Fiction, rules, or setting first in a core book?

[jdrakeh]

Somewhat related to Crothian's recent poll - in a core book that contains short fiction, setting, and rules, what order do you prefer to see these things presented in?

 

[Aus_Snow]

I suppose I'd like the fiction first, given these choices. I've never really bothered to think about which way round I prefer these things, but yeh, a bit of well-written prose can really set the whole thing off on the right foot, for me.

Probably followed by the setting. Leaving rules for last, of course.

Really though, bits of prose sprinkled through the whole thing is better still, for my own tastes (as with visual art.)

 

[jdrakeh]

The reason that I ask, incidentally, is that I've finally got 'round to formatting the revision of Bronze with setting info, illustrations (well, old-school clipart), and setting info. It already has a snippet of short fiction (which I've kept and corrected) preceding the rules (slightly expanded and corrected), but I figured that if I was going to fit all of the new material in there, I should find out what order folks prefer to see it in.

 

[DragonLancer]

Fiction first to set the tone and nature of the game. Then rules, and then setting material.

Thats how I'd prefer it done.

 

[jdrakeh]

Fiction first to set the tone and nature of the game. Then rules, and then setting material.

Thats how I'd prefer it done.

Well, yay! That's how it's set up at the moment, so I hope that more people agree with you as it saves me some work

 

[ColonelHardisson]

I said other: setting first, system second, no fiction. I think fiction in a setting book, beyond a few flavor paragraphs here and there, is a complete waste of space. All of it I've ever read has been lame, and often is about the quality of bad fan-fiction.

 

[Li Shenron]

I said other: setting first, system second, no fiction. I think fiction in a setting book, beyond a few flavor paragraphs here and there, is a complete waste of space. All of it I've ever read has been lame, and often is about the quality of bad fan-fiction.

Although I don't think it's as bad as you say, I agree that fiction should be kept to a minimum... One or half a page of dialogue between two high-level NPCs (or worse, two completely unknown NPCs), that 99% of the time ends with the hint of a battle ensuing, is something you read maybe once and then forget. I think Mongoose was especially bad at this.

 

[Starglim]

A little bit of setting, then a few rules to describe that setting element, then the next bit of setting.

Fiction should be a separate chapter so that, frankly, I might read it some time when I don't have anything game-relevant to do.

 

[amethal]

Normally, I'd have voted no fiction.

However, I recently had a look at Demon: The Fallen and the fiction at the start of that was amazing.

It really inspired me, and I've now added some fiction to the start of my campaign setting.

I think with fiction it doesn't have to be good fiction, it just needs to capture the spirit and atmosphere of the campaign setting, in order to set the scene. I voted for fiction first.

I voted for rules second. It would seem to make sense to have setting before rules, but for some reason I prefer it the other way round.

So, for me, keep it the way you already have it.

 

[The_Gneech]

Please ... I beg of you ... no fiction!

-The Gneech