is too much Armageddon a bad influence on writers?

[Manhattan]

I was reading some of my work from when I used to heavily Arm (about 6-7 hrs a day), and they all felt so...congested. I described settings as if I were writing a room description, and a lot of the narration involved long, florid lines of prose (like a fancy emote!)

Two questions, then. Is purple prose bad? Does Armageddon negatively influence writers? (not that it doesn't positively influence writers, because it certainly does!)

[Fathi]

Since my Armageddon writing doesn't tend to be very purple, I can't say it's influenced mine at all.

However, I have found that mudding has caused me to break up my sentences more--which is a good thing, I believe.

[Forest Junkie]

Since my Armageddon writing doesn't tend to be very purple, I can't say it's influenced mine at all.

However, I have found that mudding has caused me to break up my sentences more--which is a good thing, I believe.

This.

[brytta.leofa]

Easing up from his stool, Mikelson stood up from a boxy wooden bar, and sauntered towards the eastern exit.  The yellow sun rose over the Gateway Arch.

[NoteworthyFellow]

Since my Armageddon writing doesn't tend to be very purple, I can't say it's influenced mine at all.

However, I have found that mudding has caused me to break up my sentences more--which is a good thing, I believe.

This.

Yep, me too.

However, the moment I insert anything resembling an sdesc into any of my fiction is the moment I quit Arm forever.

[Azurrection]

Too much Armageddon is a bad influence on writers because when you usually start playing too much Armageddon, your other hobbies tend to disappear, including writing.

[NoteworthyFellow]

Too much Armageddon is a bad influence on writers because when you usually start playing too much Armageddon, your other hobbies tend to disappear, including writing.

...yeah, this too.

[BlackMagic0]

Too much Armageddon is a bad influence on writers because when you usually start playing too much Armageddon, your other hobbies tend to disappear, including writing.

...yeah, this too.

Is it really a "bad" thing though? Come now.. think real hard about it...

[Rairen]

It makes me lazy about description (and I was to start with.)  aka:  You want to know what the hero looks like?  l hero, people.  Sheesh.  Quit interrupting the flow.   

[Tisiphone]

Too much Armageddon is a bad influence on writers because when you usually start playing too much Armageddon, your other hobbies tend to disappear, including writing.

...yeah, this too.

Is it really a "bad" thing though? Come now.. think real hard about it...

Yes.

[Barzalene]

Too much Armageddon is a bad influence on writers because when you usually start playing too much Armageddon, your other hobbies tend to disappear, including writing.

This has been my problem.

[Taven]

Too much Armageddon is a bad influence on writers because when you usually start playing too much Armageddon, your other hobbies tend to disappear, including writing.

This has been my problem.

I agree.

[FantasyWriter]

I believe Armageddon has helped me A LOT with my writing, save the fact that I loose a lot of writing time to it.

[Belenos]

Too much Armageddon is a bad influence on writers because when you usually start playing too much Armageddon, your other hobbies tend to disappear, including writing.

Armageddon is writing. At least it is if you approach it that way.  I would love to see the literary adept introduce more writing into their play. It makes it that much more fun for us dolts to read.

[RogueGunslinger]

It takes me a bit to get my tenses right after playing Arm. I hope that's not an issue with 2.arm. Specially when I like writing from multiple.

[Dalmeth]

Armageddon is writing. At least it is if you approach it that way.  I would love to see the literary adept introduce more writing into their play. It makes it that much more fun for us dolts to read.

It depends largely on how you play and your personality.  If you can pull off creative scenes at the drop of a hat, then yeah.   However, if you're slow-paced and constantly have demands on your time, it could bring about bad habits in an attempt to keep things moving.

[Rahnevyn]

Expanding on what Belenos said, I've seen some players include short stories as part of their characters' biography entries. This is really cool and I wish I saw more of them.

In fact, I wish I saw more biography entries period.

[Is Friday]

Personally, I've found Armageddon advance my writing a fair degree. With my use of the think command, motivate my characters with IC desire, and with the creation of backgrounds in varied cultures... I am now very able to draw up and portray characters of a much richer hue than I was previous.

[nyrk]

I started playing Arm again after a long long absence,  because I thought it would help me develop a evil character for a story I've been kicking around.  Evil, but not stupid and very goal driven, and lets nothing stand in his way.  But entirely selfish

Turns out that I'm not too good at playing bad characters,  I just don't have the mean bones needed to backstab someone in the desert and take his boots.  Despite one of my bosses giving me ample opportunity.

[FantasyWriter]

Turns out that I'm not too good at playing bad characters,  I just don't have the mean bones needed to backstab someone in the desert and take his boots. 

Hmmm... glad I'm not the only one.

[Ourla]

I started playing Arm again after a long long absence,  because I thought it would help me develop a evil character for a story I've been kicking around.  Evil, but not stupid and very goal driven, and lets nothing stand in his way.  But entirely selfish

Turns out that I'm not too good at playing bad characters,  I just don't have the mean bones needed to backstab someone in the desert and take his boots.  Despite one of my bosses giving me ample opportunity.

I have a feeling you might find The 48 Laws of Power very, very handy.  I wish I could remember who originally posted that link... it's my Evil Bible.  Good luck, dood.

[nyrk]

Thanks for the link

A less serious one that I use is this.

http://www.eviloverlord.com/lists/overlord.html

But it helps to keep you from writing tired cliches

[FantasyWriter]

I have a feeling you might find The 48 Laws of Power very, very handy.  I wish I could remember who originally posted that link... it's my Evil Bible.  Good luck, dood.

WOW!  Nice find, Ourla!

[NoteworthyFellow]

Personally, I've found Armageddon advance my writing a fair degree. With my use of the think command, motivate my characters with IC desire, and with the creation of backgrounds in varied cultures... I am now very able to draw up and portray characters of a much richer hue than I was previous.

Armageddon has been really helpful for my skills of monologue and soliloquy.  All of my characters tend to have running internal monologues in "think," as my current clan staff can tell you when I accidentally used "talk" with what I had intended to "think" for like five whole "thinks" worth of intended internal monologue...

[Zoltan]

Man, I'm -always- afraid of typing "talk" instead of "think". On topic though, I think playing Arm has helped me think about and flesh-out character motivations better.

[RogueGunslinger]

I put way too much thought into my characters for them to dies at less than a day or two played. I always have grand ass plans, and sometimes they burn bright.

[HaiWolfe]

Expanding on what Belenos said, I've seen some players include short stories as part of their characters' biography entries. This is really cool and I wish I saw more of them.

This - is an awesome idea. I think I'll give it a try on my current PC.

On the topic of Arm and writing, I've found the reverse effect to be true: after a year-long break from the game, during which I had a lot of time to read and write a whole bunch of other things, I came back and found my roleplaying much improved. Dialogue and descriptive emotes come a LOT easier now, and the level of immersion is better than ever.

[Manhattan]

HaiWolfe is correct. This should definitely be the case.

I think Armageddon players need to take long breaks every now and then. Good writers read and expose themselves to everything, not solely the genre they're writing in. This opens them up to the different shades and aspects beyond what they already know. It gives them a more in depth view of the world. Playing the game like a fiend without break is severely limiting and is like cooping yourself up in a cage...infections and simmering rot waiting to happen.