Why the need for confession?

[Desdichado]

It's nothing but the need to state an opinion. The OP of these threads never ask for advice, never look for discussion, it's just "I felt the need to start a whole new discussion calling attention to my opinion. Here it is. Thanks for stopping by".

Oh, that's not true at all. I suspect the OPs certainly are looking for discussion most of the time, and enjoy seeing it. That's the whole reason to start a thread.

 

[Hussar]

I know I stopped in this thread because I was looking for discussion.

I gotta admit, I'm in the same boat. I don't really get the reason for proclaiming from the rooftops that you're finished with Game X. I totally understand switching systems and I heartily applaud people who do. I'm a big believer that you should switch systems every campaign. Although, I think I might be somewhat in a minority in that view.

To be honest though, I do find many of the posts interesting. Generally someone who has put in a fair bit of time into a system can have a pretty decent insight into why they are switching systems. I tend to give their opinion more weight than the usual "It's too ----y for me (insert deragotive here)" They've tried the system, they've had problems and it's interesting to see if I would have similar problems or not.

 

[Will]

At least in part it's simple frustration and wanting to vent.

I know if I've been struggling and unhappy with a system for a long time, there's some part of me that wants to punch the system or the designers or the people who kept telling me 'you're approaching it wrong, the system is GREAT if you only do X...' or whatever.

It's childish, perhaps, but kvetching online about it is probably better than actually walking up to people and punching them for telling me how much I SHOULD be enjoying Frapple Ninth Edition, if only I wasn't such a carebear.

When you're frustrated, too, the small and unintended slights of the fans of whatever really drive you nuts.

Other frustrations:
'Why are you getting upset at me? I have no problem that you like the shambling byzantine mess of rules that appeal to munchkins and idiot children, that's totally fine! I'm just expressing my enjoyment of the clearly superior and wonderfullest game ever, and you're acting all wounded. Maybe it's the brain damage, that's a shame.'


So, yeah. I chalk it up to varying types of frustration and venting.

 

[SkidAce]

I'd consider it thinking if it wasn't the same conversation with several different people and repeated several different times. In that case, it's usually preaching and a different opinion is rarely welcome.

It's repeated (from our point of view) but those people haven't done it yet. When I was teaching, the hard part for me was waiting for the questions that I knew were coming for the millionth time. But it was an honest question and instead of resenting the student (bad form) I used my experience of the prior 999,999 questions to explain it clearer. In some case I taught in a fashion to answer the question ahead of time, but somebody inevitably asked anyway.

So I normally read those threads to see what info or perspective I can glean from them, if it's just complaining...then I don't return to the thread.

I wish I could point out numerous threads where a poster has gone, "Wow, that changed my mind completely. Turns out I was wrong!" Mind you, I have seen them but they are like the vanishing food supplies of the ocean.

Now on the other hand, admitting your wrong is hard for people, and to do it on the internet to "strangers" is not something a lot of people will do.

Or wait....I could be wrong...

 

[billd91]

For better or worse, people participating on these boards come to see each other (or at least subsets of the participants) as aquaintances, kindred spirits, maybe even friends. And, surprisingly enough, people like to start conversations with their friends, fellow hobbyists, whatever about what they're doing and how they're feeling about what they're doing in the hobby. I don't really see it as much more than that.

It certainly makes more sense than twittering away about stuff going on in your life. That's a lot more like stepping out on your front porch and yelling out to the surrounding neighborhood. That's really weird.

 

[pawsplay]

At some level, "I'm quitting X" threads are basically posts about game design, taken from a very real and practical standpoint. Not only do I welcome them, I think more than anything else it's what this site has somewhat lacked since the Great Schism, a community in which to talk about games and gaming without a fear of judgment. You are not asked to declare a faction when you join EN World, so when I see a post like that, I see someone wanting to connect with their community on an informational and psychological level.

 

[jaerdaph]

Just reply, "Say one Our Father and ten Hail Marys, and try hard not to do that again."

 

[Insight]

You aren't compelled to read every post on EN World. If a thread doesn't interest you, don't read it! That's what I do.

 

[pawsplay]

One might as well ask what the purpose of all those "I'm switching to 4e" threads was. It's because... people were switching to 4e. It's not exactly headline news, but this is a gaming site.

 

[Mercurius]

I didn't even click on it amigo. I notice a LOT of those types of threads, both here and on RPG.net and pondered their origin.

Fair enough, and I apologize if you feel Wrongfully Accused.

That said, I don't see why this is so mystifying, and I still think you are assuming a negative/whiny/looking-for-sympathy connotation when there might not be--it really depends upon the specific case (I have certainly read some "confessionals" that had that tone, although most haven't).

Look at the thread I originally linked to, for example. Does it look like I was looking for sympathy or not asking for discussion or feedback? Actually, I asked for comments in the original post and a lot of great discussion followed.

I actually find "confessionals" some of the most interesting threads, often leading to some of the most fruitful discussions. Why? Because they bridge the gap between the game itself and who we are as people. I personally find it interesting to get a sense of who the people are behind the handles, behind the funny little pictures and names they (we) use to represent themselves, and behind the text.

More than anything, the "RPG confessional" is a way to connect, and there ain't nothing wrong with that--and it is far from being a mystifying thing.