| T O P I C R E V I E W |
| Wooly Rupert |
Posted - 24 Aug 2009 : 19:46:29
Okay, so most everyone here knows I was banned from the WotC forums years ago, for reasons that have never been explained, despite me asking. I've recounted the tale here more than once, so I'm not doing it again now. The important factoid is that I was banned from their forums more than five and a half years ago -- it was the banning there that led me to become active on this forum I'd signed up for but only checked out before then.
When I was banned, it meant -- and this was explicitly spelled out -- that I could not reuse my original user name (which is the one I now use here). I believe it also said I couldn't make a new name that was too close to the old one or that referenced the old one. Since my banning was unwarranted, and since I could no longer use my chosen user name, I was done with them.
Now, we also know that for some reason, WotC decided this was a great time to take down and do some juggling with their forums. And I suspect that's why I got this email (note that I changed my email addy when posting it here)...
quote:
Dear Wooly @ some email site ,
Wizards of the Coast is pleased to announce that we’re upgrading to a new community platform. We are in the process of migrating our forums to a system that includes a host of new features like friends lists, groups, an invite system and calendar, blogs, wiki, and of course, our forums.
Due to this platform migration, we have changed the character restrictions for usernames in our accounts system.
This change has affected your screen name.
Your old screen name was: Wooly Rupert
Your new screen name is: Wooly_Rupert
We apologize if this causes any inconvenience. If you would like to change your new screen name, you may do so through Game Support.
1. Click this link: http://wizards.custhelp.com/
2. Click on Email Us.
3. Sign In if you already have a help account, or create a new help account.
4. Once you are signed in, on the Search by Topic menu select:
a. Wizards.com [topic]
b. Wizards.com Community [sub topic]
c. Other [sub sub topic]
5. In the message field, please enter your Top 3 screen name choices. In the event that none of those choices are available, we will pick the closest available name for you.
Thank you for being a part of our community.
Wizards of the Coast
Obviously, I'm a little puzzled by this, since I was told I couldn't use that name any more... I would have thought that my user info would have been purged from their system after the years of inactivity after my banning.
I know some other people here have been banned from WotC's forums; have any of you also received this email? |
| 30 L A T E S T R E P L I E S (Newest First) |
| Wooly Rupert |
Posted - 08 Sep 2009 : 14:44:42
quote:
Originally posted by Uzzy
quote:
Originally posted by Wooly Rupert
This thread has taken a turn somewhere, and I'm not really sure where or why...
Heh, my point about the Lightbulb was that viewing a bright, white webpage is much the same as looking at a lightbulb. The WoTC forums are rather bright. 
Ah, okay. I did not get that, perhaps because I've only looked at the new forums once.  |
| Uzzy |
Posted - 08 Sep 2009 : 14:28:39
quote:
Originally posted by Wooly Rupert
This thread has taken a turn somewhere, and I'm not really sure where or why...
Heh, my point about the Lightbulb was that viewing a bright, white webpage is much the same as looking at a lightbulb. The WoTC forums are rather bright. |
| Mr_Miscellany |
Posted - 08 Sep 2009 : 07:53:11
I set up a group for my Monday game.
The whole thing is still a little buggy. For example the photo I uploaded for the group photo doesn't actually appear on the group page. You can only see it on the "edit details" page or on my personal bio under groups I'm a part of.
Likewise the calendar feature is messed up. If I go to my group calendar page and/or the edit page for same, the listing I put in for our regular Monday game properly shows a game every Monday of the week. However if I back out to the main group page, the calendar in the top right corner only shows a game on Monday at the beginning of this month, then lists a game every Tuesday going forward.
Annoying and precisely the sorts of things that need fixing on this beta test.
Aside from those issues, I was able to set up a campaign information wiki page and a message board forum. In the forum I started a rules Q&A thread to list and address rules questions that come up during play.
Overall I'd say the group feature is useful tool that's not that hard to setup. Once the beta fixes are done it ought to be full steam ahead for me. |
| Brimstone |
Posted - 08 Sep 2009 : 04:38:05
I am finding some of the functions frustrating...but its a beta test. I do wish they would put the sblock back in. I have also noticed that It wont let me delete any of my sent PM's.
It will get better once I am used to it. I am happy I got my old username back. Totaly !
EDIT:Member of the 900 Club.
|
| Wooly Rupert |
Posted - 08 Sep 2009 : 04:22:03
This thread has taken a turn somewhere, and I'm not really sure where or why... |
| Zanan |
Posted - 07 Sep 2009 : 23:40:56
Depends whether the electricity is on or not. |
| Uzzy |
Posted - 07 Sep 2009 : 16:55:36
Looking at a light bulb is not good for you. |
| Zanan |
Posted - 07 Sep 2009 : 10:52:45
Well, login in via IE finally succeeded but looking at the boards as they are these days give you the creeps. So as it looks, Lord Karsus et al will have field days from now on ... |
| Brimstone |
Posted - 04 Sep 2009 : 15:45:12
I was able to login under my old banned username today. |
| Asgetrion |
Posted - 03 Sep 2009 : 01:16:48
I've also completely given up about the WoTC forums; they're poorly done (the colors make my eyes bleed, and I don't have the same problem with Paizo's forums) and poorly moderated. I've often reported posts from the "4vengers", and even once asked that the worst of the bunch would be given some sort of notice for continuously insulting others -- they did nothing, and never even got back to me (a few years ago the moderators *always* replied to you).
I think it has all gone downhill there; pretty much every thread that deals with constructive criticism (towards a setting or 4E in general) or alternative ideas/DMing styles get either locked or dominated by those self-proclaimed 4vengers.
I doubt I'll ever reactivate (or whatever I would need to do after this "revision") my account.
|
| Quale |
Posted - 02 Sep 2009 : 09:58:50
quote:
Originally posted by Markustay
The link only works for folks who have completed the registration process, which of course means the link doesn't work for me (just like the registration process itself).
All I get is that page with 'Create your Profile' with the big red 'X' next to it (no matter how many times I fill-out the info and send it).
It might be nice if I could see what your talking about Misc, but unfortunately I'm not even allowed to partake of WotC's new grandeur. 
Well, it's a pornstar. Now you have to sign up.
Both links show the variety of the wotc's new community, Misc's link shows a happy family really enjoying 4e and showing the ''horned god'' hand gestures . The other link shows a creepy guy that follows pornstars around. You never had this feeling of community with Gleemax.
Tough I've never seen FR forums so dead.
I only have the FR part of the forums bookmarked and every time it redirects to the wizards main page with such pictures  . |
| Brimstone |
Posted - 02 Sep 2009 : 02:10:06
quote:
Originally posted by Ashe Ravenheart
Oh, aye... The fact that most of the groups appeared to be LFR made me create a Candlekeep Scribes group as well.
The "Reformed" Church of Cyric is present and accounted for!
Thanks Matt/Ashe.
POST 888 |
| Ashe Ravenheart |
Posted - 02 Sep 2009 : 00:18:01
Oh, aye... The fact that most of the groups appeared to be LFR made me create a Candlekeep Scribes group as well. |
| Brimstone |
Posted - 01 Sep 2009 : 23:12:58
Markus, I would like to see you stick around.
Here is a link to Pamela's In Eldath's Name The Friends of the Forgotten Realms Group. She started it after seeing that almost all of the groups were for the Living Realms. Not everybody is into the Living Realms. Its for those who love the realms. 1E, 2E, 3E and 4E. Come check it out. |
| Markustay |
Posted - 01 Sep 2009 : 20:52:13
The link only works for folks who have completed the registration process, which of course means the link doesn't work for me (just like the registration process itself).
All I get is that page with 'Create your Profile' with the big red 'X' next to it (no matter how many times I fill-out the info and send it).
It might be nice if I could see what your talking about Misc, but unfortunately I'm not even allowed to partake of WotC's new grandeur.
Which probably makes you very happy.  |
| Mr_Miscellany |
Posted - 01 Sep 2009 : 17:53:10
lolz JD likes the booth babes I guess. ;) |
| Ashe Ravenheart |
Posted - 31 Aug 2009 : 23:45:05
Well, it's happening with Firefox AND IE. I've deleted the only wizards cookies I could find and it hasn't fixed the problem (I'm reluctant to clear ALL cookies because I have soooo many sites' cookies). |
| Quale |
Posted - 31 Aug 2009 : 21:14:31
had the same problem, worked after clearing the cookies
quote:
Originally posted by Mr_Miscellany
This is why I like the new community and features.
Another new feature. |
| Mr_Miscellany |
Posted - 31 Aug 2009 : 20:47:53
That stinks. Browser compatibility? |
| Ashe Ravenheart |
Posted - 31 Aug 2009 : 19:33:08
quote:
Originally posted by Mr_Miscellany
This is why I like the new community and features.
Ironically, you're link is one of the reasons I'm disliking the new site. Not the content, but the fact that I haven't been able to log in since Friday. I'm getting a 'loop' error that says it's probably caused because I've disabled cookies, yet I haven't disabled cookies...
Also, the fact that the links on Wizards.com still are directed to the GLEEMAX addresses (yes, their redirected from there), points to laziness on the part of some coders... |
| Brimstone |
Posted - 31 Aug 2009 : 09:41:36
Alot of people copied their stuff on to other sites. Brilliant Gameologist is one site. LK took his Elven Netbook to the Vault.
|
| Quale |
Posted - 31 Aug 2009 : 09:24:30
quote:
Originally posted by Mr_Miscellany
Hrm...
If I wanted to erase discontent, I would have directed WotC to delete more old threads because logically it would make things easier on their infrastructure. Easy excuse there.
But whoever was in charge must have had a different plan, because the FR General Forum still has 18 pages of post listings available. That's to like March of last year. More robust and active sections like the Character Optimization forums are still 188 pages long, with the oldest threads going back about a year and a half also.
Did the old forums go back farther than that? I can't say I can remember, but I sure don't recall myself looking 1.5 years in the past on those forums very much.
Of course some old threads are valuable to people. However information from important threads tend to carry forward in stickied threads at the top of forums headers, gets resurrected via thread necromancy or simply becomes part of the collective knowledge of the user base. What's left behind is no great loss if it's pruned.
But again, WotC kept 1.5 years of posts when they could have cut more.
To me it doesn't follow that that WotC, in the guise of giant corporate conspiracy boogeyman, wanted to erase any public negativity about 4th Edition in order to promote a clean forum concept that would encourage pro-4E Cheerleading. One and a half years of generally useful content generated freely by users speaks for itself.
Besides, I never got a cheer outfit and I'm Cheer Squad Leader for the 4E Realms.
:p
My concern about the erased threads has nothing to do with covering up edition-conflicted material. They can erase that all they want, that part isn't really constructive or useful.
It's about the stuff from before the announcement of 4e, some people put a lot of work into various projects. Personally I didn't contribute much, I had the NPCs thread. and the planar campaign ideas, that's mostly gone. But others ...
So it is a great loss, particularly cause now that level of discussion doesn't exist. 4e boards for the most part are like the previous Character Optimization board. |
| Quale |
Posted - 31 Aug 2009 : 09:08:48
quote:
Originally posted by Markustay
Depends on who you are.
My posts were targetted (and erased) constantly. I did say some obnoxious things, but no more so then others did, many of whom were left alone.
Doesn't matter to me - their "no content that is reminiscent of WotC/FR content" in their fansite policy directly effects me (note how it says it confuses people with 'official content' - more folks use MY Returned Abeir map then theirs ). I have been wanting to break-away and do my own thing for some time now, but felt obligated to finish the projects I have started (and promised).
Now I get to be lazy and blame it all on them - I should thank them.
I'll still come around here from time to time, but I think my FR fandom days are pretty-much at an end.
Note: I just realized I slid off-topic (as usual), but the new WotC site and all its problems was basically the final nail in the coffin for me. They have made it so difficult for me to participate in any way that I might as well just take this opportunity to call it quits.
I can't say I understand 90% () of their decisions these days, but it seems that with each new one they alienate more of the existing fanbase. I doubt they are doing it on-purpose (that would be assinine), so I have to chalk it up to very poor management. Anyway, life's too short to get worked-up over a silly game - Peace.
It seems some poster doesn't like you and did constantly hit the report link.
I don't think their policy affects you, you'd first have to sign it. I'm sorry to hear you are ending, you were the best poster there with LK and a few others.
Well, if you like the game, it's worth to get worked up over it. That's all a part of the passion (life).
Personally I'll see how it goes for a month or two. They fixed a few bothersome things. What's with all the nerds uploading their pictures, I know that's the majority of the fanbase, but not something I need to be constantly reminded of. |
| Mr_Miscellany |
Posted - 31 Aug 2009 : 08:17:53
This is why I like the new community and features. |
| Brimstone |
Posted - 30 Aug 2009 : 22:46:11
quote:
Originally posted by Bluenose
Sorry about that.
That's because it's called Redo
Use the one next to the Upload a Photo entry.
Photo entry, here? |
| Bluenose |
Posted - 30 Aug 2009 : 19:24:29
quote:
Originally posted by Brimstone
quote:
Originally posted by Bluenose
quote:
Originally posted by Brimstone
Ok, I got the link. Obviously.
But where do I "put it"?
That doesnt sound right.
Go to your profile.
Click Proflie Wizard.
Click the Edit button next to the Avatar selection.
It seems like it should be possible in other ways, but they don't work for me yet.
Go to profile.CHECK.
Click Profile Wizard.
Click the Edit button...I cant find it.
Sorry about that.
That's because it's called Redo
Use the one next to the Upload a Photo entry. |
| Markustay |
Posted - 30 Aug 2009 : 15:39:26
Depends on who you are.
My posts were targetted (and erased) constantly. I did say some obnoxious things, but no more so then others did, many of whom were left alone.
Doesn't matter to me - their "no content that is reminiscent of WotC/FR content" in their fansite policy directly effects me (note how it says it confuses people with 'official content' - more folks use MY Returned Abeir map then theirs ). I have been wanting to break-away and do my own thing for some time now, but felt obligated to finish the projects I have started (and promised).
Now I get to be lazy and blame it all on them - I should thank them.
I'll still come around here from time to time, but I think my FR fandom days are pretty-much at an end.
Note: I just realized I slid off-topic (as usual), but the new WotC site and all its problems was basically the final nail in the coffin for me. They have made it so difficult for me to participate in any way that I might as well just take this opportunity to call it quits.
I can't say I understand 90% () of their decisions these days, but it seems that with each new one they alienate more of the existing fanbase. I doubt they are doing it on-purpose (that would be assinine), so I have to chalk it up to very poor management. Anyway, life's too short to get worked-up over a silly game - Peace. |
| Quale |
Posted - 30 Aug 2009 : 08:43:35
quote:
Originally posted by Markustay
They want a "positive site", so they trim all the negativity. Heaven forbid anyone learns the truth.
No matter, if the site is becoming a hangout for pro-4e cheerleading, I wouldn't want to participate anyway. I don't begrudge anyone their interest in 4eFR, but I don't have any, so there is no point. I would have liked to just pop-in occasionally as a lurker, but whatever... its all good.
It certainly isn't worth the trouble of using a different browser - thats too much work for something I have nearly no interest in. I can get my "FR Fix" here from time to time.
I don't even care enough to get angry anymore. 
They trim negativity? don't know, I also posted some negative stuff and no one ever said a word.
Tough I gotta admit, didn't expect that but lately some of the 4e threads are getting on my nerves, all the stupid speculative crap that repeats over and over, that the books failed to cover, e.g. ''this god/character in 4e, what to do now, oh my''. And the drow.
|
| Jakk |
Posted - 30 Aug 2009 : 04:48:01
I was Googling Rhymanthiin just a few minutes ago when I noticed something odd... following a link from my search results, I discovered that I can no longer browse the WotC forums without logging in; clicking on a link takes me to the "log in or create an account" page. Has anyone else noticed this?
Edit: This appears to have been a one-time glitch... I'll have to try to get back to the same link I followed the first time, which may just be a dead link. |
| Mr_Miscellany |
Posted - 30 Aug 2009 : 04:34:31
Hrm...
If I wanted to erase discontent, I would have directed WotC to delete more old threads because logically it would make things easier on their infrastructure. Easy excuse there.
But whoever was in charge must have had a different plan, because the FR General Forum still has 18 pages of post listings available. That's to like March of last year. More robust and active sections like the Character Optimization forums are still 188 pages long, with the oldest threads going back about a year and a half also.
Did the old forums go back farther than that? I can't say I can remember, but I sure don't recall myself looking 1.5 years in the past on those forums very much.
Of course some old threads are valuable to people. However information from important threads tend to carry forward in stickied threads at the top of forums headers, gets resurrected via thread necromancy or simply becomes part of the collective knowledge of the user base. What's left behind is no great loss if it's pruned.
But again, WotC kept 1.5 years of posts when they could have cut more.
To me it doesn't follow that that WotC, in the guise of giant corporate conspiracy boogeyman, wanted to erase any public negativity about 4th Edition in order to promote a clean forum concept that would encourage pro-4E Cheerleading. One and a half years of generally useful content generated freely by users speaks for itself.
Besides, I never got a cheer outfit and I'm Cheer Squad Leader for the 4E Realms.
:p |
