RPG Writing and Design Needs a Paradigm Shift

[mamba]

I think you can put a group of rules in one place or in multiple places in some instances, but it may not make sense to do so in some cases; or make for a lot of redundancy. Though I suppose it depends on the RPG system and genre.

if this leads to a lot of redundancy, refine your system… I said ‘if this adds five pages’ for a reason, if it were to add 20, it is time to rework the whole thing imo

 

[Kannik]

I am not sure why they are in different places to begin with. If something is relevant in two cases, mention it in both. I don’t want a reference (granted, it is better than nothing), I want a full description in one place.

Coming from the way we do our architecture drawings, there is a potential advantage (from the writer's perspective) in that we try to have detailed information only in one spot with a references to it from other locations so that when we update something, we're updating it in only one spot and don't accidentally end up with divergent information. So I can see the value of doing it as a reference from that perspective...

... and at the same time, depending on the ruleset, there's lots of value to not and avoid having to flip pages at the table. Maybe split the difference and keep the full-detailed-writeup in one location, and other locations are more succinct with a reference to the full version?

At the very least, please ensure that the most detailed write up is located closest to where it has the biggest link/impact with the other rules! (Those are the ones that are the most baffling to me when they're not... )

 

[MichaelSomething]

I wish TTRPG could take the time to write a short letter. But they don't have the time so they write long letters instead.

 

[AbdulAlhazred]

The use of color is my biggest issue. It doesn’t do enough to separate the elements, so I find visually parsing the power block a bit unpleasant. It’s not as bad as things that use tons of whitespace, which can almost be suffocating, but it could be better. I would drop the alternating colors for other affordances (and a bit of padding) and deëmphasize the flavor text. If I did keep the color, I’d use it more deliberately. 4e is just using it to distinguish different rows in the power block, so (for example) an Effect can sometimes be within a row with color and sometimes without. I’d want to use color to help the reader visually navigate to what they need.


I like how you have your flavor text at the bottom, though I find the orange a bit much.

I almost posted fireball, but it wouldn’t have been a good example of PF2’s verbosity. However, it would have let me post Explosion, the best magic, from Konosuba TRPG. (SL is skill level. In Konosuba TRPG, abilities are called skills. You can increase up to three when you gain a level.)

View attachment 348041

The block is reminiscent of the 4e one, though it has hardly any affordances at all. While the book is single column, abilities are presented in this card format multiple to a page in a grid. (Konosuba TRPG is also one of the influences on my homebrew system in that it inspired what became skills, specialities, and proficiencies.)

That particular HoML feat block is orange because the feat is elemental in source. There are a lot of little things like that which simplify stuff vs, for instance, 4e. Obviously the exact color/saturation might not be ideal but I'm no designer. In terms of the other blocks you present, some are not bad, but I balk at anything over 2 lines of text in a block!

 

[TheSword]

Just out of interest what gets cut? If you’re re-writing the PHB what doesn’t need to be in there?

We’re talking about accessibility so presumably we can’t make assumptions that the reader is familiar with D&D, TTRPGs or even fantasy before they pick it up. Otherwise it’s fundamentally not accessible…

… give us some examples.

 

[Swanosaurus]

That particular HoML feat block is orange because the feat is elemental in source. There are a lot of little things like that which simplify stuff vs, for instance, 4e. Obviously the exact color/saturation might not be ideal but I'm no designer. In terms of the other blocks you present, some are not bad, but I balk at anything over 2 lines of text in a block!

TBH, I kind of hate it when RPGs use color and/or symbol coding. My brain jsst doesn't seem to be wired to remember things in relation to colours or symbols. I never know what any of them mean and immediately feel overwhelmed by them. It's one of the reasons I gave up on Warhammer 4.

 

[kenada]

In terms of the other blocks you present, some are not bad, but I balk at anything over 2 lines of text in a block!

As long as it’s necessary to explain what an effect does and doesn’t hurt clarity, I think it’s okay. Some effects are just more complicated than just an attack or damage roll. However, if you find yourself writing lengthy blocks frequently, it’s worth asking yourself if there’s something that can be done to simplify them.

For example, the first version of the PF2 playtest enumerated the degrees of success for every spell. Many damage spells (and hazards, etc) had the same degrees (restated over and over). This was changed in a later version of the playtest (and shipped) to standardize those degrees as a “basic saving throw” that effects could reference. That’s how fireball can have a very short effect in Pathfinder 2e.

 

[AbdulAlhazred]

Coming from the way we do our architecture drawings, there is a potential advantage (from the writer's perspective) in that we try to have detailed information only in one spot with a references to it from other locations so that when we update something, we're updating it in only one spot and don't accidentally end up with divergent information. So I can see the value of doing it as a reference from that perspective...

... and at the same time, depending on the ruleset, there's lots of value to not and avoid having to flip pages at the table. Maybe split the difference and keep the full-detailed-writeup in one location, and other locations are more succinct with a reference to the full version?

At the very least, please ensure that the most detailed write up is located closest to where it has the biggest link/impact with the other rules! (Those are the ones that are the most baffling to me when they're not... )

Yeah, what I hate are texts which first gloss something, then summarize it, and then later add more details. This is VERY common nowadays and basically I toss your work when I see this, it's unusable in play. The proper approach is to write from general to specific. Give me the core rules mechanics, and then visit each aspect of application or independent subsystem and topic one time. Never repeat yourself, it's a sign of something astray in the design.

 

[AbdulAlhazred]

As long as it’s necessary to explain what an effect does and doesn’t hurt clarity, I think it’s okay. Some effects are just more complicated than just an attack or damage roll. However, if you find yourself writing lengthy blocks frequently, it’s worth asking yourself if there’s something that can be done to simplify them.

For example, the first version of the PF2 playtest enumerated the degrees of success for every spell. Many damage spells (and hazards, etc) had the same degrees (restated over and over). This was changed in a later version of the playtest (and shipped) to standardize those degrees as a “basic saving throw” that effects could reference. That’s how fireball can have a very short effect in Pathfinder 2e.

Well, 4e packs a lot into a few words by virtue of sophisticated design, effects are mostly standard, as are duration, target type, AOE, etc. There's no real need for blocks of text. A few powers require a bit more, but mostly utilities, summons, that sort of thing.

 

[MichaelSomething]

TBH, I kind of hate it when RPGs use color and/or symbol coding. My brain jsst doesn't seem to be wired to remember things in relation to colours or symbols. I never know what any of them mean and immediately feel overwhelmed by them. It's one of the reasons I gave up on Warhammer 4.

This reminds me of Boarderlands 2 and its color rarity for items. Luckily, one of the loading screens gave a helpful nemonic device, "When Grandma burps, Patrick obeys." Now I'll always know which color is which degree of rarity. It's white, green, blue, purple, and then orange if you're curious.