Wargamer.com sob story on Boardgamegeek

[LongBlade]

Well as much as I find the outcome of the whole drama as weird as the next man, I do think a line might be crossed here in the last couple of pages in this thread.
For starters a private message has been posted in the open. Instead of just telling the general situation about receiving a msg the actual msg itself gets posted out in the open. However much you dislike the guy, this is not 'chic' to do. A general remark about it would have been suffice.
Secondly, it seems like the thread is now moving in the direction of focusing on Wodin. Sure those threads and posts he put on the boards are out there in the open, but does it really need to focus the spotlight this much on that guy?

While you might be right, I'm having difficulty finding people I know who didn't get his email. Discretion is not exactly what's taking place - you just aren't turning in the right circles.

Be glad of that.

[Yskonyn]

Be glad of that.

Oh I am, I am! Hallelujah!  ;)

[Jarhead0331]

Yeah...there is nothing private about this correspondence.  Curtis willingly bcc'ed it to at least a dozen people that I know of.  Moreover, as to Wodin, if he is going to post comments attacking us in other forums (because he is too much of a coward to do it here), we certainly are within our rights to discuss it.

[mirth]

This little tempest all began because Curtis chose to respond to his firing by Slitherine by mass emailing his "farewell" message and posting it on multiple gaming forums. Discretion was not in his mind for an instant.

[LongBlade]

Be glad of that.

Oh I am, I am! Hallelujah!  ;)

Hey, if you want I'll be glad to forward your email to Curtis and ask him to add you to the distribution list. :p

[Steelgrave]

^Hahaha....ITS A TRAP!!!! Run away, run away......

Conspiracy theorist that I am, Wodin and Curtis sound amazingly alike sometimes! Logically, I know they are not the same person, but I swear....they are at least taking the same drugs.

[airboy]

Curtis is sending the emails to a very large number of people.  Why I got them - I'll never understand.  My only connection with the guy is that I did one or two reviews for wargamer while he was editor.  I know almost nothing about the guy.

[Mr. Bigglesworth]

This keeps getting weirder.  Below was in my private email account this morning.

Hi Tim Stone (of Rock, Paper, Shotgun),

I would love to do an interview about my experiences as Editor-in-Chief of The Wargamer or help in a creation of such an article. I would like to be interviewed by any publication who wishes to hear my story. The wargaming/gaming community deserves that information, and I will only speak the truth.

However, I will not participate in any production of an article or interview that does not mention the main responsibility for my immediate dismissal. This would be specific management and renowned members of the "G" site that I had mentioned in my farewell address, which Jim Zabek happens to be the owner and/or administrator of. However, in the light of recent events, his experiences at The Wargamer were not similar to mine in several ways; nor will I allow them to be displayed as such. His website was greatly responsible for my removal. 

If an article does surface by ANY publication that does not disclose the main reason for my dismissal (which includes the participation of members of that competitor wargaming online publication mentioned above), or if Jim Zabek wishes to paint a picture that my dismissal was solely based on anything rather than a select few from his website, I will renounce any such claim (or unintentional portrayal) both publicly and privately.

I will not allow the wargaming/gaming community to be misled during this matter, they must hear the truth. This little niche community deserves that right.

If you'd like to hear more, if you agree with the above and wish to proceed I'll be looking forward to hearing from you. If an interview is what you'd like just send some questions along and I will answer them to the best of my ability. I will also keep all further discussion between us confidential. I will also keep any interviews conducted with other parties confidential as well, until published. Thank you.

I would also like to thank the numerous who have supported me in this matter, as well as the many who have offered me employment.

-Curtis Szmania

Attention whoring?

Delusional?

All of the above?

emphasis added.


Strange wording. Why is it something so grand as a right? If he wants his version of events out there that is fine. Calling it a right sounds grandiose. A slight tinge of the world revolves around him.


A simple go in peace, good luck, is enough.

[son_of_montfort]

Wodin has PM'ed me with a request for a truce after my latest deconstruction of his ramblings

http://boardgamegeek.com/thread/878171/wargamer-com-the-long-farewell/page/4

I read his request as "I realize you're right but I don't feel like trying to resist, so I'm hoping you'll have pity on me"

Those of you who remember what happened with Hairog at That Other Place™ will remember that if people start making wild assertions, and I start asking for proof of them, I am unlikely to let go.  However, in this case, in the interest of not boring BGG to death, I may just let it go...   for now.

I had to get my $0.02 there. Pardon my language on this public forum, but this BS just pisses me off when at the BGG. I don't have to post my videos there, but I do. I don't have to give money to that site, but I do. I don't have to share news and also get news there, but I do. They make tons of money and do quite well, we do things out of pocket.

So when I get two people there denigrating our work and saying we should be "ostracized by the community," when he hasn't spent hours making videos - putting himself in front of thousands for scrutiny and for little reward except satisfaction that you know you helped someone else, then he can claim we don't do anything positive for the gaming community! I don't often get this ticked off about stupid stuff, but this has me steamed!

[Steelgrave]

Kudos to Brant and SoM. I think any unbiased judge would call it a knockout against Wodin. Measured, factual and reasonable responses.

[Arctic Blast]

Well as much as I find the outcome of the whole drama as weird as the next man, I do think a line might be crossed here in the last couple of pages in this thread.
For starters a private message has been posted in the open. Instead of just telling the general situation about receiving a msg the actual msg itself gets posted out in the open. However much you dislike the guy, this is not 'chic' to do. A general remark about it would have been suffice.

Yeah, I disagree with you on this as well. Curtis chose to BCC apparently everyone he has ever corresponded with in on that email. Clearly, he WANTED it to be seen. So there we go...he wants attention, he's getting it.

[Yskonyn]

Fine, I can see where you guys are coming from. I did not know the specifics about the magnitude of sent mails. If there have been that much recipients I agree with the open stance here.
As for Wodin; I never meant it wasn't ok to reply to the thread over at bgg and give it to him there. It is what he deserves and what I would do as well. It's just that I do not find it relevant nor chic to keep posting about him here and dropping references to his posts.

[LongBlade]

Fine, I can see where you guys are coming from. I did not know the specifics about the magnitude of sent mails. If there have been that much recipients I agree with the open stance here.

No worries. This is a fairly typical miscommunication of the written word. Those of us in the loop mostly know each other, and it's obvious what he's doing. Those outside of it have no context and I'm sure it looks even weirder. And trust me, it's a little strange to those of us getting these.

As for Wodin; I never meant it wasn't ok to reply to the thread over at bgg and give it to him there. It is what he deserves and what I would do as well. It's just that I do not find it relevant nor chic to keep posting about him here and dropping references to his posts.

Wodin has been on these forums and he's a member in good standing (not banned or anything). His last post was May 15 (you can pull up his posts if you look for his profile). We know him from other websites and some of us I think can get a little defensive if he mentions us in a way we perceive is negative.

Combine the two of them at the same time and I think there is some legitimate room for concern about how our community here is being seen on other boards. I normally try to avoid discussing the behavior of others on other sites openly. I should probably have stuck to that rule here. I guess it's been a crazy last few days. But I also think it's OK for the community here to discuss misconceptions of us on other boards. Perhaps sans the name calling (like "tool").

[Jarhead0331]

As for Wodin; I never meant it wasn't ok to reply to the thread over at bgg and give it to him there. It is what he deserves and what I would do as well. It's just that I do not find it relevant nor chic to keep posting about him here and dropping references to his posts.

That is valuable insight from someone outside the sandbox.  You're right.  It is what he is doing to us.  Attacking us on other websites.  I guess we shouldn't sink to his level.

[ABD]

That thread on BGG will be locked soon me thinks, best to get you post in now while you still have a chance.
The BGG Wargames Illuminati are not posting in the thread, they'll soon grow bored of it, declare it off topic, hit their beloved Red X Button and demand their puppet of a moderator lock it.

BGG is basically run as a corporate self promoting website, one thing they (moderators and groupthink mob) disdain above all else is anything that distract from safe, user friendly bullshit threads about counter clipping or incestuous backside patting "look at me!, look at me!...you are sooo cool bro!".
Any cumbersome controversy that does not comport to their shared world view is simply not allowed, their own hypocritical statements about alleged diversity and fairness of opinion notwithstanding.
They (moderators and "friends") allow multi-sockpuppet accounts to obviously bait 'n troll for years and years but when honest members attempt to raise objection they are pounced upon and belittled.

Intelligent informative dialogue has long ceased to exist on BGG Wargames (unless one has a burning addiction to "what is a wargame", "is [game X] a wargame", "am I a wargamer" threads).