zagyg]

I like beans in my chilli.

Oh, you've gone too far.

TOO.

FAR.

 

[Aldarc]

I was POSITIVE you were going to go with Royal Crown, my friend!

Only with Moonpies, my friend.

Edit: Now that we’ve all had a good laugh, let’s go back to misunderstanding and dehumanizing each other.

 

[Fenris-77]

Only with Moonpies, my friend.

Edit: Now that we’ve all had a good laugh, let’s go back to misunderstanding and dehumanizing each other.

You're a terrible person and you should feel bad.

Like that? Or did you want something a little less on the nose? We can do the scene again...

 

[loverdrive]

Yeah, it's tough having to work with constraints! It's difficult dealing with legacies of any kind. And a lot of times, it would be so much better to jettison things and start fresh.

But that's not usually what works in the real world. Consumers have expectations. They have reliance interests. If you become the brand manager for Coca Cola, you can't suddenly say, "I hate sacred cows. Carbonated sugar water is terrible for you. I am replacing all Coke with a healthy, non-carbonated beverage. We will still call it Coke, but let's get rid of the sacred cows that keep us from making the drink we should be making!"

Honestly? I'm fine with constraints. I'd be more happy if the tensions between the Law and the Chaos and alignment languages and all that were brough back in hypothetical 6E, instead of getting rid of alignments completely.

It's half-measures and lip-service I hate the most. "Oh, we'll keep alignment, but reduce it into a non-thing" is as stupid and insulting as "oh, we'll keep calling the thing Coke, but make it taste like artesian water!".

I'm not entirely sure, but I'm reasonably certain that we will be hearing about the great Coke/New Coke fiasco soon!

What the hell is "new coke"?
We have only coke and coke zero here! Well, that, and coffee coke that existed for, like, five seconds and then disappeared.

Out of all experiments, I really miss Pepsi Twist. That stuff was beautiful.

 

[payn]

Oh, you've gone too far.

TOO.

FAR.

There is a wide variety of preferences amongst the chili community. Its difficult to discuss because folks rarely agree on Chili jargon. Dont get me started on pungency and afterburn. Also, the sacred cow of using cow in the damn chili drives me crazy.

 

[Manbearcat]

To the extent that you think you are reaching disconnected, curious individuals out there, that's great.

Well ... eh, that's not really it from my P.O.V. From my P.O.V., no matter what topic I post, no matter how it's framed, and no matter what tags I used (like "5e") in an attempt to get the "disconnected, curious individuals" out there to contribute to the discussion because I'd like to hear what they have to say, it feels like the exact same people come in and dominate the conversations with the same points, leaving no air for the curious and disconnected.

I already know what I think- I'd really like to hear what other people think. The curious, disconnected people who don't post in the theory threads because ... well, because.

I know what you think. You’ve made it abundantly clear.

The folks who have talked to me about it in the last 10 years via PM, text message, Discord, email are pretty much the same answer:

* Don’t have the time.

* Don’t have the interest in engaging with a bunch of strangers but will gladly read and take-in exchanges.

I think you see the problem as some kind of “barrier-to-entry” based on x, y, z detached from what I’ve mentioned above.

My anecdotal evidence says no. I regularly talk to people who are smarter and more articulate than I am but who don’t post exclusively because of what I’ve posted above. Someone like @darkbard is a perfect example of an extremely thoughtful person who doesn’t post much because of time/lack of interest. In the course of the last 11 years on ENWorld, we’ve lost about 40 excellent, thoughtful posters due to various forms of attrition (none of those folks have left this board due to anything I’ve said or jargon or theory or language barrier-of-entry).

EDIT - I note you removed the “you think” from your first sentence. I appreciate that you agree that I’m not delusional!

 

[Snarf Zagyg]

Honestly? I'm fine with constraints. I'd be more happy if the tensions between the Law and the Chaos and alignment languages and all that were brough back in hypothetical 6E, instead of getting rid of alignments completely.

It's half-measures and lip-service I hate the most. "Oh, we'll keep alignment, but reduce it into a non-thing" is as stupid and insulting as "oh, we'll keep calling the think Coke, but make it taste like artesian water!".

.... you know, I can mix it up with the best of them, but there is no way (NO WAY) I am going to touch alignment with a 10' pole.

Or someone else's 10' pole.

What the hell is "new coke"?
We have only coke and coke zero here! Well, that, and coffee coke that existed for, like, five seconds and then disappeared.

Out of all experiments, I really miss Pepsi Twist. That stuff was beautiful.

New Coke.

Now, what you really want ... it's Crystal Pepsi. The great test of crystal meth, in Pepsi!

Wait, no. It was "clear" Pepsi. I think. I always have trouble differentiating Pepsi and meth.

 

[payn]

.... you know, I can mix it up with the best of them, but there is no way (NO WAY) I am going to touch alignment with a 10' pole.

Or someone else's 10' pole.



New Coke.

Now, what you really want ... it's Crystal Pepsi. The great test of crystal meth, in Pepsi!

Wait, no. It was "clear" Pepsi. I think. I always have trouble differentiating Pepsi and meth.

Both cause mountain dew mouth I hear.