Kissaki 说:
But what are these huge changes everyone keeps talking about
Off-topic (a looong time ago) was just a place where mostly M&B players talked about things other than M&B. Usually it was other games, historical stuff, each other, but nothing really weighty. Then as the community grew and more people came in, more discussions naturally popped up, things like religion and politics. Once you start talking about those, crazies come out of the woodwork, and we had a few resident conspiracy theorists like Ancalimon and godfrey. No big deal, they came and went, and nobody has really risen to such prominence in that capacity since. However, now it seems like many people use those topics as a sounding board (or an echo chamber), really putting their views out there, and it's polarized and/or sensitized some individuals. In the first few years you could say something like Wellen/Leifr did just a few posts back anywhere on the forum and nobody would think twice about it. Depending on where you said it now, it could be the same, or someone could call them out for some nonsense political correctness garbage just 'cause MUH SENSIBILITIES. In some threads, it feels like what you say will be ignored or heavily scrutinized by people with a point to prove. The easygoing feeling from way back is gone in off-topic.
On-topic, though, is where the change is really apparent. While it's nominally for talking about M&B/Warband, it's more of a circlejerk now than off-topic was ever criticized of being. It was a busy little place brimming with suggestions and speculation about the original M&B, swelling up and then settling back down over the years until the Warband beta started. There was a huge surge with the beta and subsequent release of Warband, with unprecedented enthusiasm, but that has entirely died and only those with nothing better to do still bother with the forum. Even the dedicated players have mostly quit this place for the time being. There is now next to nothing productive being done for existing or future M&B games in on-topic. It would be ignorant to assume it will stay that way, though, as it's clearly cyclic. Bannerlord will see another rise in that section and it will probably be the biggest yet. The problem with on-topic as it stands is that after rising to its highest after Warband's release, it has sunk to its absolute lowest and is fermenting while we wait for Bannerlord.
To be honest, I'd prefer if on-topic just died off at this point. It will come back with the next game, but right now it's just getting people banned for the dumbest reasons.
