This is not a post where I write paragraphs about the current state of Dwimmermount, whether or not it will ever see the "published" light of day, or anything else along those lines. I backed it. I have all the "draft" materials available to backers. As someone who likes the concept of megadungeons, I find it interesting. But I've not spent enough time with the material to determine if I really like it or not.
I will say this:
Word on the street is that James M's father's health is failing and that is why James M has been absent for 6+ weeks. If that is the case, then everyone who has anything bad to say about James or the status of Dwimmermount should just shut their pie-holes. If a person is hurting and dealing with one of life's great traumas, the least the rest of us can do is leave that person alone. Frankly, I would be disappointed if James disappeared forever and years from now it came out that he felt burnt by the gaming community at a time when his life was shit and he decided to leave it behind. Because that would suck. Notice that I did NOT say I'd be disappointed if I have to wait another four months for the product that I paid for. In light of the circumstances, that's a small price.
(Perhaps that was a long paragraph. Oh well.)
This post is really about what Bryce over at tenfootpole had to say about Dwimmermount. More importantly, it's about how he described what he would like to see in a published megadungeon (or any adventure module for that matter). Cut away the specific criticisms of Dwimmermount itself and just read it from the "I like this in an adventure... and Dwimmermount does/does not do that." MUCH less interesting to me is the "and Dwimmermount does/does not do that" portion. I find myself agreeing with just about everything that he says.
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I'm not going to comment on your "Sick Father" section, except to say that it would seem that once you accept money for something you have a different set of responsibilities. Don't over-read in to that statement. I don't have a position on James/his father/Dwimmermount/KS that I have thought-out fully. It's not important to me so I havent' had to form an opinion.
ReplyDeleteI have a set of consistent review standards. I try to describe the adventures I review and then state how my own standards apply to that description. You may have different tastes than me AND THAT'S OK. but you should be able to tell if you'd like an adventure from my review, without having to rely on the fact that your tastes exactly mimic mine.
Also, I try to include the information that would be found in an abstract so you know exactly what you're buying. Wilderness adventure? Social Adventure? Publishers do a very poor job at that.
I've been hitting a bad stretch of modules lately, and have been proving myself a hypocrite. But at least I know what I'm TRYING to do, even if I'm currently failing at doing it.
Let's assume that his father's health is failing. Doesn't the fact that he's taken $48,765 from people warrant, at the very least, a simple paragraph of communication _from him_ explaining why he's going to completely disappear? I think Dwimmermount's backers are owed a bit more than hearsay and rumor.
ReplyDeleteI've lost both of my parents, and I sure as hell didn't get a free pass at work from it.
I take that back. He did send out a message explaining the situation in June.
ReplyDeleteMy father's passing was very hard. It didn't mean I got to take a pass on my responsibilities, however.
ReplyDeleteY'all got some mad speculating SkIllZ there. The Supreme Court doesn't deal with theoretical arguments and neither do I. (Unless I'm being a hypocrite. IE: Reviewing)
ReplyDeleteI'm willing to give the guy the benefit of the doubt. At some point he'll reappear and will need to explain himself. Either his reasons will be sound, it'l be on the borderline (in which I tend to give people the benefit of the doubt) or he won't have a reputation left. But I'll make that decision when he explains. If it takes too long I'll get my money back. (And I have no idea how long "too long" is.)
In spite of assertions otherwise, I don't think anyone knows what's going on and I don't think he's communicated. He did mention his father being ill in the past and someone DID claim to talk to him, but neither of those are a stand-in for the word from him.
I agree that he should reach out to his backers and offer some information, especially in light of all of the money that is currently in his possession.
ReplyDeleteThe first half of my post was aimed at those people who I have read in blogs and in comments to blogs who are cutting him to shreds in what seems to me to be in a mean-spirited way.
Express your frustration, fine, but don't kick a guy while he is down.
Bryce--From reading your first comment above, I get the impression that you think that I didn't like your review or didn't agree with you. Quite the contrary. As the last sentence of my post says, "I find myself agreeing with just about everything that he says." Overall, I thought that your review was well-written and informative.
Not at all. I just like to get the ideas behind the Trifecta of Terror (Abstract. Description. Personal Taste) out there as much as possible.
ReplyDeleteOr, I just like the sound of my own voice.