Do you (still) eat broccoli?

In my case, I think I'd like to write reviews, but I kind of feel overwhelmed by this. Too much responsibility, I think, because I'd have to play the game through, and make notes, and be very careful with my wordings / formulations. And that in my nowadays limited time.
Because of that, and because of the old rule of "there will always be someone [a nerd] better than you" I greatly hesitate from writing ANYTHING these days. My few articles at RPGDot look to me like a fluke these days.
And because of "tghere's alwys a nerd knowing everything better than me" I do wonder why these nerds don't write the articles they want to prey upon themselves ß But ... of course one can be more lazy as a critoique than being an actual writer ... It is always far easier to destroy than to build something up ...

Something that goes around in my mind for some time now is an Opinion-article about how I see the new Bard's Tale game - but then, everyone would be opposed to my opinion, because I'd elaborate on why I think this game will never sell well because it is far too Celtic, in my opinion.

I fear the bullying of the Codex. I do know that they already view me as one insane lunatic over there, and the ravens out there are more than ready to give me new names.

So, I don't think it is worth the trouble writing anything at all, especially since also here I have the feeling of being someine like ... Dr. Emmet Brown, for example. A crazy pseudo-scientist.

And even if I'd write about the games I play most these days - SWTOR and DDO - there'd ALWAYS come in one nerd and say "you got it totally wrong". And even if I was writing an opinion article, he or she'd prey on me by elaborating over maths, my weakest point. I just can't calvulate all that maths stuff in DDO precisely. I just wish I was an Maths Professor so i could relish all these numbers. And even in SWTOR, there's an substancial part of math knowledge needed, for maximizing damge, and learning the EXACTLY RIGHT rotation of combat skills, and everyone drifting of the by nerds given course, will be hunted down and burned like a witch. I've seen that, being asked "why don't you do that ? It's required", in this sense.

DDO seems to be a bit more forgiving considering builds. In SWTOR, there is EXACTLY ONE build for every tree, and that's something all players are pressed to do "peer pressure" in full action.

Okay, enough rant. I think ranting would be my most favourite kind of article I'd like to wrote. :lol:

@lackblogger.
RPGWatch (and RPGDot before it), have always been a news centered site. We bring news about RPGs and create an article about RPGs at infrequent intervals. it is not something we have changed into. It is something we have always been an most probably continue to be as well.
The news that is posted is what we find and that each individual newsposter feels is relevant for this site. We don't have a lackblogger filter where only news that lackblogger finds interesting is shown. We do have different filters on the front page that allows you to filter for other criteria and perhaps allows you to create your own lackblogger filter. So, if you don't visit the front page and thus don't use the existing filters not much will change for you in that area.

I do however find your comments about forgottenlor and in a way Maylander to be overly negative and unwarranted. We are talking here about people who spent their personal time to create something for other people to read en potentially enjoy. To name them 'career minded magazine style contributors' and explicitly stating that they don't like the games they write about, is not only false, but also a blow below the belt.

In the case of the indie article series of forgottenlor, we have asked the RPGWatch community to offer guidance on what the series would look like. A few have responded. You have personally put in zero effort to do that, but don't like what it is and start to complain about that in a thread about broccoli.

Obviously you are free to complain about RPGWatch, the indie article series and whatever else we do, but what you say and the way you say it isn't really constructive, but perhaps using a more destructive style of communication is what you are used to.

Wow, this thread derailed quite a bit, might as well make my contribution to derail it further

Mmm… I think threads like this get more reply because well… it's asking a simple question. Chances are, people have tasted broccoli at least once (I mean, all you have to do is put it in your mouth, chew, then swallow ) and share your opinion on taste of it. Discussing about the games/RPG on the other hand is much more complicated.

Alrik Fassbauer said:

In my case, I think I'd like to write reviews, but I kind of feel overwhelmed by this. Too much responsibility, I think, because I'd have to play the game through, and make notes, and be very careful with my wordings / formulations.

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As Alrik have said, discussing about/reviewing the game involves several factors - you need to play it enough to explore the majority of content and you need a good writing skill to express how you felt about the game, and put it in a coherent structure. Now, that is a lot of work. I've only written 5 reviews so far even though I have played/finished a lot more games - I really needed strong motivation to share my view with the Watch (usually due to my love for the game and/or the lukewarm reception of the game from the general public) + confidence that I know a lot about the game + enough time to play the game and write the review.

So…. what I'm trying to say is, while I would like to see RPGWatch buzzing with more posts regarding game discussions, it is quite understandable why people don't post as often. I'm very thankful for the regular contributors though for making effort to write a reviews and interviews (forgottenlor, Maylander and Farflame) and news posters (Silver, HiddenX and Couchpotato).

And all of a sudden everyone has the time, energy and love needed to write walls of text. Oh, that sniff of 'drama'. The opportunity to paint mild criticism and the slight hint of negativity as "desrtuctive personalty", completely oblivious to the irony that the true destructive personalities are those who promote and praise games that are about as much RPG as Myst or Civilisation.

Yes, I'm really destructive, my review of Serpents in the Staglands was just pure edge trolling where I dismantle every facet of the game and complain that the pixel art was shit therefor the whole game is shit. Or that highly destructive post in the actual RPG discussion forum where I answered that guy's question with pure bile and malice so that he'll never post about diablo clones ever again because I am just such a hater.

Yeah, I mean I 'm just pure banning material. I mean, I don't even play RPGs… I mean, the last RPG I completed was, Ooo weeks ago! Weeks! What am I even doing on here anyway if I care so little about RPGs? I only post to cause trouble, it's my sole intention. I wake up every morning wondering what's the best way to wind up the RPGwatch hornet's nest, I know, I'll ask what everyone thinks about survival elemnts in RPGs, that's a cool off-topic troll topic.

Oh right, no-one gives a fuck about that, I guess my troll-radar must be out of whack, I guess neither Polygon nor RPS have decided that that's a topic yet so it's not something that people are tee'd up for yet as a 'legitimate' troll theme. I know, I'll write a long and detailed personal opinion on why I struggle to find a decent cRPG forum to habituate in, because that's clearly just me expressing why I'm angry that no-one has the same taste as me. I have no immediate history of recommending games that I didn't like in the slightest & I'm just here to hear the sound of my own voice.

And to make drama, of course. The one true rallying cry of all the site's inhabitants. Someone's said something about someone else!!!!!!!!!!! OH… MY… GOD….

@lackblogger

Well I'm going off-topic agian but here you go.

I love Diablo clones and played everyone of them except Path of Exile, and Diablo 3 due to I hate playing games of servers. Now if only GOG would release Diablo 2.

You also mentioned Sacred on the other thread, and I loved how it had different starts for each character. Only thing I didn't like was the constant re-spawn system.

Sacred 2 had the same problem but had enhanced Graphics. Now the other thing that ties into re-spawns was the backtracking it quickly irradiated the hell out of me.

I hold broccoli entirely blameless for whatever happened to this topic!!!

Carnifex said:

I hold broccoli entirely blameless for whatever happened to this topic!!!

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I don't know... Cruciferous vegetables can be responsible for extreme flatulence.

Nah it's the watch and most threads get de-railed. Nothing to see here folks.

Wait whats everyone's opinion on carrots?

I love them in stew or soups but hate them boiled or steamed.

Carrots, for me they are best at the raw yet fully cleaned stage. Love them in my salads and in soups/stews as well, I don't care for them heated and completely on their own, however.

I think lackblogger needs a hug or/and more broccoli.

What the Watch lack is games with things to actually talks about and people here actually playing them. The "with things" is the important part though, most RPGs these days are so diluted that everyone has the exact experience so there is nothing to talk about outside "I liked/hated it" which ends the discussion quickly (outside tips/tricks threads). That's why Pathfinder Kingmaker is generating a lots of posts (no it wasn't just posts made by purpleblob), it's such a feature rich game.

Hell, the broccoli subject lasted just a few posts here, we got sardines and now carrots.

By the way, carrot taste depends a lots on the variety (some are really bitter) and time of the year they were harvested (sweeter when harvest in the cold, aka late fall/winter for the Northern Hemisphere).

I had some carrots the other day that tasted of literally nothing. Really makes you appreciate a good carrot when you get one. The problem with carrots is that they're such a pain to peal, so I usually cook and eat them with the skin on, which some people don't like. Greens are usually much easier, just chop and go. Same with most root veg versus most green veg really.

I don't know what the supposed problem is. Maybe people are grumpy. As for talking about games, I made a thread not too long ago about how awesome the new Resident Evil remake demo was. I barely got a few replies. But I don't care all that much. Maybe it wasn't considered "rpg" enough.

And yea, some rpg gaming topics are boring to me. "What is your favorite x game or setting" is a typical one. For me, that is a yawner. Sorry. If I'm not interested or bored by the topic, I won't respond most of the time.

lackblogger said:

Someone's said something about someone else!!!!!!!!!!! OH… MY… GOD….

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So how come you’ve pictured yourself with steam getting out of your ears in that post #44.

Arkadia7 said:

I don't know what the supposed problem is. Maybe people are grumpy. As for talking about games, I made a thread not too long ago about how awesome the new Resident Evil remake demo was. I barely got a few replies.

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Ask Lackblogger. I guess it is because ‘the Watch is PC’ - lackbloggers law: all discussions on the Watch with lackblogger in it end with lackblogger blaming the Watchs approach towards negativity.

Eye said:

Ask Lackblogger. It is because the Watch is PC - lackbloggers law: all discussions on the Watch with lackblogger in it end with lackblogger blaming the Watchs approach towards negativity.

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If I had one tip, it's don't write walls of text. If I open a thread, see a post with walls of text, start reading, and it doesn't immediately grab me or compel me to keep reading, I will say to hell with it and stop reading.

Most people don't know how to write in a compelling manner. I'm not claiming to know, either, by the way. But when I do write a post with walls of text, I try to keep it light and sprinkle in jokes/humor or something fun, so people aren't immediately turned off by a wall of text type post.

Just a general tip or suggestion for everyone, not targeting anyone with this post.

lackblogger said:

And to make drama, of course. The one true rallying cry of all the site's inhabitants. Someone's said something about someone else!!!!!!!!!!! OH… MY… GOD….

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If you can't handle receiving negative feedback, why do you feel so comfortable giving it others?

Maybe because to some negative feedback feels like handing out a nice one bite snack, but getting it feels like a dish existing of half a cow when being a vegetarian?

I thought I did just handle it...?

And, at the moment, it's only you who is claiming I've made negative feedback about others, you haven't actually let them speak up first before taking upon yourself to speak and interpret for them.

Maybe Maylander doesn't actually like the expectation of review hanging over his every play through? Maybe in Maylander's case I have got it all wrong? Maybe Maylander enjoys the reviewing as much as playing and finds himself playing more games as a result?

But the key point is, was what I said inaccurate? Did I just make it up for the purposes of edge? Are there people here who would have liked to review Mass Effect but gave up the notion the second they'd realised that Maylander had already finished it by the time they'd finished the character creation screen? Does that put a negative imperative on all future releases in the same vein and act a demotivator to participation rather than an incentive by having an 'expected' reviewer?

Am I making a point or am I just 'attacking' someone with edge, spite and bile? Is there such a thing as a difference?

I addressed the point where I feel you are inaccurate. You complain about the news that is uninteresting for you. I respond that you can filter the news, but as you have no interest in visiting the front page, this will not work for you. So there is a potential solution (depending on how well the filter works for you), but you don't want to use is.


You are not only inaccurate but also incorrect. In the same paragraph about reviews you link the following:

I just don't like how it seems to convert some people into career minded magazine style contributors rather than people who liked a game and wanted to talk about it because they thought it deserved it

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with Maylander and forgottenlor as the only ones you have nothing positive to say about.


In that same paragraph you belittle forgottenlor's effort on the Indie article series he has been working on. A series we have been actively seeking support for from the community, which you have not provided. Instead of adding constructive criticism in the thread about that series, you have decided to claim that he is just hogging the space and by that preventing others from writing about actual hidden gems, because of his magazine mindset.


I'm sure you are making a point in your view, but it really gets lost in your desire to add insults and be edgy in the process.

Myrthos said:

with Maylander and forgottenlor as the only ones you have nothing positive to say about.

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Myrthos said:

gets lost in your desire to add insults and be edgy in the process.

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I think they are both great contributors to the forum and that the forum would be less well off withot them, I enjoy reading their posts and find them both to be likeable people. I have no malice towards them and have no desire to insult them.