Quote from: Benoist;453491But you know, you shouldn't feel obligated to do like I do or not get the game if you want to or whatnot. I just won't purchase anything with GMS's name on it. He doesn't want money from those filthy needy gamers who've got to know their places and stay there, under his designer pedestal, and I'm more than happy to oblige.

For what it's worth I am not all that familiar with Mr. Skarka's design oeuvre and don't mean to discourage Simlasa or anyone else from buying his work if they are interested by it. (I used to have Skull and Bones from Green Ronin which was not bad, not spectacular, and I think that's it.) Frankly I bear the guy no ill will. I'm just saying that he seems like a guy who is sort of at a war of glove slaps with his customer base. I imagine the angry chef who comes out waving a ladle at a diner who asked for a menu substitution - I can understand why he wouldn't make one, but I can also understand why someone would choose to dine elsewhere.

Quote from: Benoist;453491Yeah, the thread in question is not too bad I agree. Notice I said it would give you an idea, not that it would make it into the top 10 of lunatics on the internet, or top 10 of the worst posts of the guy, or anything like that.

Nope, you didn't, and I didn't take it that way... I guess I just wanted to say that I found myself kind of agreeing with him in that particular thread.  

QuoteBut you know, you shouldn't feel obligated to do like I do or not get the game if you want to or whatnot.

No, of course not, but I do respect your and Cole's opinion about stuff... which was why I asked about your gripe against the guy.
I know it's kind of silly but it does effect my enjoyment of stuff when I know the person creating is is a jerk... therefore my boycott of Palladium and lack of enthusiasm for Salvador Dali, James Cameron, Pablo Picasso.

Turns out GMS wrote the Underworld game, which I read and liked (but never played)... and now that I think of it it has a bit of Mieville flavor to it, being urban fantasy and all.

Quote from: Benoist;453455China Miéville + GMS = Instant no-buy from me. GMS would have been enough, mind you.

I am not fan of Miéville's novels, try as I might I've just never been able to get through one. But I really like his short fiction. Wish he'd write more of it.

I probably would not have an interest in the project if it was not also attached to the Basic Roleplaying system, that really sells it for me. I have been developing an itch for a magical steam-punk setting, but I don't care much for Bas-Lag's alien population. The novels seem filled with great ideas, something about the execution just turns me off.

Quote from: Simlasa;453498No, of course not, but I do respect your and Cole's opinion about stuff... which was why I asked about your gripe against the guy.
I know it's kind of silly but it does effect my enjoyment of stuff when I know the person creating is is a jerk... therefore my boycott of Palladium and lack of enthusiasm for Salvador Dali, James Cameron, Pablo Picasso.

I feel you, I'm just saying, I don't personally have a gripe against the guy; I've never myself exchanged words with him. I just had to laugh when I saw Jason Durall's post because I thought "I bet Skarka is railing against something over there."

For that matter, I haven't read the Crobuzon books, either (I read and did not enjoy Mieville's King Rat but I am to understand it is not among his better work), but many people with similar tastes to me seem to like them and I am a BRP fan.

Quote from: Cole;453505I feel you, I'm just saying, I don't personally have a gripe against the guy

I do. He lives under the assumption that no gamer should ever feel entitled to anything, that the hobby as we know it is shit and should become something else it isn't, that role playing games are basically done, that transmedia is the second coming of Christ, that game designers are "up here" and the customers are "down there" waiting for the products to fall down in their mouths like good puppies, and if I could disagree with this stuff on principle and leave it at that (because let's face it, GMS is not going to "fix gaming" any time soon), the guy does everything he can to come across as a blowhard and a douchebag. He's also made very clear he doesn't want to get money from any of these obnoxious smelly gamers who feel entitled about anything in this hobby because they are his problem, not his solution, so I oblige.

Quote from: hanszurcher;453502I am not fan of Miéville's novels, try as I might I've just never been able to get through one. But I really like his short fiction. Wish he'd write more of it.

My problem with Miéville is his politics. What I've read from him just didn't strike a chord with me. It just seemed overly convoluted and well, not the type of writing I like to read, to be honest.

Quote from: Benoist;453508I do. He lives under the assumption that no gamer should ever feel entitled to anything, that the hobby as we know it is shit and should become something else it isn't, that role playing games are basically done, that transmedia is the second coming of Christ, that game designers are "up here" and the customers are "down there" waiting for the products to fall down in their mouths like good puppies, and if I could disagree with this stuff on principle and leave it at that (because let's face it, GMS is not going to "fix gaming" any time soon), the guy does everything he can to come across as a blowhard and a douchebag. He's also made very clear he doesn't want to get money from any of these obnoxious smelly gamers who feel entitled about anything in this hobby because they are his problem, not his solution, so I oblige.

I don't blame you at all, mind.

Benoist's position regarding my "assumptions" is an extremely uncharitable interpretation of things I've said in the past.  

Extremely.  

To the point of have little bearing on reality.  

Basically, he's taken things I've said which he disagrees with, placed them in their worst possible light, mixed them with what he assumes I meant (often mistaken), ramped them all up to 11, and presented them as gospel about what I apparently believe.

There are grains of truth it in, which is enough to give it legs -- which, I suppose, is enough for somebody who feels the need to pursue a grudge on the internet.  For what it's worth, I don't really bear him any ill will -- he's welcome to his opinion:  It's just the vehemence with which he holds it that I find a little odd.


Most folks find that I'm not the ogre I'm made out to be.   I fully admit that I occasionally say things which some folks disagree with, and I'll admit that I often say them with a particular turn of phrase and love of bon mots that really gets under the skin of the people who are already disagreeing with me.    It's the internet.  It happens.

I don't think of myself as "up here" and gamers "down there."  I *am* a gamer.    This particular misconception stems from the fact that I don't think that gamers-as-consumers are particularly qualified to discuss publishing as a business, which I've made my full-time career for most of my adult life.   For a certain personality type, used to being the smartest kid in the room, and having their demands catered to, being told that they don't know what they think they do is an unpleasant experience -- and so therefore I must be looking down on all gamers from my rooty-toot high-falutin' pedestal (or something).

Simply not true.

Thanks for the interest in TALES OF NEW CROBUZON, in any case.

Quote from: GMSkarka;453514...
Thanks for the interest in TALES OF NEW CROBUZON, in any case.

Any news/info about the up-coming publication that might have been missed?

Quote from: Benoist;453509My problem with Miéville is his politics. What I've read from him just didn't strike a chord with me. It just seemed overly convoluted and well, not the type of writing I like to read, to be honest.

Is there a lot of political subtext in his books? Maybe it is my aversion to politics that turns me off.

Quote from: hanszurcher;453515Any news/info about the up-coming publication that might have been missed?

Not quite yet.    It will be released in late Fall (a holiday release), and as we get closer to the release date, we'll have more news and info available.

Quote from: GMSkarka;453514Basically, he's taken things I've said which he disagrees with, placed them in their worst possible light, mixed them with what he assumes I meant (often mistaken), ramped them all up to 11, and presented them as gospel about what I apparently believe.

Sure. Whatever you say.

Quote from: Benoist;453518Sure. Whatever you say.

See?


Seriously, though -- I mean, if you want to keep believing it, that's fine.  Or you could just ask me what I think about X,Y or Z, and I'll tell you, so you won't have to assume.

Or not -- you're pretty set in your opinions, so I'm guessing there's not much chance of actual dialog here.

You're right in that last part. This would require from you to start by admitting you act like a douchebag to then basically lay out what could be constituted as a sincere apology. I don't think that's going to happen, but you never know.

Plus, I don't need to ask anything of you, Gareth. It's alright.

I'm a big fan of Miéville's works.  I think he has been a breath of fresh air in the genre.  I don't mind that he mixes in a healthy dose fo politics, even though I don't necessarily share his point of view.