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I was surprised to see these closed items today:

  • Pathfider Drow speech [closed]
  • Combat systems not inspired by wargaming. [closed]

The Speech item was similar to a previous items that weren't closed:

  • What does Deep Speech look/sound like? (5)
  • What's a Denver accent sound like? (4)
  • What does a Troglodyte actually smell like? (3)

Likewise the alternate combat question seemed not that different from others asked before (though I'm having problems finding those examples, since it's not a topic I'm very interested in.)

And those two [closed] appear adjacent (an unfortunate coincidence).

These are only my personal impressions, but those closings look inconsistent with recent more "relaxed" accepting of these "borderline" questions.

If there's a consensus that we need to be more strict, so be it, but I'm a bit nervous that we could be too discouraging of new questions when we need more new folks engaging (and having a positive experience.)

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  • \$\begingroup\$ I believe it's all a question of semantics and phrasing. Clearly, I have not master the art of making the questions sound relevant. \$\endgroup\$
    – Sardathrion - against SE abuse
    Jul 12, 2011 at 7:55
  • \$\begingroup\$ "What does a Denver accent sound like?" Sure, it was for the questioner's game, but at the end of the day it was about accents, something that RPG.SE doesn't cover. There isn't a semantics or phrasing argument there, it was wildly off-topic and better suited for a spoken English SE, which there is. \$\endgroup\$
    – Sorcerer Blob
    Jul 12, 2011 at 13:40
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    \$\begingroup\$ @sard I completely disagree, mate. Your question isn't closed on "relevancy" It's closed on being way too broad. Your question is completely relevant and useful. And if we can narrow it down, it's a solid question. \$\endgroup\$
    – Brian Ballsun-Stanton
    Jul 12, 2011 at 14:38
  • \$\begingroup\$ @Brian Ballsun-Stanton: Sorry, got the wrong end of the stick. I need a "Heisenberg operator" on all my posts which will change what I wrote to be what I meant ;> I shall rephrase the question, hopefully better. \$\endgroup\$
    – Sardathrion - against SE abuse
    Jul 12, 2011 at 16:06

2 Answers 2

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I don't think its a sea change so much as taking out some of the garbage. I see all three of the example questions you listed (with the possible exception of the denver question) as on topic, although borderline.

The Drow speech question was asking something that really up to the player. Even trying to edit it a bit I couldn't get it on topic. Its a personal decision what your character sounds like, you can ask for a base, but its kind of strange. Now, if the question was "What do drow sound like" that would be different. But it was "what should my character sound like?"

Whereas the deep speech sound was asking if there had been an established deep speech pattern or script. I'd say thats on topic.

The Troglodyte question was actually wondering if there was a reference to a better description of the smell out there. It wasn't really subjective, obscure, sure, but it was looking for a right answer.

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  • \$\begingroup\$ why not edit the drow q to be in the same format as the deep speech one? \$\endgroup\$
    – F. Randall Farmer
    Jul 12, 2011 at 14:15
  • \$\begingroup\$ @F. Randall - go for it. Mostly because I hadn't thought of that when I was editing it. I feel like that is a bit borderline as I feel it does change the intent of the question, but I won't argue if you want to do that. \$\endgroup\$
    – wax eagle
    Jul 12, 2011 at 14:18
  • \$\begingroup\$ i would have if i had seen the close vote in progress. it happend very fast and i had no idea it would happen... When i get home and have sonething other than the phone to type on... \$\endgroup\$
    – F. Randall Farmer
    Jul 12, 2011 at 14:19
  • \$\begingroup\$ @F. Randall you can still edit it. if its good enough it can be reopened \$\endgroup\$
    – wax eagle
    Jul 12, 2011 at 14:20
  • \$\begingroup\$ I agree with @f.randall -- editing it to the form you propose is a great idea! Editing is (almost, but not quite) the answer to 80% of the question issues I see on the network. \$\endgroup\$
    – Jeff Atwood
    Jul 14, 2011 at 10:37
  • \$\begingroup\$ thanks @jeff! :-), now if I could just get enough votes to reopen it... \$\endgroup\$
    – F. Randall Farmer
    Jul 14, 2011 at 14:21
  • \$\begingroup\$ @f.randall reopened, seems good with the edit! \$\endgroup\$
    – Jeff Atwood
    Jul 14, 2011 at 21:54
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Drow speech is just a shit question. It's "How do I talk like a drow at the table." Which is not answerable.

Wargaming is "Select out all non D&D systems and list them."

Both are bad questions. I'll VtR wargaming when it's refined.

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  • \$\begingroup\$ The wargaming question clearly was badly phrased since that's how you interpret it. Don't mater really, just saying. \$\endgroup\$
    – Sardathrion - against SE abuse
    Jul 12, 2011 at 7:54
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    \$\begingroup\$ Fair 'nuff. Wargaming could be a good question (and I did answer it, mind) if there were more requirements. \$\endgroup\$
    – Brian Ballsun-Stanton
    Jul 12, 2011 at 9:03
  • \$\begingroup\$ I, too, would VTR if better worded. I did think there was some potential merit in there, provided it was properly worded/defined. \$\endgroup\$
    – Sorcerer Blob
    Jul 12, 2011 at 13:38
  • \$\begingroup\$ i guess my real question is: why don't we fix these, given these comments? [closed] is very discouriging for noobs. \$\endgroup\$
    – F. Randall Farmer
    Jul 12, 2011 at 14:18
  • \$\begingroup\$ @F. Randall Farmer - if its not too much trouble, the chat transcripts from the last 2 days in "The Game Table" might shed some light on some of the decisions that were made \$\endgroup\$
    – wax eagle
    Jul 12, 2011 at 14:37
  • \$\begingroup\$ Well, I can't fix wargaming since I don't know his requirements, and I can't fix "drow speech" because it's a silly question. (See my comment-as-answer for what I'd actually respond with... it doesn't actually answer his question.) \$\endgroup\$
    – Brian Ballsun-Stanton
    Jul 12, 2011 at 14:37
  • \$\begingroup\$ thanks @wax eagle. I suspected there was something going in the background. \$\endgroup\$
    – F. Randall Farmer
    Jul 12, 2011 at 15:35
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    \$\begingroup\$ In the end fixing the question is up to the OP, with help from the community. I gave explanation on the one I closed - SEisn't for list questions. \$\endgroup\$
    – mxyzplk
    Jul 13, 2011 at 9:11
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    \$\begingroup\$ @wax Is it really always up to the OP? What if they are Noobs? I am surprised with this as a hard line position (close before an interested active community member fixes.) Since this comment is not about the List issue, but general practice, I will work on a seperate meta post. \$\endgroup\$
    – F. Randall Farmer
    Jul 14, 2011 at 14:27

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