I should have known better. As a former schoolboy baseball player the first thing you learn is to respect the streak. Never mention the streak. As soon as you mention the streak, the streak gods come and put an end to the streak.
Same here... after trumpeting how we've been getting three new shows per day every day in recent memory, today we have but one:
World of Warcraft Podcast Video Episode 101 - Beginners Guide: DPS
Looks like this might be a great episode for newer players. I've never quite fully understood this pod/vidcast because I'm not sure that the video actually ever pertains to what they're talking about. But this is the first episode of a new feature they're trying called "Let the Players Speak" and looks like they interview a rogue so give them a listen/watch and see what you think.
Pete Pete has been crafting his face the board post, and he texted us all yesterday that he's read it close to 80 times to check for spelling errors (since only brain-dead idiots make typos), including several times out loud to check for "flow" problems. So look forward to that today.
I personally haven't listened to a thing this week aside from Proudmoore Pansies and I'm likely already experiencing a bit of WoW podcast fatigue. It's a hard line to walk to be honest without unintentionally hurting someone's feelings and being the crunchy granola boy I am I dislike that sort of vibe being sent out by the blog. So I don't know exactly where to go next. In my mind there's no way that all podcasters are going to be open-minded enough to take our criticisms at face-value and happily move on.
When I first started this I thought "well, who really cares what they think I'm going to tell it like I see it because so many of these shows are bad," but the more I realize how important some of these podcasts are (to those who produce them especially) the more you've seen me running into threads trying to reiterate the fact that we like these shows and feel comfortable enough to constructively criticize them or else we wouldn't even listen. I don't want to have to do that anymore. But we live in a crazy age where people aren't always savvy enough to pick up on satire, or notice that a critique is actually a humorous self-critique, or that a piece is simply a writing experiment.
Most of us have probably misinterpreted something someone has texted, posted, written, etc. because we bring our own insecurities to those readings with us. They're there in our heads messing with reason and compelling us to give an immature, visceral response. It's the same defensive posture we all take when we feel we're under attack.
At the risk of sounding like a used car salesman or an injury claims attorney, if there's one thing I can guarantee podcasters it is that none of our reviews will EVER be written with any sort of personal malice. We don't know you, we're consciously trying not to get to know you in real life, there can't possibly be anything personal behind our writings other than our opinion on that day.
If a podcaster ever has any issue about something we've written please write me directly: uwowjim@live.com because I'm going to delete any drama-inducing comments.
Do I still need to post these sort of notes? It it just my own insecurity here flaring up? Let me know what you think.
You're being insecure, quit it. If people really care about their podcasts, they'll take the criticism on-board and improve their show as a result. If they're just going to get emotional over the fact that you've pointed out flaws in their production, then that is their personal problem. Reviewers don't walk on eggshells.
ReplyDeleteDon't worry TB Jim's a drinker. He does this sort of weepy crap in person too from time to time.
ReplyDeleteWe need to remember the critic is really just another opinion. People look for different things in podcasts. Do you want a radio show to entertain you? To be educated? We decided we wanted ours to aim at players like us who raid but aren't hardcore or maths heavy, we want our listeners to feel like they are sitting with friends talking crap about wow. If a reviewer doesn't like that style, do what? It's encumbent on reviewers to report without fear or favor, but equally readers of that review need to check whether they agree. Keep it up! Cheers, Wemb. Bind On Equip.
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