tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6188119851730922397.post6155799553067159431..comments2024-03-18T09:37:50.349+01:00Comments on Beyond Fomalhaut: [BLOG] OSR Module O2: Credit’s DueMelanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07165894144553629675noreply@blogger.comBlogger11125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6188119851730922397.post-69248268809996793092017-03-09T16:09:02.418+01:002017-03-09T16:09:02.418+01:00The funny thing was that I was reading through the...The funny thing was that I was reading through the post and thinking "ohhhh shit, did I remember to credit my playtesters?" <br /><br />But seriously one of my design goals with all three of the Slumbering Ursine Dunes adventures was to see if I could pull off presenting things that came straight out of play in the Hill Cantons campaign. Like rather than writing a manuscript and playtesting it afterwards (which I did rigorously too during the revision phases with at least two different complements of players) the majority of the material was vetted by organic table play with a seriously devious group of players that go way out of their way to try and break things. I think designers forget how much of the richness of a play experience is a collective thing that it's just as much about the inventiveness of the players as it is your own and that you need to try to capture a tiny bit of that shared creative storm. Chris Kutalikhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01414743509426875792noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6188119851730922397.post-75504795751874034762017-03-08T22:32:51.815+01:002017-03-08T22:32:51.815+01:00Didn't consider that point while writing this ...Didn't consider that point while writing this post, but right on - there is that "this guy has been <i>everywhere</i>" thing going on. A bit of continuity and shared history, preserved.Melanhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07165894144553629675noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6188119851730922397.post-61361779419089324892017-03-08T22:29:37.788+01:002017-03-08T22:29:37.788+01:00Ultimately, a product is as good as the creativity...Ultimately, a product is as good as the creativity and effort its contributors put into it. Playtesters can provide both; sometimes more, sometimes less, occasionally none. Usually, a good GM should get some mileage out of the feedback. Of course, some adventures are beyond help - no doubt about that.<br /><br />I do scan playtester lists for interesting details. They are particularly helpful when they also provide information on the player characters the players were running, but almost nobody does that. Otherwise, they are there in the same way a profferader is there - you don't notice them because they have done a good job. .)Melanhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07165894144553629675noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6188119851730922397.post-22380534659634333462017-03-08T22:25:32.445+01:002017-03-08T22:25:32.445+01:00Every time you published another Kard és Mágia mod...Every time you published another Kard és Mágia module, the first thing I read was the list of playtesters (which fortunately included their characters as well). It sometimes told a story, too ("Wow, that guy was still alive? Probably levelled up in the last adventure").Ynas Midgardhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14972628887096890642noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6188119851730922397.post-50336446210599161362017-03-08T22:10:52.186+01:002017-03-08T22:10:52.186+01:00I assumed "two profferaders" was intenti...I assumed "two profferaders" was intentional :D<br /><br />Now, where did I leave that page XX....<br /><br />Allan.grodoghttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11800184312511280050noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6188119851730922397.post-34055002587168048202017-03-08T22:00:46.942+01:002017-03-08T22:00:46.942+01:00Math nothing, I'm wondering if "two proff...Math nothing, I'm wondering if "two profferaders" was intentional : P<br /><br />Regarding your point, I must confess I have never given much thought to the importance of listing playtesters in books. I have seldom read through such lists, and I've never felt particularly reassured by their presence. The quality of the product has to be derived from other sources. It is of course a nice courtesty- my only credit in a published RPG is in just such a "special thanks" section for playtesting. <br /><br />PS- I am glad to have found your new blog. I gave Premier's Fomalhaut journal a read some months ago and realized that I should have been paying more attention to your posts & work for a long time.Mathiashttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07054583834921602388noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6188119851730922397.post-59475872022547630632017-03-08T21:46:49.658+01:002017-03-08T21:46:49.658+01:00Nobody has ever accused me of being a math genius,...Nobody has ever accused me of being a math genius, but... where did that 19% come from? I have absolutely no idea. :DMelanhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07165894144553629675noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6188119851730922397.post-48541333731472676272017-03-08T21:43:47.110+01:002017-03-08T21:43:47.110+01:00A couple of quick comments, Gabor:
1) I agree com...A couple of quick comments, Gabor:<br /><br />1) I agree completely with including playtester credits in adventures; it's an important recognition that deserves more attention (and is a first step for some folks into the industry; it was in my case!). Black Blade's adventures include such information in them, and we're proud of our playtesters and their contributions!<br /><br />2) Your math is slightly off: 41/131 is 31.3% not 19% :D<br /><br />Allan.grodoghttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11800184312511280050noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6188119851730922397.post-37341852647463830782017-03-08T19:59:43.132+01:002017-03-08T19:59:43.132+01:00To be clear, I completely agree with your main poi...To be clear, I completely agree with your main point. There's really no reason not to show some appreciation to the playtesters through name recognition, especially in cases where the module or product has been playtested by a home group or a small number of times in public.Chainsawhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15004088589379426292noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6188119851730922397.post-71612300857530205442017-03-08T19:00:26.973+01:002017-03-08T19:00:26.973+01:00That's understandable. However, if you keep th...That's understandable. However, if you keep those records and have a page to spare for the testers and their characters, you can start the module with an epic tapestry of carnage right at the beginning - a long, long list of characters marked with tiny crosses.Melanhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07165894144553629675noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6188119851730922397.post-62340023237635193302017-03-08T18:32:47.316+01:002017-03-08T18:32:47.316+01:00Sometimes the list of names has the potential to b...Sometimes the list of names has the potential to be quite long. For example, my Strange Tale of Crystal Point module for AS&SH will have been run at least 13 times across six different conventions. In these cases, perhaps rather than attempt to list 80-90 names, simply acknowledging the Playtesters at conventions X,Y, Z would be better.Chainsawhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15004088589379426292noreply@blogger.com