OTish - the current situation on the board

[B.T.]

During the last few days, the tone on the board really went into a direction, that the majority of us seem not to favor. And I personally think, we should actively search for a solution. Espacially those "canon vs. non-canon" discussions don't lead to anything positive. Legbreaker mentioned in another thread, that e-mails and personal messages are flying around. As I am PMing for myself, I know, that several members are annoyed, dislike the situation in the moment, and considering to leave the board. And that cannot be the right way! .
Olefin said, he's not here to find new friends, but to discuss the game (and game related background). And he said, he has the approval from one of the moderators, that his approach is okay with the boards policy.
Maybe there is a way, where everybody can put his thoughts to the public, but avoid all the "drama". Just as Webstral said: "I have a wife and two young children, so I get plenty of drama at home. When I’m teaching, I have classrooms filled with tweens, so I get plenty of drama at work. I keep the company of men on the Internet to avoid the drama. Let’s not get spun up over whose ideas are more logically consistent or more likely to win favor from Frank Frey. In all likelihood, Frank is steering clear of us because he doesn’t need the drama, either". Although not all of us are married and have children, I think, most of us think along similar lines, as Web put it! I don't need that kind of drama, either! If we look at the last few threads, it is obvious, that some of the regular posters (I mean the posters, that were regularly posting during the last month, like Medic, just to grab one example.) did not post during the last week (s). Others have spoken up again, like LAW.
I can't speak for others, but if you click to the statistics of several members, there seems to be some kind of scheme: Some people did not log in for quite some time. Maybe those members don't log in but just read the threads as "guests". Or, and that's what I fear, they don't visit us, at least at the moment. Maybe I'm all wrong with that assumption, but the very hot-blooded discussions of recent days seem to have distracted some members.
Don't get me wrong: Everybody should have the chance, to present his personal approach to the game. And everybody should have the chance to comment or ignore those approaches. But keeping it friendly and civilized would be a benefit to the majority.

Now, what follows is my personal view and I adress you personally, Olefin. But I want to do this in public, to make my view and my standing point very clear: Some of your observations are pretty cool. I don't have the patience, nor have I the articles or modules in my posession. But I would prefer, if you would not start that many threads. Maybe one wider-themed thread would be a better idea. Something like: "Olefins T2k version - the changes I've made and why"
I can see some of your points. But sometimes I wonder: What is your intend? If canon suits you and your interpretation, you discuss with the info, taken from canon. But on the other hand: If you think, canon should be altered, you fight canon with canon, so to speak. The question, if a game is still supported or not, has nothing to do with parts of the background being canon. And to be honest: Whenever I see a new post from you, I can see what happens: You say something. And you come around like "the new Encyclopaedia Twilight", as Medic put it at one time. Legbreaker reacts. You react to the reaction. Someone of the more moderate members tries to keep it calm. You both, Legbreaker and Olefin, go for one another. This is boring. It brings bad blood. There is no benefit for anyone. And, frankly speaking, I have the suspicion, that some of the threats suite another purpose: Further provoking Legbreaker. (And by the way: On several occasions you've mentioned, that you would not get personal first hand. That is not true. You are permanently adressing Legbreaker, and on at least one occasion Targan, without any reason. Some of the tension could be avoided, if you would stop that.)

Now, if there would be a thread (or two or three), that are clearly marked as "Olefin's T2k universe", there would be less fighting. Members, who would like to ignore your way, could easily stay away. And all those needless "canon vs. non-canon"-discussions could find an end! And: The input of others might be more constructive.

This board has been a very important source for me. I had the chance, to ask questions. And reading all those older threads gave me inspiration and helped to fix things for my game. It would be very sad, if the momentary situation would make members leave the board. After all (and yes, this has been said by several members on numerous situations!) we, as a community, belong to a dying breed. We are playing a "niche-within-a-niche-within-a-niche game", as Raketenjagdpanzer said, very on point!

I, for myself, would be glad, if all these "pissing contests" (Thank you, Raellus. It was one of the English terms I learned on this board and this term just seems to be nicely fitting here!) could be surmounted. I don't want to read this whole "But it is canon"-"No it is not"-stuff anymore.

One last thing, more true than ever: I've tried to put this post in a civilized manner. I'm aware, that I've criticized Olefin, but I hope, it was in an acceptable manner. Read my sig! If I came on to strong or to offensive, please contact me. I'm trying to find a solution, that works for the majority of the members. Let's keep calm! It is not my intend, to slap someone's face more, than he deserves!

Phhh ... Over and Out!

[mikeo80]

I would like to add my two cents to this discussion.

AS a "newbe", I am not as aware of the differences between one person's interpretation of "canon" and another's. I have only played T2k once or twice. I do not own most of the modules that are discussed on the board.

I do enjoy reading the different opinions that are expressed in these different threads. Open and honest discussion has always been part of who I am and how I learn about different things.

I am NOT going to point fingers. I do not know enough to have an educated thought on most of the issues that are raised here in the forum. But I do not want to see the board destroyed by those who have strong opinions one way or another on the different modules from the game system.

I look at this issue this way. It's a game. I have played a lot of TMP. Do I follow "canon" every time? Heck no. If I want to change something for this scenario or that gaming session, I do. I think that T2K is a very robust and flexible system. Enought so that IF you want to run "Pirates of the Vestula" one way, and someone else has a diffent view on how the scenario "should" go, then DO IT!!

It seems to me that most of the contributing authors on this board do not play T2K in ongoing groups. Most of us have contracted that dread disease "RL" (real life) that prevents us from sitting down with some friends and rolling some dice.

Anywho....enough of me on my soapbox. It's time for someone else to step up here and share their views.

My $0.02

Mike

[Legbreaker]

My only comment is that the issue is in hand.

[Targan]

As I've said in the Operation Proud Lion thread, the recent unpleasantness really isn't canon vs non-canon at it's core. It's about the way that opinions and even facts are delivered, and it's the result of a deliberate campaign of slowly building irritation. It's basically underhanded, but admittedly quite clever, mood manipulation for the purposes of one member's enjoyment. It's about a lack of respect for the existing vibe of this forum. IMO.

[B.T.]

This is exactly, what I think, Targan!

[Mahatatain]

My own take on this (from someone who is an erratic poster anyway) is that this forum used to have a friendly and cooperative atmosphere to it and that that has changed in recent months and I believe that that is putting people off posting. It has become much more confrontational environment where people aren't really willing to listen to other people's opinions and just want to scream and yell that they're right and the other person is wrong. In other words it has changed to being like much of the rest of the internet!

Hopefully if people can calm down a bit and be a lot more respectful of other people's opinions then this forum can return to something like how it once was. You don't have to agree with someone else's opinions but clearly stating why you disagree in a friendly and constructive manner is much more likely to get them to change their mind and agree with you that simply turning it into an argument.

It is also extremely arrogant to assume that you're always right - if you're going to start a discussion or express a point of view on something then you should be prepared to read other people's responses with an open mind as they might just have a good point! If you're not doing that then you will rapidly gain a reputation as an arrogant person and that will damage the credibility of anything further that you write! If you want to be an accepted expert on something then you need to gain the respect from your audience and ignoring their points of view instantly destroys that respect and your own credibility!