How did you end up here?

Best Selling RPGs - Available Now @ DriveThruRPG.com
That's going to be a bit difficult, as I spent six years deep undercover infiltrating the geese on behalf of the crows. Parts of the paper trail might still be out there. Still, I was instrumental in making sure the Crow Intelligence Service secured the largest part of the bounty at the Great Bread Throwing at the Park Pond of 2009.

You'd know about the following tragedy, then.

Researchers for the Massachusetts Turnpike Authority found over 200 dead crows near greater Boston recently, and there was concern that they may have died from Avian Flu. A Bird Pathologist examined the remains of all the crows, and, to everyone’s relief, confirmed the problem was definitely NOT Avian Flu. The cause of death appeared to be vehicular impacts.

However, during the detailed analysis it was noted that varying colors of paints appeared on the bird’s beaks and claws. By analyzing these paint residues it was determined that 98% of the crows had been killed by impact with trucks, while only 2% were killed by an impact with a car.

MTA then hired an Ornithological Behaviorist to determine if there was a cause for the disproportionate percentages of truck kills versus car kills.

The Ornithological Behaviorist very quickly concluded the cause: when crows eat road kill, they always have a look-out crow in a nearby tree to warn of impending danger. They discovered that while all the lookout crows could shout “Cah”, not a single one could shout “Truck.” Absolutely amazing!
 
You'd know about the following tragedy, then.

Researchers for the Massachusetts Turnpike Authority found over 200 dead crows near greater Boston recently, and there was concern that they may have died from Avian Flu. A Bird Pathologist examined the remains of all the crows, and, to everyone’s relief, confirmed the problem was definitely NOT Avian Flu. The cause of death appeared to be vehicular impacts.

However, during the detailed analysis it was noted that varying colors of paints appeared on the bird’s beaks and claws. By analyzing these paint residues it was determined that 98% of the crows had been killed by impact with trucks, while only 2% were killed by an impact with a car.

MTA then hired an Ornithological Behaviorist to determine if there was a cause for the disproportionate percentages of truck kills versus car kills.

The Ornithological Behaviorist very quickly concluded the cause: when crows eat road kill, they always have a look-out crow in a nearby tree to warn of impending danger. They discovered that while all the lookout crows could shout “Cah”, not a single one could shout “Truck.” Absolutely amazing!
Out! OUT!
 
That's going to be a bit difficult, as I spent six years deep undercover infiltrating the geese on behalf of the crows. Parts of the paper trail might still be out there. Still, I was instrumental in making sure the Crow Intelligence Service secured the largest part of the bounty at the Great Bread Throwing at the Park Pond of 2009.
I think you are going to fit in around here just fine.
 
That's going to be a bit difficult, as I spent six years deep undercover infiltrating the geese on behalf of the crows. Parts of the paper trail might still be out there. Still, I was instrumental in making sure the Crow Intelligence Service secured the largest part of the bounty at the Great Bread Throwing at the Park Pond of 2009.

Yeah, you're going to fit right in here

Edit: lol, scooped. Teaches me to post without scrolling down!
 
Last edited:
I've retreated from most forums lately, as I mostly lurk. The only one I've participated in is TheRPGSite for the past few years. But I've found lately that particular site has become more political and getting louder and angrier voices, so I decided to register here.
 
I stumbled on an rpg.net thread from 2017 that included some discussion about this site. The consensus was that it was a very friendly place, but there were many dire predictions that it couldn't possibly stay that way and that unless a complex system of laws was implemented it would lead to a rash of arbitrary bannings and general bad feelings all around.

Well, two years on, and I guess I dunno that things are as friendly as they started out. Various people have spent enough time together by now to have started to get on each other's nerves. :tongue: But generally speaking, I think good feelings still reign, and mods rarely have to do more than just ask people to take it down a notch. I'd say that so far we've at least mostly proved the doomsayers wrong. :smile:
 
I stumbled on an rpg.net thread from 2017 that included some discussion about this site. The consensus was that it was a very friendly place, but there were many dire predictions that it couldn't possibly stay that way and that unless a complex system of laws was implemented it would lead to a rash of arbitrary bannings and general bad feelings all around.

Well, two years on, and I guess I dunno that things are as friendly as they started out. Various people have spent enough time together by now to have started to get on each other's nerves. :tongue: But generally speaking, I think good feelings still reign, and mods rarely have to do more than just ask people to take it down a notch. I'd say that so far we've at least mostly proved the doomsayers wrong. :smile:
It's still a fairly cosy and intimate group as well. It's got its bunch of regulars and is still sitting in that sweet spot where the community is large enough for there to be something going on but not yet gone viral and gotten itself flooded.

If the mods could just stop promoting the site, that'd be great.
 
I stumbled on an rpg.net thread from 2017 that included some discussion about this site. The consensus was that it was a very friendly place, but there were many dire predictions that it couldn't possibly stay that way and that unless a complex system of laws was implemented it would lead to a rash of arbitrary bannings and general bad feelings all around.

Well, two years on, and I guess I dunno that things are as friendly as they started out. Various people have spent enough time together by now to have started to get on each other's nerves. :tongue: But generally speaking, I think good feelings still reign, and mods rarely have to do more than just ask people to take it down a notch. I'd say that so far we've at least mostly proved the doomsayers wrong. :smile:
While things aren't quite as peaceful as they were early on, I think we've done a pretty good job of keeping people with a variety of tastes. A lot of forums turn into echo chambers, either through forceful moderation or the most dickish members driving everyone with differing tastes out. When I go to an RPG forum, I like to see what people with other tastes in games are doing, not to try and bludgeon everyone into agreeing with me.

On the whole, people seem pretty comfortable talking about whatever game they like here, even if they'd be mocked or shunned for liking it somewhere else.
 
The Mods have had to actually tell people to take a time out a bit more often, and lock a few more threads, but the core constituency has largely been aware when We are escalating things past the point of arguing and into being complete assholes, too. Still VASTLY better than any other forum I've been on, even in its worst days.
 
I stumbled on an rpg.net thread from 2017 that included some discussion about this site. The consensus was that it was a very friendly place, but there were many dire predictions that it couldn't possibly stay that way and that unless a complex system of laws was implemented it would lead to a rash of arbitrary bannings and general bad feelings all around.

Well, two years on, and I guess I dunno that things are as friendly as they started out. Various people have spent enough time together by now to have started to get on each other's nerves. :tongue: But generally speaking, I think good feelings still reign, and mods rarely have to do more than just ask people to take it down a notch. I'd say that so far we've at least mostly proved the doomsayers wrong. :smile:
The moderators on this site treat the users with respect and patience, and give people the time to resolve their own conflicts as if they are adults. We don't discuss politics. It's not rocket science, but it's the reason why this site doesn't have a list of banned users that could reach to the Moon and back.
 
"Complex system of laws" Is this site unique for needing that???

Forums rise and fall based on sensible and reasonable moderation. We're OK here.

I think people at rpg.net just feel very strongly that there ought to be rules for everything. They're kind of the GURPS of communities that way. :tongue:

I guess that makes us the fluffy "meh, just throw a dicepool together, it's the collaborative experience that matters, man" Storyteller system, though I'm not sure all posters here will appreciate the comparison. :shade: The RPGSite, needless to say, is adversarial Viking-hatted dungeon-delving, where you start out with 1d4 HP in a world full of angry cats and by Jove that's the only way a REAL MAN would have it!!! And I have no idea what the Roleplaying Den* is, but whatever it is it frightens me terribly...


* Or whatever it was called. I can't seem to find it anymore. I don't suppose it was all some sort of bizarre dream about having inexplicably angry people bellow mathematical equations at me? That does seem like the sort of dream I tend to have, admittedly...

ETA: It's the Gaming Den, apparently. My bad.
 
Last edited:
"Complex system of laws" Is this site unique for needing that???

Forums rise and fall based on sensible and reasonable moderation. We're OK here.

Well, a quick look at rpg.net's Infractions forum shows how well that "complex system of laws" is working for them (Spoiler: The mods mostly seem to make arbitrary calls based on their specific reading of those laws, moods, preferences, etc then back others plays, screw ups, flake outs and frankly, some occasional maleficence in some kind sad imitation of 'The Blue wall of silence' that cops are alleged to maintain.
 
Last edited:
I think people at rpg.net just feel very strongly that there ought to be rules for everything. They're kind of the GURPS of communities that way. :tongue:

I guess that makes us the fluffy "meh, just throw a dicepool together, it's the collaborative experience that matters, man" Storyteller system, though I'm not sure all posters here will appreciate the comparison. :shade: The RPGSite, needless to say, is adversarial Viking-hatted dungeon-delving, where you start out with 1d4 HP in a world full of angry cats and by Jove that's the only way a REAL MAN would have it!!! And I have no idea what the Roleplaying Den* is, but whatever it is it frightens me terribly...


* Or whatever it was called. I can't seem to find it anymore. I don't suppose it was all some sort of bizarre dream about having inexplicably angry people bellow mathematical equations at me? That does seem like the sort of dream I tend to have, admittedly...

ETA: It's the Gaming Den, apparently. My bad.
I think it's more that the mods at rpg.net feel like a heavy handed approach is the only thi g that stops it spirallingoit of control into a series if entrenched positions flaming each other. Which is pretty much how I remember it being back before groupthink became the lid they put on that.
 
Let’s not turn this thread into a bashing of other forums :smile: frankly, beyond the lack of swo in it, it’s off topic.
It's not like I know what things are like on other gaming forums. But it might be an idea to simply let them be. And not drag threads from other forums to here. That way lies drama. And swo leaks, too.
 
I think it's more that the mods at rpg.net feel like a heavy handed approach is the only thi g that stops it spirallingoit of control into a series if entrenched positions flaming each other. Which is pretty much how I remember it being back before groupthink became the lid they put on that.
In fairness, they are an order of magnitude or two bigger than us. What works here wouldn't necessarily work there and vice-versa, especially with how many of us were (At the time) coming from somewhere somewhat more... "argumentative".

I think they were valid concerns at the time, even if they've turned out to ultimately not be an issue.
 
Let’s not turn this thread into a bashing of other forums :smile: frankly, beyond the lack of swo in it, it’s off topic.

Fair enough. Lord knows there's enough of that. I'm sorry for contributing to it.

Still don't get the 'swo' thing though. :grin:
 
Still don't get the 'swo' thing though. :grin:
In my head, I translate it as “chill”. Dude-like. But I think it’s a personal experience sort of thing.
 
I don’t mind people getting what they think about other places off their chest. I just wouldn’t want to see threads specifically started about it. “<insert www address> is the dregs of humanity!” That sort of thing.
A little generic venting is fine. I think it becomes an issue if we start getting threads linking and complaining about what people are saying on other forums. When I burned out on rpg.net, I gave the RPG Site a try, only to find that half the threads there were people talking about what people were talking about at rpg.net.

On top of that, any time you get a conversation talking about what other people are saying rather than just exchanging ideas with the people that are actually here, it is easy for things to turn into strawman burning or pedantic parsing of what those other people meant. Neither of those things tend to lead to interesting places.

That’s not a valid web address.

;)
Why am I unsurprised that you heard a forum was the dregs of humanity and you instantly tried to check it out? :wink:
 
Eat nothing for four days and study the Guide to Glorantha.

Then ascend a nearby hill clad only in GURPS supplements while meditating on the koan "What is OSR?"

At the summit spend a benny and Mankcam Mankcam may appear and grant you insight.
I find that spending fate points is more effective when I need to summon Mankcam Mankcam.
 
I think it's more that the mods at rpg.net feel like a heavy handed approach is the only thi g that stops it spirallingoit of control into a series if entrenched positions flaming each other. Which is pretty much how I remember it being back before groupthink became the lid they put on that.

It just seems like a power trip honestly.

...
... the hell is swo?
 
Banner: The best cosmic horror & Cthulhu Mythos @ DriveThruRPG.com
Back
Top