Pictures???

[AV]

Do pictures add anything to the game for people???

does it help them get a visual... or should it be left up to the imagination?

Why do you think the way that you think, please?

[Jack Spencer Jr]

There have been a couple threads on the pros and cons of visual aides over in RPG theory. This being actual play, do you have a specific instatnce that you wish to discuss?

[Piratecat]

I remember the old illustration booklets in TSR modules like Tomb of Horrors; I think they were fairly effective at communicating a mood, or showing what a room looks like.  That being said, one of the reasons I dislike miniatures-based games is that they drag people out of their imagination and make them think about the world as a 2d battlemap.

I think pictures are most effective in modern games. d20 Modern, Feng Shui, Spycraft - I've found that all of these benefit from photos of real-world sites and NPCs.

- Kevin Kulp

[Matt Gwinn]

I find using pictures imensly valuable.  When I DM I always have pictures for my NPCs (the important ones anyway).  I find that it helps me keep track of the huge cast of NPCs I usually assemble.  I spend hours and hours scouring the net for images to use.  I have a stockpile of over 1300 images for my D&D campaign alone and a couple hundred for Kayfabe.

When it comes time to create a lot of NPCs or a villain I often look through my image library first.  A picture is worth a thousand words and that's 1000 words I don't have to write myself.

I do the same thing with a lot of PCs if I'm particularly vexed on what kind of character I want to play.  I will look through my images until I find one that makes me ask "I wonder what that guy is like".  Then I'll go from there.

I'd use pictures for everything if I had a lick of artistic ability and could draw them myself.

.Matt G.

[Ron Edwards]

Hello,

Jack's right. This topic is far, far too general for Actual Play, and frankly, it's too vague for any forum at the Forge.

AV, please provide us with a real example from actual play, let us know what game you're talking about, and then we can continue.

Until that happens, folks, please don't reply.

Best,
Ron

[Piratecat]

*please delete*

[Ron Edwards]

Hi Pirate',

You're new to the Forge, so let's review a couple of points about posting here.

1. I'm the moderator for the main forums. When I say, "Don't reply," I mean, "Don't reply." We're waiting for AV to clarify this thread's topic, and until then, don't reply.

2. When you post to a thread, you are responding to the whole thing, not just to one person. You can specify to a particular point and to a person, sure, but you're expected to have read the entire thing.

3. If you make a fairly one-on-one inquiry, then send a private message. This would be my recommendation for a post like the one you just made to Matt.

There are a lot of new folks on the Forge recently. I strongly suggest that moderators and old-timers be friendly and firm about the proper etiquette here, and direct people's attention to the guidelines posted at the top of the Site Discussion forum. This site is not a socializing-center or a place to free-associate. Don't post just to be friendly - make sure you're contributing to the integrity of the ideas and topic at hand.

AV, we're waiting on you.

Best,
Ron

[Piratecat]

My apologies, Ron. I actually looked for a Moderator or Admin tag by your name, didn't see one, and made the wrong assumption.

[AV]

how do you delete the thread???

[Ron Edwards]

Folks ...

Please, never delete the contents of any post. Also, threads and posts are not deleted by moderators.

I repeat: never edit posts to delete their contents. Moderating at the Forge has nothing to do with editing or removing posts. When I say, "No blood no foul," it means, "Leave everything the way it is, just change your behavior for next time.

There's a Forge etiquette sticky for everyone to read so they can understand this site better. Please check it out.

To repeat: everyone - never edit posts to remove their content. This is crucial to the whole purpose of dialogue at the Forge.

Best,
Ron