"most annoying thing done by fellow TMPers" Topic

to complement this post, TMP link

an opportunity to list the most annoying things fellow TMPers do in their posts. I have more than one…

1, posting product pics with no mention of scale.

2, not using a useful subject line in a post so others may benefit in the future when they do a search. Classic example is "Help me with this…" or "A question"

3, somehow thinking it is relevant to mention your ancestors in a discussion and taking umbrage at some perceived affront to their honor.

4, the almost certain request within at most 5 posts when a set of rules are introduced or reviewed where someone asks if they can be modified to fit another completely different period.

do any of you share these pet peeves or am I a curmudgeon?

Constant posting of items already mentioned on TMP.

Replies that do not answer the question. (tell me about Wellington in India – There was not Wellington in India…not helpful)

Someone who pimps their rules and/or website without coming close to answering the post. (I want to know about Mexican-American War structure…we have 50 flags on our website).

- just a short: "look at my blog…..", "I have found……"
- Introducing new rules without proper explanation, be it on TMP or on the website,
- constant moaning about spelling
- totally wargaming irrelevant remarks
- compairing uncomparable persons, wars or situations (when napoleon would be a roman general, what if you have tanks at Waterloo)

1 and 2 for me, plus the "blind" blog/article link thing too.

Responding to posts like "What do you like about [Fill Rules]?" and by the fifth post getting, "I don't play them" or "I don't like them" or worse, "Why would you ever play those rules, you dimwit?!!?"

Re-hashing tired (and sometimes incorrect) clichés about certain games.

And linked to that, complaining about games they've never played (but I watched a game, and didn't like what I saw!…not the same thing).

Posting negative comments on topics about games they don't like. Seriously, why waste time complaining about game X in front of people who do like it?

All the doom n' gloom apocalypse topics. "Why WW3 is just months away", "NATO doomed", "Russia to invent death ray" when the linked articles are mostly speculative fear mongering.

Q: "I'm trying to decide between Rebel Yell and Marse Robert for my new ACW collection. I like them because of the high-level grand-tactical abstraction, and I use only 6mm figures. I want to do big battles, not fuss about with small tactical issues. What do you guys think of these two rules? Which one do you like better?"

Answers:

1. You should play "Fury of Sumter" instead; it has all the small-unit detail you have to get, to play ACW correctly.

2. I use 28mm for ACW, the Smith figures are excellent.

3. [insert the OFM posting about himself here.]

4. We use our home-brewed rules that we've been working on since 1979.

5. If you're using 15mm figures, you should definitely check out my blog [link]

6. [insert somebody agreeing with the OFM here]

7. It seems that people nowadays are looking for bland, boring abstractions. There hasn't been a proper set of ACW rules since 1990, when Jerry Pedant brought out "They Died for Nothing," which had 247 charts and tables and required six thousand figures for one infantry unit.

8. Meh.

9. [insert a lecture on the theoretical basis for simulations and how you can't judge either of those two rule sets because the authors didn't properly explain the simulation model.]

10. [insert a long, self-satisfied battle report from somebody who is flogging his own set.]

11. [Commence the political-historical screaming match about slavery or secession.]

+1 Garth…sums it up perfectly!

Oran-- yep, I was about to write something that approximated that but was a bit ruder. Thanks for saving me! 8)=

Garth pretty much nailed it. We can close shop now.

While I have this opportunity, let me tell you why my skirmish scifi rules would be a great fit for your brigade level american civil war game.

Give opinionated painting advice without showing their own results. Anything you assert as "the best" or "always works for me" should be accompanied by a picture.

"Brand X red is perfect for this" then no picture.

"If I don't see a problem, there definitely can't be a problem" is a common one :-)

People, it is the internet and an open forum (more or less) and many of the things listed by the posters yes, sometimes annoy me. Deal with it! Or call people on it if you feel the need but do not expect most of the people on this forum to respond back in a positive manner or suddenly see things your way. You have a better chance of seeing an actual living unicorn before that will happen.

Often when I post a topic and realize that there will be at least someone who will engage in one of more of the listed "annoying" actions above, I include in my message please do not do "x" and realize as I write that statement that I will most certainly get "X" from at least one person. At that point I have been clear and they are being their special selves. I have done my part and can ignore that person and move on. After all nothing that occurs here on TMP will change the world or alter many of the entrenched opinions and perceptions I have witnessed. I have learned (at least most days) to not let the small crap bother me; I have a life and that in itself is far more important and challenging than anything that occurs on this forum.

Geez, you guys pretty much covered everything on my list.

You have to love it when reading some of the answers to a posted question, and all you end of doing is shaking your head in disbelief.

Oh….and one last one I think…

Anything having to do with "We need to move Historicon BACK to "The Host"….and WHY it has to come back to the hotel that doesn't want us….

Garth for President!!

'Annoying me. I really get annoyed when they do that.'

JJ, you should never get annoyed. You know it upsets you.

Garth in the Park pretty humorously nailed it. It is the rich(?) tapestry that is TMP!

Asking the same question for the hundredth time, when you could go to the appropriate board. Like: "What color are confederate uniforms?"

Weasel's aforementioned sci fi skirmish rules really are that good. With just a few twraks, you can do ANYTHING with them!

Although to be fair,ironicon,it's not always so easy. How many people have reworded searches over and over looking for a post they know exists,only to keep getting "Nothing Found"?

Or maybe I'm the only one…

Yes you are right.
Now I'm REALLY annoyed.

I hate, hate , HATE (1) posting product pics with no mention of scale.

(2) not using a useful subject line in a post so others may benefit in the future when they do a search. Classic example is "Help me with this…" or "A question"

I also dislike, very much.

Other abovementioned examples – I can stand. Barely.

I hate it when people complain about products being posted without mention of scale. It is usually pretty obvious what scale they are and yet, often even if the scale is posted, someone will come along and say: "Scale?"

Also it is pretty annoying when someone posts new figures and someone gets on that thread and says, "I wish these were in some other scale."

Posting a question without making any effort to find the answer yourself.

If I can find the answer to your question with a simple Google search, that tells me you couldn't be bothered to try yourself. Why should I waste my time?

What Garth said plus:

12- "I don't play ACW. Never have, never will".

MajorB keeps getting stifles, only people keep stifling me!

~Major B (note the space folks, note the space)

It's not really annoying, but I find it funny when someone asks 'does anyone know of a good ruleset for late 19th C combat in Tibet' (or something) and the reply is like 'what about Lion Rampant? you could change it to fit'

What Garth said plus:

Post about upcoming conventions without a link, dates ,and/or location.

That's what I was afraid of,Major B!

And apologies to my Dutch cousin,Hafen Van Schlockenberg.

Hmmm, looks like I better quit posting.

Posting a question without making any effort to find the answer yourself.

If I can find the answer to your question with a simple Google search, that tells me you couldn't be bothered to try yourself. Why should I waste my time?

Ditto!

Has anyone tried having the British land a million troops to help the Confederacy win a huge victory?

Well Harry Potter what a great Idea! I am sure no one has ever thought of that. I bet if you did a search first instead of getting all jacked up. You would have never found such a subject.

I like to think those people that post the simple questions (I'm new to Napoleonics, what rulesets are out there that are good?") that could be easily answered with a search are really actually just sincerely trying to get a new good conversation going (or are trolling to start people arguing!)

I never mind people asking for recommendations on TMP. I mean, that's why I originally joined. It's not like those people are asking us to do their research for them, they want advice on purchasing and the rest of us have informed opinions. Asking for recommendations IS research.

So go ahead, ask which Napoleonic rules are good.

Posting links to their blog, instead of a blog post. When you click on the link it goes to the most recent post instead of a specific one.

I don't entirely agree with the posts above concerning google, and I certainly dislike the rather smug reply:
"Google is your friend."

Lets be honest, most questions can easily be answered by googling them, but then that would eliminate a lot of the interesting conversation here. Many intriguing and obscure questions would never pique the interest or occur to the casual reader of TMP.
Also, who knows what additional information, opinions, or insights other gamers may supply.

Sometimes when someone asks a question, in about 20 seconds I can post five or more TMP links that answers the question.

I am not trying to be rude but I am actually trying to help the person out. Isn't that the point of having a search engine? Some topics we have discussed so many times, that there really isn't anything new to add.

This is what I do, first I do a TMP search and then if my question is not answered then I post the question.

But on the other hand if you don't know what search terms to use. For example if you wanted a list of good AWI books, a subject that has been discuss many, many times.

Do you search "AWI Books" or "recommended AWI reading"? I can usually provide TMP links for at least two recent discussions on that very topic.

Say: I did a search for this but could not find it, so did the… or I read some of the previous threads on this subject and it did not answer my question.

Not searching first is just being lazy.

I like to ask a question without Googling first because I like to start a TMP discussion. You don't get discussions and disagreements from Google.
You get learned, and semi-learned discussions and arguments on TMP. You are not stuck with an "It's on the internet so it must be true!" site.

Example. I asked about German likelihood of developing an atomic bomb today. I wanted OPINIONS. And I got many.

I hate "TMP link" with no commentary.

I agree with you Winston!

Getting bent put of shape over other peoples' opinion, preferences or views.