Gaming Communities

[Leon ap Hywel]

As much as I like playing games I like talking about them, probably a pretty universal trait in most of us.

However am I the only one that finds a gaming community can really sour you on even your favourite game?

I dropped out of a discord recently for a game I absolutely love because a bunch of, I won’t call them fans, just can’t stop picking at completely non game issues. It creeps across all channels constantly.

Anyone else out off enough to look at other games by behaviour like this?

 

[TristramEvans]

Yeah, gaming communities can get insular and toxic pretty fast, like any fandom online. That's why I've always done general RPG forums as opposed to ones devoted to specific systems (the FASERIP communities being a notable exception)

 

[Endless Flight]

Part of the reason why I never really checked out Exalted was because no matter what suggestion anybody asked for, TBP would say Exalted was the answer.

“Hey, I’m looking to run a gritty murder mystery set in the 1920s. Any suggestions?”

“Exalted!”

It got old real fast.

 

[TristramEvans]

Ah, yeah, I remember the days of RPGnet Darlings

 

[Bunch]

Part of the reason why I never really checked out Exalted was because no matter what suggestion anybody asked for, TBP would say Exalted was the answer.

“Hey, I’m looking to run a gritty murder mystery set in the 1920s. Any suggestions?”

“Exalted!”

It got old real fast.

Mythras can do that!

 

[SirFrog]

Half the reason I dislike PbtA is the community around it

 

[TristramEvans]

Half the reason I dislike PbtA is the community around it

I feel the same way about Pokemon Go

 

[A Fiery Flying Roll]

Yeah, gaming communities can get insular and toxic pretty fast, like any fandom online. That's why I've always done general RPG forums as opposed to ones devoted to specific systems (the FASERIP communities being a notable exception)

It's pretty hard for a one man community to get insular.

 

[Voros]

As much as I like playing games I like talking about them, probably a pretty universal trait in most of us.

However am I the only one that finds a gaming community can really sour you on even your favourite game?

I dropped out of a discord recently for a game I absolutely love because a bunch of, I won’t call them fans, just can’t stop picking at completely non game issues. It creeps across all channels constantly.

Anyone else out off enough to look at other games by behaviour like this?

Nah, I spent too many years in the trenches as a music writer and later in show production to let the numerous snobs, poseurs, psychos and dogmatists dissaude me from appreciating the art and sometimes artists I loved.

I usually found the most toxic types were those tribalists convinced that there were 'others' who were in some mysterious way out to discredit or subvert the 'scene.' Often that was connected to another kind of enemy music or subgenre that threatened the 'purity' of the music or 'scene.'

As the vast majority of ttrpgs require a group to play a toxic fan community could be more of an issue I guess but I've rarely ran into the gaming flashpoints in RL that you encounter all the time online.

 

[VictorVonDoom]

It's pretty hard for a one man community to get insular.

Doom always says there's no point in finding friends when you can just build them.

 

[Tommy Brownell]

It's pretty hard for a one man community to get insular.

You joke, but people still talk about, and make stuff for, FASERIP.

I have felt like a one man community for Marvel SAGA.

For the question at large: The Savage Worlds community turned me off of Savage Worlds for a bit.

Luckily, playing Dungeons & Dragons again served as a good reminder of why I like Savage Worlds.

 

[thebigh]

Mythras can do that!

coughGURPScough

 

[thebigh]

It's pretty hard for a one man community to get insular.

John Donne certainly thought so.

 

[Bunch]

coughGURPScough

Medical conditions like that should be looked at by a professional.

 

[TristramEvans]

coughGURPScough

The only problem with GURPs is that, it doesn't matter how many books you have, have many rules you use or don't use, how much time you spend going through and tweaking the options to your particular specific campaign

...you still end up having to play GURPs.

 

[Endless Flight]

If the VURPS weren’t bad enough…

 

[TristramEvans]

 

[Endless Flight]

Steve “GURPS” Jackson

 

[TristramEvans]

Steve “GURPS” Jackson

Poor guy will probably have that on his tombstone

 

[thebigh]

GURPS: GURPS is like if Steve Jackson crawled into a little tunnel behind a filing cabinet in the Merton-Flemmer building and ended up inside his own head.

 

[EmperorNorton]

I just wish most of the RPGs I want to talk about were large enough to have an actual community.

 

[Nobohom]

Yeah, gaming communities can get insular and toxic pretty fast, like any fandom online. That's why I've always done general RPG forums as opposed to ones devoted to specific systems (the FASERIP communities being a notable exception)

There is not a subculture on earth, run by or involving human beings, that is not soured by bad human behaviour.
I never fit into any one particular subculture, despite having an array of interests.
While I am never usually attacked, as I am not perceived to be seeking status among any one subculture, I see it all the damned time.

 

[thebigh]

I just wish most of the RPGs I want to talk about were large enough to have an actual community.

I'm always happy to chat about obscure systems. Most of my character sheet challenge this year has been about playing around with games I'd never normally get a chance to look at.

 

[EmperorNorton]

I'm always happy to chat about obscure systems. Most of my character sheet challenge this year has been about playing around with games I'd never normally get a chance to look at.

When I finally have a chance to breath (I'm currently looking after my mother who just had surgery, and slowly going insane cause 1. I hate being away from my house anyway. 2. My mom and I get along great as long as we aren't around each other too much. I've learned to just chill and avoid arguments but she can be a bit... much sometimes, and 3. My dad, who I also love to death, he's 84 and while he can take care of himself fine actually for the most part, I need him to stop trying to help me because everything he tries to help me with I could do faster by myself... but I'm the only person who can come down here to take care of her from a logistical standpoint that I would trust so, it is what it is... sorry long ramble, I think it is the going crazy thing.), I really do want to do two let's read threads. Both for more obscure games, both for very different reasons:

1. Imagine. This game is byzantine and probably the most unnecessarily complex game I've ever successfully played. I played a campaign that lasted multiple years of it. I just want to go back and read it and see if it is just as stupid as my memory of it, and to share all the wonkiness of it with everyone.

2. Fabula Ultima. This game is basically "JRPG: the TTRPG" and I think it is just really really good at bringing that genre to the tabletop. And as a huge fan of JRPGs, it is something I just want to share with other people cause maybe someone else will think it is cool too.

 

[Endless Flight]

Best wishes for a speedy recovery for your mom, EmperorNorton.

 

[TristramEvans]

1. Imagine. This game is byzantine and probably the most unnecessarily complex game I've ever successfully played. I played a campaign that lasted multiple years of it. I just want to go back and read it and see if it is just as stupid as my memory of it, and to share all the wonkiness of it with everyone.

lol, I have a lot t say about that one. It was the first Fantasy Heartbreaker I owned.

 

[EmperorNorton]

lol, I have a lot t say about that one. It was the first Fantasy Heartbreaker I owned.

I've met the designers. They lived in Atlanta when it was released (not sure if they still do). They were lovely, wonderful people.

The game they designed though, no one deserved that.

 

[TristramEvans]

I've met the designers. They lived in Atlanta when it was released (not sure if they still do). They were lovely, wonderful people.

The game they designed though, no one deserved that.

IIRC they used to own the rpg.com domain name

 

[Endless Flight]

IIRC they used to own the rpg.com domain name

Did they sell it for $$$? Three letter domains can be pricey.

 

[Bunch]

I've met the designers.They lived in Atlanta when it was released (not sure if they still do). They were lovely, wonderful people.

The game they designed though, no one deserved that.

I misread that by one little letter and it really changed the sentence.

I read "They lived in Atlanta when I was released (not sure if they still do)."

 

[Toadmaster]

HERO System. Despite having strong disagreements over choices made my main beef with 6E is how it split the HERO boards. I spent years there as my main RPG hang out. The 6E edition wars spread through the whole site and I never felt comfortable there afterwards and haven't been back.

 

[thebigh]

On the other hand you're here now. Silver lining.

 

[Toadmaster]

On the other hand you're here now. Silver lining.

True and that required detours through "other" places making me appreciate this place even more.

 

[TristramEvans]

Did they sell it for $$$? Three letter domains can be pricey.

Not certain, this was early 2000s, maybe even late 90s

 

[TristramEvans]

HERO System. Despite having strong disagreements over choices made my main beef with 6E is how it split the HERO boards. I spent years there as my main RPG hang out. The 6E edition wars spread through the whole site and I never felt comfortable there afterwards and haven't been back.

Care to give an outsider an overview of what the 6th ed Wars were about?

 

[Bunch]

Care to give an outsider an overview of what the 6th ed Wars were about?

So from 1-5th edition a lot of characteristics were derived from some core characteristics. That made some interesting optimal break points on how you built a character. Maybe you wanted X to be normal and Y (derived from X) to be high. In 1-5 after a certain point it's borderline insane not to raise X.
In 6th edition I believe they got rid of derived characteristics and now you buy everything.

 

[Rated Aargh]

I just wish most of the RPGs I want to talk about were large enough to have an actual community.

Hear, hear.

Ever since the Flashing Blades Yahoo! Group shut down — yeah, I know that was ages ago — there's never been a dedicated place for discussing that game with fans. And while it's possible to have a one-off topic now and again in a general-interest forum, it's not the same.

 

[Leon ap Hywel]

Mythras can do that!

Except thats true

 

[lategamer]

I just wish most of the RPGs I want to talk about were large enough to have an actual community.

I have a super small community of people who talk about my roleplaying games. Any other game is bigger than mine.
And I love obscure systems.

happy to chew the fat here or on the discord.

 

[TristramEvans]

Hear, hear.

Ever since the Flashing Blades Yahoo! Group shut down — yeah, I know that was ages ago — there's never been a dedicated place for discussing that game with fans. And while it's possible to have a one-off topic now and again in a general-interest forum, it's not the same.

The Pub used to be home to a very big Flashing Blades fan by the screen name of Black Vulmea, who has sadly since retired from online fora.