Wotc Forum vs Enworld Forum

[Telperion]

I mainly use both WotC and ENWorld boards. I go to the WotC board when I have nothing really serious to say, and just want to "hang out". If I have something to say, ask or quote then I tend to come here.

For the most part I don't see all that many "noob" threads on this site. The WotC site is crawling with them, and I generally stay out of those.

IMO I don't dislike the WotC boards. It's more like if I post there I have to consider what I say and how I say it, so I don't get bombed with "funny" remarks. Not that I usually have all that much to say in the first place...

 

[DragonLancer]

Has anyone else ever come across this either:

You ask a question or make a statement on the Wotc boards, and it's like you get flamed by a bunch of know-it all 14 years olds (or at least by the way they sound it seems that's thier age?) who make it sound like you're stupid or need help or something?

And when I ask the same question on the Enworld forum, i get many very crisp and clear responses from mature gamers who usually know what thier talking about or at least can see the issue from your point of view.

To be honest... I've never had a problem on the WotC boards, but I have been treated quite rudely on ENW forums in the past. However despite that, I do find these forums to be much better than WotC's ones.

 

[Darklone]

I like the Enworld Forums because there is very little rules-lawyers here and I'm very tired of that, that is the main reason I quit a D20 game with a rules-lawyer as I was trying to tesch others the D20 system. I told this person I liked the 3rd party stuff more than WOTC products and had more info on base classes as well that would allow characters to do other things than what is in WOTC products. I would like to prefer myself as an OGL gamer over a D20 gamer any day these days.

Well, they lock us into the Rules forum and give us quotas for other board sections

Honestly, we have Hypersmurf here... we don't need more truth

 

[Numion]

Age demographics would probably show that WotC boards have younger users. I prefer EN World, of course, but both sites have their strengths and weaknesses.

Here at EN World we have more 'armchair generals' who love to debate and analyze the game without the benefit of real frequent playing experience. (Because of the age demographics it's a safe assumption that ENWorlders have much less time to game than WotCers .. ah, to be 14 again. With my current financials ) Great many things are condemned as 'munchkinism' and 'broken' before anyone has even tried them. Of course playtesting isn't needed to spot the obvious things, but many times playing experience proves these kind of analyses wrong. Mystic Theurge, for example, was denounced and banned by many people the minute it appeared (at WotC previews). A more current thread from this august didn't have anyone complaining it was broken or too powerful - actually it was deemed rather low on the power side.

Numerical analysis and theorization is all fine and dandy, but rarely tells the whole story about a game as complicated as D&D.

 

[Darklone]

Numion: I do prefer the critical ENworld audience... btw IIRC the "numerical" analysis proved back then that the theurge was not that overpowered...

 

[IronWolf]

I spent time at the WotC boards before giving these boards a good chance. I have since come to prefer the ENWorld boards for where I spend some of my board browsing time. The posts seem slightly less combative here and better thought out. Sure there are "debates" and such, but they seem a little less childish and better constructed arguments in most cases.

I still hit the WotC boards occasionally for a quick browse, but lurk/post here most often.

 

[Numion]

Numion: I do prefer the critical ENworld audience... btw IIRC the "numerical" analysis proved back then that the theurge was not that overpowered...

Thats so? I remember otherwise, but can't be sure.

I'm a bit perplexed then why Crothian mentions in his Secrets of the Theurge review that "As the Theurgy gain power there are those who believe that it quickly becomes too much, so the first optional rule is to only increase the ability of either the divine or arcane for the first level of the class." I somehow thought this referred to EN World analysis, because it fit my memory from that time, but maybe I was wrong. BTW funny that the book would recommend this - the classes underpoweredness is underlined at lower levels, and that optional rule would just make that period longer.

In any case, it's a dead horse by now :\

 

[Piratecat]

I think what a lot of people forget is that it's not a messageboard itself who is friendly or unfriendly, it's the people on them, both individually and in aggregate.

If someone comes here to EN World and gets a rude response, they'll think this site is unfriendly. If someone is helpful, they'll think the opposite, and that's true of the Wizards boards, too. The general disposition of a messageboard is the amount of friendliness/unfriendliness as compared to the whole. It's a little like looking at the signal to noise ratio: how many threads are interesting and useful? The important thing is that new members DON'T look at the macro view; they only see if the responses to their posts are friendly or not, and they base their opinions on that.

One of the things we try to do here is escort out (or preferably reform) people who are continually rude or unhelpful. That certainly helps, I think. But it's interesting to realize that everyone is responsible for how this board is preceived, because it's our posts that make the difference.

 

[Cheiromancer]

I most often visit the Character Optimization forum when I am over at the WotC site. If you go there, keep your eyes open for any post by Snow Savant; she is a brilliant, creative, and very personable and classy forum regular.

That being said, the CO forum may have had a few problems with being "curt" to new posters. But I think they are definitely trying to improve. The following is from a sticky in the CO forum:

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Ok guys. Enough is enough.

I know this board has a very regular group. And I know most of you have put a LOT into this board. But when I get reports that people from other boards won't come here because of the poor reception they are recieving... Way not good.

So here's the deal. See how now at the top of the page it directly links to the CoC? Check it out.

harassment of another specific person (e.g. persistent flaming or continued personal attacks on the boards or "in-character harassment" without prior out-of-character permission.)

trolling or baiting by putting to the screen inflammatory statements designed to elicit a negative response from the community

Intentionally (or un-intentionally) driving people away from this board when they ask a question by insulting the question and being rude instead of ignoring the question or (heaven forbid) answer it will from now on be considered baiting.

Now I admit that this is being pretty strict on the rules, and I'd rather not do it. But I see that we need to go through a "crack down" phase in order to get other people over to this board.

Remember- this isn't just the Min/Max board anymore. This is the Character Optimization Board. It is a bit more broad then before and therefore more post types do belong here.

There will always be misplaced posts. If you feel the need to respond, tell them where they may get a better answer to their question. Otherwise, ignore it. Or report it to me and I can move the thread to the appropriate place.

I love this board- I love the community you guys have built up. But let's let some more people into that community, shall we?

Thanks for listening. I'm up for hearing suggestions as to how we can make the board more welcoming while making sure all you regulars are also kept happy.
__________________

So for those who have had a bad experience there, I suggest it may be worth giving the WotC forums a second chance.

 

[Orius]

Actually, post upgrade, the WotC boards are much faster than ours.

Having upgraded both boards to vb3 and having to listen to complaint after complaint about features I'd have to say that the rant/rave ratio was about the same.

I'd say on the whole the browsers over there are younger, but there are quite a few luddites as well.

Well, I was talking about the state of the boards like 2 years ago. At the time, ENWorld was definitely better than WotC.

I think there's some degree of maturity involved as well, ENWorld does have a better atmosphere than WotC.

Plus Gygax posts here. WotC can't beat that.