So where would we draw the line at this? How easy is it to be simply ignored because you lack the eloquence to construct a valid argument?
(I'll use an example completely randomised, at the risk of offending anyone... unless you happen to be running a bizarre GM encounter right now.)
Lets say GM.. Cake. GM Cake decided to run a event with killer kittens, he thinks this is the -best- idea ever! Corners someone (player... Hippo) in the Vamp crypts and spams them with kittens until they die. Has the kittens drag the body (and equipment) to the surface so it's easily found.
Hippo is mad, hippo does not like that his grind was interrupted with kittens! Hippo hates kittens. So post on the forums about it.
What kind of response would you say is appropriate to express his displeasure at GM Cake?
Here's where he went wrong:
So post on the forums about it.
'Criticism, complaints and feedback' that are generally negative that are posted on open forums are treated a lot differently (and a lot less seriously) to those submitted to the DM's directly, or through the CC. They tend to blow things out of proportion and raise people against the DM team as if it's some kind of revolution. Then you start having unrelated people chip in, people start twisting words, and nothing the DM's do about the issue short of keelhauling the offending DM and his family members will suffice any more. The thread stops being about one issue and becomes a bubbling rage pot of issues that should have been bought up when they were relevant instead of held back by people.
It's the difference between heading to your boss's boss and informing them that your manager has goofed up on something that's majorly annoyed and screwed you up, and standing in the workspace telling everyone who will listen about the management being bastards as loudly as you can, hence bringing in people who have little to nothing to do with the issue.
Whilst one complaint might be passed over and considered to just be a ranting player, when more start to pile up, eyebrows will be raised at the DM's behaviour, and then appropriate stuff will be done.
If you're worried about coming off as a whiner, post it through the CC with the request to be anonymous. Some people have done that, and the anonymity has been kept.
Basically, if you want any player/DM issue to get to the DM's and be considered seriously, send it straight to them, seriously. We have discussion/complaint forums, but they're generally best for systems and things involving development, major plots and the world at large, rather than player or DM behaviour.
As for the thread this thread was about, it did descend into nitpicking, whining, and more negativity than Empowered Energy Drain. The staff are usually in a position where people hammer on them with unreasonable arguments, twist their words against them and paint them as evil bastards because they can't so much 'fight back', since they're expected to remain calm and civil and reasonable, and not let things degrade into flame wars. We have to do a lot of walking on eggshells whilst people pelt us with eggs, since the slightest remark that can be taken negatively, WILL be taken horribly by certain people, and used as further ammunition against us.
That's the situation with forum threads. But with PM'ed conversations that are private, things tend to be a lot more controlled, and we can get through the discussion without having to fend off people who have popped up solely to criticize.
The result of the ranting in the forum thread has only served to cripple DM morale pretty bad, and likely mean less of them logging on when they otherwise would.
The result of a few PM's we've been sent has lead to things like allowing faction members to make a new PC that will instantly be involved in the faction for that week to allow for recruiting and faction RP in Barovia, and MPC's being able to create a low level monster for the event. It might not be much, but we're trying to make folks happy.
Go figure.
/end semi-ranting