Posted in: Role Playing Games

RPGaDAY2024 Day 5: RPG with great writing

An RPG with great writing is the subject for Day 5 of the RPGaDAY 2024 Challenge. That’s not surprising considering that yesterday we talked about great art.

While I had a specific example for the great art, I want to talk in general about great writing. I’ve noticed a trend with some RPG publications, especially those based on popular franchises. I’d like to remind all of the writers and publishers of one reason that your customers buy your product.

“Your customers are buying a game book, not a guide to the source material. Let me repeat that. Your customers are buying a game book, not a guide to the source material.”

-Me

I have purchased publications because in the first few pages of the book, it gives me the basic concept of the system that will be used in the game. This helps me explain to my friends how the game is played and why we should play it. When I see an RPG based of a specific IP, I worry that the first 20-80 pages will be “Well let’s tell you about the source material this game is based upon, once upon a time…”. I can read the title. I know what the source material is based on. A fan of the source material already knows this, instead they wonder how they can play the game. A fan of RPGs will be looking for the system, not the source material. Publishers are doing a dis-service to both possible customers by not getting to the point. Yes, there should be some explanation of the source material. But that can be in the later half of the book, not the first half.

Game system first, game universe second.

Now primarily this is for the core rulebooks. Adventures and most supplements tend to get to the point fairly quickly. I’ve started adding “Character creation rules start on page XX” when I write up my mini-reviews for the Character Creation Challenge to show how quickly readers will get into the meat and potatoes of the game. I know it’s not much, but I want to try.

So am I on the right track? Or do you think I’m off-base on this writing point-of-view? Tell me about it. This article is open for discussion on the TardisCaptain dot Com Discord server. You can also email me at Carl (at) TardisCaptain.com with any comments.

Posted in: Quotes, Star Trek

Daily Star Trek Quotes: August 5-11

Kirk after seeing the Turkish Olympic shooter.

Here are the Daily Star Trek Quotes that will appear on the @STrekQuotes Twitter account and the @STrekQuotes Mastodon account for the week of August 5h through August 11th. Coming soon to Bluesky once we can find a scheduler option.

August 5
Happy Birthday to Bruce Horak. @brucehorak https://memory-alpha.fandom.com/wiki/Bruce_Horak #StarTrek #StarTrekStrangeNewWorlds #IDIC #WeAreStarfleet #Quote

“Once again, the magic of science prevails! Too much?” Hemmer- The Elysian Kingdom, Stardate: 2341.6 #StarTrek #StarTrekStrangeNewWorlds #IDIC #WeAreStarfleet #Quote

August 6
Happy Birthday to Michelle Yeoh. @michelle_yeoh https://memory-alpha.fandom.com/wiki/Michelle_Yeoh #StarTrek #StarTrekDiscovery #StarTrekShortTreks #StarTrekSection31 #IDIC #WeAreStarfleet #Quote

“No, that is the easy way, and I know how that story ends. You die, I die, or both. But as of this moment, our future is unwritten. Let’s make it count, shall we?” Mirror Georgiou- Terra Firma, Part 1, Stardate: Unknown #StarTrek #StarTrekDiscovery #IDIC #WeAreStarfleet #Quote

Star Trek: Lower Decks premiered on this date in 2020 with the episode Second Contact. https://memory-alpha.fandom.com/wiki/Star_Trek:_Lower_Decks #StarTrek #StarTrekLowerDecks #IDIC #WeAreStarfleet #Quote

“I really like this classical band called The Monkees. Ever heard of ’em?” Barnes “Let’s just say ‘I’m a Believer.'” Rutherford- Second Contact, Stardate: 57436.2 #StarTrek #StarTrekLowerDecks #IDIC #WeAreStarfleet #Quote

August 7
Happy Birthday to Cirroc Lofton. https://memory-alpha.fandom.com/wiki/Cirroc_Lofton #StarTrek #StarTrekDS9 #IDIC #WeAreStarfleet #Quote

“We work to better ourselves and the rest of Humanity.” Jake Sisko “What does that mean exactly?” Nog “It means… it means we don’t need money!” Jake Sisko- In the Cards, Stardate: 50929.4 #StarTrek #StarTrekDS9 #IDIC #WeAreStarfleet #Quote

Happy Birthday to Brett Gray. @brettgray https://memory-alpha.fandom.com/wiki/Brett_Gray #StarTrek #StarTrekProdigy #IDIC #WeAreStarfleet #Quote

“You’re growing and adapting.” Hologram Janeway “Eh, what can I say? Resistance is futile.” Dal- Let Sleeping Borg Lie, Stardate: 61284.3 #StarTrek #StarTrekProdigy #IDIC #WeAreStarfleet #Quote

August 8
“Use every scrap of knowledge and logic you have to save the ship. But temper your judgment with intuitive insight.” Kirk- The Tholian Web #StarTrek #StarTrekTOS #IDIC #WeAreStarfleet #Quote

August 9
Happy Birthday to Eric Bana. @EricBana67 https://memory-alpha.fandom.com/wiki/Eric_Bana #StarTrek #StarTrekFilm #IDIC #WeAreStarfleet #Quote

“What are your orders?” Ayel “We wait. We wait for the one who allowed our home to be destroyed, as we’ve been doing for twenty-five years.” Nero- Star Trek (2009), Stardate: 2233.04 #StarTrek #StarTrekFilm #IDIC #WeAreStarfleet #Quote

August 10
Happy Birthday to Evan Evagora. https://memory-alpha.fandom.com/wiki/Evan_Evagora #StarTrek #StarTrekPicard #IDIC #WeAreStarfleet #Quote

“I have bound myself to Picard as qalankhkai. Anyone who threatens him will be choosing to die!” Elnor- Absolute Candor, Stardate: Unknown #StarTrek #StarTrekPicard #IDIC #WeAreStarfleet #Quote

August 11
“I may be a walking encyclopedia but even I don’t know everything.” The Doctor- Nothing Human, Stardate: Unknown #StarTrek #StarTrekVOY #IDIC #WeAreStarfleet #Quote

What are your favorite daily Star Trek quotes selected for this week? This article is open for discussion on the TardisCaptain dot Com Discord server. You can also email me at Carl (at) TardisCaptain.com or click on my social media links with any comments.

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