Game in Box!

[firstfrost]

Well, we had packet handout. No new players showed up for the Standard Rules, but they made it to the real handout. And, in fact, we had no packets at all that didn't either get picked up or already have a way to get it somewhere. Now it's just the last bits of things like signs to finish up, and to see how actually playing goes. I never really know what to think about my games until afterwards.

It's no longer the Age of the Ten-Day in the Guild. I don't believe short games have killed the Guild; but the smaller zippier mammals of short games have certainly begun to outcompete the ten-day dinosaurs. They're huge. They're crazily complex. They're more work than anything I know except a doctoral thesis. And one-nights can be more tightly themed, they can guarantee everyone is in game the whole time, they can balance more effectively. There's a lot to be said for a one-night as an art form. But the ten-day --- the ten-day is the Tyrannosaurus Rex. The thunder lizard. As an art form, and as a craft, they're magnificent. And if they finally pass, and the mammals rule the earth -- well, I am glad I got to be there for the age of the dinosaurs.

Comments

[ironrat.livejournal.com]

Oooh! Very nice icon!

[countertorque.livejournal.com]

Nice analogy. And you're right, the level of effort to do it right is ridiculous (and I guess that applies to playing as well as writing). Certainly, I feel lucky that I got to experience the long games, since I don't expect I'll get to do anything like that again.

[sorceror.livejournal.com]

Yeah, I'll second that. I'm *extrremely* glad that I got the chance to experience them, from both sides of the GM/player divide. I certainly have a lot of stories that I'll never forget. ("Congratulations: you have The Mark" and so many more...)

Okay. I'm gonna stop before I wax too nostalgic. ^_^

[merastra.livejournal.com]

They're more work than anything I know except a doctoral thesis... And if they finally pass, and the mammals rule the earth -- well, I am glad I got to be there for the age of the dinosaurs.

Yep. Wow. What a wonderful way to put it.

Why aren't you writing books? Or at least the mammal version: articles and short stories. :-)

On second/third thought, I wonder if the first 10-day games were slightly less work due to less facination with magic and new mechanics. But I'm sure many people have explored this at length and I don't want to start an argument so I'll just stop here. :-)