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What does she look like? Do a Google Search...in a module

Started by Lynn, May 18, 2021, 11:44:37 AM

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rgalex

#15
May 18, 2021, 05:28:23 PM
The full text from that module isn't actually as bad as the OP makes it look.

QuoteWho is August?
She looks like Theda Barda. If you don't know who that is, do a Google search. Dark hair, dark eyes, pale skin. Her hair tumbles over her shoulders like storm clouds. She has the kind of beauty that is truly striking. That is, you look into her eyes and you lose any and all eloquence and grace. Anything you can think to say or do seems wrong. She's that kind of woman.

But she doesn't need to be. In fact, she could be a blonde bombshell. Or she may not even be a woman. I'm using August because she fits the cliche. She screams vampire. You can make August any way you want. Think about your players. Think about someone that's on their "list." You know, the list of people their significant others would give the okay to if they had the chance. You know your players. As far as I know, she could be a cute, geeky red head. Tailor August to their desires.

Blankman

#16
May 18, 2021, 05:30:42 PM
Jesus, ok, that isn't bad at all actually. Like, "she can be anything you want" is maybe unnecessary to point out, but sometimes it needs to be repeated I guess.

Zelen

#17
May 18, 2021, 05:34:30 PM
If the appearance is important, include a picture.

I think more effective descriptions of NPCs are focused on how DMs should portray characters: "He is disheveled, his hair flying every which way, his glasses hang off of his nose, and he always seems to be fidgeting with something and checking his pocketwatch absentmindedly." -- Okay, that's a description I can roleplay.

Whereas a description such as: "He stands 6ft tall, 160lbs, with brown hair and a wiry frame" -- This type of literal description might be good if I were trying to describe a man for a police lineup. However, as the GM I'm looking for easy hooks I can act out to communicate character to a bunch of absentminded players.

Godfather Punk

#18
May 18, 2021, 05:38:41 PM
Quote from: rgalex on May 18, 2021, 05:28:23 PM
The full text from that module isn't actually as bad as the OP makes it look.

QuoteWho is August?
She looks like Theda Barda. If you don't know who that is, do a Google search. Dark hair...
OK, so the typo is in the module. I find that worse than the missing description.

Ratman_tf

#19
May 18, 2021, 06:05:59 PM
Quote from: rgalex on May 18, 2021, 05:28:23 PM
The full text from that module isn't actually as bad as the OP makes it look.

QuoteWho is August?
She looks like Theda Barda. If you don't know who that is, do a Google search. Dark hair, dark eyes, pale skin. Her hair tumbles over her shoulders like storm clouds. She has the kind of beauty that is truly striking. That is, you look into her eyes and you lose any and all eloquence and grace. Anything you can think to say or do seems wrong. She's that kind of woman.

But she doesn't need to be. In fact, she could be a blonde bombshell. Or she may not even be a woman. I'm using August because she fits the cliche. She screams vampire. You can make August any way you want. Think about your players. Think about someone that's on their "list." You know, the list of people their significant others would give the okay to if they had the chance. You know your players. As far as I know, she could be a cute, geeky red head. Tailor August to their desires.

Reads like some Siembeida writing.

"Hey, whatup guys? I'm gonna talk about realism and stopping power in RPG gun rules because I can, Nyah!"
The notion of an exclusionary and hostile RPG community is a fever dream of zealots who view all social dynamics through a narrow keyhole of structural oppression.
-Haffrung

rgalex

#20
May 18, 2021, 06:07:50 PM Last Edit: May 18, 2021, 06:10:24 PM by rgalex
Quote from: Godfather Punk on May 18, 2021, 05:38:41 PM
Quote from: rgalex on May 18, 2021, 05:28:23 PM
The full text from that module isn't actually as bad as the OP makes it look.

QuoteWho is August?
She looks like Theda Barda. If you don't know who that is, do a Google search. Dark hair...
OK, so the typo is in the module. I find that worse than the missing description.

Nope.  That's me being stupid.  :(

The text from the module didn't all copy due to formatting (font problems or something) and I just cut and pasted the name from above.  It is actually correct in the original text.

In case anyone is wondering, the adventure is August Kisses for Tiny Cthulhu and was written by John Wick.

Loz

#21
May 18, 2021, 06:38:52 PM
I agree. Having the full context of the description shows that the author wasn't being condescending or unprofessional. I retract my earlier comments.

Context is key.
The Design Mechanism: Publishers of Mythras
//www.thedesignmechanism.com

This Guy

#22
May 18, 2021, 06:56:29 PM
Quote from: Lynn on May 18, 2021, 11:44:37 AM
Maybe I don't read enough modern modules, but I was surprised to see something to this effect. Here is the text introducing an NPC description:

"She looks like Theda Barda. If you don't know who that is, do a Google Search."

My immediate response to reading this is that is some lazy and unprofessional writing. That said, I don't buy a lot of modules. Would this put you off? What if you hired someone to write a module for your game system and they submitted this?

it ain't good writing, but i would have ignored their description anyway so what the fuck ever i guess.
I don\'t want to play with you.

Kyle Aaron

#23
May 18, 2021, 07:17:02 PM
Quote from: Lynn on May 18, 2021, 11:44:37 AMMy immediate response to reading this is that is some lazy and unprofessional writing.
It is. I would also note that Theda Bara's images are all in the public domain, so the writer could have just put one in there. So it's doubly lazy.
The Viking Hat GM
Conflict, the adventure game of modern warfare
Wastrel Wednesdays, livestream with Dungeondelver

FingerRod

#24
May 18, 2021, 08:00:36 PM
QuoteHer hair tumbles over her shoulders like storm clouds.

This was the most offensive part.

Lynn

#25
May 18, 2021, 08:40:10 PM
Quote from: rgalex on May 18, 2021, 05:28:23 PM
The full text from that module isn't actually as bad as the OP makes it look.

QuoteWho is August?
She looks like Theda Barda. If you don't know who that is, do a Google search. Dark hair, dark eyes, pale skin. Her hair tumbles over her shoulders like storm clouds. She has the kind of beauty that is truly striking. That is, you look into her eyes and you lose any and all eloquence and grace. Anything you can think to say or do seems wrong. She's that kind of woman.

But she doesn't need to be. In fact, she could be a blonde bombshell. Or she may not even be a woman. I'm using August because she fits the cliche. She screams vampire. You can make August any way you want. Think about your players. Think about someone that's on their "list." You know, the list of people their significant others would give the okay to if they had the chance. You know your players. As far as I know, she could be a cute, geeky red head. Tailor August to their desires.

Yes, there was additional material. However I think 'Do a Google Search..." is taking the conversational tone too far.
Lynn Fredricks
Entrepreneurial Hat Collector

Pat

#26
May 18, 2021, 10:04:35 PM Last Edit: May 18, 2021, 10:07:09 PM by Pat
Quote from: Blankman on May 18, 2021, 12:47:55 PM
Quote from: Lynn on May 18, 2021, 11:44:37 AM
Maybe I don't read enough modern modules, but I was surprised to see something to this effect. Here is the text introducing an NPC description:

"She looks like Theda Barda. If you don't know who that is, do a Google Search."

My immediate response to reading this is that is some lazy and unprofessional writing. That said, I don't buy a lot of modules. Would this put you off? What if you hired someone to write a module for your game system and they submitted this?

That particular one? Google doesn't even give any reasonable search responses. It seems to think it means Big Barda from DC Comics? Is this a DC comics module but they can't actually have an image of Big Barda for some reason?
I was referring to the first hit on DuckDucKGo:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Theda_Bara

Specifically this pic, which is striking:


Interesting that DDG returned a better result than Google.

Blankman

#27
May 19, 2021, 02:34:03 AM
Quote from: Pat on May 18, 2021, 10:04:35 PM
Quote from: Blankman on May 18, 2021, 12:47:55 PM
Quote from: Lynn on May 18, 2021, 11:44:37 AM
Maybe I don't read enough modern modules, but I was surprised to see something to this effect. Here is the text introducing an NPC description:

"She looks like Theda Barda. If you don't know who that is, do a Google Search."

My immediate response to reading this is that is some lazy and unprofessional writing. That said, I don't buy a lot of modules. Would this put you off? What if you hired someone to write a module for your game system and they submitted this?

That particular one? Google doesn't even give any reasonable search responses. It seems to think it means Big Barda from DC Comics? Is this a DC comics module but they can't actually have an image of Big Barda for some reason?
I was referring to the first hit on DuckDucKGo:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Theda_Bara

Specifically this pic, which is striking:


Interesting that DDG returned a better result than Google.

Well, DuckDuckGo seems to have refused to search for what I asked for and instead something similar, as it is only showing results for Theda Bara and not Theda Barda. Now Theda Bara was in this context correct, as Theda Barda was a misspelling introduced by the OP, but I hate it when search engines do that, because too often I was searching for some specific thing and it gives me a bunch of shit that I wasn't asking for that obscures what I wanted to find because it assumes I'm an idiot who can't spell.

hedgehobbit

#28
May 19, 2021, 11:45:50 AM Last Edit: May 19, 2021, 11:57:19 AM by hedgehobbit
Quote from: rgalex on May 18, 2021, 05:28:23 PM
QuoteWho is August?
She looks like Theda Barda. If you don't know who that is, do a Google search. Dark hair, dark eyes, pale skin. Her hair tumbles over her shoulders like storm clouds. She has the kind of beauty that is truly striking. That is, you look into her eyes and you lose any and all eloquence and grace. Anything you can think to say or do seems wrong. She's that kind of woman.

But she doesn't need to be. In fact, she could be a blonde bombshell. Or she may not even be a woman. I'm using August because she fits the cliche. She screams vampire. You can make August any way you want. Think about your players. Think about someone that's on their "list." You know, the list of people their significant others would give the okay to if they had the chance. You know your players. As far as I know, she could be a cute, geeky red head. Tailor August to their desires.

This text is making ridiculous assumptions about the thirstiness of the players and the openness of their relationships. I wouldn't want to play in a group run by whoever wrote this crap. And how do you "tailor" her to the players' desires unless every player likes the same thing? The "do a google search" is the least worst part of the entire description.

Blankman

#29
May 19, 2021, 11:53:05 AM
Quote from: hedgehobbit on May 19, 2021, 11:45:50 AM
Quote from: rgalex on May 18, 2021, 05:28:23 PM
QuoteWho is August?
She looks like Theda Barda. If you don't know who that is, do a Google search. Dark hair, dark eyes, pale skin. Her hair tumbles over her shoulders like storm clouds. She has the kind of beauty that is truly striking. That is, you look into her eyes and you lose any and all eloquence and grace. Anything you can think to say or do seems wrong. She's that kind of woman.

But she doesn't need to be. In fact, she could be a blonde bombshell. Or she may not even be a woman. I'm using August because she fits the cliche. She screams vampire. You can make August any way you want. Think about your players. Think about someone that's on their "list." You know, the list of people their significant others would give the okay to if they had the chance. You know your players. As far as I know, she could be a cute, geeky red head. Tailor August to their desires.

This text is making ridiculous assumptions about the thirstiness of the players and the openness of their relationships. I wouldn't want to play in a group run by whoever wrote this crap. And how do you "tailor" her to the players' desires unless every player likes the same thing? The "do a google search" is the least worst part of the entire description.

What product is this garbage from?

Quote from: rgalex on May 18, 2021, 06:07:50 PM
In case anyone is wondering, the adventure is August Kisses for Tiny Cthulhu and was written by John Wick.

Was it too difficult to read to the end of the thread before asking a question already answered only a few posts below the one you quoted?
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