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Just a Statement

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Tonatiuh

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« on: <01-16-12/0858:55> »
I just wanted to take a minute to say that, when I joined the forums, I was extremely excited to be here, and more excited to show people my characters. Apparently, that's the wrong thing to do. I've never really gotten too much constructive criticism for any of them. The two things I hear back are "Here's how you can powergame with this guy", and "This story is awful."

I've played twice, and haven't even been motivated to use half of the characters I post here.

I feel that, as someone who is new to the game, I should be encouraged to keep trying. I don't think I should be spending my time on here gaming for people's approval, posting just to get my rank up and hoping people stop smiting me for no apparent reason. My reputation on this forum is at stake, and I think that is completely against the nature of gaming forums. I'm not by any means saying I should be coddled. I'm a young adult, not a puppy. At the same time, however, I feel as if there is some newb hate circulating. I have completely ceased work on my latest character, simply in an attempt to regain composure and be able to look at him and see potential, not mistakes. I look at my character and see only mistakes.

No, I don't know as much as you. No, that won't stop me from being excited about the game. Shadowrun has quickly become a passion for me, as I'm sure it did when most of you had just started out. Don't be the reason that a seventeen year old stops playing.

With that being said, I'd like to express that I am still happy that these forums exist, as opposed to only the cold, hard books. I just wish Jackpoint could be a little warmer at times...
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Lysanderz

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« Reply #1 on: <01-16-12/0902:31> »
The best way to handle this? Ignore them. Nod your head, speak your piece, then walk away from it. Don't hold anything, or it will eat you alive.

Tonatiuh

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« Reply #2 on: <01-16-12/0907:14> »
Well, I tried that. And I keep getting smites for no reason. It's like a slap in the face every time.
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Lysanderz

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« Reply #3 on: <01-16-12/0913:03> »
Ignore their rating system.

PeterSmith

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« Reply #4 on: <01-16-12/1016:01> »
Ignore their rating system.

This.
Power corrupts.
Absolute power is kinda neat.

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Chrona

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« Reply #5 on: <01-16-12/1035:24> »
Try not to worry about it, it's a forum and this stuff happens. Just listen out for the good and constructive voices in the crowd, if your post doesn't get any then move on from it, there'll be other chances.

Tonatiuh

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« Reply #6 on: <01-16-12/1037:26> »
Thanks all. Much appreciated.
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FastJack

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« Reply #7 on: <01-16-12/1115:01> »
+1 to what has already been said. The rating system is in place more as a way for people to see how you've been viewed. Right now, you're smites are more than your applauds, but as you keep contributing to the forums in a positive manner, you're applauds will go up.

Secondly, remember that when you ask for criticism, not all of it will be constructive. Many will disagree with you simply because they don't like what you wrote, whether or not it is well-written and researched. The key is separating the wheat from the chaff.

Mason

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« Reply #8 on: <01-16-12/1249:47> »
What Fastjack said, above. Now, you may notice that Fastjack himself has been smited over 250 times, even though the reasonableness of his last post is the same sort he uses for all of his posts unless he is being funny. Yet he has that many smites.

The smites do not matter. It is relatively easy for someone who has decided not to like you to smite you once an hour, on the hour, due to the way the rep system is set up. I didn't even notice 'til we started discussing rep here that my own rep is pretty bad, but I don't let that get in my way, and neither should you.

The comments on your characters are a little more concerning. You say people have been telling you your stories are bad? That sort of thing is not what you say to a new player. That needs to stop...

As for the comments which say how to powergame, that is the resident rules lawyers and there is no way to stop them. Just ignore them if optimization doesn't matter in your group. There are a few tiny mistakes i would say are really, really bad, but most of the time if you have 9-10 dice in your specialty or more and you don't game with a bunch of powergamers, you should be fine. My own group is somewhat munchkiny, usually having 12-18 in our specialties, but we are comfortable with that. You should talk with the rest of your group and see how min-maxed their characters are. If you need to, take advantage of the advice on here to bring them up to that level.

Critias

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« Reply #9 on: <01-16-12/1437:38> »
Point the first:  Part of being on the internet is dealing with other people who are on the internet.  Mass communication, often anonymous, over long distances in brief amounts of time is both the best and worst thing about modern technology.  Sometimes it means saying something awesome and a bunch of awesome people telling you how awesome your awesome thing was.  More often, however, it means people are free to lash out and be total dickbags, in ways that they rarely would be in face-to-face communication, when looking another human being in the eyes and talking to them.  Do not take the internet at face value.  Like I told you over in the fan fiction thread, it's up to you to figure out what internet opinions are worth listening to and which ones aren't.  Be your own filter.

Point the second:  Building upon the general internet anonymity and caustic behavior meme, the issue is compounded by the inclusion of sharing creative projects.  Whether it's fan fiction, a character background, or a character's stats...lots of bad things can happen.  Instead of saying they like something, many people will skip straight to telling you what they don't like about something.  By putting yourself out there, you invite such actions.  Period.  It sometimes sucks, but it's just the nature of the beast.  I've been writing fanfic for well over a decade, now, and I still know that every time I post something, I'm not inviting praise, I'm inviting criticism.  If you don't like that, or can't handle that...the sad truth is that the best answer is to just not open yourself up to it.  If there is a one in a million chance that your work will rub someone the wrong way and provoke a crazily negative response from someone, the last thing you want to do is share that work with one million people, and push your luck.  It sucks, but that's just the way it is.

Point the third:  Heck with the peer rating system on the forums.  No one really cares about it or pays much attention to it here, except for the people that decide to abuse it by smiting people instead of talking to them.  Plenty of folks on here have high smite ratings they don't necessarily deserve, because one person can (theoretically) smite then 24 times a day, if they space it out just right.  When you consider there are 1900 total members on here, all of whom can smite you once every hour, on the hour...sitting on -10 means you haven't pissed off 1890 of those people over every single hour you and your posts have been here.  If someone would rather smite you than talk to you like an adult and share their problems with you, their opinion isn't worth worrying about...and if someone is talking to you and smiting you at the same time, refer to the first point, where it's up to you to be your own filter and decide for yourself if that opinion is worth concerning yourself with.
« Last Edit: <01-16-12/1613:17> by Critias »

ArkangelWinter

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« Reply #10 on: <01-16-12/1451:20> »
You soon learn on any forum, like RL, that certain people you're just not going to like, and they're not going to like you. Ignore them.

Another point: one reason it seems like things are heavily criticized is because to the reader, it often seems more helpful to point out changes that should be made, never realizing it gets old never being encouraged or having no criticism for once.  They dont mean to run you down, they think they're helping. Some are just mean, but see my first point.

theKernel

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« Reply #11 on: <01-16-12/1459:10> »
Thats just how it is, stop caring. Be nice to everyone no matter what they say and eventually it catches up. Plus idc what they say cuz its my adventure you're making that dude for. ;D
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Black

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« Reply #12 on: <01-16-12/1540:16> »
At least you made an impact  :D

+1 in agreement with everything said.  The Internet, for all it's strengths, does not allow the ability to convey emotion very well (except for excessive emoticons).  Which can make critisms (and smites) seem so much harsher.

What I have noticed is that sometimes you can see people firing back and forth at each other in one topic, and being perfectly polite in another.  It's like water of a duck's back.  Don't take it personally, and don't respond with personal attacks.

On a positive note, you have accumulated 8 applauds in a short amount of time, so don't forget the positive  :)
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Change perception and reality will follow
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Mirikon

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« Reply #13 on: <01-16-12/1553:20> »
What they said. This is the Internet, not sugar plums and fairy land. At least, this corner of the net isn't. You don't want to see what happens at the intersection of Sugar Plum and Fairy Land Way and Porn Blvd.

But I digress. People will be petty at times. Unless they are calling you names, ignore them. If they call you names, smite them then ignore them. If you let the Internet get to you, eventually you will turn into one of those forum trolls that has to immediately Godwin every conversation they see.
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Black

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« Reply #14 on: <01-16-12/1650:26> »
How do you Godwin a topic?  Because I have this other ongoing discussion... that I don't think I will win and I could do with a Godwin  ;)
Perception molds reality
Change perception and reality will follow
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