Why, why, why do certain folks see it as their holy mission to incite edition wars at ENWorld? I mean, if these folks particpated on the forums in other capacities, it's be tolerable. . . but sweet baby jeebus. It seems that the only reason that this particular group of folks[/b] posts there is to keep the flames going.

There are, of course, productive reasons for discussing mechanical differences between the many editions of D&D, but such reasons are never a factor where the aforementioned folks are concerned. Never. It's all about bitching and moaning that edition X was fsupplanted by new-fangled edition Y.

To that end, it's always about pointing out that edition X did Z thing much better (or differently) than edition Y does Z thing. It's about drawing lines in the sand and then classifying people based on what side of those lines they choose to stand on. In short, it's bullshit.

And for fuck's sake, that horse hasn't only been beaten until it turned into a pile of dust, it's be reanimated and beaten back to ash hundreds of times over (on ENWorld, almost exclusively by the very same handful of forever bitter, unforgiving, bastards).

Yeeeeeeeeargh!

[Edit: Added a bit of explanation to clarify my position. Also, please do not use this post as justification to bounce over to ENWorld and start an cross-forum flamewar. Thanks.]

Quote from: jdrakehAnd for fuck's sake, that horse hasn't only been beaten until it turned into a pile of dust, it's be reanimated and beaten back to ash hundreds of times over (on ENWorld, almost exclusively by the very same handful of forever bitter, unforgiving, bastards).

That was my first thought, but if internet forums love anything it's the exact same conversation over and over.

Don't you know jdrakeh? Thinking of something new would require effort and just when they had their diatribe down pat too......

Just remember, no matter what anyone's doing, someone will take it way too seriously.

Quote from: C.W.RichesonThat was my first thought, but if internet forums love anything it's the exact same conversation over and over.

Well, there may be some truth to that, but ENWorld is on record that this particular horse needs to be dragged to another location before the beating begins -- they've periodically issued forum-wide topic bans on threads that specifically attempt to incite edition wars, yet, the aformentioned bunch of posters is insistent on revisiting the issue every few weeks. That's why I complain as I do

Quote from: NazgulDon't you know jdrakeh? Thinking of something new would require effort and just when they had their diatribe down pat too......

I understand this kind of phenomena coming from individual posters (i.e., trolls) -- what I don't get is a whole group of people deliberately pushing the issue over and over and over and over again, ad infinitum (and in the face of freuqent topic bans and thread deletions, no less). I guess what I'm saying is that I don't often see trolls travel in packs (outside of their homelands, anyhow). This one particular topic on the forum in question, though -- it seems to be the shining beacon of light guiding the goblinoid armies in strange, new, lands

[Edit: I guess, in an effort to make this thead productive, we might discuss similar unwelcome and unpopular topics started and nurtured by entire groups of folks, rather than individual posters. Such a list might come in handy for mods (at many forums), I suppose.]

Quote from: jdrakehI understand this kind of phenomena coming from individual posters (i.e., trolls) -- what I don't get is a whole group of people deliberately pushing the issue over and over and over and over again, ad infinitum (and in the face of freuqent topic bans and thread deletions, no less). I guess what I'm saying is that I don't often see trolls travel in packs

You see, the reason they keep rehashing thing like this, is because they are Righteous. Yes, it is they who know The One True Way, the Meaning of It All, and if they can just convince a few more, oh just a few more.....

Then they will win and vanquish the armys of the Bad-Wrong forever.

In other words: They feel absolute conviction in their chosen cause. They are blind to all things that might cause them to rethink their chosen rhetoric. They want to convince others that they are right and 'save' them from what they "know" is wrong.

It's not just their opinion, it's their CAUSE! (A zealot, is a zealot, is a zealot, you just can't reason with them.)

Learn to ignore them, or nuke them from orbit. Cause we don't have Mind Wipe tech to fix them.

Quote from: NazgulLearn to ignore them. . .

I don't ignore them entirely, but today I try to make my responses to their queries level-headed (see my post on ENWorld). When I must vent, I do so at a forum (here) where my venting will be recognized for what it is (venting) and not some kind of political platform.

Quote. . . or nuke them from orbit.

Violence begets violence and all of that other Yoda shit

Thought begets Heresy.

Heresy begets Retribution.



Seriously though. I understand your need to vent and welcome you to do so. I'm just saying that you  shouldn't expect your efforts to amount to much.

Oh, sure, they'll look like they are considering what you are saying. But deep down, they are just waiting for the chance to lure you into a dark ally and...... do things to you...... with their rhetoric........

Unspeakable things. :hehe:

Quote from: NazgulI'm just saying that you  shouldn't expect your efforts to amount to much.

Oh, sure -- I know that. Rest assured, whenever I vent, I know that I'm venting -- I don't expect me blowing off steam to do anything other than reduce the internal pressure a bit. After all, I'm just an internet user, not some kind of omnipotent godhead whom the world revolves around

Quote from: jdrakehAfter all, I'm just an internet user, not some kind of omnipotent godhead whom the world revolves around

That's right you stay away from Pundit's/Edward's job.

Quote from: NazgulIn other words: They feel absolute conviction in their chosen cause. They are blind to all things that might cause them to rethink their chosen rhetoric. They want to convince others that they are right and 'save' them from what they "know" is wrong.

It's not just their opinion, it's their CAUSE! (A zealot, is a zealot, is a zealot, you just can't reason with them.)

There's this guy I know that was (is?) absolutely convinced that AD&D 2E (yes, 2E) was the be-all-and-end-all of gaming, and couldn't avoid crapping on any D&D 3E discussion on a mail list. When he organized gaming gatherings, he only scheduled the games of his liking--understandably, this narrowed the options quite a bit. :rolleyes:

Quote from: NazgulThat's right you stay away from Pundit's/Edward's job.

I don't want that job, friend

Quote from: JongWK. . . understandably, this narrowed the options quite a bit. :rolleyes:

Understandably for you, me, and most of theRPGsite, perhaps, but I get the feeling that there are many hobbyists who don't understand this (i.e., that placing a load of restrictions on what you're willing to play will considerably reduce your odds of playing anything whatsoever).

Spare not the banhammer, and let brains spatter the walls!

Quote from: mythusmageSpare not the banhammer, and let brains spatter the walls!

The banhammer doesn't get lowered a lot at ENWorld. Their ignore list function totally removes posts made by indvidiuals on one's IL, so the banhammer isn't all that necessary. I like that IL. It stops me from being tempted to click "view post" when I forget why somebody is on my IL (mainly 'cause it's not an option). I guess one could say that their IL is impulse friendly