Greetings, folks.
One of the areas where I would like to improve my GMing skills is in knowing the names of different types of architetcutre.
Rather than, for example, calling something "the roundish cabinet with side compartments" or "the doobley-doo in the basement," I'd like to know the name of said piece of architecture or furniture, regardless of whether it is found in a real-world culture or not.
Does anyone know of some highly-useful website that gives GMs the skinny on upping their architecture and furniture game?
No, but now I'm interested too.
I'm assuming you are wanting present day nomenclature?
Practically-speaking, if you don't know the "proper" names for things, what makes you think your players will? You might describe a room with a credenza in it, but if the players say "a what?" then you're back to using laymen's terms.
But to answer your question, if you want to know about different types of furniture, Wikipedia (https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_furniture_types) has a fairly comprehensive list. It was literally the first hit when I searched "types of furniture."
I've used Wikipedia for architectural terms (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Glossary_of_architecture)
The risk here is that the players may not be well versed on lintels, dormers, left-hand swing casements, and the like. Sort of like the aforementioned credenza. You don't want to take the players out of the moment to explain "ornamental jade lintels" are bars of fancy green stone set in elongated rectangles over the tops of square windows. I also don't want my players to feel dumb.
To get the right language and descriptive info I tend prep for a game by reading authors who epitomize that style. For example when I'm prepping for DCC Lanhkmar I'll read Leiber and Howard. I will try to describe things the way the authors did and focus on the areas from the fiction. I don't recall Leiber being very fancy with the furniture descriptions in the Silver Eel; he's much more descriptive with actions and people.
For fantasy most of my players are fans of that renegade Drizzt Do'Urden. When I'm prepping or playing in those games I'll toss Salvatore or Smedman on Audible for the commute home. Then I'll have examples of setting descriptions when I get to the table.
Right now I'm running a 7th Sea game so my daily commute is Sabatini, J.S. Lefanu and Jules Verne. I know Verne is a little too modern for Theah. I find that John Wick's style matches Verne's. Plus adding period language (a few "doutbless" vs "yes" and "countenance" vs "face") gives the NPCs a more immersive feel.
The nice thing about the older authors (Verne, Dickens, Sabatini, etc) is that they are free to download in "print" at gutenberg.org or as audiobooks at librivox.org
Quote from: Effete on March 15, 2023, 06:52:35 AM
You might describe a room with a credenza in it, but if the players say "a what?" then you're back to using laymen's terms.
And if the player's
don't say "what?", you might wind up inventing a new monster to go with the dreaded Gazebo!
Quote from: Effete on March 15, 2023, 06:52:35 AM
Practically-speaking, if you don't know the "proper" names for things, what makes you think your players will? You might describe a room with a credenza in it, but if the players say "a what?" then you're back to using laymen's terms.
The way around that issue is to introduce it in bits, slowly. So slow that it is rarely even one thing per session, because you need time to revisit it and let it sink in. Make a list, prioritize the stuff on it, and then gradually work the top few things into the game. Nothing wrong with expanding the vocabulary of the participants a little, as long as it is kept under control.
I've got a weapon list with a several things on it that my players didn't know before they started playing games in my settings. Only 3 things on that list are new over the last 2 years of play, though more than that would probably be strange to a brand new player joining. Point being, now they do know.
I've had new players who didn't know what a battle axe was until they played either, same as they didn't recognize portcullis or furniture like a hutch . I've had players that didn't know what a hutch was when they had one in their house, that we were playing the session in, though admittedly those were teens. :D
Quote from: Zalman on March 15, 2023, 11:40:41 AM
Quote from: Effete on March 15, 2023, 06:52:35 AM
You might describe a room with a credenza in it, but if the players say "a what?" then you're back to using laymen's terms.
And if the player's don't say "what?", you might wind up inventing a new monster to go with the dreaded Gazebo!
Yeah. That's why, don't use it if you can't describe it. Doesn't mean you must rescue them from their own Gazebo trials,but if they ask pertinent questions, you ought to be able to answer them. ;D
I had to learn what a lintel is for teaching Patents law, especially Catnic Components Ltd v Hill & Smith Ltd https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Catnic_Components_Ltd_v_Hill_%26_Smith_Ltd - can't say I've ever needed this info while GMing. :D
For architecture, I'd recommend reading Lovecraft. Not just for the vocabulary -- he has a remarkable sense for which architectural features make an environment feel creepy as hell.
Quote from: Steven Mitchell on March 15, 2023, 11:47:56 AM
Quote from: Effete on March 15, 2023, 06:52:35 AM
Practically-speaking, if you don't know the "proper" names for things, what makes you think your players will? You might describe a room with a credenza in it, but if the players say "a what?" then you're back to using laymen's terms.
The way around that issue is to introduce it in bits, slowly. So slow that it is rarely even one thing per session, because you need time to revisit it and let it sink in. Make a list, prioritize the stuff on it, and then gradually work the top few things into the game. Nothing wrong with expanding the vocabulary of the participants a little, as long as it is kept under control.
This is a good point. I think providing a good degree of detail along with the new term would also help to avoid confusion or wasted time. For example, instead of just name-dropping a piece of furniture, etc., say something like:
"A credenza spans most of the length of the east wall, its surface covered with a silver tea service and delicate ceramic cups. The laquered wood of its cabinet doors reflect the candlelight spilling from the room's central chandelier, which dangles above a long dining table." If the east wall is 10 feet long, that would give a general length for the piece of furniture. The players also know it's made of wood and has cabinet doors. The tea service and cups on top would indicate it stands at "working height."
This approach can also dispel confusion when it comes to "overlapping" terms. When players hear "chest," they typically think of a treasure chest (or hope chest). In modern nomenclature, a chest is tall dresser with deep drawers. Simply saying there's a chest in the room doesn't really provide enough details as to what you actually mean. So taking a little extra time to embellish on descriptions can save time later.
Thank you for your insight, folks.
It'd probably help to find pictures of parts of architecture that I don't know the names for and throw it into Google Images to see what info I get.
As for what I'm specifically looking for, by and large, stuff I'd find in fantasy settings, followed by modern day and sci-fi.
Quote from: Effete on March 15, 2023, 06:52:35 AM
Practically-speaking, if you don't know the "proper" names for things, what makes you think your players will?
This is fine though. You can simply tell them what it is, and then the next time it comes up, give XP to whomever remembers the new vocabulary word! Learning can be fun!
My advice to you is that you *absolutely* should learn and then use the proper names for architecture and furniture.
1) One of the great joys of the tabletop RPG hobby is that it encourages you to continuously learn new things. Intelligent people welcome the opportunity to learn new words and new things, and your average tabletop gamer is an intelligent person or they'd have a different hobby. The most polymathic and well-rounded people I know are all hardcore tabletop gamers, because by learning about fictional worlds, they've learned about the real one.
2) Using the real words for things adds weight and gravitas to your DMing. The fact that you have taken the time to look up the correct terms and use them means that you care enough about the verisimilitude of your game world to spend that extra time. That sends a signal to your players that you are serious about your craft, and they should be serious about your campaign.
FWIW, I have put my money where my mouth is on this, and it has paid off. My adventure "Secrets of the Nethercity" had a lot of very complex architecture and to explain it I had to use a lot of archeological terminology. Far from causing confusion or upset, I've instead heard from both players and Judges that the descriptions make for a deep and immersive dungeon-delve. It is my best-selling ACKS adventure.
TLDR: Don't under-estimate your players and don't sell your world short. Do the work, use the words.
@amacris
It was because of your book, Arbiter of Worlds, that I took the issue of wanting to learn more about the architecture and furniture that I'd want to describe in my game sessions.
At this point, I'm putting together a Player's Reference Guide and then a Gazetteer for Final Fantasy XIV, specifically one year after the events that proceeded the end of the original game and four years before the events that started in A Realm Reborn. I purchased the first volume of the game's lore book, Encyclopedia Eorzea, and am expecting the second volume to arrive by Friday.
The architecture and furniture is quite diverse and, as I type this, it just occurred to me that one of the major activities in the game is player housing, which means that there is a buttload of furniture for me to learn! I love these moments of emergent problem-solving. :D
Thanks again, folks. Time to get smarter.
Quote from: Venka on March 15, 2023, 11:58:00 PM
Quote from: Effete on March 15, 2023, 06:52:35 AM
Practically-speaking, if you don't know the "proper" names for things, what makes you think your players will?
This is fine though. You can simply tell them what it is, and then the next time it comes up, give XP to whomever remembers the new vocabulary word! Learning can be fun!
No. That's making learning vocabulary part of game play, instead of a minor, tertiary side effect. It's a bad move for several reasons that really aren't on topic, though.
Quote from: Steven Mitchell on March 16, 2023, 08:25:13 AM
No. That's making learning vocabulary part of game play, instead of a minor, tertiary side effect. It's a bad move for several reasons that really aren't on topic, though.
If you aren't willing to troll your players on not knowing period-accurate terms for polearms, utensils, and yes, furniture, how will you ever work your way up to mutating them into the piles of ash and slime that all player characters secretly deserve to be?
Invoke your inner tyrant at least a bit here!
Quote from: Venka on March 16, 2023, 11:49:09 AM
Quote from: Steven Mitchell on March 16, 2023, 08:25:13 AM
No. That's making learning vocabulary part of game play, instead of a minor, tertiary side effect. It's a bad move for several reasons that really aren't on topic, though.
If you aren't willing to troll your players on not knowing period-accurate terms for polearms, utensils, and yes, furniture, how will you ever work your way up to mutating them into the piles of ash and slime that all player characters secretly deserve to be?
Invoke your inner tyrant at least a bit here!
For game play, central to the characters, absolutely! For side issues, not so much. I like to keep my powder dry for the right moments. :D
QuoteAcanthus
Acanthus is a carved ornament featuring leaves (modelled on the acanthus plant). They are typically found at the top of Corinthian columns and were popular additions to mahogany furniture from the Georgian, Victorian and Edwardian periods.
Always wondered what those were.
QuoteArmoire
An armoire is a style of wardrobe. This type of wardrobe typically comes from France.
This one I at least knew.
QuoteBombe
Bombe means "curving outward", "bulging" or "bombe-shaped". It is a French term used to describe pieces that feature an outward swelling curve at the front. This creates an attractive look and the style is often used for bureaus and commodes.
Another one wondered about.
QuoteCabriole Leg
A Cabriole leg is stylised after the hind legs of animals and is recognisable by its double curve. This style of leg looks like an elongated letter S, creating an elegant finish. Typically, the feet used on cabriole legs are ball, claw, hoof, bun or scroll styles.
Knew the term, did not know it was for the legs.
There are quite a few websites and books on the matter. The library is the best guide for this in my experience. Not only do they have lots of books and ebooks, they also have magazines and emagazines, along with social digests and other online reference sources in their Electronic A-to-Z subscriptions (meaning your taxes already pay for it, might as well use it). So besides your Consumer Reports and Chilton guides, go ahead and explore what your nearby libraries have for you! :)
What I do is decide on a "theme," like Arabian Nights. Then I spend some time googling images, and save what I'd like to use. Then I assemble them and present to players to help set the environment in their minds. You can make all sorts of little docs or handouts if you like, IE Guide to the City, or Gazetteer of Our Homeland, or Typical Homes by Social Class. Distribute as relevant.
For furniture, make an adventure where they have to retrieve the Earl's beloved X which was being shipped overland and was taken by bandits. The thing is fragile and heavy. Then include a picture from wikipedia. They'll never forget that piece of furniture ever again.
Later have the same Earl pay the group to steal a different type of furniture. Same deal. They'll remember. After that if you ever mention the two types the players will know.
Speaking of furniture - whenever anyone rolls an even number in combat I roll on my trusty dungeon dressing list and try to incorporate the resulting furniture into the description if possible. So orcs are jumping on benches then swinging their falchion, and Goblins are tripping over rugs or whatever to try to bring the battle to life a bit. None of my dungeon dressings have unknown furniture though. Armoire would probably be the most obscure.