(no subject)

Frank Filz talks about game prep where he defines four different types of preperation:

1. creative - generating ideas, situation, etc.


2. mechanical - writing up NPC stats, determining obstacle DCs, etc.


3. organizational - organizing and neatening up notes, e-mailing notes to all the players, updating a game Wiki, etc.


4. research - reading National Geographic for ideas, searching in the library for information on power source efficiency or animals resource needs in the desert, reading novels in your setting or genre, or even browsing your module collection to find a suitable module, etc.

I think most games design really does a poor job defining these types of preparation, and as a result do a terrible job at providing tools on preparation. Since preparation is obviously what drives most gms to craziness and probably is a key defining mark between a god and a bad gm its something the hobby should be a lot more concerned about. Especially since I think tools can be developed and put in place here rather easily.

( So what do I do? )

Functional Requirements Specifications

So I'm sitting here reading a Functional Requirements Specification for a project I'm on, and I can't help thinking (because to be honest my mind is drifting) that its a pity that rpgs don't come with one of these. Or maybe what I want is a User Requirements document. Or maybe a merge between the two. I know I'd appreciate one of these with HeroQuest (or any other games) as I often wonder just what a certain statement, example or rule was meant to actually do.

Seriously it doesn't need to be a different document but I'd love it if a designer was to break out the following for each aspect of system:

• Purpose - What the function is intended to accomplish.
  
• Input - What inputs will be accepted, in what format the inputs arrive, sources for the inputs, and other input characteristics.
  
• Process -The steps to be performed
  
• Output