In the town description, all we have so far is:
"The town is somewhat small, and there are a lot of drab and
dreary structures."
My, how inspiring (yawn)...
Well, let's figure out what we can do here. We already know what the
weather is like, and it's pretty overbearing. If we want to make a truly
interesting place, why not make on that has to accomodate the weather?
Re-designing simple things to make them accomodate something normally
unnoticeable can get interesting - let's make the town accomodate the
weather, shall we? Here's my attempt at that, and as you read it, note
all the simple things that alter drastically when you force something
to conform to another...
"The cities are dirty. Muddy, to be more specific. All the buildings
wear a low slung skirt of dirty water and mud, splashed on by heavy
rains and passerbys. The streets, in most of the lesser townships,
are as yet unpaved. The avenues are made of heavily packed dirt and
rock, and the gutters lining them are dug very deep. At intervals,
massive iron storm drains are spread, not only in lengths down the
curbsides, but sometimes as huge rectangular or square grids embedded
in the center of intersections. They are affectionately labeled 'the
sith gates,' for their corroded metal, and seeming bottomlessness.
As the skies drench the area, they swallow all the flowing water like
a dark lord's thirst for power.
"The city engineers took any possible steps to avoid any small,
lone-standing objects that could be defeated by the harsh winds. They
kept in mind the climate, and respectfully designed around it. Streets
are illuminated with banks of bright lamps that are placed flush with
the outer walls of the buildings, eliminating poles. Awnings and roof
outcroppings are nonexistent, as are chimneystacks, vent pipes and
power lines. Fire escapes are inside the walls; power conduits are
grounded and well marked. Entrances are built deeper into the building,
providing almost three or more meters of recessed and covered area
before the door.
"The buildings themselves are not anything impressive. Most
are one- or two-story affairs; simple, inelegant and obviously engineered
for function rather than fashion. They are also generally identical.
Windows, signs, and doorways are the only details that set one apart
from the other. As they were all made from the same type and color
of materials, the beige and browns of the skyline bear few outstanding
features. The town, of a population around thirty thousand, is structurally
low to facilitate the landing bays at the local skyports. Due to the
weather, approach and landing for ships is difficult and dangerous
enough, without having great obstructions to contend with. The highest
point is the tower, brilliantly adorned with red and yellow navigational
beacons, that show lazily through the occasional mist, fog, and curtains
of rain. Since the world is so inhospitable, it's inhabitants have
to be, in some ways, hospitable to it. For the harsh and dangerous
world of Veina has shown it can win any natural battle, hands down."
Now, once again, it may seem like I overwrote. There is actually no such
thing - if you feel you've written too much, don't stop. Keep going until
you can't continue, then pull out what you feel are the best parts, the
parts that will get your point across to the players the best.
That pretty much concludes this little starter lesson. Basically, the
key things to remember are the following:
- The definition of a good description can be this: The art of expressing
a false environment and/or situation to another in such a way as
to convince that person they are actually within and experiencing
that environment and/or situation. Try to keep that in mind, and
use that as a goal when writing.
- Don't forget to appeal to the sense of the players when trying
to transport them to another world or situation.
- Start with some key elements, then build each one. Remember to
tie these elements together where appropriate, to keep the environment
you are trying to convey seamless.
- The three resources are the best when writing descriptions...
accept no substitutes.
- A dictionary. I use the WWWebster
Dictionary, an online one.
- A thesaurus. This
is a decent online version.
- Your mind. Don't sell it short - when given ample time, it
can invent the impossible.
I hope this has been some help to you, and if you ever feel particularily
stuck on something, feel free to send
it over. As time allows, I'd be happy to look it over and help
you in any way I can. Otherwise, good luck to you in your writing and
game designing, and may the force be with you.
- Nealos
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