Would you read another group's CoC game journal?

**delrio** · 9th February 2004, 03:14 PM

So, I see some people post the logs of their game sessions, and I'm curious as to whether anyone takes the trouble to read them. I have a pretty throroughly written-up journal of my current campaign, which I have been thinking of making public (either through my Yog-Sothoth journal, or by putting it on a public portion of my web server). I was wondering whether anyone would care enough to make it worth the effort. So, do you folks read these things, or not?

Would prefer 'honest' to 'polite' responses in this case.

Thanks,
Del Rio

**NestroEmichae** · 9th February 2004, 08:07 PM

To be honest? Write it like a short story and I will read it if I know about it. Write it like a summary and I will read it if I have time and are looking for ideas.

**TheKingInYellow** · 9th February 2004, 08:16 PM

Depends on the quality of the writer. Every roleplayer I know "thinks" he/she can write, but most of them can't cut it. If it was a good game though, I would imagine it would be a good read.

**delrio** · 9th February 2004, 08:43 PM

Originally Posted by NestroEmichae

To be honest? Write it like a short story and I will read it if I know about it. Write it like a summary and I will read it if I have time and are looking for ideas.

Well, I don't contribute to it at all (except for correcting the occasional factual or transcriptional errors). It's a "live record" kept by one of the players who happens to be a very fast typist. It's about midway between a narrative and a straight-up character record of events. I mean to go through it at some point and correct the typos and some of the random changes of point of view (it occasionally switches back and forth between 1st person and 3rd person narrative). Anyway, here's a brief excerpt, from an adventure I'm sure you'll all recognise:

The basement is littered with junk. There is an empty coal cellar in one corner whose coal chute, leading to the back yard, has been nailed shut. Two of the walls are brick and very solid, while 2 are cheap wooden panels, and sound hollow. The floor is earthen, and fairly uniform (no recent excavations, etc.)

John O'Neil and Michael O'Connor work to pry loose some of the boards from one of the wooden walls. They succeed in creating a gap, behind which is darkness and a terrible stench. They shine a flashlight throguh the newly created opening, scaring out hundred of rats, which swarm over John O'Neil. At this point, the loud banging sounds from upstairs are heard again.

While we are distracted by the various tumults assaulting us, a long filthy knife rises out of a pile of junk on the floor, spins to point at the doctor, and flies at his back. He falls, crying out, wounded severely. Elliott Moore rushes to his aid, and is himself stabbed by the animate knife. Josephine helps John get clear of the rats, while Colin retreats up the stairs. George draws out a cross he obtained upstairs and brandishes it fiercely.

Elliott tries to grab the knife embedded in his torso, and fails. The knife withdraws and flings itself at Michael O'Connor, who dodges it succesfully. The knife is left embedded in the wall. The remainder of the group are attempting an exodus; the healthier carrying the more wounded. In the confusion, O'Connor shoots the kife squarely in the pommel. Rather than damaging it, it is knocked free of the wall and lands on a step.

It rises up again and makes another attempt at O'Connor's life. He evades it again, and it flies off into the darkness of the cellar. The loud bangs and crashes are still being heard from upstairs. We all manage to retreat successfully up the stair, re-bolting the door behind us. As we emerge from the basement, the noises from upstairs subside.

We split up at this point, Elliott and the Doctor for treatment at the nearest hospital, the others to the club to work out in their minds the chaos of the previous few hours...

So, if anyone would be interested in seeing more of the adventures of this group, vote yes and I'll get the web page moved to somewhere accessible.

Del Rio

**NestroEmichae** · 9th February 2004, 08:47 PM

Definitely.

**TheKingInYellow** · 9th February 2004, 08:49 PM

It's a little too boxy. It's too much like trying to read a screenplay, which really isn't engrossing reading.

**LordWarrior** · 9th February 2004, 10:26 PM

Probably yes. If it isn't too long, and if it's interesting, i would read it.

**tonyfr** · 10th February 2004, 02:12 AM

I would think it would be very helpful if there as an index. I would like to see how people acted in a certain situaiton and then modify it to fit my situation.

TOny

**FunGuyfromYuggoth** · 10th February 2004, 05:06 AM

I think it would need to have the same criteria as any other post, which is to offer something interesting, amusing, or thought-provoking. This can be hard to do since the narrative of a game sometimes has lulls and the actions of players becomes anti-climactic and bizarre from a purely storytelling aspect. But what the heck, why not?

**Skleetnik** · 10th February 2004, 05:50 AM

I'd definetely like to. I think that it could help me to get new ideas for my game, and also see how are things done in your games.

**kaeru** · 10th February 2004, 07:33 AM

I especially like to read transcripts of scenarios that I've run / intend to run. So if it's up to me: post away!

**Wolfbelly** · 10th February 2004, 09:08 AM

If I have time, and I'm looking for ideas, I'll browse through other keeper's story notes. I plan on posting some stories of my own once I get my first d20 Cthulhu campaign off the ground. Hopefully it's good.

**delrio** · 10th February 2004, 11:48 AM

Originally Posted by FunGuyfromYuggoth

I think it would need to have the same criteria as any other post, which is to offer something interesting, amusing, or thought-provoking. This can be hard to do since the narrative of a game sometimes has lulls and the actions of players becomes anti-climactic and bizarre from a purely storytelling aspect. But what the heck, why not?

Well, this is more directed to Paul of Cthulhu than to you, but: I'm not planning on using up Yog-Sothoth resources for this!

I'm going to host it on my own server, and I'll post a link in the Anything Else forum when a new log entry goes up. There has already been enough interest that I feel that my efforts wouldn't be wasted in doing so. It will take some work to get it ready for public consumption - the journal averages 2000 words per 8-10 hour playing session, and this past weekend's playing session (our 8th) hasn't even been put up yet.

And yes, as you suggested, some of it involves less esoteric things that characters do during "down time". But although it was never intended to be read like a novel (being a player-kept campaign record) the player who keeps it records it in a "dramatic narrative voice", and I hope people get some use/enjoyment out of it.

Del Rio