RPGnet Columns
04-23-2000, 11:52 AM
Post originally by Steve D at 2000-04-23 10:52:14
Converted from Phorums BB System
Great column as usual Sandy. Just a but from me though...
The thing about this column though is that it makes it sound like everything - the market, the audience, the product, the motivations of the designer - are all so marvellously transparent. When in truth, they are all very very fogged up. And in that fog, it can be really hard to see the line between cheap hack attempt to jump on the bandwagon and brilliant new theme to an age old song. Which, it should also be pointed out, is a very vague line as well.
I guess what I'm saying is that nothing is ever black or white, even when you can see what you are doing. And in these such cases, you generally can't. I always think that any creative venture is like playing Pin the Tail on the Donkey, except you can never take the blindfold off. You just rely on your feedback to tell you whether you are close or far. Under this analogy, I guess what Sandy is saying is go out and look for that donkey your own way, don't just slap it down where you think the last ten guys did. It's easier, but it means you'll never really get the tail in the right place. So while we're all stumbling around in the dark, some of us are wandering into the kitchen before anyone else. And that's a good thing.
Sage advice, as always Sandy. Sage advice.
Cheers,
Steve
Converted from Phorums BB System
Great column as usual Sandy. Just a but from me though...
The thing about this column though is that it makes it sound like everything - the market, the audience, the product, the motivations of the designer - are all so marvellously transparent. When in truth, they are all very very fogged up. And in that fog, it can be really hard to see the line between cheap hack attempt to jump on the bandwagon and brilliant new theme to an age old song. Which, it should also be pointed out, is a very vague line as well.
I guess what I'm saying is that nothing is ever black or white, even when you can see what you are doing. And in these such cases, you generally can't. I always think that any creative venture is like playing Pin the Tail on the Donkey, except you can never take the blindfold off. You just rely on your feedback to tell you whether you are close or far. Under this analogy, I guess what Sandy is saying is go out and look for that donkey your own way, don't just slap it down where you think the last ten guys did. It's easier, but it means you'll never really get the tail in the right place. So while we're all stumbling around in the dark, some of us are wandering into the kitchen before anyone else. And that's a good thing.
Sage advice, as always Sandy. Sage advice.
Cheers,
Steve