Where has Whisperfoot Gone Off To?

[Darrin Drader]

At the risk of being labeled a drama queen...

Many people haven't noticed, many could care less, and the noobs don't have a clue, but my posts on these boards have dropped from an average of 3 a day to somewhere around 1 per week. I've seen this mentioned in a couple threads where people have wondered why I'm not here as much as I used to be, or even think I've left entirely.

Despite the fact that I like to complain about the rudeness here, ENWorld remains one of, if not the, friendliest online communities. It has truly been a pleasure posting here and participating in discussions covering a variety of topics for the past few years. In short, you folks are great and my life is enriched by my association here!

So why haven't I been here, and will this absenteeism continue? I'll attempt to formulate the issues into logical points here so that those of you who might be concerned or curious can put your minds to rest.

First of all, when I started coming to Eric's old boards, I was an RPG fan who wanted more than anything just to be published. I had no connection to any gaming companies other than the one I started myself, and I had a ton of enthusiasm for it. Then, through a series of fortuitous happenstances, I became a contractor at Wizards of the Coast, and later was hired as an employee. Now I am one of the few people lucky enough to be able to say that I work with D&D on a day to day basis. I have links with the D&D brand team as well as the R&D department. I'm now invited to certain meetings where once I would have paid considerable money to just witness as a fly on the wall.

But with that personal and professional accomplishment comes a price. The fun hobby that I love becomes work and all of the sudden I have the answers to a number of questions I'm sure a lot of you would like to ask (I mean there are usually several threads per week trying to divine what is going on inside the offices at Wizards of the Coast). Unfortunately revealing those answers might satisfy some general curiosity, but it would also land me in the unemployment line. Not an enviable position.

Aside from that, in addition to being an employee at WotC, I'm also an RPG freelancer. Last year, among several products for smaller publishers, my name appeared on the cover of the Book of Exalted Deeds. In July, my name will be on Serpent Kingdoms. I'm currently wrapping up another project for Wizards in a freelance capacity, and there have been discussions about one or two more this year. While I would love to continue chatting on these boards, the fact is that I'm a married man with two kids, and my family needs my attention. What free time I do have needs to be spent committing words to the page rather than chatting about my work.

So, in short, I hope nobody here has been under the impression that I've left over any hard feelings with anyone on the boards. Like most, I've had a rumble or two with various people, but in the end, it has been an enjoyable stay.

The final question is whether or not I'm leaving for good (and whether I'm really just being a drama queen after all). The answer yes, but not entirely. I'll continue to drop by and lurk once in a while. I might even stop in to make a comment or two on a topic, but the days of just hanging out and talking about D&D are unfortunately over... at least for now. I consider some of you friends, and I would love to run into you and talk over a beer at a convention sometime, so I felt that those few of you who actually care deserve some form of explanation.

 

[pogre]

I was kind of curious. Sounds like you are busy in a good way - have fun.

 

[Berandor]

So what you're saying is... it wasn't me?

Seriously, I am happy for and a little envious of your success. You've got a job in a field that you like, a family, and a good username
And, no matter what people say, that life is more important than spending time on message boards. As long as you get to play once in a while, and lurk a little...

Rest assured, though, that whisperfoot (or whisprfot, as I like to call him) will prowl the boards still, if only as an extension of my not overly promiscuously posting self

Berandor
the one and only

 

[Hand of Evil]

You know, you could have just said; sex.

Good to hear you are doing well and am looking forward to seeing your name in print.

 

[Piratecat]

You're always welcome here, Darrin. Thanks for checking in.

 

[Henry]

Darrin, as far as I know, there's nothing to explain. We've had differences occasionally over forum policies and such, but you've always been a solid member of the community here, and the door's always open.

T.C.B., and keep us posted!

 

[DaveMage]

Darrin:

I can sympathize with the frustration of having information that you would love to share (and discuss) and yet be unable to do so.

So I understand why you're pulling back and wish you well.

(Besides, I also have 2 kids (both under 3) and if I had to work an 8-hour day and write freelance as well, there would be no way I'd have much time for discussion boards - even those as great as these.)

Best wishes!

 

[reapersaurus]

This is one of the most out-in-the-open drama queen posts I've EVER seen.

Congrats on shamlelessly and openly being one - that takes balls (or delusion, one of the 2).

However, here's some tough love.
All this reads like to me is that "When I started here, and posted for years to the community, and got support for my interests from fellow lovers of the game.... now I'm a big shot who works at WotC and damn I'm good - see my name in the book(s)? Now that I'm someone in the industry, I don't want to contribute back the support that I've received thru the years. Pat me on the back while I turn my back on you, ENWorld."

That's the way it reads to me.

You are in a unique position, as a long-standing member of the community and now an employee of WotC, to share what you can about the current state of D&D.
If that were me in that position, I would consider it my personal responsibility to pay back the support I'd received from the community, and share.
I wouldn't put my career in jeopardy - I'm not expecting that - but to help explain things to people who post interesting and crucial questions would help them out I'm sure.

Your post just reads like an attempt at dodging whatever sense of obligation you may feel to the community. You are the only one who knows what really motivated this drama post, but I call them like I see them. I'm not saying I'm right - I'm forwarding this observation, and I guess advancing a request for information and a continued channel of communication on behalf of the community at large.

And BTW: I don't write this because I wish I could be in your shoes - I've never had an interest in it. Further, I haven't been posting lately either.
But I didn't feel the desire to announce that I don't come here as much.
So I believe my motivation is pure: to keep a member who now has the ability to grant insight about WotC on the boards and posting what he can to help out the members at large (which I am no longer one).

 

[BSF]

Darrin,
I have just been assuming you are busy. Things change in life and sometimes free time dissipates, sometimes it accumulates. I like to read your posts when I run across them. So, when you have the chance to stop by and post, please do so.

Otherwise, best wishes on the professional aspects of life. Even better wishes to the personal aspects with family and friends!

 

[Darrin Drader]

All this reads like to me is that "When I started here, and posted for years to the community, and got support for my interests from fellow lovers of the game.... now I'm a big shot who works at WotC and damn I'm good - see my name in the book(s)? Now that I'm someone in the industry, I don't want to contribute back the support that I've received thru the years. Pat me on the back while I turn my back on you, ENWorld."

And the fear of that interpretation is exactly why I've been reluctant to speak up after implementing my self imposed exile. I was going to go out quietly, but then I realized that I actually have made some good friends here and I owe them an explanation, hence my post. Those of you who fit into that category know who you are, as I'm sure do those who don't.

But feel free to believe me a drama queen. Since I was the one who tossed out that label in the first place, it doesn't affect me. I think we've all come to know the type of posts we can expect out of one so thoughtful and pleasant as Reapersaurus.

If that were me in that position, I would consider it my personal responsibility to pay back the support I'd received from the community...

Your post just reads like an attempt at dodging whatever sense of obligation you may feel to the community.

So because I've used these messageboards to discuss D&D in the past, I somehow have such a degree of obligation to the community that I should risk violating my NDA through a carelessly made comment? The dollars I've donated to Morrus for the site and the advice I've dispensed over time in various threads are not enough? If someone else thinks that is the case, feel free to speak up. Of all the folks here, I would be most interested in hearing the opinions of Piratecat, Henry, Morrus, Eric Noah, or Teflon Billy on this subject.

And BTW: I don't write this because I wish I could be in your shoes - I've never had an interest in it. Further, I haven't been posting lately either.
But I didn't feel the desire to announce that I don't come here as much.
So I believe my motivation is pure: to keep a member who now has the ability to grant insight about WotC on the boards and posting what he can to help out the members at large (which I am no longer one).

Which is something that could be construed by various people within my company as publicly representing the company -- something that is expressly forbidden without the approval of the Public Relations department.

Not to go out on a contentious note, I want to thank everyone else who has bothered to take a pesonal interest by commenting in this thread.