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Everyone else gone? Just my volunteer brute squad? Good.
Sigh.
No! Bad fanboys!
Rodney *didn't* attack me. He let me know how he felt, and he felt I had attacked him, but he was polite and gentlemanly about it. No name calling, no claims I left him feeling like he'd been raped. Strong words, maybe, but he felt strongly. I love Rodney to bits, and value all he does. He remains welcome here, and anything done in "retribution" would be wrong-headed, make me sad, and possibly cause me to shut down this blog. If you have feelings of your own, they are welcome here. Express anything you need to, as long as you are polite and reasonable. If youre thinking of doing anything, anything at all, with the *goal* of hurting or inconveniencing anyone (*especially* my beloved Star Wars Saga director), do NOT do it on my behalf.
NEXT
I think a much better job of seriously hashing out the problems, real and imagined, of 4e is being handled here: http://chattydm.net/2008/07/29/chatty-o
If you like 4e, and you cant figure out what some of us are all upset about, that may help.
July 30 2008, 21:39:34 UTC 3 years ago
Much appreciated! I happen to like 4e so far (And I want to like it even more)... but I really wanted to know why it pissed so may people off (and me to a certain extend).
I'm grateful that it's been possible to have diverging opinions on RPGs while still not calling each other names on the site... I hope it lasts.
July 30 2008, 21:57:00 UTC 3 years ago
You are most welcome. Your points were well presented, and had a calm, reasonable tone I thought might help make the points easily seen by people who havent had the same reaction.
July 30 2008, 22:02:04 UTC 3 years ago
Have a look at my Open Letter to WotC... it's dated about a week or so... I won't link as I don't want to spam your page.
Cya laterz... maybe at Gen Con?!
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July 30 2008, 22:03:49 UTC 3 years ago
Restraint? On The Internets?
DG,It is my hope that people will respect your call for well, for lack of a better term, respect for someone who expressed disapointment with your blog post.
I feel Rodney's pain. It is tremendously difficult to separate oneself from a creative endeavor that you are deeply proud and connected to and legitimate criticism of how your hard work was packaged and sold.
Its not his fault, but it seems like his work is out there taking the shots, not the work of the Marketing/PR folks. After all its his name on the credits not theirs.
Its got to be even more galling when people you have worked with and/or respect in the industry share that criticism.
So I understand his frustration and pain. I think it took guts to come here and voice that frustration and pain in full view of the very people ladling out the criticism.
Rodney, I think you fell down in one way, you tried to defend the marketing/PR campaign for 4e. This is not your responsibility or area of expertise and it leaves you vulnerable to the perception that you are an apologist for the real/perceived failures of a different department.
Rodney, I think you should be proud of the design and development work you put into 4e, there are some awesome, head slap, "why didn't we do this before" stuff in there. The failure to communicate that awesome to the core gamers was not about you or your work, that I lay at the decisions of Marketing/PR.
My Two Coppers,
Bryan Blumklotz
AKA Saracenus
July 30 2008, 22:07:41 UTC 3 years ago
Re: Restraint? On The Internets?
I have nothing, at all, but respect for Rodney and his brave decision to not allow the forum to censor his thoughts. communication is the core of civilization.I hope Rodney knows he remains always welcome here, no matter his posts.
For the record, I *suspect* the names of the at least *some* of the people making these bad calls are in those books at least as prominently as Rodney's "other design" credit. My intent was to take a whack at the corporate voice, not any one specific person. I seem to have failed in at least one case, and that makes me sad.
July 30 2008, 22:23:05 UTC 3 years ago
Re: Restraint? On The Internets?
DG,As for Rodney still being welcome, I hope he will continue read and post here too.
And, I am sure some of those decision makers are in the 4e credits. But who pays attention to those?
As for a failure, I wouldn't say that. You produce content with a definite point of view which means you take the kudos and the lumps that come with it.
Its hard when someone you consider a friend (even and internet friend) is disappointed and hurt by something you produce. But in the end, you can only speak with your voice and accept that you will displease folks that read your work here from time to time. If there is a real friendship there, the friendship will survive it.
My Two Coppers Again,
Bryan Blumklotz
AKA Saracenus
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July 30 2008, 23:33:40 UTC 3 years ago
Re: Restraint? On The Internets?
As a member of the worlds largest corporation, one thing sets wrong with me.The corporation *is* the people, but rarely the people the public sees. Your shots were well placed, but the public figures will take the bullets for them. It is unfortunate, but true.
Oh. And it is *very* hard to concentrate with those boobs there. I love that they are, but still.
Very.
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July 30 2008, 23:15:14 UTC 3 years ago
Just because I am part of the non-4e/Paizo Crowd doesn't mean I am a hater of 4e. A long time before it came out I was. I heard so much internet hearsay that I didn't really know what was going on but was firmly convinced it was something nebulous and horrific and I tended to say as much. I have already apologize long ago on those places that I posted such drivel and stated that I would take a look at 4e with an unbiased opinion. Sorry, but I still don't like it. Regardless of what anyone at WoTC tells me, I am seeing copies sitting on shelves in my FLGS (and I have 4 within 2 miles of my house). I noticed the display being empty a few days ago at one store, so I asked the manager how it was selling. He told me it wasn't after the first few days and that they moved them to a shelf in the back of the store. Since I was going that way I looked, just sitting there with the other D&D stuff. The standee just hadn't gone out to the trash yet.
This is not indicative of the overall sales of 4e at all though. I honestly have no idea how many gamers there are in my town or what the demographic is here. it makes sense that certain markets will sell better than others, so this is nothing to judge from.
I do have one other thing to say. There was a 4e commercial? Where? When?
There was the lamentably bad Youtube videos...like the Gnome and Tiefling one. I wanted to cry for the gnome...I really did.
Thanks again DG. Even if you are too busy to come over to paizo and write a Kor Kammor entry (which I know requires notes, time, and lots of writing) hop over and give us a holler from time to time.
Yasha
July 31 2008, 23:59:43 UTC 3 years ago
August 1 2008, 03:43:28 UTC 3 years ago
August 3 2008, 04:01:11 UTC 3 years ago
Ha! That was my favorite promo: "I'm a monster! Rawl!"
However, those appeared on the WotC site and were never broadcast as advertisements. I remember hearing about the beholder statue thingee, but never actually saw the advert.
July 30 2008, 23:30:36 UTC 3 years ago
Actually, I missed the whole thing. But, I would suggest getting rid of the fanboys before shutting down the blog. Some of us would be sad about that.
July 30 2008, 23:43:55 UTC 3 years ago
July 31 2008, 00:40:14 UTC 3 years ago
July 31 2008, 00:53:33 UTC 3 years ago
It seems like its so much easier for those not really involved to add their input from the relative anonymity of the computer screen. Not to mention how much context can often be misconstrued by what someone writes or does....
Ahh...gotta love the internet.
August 1 2008, 00:00:04 UTC 3 years ago
:D
August 1 2008, 00:09:42 UTC 3 years ago
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July 31 2008, 02:05:45 UTC 3 years ago
I will say that this one time, it wasn't about the cancellation of the magazines, although DG threw that shot in at the end. This one time, it was about the disaster that was Gleemax. A lot of great people worked very hard on it, but it missed its mark by a mile. It doesn't mean Wizards shouldn't have tried, and it doesn't mean Wizards shouldn't have cancelled it, but it does mean Wizards merits a truckload of criticism. Just like it did on a dozen or more occasions while I was there.
Mike
August 1 2008, 00:00:54 UTC 3 years ago
August 1 2008, 05:34:52 UTC 3 years ago
Gleemax Downfall
Here is my take as someone who was in the trenches of the Web 1.0 bubble.Gleemax was an attempt at a Web 2.0 experience (i.e. livejournal, myspace, etc.) by a company that had trouble with Web 1.0 (i.e. static web site and forums).
I believe it failed because:
1) Promised big, delivered little.
2) Overly ambitious time line and milestones.
3) Look and feel was off putting, name was an inside joke that didn't resonate with core gamers who's early adoption of the site would be critical for content.
4) Terms of service were onerous.
How I would have handled it?
1) Built the base database infrastructure for Web 2.0 and instead of trying to compete with myspace from the get go.
I would migrate the forums to it first. Then offer better forum features (e.g. ability to control who can see a specific post and dice rollers to support play by post games) to get the current userbase excited about the project.
2) Look for opportunities to purchase/use already functioning Web 2.0 features (e.g. Warhorn, Wiki, google tech, etc.) that would fit the one stop gaming site idea. Why reinvent the wheel if something off the shelf or something that can be quickly adapted would be better.
3) If was unable or unwilling to use off the shelf blog code, then start the blog code when the forum site moves over, but don't announce it. When I had a stable code base and min. acceptable features, then announce it and start a beta. Test the crap out it.
4) Promise little, deliver big.
My Two Coppers,
Bryan Blumklotz
AKA Saracenus
3 years ago
July 31 2008, 23:13:11 UTC 3 years ago
For the record, I didn't feel attacked -- I just didn't agree with your post. That's far from feeling attacked.
Retribution? Really?
July 31 2008, 23:51:40 UTC 3 years ago
As far as *I* am concerned, you did nothing wrong. I think this *WAS* just a case of cyber-knights trying to impress me with their damsel-in-distress-saving skills. Which is silly, because I am not a damsel, and not in distress. :D
I'm glad you're still here, honey.
August 1 2008, 00:53:21 UTC 3 years ago
August 1 2008, 06:42:31 UTC 3 years ago
Far too much of society today is, "You disagree? I am offended! How dare you!" Drama drama drama.
(brooklynaccent)
So hey, uh, Rodney, hey, if somma dese guys dey wanna get in you face, like you's gonna have a rumble, I got ya back, no way dese guys got a chance. Fuggedaboutit.
(brooklynaccent)
Clearly I am tired and it is time for bed.
August 1 2008, 08:06:20 UTC 3 years ago
West Coast Story, with the Wizards vs the wolfs? "When you're a wizard, you're a wizard for life!"
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