Over the last 3 days I've posted this screenshot from the working book on my twitter and Tumblr:

And I felt like here would be a good place to go a little more in depth on what this is and why I made it.

Why Add Cliff Notes?

Some of you'll see this section and immediately understand what this provides, as a way to show avid TTRPG readers what this game takes inspiration from and how to play it. And though that is why I ended up adding it and I do think it's a valuable thing to have in the game, this page has been removed added and reworked dozens of times before this version I'm showing now, and I wanted to use this devlog to show why exactly it took so much deliberation to finally implement.

The Problem With Assumptions.

Although most of my games are read by people who already have an interest in TTRPGs as a genre, I find it uncomfortable to write as if we both "know what's going on", referencing mechanics or themes is other books to summarize things, and this is for two main reasons.

The first reason is the most obvious, yet the least actually concerning to me. Of course not everyone who reads my books with be familiar with the TTRPGs I'm familiar with, even if they consider them fans of the genre. Because of this I try to avoid direct comparison in my writing, even if that writing serves to differentiate the example from my piece, as for those who don't recognize it, it only serves to alienate them or force them to break their flow to google something.

The second reason is one I consider more paranoid, and that is an attempt to find the balance between jargon-filled technical writing and patronizing elitist rambling. Though I try not to, I often find myself judging other rule books incredibly early in my readings based on how I feel I'm being treated as the reader. I want to be given just enough detail to know that If I attempt to play or make a character that I can reliably turn to the book and get reliable answers, but I also don't want to see something that I would already assume is the case explained at length and given its own chapter. When this balance is found it's hard to notice, but when one is present I'm immediately put off, feeling a distinct lack of professionalism or a lack of respect for me the author.

And there lies my main problem with the cliff notes, it almost feels like the ultimate example of unprofessional "quote writing", and as one of the first pages of the book using it feels a little scary.

Why I Ended Up Using It.

In short, I'm an unprofessional author who makes niche games for big nerds.

In long, a cliff notes section is something I've never seen from a TTRPG, and as a totally new element to a lot of readers I hope that it will be seen as something new and interesting rather than a shortcut to create fake familiarity. And on top of that I've taken some precautions to make sure I curb some of the issues I've stated above, namely not referencing specific games and making sure each point stands on its own to those who haven't read many TTRPGs if any at all, as well as stating in the page's intro that it is meant for those already familiar with these games.

But yeah, hopefully I'll have lots to say about more things like this as I move towards release, and if you're interested in this game I hope you consider joining the Discord and testing it with me.