tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7652921.post6861111025700860020..comments2024-03-27T22:32:17.055-05:00Comments on Jeffs Gameblog: Peter Adkison on the GenCon/Chaosium spatJeff Rientshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17493878980535235896noreply@blogger.comBlogger5125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7652921.post-23077673436602943552011-01-21T10:20:38.997-06:002011-01-21T10:20:38.997-06:00Playing hardball with Chaosium seems to be the bes...Playing hardball with Chaosium seems to be the best way to make them pay attention. <a href="http://skook.blogspot.com/2011/01/chaosium-sells-stolen-goods.html" rel="nofollow">I'm still working on it myself.</a>David Lee Ingersollhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06960750033882386122noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7652921.post-57052679102428367042007-03-07T07:48:00.000-06:002007-03-07T07:48:00.000-06:00Well, but 'not screwing with the fans' = 'allowing...<B>Well, but 'not screwing with the fans' = 'allowing Chaosium to attend again', right?<BR/><BR/>So, they would be suing Chaosium for debt, while at the same time allowing them to run up _still more_ debt. Hmm.</B><BR/><BR/>Doug, I would have been fine with barring Chaosium from the con if its bill are unpaid. But banning the playing of their games was one step too far. That's what got my nickers in a bunch.Jeff Rientshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17493878980535235896noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7652921.post-70445088278872198692007-03-06T23:39:00.000-06:002007-03-06T23:39:00.000-06:00"There are legal remedies for unpaid debts and Adk..."There are legal remedies for unpaid debts and Adkison should be pursuing those, not screwing with the fans."<BR/><BR/>Well, but 'not screwing with the fans' = 'allowing Chaosium to attend again', right?<BR/><BR/>So, they would be suing Chaosium for debt, while at the same time allowing them to run up _still more_ debt. Hmm.<BR/><BR/>A court action is expensive and can drag on for months or years. It's a last resort. Cutting off credit is easier and simpler.<BR/><BR/>And more effective! Notice that for all the fan outrage, the outcome is that /it worked/. The dispute was settled -- presumably, Chaosium paid its debts -- and now everyone gets to enjoy Chaosium games.<BR/><BR/>Look, either Chaosium could pay, or it couldn't. If they could pay, then they were just being dicks. If they couldn't, then the outcome of a court action would be to force them into bankruptcy... which would result in no Chaosium games. <BR/><BR/>-- Here's an analogy. When I was in school, there was a cool little coffeeshop across the street from my dorm. Cheap coffee, cute waitresses, in the evenings they'd have music or amateur standup. Great place to hang out.<BR/><BR/>Early one autumn, the landlord kicked them out. Turned out the management had spent a little too much time on funky ambience and not enough time on making sure the rent was paid. They were something like six months behind. So the landlord pulled the plug.<BR/><BR/>The student community was, understandably, pissed. There was this cool little community, and it was being destroyed. People protested, put up signs, wrote angry letters.<BR/><BR/>Understandably pissed... but, you know, they were /wrong/. The landlord was supposed to give up his rent so that we could have our fun? <BR/><BR/>Anyway, it seems to be over now.<BR/><BR/><BR/>Doug M.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7652921.post-11264401451543281832007-03-06T07:39:00.000-06:002007-03-06T07:39:00.000-06:00I have no problem with GenCon getting the money it...I have no problem with GenCon getting the money it is owed. Dragging the fans into the mess is not the way to do it, IMHO. There are legal remedies for unpaid debts and Adkison should be pursuing those, not screwing with the fans.Jeff Rientshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17493878980535235896noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7652921.post-85571805618174309292007-03-06T02:13:00.000-06:002007-03-06T02:13:00.000-06:00If the issue really was Chaosium owing money? The...If the issue really was Chaosium owing money? Then I have no problem with GenCon's action.<BR/><BR/>One, GenCon is not a charity. <BR/><BR/>Two, the gaming industry is notorious for producing vast piles of yellowing invoices and "third and final notice" letters. IOW, gaming companies are famous for late payment, partial payment, disputed payment, or just plain blowing off payment. It's one of the markers of the industry. (And it's also why freelance writers and artists tend to go mad and leave the field.)<BR/><BR/>So, if GenCon reacted like this, it's probable that Chaosium either owed them a lot of money, or had owed them money for a very long time, or was being really obnoxious about paying money that they owed. Or all three.<BR/><BR/>I can understand you being ticked off. But consider the flip side. GenCon making a credible threat to Chaosium will make other gaming companies think twice about letting their GenCon accounts slide. GenCon's financial stability will improve. Since cons don't usually run at a profit, that's a good thing. <BR/><BR/>We've all been to cons that were underfunded: leaky roofs, bad lighting, crappy security, lost registrations, bad location, not enough chairs. They suck, right? So why would we want GenCon to go that way?<BR/><BR/>I'd rather see a healthy GenCon without Chaosium than a GenCon spiralling downwards into the red.<BR/><BR/><BR/>Doug M.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.com