Comments on: Discipline is not Tyranny: In Praise of the Word Count http://flashofsteel.com/index.php/2008/04/14/discipline-is-not-tyranny-in-praise-of-the-word-count/ The Best Strategy Game Blog in My House Mon, 21 May 2012 20:36:05 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.2.1 By: Scott R. Krol http://flashofsteel.com/index.php/2008/04/14/discipline-is-not-tyranny-in-praise-of-the-word-count/comment-page-1/#comment-141359 Scott R. Krol Fri, 18 Apr 2008 00:24:35 +0000 http://flashofsteel.com/index.php/2008/04/14/discipline-is-not-tyranny-in-praise-of-the-word-count/#comment-141359 Yeah, although it only ends up being ten Internet pages. Only. :) Yeah, although it only ends up being ten Internet pages. Only. :)

]]> By: Troy http://flashofsteel.com/index.php/2008/04/14/discipline-is-not-tyranny-in-praise-of-the-word-count/comment-page-1/#comment-141305 Troy Thu, 17 Apr 2008 17:14:29 +0000 http://flashofsteel.com/index.php/2008/04/14/discipline-is-not-tyranny-in-praise-of-the-word-count/#comment-141305 I think Scott is <a href="http://www.wargamer.com/articles/napoleonscampaigns/" rel="nofollow">talking about this one</a>. I think Scott is talking about this one.

]]> By: Dave Long http://flashofsteel.com/index.php/2008/04/14/discipline-is-not-tyranny-in-praise-of-the-word-count/comment-page-1/#comment-141287 Dave Long Thu, 17 Apr 2008 14:58:23 +0000 http://flashofsteel.com/index.php/2008/04/14/discipline-is-not-tyranny-in-praise-of-the-word-count/#comment-141287 Twenty-five pages for a preview? Where? Link?! Twenty-five pages for a preview? Where? Link?!

]]> By: James Allen http://flashofsteel.com/index.php/2008/04/14/discipline-is-not-tyranny-in-praise-of-the-word-count/comment-page-1/#comment-141067 James Allen Tue, 15 Apr 2008 16:03:06 +0000 http://flashofsteel.com/index.php/2008/04/14/discipline-is-not-tyranny-in-praise-of-the-word-count/#comment-141067 I just keep writing. My reviews of puzzle and arcade games are generally short, and my reviews of strategy and simulation games are generally long. I generally go into a lot of detail because I assume people who are reading my reviews are interested in specifics in addition to what I think about the game. My EU: Rome review was 2,000 words, while my Heist! review was 1,000 words (still pretty long, I guess). My good/not so good stuff is at the top for people who want a short review. Or something like that. I'm also a big fan of semicolons; they are fun. I just keep writing. My reviews of puzzle and arcade games are generally short, and my reviews of strategy and simulation games are generally long. I generally go into a lot of detail because I assume people who are reading my reviews are interested in specifics in addition to what I think about the game. My EU: Rome review was 2,000 words, while my Heist! review was 1,000 words (still pretty long, I guess). My good/not so good stuff is at the top for people who want a short review. Or something like that. I’m also a big fan of semicolons; they are fun.

]]> By: Scott R. Krol http://flashofsteel.com/index.php/2008/04/14/discipline-is-not-tyranny-in-praise-of-the-word-count/comment-page-1/#comment-140995 Scott R. Krol Mon, 14 Apr 2008 23:30:18 +0000 http://flashofsteel.com/index.php/2008/04/14/discipline-is-not-tyranny-in-praise-of-the-word-count/#comment-140995 "Then there is the problem with the potential infinite canvas of being online." *cough* Bill Trotter. *cough* Seriously. A twenty-five page <i>preview</i>? “Then there is the problem with the potential infinite canvas of being online.”

*cough* Bill Trotter. *cough*

Seriously. A twenty-five page preview?

]]> By: Dave Long http://flashofsteel.com/index.php/2008/04/14/discipline-is-not-tyranny-in-praise-of-the-word-count/comment-page-1/#comment-140976 Dave Long Mon, 14 Apr 2008 20:57:54 +0000 http://flashofsteel.com/index.php/2008/04/14/discipline-is-not-tyranny-in-praise-of-the-word-count/#comment-140976 Man, I hate semicolons. Now I know the guy responsible for their proliferation throughout games writing! On topic, you're absolutely right with this post. At CGM, those 300 word reviews were some of my favorites to write because there was no bullshit. No pussyfooting around. You get to the point fast because the review is already over if you don't. It gets you to think about the most important aspects of a game and what makes it tick. When you get up to 1000 words or more, I think it's all just details. Details that people probably would enjoy more if they found them out on their own. What's nitpicky in the details to me might not be at all nitpicky to you. And calling those things out in a review tends to draw the reader's attention away from that basic germination point for the game's desirability or lack thereof. I'd be perfectly fine with all reviews falling in the 300-800 word range, but with the web it's often all about page counts and the potential amount of time you spend looking at ads. Luckily Crispy Gamer seems to be on the low side of the word counts, and I like that. Man, I hate semicolons. Now I know the guy responsible for their proliferation throughout games writing!

On topic, you’re absolutely right with this post. At CGM, those 300 word reviews were some of my favorites to write because there was no bullshit. No pussyfooting around. You get to the point fast because the review is already over if you don’t. It gets you to think about the most important aspects of a game and what makes it tick.

When you get up to 1000 words or more, I think it’s all just details. Details that people probably would enjoy more if they found them out on their own. What’s nitpicky in the details to me might not be at all nitpicky to you. And calling those things out in a review tends to draw the reader’s attention away from that basic germination point for the game’s desirability or lack thereof.

I’d be perfectly fine with all reviews falling in the 300-800 word range, but with the web it’s often all about page counts and the potential amount of time you spend looking at ads. Luckily Crispy Gamer seems to be on the low side of the word counts, and I like that.

]]>