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Message: <blockquote data-quote="Aldarc" data-source="post: 8242636" data-attributes="member: 5142">Okay, so let's make your bigger point even bigger. Take that hypothetical power imbalance that exists in this thread (or sub-forum) and then reverse it, magnify the scope, and apply it to the hobby at large. That broadly describes the "other side's" experience in our hobby. That's the sword of mainstream gaming that's been collectively pointed against the indie gaming scene (and the more story now-focused subset) for decades, constantly reminding indie gamers of how insignificant they are by comparison. The fact that a hypothetical power imbalance of conversational capital exists in isolated form in this thread is potentially short-sighted when looking at it from that bigger picture perspective. And that is one reason why I can't take the supposed "power imbalance" seriously at face value. It ignores the vast privilege at which more mainstream games (and their heart-breaker kin) and perspectives already wields as orthodoxy. Another highly imperfect analogy: [spoiler]It is similar to, though not in terms of meaningfully real stakes and scope of, LBGTQ+ discourse fighting an uphill battle to deconstruct mainstream cis-heteronormative societal discourse on sexuality, gender, and disability. Who gets to control or frame the terms? Who wields the power to define these things? Who gets the privilege to define "normal" or "man" or "woman" or "marriage"? You would no doubt agree that it would be quite silly if I went on a FTM thread as a cis male and said that they were pompous and arrogant for redefining terms for gender (and possibly more) as I traditionally knew them, that they were just engaging in pointless ivory tower pontifications that were detached from that of the vast majority of men, or even that I felt that there was an acute power imbalance of conversational capital that existed between me (a cis man) on a FTM thread discussing gender. Because outside of that thread, I have far more social privilege and acceptance of my gender as a cis male.[/spoiler]It would be nice if you could do so without accusing others of being pompous, intellectual bullies, or pontificating when they do the same. That said, even if more mainstream AP/GM-driven play lies outside of your preferences, I would nevertheless estimate that your opinions are more closely aligned with mainstream gaming, particularly in regards to the GM/player power imbalance, than that of either [USER=42582]@pemerton[/USER] or [USER=6696971]@Manbearcat[/USER]'s games.</blockquote>

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