I agree I wouldn't want a Tangency forum.

To be clear, I don't think chatting and socialising is necessarily bad for a forum. Story Games gets along quite nicely, on the edge between working and chatting.

But I do think it's a choice. If we have socialising, we'll be less work-focussed. I'd prefer to focus on work.

I also think a bit of chatting is OK. Like in a friendly meeting at work: it's OK to make a joke, or respond to one, but then we all go "Anyway..." and get back to the subject at hand.

My guide for that is the "two posts" thing. In a thread about scheduling a convention, it's OK for Andrew to say, after saying which slots he'd like, "...actually, I'll take any slot that gets me away from Graham". Then I can say "THAT WORKS FOR ME TOO". But then we all get back to topic.

(People are welcome to disagree).

Graham

So no, I don't think we should have one. There are plenty of other places to talk trash. Not here. It diverts energy, sucks life and devalues the site. I've seen too many other sites destroyed by people slowly drifting away from the point so that the signal to noise ratio becomes unbearable.

I also think anybody who does want such a thing should re-assess there reasons for being here.

As Graham says, you can be entertaining and contribute at the same time with ease. If you can't, I suggest that writing RPG books is probably not the career for you.

-Matt

Realms Publishing

Personally, I don't think a tangency forum would make as much difference as people seem to think. We come here to discuss our games, and I don't see that changing even if there is a place for off-topic banter. However from that point of view I don't think it would hurt so much to have one either. Some of the best ideas arise from some of the strangest conversations. And if people don't want to see the tangency thread, they don't go to the tangency thread. I rarely go to the RPG net one for instance, but I like to dip in now and again and have gotten some good ideas from there in the past, even though the chatter has nothing to do with RPGs.

I think everyone is getting just a touch paranoid, assuming that if the same features that occur on the RPG Net forums are introduced here, we'll get the same problems. I don't believe that RPG Net's faults have that much to do with the forum's format, and I'd want to see really compelling evidence before changing my mind on that.

Of course this is rather a moot point. If nobody else wants a tangency forum, then we won't get one. I could care less about the subject, but I'm not that fussed. If I want tangency I can go to RPG Net. 'Course that does mean some people going to RPG net who might otherwise come here because they can get everything they want there, but I don't suppose TCE is about quantity of visitors. The question really is do we want more people visiting the site, or do we want only a very precise type of person visiting? Neither is right, neither is wrong, just different.

Ash

So we are agreed then:

NO FUCKING "TANGENCY/MISC/OTHER/OFF TOPIC/PASTRY" FORUM ON THIS SITE.

Banter is ace. Irrelevant hreads about how cool "The Lost Room" is aren't.

Destriarch, feel free to post flippant comments in threads to people you feel you know well enough to get away with it. Grahams guidelines are pretty much on the money there, just don't de-rail a thread with it.

...this is a good time to:

a. Recognise that people feel strongly about this subject and
b. Recognise that arguments on both sides are valid
c. Be careful of posting inflammatory things (including those look-how-reasonable-I'm-being-by-the-way-you're-a-tosser sideswipes that I do so well)
d. Breathe before responding.

God, that was weird. I feel dirty, like I just asked everyone to group hug.

Graham

Dunno, does five respondees represent a quorum?

Ash

...for instance Malcolm may be back in Wellington from his camping trip this week. So let's see how it goes.

Not only are there other choices available for this sort of interaction but it potentially dilutes the focus of the site. If I really wanted to discuss the future of the Scotland football team post-MacLeish with Gregor and Iain, I could and should do it elsewhere. Not here. It doesn't further the aims of the site in a way that cannot be done elsewhere - therefore no need.

Hell, if it was my decision I would have all of these admin discussions not appear on the front page of the site at all. They could still be publically read under recent posts and at the open admin forum but I see no reason for them to be front and centre on the sites main page.

Then again that could be the control freak in me coming out.

Neil

Take the King's shilling at http://www.omnihedron.co.uk/dutyandhonour/

I would consider this more of a concern if there were already forum areas on the site that didn't relate to the site's focus. As it stands, pretty much every forum topic is directly related to the act of publishing RPGs. A single off-topic thread covering every possible other subject wouldn't be much of a dilution. It'd be, what, one part in seventeen? Hardly enough to taste.

Ash

Hey no real argument from me, it wasn't an idea I was wedded too, it just seemed that the attitude on the other thread was going very much towards "we are here to work ... no off-topic posts ever!" and I didn't like the sound of that from what I understand the spirit of the CE should be.

If we can have a little banter, a few off-topic posts here and there, and not take it too seriously (while nevertheless keeping it useful) then that suits me, no tangency needed.

http://www.solipsist-rpg.com/

I agree that we should not have a tangency thread. If I want to talk about other stuff I will simply call the person concerned or AIM them in some way or form. This site is for games and about games. Graham's comments are pretty much on the money:the occasional aside is fine but too much is just starying into rpg.net territory.

Cheers

Iain

Mob Justice now available!

'The Giant Brain':Small games, big ideas.

As Gregor said, back from my camping trip.

Of topic? No. Others have said the same thing including the details that I would add, so I'll simply leave it with the fact that do no want to see such a forum here.

Thanks
Malcolm

Contested Ground Studios

Fair enough, but I do think everyone is jumping at shadows. It's no major loss.

Ash

Not only are there other choices available for this sort of interaction but it potentially dilutes the focus of the site.

Nicely put, Neil. We're here to work, not for idle social chat.

By the way, it's your birthday, right? Happy birthday! Have a drink on me!

Graham