Quote from: RPGPunditIf you're telling me that Storygames is actually an iniciatory school of mysticism and that they have secret mysteries that are only for those who have been through the appropriate trials, then I'll accept that

Well, it wasn't.

whispers works very well actually, it's nice that in the relevant thread someone can post to me alone for a clarification or a follow up query or something in a private way.

I think it directly contributes to the mellow feeling there.

Quote from: Levi KornelsenWell, it wasn't.

Yeah, now look what you did.

Quote from: Andy KAbsolutely. Also, both RPGNet and TheRPGSite also exclude random guests from posting in topics, too. Exclusion!

Yeah, but anyone can view any forum of the regular forums on here (the only exception being the admin forum, which, you know, makes sense, and is also incredibly dull).

QuoteBTW, for those who are afraid of the grand conspiracy of Story Games, let me break it down:

Here are the topic categories which are open:
*The Stone Tablet (rules and the like)
*Games and Gaming (general discussion)
*Gamecraft: Evolution (used to be called "Gamecraft: Tips and Tricks to evolve your game" or something, but it was too long and broke the css). Basically GM and Player advice and the like to make your games better.
*Actual Play (actual play, quick blurbs, etc)

The above is 70% or so of the traffic.

And yet, absolutely any time I've ever heard of anything happening at the Story-games site that I thought to check out to read, its been in a "blocked" thread.

And while I thank you for the breakdown of which areas are private and which aren't, you still haven't really explained WHY you chose for some of these conversations to be not-viewable by non-registered people.

QuoteI don't really have anything more to say on that subject:

I think TheRPGSite rocks because Jrients, who I personally think is a nice guy, is an excellent moderator and discussion mediator, and becuase Pundit, who I personally think is an asshole, really is doing what he said he would do with the openness and the general gaming discussion and everything. Kudos is deserved for both of you.

Well, thanks.
Might I add one compliment to the "Story Games" site: Kudos to you on actually phrasing the context of your site as being about a genre of games that are not RPGs (related to, perhaps, but not RPGs) and making it clear that you recognize the distinction.
You know, I would have no problem with the whole "theory" crowd if they stuck to that; if they invented a new and exciting (to them, anyways) hobby, borne out of RPGs the way RPGs were born out of wargames, that they enjoy (some while still enjoying RPGs as well, while others having no interest in RPGs; the way some RPG players also love wargames, and others don't), and writing and talking about that on their own forum; instead of trying to call Storygames "RPGs" and trying to force conversation about storygames in forums dedicated to RPGs.  It would be a much more peaceful co-existance.  So, you know, in principle I'm way more on board with the position you've staked out with "Story-games" than the position others have staked out vis-a-vis trying to co-opt RPGs.
I just don't get the need to make half your site unviewable to those of us who don't really want to register, and whom I suspect you'd agree have no business being there.

QuoteAnd that is why I therefore absolutely refuse to start or participate in some sort of "East Sidaz - West Sidaz" Forum War Gangstas lameass bullshit between RPGSite and S-G, which is what Pundit is obviously trying to set off here. It is possible to enjoy more than one forum with more than one moderation style, just as I can appreciate Italian food one day and Indian food another. And that fact is not worth starting some meaningless rivalry.

I'm really not trying to do that. Honest. I'm just befuddled by the "screen of mystery". I appreciate that you have made a place for people to go talk about these things you and they enjoy talking about; and I wouldn't go there to cause trouble; just as I appreciate that you come here to (mostly) talk RPGs and not to cause trouble.

So fine, ultimately if there's really no reason and its just how you set the site up, whatever. I suppose that's better than trying to prosletyze or something.

RPGPundit

Quote from: blakkieYah, I've said that before and I'll agree with it again. Well not the Jrients part, because I didn't even notice he was a moderator here. Which I guess makes him a really good one?

The very best kind.

That's what I want from anyone who has any kind of "official role" here; its not supposed to be a reward or a status-symbol or shit like that.
I don't even really want myself to be seen as the "moderator", though that may be harder because of course I do play a bigger role in kind of directing the overall tone of the site; but that's different than being seen as a guy who tries to push people around with his title.

In the end, to me a huge part of the success of this site hinges on the fact that you and everyone else on here feels like they can argue with me, call me an asshole if that's what you think I am, etc., and not fear that I'm going to use my "authority" to punish you for it.

RPGPundit

Pundarg, do you want to come and talk about story games with us? How sweet!

Stay tuned for the AP of MLwM....

Quote from: RPGPunditIn the end, to me a huge part of the success of this site hinges on the fact that you and everyone else on here feels like they can argue with me, call me an asshole if that's what you think I am, etc., and not fear that I'm going to use my "authority" to punish you for it.

Now if only you'd pull that big pride-stick out of your ass and admit Griot's posts/blog is funny too.  Sure there are inaccuracies, such as the part about having your own site to have total control over the content.  But that's just freaking nitpicking, and missing a good chunk of the humour of it.

Quote from: jrientsWhat you're saying here is that our utterly bizarre reasons for desiring privacy trumps their own utterly bizarre reasons for wanting privacy.  It's a classic "my shit doesn't stink" position.

My point being, brother, that we can talk about anything related to Freemasonry, discussion on core masonic values, etc etc.
The secrecy we have, where we have it, is for a reason.

I don't get the reason why a forum that is about debate and discussion would not want that debate or discussion to be read by outsiders.  It seems to be a totally different situation to me.  It would be like if "The Man Who Would Be King" was something only Masons were allowed to read/watch.

RPGPundit

Quote from: RPGPunditI'm really not trying to do that. Honest.

Actually, I'm kinda glad to hear that, as sometimes I feel like there's some hyenas about shouting for it to happen. Like in those prison scenes where there's two guys, and all the huge burly apes around them are screaming "fight! fight! fight!" while banging on bars.

So, thanks I guess.

-Andy

Quote from: blakkieNow if only you'd pull that big pride-stick out of your ass and admit Griot's blog is funny too.

I notice he's taken out the more insulting parts, but it still reads like sour grapes more than anything else. Like I said on my blog, it can be very hard to make a parody of an individual you hate without letting the hate overcome the humour. I think part of what ended up making the "indie gaming scene" blog so funny, without seeming like sour grapes, is that instead of choosing to create a "ron edwards parody" or something like that, he invented a whole persona whole-hog, complete with a backstory, without trying to turn it into a mockery of a specific guy.

I  know that if I were, for example, to try to parody (say, for example) Bruce Baugh, it'd be very hard for me to be able to discern the line between humour and mudslinging, though at least I'd try not to make shit up that has nothing to do with Baugh's real personality and views.  But even without doing the latter, I admit that it'd probably fail as humour because it'd be too hard to discern for myself the line between parody and attack.

Although, since I mention it, you might want to check out my parody of George W. Bush, that I wrote up last year after Hurricane Katerina.  I leave it to yourself to judge whether that went over the line or not, but it did end up being one of the only blog entries of mine to get published all over the web in non-RPG related sites (I found it in the wierdest places, including a south african newspaper for some reason).

RPGPundit

Quote from: Andy KActually, I'm kinda glad to hear that, as sometimes I feel like there's some hyenas about shouting for it to happen. Like in those prison scenes where there's two guys, and all the huge burly apes around them are screaming "fight! fight! fight!" while banging on bars.

Yea, I had a feeling that a lot of people expected theRPGsite to be all about that. And I don't have a problem with criticizing other sites for various reasons, but I made it clear right from the very start of this great experiment that if all the RPGsite ended up doing was becoming an "anti" site (whether it was anti-rpg.net, or anti-forge, or anti-whatever) I would consider it a failure.  Fortunately, I think its become much more than that; in no small part due to the aforementioned fact that people who downright can't stand me still feel (correctly) that they can post here.

RPGPundit

Quote from: RPGPunditMy point being, brother, that we can talk about anything related to Freemasonry, discussion on core masonic values, etc etc.
The secrecy we have, where we have it, is for a reason.

I don't get the reason why a forum that is about debate and discussion would not want that debate or discussion to be read by outsiders.  It seems to be a totally different situation to me.  It would be like if "The Man Who Would Be King" was something only Masons were allowed to read/watch.

The forums are like that for marketing reasons? So they'll get you to sign up. Then once you are over that hump, in the door so to speak, they are counting on impulse posting to take over? :insane:

Outside of that bizzare thought I too personally can't fathom a reason why a board would be set up that. :idunno: But then I don't get the secretive nature of the Mason innitiation either.....but I sure as hell don't bust their balls about it.

Quote from: RPGPunditMy point being, brother, that we can talk about anything related to Freemasonry, discussion on core masonic values, etc etc.
The secrecy we have, where we have it, is for a reason.

I don't get the reason why a forum that is about debate and discussion would not want that debate or discussion to be read by outsiders.  It seems to be a totally different situation to me.  It would be like if "The Man Who Would Be King" was something only Masons were allowed to read/watch.

Okay, you don't get it.  Yesterday I blogged about how I don't get "story" as a game concept at all.  Some folks will never get the Masonic veil of secrecy either.  Some folks don't get why I like playing a guy who murders orcs for beer money.  So what?  Demanding a deeper explanation than "we like it that way" and/or implying a sinister motive for such behavior just makes you come off as a hypocrite and a dick.  I'd rather wish Story Games the best of luck and get back to things we do over here.

QuoteI just don't get the need to make half your site unviewable to those of us who don't really want to register, and whom I suspect you'd agree have no business being there.

Is this sentence a case of "asked and answered?"

Quote from: RPGPundit...that if all the RPGsite ended up doing was becoming an "anti" site (whether it was anti-rpg.net, or anti-forge, or anti-whatever) I would consider it a failure.

See, that's why I bust your balls about the worst of your reactionary rants. Especially when they are aimed extremely poorly. When you are pretty much defined by an "anti" then you ain't much, and that would be a waste.  You don't need to claim that everything that was ever touched by The Forge is tainted fruit when all that is really called for is to kick the occasional member of it in the crotch when they are so despartly in need of it.