18 May 2011

Evoking a Mood: The Question

I'd like to hear some tips on what you guys use to evoke certain moods and feelings in a campaign. As I've alluded to in the previous post, I have a hard time with it, and it affects my ability to sit down and codify a setting to use in the future, something I'd like to try my hand at fairly soon. Maybe it's just not something that's my style, but it's something I'd like to try all the same. It doesn't happen in my creative writing, but story writing and the more clinical setting writing aren't the same thing. The worst modules I can think of tried to tell a story instead of letting the story happen naturally by the excitement and interaction of their players. The worst video games are the same way, if you're curious as to my stance on the matter. (I'll take Minecraft or Dwarf Fortress' total lack of story over Metal Gear Solid 4 or any given japanese RPG's endless masturbatory dialogue and cut scenes any day.)

Anyways.

Recommendations of things that are easy to get ahold of are fine, as are free things. I love reading new things. Things that work for you are even better though, if you're feeling revealing enough. Criticism of anything I've written (if you can stand to read it) is absolutely golden.

1 comment:

  1. Weather is a good one for mood. Toss a couple of days of rain, slogging through mud, seeking shelter from the storm in caves - that's a definate mood maker. Becalmed at sea and having mermen take pop-shots at the party. Snow. Blizzards. Hail. Damage raining from the clouds. Fun mood there. :)

    - Ark

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