The "I Didn't Comment in Another Thread" Thread

[payn]

What do you call it when a thread asks a challenging question that initially seems intriguing in a hypothetical fantasy universe, and it engages you on that hypothetical, but then you realize that you're actually living in the real world with real human beings and the thread suddenly isn't so fun anymore (and how do people in the TV and movie industry navigate this question of what is OK or not to put out into the universe as part of their job, it sounds so stressful)?

What do you call that?

Pitch meeting.

 

[J.Quondam]

What do you call it when a thread asks a challenging question that initially seems intriguing in a hypothetical fantasy universe, and it engages you on that hypothetical, but then you realize that you're actually living in the real world with real human beings and the thread suddenly isn't so fun anymore (and how do people in the TV and movie industry navigate this question of what is OK or not to put out into the universe as part of their job, it sounds so stressful)?

What do you call that?

Life, I guess. Years ago, imo, ENWorld was 90% fun threads, 10% stress. Now I feel that's reversed, and I suspect that's because the average poster today is more like "professional in middle management" instead of "slacker in college."

 

[Scribe]

What do you call that?

"The reason RPG's will stagnate as a medium."

 

[Whizbang Dustyboots]

Life, I guess. Years ago, imo, ENWorld was 90% fun threads, 10% stress. Now I feel that's reversed, and I suspect that's because the average poster today is more like "professional in middle management" instead of "slacker in college."

It goes in waves. The first days of the 3E announcement were much more of a mixed bag than I think most people remember -- a lot of 2E fans were very upset.

The 3E/3.5 transition was similarly tumultuous.

The 4E transition was really bad, the board being almost unusable bad, as no one was indifferent to what was going on and often had quite strong feelings. (I liked a lot of the pre-4E design diaries but was then shocked that those were the tip of the iceberg for the changes, rather than being a near-complete picture of how things were changing.)

The whole rollercoaster with digital services in 4E was always the basis for a lot of drama.

When 4E was clearly dying, there were people wanting to dance on its grave and others who, naturally, got pretty upset about that.

The D&D Next era was generally hopeful, but there were a lot of outspoken gloom and doom types that clashed with the others, and of course plenty of hard feelings from 4E fans who felt betrayed.

We're now at another inflection point, even without the OGL fiasco poisoning the well so badly. But history suggests that things will improve again, although it may take time. I have taken years-long breaks from ENWorld when I wasn't feeling it (I didn't play 4E and ENWorld didn't me regularly telling them why; I could just go be happy with Castles & Crusades instead).

I predict the movie will improve the mood around here, along with more products (well, other than the probably inevitable yelling about the Planescape set, no matter or good it is) and then a steady ramping up through 2024, both for the new edition and as yet unknown other 50th anniversary celebrations, along with Black Flag, C7d20 and other parallel products being released.

If people are finding this place to be a drag, I would just come back around movie time and see how things are then. I bet they'll be better.

 

[J.Quondam]

It goes in waves. The first days of the 3E announcement were much more of a mixed bag than I think most people remember -- a lot of 2E fans were very upset.

The 3E/3.5 transition was similarly tumultuous.

The 4E transition was really bad, the board being almost unusable bad, as no one was indifferent to what was going on and often had quite strong feelings. (I liked a lot of the pre-4E design diaries but was then shocked that those were the tip of the iceberg for the changes, rather than being a near-complete picture of how things were changing.)

The whole rollercoaster with digital services in 4E was always the basis for a lot of drama.

When 4E was clearly dying, there were people wanting to dance on its grave and others who, naturally, got pretty upset about that.

The D&D Next era was generally hopeful, but there were a lot of outspoken gloom and doom types that clashed with the others, and of course plenty of hard feelings from 4E fans who felt betrayed.

We're now at another inflection point, even without the OGL fiasco poisoning the well so badly. But history suggests that things will improve again, although it may take time. I have taken years-long breaks from ENWorld when I wasn't feeling it (I didn't play 4E and ENWorld didn't me regularly telling them why; I could just go be happy with Castles & Crusades instead).

I predict the movie will improve the mood around here, along with more products (well, other than the probably inevitable yelling about the Planescape set, no matter or good it is) and then a steady ramping up through 2024, both for the new edition and as yet unknown other 50th anniversary celebrations, along with Black Flag, C7d20 and other parallel products being released.

If people are finding this place to be a drag, I would just come back around movie time and see how things are then. I bet they'll be better.

Yeah, good point. I think I've mostly blocked the edition wars from memory, heh. The OGL kerfuffle reminds me why.

 

[Deset Gled]

I'm in desperate need of an oxford comma here.

 

[payn]

I'm in desperate need of an oxford comma here.

View attachment 276473

 

[Davies]

Why would anyone make a post like this? Did anyone want the previous 8,172?

 

[MarkB]

What do you call it when a thread asks a challenging question that initially seems intriguing in a hypothetical fantasy universe, and it engages you on that hypothetical, but then you realize that you're actually living in the real world with real human beings and the thread suddenly isn't so fun anymore (and how do people in the TV and movie industry navigate this question of what is OK or not to put out into the universe as part of their job, it sounds so stressful)?

What do you call that?

Reality. Escapism, whether into a fantasy world or an online one, only goes so far. Or, at least, there's only so far you should go before you start to lose things.

 

[Whizbang Dustyboots]

Why would anyone make a post like this? Did anyone want the previous 8,172?