Insidiae ... What's the Word?
- Thread starter The_Gneech
- Start date
The_Gneech
Explorer
So apparently, the word is "..." -- what a pity.
One little bump, that's all I ask!
-The Gneech
One little bump, that's all I ask!
-The Gneech
JoeGKushner
Adventurer
If this is the Troll Lord book that has Gygax's name written on it, I couldn't tell you. I had one friend who bought it, saw that it wasn't actually written by Gary, and took it back.
"If I want to read Tom Clancy's Netforce that Tom CLancy hasn't written... that author's name better be right up there on the front page not hidden around the corner." or something like that. He was pretty miffed and felt that Troll Lords was just using the Gygax name to sell the product.
If that's the product...
"If I want to read Tom Clancy's Netforce that Tom CLancy hasn't written... that author's name better be right up there on the front page not hidden around the corner." or something like that. He was pretty miffed and felt that Troll Lords was just using the Gygax name to sell the product.
If that's the product...
JoeGKushner
Adventurer
Greatwyrm said:
I agree with you. I'm a little surprised at my buddy.
I've got a few books in the series and find them workhorse style books. Material that I reference a couple times here and there, but whose overall design and layout don't make them sparkly gems.
Stone Angel
First Post
I have it though I can't say I've used it as much as I thought. It's a guide to creating adventures and gives phrase and coins terms that most of us already do anyway. If you have to read a book on how to make an adventure, then I kind of feel like you are lacking something else, but maybe I have just been at it long enough that I do things automatically. Like trying to teach a kid math or something. Actually in retrospect I am not sure why I bought it. Though not useful, it has some interesting parts.
It helps you develop certain functions of the story that you might not actually have to develop for the adventure to work. This book helps you look into the why's and how's and who's and such.
It takes you through five books divided into chapters they are as follows
Book 1 Milleu Events
Political and Civil Strife
Takes you through different politcal and economic and even religous balances and power such as Spellcasters vs. Nobility or Guilds vs. Merchants and Peasants vs. Preisthood
Disasters
Self explanatory, earthquakes and tornadoes and the like
Social Upheavel
Deals with things like Revolts and Economic and Cultural decline
War
The biggest section of book 1 deals with war on all levels economic, social, how it effects neighboring governments, motivations behind the war such as Assimilation, Holy War, to Resources. Even deals with the opposing army.
Cataclysms
Not your typical cataclysm goes into things like Pantheon wars, and Cosmic imbalances
Book 2 Story Roles
Gives the NPC's specific roles to fill such as Mentor, Ally, Enemy, Competitor, or Hinderer. Each one also has sub-parts that allow you to customize them more
Book 3 Characteristics
Random NPC generation Tables No explanation required
Goals and Motivations Talks about why a npc does or is what he does or is. Such ans needs like physiological such as a vampires need to feed or social and material motivations.
Character Types Gives a ton of types such as Barbarian, Gypsy,Explorer, Scout, Seer, Vagabond. Each type is broken down by Social Class, Common Goals, and Story Role
Book 4 Plot
This book is divided in the whys and wheres and hows and such. Deals with Story Function, and Story Elements. Also dissects different encounter types, from combative to problem solving. Gives a good range of hook types and how to implement them
This was my favorite section of the book
Book 5 Objective
This gives you a sort of outline to create and adventure. This was the least useful part of the book for me.
All in all I am glad I bought it, but most of the things I already do when creating an adventure or campaign. But still interesting and insightful.
The Seraph of Earth and Stone
It helps you develop certain functions of the story that you might not actually have to develop for the adventure to work. This book helps you look into the why's and how's and who's and such.
It takes you through five books divided into chapters they are as follows
Book 1 Milleu Events
Political and Civil Strife
Takes you through different politcal and economic and even religous balances and power such as Spellcasters vs. Nobility or Guilds vs. Merchants and Peasants vs. Preisthood
Disasters
Self explanatory, earthquakes and tornadoes and the like
Social Upheavel
Deals with things like Revolts and Economic and Cultural decline
War
The biggest section of book 1 deals with war on all levels economic, social, how it effects neighboring governments, motivations behind the war such as Assimilation, Holy War, to Resources. Even deals with the opposing army.
Cataclysms
Not your typical cataclysm goes into things like Pantheon wars, and Cosmic imbalances
Book 2 Story Roles
Gives the NPC's specific roles to fill such as Mentor, Ally, Enemy, Competitor, or Hinderer. Each one also has sub-parts that allow you to customize them more
Book 3 Characteristics
Random NPC generation Tables No explanation required
Goals and Motivations Talks about why a npc does or is what he does or is. Such ans needs like physiological such as a vampires need to feed or social and material motivations.
Character Types Gives a ton of types such as Barbarian, Gypsy,Explorer, Scout, Seer, Vagabond. Each type is broken down by Social Class, Common Goals, and Story Role
Book 4 Plot
This book is divided in the whys and wheres and hows and such. Deals with Story Function, and Story Elements. Also dissects different encounter types, from combative to problem solving. Gives a good range of hook types and how to implement them
This was my favorite section of the book
Book 5 Objective
This gives you a sort of outline to create and adventure. This was the least useful part of the book for me.
All in all I am glad I bought it, but most of the things I already do when creating an adventure or campaign. But still interesting and insightful.
The Seraph of Earth and Stone
JoeGKushner said:
It's a whole line of products. They aren't just using Gygax's name to sell them. Gygax is the editor for the series. As I understand it, Gygax is the one who chooses the authors, not TLG.
Although I'll admit to initially assuming EGG was the author of the whole series, I don't think TLG has ever been misleading about his role.
I can't say your friend was wrong in returning the book once he realized EGG wasn't the author, though. An EGG edited book is going to have to make a stronger case for my own $$ than a EGG authored book.
As far as I can tell, however, EGG is very involved in this series, & it isn't just TLG using his name on something he isn't involved in.
The_Gneech
Explorer
Thanks for the info! 
-TG
-TG
Similar Threads
