After a conversation with Joe today (and considering the type of feedback I've been getting concerning the things that seem to need fixing) I've decided that I'm going to attempt the approach of adding clearly articulated and visibly obvious "sub-steps" within the text of the main Character Creation Steps as outlined in the Character Creation chapter of the Basic Compendium.
My intention is to make the "do this" parts stand out clearly from the "here's why" parts, in explicit order of operation. The problem now is that the "do this" parts seem to get lost in all the extra "here's why" wording.... At least that's what it appears to me, based on much of the initial input concerning Character Creation.
I'm not exactly sure what this format will look like specifically, but it will be something like this:
Step "X": Doing Blah Blah Blah for the Character
Brief explanation of what this step is intended to accomplish in a fairly simple paragraph that IS NOT meant to induce any immediate action, but is instead simply meant to inform you about what you will soon be doing IN GENERAL.
My intention is to make the "do this" parts stand out clearly from the "here's why" parts, in explicit order of operation. The problem now is that the "do this" parts seem to get lost in all the extra "here's why" wording.... At least that's what it appears to me, based on much of the initial input concerning Character Creation.
I'm not exactly sure what this format will look like specifically, but it will be something like this:
Step "X": Doing Blah Blah Blah for the Character
Brief explanation of what this step is intended to accomplish in a fairly simple paragraph that IS NOT meant to induce any immediate action, but is instead simply meant to inform you about what you will soon be doing IN GENERAL.
- To begin this step you should do (whatever it is you should do FIRST in this step). Make sure that you don't do(whatever it is you must be careful NOT to do,..if anything). Also don't forget to (whatever additional thing, such as writing down something you'll need for a later Step) that might apply for this area. Once you have done this, then write (X) down in (X) place on the Character Sheet. (All of this should be written in the same way that Joe's "down and dirty" Character Creation process is written.)
Following this bold-formatted, short sub-step, I will write a more "wordy" explanation of the "whys and wherefors" of the "down and dirty" quick directives above. This will be in paragraph (perhaps multi-paragraph form, non-bold, and might include some of the same fictional and explanatory information that the salient directives above were once hidden within in the playtest copies you guys have (and which, sadly, have already been printed for this initial test run). I'm hoping that this format will separate the "need to know data and directives desired to move forward with Character Creation smoothly" from the lengthier explanatory and fictional information that tells you "why" I want it done in this manner.
- Next you should (whatever must be done immediately AFTER "a"). This should be essentially written, briefly, in the format used for "a" above.
Blah, Blah, Blah ,blahhhhhh Here's the wordier full-length explanation with cool literary bits and fiction, telling you why I want it done this way and how it will serve the storyline,..blah, blah, blah!!!
- Now move on to (whatever comes after "b", written in the basic and concise manner of "a" and "b")
Blah, Blah, Blah ,blahhhhhh Here's the wordier full-length explanation with cool literary bits and fiction, telling you why I want it done this way and how it will serve the storyline,..blah, blah, blah!!!
- And finally you should (do whatever comes immediately after "c", formatted to show that this is the last thing you need to do in this Step, before moving on to the next Step).
Blah, Blah, Blah ,blahhhhhh Here's the wordier full-length explanation with cool literary bits and fiction, telling you why I want it done this way and how it will serve the storyline,..blah, blah, blah!!! And now were done with this STEP, except for any Tables, Charts, and/or long lists of entries and subheadings to pick from, like the Profession Templates and Animal Templates.
[/list=a]
THE WHATEVER LIST/CHART/TEMPLATE SELECTIONS
Under this main heading within the Step will be whatever charts, tables and Templates must be referenced by the main subheading directives above (listed in bold). Before each such item, chart, etc. will be a brief explanatory paragraph (if necessary)...
(Chart Goes Here)
...Then it will be followed by explanatory paragraphs defining each individual section of the chart/table/templates in greater detail, if necessary. Blah,..blah,..blah,...explanation, blah, blah,..blah.....
It is my hope that by laying it out in THIS manner, by placing the "to do" directives FIRST and BOLDLY which tell you WHAT to do, all by themselves, followed each by their own description of why (if necessary), will make this whole process flow more smoothly. If possible I will upload each Step, as I finish them, so you can see what I mean.
Later, if this format seems to work well,..the bold subheading directives will be exclusively put together to make the Quick Character Creation Summary Sheet, which I will include at the end of the Character Creation chapter, much like the Quick Combat Summary Sheet at the end of the Combat chapter (as well as in the Index, I believe).
Scottie