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Message: <blockquote data-quote="Zelda Themelin" data-source="post: 5380617" data-attributes="member: 167">I dislike word "fluff", so not calling it so would be nice. Inspiring stuff. I like to read about interesting places, which have adventure potential. And about interesting detail with npc:s that can also create adventure potential.  Other things are nice to read sometimes, but often they just are not good literature. And too much stuff always leads to all the boring details.I set an example here. Scarred lands Gazetter was very interesting (though many later books really sucked).  And I really liked monster books and relics and rituals for little stories. Despite rule-issues I really enjoyed reading them.And then I tried to read Kalamar, and it was total "yawn" experience. Interesting stuff maybe was there buried under everything non-interesting. I just didn't feel like getting Aa shovel.Many rpg "fluff" books have too long word counts. Leaves lot of room for uninsparing crap IMO.Lists and pictures would be much better for many things like herandly and to discribe how people of that and that land dress/look.  And I really like "family trees" and npc relationship trees there used to be with white wolf o-vampire (like chigaco by night).Price lists for mundane (and exotic mundane) stuff would be useful to me. Boring to make up, so much more fun to have ready list. Also mercenary prices, travel prices, saleries for mundena jobs and housing prices. I don't know why Golarion has so much stuff but still not htis. Maybe they found it boring to make as well. And I think mundane stuff needed by someone like old-world explorer not by local artisan.I really hate inventing economics and this is actually improtant thing in games where players ask dm "what I get for this and what this one costs". Too long describtions only lead to thinly veiled stories about some culture/land here on earth.  And thinly veiled source loyality stops from creating most inspiring stuff.Naturally I can be easily eluded to like even some half-assed "fluff" if it happens to relate to my personal favourite themes. Anyways I liked those gazetter size books like Scarred lands or old Greyhawk boxed set with those two booklests and world map. Too much "world fluff" ends up easily changing/ruining original theme for world. Since more detali allows writers to put down more of their personal preferance. And then it's hit and miss.  When details are still vague, writer  leaves more room for my imagination.Most irritating thing is when there is some mysterious thing in world, and then some time later is written "complite guide to..."-kinda book about it. Speak of ruiting dm:s personal ideas for that mystery/motivation/details. Book like one made to Scarred Lands about Slarecians was exactly like that. Ok, it was still idea-mine worthy, but I ended up ignoring mostly everything. I think bad/ bady written  "theme-raping" "fluff" really killed Scarred Lands.Ah, and I have seen it happen in tv-series too. "Fluff" should help to play game. It should not make fans angry. And it should not be useless and boring. It should inspire adventures for actual play. It should be enjoyable to read. It should help you put more stuff into your world if you so desire.</blockquote>

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