tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2513019539869706574.post4873448763722730777..comments2024-03-28T22:10:04.089+08:00Comments on Monsters and Manuals: Innovative Reading ExperiencesUnknownnoreply@blogger.comBlogger11125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2513019539869706574.post-51626534557482643442015-07-08T18:31:40.534+08:002015-07-08T18:31:40.534+08:00Could you expand on what you mean by making too mu...Could you expand on what you mean by making too much of an effort to be literary?spigothttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10731224119469018601noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2513019539869706574.post-11290372071698270642015-06-24T00:14:33.599+08:002015-06-24T00:14:33.599+08:00ok, I get you. Yeah I still remember as a kid burn...ok, I get you. Yeah I still remember as a kid burning through Mentzer Basic in a few days in bliss. I do think, at the other end even in gaming, if you are trying to convey very strange ideas to readers you need to be able to write very well and even have something of a personal style.<br />Kenthttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11165997449776226774noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2513019539869706574.post-9004473150836381122015-06-23T23:19:19.826+08:002015-06-23T23:19:19.826+08:00I'm not saying those RPG books are masterpiece...I'm not saying those RPG books are masterpieces of great literature, you goofball. I'm saying they are masterpieces of "ergodic literature". In other words, they are exceptionally good <i>instruction books</i>. Nobody should expect an RPG author to write like Proust, but they can certainly succeed or fail on their own merits in accordance with their own goals.noismshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09933436762608669966noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2513019539869706574.post-34391917281293548382015-06-23T05:58:14.176+08:002015-06-23T05:58:14.176+08:00--it isn't very satisfying to just conclude th...--it isn't very satisfying to just conclude that "some have it and some don't"; any skill can be taught, and anybody can improve a skill if they work at it.<br /><br />That sounds plausible but in reality you are contradicting yourself. Skills can be learned and improved upon in proportion to the degree that "some have it".<br /><br />I am amazed at the rubbish you have selected as evidence of 'inspiring' 'masterpieces' of good writing. BECMI? You goofball. There is no one outside of Gygax, Jaquays, Phil Barker and Greg Stafford who wrote well.<br /><br />Gamers are not literary folks, to be honest they are lazy, impatient and dull witted. They want information simplified and they want it now. You only have to look at the average reading level, in terms of literature, 12 year olds?? There are objective standards for that going back more than a century.<br /><br />Why should a good writer waste his time on such an audience? Writing effectively for a given audience is hardly the same thing as writing well.<br /><br />All the best.Kenthttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11165997449776226774noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2513019539869706574.post-63527271174629605382015-06-23T01:02:52.750+08:002015-06-23T01:02:52.750+08:00Writing a good RPG book.
Step 1: Don't try to...Writing a good RPG book.<br /><br />Step 1: Don't try to write like Gary Gygax.<br /><br />I've never seen anything as incomprehensible and messily written as his rulebooks for AD&D.Yorahttp://spriggans-den.comnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2513019539869706574.post-28301233584180398662015-06-22T16:51:50.839+08:002015-06-22T16:51:50.839+08:00Yes, I think that's probably right.Yes, I think that's probably right. noismshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09933436762608669966noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2513019539869706574.post-28454076793173256622015-06-22T16:49:44.945+08:002015-06-22T16:49:44.945+08:00Well, that sounds like a job for a blog entry...Well, that sounds like a job for a blog entry...noismshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09933436762608669966noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2513019539869706574.post-49995234074560076572015-06-22T16:49:27.992+08:002015-06-22T16:49:27.992+08:00I don't mind that, necessarily, because when w...I don't mind that, necessarily, because when well done it is at least efficient. It can be boring, but I prefer boring to irritating. noismshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09933436762608669966noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2513019539869706574.post-75743307536901706022015-06-22T09:25:14.986+08:002015-06-22T09:25:14.986+08:00I could be wrong, but I think most RPG writers are...I could be wrong, but I think most RPG writers are making naïve-art, just doing their thing. Some are great, some are terrible, and they sit at that point. Maybe being aware that writing is something they are definitely doing, and that they can improve, is the first step to doing it.Daniel Sellhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08255260306512797559noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2513019539869706574.post-53241478863075666102015-06-22T06:38:30.345+08:002015-06-22T06:38:30.345+08:00I'm not sure I've ever seen an RPG writer ...I'm not sure I've ever seen an RPG writer actually improve (though I've seen them write better rules than they used to)--so I kinda feel like the best way to do it is to point to good examples rather than go "Listen, kid, write like this"Zak Sabbathhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08812410680077034917noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2513019539869706574.post-22402114371800492622015-06-22T06:23:07.402+08:002015-06-22T06:23:07.402+08:00Four things, add the dry adenoidal-voice-from-behi...Four things, add the dry adenoidal-voice-from-behind-the-screen "You see here a dais.On it a statue looms (9' tall) of a giant demon. It has red jewels for eyes worth 3000 gp each..."Roger G-Shttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08594440701279968693noreply@blogger.com