why i love
This article first appeared in PC Gamer Magazine Issue #373 in September 2022 as part of the “Why I Love” series. Each month, we talk about our favorite characters, mechanics, moments, and game concepts and explain why we love them.
I’ve always believed that the best part of game development is being able to create RPG flavor text. It’s a place where an RPG scribe can do weird things or scratch a particular writing itch, and even if most of it falls into the vague category of “lore,” it’s the main him. There is no pressure that comes from fitting the story of
Whatever it is, I’ll wrap it up. There is something very decadent about this kind of flavor text. It’s all pretty unnecessary, but developers like Bethesda and Obsidian spend a lot of time and resources on something that a good number of players don’t care to read. It’s like nibbling on some of the sweets you’ve stash between courses at a fancy restaurant.
And when I’m snacking on this, I know I’m lucky. Because many developers can’t afford to litter the world with a lot of ancillary stuff. It does not turn into a valuable book. But I am eternally grateful to those who do.
homework
Even if they end up being tedious historical accounts, I appreciate the hints of the larger world they offer. It will be boilerplate fancy nonsense with a list of , but even the less exciting ones may contain information to help us understand it slightly better. We find ourselves temporarily living in a digital universe.
I appreciate the bigger world tips they provide.
An author you’ve never heard of about a fictional battle that took place hundreds of years ago probably won’t have much impact on the quest you’re on, but it might explain old grudges that still exist today, or It might provide an insight into the culture, etc. Being involved in a battle will give you an idea of ââwhat they’re like now. Or just plain hilarious to provide distraction between quests. It may be a thread.
Knowing that Barry the Orc fought Leonard the Elf in the fields of Glumheim in 678 doesn’t mean anything. make a little more effort. The lore must fit into the structure of the novel or songbook. Books need more attention. But they also provide more sources of inspiration. It can be an unfolding tragedy.
bookworm
The Elder Scrolls stands out as the best example of this, using skill books to tell short stories. The volumes are impressive, but games like Skyrim also benefit from the series’ legacy. I have a book that was created in multiple iterations. Perhaps the biggest reason for that is that it’s efficient and all this flavor he cuts down on the amount of time and money he has to invest in developing a text, but the result is a world that’s much more tangible It feels permanent.
Recycling books in this way also lessens the guilt about enjoying this feast.
anyway! With a new modlist (including some nice 4K book covers of his) he’s playing Skyrim again, so maybe I should get back to reading. I have many stories in my inventory. There are no e-readers in Tamriel, so I carry a library on my back. Maybe it’s time to buy a house, but they’re expensive, and surprisingly, even a fanatical collection of every book you can get your hands on doesn’t give you much of a chance to get rich. .
