The Forge Archives

I'm calling the setting Czegara....The body of the slain god actually lies across the landscape. That is, it's not physically present, but metaphysically, outlined in real space in the shape of a vast twisted corpse, whole areas of the lands have been corrupted. Monsters emanate from these areas, or, metaphysically speaking from the god's rotting parts.

Yikes! How did you know I've always wanted to be a dead god? I actually never realized it consciously myself until just now. Do I get to return from the dead in three days?

Paul

Do the monsters get a "Master"?  What about Love? or Weariness?

:)

Chris

Hmmm.  "My Life With the God's Rotting Parts."  I like it, even if it does make me want to take a shower.

Best,

Blake

Funny, funny. Thread's closed now.

Best,
Ron

Hey...not so quick...

Can we talk about the name? Why Black Fire, specifically?

The obvious name for me seems to be Black Pool. And I can guess why you didn't go with that, but it would be a guess. I wouldn't mind hearing it from you. My second choice would be Swords & Skulls. Would you have gone with that name if not for Eric's game in ROCG #3? Why not something like Czegara? Or The Dead God's Loins?

I guess I'm just really interested in the naming process because names are so important to me personally. Did you name Trollbabe before you wrote the game? I've named every single one of my games before having all but the sketchiest notions about mechanics. And when I was trying design a rule fix for My Life with Master, I actually named each of the potential solutions as I formulated and considered them. First there was "Despair," then "Pain," then "Pain and Outrage," then "The Horror Revealed."

Did you in fact have a name in your head as you were writing Black Fire, a name that colored your design work, or is my "name first" process just totally alien to you?

Paul

Hi Paul,

Not Black Pool? Because there would almost certainly have had to be a black body of water in the setting and I didn't like the idea. Furthermore, I wanted no confusions whatsoever between this game and the actual game The Pool. It's not a Pool variant (despite certain inspirations).

Not Swords & Skulls? Too damn literal. That's like calling Dust Devils "Hand of Cards," or My Life with Master "Bunch of 4d6."

Not Czegara? H'm, maybe. That's not bad ... except that name-based titles seem more suitable to me for High Concept Sim. I was looking for a name that would work for a kick-ass awesome graphic video game.

... The Dead God's Loins? Only you, Paul. Also, anything that I came up with that referencing the dead god's body was too reminiscent of Charnel Gods.

You forgot to ask about Black Blood, which was obviously my first choice for a name, up to the point of being cited in the essay as an uncorrected last-minute change. I decided it had racist overtones and implications which had nothing to do with the game. "Fire" seemed like a decent dynamic substitute, although it was definitely off the cuff. Originally, I was considering "Black Iron and Blood," but that seemed wordy for this game.

I usually name a game within ten seconds of the initial concept: Sorcerer, Gray Magick, Fantasy for Real, The Human Machine, Elfs, Trollbabe, and Mongrel, which unless I'm missing something are all my games to date. This one is the first for which I had to grope a little.

Best,
Ron

Rust and Blood?

Mike

Straps and Tatters...

Actually, Ralph, I did consider "Straps and Tatters," but you and Mike were so deer-in-the-headlights about the visuals that I put it aside.

What sort of lame-oid doesn't grasp that wearing straps and tatters is cool? Especially when you fight monsters with big swords. I sure wish I could draw!

Best,
Ron

Not the visuals...just the restriction.
I may not want straps and tatters, I may want chains and skulls, or spikes and tattoos, or plates and totems...

Choose 1 from column A for swords and 1 from column B for skulls (of which straps, and tatters are on the respective lists) and I'm totally there.

Just another anecdotal data point of dubious value:

The day after I first read the game text, I was thinking about the game, and in my mind I was using "Straps and Tatters" as the title because I couldn't remember the correct title clearly. (That was most likely due to the title having changed, and my forgetting which were the old and new versions. But still, it shows S&T is a compelling possible title. Especially, as a gamist game, with that abbreviation.)

- Walt

Hi,

I'm with Ralph, in my head, I've already determined to Drift that no matter what.  Whether we're talking Strider/Shinobi scarves, leather-leather-leather ala the Matrix, or super spiky hair from Dragonball, we're effectively talking "I'm a cool badass" style dressing.  Which is completely cool by me.  I just find that straps and tattering is but one of the many staples of the stereotypical anti-hero.

Chris

My call? Add all the demon 'eads & skuwws & leather you want. Just keep the straps and tatters too.

Best,
Ron

Hmmm. Given the intentional camp...

Trappings of Doom



Mike

How about, "Sweet Sweetback's Baad Asssss Game"?

Dudes, it's Black Fire. Deal. Seriously.