But Dethtron, don't you push people around in forums and with your stupid ass Friday Night Internet Fights? Well yes I do, but clearly I am above the law. Maybe not so much, but you'll notice that most of the time my targets are super trolls or people who have no business giving out any kind of advice. In short, I go after the people who are undermining the hobby and wasting your hard earned Euros with their bullshit advice (or whatever currency you happen to be using- seriously though, what the fuck is up with the 2 euro coin? Way to pick a denomination that makes sense EU). So as you can see what I do is a public service; I'm really a super hero and not a cyber-bullying troll. Well that's what it looks like in my head at least.
Hey I just remembered, I was supposed to show you this e-mail that I got. A. Hack sent me a nice little sort of complimentary note a while back that really struck a nerve with me. Though I don't think it was his intent, this got me thinking about how discouraging it can be to get picked on for your views. So here is the e-mail used with permission*.
Just stumbled onto your blog and I am strangely amused. I like the fight night section (although I probably won't read unless I'm bored as shit at work). I'm an attorney and going through those retards' postings makes me think of the horrible lawyering I get to deal with occasionally. Interestingly, whether you arguing with moron gamers or moron lawyers, its hard to rebuke them because, well, they're idiots and they're advocating a version of the rules that do not exist for the rest of functional society. I was almost gonna start a smallish blog to post my figures & terrain (I was gonna call it 1 Inch Warriors), but asshats likes these discouraged me, hell I don't even post on anyone's blog/site/etc (I used to on the Flames of War forums, historical gamers don't seem to be total d-bags).
anyways, keep pissing people off
Man I've heard about those crazy Flames of War fans. I think they're called "rivet counters" or something. That's honestly one of the things that's turned me off of FoW. I suck at and am largely disinterested in history. Although tanks do give me quite the bonur. Which tangentially brings me to an actual point. Much like douches are keeping me out of FoW (as well as time and dolla billz), douches were keeping A.Hack out of the community. He no longer wanted to participate in forums and was too discouraged to start up a pet blog project.
The 40K or any other gaming community immediately becomes useless the second a large chunk of that community stops getting good advice and discussion. When forums slip into pointless infighting or handing out poorly thought out tactics and strategy they become useless and die (even if people are still hanging on, a lot of the major forums are a shadow of what they could be or were). This also discourages people from participating in the sharing of ideas collectively, which can only be bad for the hobby. I can firmly say that having played 40k and the like in the days before everyone had Internet access, the availability of information has really changed me for the better. At least it had for a time. It seems like now there is way too much bullshit to wade through out there. Unless of course you know where to go for reliably good info....
Post Script
After replying to the e-mail and waxing faux-poetic about irony I urged him to "go make your blog. You have nothing to lose by doing it. What's the worst that can happen? Someone you don't know says you suck. That'll sting :) "
To give this little story a happy ending, he did go and make that blog. Unfortunately I don't have a link to it. I'm assuming it's called "1 inch warriors," but I can't find it with a google search. So A.Hack if you're still reading please drop us a link so we can go make fun of your painting. I kid I kid.
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*Want to not be a dick? Always obtain permission before quoting from an e-mail whether in real life or in Internet life. I've stopped e-mailing a few people because they don't ask me if it's ok to publish what I've said or publish things I've asked not to be shared. Super lame.
12 comments:
So very true. The online 40k community can be toxic at times, particular in such wretched hives of scum and villainy that are forums.
Do your thing, you'll soon find out who is worth listening to and who is a waste of space.
Hey Dethtron, I'm still here - abet, I decided to drop the A.Hack and just go w/ Alex, seeing as my professional contact info is online anyways (thank you State Bar Committee).
I meant to e-mail you back with a link to my fledgling blog, but I forgot and shit. I'll get some real content up on it eventually. Anyways: http://1inchwarriors.blogspot.com/
I haven't really paid much attention to the online 40k community for several years, so I'm stoked to now find blogs, like this one, with decent content, say as compared to the cesspools that are the forums. Bonus points for the x-mas story picture, btw.
Aww, I enjoyed searching for '1 inch warriors' and being given links to small penises.
'The online 40k community can be toxic at times, particular in such wretched hives of scum and villainy that are forums.'
As long as you remember that someone having a high post count doesn't automatically make them right you'll do fine.
In the recent past I've had a run-in on a particular forum with a guy giving bad advice and wailing on tournament players who tried to establish he was right because he had a higher post count than I did...
To be honest I've found blogs to be a *lot* more useful for advice than most forums ever have been. It's probably because they're smaller that they haven't yet developed (or perhaps not allowed) the herd mentality that forums can do that results in groupthink around a subject.1
'I've stopped e-mailing a few people because they don't ask me if it's ok to publish what I've said or publish things I've asked not to be shared.'
Some days I swear that common sense is so rare as to be a fucking super-power.
1. Warseer. A little bit of OSCOLA referencing for our legal eagle, because Harvard referencing is absolute fail.
I laughed at 1-inch Warriors. Dick jokes amuse me.
Strictly Average started out that way. 'Cause 6-inches is all you get.
Ah, those were the days.
As an aside, I stopped laughing when my blog wasn't on his list.
Stupid 1-inch Warriors. No worries - you're in good company. I still can't get Farmpunk or Sandwyrm to check my stuff out.
Good luck mate.
dick jokes are the hallmarks of a great blogging experience
@Brent
I read your blog, I just neglected to add it to the list, oops. I blame Not-Brent or something - I think - haven't figured that one out 100% yet
@Stormy
You don't like citations in the middle of your text? It's even better if it's a string-cite or parenthetical.
'You don't like citations in the middle of your text? It's even better if it's a string-cite or parenthetical.'
Don't get me started. I despise them entirely lad - it breaks up the sentence and makes it a bitch to read.
The Brits got it right with that one in fairness - it got to the stage that I would avoid Yankee essays in favour of English ones because it was less of a mess to read. I bet it must be fun having to chew through all that in court...
'Strictly Average started out that way. 'Cause 6-inches is all you get.'
Does your wife know you're telling everybody about this?
Who said anything about me? ;)
She thinks it a joke, cause I am sure she has yet to see 6 inches. At least in person anyways.
@Brent
Huh? What? (Goes back to painting).
Fun times. I will add it to my roll, forthwith.
The main problem with people who give BS advice is that they think they are helping. Almost never is it someone trying to fuck people up - it's accidental moronhood. (Moronicity?)
Dick jokes hit me in the (funny) boner.
See what I mean!
I'm going to have to flash the midwest or something...
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