Hugh Neilson Posted August 19 Report Share Posted August 19 1 hour ago, L. Marcus said: How about an actual mandate from the masses? Sadly, I don't want to think too hard about how well that's been working lately... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
L. Marcus Posted August 19 Report Share Posted August 19 Better than some farcical aquatic ceremony! Christopher R Taylor 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Old Man Posted August 20 Report Share Posted August 20 On 8/18/2024 at 12:09 PM, Ragitsu said: Strange women in pools, you can trust; frail old men in abandoned subterranean structures should merit a degree of caution. Wrong!: Spoiler Spoiler Spoiler Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mr. R Posted September 6 Report Share Posted September 6 Mine is the mono cultures/ languages: Humans have four different cultures and languages, based on their location. Elves/dwarves/gnomes/whatever all have one culture and language ACROSS the entire continent! Sorry, but when we cross half the continent and the elf kingdom here uses the exact same language and culture as the elf kingdom on the coast? But the humans are radically different! NOPE! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chris Goodwin Posted September 6 Report Share Posted September 6 Actually, for longer lived species I can see it. If elves live a thousand years while humans live 70... human empires can rise and fall and new ones rise in their place, in the time it takes for an elf to be able to talk to their grandchild. Long life means slow change. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mr. R Posted September 6 Report Share Posted September 6 Yeah I can see in in a species that has a life span that for all intents is immortal. But in worlds where the other races are just long-lived humans, like elves at 300-400 max. Then I expect a difference. IF humans can go to three different dialects within 300 years, Then I expect the elves to have some difference after 1000 years! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DShomshak Posted September 7 Report Share Posted September 7 Hm. How supernatural is the world? What seems ridiculous in a natural context can sometimes strengthen the sense of place if it is called out as explicitly magical. Like, all dwarves speak the same language because that's how the God of Dwarves made them. And the God of Dwarves is sufficiently accessible for this to be known. Context matters. For me, a common factor when something breaks my sense of a Fantasy world as a *world* is that context seems missing or inappropriate. As I have mentioned before in this thread, Pratchett's "Discworld" often has this effect on me. The stories can be witty and amusing, occasionally even profound, but the setting doesn't make sense on its own terms. So often it exists as commentary on our world, or as metafictional commentary on other stories. The author winks at me... and the spell of secondary creation is broken. Dean Shomshak Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DentArthurDent Posted September 7 Report Share Posted September 7 I twice tried running a campaign with fairly realistic numbers of languages. The first was a complete bust. Every time the party traveled to new cultural area, they’d have to spend a month learning the most common language and customs. That wasn’t the only reason it fell apart but it was a big reason. The second time, there was always a priest, sailor, or treasure hunter available to hire or befriend. It was an embarrassingly tired but workable trope that kept things moving and provided an adventure hook or two. Duke Bushido 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ninja-Bear Posted September 7 Report Share Posted September 7 I heard Mike Shea give a definition that a cliche is just a really overly used Trope. However he said it’s subjective because what I find is a cliche you may not. So don’t be afraid to use Tropes. Chris Goodwin and Rich McGee 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rich McGee Posted September 7 Report Share Posted September 7 2 hours ago, Ninja-Bear said: I heard Mike Shea give a definition that a cliche is just a really overly used Trope. However he said it’s subjective because what I find is a cliche you may not. So don’t be afraid to use Tropes. Also worth noting that cliches became cliches because they worked, and given some cooldown time to recover from overuse they'll work again. I'm consistently amused by how many folks will claim some plot twist is a brilliant innovation when they're easily recognized as having been commonplace hack writing in the 1930s and 40s. Ninja-Bear, Duke Bushido and Chris Goodwin 3 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Duke Bushido Posted September 7 Report Share Posted September 7 17 hours ago, DentArthurDent said: The second time, there was always a priest, sailor, or treasure hunter available to hire or befriend. This is one among many reasons that my most "typical" (ie, pseudo-medieval ) fantasy world has the Torchbearer'a Guild- need a guide? An interpreter? A porter? Someone to carry torches? Maybe there is a Guild Hall nearby... Steve, Chris Goodwin and Rich McGee 2 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chris Goodwin Posted September 7 Report Share Posted September 7 1 hour ago, Duke Bushido said: This is one among many reasons that my most "typical" (ie, pseudo-medieval ) fantasy world has the Torchbearer'a Guild- need a guide? An interpreter? A porter? Someone to carry torches? Maybe there is a Guild Hall nearby... This is the sort of detail that, to me, makes a fantasy world believable. I can't immerse myself in a story or world that can't bother with things like this. To me, reliance on tropes and the "same old same old" is lazy writing; in a game, it's something I can get and have gotten anywhere else. 5 hours ago, Rich McGee said: Also worth noting that cliches became cliches because they worked, and given some cooldown time to recover from overuse they'll work again. I'm consistently amused by how many folks will claim some plot twist is a brilliant innovation when they're easily recognized as having been commonplace hack writing in the 1930s and 40s. They worked at one time, because they were new and exciting at one time. Generations of authors repeating them is what makes them cliche. There are some tropes that have been so overused that IMO they will never recover. Christopher R Taylor and Duke Bushido 1 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rich McGee Posted September 7 Report Share Posted September 7 1 hour ago, Duke Bushido said: This is one among many reasons that my most "typical" (ie, pseudo-medieval ) fantasy world has the Torchbearer'a Guild- need a guide? An interpreter? A porter? Someone to carry torches? Maybe there is a Guild Hall nearby... "What's a 'Nodwick' and why are they so expensive to hire?" Sigh. I miss Aaron Williams, especially PS238. Can't even update Full Frontal Nerdity reliably these days. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ninja-Bear Posted September 8 Report Share Posted September 8 I should’ve added that he was also referring to younger (in game experience) about cliches. Sure your group has been doing the let’s meet I. A tavern but a new group to Fantasy never had that experience. Lean into it. Christopher R Taylor 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Steve Posted September 10 Report Share Posted September 10 On 9/7/2024 at 3:38 PM, Rich McGee said: "What's a 'Nodwick' and why are they so expensive to hire?" Sigh. I miss Aaron Williams, especially PS238. Can't even update Full Frontal Nerdity reliably these days. It’s still getting updated regularly on Patreon, but the website seems to have issues. Rich McGee 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rich McGee Posted September 10 Report Share Posted September 10 25 minutes ago, Steve said: It’s still getting updated regularly on Patreon, but the website seems to have issues. Yeah, but when's the last time even Patreon supporters saw a new page for PS238 or Use Sword On Monster? FFN was never the main draw for me. If he's got updates behind the paywall I haven't heard about it, and my membership lapsed almost two years ago when I finally gave up on Tyler ever getting out of that stupid shop. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Christopher R Taylor Posted Wednesday at 05:33 AM Report Share Posted Wednesday at 05:33 AM On 9/7/2024 at 7:02 PM, Ninja-Bear said: I should’ve added that he was also referring to younger (in game experience) about cliches. Sure your group has been doing the let’s meet I. A tavern but a new group to Fantasy never had that experience. Lean into it. Right, that's what I advised in Western Hero: cliches are there for a reason, if you haven't played them all out yet especially with new gamers, then BE SURE TO USE THEM. That fist fight in the bar, the stagecoach under attack by the Commanche, the showdown in the street, use those. They are old hat to long time western fans and gamers, but they are all classics worth using in a game. Very few younger and newer players will have even read about these cliches these days. Use them all and have fun with why they work so well at least once! assault and Ninja-Bear 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Duke Bushido Posted Wednesday at 10:31 PM Report Share Posted Wednesday at 10:31 PM On 9/7/2024 at 6:38 PM, Rich McGee said: "What's a 'Nodwick' and why are they so expensive to hire?" Well, I was going to go with aonw part of a candle holder or oil torch,but that "hire" part totally threw me. Google wasnt much help, either. I am afraid that if you already didn't know, well,then.... You still don't. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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