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Preferred Rules Wording

Started by Zalman, February 01, 2024, 09:30:41 AM

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Zalman

February 01, 2024, 09:30:41 AM
Any of these strike anyone as more or less readable? Preferable to you for any other reason?
Old School? Back in my day we just called it "School."

Cathode Ray

#1
February 01, 2024, 09:36:05 AM
I like 3x because it is more like universal mathematic notation.
But "three times your weight" would be more formal, and thus, better.
So my heart (and vote) is with 3x, but my mind is with "three times".
Resident 1980s buff msg me to talk 80s

rytrasmi

#2
February 01, 2024, 09:51:53 AM Last Edit: February 01, 2024, 09:53:25 AM by rytrasmi
Anything with the digit is best IMO. The 3 jumps out when I skim.

Edit: Also, if you use the x, the proper mathematical notation jumps out even more: 3×
The worms crawl in and the worms crawl out
The ones that crawl in are lean and thin
The ones that crawl out are fat and stout
Your eyes fall in and your teeth fall out
Your brains come tumbling down your snout
Be merry my friends
Be merry

Chris24601

#3
February 01, 2024, 09:57:56 AM
None of the above. I would express it as follows...

"You can lift up to your Strength score x 3 [unit of weight here]."

yosemitemike

#4
February 01, 2024, 11:50:12 AM
There does need to be some sort of unit of weight in there.
"I am certain, however, that nothing has done so much to destroy the juridical safeguards of individual freedom as the striving after this mirage of social justice."― Friedrich Hayek
Another former RPGnet member permanently banned for calling out the staff there on their abdication of their responsibilities as moderators and admins and their abject surrender to the whims of the shrillest and most self-righteous members of the community.

Cathode Ray

#5
February 01, 2024, 12:12:23 PM
Quote from: yosemitemike on February 01, 2024, 11:50:12 AM
There does need to be some sort of unit of weight in there.

My assumption is that strength score would give a clue, or every item has a weight class value that would add towards the weight limit. Whatever it is, i assumed the context will explain but wen didn't need that info right now, since his question is about wording.
Resident 1980s buff msg me to talk 80s

yosemitemike

#6
February 01, 2024, 12:41:26 PM
Whether to include a unit of measure in the sentence is also about wording.
"I am certain, however, that nothing has done so much to destroy the juridical safeguards of individual freedom as the striving after this mirage of social justice."― Friedrich Hayek
Another former RPGnet member permanently banned for calling out the staff there on their abdication of their responsibilities as moderators and admins and their abject surrender to the whims of the shrillest and most self-righteous members of the community.

Svenhelgrim

#7
February 01, 2024, 12:48:34 PM
Max Lift =Str (3) [units of weight]

Ruprecht

#8
February 01, 2024, 01:28:07 PM
I have issues with the common use of the term You in RPG writing these days. To me You means the reader, not the character. Also if it did apply to the character it also should apply to NPC so you is imprecise. The usage does avoid some odd sentences at times so I'm not super-strong in my opinion but it does come off as odd to me.
Civilized men are more discourteous than savages because they know they can be impolite without having their skulls split, as a general thing. ~Robert E. Howard

Cathode Ray

#9
February 01, 2024, 02:00:06 PM
Quote from: Ruprecht on February 01, 2024, 01:28:07 PM
I have issues with the common use of the term You in RPG writing these days. To me You means the reader, not the character. Also if it did apply to the character it also should apply to NPC so you is imprecise. The usage does avoid some odd sentences at times so I'm not super-strong in my opinion but it does come off as odd to me.

I can see YOU to mean the character when it's a programmed adventure.
Resident 1980s buff msg me to talk 80s

Zalman

#10
February 01, 2024, 02:18:08 PM
Quote from: Ruprecht on February 01, 2024, 01:28:07 PM
I have issues with the common use of the term You in RPG writing these days. To me You means the reader, not the character. Also if it did apply to the character it also should apply to NPC so you is imprecise. The usage does avoid some odd sentences at times so I'm not super-strong in my opinion but it does come off as odd to me.

I find that using the 2nd person makes it much easier to present clear and concise rules. The decision to speak to the reader as if they were both player and character is intentional, and designed to create immersion. The key here is that the entire book is written with that in mind, to prevent confusion -- the rule above is specifically player-facing, while the Judge's material is 3rd person. The players don't need to care that these rules apply to anyone else besides themselves.

So far, my readers love it, but yeah, it's not to everyone's taste for sure.
Old School? Back in my day we just called it "School."

Zalman

#11
February 01, 2024, 02:22:19 PM
Quote from: yosemitemike on February 01, 2024, 11:50:12 AM
There does need to be some sort of unit of weight in there.

I can understand this perception, given the lack of context -- and the example is lazily inexact, mea culpa. The real example is "You can lift up to 3x your Load Limit", where "Load Limit" already implies a unit ("Load" is the unit).
Old School? Back in my day we just called it "School."

Zalman

#12
February 01, 2024, 02:24:04 PM
Quote from: Cathode Ray on February 01, 2024, 09:36:05 AM
I like 3x because it is more like universal mathematic notation.
But "three times your weight" would be more formal, and thus, better.
So my heart (and vote) is with 3x, but my mind is with "three times".

Man, tough choice .. cue Hemispheres!
Old School? Back in my day we just called it "School."

Zalman

#13
February 01, 2024, 02:28:07 PM
Quote from: rytrasmi on February 01, 2024, 09:51:53 AM
Anything with the digit is best IMO. The 3 jumps out when I skim.

Edit: Also, if you use the x, the proper mathematical notation jumps out even more: 3×

Thank you!
Old School? Back in my day we just called it "School."

Grognard GM

#14
February 01, 2024, 06:27:21 PM
u cn lyft 3 tms yr strngf n £
I'm a middle aged guy with a lot of free time, looking for similar, to form a group for regular gaming. You should be chill, non-woke, and have time on your hands.

See below:

https://www.therpgsite.com/news-and-adverts/looking-to-form-a-group-of-people-with-lots-of-spare-time-for-regular-games/
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