Synnibarr vs WotC


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jdrakeh

Front Range Warlock
Maybe. Part of the problem is that there are a number of unique things in the Synnibarr rules that you'd have to rebuild in any generic system I can think of because they don't have 1:1 analogues (example: Midnight Sunstone Bazooka). It would, I think, be a considerable amount of work.
 

Sacrosanct

Legend
After looking into the history a bit more, I found myself nodding to myself because I've seen this type of "game designer" a few times before.

The one who thinks they are geniuses and no one else can remotely understand their superior level. Any rejection in the industry is met with vitriol at a hyperbolic level (like his statement about wanting to do everything within his power to ruin WoTC just because Peter didn't hire him)

I can easily imagine Peter just nodding his head politely, knowing all these claims of inventing xyz aren't true, and leaving it at that. And this guy taking that rebuff very badly.

He's the kind of designer that will have ten pages of rules on how to handle the weight of a backpack in various conditions, then can't figure out why no one wants to play the game. Surely it must be their inferior intellect! 🤷🏼‍♂️

A good game designer is like a good filmaker. Sometimes you gotta leave some of your favorite bits on the cutting room floor to make it all work. Guys with egos like this never seem to be able to do that.
 

pantsorama

Explorer
I was at the Synnibarr in Omaha and I got not just a great roll but some solid legal advice.
Did you pass the Synnibarr exam for Nebraska?

This is what makes me so curious about how things went down between McCracken and Atkinson at GenCon. Maybe McCracken thought he had reserved a key booth at GenCon but failed to actually do the paperwork (or money) properly, or maybe Atkinson actually put some work into making sure such a gonzo presentation didn't get a prime location for the show. Either option is very believable. Maybe both?
I am betting he was a pest, and got indignant when asked to not bother people. Just a hunch.
 

Sacrosanct

Legend
Oh my…I just read his comment about how he spent 6 years (later claiming 10) living on only 450 calories of Ensure a day. And how it takes a writer an hour to write one spell. So I guess he’s one of those guys who has to exaggerate and lie without needing to as well. SMH. I had a roommate like that once. Even for things no one cares about, they still felt the need to lie and embellish it to ridiculous levels.
 


darjr

I crit!
Some of his players from back when have shown up in the thread and I’m beginning to think they may have a point about it being the first cross genre game. I dint count the claim that he was distributing it locally for several years and chaosium beats them for a generic system regardless.

However it does appear it may be the first of its kind, sort of. Not that it makes his behavior any better or lend me to believe much of anything he says.
 



vecna00

Speculation Specialist Wizard
After looking into the history a bit more, I found myself nodding to myself because I've seen this type of "game designer" a few times before.

The one who thinks they are geniuses and no one else can remotely understand their superior level. Any rejection in the industry is met with vitriol at a hyperbolic level (like his statement about wanting to do everything within his power to ruin WoTC just because Peter didn't hire him)

I can easily imagine Peter just nodding his head politely, knowing all these claims of inventing xyz aren't true, and leaving it at that. And this guy taking that rebuff very badly.

He's the kind of designer that will have ten pages of rules on how to handle the weight of a backpack in various conditions, then can't figure out why no one wants to play the game. Surely it must be their inferior intellect! 🤷🏼‍♂️

A good game designer is like a good filmaker. Sometimes you gotta leave some of your favorite bits on the cutting room floor to make it all work. Guys with egos like this never seem to be able to do that.
He kinda reminds me of a certain person in a legal battle with a large company. Except this guy has actually published a game!
 


He kinda reminds me of a certain person in a legal battle with a large company. Except this guy has actually published a game!
Raven was, again, this was 30 years ago now, a marijuana hippie. The look on his face when I told him I'd joined the Army was one of shock and disappointment.

Their only common trait is arrogance, but McCracken has a book that once sold well and for a period of time in the early 90s was an invited guest to conventions rather than banned
 

TerraDave

5ever, or until 2024
Tom Moldvay's Lords of Creation came out in 1983.


lordsofcreation.jpg




And with that I have now made a (somewhat) serious post in a thread about Synnibar. The unimaginable just keeps happening. I guess sort of like Synnibar.
 

Wicht

Hero
This makes me want to dig out my copy of Synnibar and just reread it for the nostalgia of how bad it is. If I remember right, the author blurb on the back of the book describes how Mr. McCracken was writing the game from a position of experience which allowed him to make it as realistic as possible. If I get some time tomorrow, maybe I'll dig it out and share a few choice passages for those interested in the sort of writing that went into it.
 

darjr

I crit!
Tom Moldvay's Lords of Creation came out in 1983.


lordsofcreation.jpg




And with that I have now made a (somewhat) serious post in a thread about Synnibar. The unimaginable just keeps happening. I guess sort of like Synnibar.
Oh! Nice!

I can’t help but feel responsible in an indirect way.

I’m happy about it though, if that helps.
 

darjr

I crit!
This makes me want to dig out my copy of Synnibar and just reread it for the nostalgia of how bad it is. If I remember right, the author blurb on the back of the book describes how Mr. McCracken was writing the game from a position of experience which allowed him to make it as realistic as possible. If I get some time tomorrow, maybe I'll dig it out and share a few choice passages for those interested in the sort of writing that went into it.
Ohhh do a “I read Synnibar” thread?
 

Wicht

Hero
Ohhh do a “I read Synnibar” thread?
Life is too short.
If I was younger I might be willing to make a project of it. I was more foolish once, with more time to waste.

Truth be told, Synnibar deserves some good natured dunking, but on the other hand, there is a lot of earnestness behind it, and I hate to be overly critical of someone's baby. But on the other other hand, just quoting some chunks of it is fair game.
 



Parmandur

Book-Friend
Some of his players from back when have shown up in the thread and I’m beginning to think they may have a point about it being the first cross genre game. I dint count the claim that he was distributing it locally for several years and chaosium beats them for a generic system regardless.

However it does appear it may be the first of its kind, sort of. Not that it makes his behavior any better or lend me to believe much of anything he says.
I can believe that he got burned by GenCon, byt I'd bet it's more like he violated some Terms of Service agreement and is hiding a grudge that the rules were enforced, not random spite.
 

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