There is a pattern of behavior in gamers that I've been seeing (or just noticing) lately that has truly aggrivated me. It is on every gaming forum and often in LGS as well. The pattern goes like this:

Fan of game system X enters a place (Forum, LGS, etc) where most of the gamers use game system Y. Fan of system X then insults the players of system Y and claims they are using an inferior game system. Fan of system X then offers to run a game of system X, and is surprised that the potential players are either uninterested or plays their interpretation of system X based upon their past experience with system Y. Fan of system X then uses this as a basis for a new round of insults and derogatory comments about system Y and its players.

Every time I see this happen I want to hit the dumb fuck fan of system X in the head with a copy of "How To Win Friends and Influence People", in hardback.

We gamers have the stereotype of being socially inept, but this is just stunning to me. And it happens on a regular basis. If the fans of system X would realize that they are setting themselves up to fail by insulting the very groups from which they could draw potential players, they might actually succeed in getting a game going for their favorite system instead of whining about how nobody wants to play.

This may be a small thing, but seeing it happen over and over followed by the lamentations of how these beleagured GMs of system X can't find players just grinds my gears.

(Thank you for your time and attention. This is your occassional ranter, signing off.)

You mean that shaming potential players into playing  isn't a viable strategy? :eek:

!i!

Just remember when drawing players from the other game that its easy to sense someone is masking their contempt for you and your favorite game. Little things can put them on to your scent, and, naturally, things tend to go downhill from there.

Seanchai

I don't think this sort of thing is limited to *just* gamers. You see it all the time in politics (Liberals suck, vote Republican!), religion (You're gonna go to hell for your heathen religion unless you convert, boy! Oh, and that's 10% of your income, kthxbye), and technology (Windows su>
Yes, it's stupid. Unfortunately, it's human nature. We love straw men.

Note: the above snarky comments (the ones in parens) are examples and may not reflect my actual opinion on a subject.

I find most games' fans are their own worst enemy.  

I mean, I'd never touch BECMI/RC D&D, because I can't fucking stand the fans who yammer about it online, and online is the only way I run games now.  

Then there's the RPGnet darling effect, which I'm sure everyone here is familiar with, and the latest example of which seems to be Spirit of the Century.

I respond poorly to overhype.  There comes a point where praise for something goes from, "OK, that sounds cool, maybe I'll check it out" to "Holy shit, would you shut the fuck up about it already?"

Yeah, I've seen this happen more than once.  Most commonly with folk who strongly dislike d20 and can't restrain themselves.

There was a recent thread on game publishers don't this when pitching their product - talking about how game X sucks or how their game is so much better than game X.  Same principal, putting down something your audience may love is just a bad idea.

Quote from: C.W.RichesonYeah, I've seen this happen more than once.  Most commonly with folk who strongly dislike d20 and can't restrain themselves.

There was a recent thread on game publishers don't this when pitching their product - talking about how game X sucks or how their game is so much better than game X.  Same principal, putting down something your audience may love is just a bad idea.

When it comes to talking about my game, I tend to prefer talking about how game X was really awesome, and how I hope my interpretation of stuff from it turns out well.

Quote from: C.W.RichesonThere was a recent thread on game publishers don't this when pitching their product - talking about how game X sucks or how their game is so much better than game X.  Same principal, putting down something your audience may love is just a bad idea.

I hate it when publishers do that, especially in their products! Particularly since it's usually not true...

Seanchai

Quote from: J ArcaneI mean, I'd never touch BECMI/RC D&D, because I can't fucking stand the fans who yammer about it online

I haven't ever quit playing a game because of this behavior, though there are quite a few that I will never go back to because of it. Ironically, I have actually purchased several games because of the vitriol that certain communities spewed in their direction.

I credit a certain AD&D 1e forum for my love of D&D 3.5. I figured that any game capable of provoking such a strong emotional response must have done something worth looking at. And dammit, praise those bitter old farts, as 3.5 (something I hadn't had an interest in previously) rocks.

Pundit sold me on DitV earlier this year, a game that I'd been avoiding for years. I ended up not being very impressed with it, though not for the reasons I'd been told would put me off.

Quote from: C.W.RichesonYeah, I've seen this happen more than once.  Most commonly with folk who strongly dislike d20 and can't restrain themselves.

There was a recent thread on game publishers don't this when pitching their product - talking about how game X sucks or how their game is so much better than game X.  Same principal, putting down something your audience may love is just a bad idea.

This is part of the social disconnect I've seen with this behavior. Its usually not been the game publishers who do this, its the fans of the game themselves.

Quote from: jeff37923This is part of the social disconnect I've seen with this behavior. Its usually not been the game publishers who do this, its the fans of the game themselves.

Sure - there are many more fans than publishers.

Seanchai

Seanchai doesn't know me, but this is how I know Seanchai.

I was on a email group/list for the D20 version of Deadlands, where basicly we got insulted on a daily basis by the fucking Pinnacle-employed list moderator.

I swore never to buy another Pinnacle product again. I was actually fooled into buying Low-Life (and I'm kind of glad  I got it) by not realizing it was related to those guys.

Seanchai was more vocal than me about this not being a good way to conduct business when we were trying to figure out how to you know.. create some gadgets for the gadgeteer class.

Quote from: Abyssal MawSeanchai was more vocal than me about this not being a good way to conduct business when we were trying to figure out how to you know.. create some gadgets for the gadgeteer class.

Yeah, I remember that. Not Pinnacle's finest hour. Letting your employees insult your consumers is not...conducive to doing business or winning over a new market...

Seanchai

So in what way were they insulting you?

RPGPundit

Quote from: RPGPunditSo in what way were they insulting you?

They said I wasn't as busty as other girls.




I think it was just general comments about d20 and d20 players.

Seanchai