Writing useful game material efficiently

[Ry]

Thanks Alnag!

I should point out something I realized on reflection about this thread. I do create Zones, which are context - but they're designed to be basically a name, a description (1 sentence), what it's connected to, and then a bunch of PTRRs. They might also have a map, which again is just designed to organize the PTRRs (there's barrels over here, a crane here, jagged rocks under the docks here, press gang over there).

I may in the future do the same with countries or factions - name, 1 sentence description, list of other countries / factions connected to it, and then PTRRs.

Likewise I do create plots, which are 1 word at the top of the page to organize a bunch of related PTRRs.

So I do create other stuff, but its function is to be a package that holds and organizes the PTRRs (which I pronounce "tars").

 

[mmadsen]

What kind of a jerk pokes a leashed bear with a stick?!

Bear-baiting was popular entertainment until fairly recently:

Bear-baiting was popular in England until the nineteenth century. From the sixteenth century, many herds of bears were maintained for baiting. In its best-known form, arenas for this purpose were called bear-gardens, consisting of a circular high fenced area, the "pit", and raised seating for spectators. A post would be set in the ground towards the edge of the pit and the bear chained to it, either by the leg or neck. A number of well-trained hunting dogs would then be set on it, being replaced as they tired or were wounded or killed. For a long time, the main bear-garden in London was the Paris Garden at Southwark.

Henry VIII was a fan and had a pit constructed at Whitehall. Elizabeth I was also fond of the entertainment; it featured regularly in her tours. In 1575, a baiting display for her had thirteen bears, and when an attempt was made to ban baiting on Sundays, she overruled Parliament.

A variation involved other animals being baited, especially bulls, but also, on one curious occasion, a pony with an ape tied to its back was baited: a spectator described that "...with the screaming of the ape, beholding the curs hanging from the ears and neck of the pony, is very laughable".

Attempts to end the entertainment were first made in England by the Puritans, with little effect. The deaths of a number of spectators, when a stand collapsed at the Paris Gardens on January 12, 1583 was viewed by early Puritans as a sign of God's anger, though not primarily because of the cruelty but because the bear-baiting was taking place on a Sunday.

By the late 17th century "the conscience of cultivated people seems to have been touched", but it was not until 1835 that baiting was prohibited by Parliament, Cruelty to Animals Act 1835 was soon extended across the Empire. Bear baiting's last known occurrence was in the small town of Knottingley.​

 

[Ry]

If anyone has suggestions on how I could restructure this to make it easier to understand what I'm getting at, I'm all ears...

 

[Yair]

Bear-baiting was popular entertainment until fairly recently:

Bear-baiting was popular in England until the nineteenth century. From the sixteenth century, many herds of bears were maintained for baiting. In its best-known form, arenas for this purpose were called bear-gardens, consisting of a circular high fenced area, the "pit", and raised seating for spectators. A post would be set in the ground towards the edge of the pit and the bear chained to it, either by the leg or neck. A number of well-trained hunting dogs would then be set on it, being replaced as they tired or were wounded or killed. For a long time, the main bear-garden in London was the Paris Garden at Southwark.

Henry VIII was a fan and had a pit constructed at Whitehall. Elizabeth I was also fond of the entertainment; it featured regularly in her tours. In 1575, a baiting display for her had thirteen bears, and when an attempt was made to ban baiting on Sundays, she overruled Parliament.

A variation involved other animals being baited, especially bulls, but also, on one curious occasion, a pony with an ape tied to its back was baited: a spectator described that "...with the screaming of the ape, beholding the curs hanging from the ears and neck of the pony, is very laughable".

Attempts to end the entertainment were first made in England by the Puritans, with little effect. The deaths of a number of spectators, when a stand collapsed at the Paris Gardens on January 12, 1583 was viewed by early Puritans as a sign of God's anger, though not primarily because of the cruelty but because the bear-baiting was taking place on a Sunday.

By the late 17th century "the conscience of cultivated people seems to have been touched", but it was not until 1835 that baiting was prohibited by Parliament, Cruelty to Animals Act 1835 was soon extended across the Empire. Bear baiting's last known occurrence was in the small town of Knottingley.​

Neat, thanks.

rycanada: I would suggest focusing on explaining it's a technique to efficiently generate useful material and "plot tools" (?!) for the game, to focus the DMs limited time in constructive directions; then proceeding to explain the four elements; then proceed with a detailed example of iteratively applying the method to generate a good and deep adventure. Avoid the dreadful "wasted" terminology, focusing on the system's strengths rather than the weaknesses of normal prep.

My 2 cp.

 

[Capellan]

Y'know, if you can think of a replacement term for either Rewards or Resources that begins with an "A", you could call it the TRAP system.

Never underestimate the value of a catchy acronym

 

[jjsheets]

Y'know, if you can think of a replacement term for either Rewards or Resources that begins with an "A", you could call it the TRAP system.

Never underestimate the value of a catchy acronym

How about Assets instead of Resources? God bless Thesaurus.com.

 

[Ry]

Do you guys think TRAP is better than Tars?

Probably is, eh?

 

[jjsheets]

It'll certainly lead to less "How do you get Tars from PTRR?"

If you don't like Assets for Resources, you could use Awards for rewards. (Thesaurus.com again.)

Ultimately, I like the system, no matter what its name.

 

[Capellan]

Do you guys think TRAP is better than Tars?

Well I like it better, but then I would