An open letter to the ZDoom community regarding drama

[Blox]

what the fuck happen

the angry indian ghost formerly known as skulltag has possessed us all for building on top of its burial ground

somebody set us up the bomb

[Zanieon]

Oh, believe me, some days I wish we could all just start fresh, and everyone would just build up their reputation from the bottom again. But who's to say what would happen then?

I know the feeling because i experienced this sometimes on real life, and it ends even worst than what happened here.

Also Nash isn't leaving forever, he said he is not coming back this year because he just doesn't approves edward's behavior (but seriously, call ALL devs "Elitists" was a bit extremist and childish at same time on my point of view)

[wildweasel]

I've been in contact with Nash outside of the forums. He and I both agree that he's probably better off taking a self-imposed vacation from the forums for the rest of the year. I still don't approve of him taking all his stuff offline, but at least he didn't have as bad a freakout as Funktasm did (and that just came completely out of nowhere).

[Matt]

someone set up us the fucking bomb*

we get fucking signal

how the fuck are you gentlemen...

*(as opposed to someone setting up us fucking the bomb, which would be even more embarrassing than what is actually going on, if only very slightly)


(Seriously, though, were a bunch of posts deleted? I really don't see where the drama was except for the "opinion" thread and the one it linked to (and Ed being a bit snippy with SD12 on the HD thread, but that itself was hardly a forum-drama thing worthy of someone whose judgment I generally trust posting an Open Letter))

[DoomRater]

I've been putting on my big boy pants and dealing with whatever comes my way (sans like... one time I reported a Graf post) but I also realize I'm not completely immune to throwing out snark (having someone repeat to me a million times how he though animal killing is bad and that animal killing that doesn't happen is always better, end of line with me retorting "so where's that perfect universe model where nothing can be destroyed you propose?" ad nasuem) so uh.... take it in stride I guess? You don't have to be as hard as a marine to survive in here, but you don't need a 4chan sense of humor either. And as always, real life comes first, so if you feel bad take a break. We'll still be here... for the most part.

[Athel]

Well, I agree with this thread in a few ways. Its human nature to be angry. Heh, I got mad over some false accusation on and IRC channel. It generally helps to just count to 4 inhale, count to 4 exhale. Drama around here can't be helped, it happens almost all the time. But not everybody knows that they can also end drama.

Also here to remind people, there are ways to privately argue instead of an urbal brawl on the internet. The PM System works well. If you block someone, they don't know you blocked them, and you have the choice to view the blocked vviewer's post or not. Email is a wonderful invention. Simply finding a way to vent your rage out helps to reduce drama. People have to use their (not-so) common sense. People who piss you off most likely feed off your public reactions. Just keep calm, cool and collected.

...now, kinda off topic, but I was away for about a month and Nash is gone?

[Matt]

Now that I've read the thread more closely, it seems like a combination of external stress factors (either unrelated to the forums, or something on the chatrooms?) and a very unfortunate arrangement of Graf's, Gez's and Ed's responses to his original complaint (all 3 snarky posts in a row, increasing in level of snark and the last one being the actual personal attack).

[Naniyue]

As has been said, there will always be some measure of drama. No one will ever be perfect, and each of us has probably dropped the ball more times than we can count. Misunderstandings, anger, and even actual personal issues WILL come up, but if each of us does our best to fix what we can and let bygones be bygones, then we will be a better community. I've had a couple scuffles in here myself, but I try to be both assertive and forgiving . . .

. . . and I'm still here, enjoying modification and play of the classic game all of us love. Which is why all of us are here in the first place.

[Dancso]

Also here to remind people, there are ways to privately argue instead of an urbal brawl on the internet.

Another quirk of human nature. They dislike eachother so much that talking privately is a no-no, but public attacks where others can pick sides is what they usually prefer. It's an eye for an eye kinda thing, if someone insults you in a thread, you'd feel compelled to treat them the same, which means keeping it in the same thread instead of private messages.

There's always people to jump in on either side so it's not like it'll be enough for only the two arguers to vent their rage elsewhere. All it takes is the first post from either person to sound questionable.
Then, there's pride. I'm guilty of this aswell, when someone proves you wrong or makes you realise that you've done something bad, admitting it can be really hard. It seems to get harder the more popular the person in question is, because it's all too comfortable to take the position of "long lasting member of community who hasn't made a booboo ever and is wise and right every time".

[SFJake]

I'll remind you that the Doom community -has- changed. There was always drama, and I was always a natural for creating it myself, but I felt right at home many years ago, and things... were not the same.

Things have changed and not for the better. There's always a certain bitterness in the air, and you'd -have- to expect it to come from old timers.

You claim its a "years old game" and everything, but remember -> the world of Doom and the community around it, is unique. It is a one-in-a-lifetime hobby. There are no others like it. There will never be anything like it again. Its not old just like jazz is old.

Please do not judge the relevance of people's sentiment over that hobby, based on Doom being "an old game from the 90s". This game, this hobby, this world, is very, very important to a lot of people.

It is very important to me. And I do not want to go in a hating spree again, but I did not like what changed. Began to have issues with people and had some public spats. And I left.


The point isn't to excuse anything, but just that things change, people get protective of what they love, and eventually they get bitter. Which is my own, personal curse at this moment in my life.

Everyone has their own reasons for snapping, but I think its undeniable that the community has a whole has changed just like it got more "popular" as well. This forum was not half as active years ago.

Just... don't lower the importance of this game to some people. This, all of this, is unique, and many people are very emotionally connected to it. Just keep that in mind.

[Siggi]

I really don't see what moderation has to do with Nash deciding to take a break.

[Project Shadowcat]

I'm also not exactly sure what the moderators could've done differently in that situation, either.
I've been trying to take it very easy here (not always effectively), a lot going on as usual on my front outside of the forums. But... personal frustrations should never be taken out on others unless they actually had a hand in it.

[Xaser]

I really hope Nash decides to post his stuff back online at some point. Taking it all down benefits no one and only hurts those who weren't involved in any sort of shenanigans.

[Jeimuzu73]

TBH some of the most dramatic moments in these forums were actually the funniest, like the HDW episode.

[taufan99]

The entire Doom community is getting slowly killed by dramas and shitstorms.
Nothing more to say.

I hope not.
I mean, sure, dramas and shitstorms are everywhere in the DOOM community nowadays, but let's just hope we can get past the dark times sooner or later.