Topic: On gaming
New with Topic: On gaming
Ravyn posted a blog entry
Emotional Vocabulary
As elements of characterization go, emotions have got to be one of the most show-don’t-tell elements of characterization...
As elements of characterization go, emotions have got to be one of the most show-don’t-tell elements of characterization...
Ravyn posted a blog entry
The Importance of Emotion
Some people write their scenes from big epic images, some from the demands of the plot. But some base what happens on what the...
Some people write their scenes from big epic images, some from the demands of the plot. But some base what happens on what the...
Ravyn posted a blog entry
It’s Only a Mistake If…
…they catch you at it. What were you expecting me to say? The biggest problem that people with an episodic...
…they catch you at it. What were you expecting me to say? The biggest problem that people with an episodic...
Ravyn posted a blog entry
The Generic Villain on Powerups
We all know that heroes have an annoying tendency to get stronger as their stories progress, and most of us already look for...
We all know that heroes have an annoying tendency to get stronger as their stories progress, and most of us already look for...
Ravyn posted a blog entry
Impractical Applications, Week 77 (Mice and Montages)
I’ve spent a lot of time experimenting with montages in game, particularly as they relate to the players’ images...
I’ve spent a lot of time experimenting with montages in game, particularly as they relate to the players’ images...
Ravyn posted a blog entry
Multiple Standards
Standards are a funny thing. What one person considers normal by their lights is astonishing by someone else’s, but on...
Standards are a funny thing. What one person considers normal by their lights is astonishing by someone else’s, but on...
Ravyn posted a blog entry
On Characters and Exposition
It’s pretty rare that a character isn’t going to need at some point to give information to another character. The...
It’s pretty rare that a character isn’t going to need at some point to give information to another character. The...
Ravyn posted a blog entry
Three Problem-Solving Question Sequences
While many people would argue otherwise, I consider problem-solving a vital skill for anyone involved in roleplaying games or...
While many people would argue otherwise, I consider problem-solving a vital skill for anyone involved in roleplaying games or...
Ravyn posted a blog entry
You May Need A Montage, But What’s the Montage Need From You?
There’s a long road to be traveled, a whole city to search for a missing objective, training to be run through, a magical...
There’s a long road to be traveled, a whole city to search for a missing objective, training to be run through, a magical...
Ravyn posted a blog entry
The Generic Villain on Keeping Respect in the Final Confrontation
Everyone knows that one of the most important skills in a villain’s bag of tricks is intimidation. Whether she’s...
Everyone knows that one of the most important skills in a villain’s bag of tricks is intimidation. Whether she’s...
Ravyn posted a blog entry
Impractical Applications, Week 76 (The Character Arc of Satsu Kiara)
This week, character arcs were at the forefront of my mind. Due to my inspiration being mostly character-oriented, I deal with...
This week, character arcs were at the forefront of my mind. Due to my inspiration being mostly character-oriented, I deal with...
Ravyn posted a blog entry
Cues for the Character Arc
Character arcs don’t just happen out of nowhere, and for good reason. Having somebody just wake up one morning and say...
Character arcs don’t just happen out of nowhere, and for good reason. Having somebody just wake up one morning and say...
Ravyn posted a blog entry
The Reverse Arc
Most people seem to see change in characters as a permanent matter—that once a change is made, it stays made, and the...
Most people seem to see change in characters as a permanent matter—that once a change is made, it stays made, and the...
Ravyn posted a blog entry
Three Character Arc Types
It doesn’t seem right if a character begins and ends the story as the exact same person, does it? But figuring out what...
It doesn’t seem right if a character begins and ends the story as the exact same person, does it? But figuring out what...
Ravyn posted a blog entry
What Neuromarketing Can Teach Us About Memorable Characters
I hadn’t been going to post this one for a while, but then I blundered onto ChattyDM’s riff about managerial skills...
I hadn’t been going to post this one for a while, but then I blundered onto ChattyDM’s riff about managerial skills...
Ravyn posted a blog entry
How To Show Character Change
One of the things I’ve always been fascinated by is character change. I know it’s not everyone’s cup of tea,...
One of the things I’ve always been fascinated by is character change. I know it’s not everyone’s cup of tea,...
Ravyn posted a blog entry
The Generic Villain on Being a Deal-Maker
Last week, I talked about making deals with the heroes, and things to keep in mind when doing so. But there’s another...
Last week, I talked about making deals with the heroes, and things to keep in mind when doing so. But there’s another...
Ravyn posted a blog entry
Impractical Applications, Week 75 (Why Not To Wait)
My game’s one of the things that taught me the most about the dangers of waiting for the proper moment. It’s pretty...
My game’s one of the things that taught me the most about the dangers of waiting for the proper moment. It’s pretty...
Ravyn posted a blog entry
Wait for the Right Moment? I’ll Pass.
Usually, I love it when people in my games work with the Laws of Dramatics. They’ll kindly let the villain monologue at...
Usually, I love it when people in my games work with the Laws of Dramatics. They’ll kindly let the villain monologue at...
Ravyn posted a blog entry
Got Scenery—Now What?
Epic scenery tends to get a bit of a bad rap, particularly in role-playing games. Sure, they ask, it’s big and pretty...
Epic scenery tends to get a bit of a bad rap, particularly in role-playing games. Sure, they ask, it’s big and pretty...
Ravyn posted a blog entry
Epic Scenery
Into any story, a little epic scenery seems to fall. Okay, not fall exactly. More come crashing down into view at just the...
Into any story, a little epic scenery seems to fall. Okay, not fall exactly. More come crashing down into view at just the...
24 days ago
Exchange of Realities
| Topics: Observations from..., On gaming, epic scenery, fluff/insp...
Exchange of Realities
| Topics: Observations from..., On gaming, epic scenery, fluff/insp...Ravyn posted a blog entry
Giving Secondary Characters Their Moments
Who says the world has to revolve around the heroes? Your secondary characters deserve a little time in the spotlight as well;...
Who says the world has to revolve around the heroes? Your secondary characters deserve a little time in the spotlight as well;...
Ravyn posted a blog entry
Gaming and Time Management
You may think this article is going to be about finding the time to make sure your plot’s coherent, knowing when...
You may think this article is going to be about finding the time to make sure your plot’s coherent, knowing when...
Ravyn posted a blog entry
The Generic Villain Makes a Deal with the Angel
Just because we’re the villains doesn’t mean we always have to fight the protagonists. If you’ve already...
Just because we’re the villains doesn’t mean we always have to fight the protagonists. If you’ve already...
Ravyn posted a blog entry
Impractical Applications, Week 74 (Dreamscape Battles)
Today may mark the first day that 100% of my group has had an absolute field day with the battle. The stage was the...
Today may mark the first day that 100% of my group has had an absolute field day with the battle. The stage was the...
Ravyn posted a blog entry
Reality In Review: October 2008
With all the headlong pace on this blog, it’s been hard to take a moment and reflect. Now, though, is that moment, a...
With all the headlong pace on this blog, it’s been hard to take a moment and reflect. Now, though, is that moment, a...
Ravyn posted a blog entry
Party Cohesion
The thing about most RPGs is that they involve a group. Yeah, you can have solo games, but it’s usually designed not to,...
The thing about most RPGs is that they involve a group. Yeah, you can have solo games, but it’s usually designed not to,...
Ravyn posted a blog entry
Those Who Once Dared
In any setting where there are battles to be fought and adventures to be undertaken (and in how many settings is this not the...
In any setting where there are battles to be fought and adventures to be undertaken (and in how many settings is this not the...
Ravyn posted a blog entry
Six Reasons to Love a Dream Battle
For regular readers, it’s a well-known fact that I’m not too fond of fight scenes. But offer me a fight within a...
For regular readers, it’s a well-known fact that I’m not too fond of fight scenes. But offer me a fight within a...
Ravyn posted a blog entry
Keeping Maneuvers Fresh
Here’s a question for the particularly visually oriented in the audience: have you ever read a fight scene, or...
Here’s a question for the particularly visually oriented in the audience: have you ever read a fight scene, or...
Ravyn posted a blog entry
The Generic Villain on Weaponized Psychology
Back in the old days, when the world was new and before angst had been introduced to our everlasting fight, things were...
Back in the old days, when the world was new and before angst had been introduced to our everlasting fight, things were...
Ravyn posted a blog entry
Impractical Applications, Week 73 (Side-splitting)
Well, that didn’t go as expected. The plan was simple. Party’s going after a guy who pretty much controls...
Well, that didn’t go as expected. The plan was simple. Party’s going after a guy who pretty much controls...
Ravyn posted a blog entry
See Any Reaction?
I spent the last couple of days talking about differentiating between characters’ reactions to other characters, both in...
I spent the last couple of days talking about differentiating between characters’ reactions to other characters, both in...
Ravyn posted a blog entry
Non-Uniform Reactions: From the One, To the Many
Yesterday, I started talking about non-uniform reactions, or differentiating between different characters’ attitudes to...
Yesterday, I started talking about non-uniform reactions, or differentiating between different characters’ attitudes to...
Ravyn posted a blog entry
Non-Uniform Reactions: Faces in the Crowd
This is another of those topics that branches from the idea that no two people are the same. Yes, this should be obvious, but...
This is another of those topics that branches from the idea that no two people are the same. Yes, this should be obvious, but...
Ravyn posted a blog entry
Eight Reasons to Split the Party
It gets people killed in horror movies, has led to more misunderstandings (or cases of people knowing things they probably...
It gets people killed in horror movies, has led to more misunderstandings (or cases of people knowing things they probably...
Ravyn posted a blog entry
Useful Mindsets: Everything Is a Weapon
Many games and stories feature characters who can turn just about any physical object into a weapon, regardless of any of the...
Many games and stories feature characters who can turn just about any physical object into a weapon, regardless of any of the...
Ravyn posted a blog entry
The Generic Villain Speaks In Dreams
Normally the management and I don’t get too involved in each other’s work, but here we have a perfectly good riff...
Normally the management and I don’t get too involved in each other’s work, but here we have a perfectly good riff...
Ravyn posted a blog entry
Impractical Applications, Week 72 (Dreaming)
Dreamscapes. Such lovely things, when you want to try something new. This week, I got to apply them to my own game. It...
Dreamscapes. Such lovely things, when you want to try something new. This week, I got to apply them to my own game. It...
Ravyn posted a blog entry
“All a Dream”: When Is It Safe to Use?
Some plot twists just can’t get themselves taken seriously; just mentioning that a story ends in one is enough to make a...
Some plot twists just can’t get themselves taken seriously; just mentioning that a story ends in one is enough to make a...
Ravyn posted a blog entry
Dangerous Dreams
In yesterday’s post, I mentioned that everyone has the potential to use dreams as exposition or foreshadowing....
In yesterday’s post, I mentioned that everyone has the potential to use dreams as exposition or foreshadowing....
Ravyn posted a blog entry
Dream Exposition
Yesterday’s dreamscapes were pretty, but that’s only one narrative use for dreams, and one that practically...
Yesterday’s dreamscapes were pretty, but that’s only one narrative use for dreams, and one that practically...
Ravyn posted a blog entry
On the Implementation of Subtext
I’ve been talking about subtext all week, and yesterday I talked about setting it up by figuring out what it is and...
I’ve been talking about subtext all week, and yesterday I talked about setting it up by figuring out what it is and...
Ravyn posted a blog entry
Subtext and Sources
Usually, the first phase in choosing subtext is to figure out what that subtext is. Some people occasionally make exceptions,...
Usually, the first phase in choosing subtext is to figure out what that subtext is. Some people occasionally make exceptions,...
Ravyn posted a blog entry
The Uses of Subtext
You can see it in almost any part of a story, though it’s likeliest to show up in scenes where there isn’t a lot of...
You can see it in almost any part of a story, though it’s likeliest to show up in scenes where there isn’t a lot of...
Ravyn posted a blog entry
The Generic Villain on the Next Generation
Progeny. When you think about them, don’t you just start thinking about the advantages? They’re nice and malleable,...
Progeny. When you think about them, don’t you just start thinking about the advantages? They’re nice and malleable,...
Ravyn posted a blog entry
Impractical Applications, Week 70 (Sidechats)
It wasn’t an accident that I talked about sidechats now, though I myself was a bit surprised that I’d managed to go...
It wasn’t an accident that I talked about sidechats now, though I myself was a bit surprised that I’d managed to go...
Ravyn posted a blog entry
On Side Chats
Sometimes a player can’t go the whole time between sessions without a game fix. Other times there are things that one...
Sometimes a player can’t go the whole time between sessions without a game fix. Other times there are things that one...
Ravyn posted a blog entry
Reality in Review: September 2008
It’s time again to look over the highlights of a year past! September 2008 may not have been the month I learned that a...
It’s time again to look over the highlights of a year past! September 2008 may not have been the month I learned that a...
