And Happy Birthday! Again!

Although my life's turned awfully busy in ways having nothing to do with RPGs, I'm still always checking in here.

The Forge has been an amazing training ground for internet conversation, debate and equinimity. What I'm addressing isn't merely the terrific topic at hand, but the swell moderation you guys offer that cuts across topics. You've created a web site where folks stay on topic -- not for any draconian purpose as many often suspect -- but out of respect for the topic at and and the people posting on a thread.

If there's one core value at the heart of [insert whateverthefuckthemodel'sgoingtobecalledhere], it's about Paying Attention -- to your fellow players, to yourself -- what others care about, what you care about. I'd say that The Forge's moderation is an extention of that premise. I've loved the Forge because I know people are asked to Pay Attention here. And they do. It's a great couple of moderations at the mast head of this site, and a great mass of posters who have, in one way or another, fed my imagination and thinking over these past couple of years.

Thanks all... And Happy Birthday to a Terrific Site!

Christopher

Christopher Kubasik wrote: The Forge has been an amazing training ground for internet conversation, debate and equinimity.

I'd just like to say that you guys are the most skilled admins I have ever seen, and have totally spoiled me for other forums.

yrs--
--Ben

Agreed.
I love the Paying Attention.

My family recently created a trail of back-and-forth e-mails to organize a birthday celebration. My reply: Take it to a forum, ladies!

Apparently, there's no going back from this level of discourse:)

One word: courtesy

Thanks guys. The site is a great thing in the vast sea of mediocrity that is the Web.

Agreed on all counts. Best. Moderators. EVAR.

But enough talk. See that "Support the Forge" link up there? Let's use it.

Many thanks.

For treating all with respect, no matter how big or small their interest in game design!

I just want to be one of the many who thank Clinton & Ron for running the Forge. This place is great.

Hell, while I'm at it, I'll thank everybody that posts here, too. The Forge really is a community, and while it's leaders can show the way, every community is made up of individual people, and they're the ones that give the community it's true character.

I'll join the chorus.

This place rocks.

We get to talk about games in ways we always knew it was possible to but couldn't find anywhere.

We get to help each other refine ideas.

We get to find new, cool games.

Rock on.

I don't have near the time I'd like to follow The Forge anymore, but likewise my thanks to Ron and Clinton for their hard work on the site!

Best,
Adam

Hot damn, I do have to agree. Between Ron's courteous and straightforward replies (even to lame-o spammers) and l33t moderation technique, and Clint's admin and technical skillz, The Forge has become my second favorite message board to read and post on.

It's sad that it's so demonically directed conversation sometimes, but that's what makes the Forge successful to those who have gotten something out of it. Plus, this yearly forum is the "letting down the hair" from the directedness, so it's all cool.

It's like a board about brain surgery techniques, but replace "brain surgery" with "game design".

Kudos, and here's to another year.

-Andy

I'm just here to make another "Thanks, guys, this forum is a delight" post. :)

Thank you Clinton and Ron for your moderation. I agree that you've managed to master focussing and "Paying Attention" that makes writing thoughtfully rewarding.

I love the bonus materials-- for a site dedicated to game design, the "bonus materials" of group analysis, examination of roleplaying preferences (an eye opener when applied to myself), and all the rest make this invaluable, even beyond the scope of game design.

Thank you for making the board better for all of us!

Clinton and Ron; this forum is invaluable for tinkers and thinkers of roleplaying games all over the world. You deserve all possible praise for your work with it!

Yours
Tomas HV Mørkrid

Just on Saturday I was commenting to the other members of my gaming group that the Forge has spoiled the rest of the Internet for me. All I have to do is wander onto another forum and be frustrated at the lack of quality discourse that is going on. So, Clinton and Ron, you're doing well.

Seth Ben-Ezra
Great Wolf

Indeed, my thanks also.

The Forge has enhansed my recent gaming experiences for a variety of reasons. The vocabulary and creativity of the Forgites allowed me to discover my own disfunctional gaming habits, and to break them. I believe the games I have run sence coming here have dramatically improved over the games of the previous years. I can now put a finger on what is good and what is not so good about the games I run.

Many thanks,

-Eric

What would I do without The Forge (work?). Kudos from me as well.

And what Harper said, support the Forge! Check out the link above.

Mike

Three cheers for Ron and Clinton!

To be honest, I never did read any of the other boards, and then Jonathan Walton started his "Art of Roleplaying" column at RPG.net. So I read it, and read some of the responses, and was deeply shocked. I guess I hadn't really realized that the Forge is so different -- I mean, people say this, but I was really sort of disturbed by the total crappiness of 90% of the responses, and poor Jonathan having to field it all. People whose responses were, "I don't get or like this" would post god-awful long posts about how stupid the column was. Why bother? If that had happened on the Forge, Ron would have come down like the wrath of God.

Thanks, guys!