megan, does it help any I explain that it isn't this thread in particular so much as the precedent its creation would set?

And I am still not sure why the conversation can't just happen as things stand. I mean, the baseball lovers talk about their geeky passion anywhere and any old time, and that to me is closer to talking games than cooking is.

Okay, I missed the whole SPN thing, not having watched the show or been part of Boxed Set at the time.

Perhaps it was a mistake for me to bring up the "blah blah blah GAMING GAMING GAMING" threat-of-thread-whelmage thing. I didn't mean to bring back anyone's bad memories.

Though I agree that Sean tends to be melodramatic (with hand to mine forehead for Humorous Exaggeration), I can kind of see his point re: this process can get frustrating. On the other hand, it's a process that, in my experience, is absent on other boards and seems to produce better results, even if we don't all love the specific outcomes at times. It's kind of like the presidential elections; it's a pain in the ass, you sometimes have to listen to people you'd rather not and it takes longer than you want it to.

But in the end I think the process is valuable as it stands, even as I grit my teeth about having to go through it.

I'm aggrieved that this particular issue (i.e. thread creation) always seems to result in heightened emotions and perceived ad hominem attacks. I say "perceived" because I don't think either connie neil or Sean set out to call anyone an asshole or make fun of the way their mothers dress them.

I will state, right here and right now: PMM, bon bon, Nutty...all of you who are stating anti-proliferation viewpoints...I loves youse guys and if'n this here proposal of mine goes down in flames at the vote, no hard feelings and I will not think the less of you as people.

Though your mothers do dress you funny.

I can see the desire to rein in rampant thread proliferation, and can even sympathize to an extent with fears that creation of sub-sub-communities can lead to a certain amount of insularism even amongst posters who are participating in other threads. However, I really don't see this happening all that much and don't foresee it happening with a gaming thread.

It seems, as I've said, that there is a quiet desire for a place to discuss gaming that is dedicated to gaming and gaming-related subjects. At this point a number of people have come forth and said "Now you bring it up, I don't feel comfortable talking gaming in other threads and would enjoy a thread for that purpose". I think it behooves us to address this desire now that it has been stated.

Honestly, when I first proposed it I wasn't sure if there would be enough people supporting it. I secretly feared it would be me, Sean, ND and CaBil just nerdling on about stuff and feeling guilty that a thread had been created for just us four.

But now I see more people coming forward and showing support and it's gratifying.

I don't want to pooh-pooh anti-proliferationists' concerns or opinions, even if I don't entirely understand or agree with them. As has been said, both sides have deep concerns over the shape and function of this little community of ours and this is the way we address both sides.

I am confident that we can make our way through this discussion one more time, new thread or no, without wanting to actually kill each other and, oddly, I think we'll be the better for having done so. I do think I see a mild improvement in how we comport ourselves over this issue yet again; a more careful wording of arguments, a striving for clarity and an honest effort for objectivity and not letting emotion overtake us.

So, kudos to all involved.

...

Now gimme my gaming thread, dammit.

t Kidding! Kidding!

t Mostly.

Okay, I said I wouldn't come back, but eh, whatever. I have a comment on the volume issue.

The only gaming talk I have ever seen on this board has been in Bitches, and it has not taken off or taken over the thread the way the potential posters of the proposed gaming thread seem to be saying it would in Other Media.

Generally when the topic crops up, there are four or five posts of "old gaming war stories," three or four of "I'm playing X version of Y this weekend, how about you?" and maybe a half dozen more miscellaneous other comments. The conversation doesn't take over the thread, doesn't go on for hours, doesn't even really span more than a few pages of posts (and I read 50 at a time). The topic comes up, it goes back down again, same as everything else.

And I've never seen anyone go "Ugh, not gaming again" when it does come up, so it's not like anything is preventing the conversation from continuing longer beyond simple lack of momentum.

All of which adds up to some serious skepticism on my part that a dedicated thread is sustainable. That is all.

megan, does it help any I explain that it isn't this thread in particular so much as the precedent its creation would set?

Still mostly stepped away, but I think a) precedent has already been set, but more importantly b) it feels to me that the more times we go through this, the murkier the idea of precedent becomes around here. To me, it seems that we've actually done a remarkable job of treating each proposal as stand alone. I just don't see that we really do precedent around here.

I just don't see that we really do precedent around here.

FWIW, I was re-reading the "Define spoiler" vote the other day, and that entire discussion hinged on precedent. As do things like the fact that we don't sign our names to our posts. Precedent is everywhere; it's just usually invisible until people realize that they didn't all interpret it the same way.

And I've never seen anyone go "Ugh, not gaming again" when it does come up, so it's not like anything is preventing the conversation from continuing longer beyond simple lack of momentum.

Oh, that's interesting. Because, people do say "Ugh, not baseball again" when it comes up. But baseball people just talk on anyway, and sometimes mention how much Hecubus hates cats.

Oh, that's interesting. Because, people do say "Ugh, not baseball again" when it comes up. But baseball people just talk on anyway, and sometimes mention how much Hecubus hates cats.

Cat hatred is a not uncommon topic when discussing board games too. Usually after said feline has decided to subject war-torn Western Europe to closer scrutiny, and possibly territory marking.

Usually after said feline has decided to subject war-torn Western Europe to closer scrutiny, and possibly territory marking.

That reminds me of this one time playing Risk; I had just moved a gazillion troops up from Australia into Asia and just then the house kitty, Stalin, decided to jump on the table from the north, knocking all my guys and many of a couple other players askew. Europe was all a-jumble...

...oh, but I digress and threaten to overwhelm this thread with my gaming jibba jabba.

(OW! Goddamn it, I just bit my tongue again. Must remember to occasionally remove from cheek.)

The baseball talk reminds me why I am cautious about specific subject proliferation. One of my very favorite things about B.org is the chance to learn about other people's passions. I don't game or do Flash animations or do Krav, but I love learning about them through smart, idle chit-chat as the talk turns to them. If gamers have their own thread, that talk will go there, and I will lose the chance to hear about it in Bitches or wherever.

...oh, but I digress and threaten to overwhelm this thread with my gaming jibba jabba.

Jeez, save your pickup lines for... well, probably the grand jury.

So. Gaming thread. I likes it. Proliferation doesn't bug me, I already picture this place as a nerdhole in a hub-and-spoke model.

Remind me, how long till the board rolls its Will save votes?

Scrappy, I not only get the argument when put just that way, but I even empathize strongly with it. You are ever wise.

That being said, I still like and want a gaming thread, and I think we'd certainly be welcoming to all comers.