PSA

[benlehman]

An internet forum discussion is not Dogs in the Vineyard. You do not get bonus dice for escalating.

Thank you for your time.

Comments

[cucumberseed.livejournal.com]

Rolls 2D4 Headdesk.

[amnesiack.livejournal.com]

I escalate to your mom.

[benlehman.livejournal.com]

I escalate into your mom.

If you know what I mean.

[marcus-sez-vote.livejournal.com]

Shouldn't you now create a RPG based on internet forums and the curious behaviors/tropes that occur there? Various classes like "regular", "lurker", and "troll" all exist. Escalation could be a mechanic for deciding encounters.

Be well.

[zigguratbuilder.livejournal.com]

This is a story that may or may not be related to what you experienced.

There once was this guy.

He lived within 2 minutes from someone on a forum who participates a lot in the local gaming scene and wrote a game about roaches. 15 minutes from me. 10-20 minutes from all sorts of other gamers/forum participants in the area (at least 10 people) who are into the specific kind of gaming that he is into. In person this guy was an ok, docile, empathetic guy who seemed intelligent, calm and nice. Online he was a shitheel who loooved to fight, and get in people's faces, and Tell It Like It Is.

He wondered why he never seems to be able to get people to come to his gaming events: He would follow his no-show events with scathing emails on local email lists deriding people for not coming or showing interest. He wonders today why it seems that so many gamers live in the area, yet they never seem to be running events publicly. It almost, /almost/, seems like there is, in fact, a vibrant local gaming scene that is simply going out of its way to not invite him.

A mystery.

[benlehman.livejournal.com]

http://badgods.com/forumville-riddance.html

[http://users.livejournal.com/-thiefofhearts-/]

The scary thing of your tale is that people like Meru from "Goodbye Mr. Despair" actually exist...

[evilmagnus]

I escalate to Godwin!

[yeloson.livejournal.com]

You still get bonus dice for throwing punches and pulling guns, though, right?

[benlehman.livejournal.com]

Over the internet? If you can do that, you have better things to do with your time than forum arguments.

[nekoewen.livejournal.com]

Being able to punch and/or shoot people over the internet is something people have been dreaming about since its inception, I think.

[http://users.livejournal.com/-thiefofhearts-/]

and those devices that do such a service never really get off the ground...
http://art.penny-arcade.com/photos/343138225_GPuBW-L-2.jpg

[gillan.livejournal.com]

I never escalate. I always go straight for Goatse and Two Girls One Cup.

I have made many friends.

(Jono here)

[(Anonymous)]

Ben, what forums have you been reading lately that have inspired so much sad commentary?

[l-the-fangirl.livejournal.com]

I roll 4d8 On The Net, No One Can Tell You're Sarcastic and 3d6 Ludicrously Apt Metaphor!

Reverse the blow with a 10! "Take it to Tangency!" Raise 11!