Roger Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
>
> so there might not be a lot
> of interest in the idea of converting CAS into
> gamer-friendly capsule descriptions. The beauty
> of CAS, to me, is the beauty of the language, the
> poetry in prose, not so much the creatures or
> locales on their own.
> > example) many of the Cthulhu gamers who came to
> the games first, and the Lovecraft only after (if
> at all), sort of miss the whole point, and that
> would taint my opinion of any future CAS-related
> gaming, too, fairly or not.
I'd considered answering this in another thread, but threads drift, and I'm hopeful that pitchblack will enjoy much of CAS's literature and come to learn that professional authors do, indeed, capitalize "I" and end every single sentence with some appropriate form of punctuation.
I think I may be somewhat put off by the reference to "Cthulhu gamer". I had read hundreds of sci-fi and at least a few fantasy novels before I ever gamed - the idea that most people only know LotR through the movies is one I constantly have to remind myself of.
Yes, I agree that the allure of CAS's stories are largely in the prose, and I have made attempts to capture some of the essence of that prose where possible. However, take the critical essay link provided by Cathexis: [
www.eldritchdark.com]
Here is an article on Smith's work that contains no artistic prose of its own. However, it's still of interest to the Smith fan - for example, even the analysis of the dates given across the Averoigne cycle can be of use in appreciating the scope of the work. I found it informative and entertaining.
Yes, a teenager who comes to play a Cthulhu game, often having read none of the stories, is going to receive a pale impression of the richness of the HPL universe. That's fine for a gamer with a very casual interest in the source, but is a lousy way to experience said universe. I admit that I was not a CAS fan before my project started (although I had read much of HPL's work and also REH's as well), but even in "game capsule format" I think there is a scholarly bent to my effort that goes beyond just trying to convert a neat book into a game.
I just want people to understand that I'm a middle-aged professional person with decent writing skills, and I have put dozens of hours into a project I take quite seriously - of giving people an opportunity to enjoy CAS's work further without having to duplicate all of my effort.
Some gaming material has no merit on its own, but much of it can be an entertaining read even for those who never intend to game with it. I will be very disappointed if an in-depth analysis of the Averoigne cycle has no more appeal than much of the glut of current gaming-only products.
To be blunt, I wouldn't have to do this if the original author of Castle Amber had done any sort of decent job. I have to wonder just how much of a fan Moldvay was - the more I deal with his cursory treatment of the original material, the more I think he would have been better suited writing shows for the Hallmark channel or adopting classic fiction for Hollywood.