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Author Topic: [Rant] More RPG.net frustrations  (Read 17380 times)

Tyberious Funk

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[Rant] More RPG.net frustrations
« Reply #15 on: June 08, 2007, 02:41:50 AM »
Quote from: RPGPundit
So apparently if you're a Mod and you want to badmouth D&D in the Open forum you can go ahead and do so without consequence, but may the magic deer help you if you try to open a thread praising or even neutrally discussing D20 in the Open forum.

Apparently, on TheRPGSite, if you're a Mod you can have an entire forum of your own to bad mouth The Forge, RPG.net, women, goths and whatever else takes your fancy.
 
Seriously dude, get over it.  What the fuck do you care?
 

Kyle Aaron

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[Rant] More RPG.net frustrations
« Reply #16 on: June 08, 2007, 02:44:19 AM »
He's upset because after the latest initiation into the Inner Circle he ended up with the soggy bagel, while Settembrini jeered at him.

That's gotta be hard to swallow.
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Wil

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[Rant] More RPG.net frustrations
« Reply #17 on: June 08, 2007, 03:08:54 AM »
Quote from: JimBobOz
So there, that's my criticism of rpg.net - given all the donations they get, their maintenance standards are pretty poor, and their server seems to be pretty fucking unreliable.

Actually, the forums stretch the limits of the vBulletin software partly because of the version of the database that they are sitting on. Upgrading the software itself apparently is a monumental task for them, partly due to manpower and partly due to cost I think. OF course, VBulletin itself doesn't help because they don't support simple changes to the database schema (like adding indexes that help optimize queries). They consider these things hacks, when in reality the particulars of any database - the hardware it sits on, the usage, etc. - requires for the exact setup to be tweaked on an individual basis.
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Koltar

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[Rant] More RPG.net frustrations
« Reply #18 on: June 08, 2007, 03:27:41 AM »
....or they could just purge all Tangency posts that are older than 30 days.


 Or is that too easy ?

- Ed C.

...Yeah I know , thats like asking them to spell the word kittens correctly.
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J Arcane

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[Rant] More RPG.net frustrations
« Reply #19 on: June 08, 2007, 03:35:52 AM »
Quote from: Wil
Actually, the forums stretch the limits of the vBulletin software partly because of the version of the database that they are sitting on. Upgrading the software itself apparently is a monumental task for them, partly due to manpower and partly due to cost I think. OF course, VBulletin itself doesn't help because they don't support simple changes to the database schema (like adding indexes that help optimize queries). They consider these things hacks, when in reality the particulars of any database - the hardware it sits on, the usage, etc. - requires for the exact setup to be tweaked on an individual basis.
They've been needing to upgrade the software for years now, but they've hacked the everliving fuck out of the site so damn much, that upgrading is nigh impossible.  

At this point it would be easier for them to wipe the boards and start again with IPB or something, as vB doesn't actually handle forums that big very well. which itself is what fed their tendency to just hack the software instead of upgrading.

But they won't do that either.
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Akrasia

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[Rant] More RPG.net frustrations
« Reply #20 on: June 08, 2007, 05:27:05 AM »
It's rather frustrating that RPGnet isn't working.  I know that many people here don't like it, but it remains my main 'go to' place for RPG discussion/procrastination (with this place a close second).
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[Rant] More RPG.net frustrations
« Reply #21 on: June 08, 2007, 05:29:31 AM »
Quote from: Tyberious Funk
Apparently, on TheRPGSite, if you're a Mod you can have an entire forum of your own to bad mouth The Forge, RPG.net, women, goths and whatever else takes your fancy.
 
Seriously dude, get over it.  What the fuck do you care?


The hypocrisy of it, and their efforts to deny the elitism that exists with the "modclique" there, fills me with righteous fury.

That, and I love pointing out how much of a cunt Darren is.

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[Rant] More RPG.net frustrations
« Reply #22 on: June 08, 2007, 08:42:28 AM »
Quote from: Koltar
....or they could just purge all Tangency posts that are older than 30 days.


 Or is that too easy ?

- Ed C.

...Yeah I know , thats like asking them to spell the word kittens correctly.

That's actually not a bad idea. Or, take related groups of forums and have them each sitting on their own Vbulletin installation. Like many software solutions, Vbulletin is "sold" on the idea that it's easy to maintain and a one-stop implementation. The reality is with anything database related each implementation is going to be different and one size fits all doesn't always work.
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DrFaust

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[Rant] More RPG.net frustrations
« Reply #23 on: June 08, 2007, 09:09:41 AM »
Quote from: Koltar
....or they could just purge all Tangency posts that are older than 30 days.


Of all the things about RPGnet, I think the thing that bothers me most is the way they allowed Tangency to bloom into a putrescent cancerous wart that is actively proud of how little it has to do with the rest of the forums. It's got nothing to do with RPGs or gaming; either it shouldn't be there at all, or should be vastly reduced, as you suggest.
 

walkerp
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[Rant] More RPG.net frustrations
« Reply #24 on: June 08, 2007, 09:32:08 AM »
ha ha!  Fuck with me rpg.net!  

It was my thread that the OP is referring to.  I had my grubby little hands on the SW Saga book and was very impressed with and interested in its design and marketing approach.  I wanted to discuss how it might impact the market and the hobby overall.  My first thread was a very brief review with lots of my own D20 "hate" in it.  This was moved in seconds to the D20 forum.  I went to Trouble Tickets and asked, very reasonably for it to get moved back.  Waited several hours for a response.  During that time, several other TT requests got a response, include one to move a D20 thread from Open into D20.

So I went back to Open and started another thread, this time without the review and a much clearer position on how this may affect the entire hobby (which I had understood was an allowable exception to discuss D20 things in Open).

This one was moved in about 20 minutes.  I tried to not blow my gasket, but was getting very close.  I was waiting for a response from the mods when Forumulus, the God of Internet Discussion became furious at ShannonA's hubris (or whoever the fuck is pulling his strings) and shot a lightning bolt at their servers.

I don't want to sound hysterical, but they are coming perilously close to censorship with this move.  I have been on the site for about a year and a half, 1,500 posts, some good hot arguments.  I've never been warned.  I've contributed to the index, encouraged friends to check it out.  And now I'm having my perfectly valid threads yanked around to fit their little vision of the world?

C.W. Richeson says it has been talked to death, which is true.  It has been talked to death by the users, but the Mods are skirting around the issue and ShannonA has said absolutely nothing of substance.  It's clear that many of the mods are not comfortable with the change and are towing the line.  And its clear that ShannonA's lack of proper communication on this issue is making the situation worse.  I would love to know what are the real motivations behind the change.
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C.W.Richeson

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[Rant] More RPG.net frustrations
« Reply #25 on: June 08, 2007, 10:23:20 AM »
Quote from: walkerp

C.W. Richeson says it has been talked to death, which is true.  It has been talked to death by the users, but the Mods are skirting around the issue and ShannonA has said absolutely nothing of substance.  It's clear that many of the mods are not comfortable with the change and are towing the line.  And its clear that ShannonA's lack of proper communication on this issue is making the situation worse.  I would love to know what are the real motivations behind the change.


There are very, very long threads in both Trouble Tickets and RP Open where Shannon has added a dozen posts clarifying all the issues.  *I* understand where threads are supposed to go from having read his posts and think it's fairly straightforward.  What would be useful would be if someone culled Shannon's responses into a Stickied "d20 Split FAQ" - maybe you should lobby for that?

The mods are in a crappy position, right?  They probably don't care for the split either, I agree, but as the people expected to administrate the boards they have to go with what the owner decides.  I don't see how they can weigh in on anything - they just do their best to put threads in the right place and ignore the grief they get for it.  Besides, if they did voice their objections it would be privately instead of in a big public circus.
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Caesar Slaad

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[Rant] More RPG.net frustrations
« Reply #26 on: June 08, 2007, 10:31:02 AM »
Quote from: walkerp
I don't want to sound hysterical, but they are coming perilously close to censorship with this move.


I have to laugh when I hear people invoke the term censorship when it comes to private venues.
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jrients

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[Rant] More RPG.net frustrations
« Reply #27 on: June 08, 2007, 10:40:14 AM »
Quote from: C.W.Richeson
The mods are in a crappy position, right?  They probably don't care for the split either, I agree, but as the people expected to administrate the boards they have to go with what the owner decides.  I don't see how they can weigh in on anything - they just do their best to put threads in the right place and ignore the grief they get for it.  Besides, if they did voice their objections it would be privately instead of in a big public circus.


Is there something preventing the mods from expressing their disapproval of a policy while also enforcing that policy?  Other than a unnecessary circle-the-wagons mentality?
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walkerp
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[Rant] More RPG.net frustrations
« Reply #28 on: June 08, 2007, 10:46:30 AM »
Quote from: C.W.Richeson
There are very, very long threads in both Trouble Tickets and RP Open where Shannon has added a dozen posts clarifying all the issues.  *I* understand where threads are supposed to go from having read his posts and think it's fairly straightforward.  What would be useful would be if someone culled Shannon's responses into a Stickied "d20 Split FAQ" - maybe you should lobby for that?


I did lobby for it.  First in that large thread, then two other times where my thread was closed almost immediately. I also supported Jocelyn Robitaille's suggestion that we put a sticky summary post of all the interesting threads in Open on the D20 forum, to attract D20 forum users to Open.  Completely ignored.

While it was very clear how the new site was going to be organized and what threads were supposed to go where, it was not at all clear why the change was being made.  Nor was it ever acknowledged for a second that a large group of users were not comfortable with the change and had some very valid reasons for it.  But really the answer "to increase users and traffic" is just not good enough for me.  I agree that the site should continue to evolve and grow, but I don't necessarily agree that adding a D20 forum is the best way.  I would like some of the issues of timing, of encouraging fragmentation of an already fragmented hobby, or market share, addressed.  I'm sorry but as far as management goes that was one of the most piss-poor examples of top-down communication I have seen in a long time.

Quote from: C.W.Richeson

The mods are in a crappy position, right?  They probably don't care for the split either, I agree, but as the people expected to administrate the boards they have to go with what the owner decides.  I don't see how they can weigh in on anything - they just do their best to put threads in the right place and ignore the grief they get for it.  Besides, if they did voice their objections it would be privately instead of in a big public circus.


Of course. And I said that.  Obviously, they can't go in against it publicly without getting the boot or causing such an uproar.  It makes me curious as to how tight a rein is going on backstage and what motivates them to all tow the line.
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[Rant] More RPG.net frustrations
« Reply #29 on: June 08, 2007, 10:48:04 AM »
Quote from: Caesar Slaad
I have to laugh when I hear people invoke the term censorship when it comes to private venues.
Well that's another discussion, but I am not sure how "private" a site whose entire exisence is based on its members is.  As I suggesed, I am probably overreaching with the term censorship.  But as a faithful user of the site, it certainly doesn't make me feel very kindly to the organizers.
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