Official Poll/Discussion on Renaming IOT Sub Forum

[BSmith1068]

Moderator Action: Lets also get away from diacussing specific names. That time will likely come but this is not the place for it. Up or down on moving forward in the process is what the discussion should be about in this thread.

 

[Crezth]

First of all, you're just flat out wrong. I'm playing two IOTs right now, actively writing stories, composing music, doing a little flagwork too.

Fair enough, I didn't know that.

That said, your disposition and tone is reeking of the problems that I think plagued NES so much in the end, which surprises me a bit, you more often than not seemed like one of the reasonable parties. I don't get why you're actively fanning fires, or why you're (seemingly) grouping me with the problematic NESer parties, casting me as some culture appropriator when I actively try to just present my work with no ethos in it whatsoever - the positions of authority here should be older IOTers. I'm honestly baffled at what you're trying to do. If the "native" IOT crowd doesn't like my work, they should come out and tell me, but you're raging about culture appropriation, and while you aren't even an IOTer, you actively speak on the behalf of them.

No, "cultural appropriator" is not what I would call you. That's not what I'm about right now. What I am about is analyzing why NESing died (protip: not SymphonyD's fault) and sharing some of those insights with interested parties in IOT. One issue that persisted throughout NES's lifetime was just what an awful, non-descriptive name "NES" actually was. We kept it because of pride and forever when Dachs or anyone would try to pitch NES to people they were plagued by that infamous interchange: "What does that mean?" - "Well, it's sort of like Model UN, but..." I sort of don't even want to call it an "issue" because nobody ever seriously engaged with it. You criticized NES, got the usual nonsense about "brand recognition," nothing would change, and meanwhile the recognized "brand" would go on spiraling the drain. There are, of course, many many many many many many many other reasons NES died, but the fact "Never Ending Stories" does not even begin to describe the activity certainly did not help in the slightest.

If it just so happens I have an ulterior motive in wanting IOT to thrive where NES withered because it's the new Hip Place To Be, then so be it. But I am absolutely forthcoming about all of this. So, again, I'm not taking a stance on cultural appropriation. I'm taking a stance against willful ignorance. We'll talk about NES in this thread because it's relevant, damn it. Why should IOT change its name? Uh, because NES didn't and now NES is dead. Boom. Case closed. Shaka-laka-laka. Cool Blasterz.

 

[Thlayli]

Moderator Action: Lets also get away from diacussing specific names. That time will likely come but this is not the place for it. Up or down on moving forward in the process is what the discussion should be about in this thread.

I'm not sure if this falls under the category of moving forward, but if we do move forward BSmith, how many names would you like to include in a poll for the 'official' challenger, assuming we follow the runoff structure?

I'd be happy to organize a separate brainstorming thread, so that by the time the poll closes, if you and the mods make the decision to move forward with the process, then you can launch a poll to decide the IOT-challenger name, based on the names with the most support from the brainstorming thread.

 

[Angst]

Fair enough, I didn't know that.



No, "cultural appropriator" is not what I would call you. That's not what I'm about right now. What I am about is analyzing why NESing died (protip: not SymphonyD's fault) and sharing some of those insights with interested parties in IOT. One issue that persisted throughout NES's lifetime was just what an awful, non-descriptive name "NES" actually was. We kept it because of pride and forever when Dachs or anyone would try to pitch NES to people they were plagued by that infamous interchange: "What does that mean?" - "Well, it's sort of like Model UN, but..." I sort of don't even want to call it an "issue" because nobody ever seriously engaged with it. You criticized NES, got the usual nonsense about "brand recognition," nothing would change, and meanwhile the recognized "brand" would go on spiraling the drain. There are, of course, many many many many many many many other reasons NES died, but the fact "Never Ending Stories" does not even begin to describe the activity certainly did not help in the slightest.

If it just so happens I have an ulterior motive in wanting IOT to thrive where NES withered because it's the new Hip Place To Be, then so be it. But I am absolutely forthcoming about all of this. So, again, I'm not taking a stance on cultural appropriation. I'm taking a stance against willful ignorance. We'll talk about NES in this thread because it's relevant, damn it. Why should IOT change its name? Uh, because NES didn't and now NES is dead. Boom. Case closed. Shaka-laka-laka. Cool Blasterz.

Makes much more sense now.

 

[BSmith1068]

I'm not sure if this falls under the category of moving forward, but if we do move forward BSmith, how many names would you like to include in a poll for the 'official' challenger, assuming we follow the runoff structure?

I'd be happy to organize a separate brainstorming thread, so that by the time the poll closes, if you and the mods make the decision to move forward with the process, then you can launch a poll to decide the IOT-challenger name, based on the names with the most support from the brainstorming thread.

We'll probably have several rounds, but the first should be pretty open with maybe the top 10 moving forward to the next round. Then paring down to top 3 or something. I am fine with a brainstorming thread with the understanding that it may be moot if we don't move forward.

 

[Terran Empress]

Why should IOT change its name? Uh, because NES didn't and now NES is dead. Boom. Case closed. Shaka-laka-laka. Cool Blasterz.

But you said it yourself that NES died for more than just because it wouldn't change its name.

Besides, how many other games describe exactly what they do?

Boardgames, Videogames, etc. How many of the actually say EXACTLY what they are about, IE their mechanics, their setting, their genre. etc.

Take the name of any well known game and tell me that their names say exactly, 100% what they are about.

The biggest issue with a rename is that there are far too many nuances, and each game is so different that IOT or NES is probably more akin to a Genre than a game if anything. And the issue is that we can't describe that genre, because there are so many different types of games in it. If you try to pin it down to one thing, you are ultimately going to leave out something, or create a horribly bland or long name, that either hardly describes it, or overly complicates it.

 

[Angst]

There was talk about using an evocative name with the now proper forum descriptor, but then the question remains whether IOT should just be kept. Honestly, I never liked IOT, although I understand that people think of it sentimentally. But again... I'm still an outsider.

 

[BSmith1068]

The poll has closed and frankly it is quite close. I am unfortunately (or fortunately depending on your perspective) going to be out on international business travel for the next week and a half or so. Any decision on the best way forward will have to wait until I get back. My apologies on the timing not being the best with regards to this topic.