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One of the things that irks me about the #LitRPG genre is also its main feature.
Stats.
More precisely, how stats aren't adapted to the prose medium.
/1
Stats.
More precisely, how stats aren't adapted to the prose medium.
/1
Character A has a Strength of 16.
Character B has a Strength of 50.
Character B must be stronger, right?
What if the first guy lives in a world where max strength is 18, whereas for the second guy, the max strength is 100?
/2
Character B has a Strength of 50.
Character B must be stronger, right?
What if the first guy lives in a world where max strength is 18, whereas for the second guy, the max strength is 100?
/2
Suddenly A is a strongman, while B is merely average.
But what if A's setting places 18 as the max strength for humans, while in B, 100 means the ability to leap over skyscrapers and move mountains?
50 might well be beyond Olympian.
/3
But what if A's setting places 18 as the max strength for humans, while in B, 100 means the ability to leap over skyscrapers and move mountains?
50 might well be beyond Olympian.
/3
Here's the first issue with how writers use stats.
Stats come from RPGs to allow the game to quantify traits and facilitate game actions.
But actions and abilities are NOT abstract. In our world, these can be measured, such as the amount of weight you can deadlift. /4
Stats come from RPGs to allow the game to quantify traits and facilitate game actions.
But actions and abilities are NOT abstract. In our world, these can be measured, such as the amount of weight you can deadlift. /4
Using some arbitrary number to describe a stat doesn't mean anything.
Not unless you give the reader some other frame of reference, one that is consistent across the setting.
Without that frame of reference, that number is meaningless. /5
Not unless you give the reader some other frame of reference, one that is consistent across the setting.
Without that frame of reference, that number is meaningless. /5
This frame of reference is best seen in feats.
For example, a character of Strength 50 easily lifting an ox.
Without reference, the reader won't know what the numbers mean.
It might as well be gibberish.
/6
For example, a character of Strength 50 easily lifting an ox.
Without reference, the reader won't know what the numbers mean.
It might as well be gibberish.
/6
Games show this visually.
PC strikes NPC for X damage, causing NPC's life bar to shrink.
The higher the PC's relevant stat, the bigger the X and the larger the shrinkage.
Easy enough, right?
Not in prose.
/7
PC strikes NPC for X damage, causing NPC's life bar to shrink.
The higher the PC's relevant stat, the bigger the X and the larger the shrinkage.
Easy enough, right?
Not in prose.
/7
In prose, if, after every swing you write
"You have hit [MONSTER] for [X] HP damage and [Y] stamina damage and inflicted [Z] points of bleed!"
You're just slowing down the action. A lot.
Reading is slower than watching numbers pop up.
This is the second issue.
/8
"You have hit [MONSTER] for [X] HP damage and [Y] stamina damage and inflicted [Z] points of bleed!"
You're just slowing down the action. A lot.
Reading is slower than watching numbers pop up.
This is the second issue.
/8
This becomes especially annoying in fights that have characters landing multiple blows.
Don't tell the reader how many points of damage a character caused. It means nothing. SHOW the reader the damage by describing the effects on the target.
Keep the action tight and fast. /9
Don't tell the reader how many points of damage a character caused. It means nothing. SHOW the reader the damage by describing the effects on the target.
Keep the action tight and fast. /9
In RPGs, in climactic boss battles, you have heroes engaged in long fights with many blows and magic blasts and what have you.
It's a game. It's meant to be exciting, challenging and dramatic. This is acceptable.
But what if you translate this to prose? /10
It's a game. It's meant to be exciting, challenging and dramatic. This is acceptable.
But what if you translate this to prose? /10
It becomes a slugfest.
Both characters trying to inflict as much damage as they can while minimizing incoming damage.
This makes the story predictable.
And if non-lethal wounds have no effect beyond HP loss, it's unrealistic.
Which leads us to the third point. /11
Both characters trying to inflict as much damage as they can while minimizing incoming damage.
This makes the story predictable.
And if non-lethal wounds have no effect beyond HP loss, it's unrealistic.
Which leads us to the third point. /11
Real life martial arts focus on defeating the enemy without taking damage, ideally in a single blow.
Military tactics and strategy focuses on destroy the enemy as quickly and efficiently as possible.
In RPG terms, they set things up so every strike or combo is a deathblow. /12
Military tactics and strategy focuses on destroy the enemy as quickly and efficiently as possible.
In RPG terms, they set things up so every strike or combo is a deathblow. /12
In our world, weapons are astonishingly lethal.
A single cut or thrust is crippling or fatal.
But it may not be IMMEDIATELY fatal, so the enemy can kill you with his dying breath.
Major wounds and retaliatory blows dramatically change the dynamics of a fight. /13
A single cut or thrust is crippling or fatal.
But it may not be IMMEDIATELY fatal, so the enemy can kill you with his dying breath.
Major wounds and retaliatory blows dramatically change the dynamics of a fight. /13
More than that, in a world where weapon combat is highly lethal, it affects character dynamics and etiquette.
Everything people say, think, feel, and do, is defined by the lethality of the weapon.
More here:
https://www.benjamincheah.com/2019/09/12/worldbuilding-with-real-world-martial-arts/
/14
Everything people say, think, feel, and do, is defined by the lethality of the weapon.
More here:
https://www.benjamincheah.com/2019/09/12/worldbuilding-with-real-world-martial-arts/
/14
In BABYLON BLUES, Yuri Yamamoto moves differently from most fiction characters.
He does not cut. He cuts DOWN.
He does not walk. He displaces.
His tactics, thoughts, even his everyday behaviour, is shaped by the gun and sword.
https://www.amazon.com/Babylon-Blues-Cyberpunk-Military-Collection-ebook/dp/B083WF252K
/15
He does not cut. He cuts DOWN.
He does not walk. He displaces.
His tactics, thoughts, even his everyday behaviour, is shaped by the gun and sword.
https://www.amazon.com/Babylon-Blues-Cyberpunk-Military-Collection-ebook/dp/B083WF252K
/15
By respecting the lethality of weapons, by having weapons influence the dynamics of combat, you can create action scenes more interesting than just Generic Hollywood Fight Scenes.
When every sword blow carries the power of life and death, everything changes. /16
When every sword blow carries the power of life and death, everything changes. /16
I'm not saying you shouldn't write a LitRPG.
I am saying that you need to consider the LIT side of the equation as much as the RPG.
If not more so.
You're writing a story, not designing a game.
Some design elements don't cleanly cross over. /17
I am saying that you need to consider the LIT side of the equation as much as the RPG.
If not more so.
You're writing a story, not designing a game.
Some design elements don't cleanly cross over. /17
In summary:
1. Ground your stats by giving readers a frame of reference in the form of feats.
2. Don't tell actions by throwing out damage numbers. Show the effects on target.
3. Characters should respect the lethality of weapons, and act accordingly. Or else.
/end
1. Ground your stats by giving readers a frame of reference in the form of feats.
2. Don't tell actions by throwing out damage numbers. Show the effects on target.
3. Characters should respect the lethality of weapons, and act accordingly. Or else.
/end
