How do I words?

virgil · Post by **virgil** » Wed Oct 08, 2014 1:37 pm

I've posted and created stuff on this forum for years now, be it session notes or systems or classes or feats, and I can't seem to get much in the way of approval (or even acknowledgement). Am I just that bad of a designer, am I just looking at things too negatively, or what? Is there anything I can do to improve the quality of my work?

...You Lost Me · Post by **...You Lost Me** » Wed Oct 08, 2014 2:33 pm

Supply and demand. There are a lot of D&D lite rule sets, and reading another one isn't particularly interesting when I've read 5 more before and written one. Stuff that gets attention, like Dungeon Crusade, Bakuhatsu High, and CPFH, are filling a different need.

Pixels · Post by **Pixels** » Wed Oct 08, 2014 4:09 pm

I view no replies as a roundabout sort of praise on the Den. Folks here are quick to pounce on any deficiency, so if you escape unmolested you have done something right.

virgil · Post by **virgil** » Wed Oct 08, 2014 4:11 pm

I've done more than D&D lite rule sets. And the fact you only seem to recall Parabellum only supports my original concern.

...You Lost Me · Post by **...You Lost Me** » Wed Oct 08, 2014 5:12 pm

Well I skipped over all the self-explanatory things. Are you honestly wondering why people don't comment on a bunch of fluff pieces? Do you really think Pagliacci at the Karman isn't just D&D rules-lite in spess? Or are you concerned that 11 5 pages of discussion over a reaction rules set is not enough?

I don't know what to tell you, friend. Homebrew that is interesting gets views. Homebrew that is not interesting does not. People wanted to attempt a diplomacy system, so reaction rolls got traction even after PL left. Nobody cares about a culture focus on Na'ixbithrookar, the kangaroos of mount Wagglroo so no one is going to pay that any attention. I didn't give a crap when that was part of TNE, I see no need to do so now.

Ravengm · Post by **Ravengm** » Wed Oct 08, 2014 5:33 pm

I went through back to about 3 years ago looking at topics you started in "It's My Own Invention...". Parabellum was the big one with the most conversation, but it was also the only really complete system. The other posts I found were a couple short single-idea posts (which had a bit of discussion), or Culture Focus threads.

As far as that subforum goes, it just seems like you don't have a ton of content to comment on more than anything. I don't see anything that strikes me as "this is bad and you should feel bad", so that shouldn't be the issue.

ACOS · Post by **ACOS** » Wed Oct 08, 2014 6:04 pm

First and foremost: What is your goal?
*Why did you create the material?
*Who was your target audience when you created it?

I'm a little crunched for time at this particular moment; but I guess I can give things a spin later this evening.

Ancient History · Post by **Ancient History** » Wed Oct 08, 2014 10:34 pm

Virgil: I don't mean to ignore you, I just have relatively few roleplaying interests at the moment. And I feel you, finding an audience is hard.

erik · Post by **erik** » Thu Oct 09, 2014 2:30 am

This reminds me of the time that a friend of mine perused this forum and his observation was to the effect: "I see you post in some thread and think you make a good point, and you're flatly ignored in the conversation." I think it happens to most everyone. Like AH sez, finding an audience is something or other.

I used to think that I had developed the power to kill threads by being interested in them and posting in them.

For you specifically Virgil, most of your topics were things that I wasn't particularly interested in at the time. If building Culture Focus stuff maybe you'd want to create a wiki and have it all collected in once place. Still have the problem of finding audiences, but at least it's easier for you to reference in the future.

Kaelik · Post by **Kaelik** » Thu Oct 09, 2014 2:51 am

Do people like, actually post on homebrew? Because I think all my threads are either:

1) People asking me why I post uncompleted shit.
2) People telling me my shit is overpowered trash, and me arguing with them.

I can't think of anything else anyone would ever say about like homebrew classes/feats/stuff.

Systems could theoretically get more discussion, but mostly that happens in IMHO on the merits or complete and total lack thereof of WoF, and then someone posts a system and the general response is "meh, without context this is meaningless" or an entire rules game and the response is "this is pretty neat."

I mean, for the most part entire games don't warrant much discussion, unless they are so bad that they are worth repeated brutal mockery of the effort someone put actual fucking days of hours into making.

ACOS · Post by **ACOS** » Fri Oct 10, 2014 6:44 pm

ACOS wrote: I'm a little crunched for time at this particular moment; but I guess I can give things a spin later this evening.

Okay, I've gone back 5 pages in the homebrew, and aside from Parabellum (which has 4 pages of replies), all I see is 6 posts of fluff for some specific places.
In their own bubble, it is what it is - without anything egregiously stupid (which I didn't see), and without a larger setting context (which I don't see either), there's not much on which to comment.
Now, if you wanted to put up an entire setting, THAT would be something to actually warrant some comment. Otherwise, people are going to read, think "well, that's nifty/non-objectionable", and move on.

Does that do anything to help answer your question?

Lago PARANOIA · Post by **Lago PARANOIA** » Fri Oct 10, 2014 9:39 pm

Kaelik wrote:but mostly that happens in IMHO on the merits or complete and total lack thereof of WoF,

Now you've done it.

Koumei · Post by **Koumei** » Fri Oct 10, 2014 11:41 pm

If you're worried that nobody cares enough to even look at it, check the viewcount of the thread. Obviously it's not that accurate a measure, but it can help give an idea of interest. On various creative forums, when I post art or fiction, I'll be lucky to get one comment, but there are heaps of views (and a bunch of "X has favourited this" because clicking a little "Like" button is easy).

People don't necessarily comment much on things, even if they like them. That's just how it is.

tussock · Post by **tussock** » Sat Oct 11, 2014 4:59 am

If you want discussion, or replies, or your mistakes held high for laughs, or someone to try to outdo you, there is a how to words way of it.

Stop offering your opinion. Tell people they are wrong and bad for not agreeing with how perfect your everything is. Make a whole bunch of absolutist statements rather than seeking a middle ground. Tell people how to feel about your ideas, tell them they are wrong to do otherwise. Dare people to disagree with something that is obviously not fully correct. Double down when they do.

Some examples.

Don't just make a feat for whatever or whenever, talk about how your new feat replaces a specific one in the 3e monster manual and PC designs and makes everything better by doing so in every possible case. With examples. Be up front about how everyone who disagrees is intentionally hurting their players and call various designers out on failing to do it first.

Don't introduce a setting element for people to admire. Replace a piece of the Forgotten Realms (or other popular setting) with your element, and again, explain how it makes everything better in every way and how people who use the official book are not even human and don't deserve anyone's respect. Hang shit on the original setting designer.

Don't just update a monster, find where it's used in popular modules and claim to show definitively how your version is more like birthday sex and less like child abuse and anyone who disagrees is at least a sympathiser, or perhaps just very stupid.

When people reply, either celebrate them understanding what you really meant and go fix it before anyone else sees, or berate them for failing to understand and also go fix it. Clearly note your updates for people following along at home, as it increases the utility of reading and replying, which is the real (but secret) goal.

That all works better if you have giant holes in your arguments for people to point at. You, by the way, are an inferior person for not already knowing this, and everyone who didn't already say it gave you terrible advice. You are all very welcome to my insight.