I would imagine that some regular readers would wish now that I would talk about something else. All week I've been at this one subject, and they have already decided that it isn't for them. So patiently they wait for me to finish with this and move on ... to another screed, to more history, to something else about ordinary gameplay, etcetera.
I have been happier these last three days than I have been in the last three months, not because I am talking about this subject that I am terribly excited about, but because I am getting rid of this 'thing' that has been haunting every other project I'm interested in. There is no one more than me who wishes to get the hell onto something else ... since I haven't been able to since inventing this system five months ago.
My first impressions were the same as many who have made comments. It was clever, it was potentially universal to a lot of systems, it could have influence on computer games, I could sell it, I could create expansion packs and go on selling more and more ideas forever and ever. But I must tell the gentle reader that if something truly is remarkable, you don't get bored with it in five months.
I have finished novels ten years ago that still compel me to think about the characters, and how I would write them today if I were to start all over again. Truly compelling things don't get tiresome for the creator. The mere fact that this got tiresome for me in just two months, and the fact that it is obviously not something 'amazing' to most of my readers proves that I just haven't reworked RPG's as much as some might say. Those saying it are only reflecting my own mood in the two weeks after my inspiration. They haven't had time to grow bored.
On the whole, I think I've done good work. The cards are creative, there's are a number of them that think out of the box and in general they have done something to teach some of my less experienced players about roleplaying. I'm happy about that. But right now I am happier to put them down, or rather to leave them to the gaming table, where they can't rule the rest of my life.
I am happy to start thinking about maps again, and monsters, and trade, and most of all about writing novels. I am happy to be free, at last, to work on something else.
It must be a relief to get that particular monkey off your back.
ReplyDeleteI'm still working my head on how the card-driven system would be applied, but so far I am even more intrigued by its possibilities than I was before.
Of course you will go where your muse carries you, but I am still interested in seeing where your work on long-distance trade, commodities, production, etc. goes.
Good god, my keyboard should be taken away from me this morning. The second sentence should read, "I'm still working my head around how..."
ReplyDeleteYes, you must follow your own interests... but after months of relative silence on the matter Conflict! is the most interesting thing on the blogs right now to me... so if you're soliciting votes then count me as in favor of you thoroughly "getting rid of this thing" in this forum.
ReplyDeleteIf drifting from idea to idea is indeed an indicator of the quality of the idea itself, then I'm rather sure that I've never had a good idea in my life. I'm not sure how to feel about that.
Thanks for deciding to share in whatever manner you do so from here on out. I'm reserving comment on the system until I see it in its whole, but so far I'm encouraged.
Hm.
ReplyDeleteJames, I am curious. What do you see as missing now?
Except for the individual descriptions of some of the cryptic cards, I'm done. The cards are up; the rules for interaction are up; I haven't put up the actual visuals for the cards, but in fact you don't need those to play the game.
At this point please tell me what more you need to know, so I can answer questions.
I guess it comes down to having/ seeing the cards. I can't access the wiki from my current location due to web blocking at work (though social networking sites like blogger appear to be fine), so that explains why that piece is missing for me right now.
ReplyDeleteAside from that, and no burden on you, I'll need to pla through it in order to "see" the whole. Its one thing to have it explained to me and quite another to run through it myself. I may have more questions once I've done so and I can post 'em here or contact you off-blog if you're open to answering them.
I just now tried to post the table on blogger and it isn't clear at all to look at.
ReplyDeleteFor anyone who cannot access the wiki later, please email me at alexiss1@telus.net and I will send it directly to you.
James, I sent it to your blog address.