Additional Forum threads

SUGGESTION: Re-think the whole "Off-topic" discussions not being permitted. The fact that this website is FOR RPG'ing and doesn't permit "off-topic" discussions (AKA RPG'ing questions) seems counterintuitive. Opening up forums would probably bring in more visitors, more visitors means more players, more players means more subscribers, more subscribers = Win.

We had the General Off-Topic section (you can see the archive at the bottom of the forum index) for exactly that purpose. The Roll20 crew decided to remove it; as I recall, it was after a series of escalating heated arguments had broken out due to the threads there, and some of those feelings spilling out into threads in other forum sections. Very much a "this is why we can't have nice things" moment. More to the point, this forum isn't "FOR RPG'ing," it is for the Roll20 virtual table top software. A decision was made to restrict discussion to only that software: how to use it, how to solve issues with using it, and getting people to join you in using it. If you wish to have a discussion off-topic with people, you're welcome to talk to them about it in private messages, in a campaign forum, in a campaign, or hook up with them on some other service such as Google Hangouts or Skype. There are loads of places on the internet to discuss RPGs; there are very very few places to discuss Roll20.

Good point and it makes sense; however I think there still valid reasoning for broadening discussions here. If you are uninterested in seeing people's opinions, then just don't go on the off-topic thread. If it does happen to "spill-over" the forum police (who so quickly censored my "off-topic question") can easily just yank those. Yes maybe the forum is JUST for roll20 software - but it shouldn't be. Roll20 wouldn't exist without the RPG; it's coterminous. However, since my time playing/dm'ing on roll20 I've enjoyed the community and cherished the advice of it's mentors and players. It's growing and would like to see the viewpoints on RPG related questions as well, from the same great community . It's silly that I ask for help on a a topic that everyone could benefit from and just get it flagged - got it,its against their CoC - but this was my first experience with getting censored, it just took me by surprise. So anyways, I understand where you are coming from Brian - just think it's a bad call. IMO, losing out on a chance to reach out to a lot more people and build a stronger community.

Kenny T. said: SUGGESTION: Re-think the whole "Off-topic" discussions not being permitted. +1. A major factor in my decision to initially become a subscriber was to foster and support a nascent community of gamers. Other general interest RPG fora are dominated by theoretical concerns and armchair game masters; the Roll20 community was driven by people actually playing games. That's an important distinction and an edge that Roll20 will always have over any other online gathering place. Furthermore, the individuals involved in being deliberately obtuse and overly condescending were few and far between - at least one of whom operated behind a screen of multiple unpaid accounts.

Brian said: There are loads of places on the internet to discuss RPGs; there are very very few places to discuss Roll20. I don't believe this to be the case. I've spent more time discussing - some might say proselytizing - about Roll20 elsewhere than here.