Comments on: What Are You Talking About? http://www.the-cow.net/2009/02/what-are-you-talking-about/ Just another WordPress weblog Wed, 05 Oct 2011 13:31:52 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.3.1 By: Tiina http://www.the-cow.net/2009/02/what-are-you-talking-about/comment-page-1/#comment-55 Tiina Sun, 01 Mar 2009 00:14:39 +0000 http://www.the-cow.net/?p=224#comment-55 I often feel like I would like to write game stories and characters but have some other people play the characters and be the game master. I can understand it being the other way around, a writer not wanting to let go of the control of the story. It's about control. In a way roleplaying games are more like theatre plays or tv/movie scripts than stories in books. If you write a book, the reader has to form the images, but in games and plays the writer needs to make things physically clear to people, because they have to be able to interact in the world you created, either as players or actors. Tv makes it easier for us to perceive the story and the surroundings in a way that is adabtable to a group moment. We are used to talking about the latest episode of last nights soap in a way that we all know the space the characters interacted in, we all for a similar image. So to me talking about tv and roleplaying games makes sense. Both from the point of view of the writer and that of the reader. Maybe this was not news to anyone. I just happened to have this epiphany at this moment. :D I often feel like I would like to write game stories and characters but have some other people play the characters and be the game master. I can understand it being the other way around, a writer not wanting to let go of the control of the story. It’s about control.

In a way roleplaying games are more like theatre plays or tv/movie scripts than stories in books. If you write a book, the reader has to form the images, but in games and plays the writer needs to make things physically clear to people, because they have to be able to interact in the world you created, either as players or actors.

Tv makes it easier for us to perceive the story and the surroundings in a way that is adabtable to a group moment. We are used to talking about the latest episode of last nights soap in a way that we all know the space the characters interacted in, we all for a similar image. So to me talking about tv and roleplaying games makes sense. Both from the point of view of the writer and that of the reader.

Maybe this was not news to anyone. I just happened to have this epiphany at this moment. :D

]]> By: Alvan http://www.the-cow.net/2009/02/what-are-you-talking-about/comment-page-1/#comment-42 Alvan Wed, 25 Feb 2009 12:28:49 +0000 http://www.the-cow.net/?p=224#comment-42 Manatic: Yeah, Varastoalue is just such a damn good example of everything that was wrong back then that I had to use it (and at least I didn't smear your reputation by telling everyone it was your game :P ) - The very game and the ramifications it's had on us could be explored more in-depth on a post of it's own. Maybe a book, maybe even a television series about the meltdown of psyche. And yeah, as you said, none of us were without fault in those days. I recall quite many of my games back then being just me telling you guys the story of various Anime episodes with you standing in for some side-characters while a GM-NPC dealt with things. Also, UN team thing with Bali Ulan Bator was so awesome (and yeah, thank god those times have past) Spikey: You weren't complaining? Damnit. Could have skipped writing this blog then :( Manatic: Yeah, Varastoalue is just such a damn good example of everything that was wrong back then that I had to use it (and at least I didn’t smear your reputation by telling everyone it was your game :P ) – The very game and the ramifications it’s had on us could be explored more in-depth on a post of it’s own. Maybe a book, maybe even a television series about the meltdown of psyche.

And yeah, as you said, none of us were without fault in those days. I recall quite many of my games back then being just me telling you guys the story of various Anime episodes with you standing in for some side-characters while a GM-NPC dealt with things. Also, UN team thing with Bali Ulan Bator was so awesome (and yeah, thank god those times have past)

Spikey: You weren’t complaining? Damnit. Could have skipped writing this blog then :(

]]> By: spikey http://www.the-cow.net/2009/02/what-are-you-talking-about/comment-page-1/#comment-41 spikey Wed, 25 Feb 2009 09:23:22 +0000 http://www.the-cow.net/?p=224#comment-41 Keep in mind that I for one wasn't complaining, just observing .. And I honestly don't mind. If we tried to generalize this blog and sound witty and clever about things we don't know, we'd be in a world of fail :D Not to say we're not there already, but at least we get to explore deeper to keep it entertaining! Games of all kind, media of all kind and human nature in between, with occasional sideswipes at other things. That's pretty much what we're all about here, right? Keep in mind that I for one wasn’t complaining, just observing .. And I honestly don’t mind. If we tried to generalize this blog and sound witty and clever about things we don’t know, we’d be in a world of fail :D

Not to say we’re not there already, but at least we get to explore deeper to keep it entertaining! Games of all kind, media of all kind and human nature in between, with occasional sideswipes at other things. That’s pretty much what we’re all about here, right?

]]> By: manatic http://www.the-cow.net/2009/02/what-are-you-talking-about/comment-page-1/#comment-40 manatic Wed, 25 Feb 2009 07:45:18 +0000 http://www.the-cow.net/?p=224#comment-40 Felt the need to comment re: Varastoalue. You DO remember that it was an improvised game run after a preparation of 15 minutes, and turned into a game parody after noticing in 20 minutes or so that the plot wasn't really going to work. Cocaine's a helluva drug, but talking elevators and impossibility to commit suicide? I have (and had!) a little more sense than that :D Need I remind you of a certain UN team (with the memorable Bali Ulan Bator), and a flying pentagram of blood on Mars? Need I? Need I? Hahah, thank god our games have evolved a bit :D Felt the need to comment re: Varastoalue. You DO remember that it was an improvised game run after a preparation of 15 minutes, and turned into a game parody after noticing in 20 minutes or so that the plot wasn’t really going to work. Cocaine’s a helluva drug, but talking elevators and impossibility to commit suicide? I have (and had!) a little more sense than that :D

Need I remind you of a certain UN team (with the memorable Bali Ulan Bator), and a flying pentagram of blood on Mars? Need I? Need I?

Hahah, thank god our games have evolved a bit :D

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