I’ve been thinking about subtext in fiction writing and script writing lately and it occurred to me if you stretch the concept a bit you get a quick little insight into a worthwhile game design principle. But first, what is subtext? Essentially, it’s the dialog that a character doesn’t say. It’s the words a writer doesn’t write. Subtext can be conveyed by tone, description (mannerisms in terms of a character), or sometimes just context. If you ask me tomorrow if I’ve been busy and I say, “A bit,” and then ask Gandalf after the War of the Ring if he’s been busy and he says, “A bit,” the subtext with both of those identical answers is entirely different.
Unlike the advice often offered to writers who are making a novel, RPG sourcebooks need to keep the loose ends. It's up to the GM and the table to fill those in.
Do you think that in a way, this contrasts with people's desire to "see the story unfold"? I'm a fan of Warhammer 40,000, and there seems to be this idea that fleshing out the Horus Heresy and advancing the current plot with the revival of Primarchs may have taken some of the mystery for the setting.
Of course, you could always use the Battletech solution of having different eras explicitly made for different editions, but I'm wondering what your thoughts on this matter are, if any.
Great read! Thank you! Your example "Make it clear that the hover platforms will hold the weight of the idol" gave my a nice idea about prepping more interestingly for myself
Subtext in Game Writing
Unlike the advice often offered to writers who are making a novel, RPG sourcebooks need to keep the loose ends. It's up to the GM and the table to fill those in.
Do you think that in a way, this contrasts with people's desire to "see the story unfold"? I'm a fan of Warhammer 40,000, and there seems to be this idea that fleshing out the Horus Heresy and advancing the current plot with the revival of Primarchs may have taken some of the mystery for the setting.
Of course, you could always use the Battletech solution of having different eras explicitly made for different editions, but I'm wondering what your thoughts on this matter are, if any.
Great read! Thank you! Your example "Make it clear that the hover platforms will hold the weight of the idol" gave my a nice idea about prepping more interestingly for myself
Themes would be a great topic
Nice insights!