Monday, January 24, 2011
Addressing the Viz's Criticisms
I just wanted to formally reply on the following critiques raised by the Viz on Whitehaired Man, all of which I think are valid. My replies are in bold.
1. I would like a short section at the beginning of the rules that explains some ways in which Errant is different from other Old School games. This would set the scene so that later references would make more sense. Such a section could include a synopsis of rolling tests, hit points, Karma, Gifts, etc.
This is easily doable. I think a summary of the game's contents would be a great addition. However, I cannot compare it to other products. I have gotten some strong critiques of my comparisons at the front of Synapse (which will be largely removed in the final version) and for good reasons. Either you cannot make value comparisons without offending someone (which is hard since obviously you think your changes are for the better), so if you do this you can only state the differences without comparison which may drive people to another game (oops). But I think having a synopsis would be good and I will be adding it.
2. At the beginning of each spell listing, where such items as School, Level and Range are mentioned, Duration should also be included when applicable. It was annoying to search through the spell description for this information.
I agree with the principle here, if anyone has suggestions for the practice though I would like to hear it. The problem I have is that duration can be a longer line of text than just the simple statement of level, school, or targeting type. Any way to shorten it? Maybe always be dependent upon CL, so I don't have to state "per CL" every time.
3. The rules describing Armor Class needs some clarity. I could easily imagine someone becoming confused after reading this section.
It shall be done.
4. For me, Errant’s greatest weakness was the editing. I encountered some typos and a large number of grammatical errors. The writing overall could use a bit of polish. As a writer, I instinctively notice these things.
Part of the reason why I release public betas for a few months before going back to refine (I am actually about to go back to refine Synapse once I release Statecraft as a beta) is that I am my own writing machine. I cannot pay people to edit my work. So I need time to distance myself from the product, clear my head, and then go back later and re-evaluate. The mind needs time to cleanse itself of the text so you can see it with fresh eyes. Know what I mean?
That said, if you spot any really problematic stuff, please do let me know and I will fix it immediately.
Subscribe to:
Post Comments (Atom)
No comments:
Post a Comment