Okay, I think my tendency to be blunt comes off as being brutal at times, and it often seems like I'm calling someone out when I'm not.  Loki, I wasn't aiming that at anyone in particular, and the truth is you are a very talented writer.  The heart of the matter that I wanted to get across is that I've tried several group games before, and had stayed away from them for a long time after the last one I joined fell apart.  One of the major reasons it fell apart was an overabundance of extremely long, tedious posts to read.  People get bored with wading through a seemingly endless sea of text to get to the point when there are ten or so players to consider, and the majority have a tendency to ramble on forever.<br/><br/>In a one on one game it doesn't really cause problems, because it's a constant back and forth between those two people only.  In a group game, though, it's the quickest way to have the story become stagnant and chase people away, because rather than having to read one post at a time, like you do in a one on one, we often have to come back to read through several posts at a time.  Not so bad, except when it's several posts that are extremely long and rambling.  As you said, I have a tendency to get carried away myself, and then I read through my posts and ask myself if certain details are needed, and if I think the story can do without them, I crop them so I don't ramble too much, but instead try to keep it to the heart of the matter.<br/><br/>Again, my comments aren't directed at anyone in particular, nor are they meant to antagonize anyone.  I made an observation.  I can't help but notice how some players aren't really able to do much because they just get left behind, or are waiting for someone to reach some sort of point where they can be active participants, and with so many mega-posts floating around there, I'm kind of disappointed that it seems to take so long to reach a point or to achieve some sort of resolution to a scene so we can move on to the next.  And Cassie, even though you tell people not to feel intimidated, they are going to be anyway, or just frustrated from wading through miles of text just to make sure they don't miss any valid plot points.<br/><br/>As wonderful as skimming is, it doesn't always help, because there is a chance that you'll miss an important detail that should have been noticed.  I did it, and I think grdell did as well, and we both did it on the same post because it was quite long and tedious.  However, it doesn't mean the post was made to boost anyone's ego.  I probably should have clarified that.  Many writers do that, and it often comes off that way when someone does it, even if it's not what fuels their writing.<br/><br/>Everyone in this game that I've seen (not counting myself as I prefer not to judge my own writing, but let others do so) is an excellent writer.  Outstanding even, with beautifully detailed posts and very imaginative styles.  Everyone.  I understand that at times a person's muse just won't shut up and he or she ends up getting lost in the post.  What I'm saying, though, is in a group game, where instead of a back and forth between two players, you have nine other writers who are slipping posts in constantly so that when people come back to read, rather than one long post, they have five or six, it gets to be a chore for people to work their way through all that text to try and make sure they don't miss anything important.<br/><br/>And of course, sometimes we get a lot of back and forth posting between a couple of players as well that adds to the count, making more posts for those people to come back and have to read through, which is fine, but when you find yourself having to read one incredibly long (no matter how well written) post after another to stay on top of things, you start to find your interest waning a bit.  Maybe not everyone experiences that, but many do, and it's a surefire way to kill a group game quickly.  I've heard it's been commented on that the game is growing a bit stagnant, and perhaps all of the mega-posting is contributing to that.  There's nothing wrong with being creative and wanting to express yourself as much as possible, but when you have so many others to consider, sometimes it's better to keep a measure of restraint on your muse, even when it wants to simply run wild.<br/><br/>That's my biggest point, is that in a group game there are far more elements and other players to consider than just one partner, and sometimes you just have to rein it in a bit.  If stating that opinion made me a pariah here, then so be it.  I'll live, and you'll find a replacement for me if I feel unwelcome enough to leave.  I'd enjoy being able to stay without feeling tensions just because I stated an opinion, but some people take offense easier than others.  I've personally always been of the mindset of "I shouldn't dish it if I can't take it" so I don't easily become offended by a person's opinion of me.  You could tell me my writing stinks, that my posts are too short and uninteresting, and I'd simply shrug and tell you that you're entitled to your opinion.  Others seem to like my writing well enough, so one person's opinion isn't going to shatter my confidence.<br/><br/>So, now that I've rambled on about it some more, I'll just leave on this note.  I wasn't calling anyone out, and I wasn't attacking anyone.  I didn't direct my comments to anyone in particular in the original post, and if anyone took it as a personal attack, then that's their fault for assuming as much when I made it clear that I had no such intention, but it's nice to know we have mind readers as well as writers around here.  I mean, after all, sometimes I need someone to tell me what I'm thinking because I just can't figure it out for myself.<br/><br/>Anyway, so I don't go on a sarcastic tangent about how people apparently know my motives better than I do, I'm just going to shut up now.  I apologize for any feelings that were hurt, but I will not apologize for having an opinion and trying to share it.  Perhaps I could have been more constructive in my criticism, and I'm more than willing to own up to that.  I like this game and don't want to see it fall into the 'failed role-plays' category on my list, so I thought I'd offer up some advice based on my observation.  Take it how you will.