....Is it bad that this breaking-out argument is, for once, on-topic?
I hope this doesn't sound rude, but could you elaborate a bit on what you actually mean? I tend to feel that the ambiguous comments that seems to insinuate something only make the situation more volatile.
I was half-despairing about the fact that the arguments even happen. Excess of drama and arguing, and those are things I dislike anywhere but IC in my gaming sessions. I don't really know who is 'in the right' in these things, and perhaps everyone is as bad as each other. But in all honesty, we go in-game and tend to, for the most part, have fun. I've not come across a single system preventing fun. In-game, I have enjoyed my time here, so far. Why am I having this experience when veterans cannot?
When we get out-of-game, the forums are currently a big pit of veiled insults, complaints, and backlashing. It's even rubbing off on me, it seems, which irritates me to not end.
We have an argument in a few threads that spawns a thread like this, then arguments break out in the thread. It's just becoming the same old thing all over again, coming from players who, despite what they might think, just aren't having fun with the game any more maybe because of having played it too much, or maybe the fact that other players have left that made their time fun, and take this up with blaming their diminished fun on changes since they were, whether they're directly related or not, and then due to the way the feedback is given, staff possibly ignoring valid points had by the poster due to disliking how it was presented (it's not technically fair, but as is known, nobody is perfect).
I was insinuating, generally, the pointless repetition of it all. It's clear there's a lot of pent-up steam being let out by both staff and some players, but all in all, I'd imagine, if they just logged off the forums, went to the game, and didn't check the boards for a week, we'd probably have things returning somewhat to normal.
I've been around NWN 1 and 2, and I've seen these kind of community spats before, which is the main reason as a player I'm not letting it put me off coming back.
Then the Sheriff tossed more ten people. The prisoners complained a lot, for a long time, unhappy, complaining everyday.
I'd bet the prison cell wouldn't seem that bad if it was filled with 30 calm, chatting prisoners, instead of 30 raging, complaining ones. There'd be no difference in the numbers, but it'd feel better.
tl;drIt's becoming the same thing happening again and again.
The current feeling of the community, both from the players and staff, is far more damaging to the experience and fun than any system I've seen.