Quote from: BedrockBrendan;888710I can see not liking it, but putting down a book over it seems an overeaction.

Setting the book on fire in the bookstore while screaming "FEMINISM DELENDA EST!" is an overreaction.

Not rewarding virtue-signaling modernist prats with my money is making a choice in the marketplace of ideas.

Quote from: AaronBrown99;888729Not rewarding virtue-signaling modernist prats with my money is making a choice in the marketplace of ideas.

I think assuming that the only reason people would use alternatives to 'he' is they are 'virtue signaling modernist prats' is itself a bit of an over reaction. But even if they are; why deprive yourself of a potentially fun game over something that is probably only going to impact the pronouns? When I buy an RPG book, I don't make my decision around the writer's ideology/pronoun use/etc. I just base it on whether I want the game or not. I am not interested in voting out/vote in certain ideas through my RPG purchases (except ideas that relate specifically to RPGs).

Quote from: BedrockBrendan;888731...why deprive yourself of a potentially fun game over something that is probably only going to impact the pronouns?

It's a reasonable question, and I said as much on page 3 of the thread, in response to FVB's "bathwater" comment.

I just find it particularly grating and jarring when I'm reading something and I have to "autocorrect" an incorrect pronoun (or it's <--> its, et. al.) it in my head and then keep going.

Maybe that's why I give FFG a pass on the fiddly bits in WFRP 3rd ed, and on Star Wars: Edge--their writing is correct!

At first glance, I like the way investigative skills are used, but was fairly unimpressed with the way general skills work. However, the whole system works better when realize that investigative skills can be spent to gain more points in pool either for a general skill or relating to dealing with a particular issue.

If you blow all combat skill points, you need to think of away to apply an investigative skill to the situation, gain some points and use those for your next attack. Running out of general skill points means your current situation isn't working. Use your characters knowledge and observational powers to find a new approach.

The system definitely operates at a slight meta level, and works best for the games that can take the most advantage of this. Ashen Stars works great as a Star Trek game. Being able to make an investigative spend to whip up a technobabble solution fits the genre well. Nights Black Agents also makes good use of the resource mechanic as an agents uses up covers and contacts. These are both games where the system really started to come into its own.

Trail of Cthulhu is fine, but I agree it doesn't have a truly compelling reason to pick it over Call of Cthulhu, although Call of Cthulhu GMs really should have it on their shelf along with its supplements just to harvest for conversion.

Quote from: AaronBrown99;888729Not rewarding virtue-signaling modernist prats with my money is making a choice in the marketplace of ideas.

As someone utterly bored by both sides of the Pronoun Wars of 1992*, let me thank you for taking the time to signal your virtuous stand on this issue.

*Seriously, seeing people still ranting about this reminds of the old cliche Japanese soldier left on island that thinks the war is still going on decades later.

Quote from: Baulderstone;888735*Seriously, seeing people still ranting about this reminds of the old cliche Japanese soldier left on island that thinks the war is still going on decades later.

Your definition of ranting is clearly in need of refinement.

There was no war, no winners or losers, just people writing and other people buying or not buying.

Unless it's really compelling otherwise (Pathfinder's Wayne Reynolds art, for example), I choose to not buy.

Quote from: AaronBrown99;888736Your definition of ranting is clearly in need of refinement.

There was no war, no winners or losers, just people writing and other people buying or not buying.

Maybe ranting wasn't the right word, but when you have five posts in a thread for a game system you haven't read that all have to do with your feelings about pronouns, it is still kind of sad.

Quote from: Baulderstone;888738Maybe ranting wasn't the right word, but when you have five posts in a thread for a game system you haven't read that all have to do with your feelings about pronouns, it is still kind of sad.

Your grasping protestations aside, I'm quite happy to discuss my reasons for a "nay" vote in a thread entitled "yea or nay?"

Quote from: AaronBrown99;888741Your grasping protestations aside, I'm quite happy to discuss my reasons for a "nay" vote in a thread entitled "yea or nay?"

Like AB says, it is perfectly proper feedback. The fact half a dozen people feel the need to argue with us doesn't make it any less valid. We aren't saying such books should be banned, just that we're not going to purchase them. Given the ease of avoiding the issue altogether, and the narrowness of RPG margins, I'd think writers and publishers would be interested in such feedback.

The fact neither side stops posting simply means we're on the internet.

I certainly like information like this before paying money for a system, which is why I don't buy anything I can't preview. (Other than maybe DwD Studios, since I'm familiar with their quality standards.)

And it's no sillier than the 100 other discussions going on.

Of course, we could argue about the whole player skill versus character skill thing, but that's already happening in the "player needs" thread.

The he/she thing doesn't bother me at all, BUT there are some other games that I'd actually like except for quirks of their authors that FUCKING ANNOY me on every page.
Imagine if Pundit's ridiculous online persona came through in the rules he writes... that would surely put me off them.
It's not rational but it's there, and if I'm going to be gritting my teeth every time I read it... or am forced to go through the thing with White-Out, it might not be worth the hassle.

Personally I'd rather hear about the mechanics, traditionally what is in a review.

Quote from: dragoner;888749Personally I'd rather hear about the mechanics, traditionally what is in a review.

Check this thread from a while back. http://www.therpgsite.com/showthread.php?t=13883 I read it when I was looking at different systems. The mechanics aren't for me, but are very popular and come up a lot for investigative RPG rules.

Quote from: Tod13;888752Check this thread from a while back. http://www.therpgsite.com/showthread.php?t=13883 I read it when I was looking at different systems. The mechanics aren't for me, but are very popular and come up a lot for investigative RPG rules.

Thanks. I have been looking at Ashen Stars. I might have read that thread before after searching about GUMSHOE, or maybe just similar replies in later threads, where the system has been discussed. Still undecided.

Quote from: dragoner;888771Thanks. I have been looking at Ashen Stars. I might have read that thread before after searching about GUMSHOE, or maybe just similar replies in later threads, where the system has been discussed. Still undecided.

A lot of the differences in people who like it seem to revolve around the "automatic" discovery of clues. I like rolling on skills or attributes and making sure one way or the other dead ends don't happen. Others like more player skill/knowledge (as opposed to character skill/knowledge) to matter more.

Quote from: Tod13;888781A lot of the differences in people who like it seem to revolve around the "automatic" discovery of clues. I like rolling on skills or attributes and making sure one way or the other dead ends don't happen. Others like more player skill/knowledge (as opposed to character skill/knowledge) to matter more.

I suppose it is one way of avoiding "the secret door", which if not found, stops the campaign. Each group is different, while some will poke around to find the smallest clue, others will just blunder forward.

Quote from: AaronBrown99;888736Unless it's really compelling otherwise (Pathfinder's Wayne Reynolds art, for example), I choose to not buy.

And as much as I find the use of 'she' as a gender neutral pronoun annoying, one way to sell me off a book is any that uses Wayne Reynolds' art.  That man has no sense of perspective and I wish he'd lay off using wererats as his facial inspiration.