Learning about Poetry (part 5): Muse #3 Reading (Metaphor & Simile)

Hope is the thing with feathers

That perches in the soul,

And sings the tune without the words,

And never stops at all,

And sweetest in the gale is heard;

And sore must be the storm

That could abash the little bird

That kept so many warm.

I've heard it in the chillest land,

And on the strangest sea;

Yet, never, in extremity,

It asked a crumb of me.

By Emily Dickenson compiled around 1861.

The poetry lines and content below is created by Ken Wickham, based on the poem above.

©2020 by Ken Wickham based on Emily Dickenson's "Hope is a thing with feathers"

All rights reserved.

Metaphors and similes compare one thing to another.

A simple exercise, I'll practice using the Emily Dickenson poem again, except the first line which does not rhyme.

A metaphor is something that refers to one thing by writing or saying another thing figuratively rather than literally.

Hope is soaring flight.

A simile is something that compares to something else using the words like or as.

Hope is like rolling dice.
Hope is as flying birds.

Now, to try fitting the sentence with a different topic. I like the first simile line better than the 2nd. Let me see what other word besides hope that I can use. Maybe change.

Change is like rolling dice.

Working with Scene Action Generator and Verb Fuel

Scene Action Generator

Verb Fuel

After the introductory comparison posted in November 15th of 2019 post, it's time to get into the tool and fuel.

This post began back in November of 2019 but the release was postponed until the main Grammar Fuel series is complete. It continues the comparison of Scene Action Generator to Verb Fuel.

Scene Action Generator
Roll 2xd12 = 7, 2 = visit (setting action type)

This is a setting action type because of two main interpretations of the word visit. One interpretation is that the character will visit someone, something, or someplace–a new setting. A second interpretation is that someone or something will visit the character's current setting. Pick the strongest or first interpretation that comes to mind. I would pick the first because it helps to make the character more active and forward-looking. Also, I know that there is the word arrive on the table for arrival type scenes.

Who, what, or where is the character visiting in the scene? And for what reason? 

Those details can depend on the overall story so far created in the beginning and revealing itself up until the current scene. Something in the story propels the character towards a new setting or location to visit.

Verb Fuel
Roll d100 (aka 3xd10) = 1, 9, 4 = 194 = cough

Cough literally means to suddenly and explosively expel noise from the lungs, which makes a coughing sound.
To cough up figuratively means to hand something over or to confess something.

So, what does cough mean in this scene?

In Verb Fuel, three main uses for these verbs are mentioned (also that the verb list might be usable for other ways not found in the book).
1. The verb states what is happening in the scene.
Literally: Within the scene, someone may begin to cough.
Figuratively: Within the scene, someone may begin to hand something over. Or someone may begin to confess to something.
2. The verb is the main action word of the conflict of the scene.

Literally: Within the scene, someone may begin to cause the character to cough. Maybe the coughing is caused by is a gas, fumes, or smoke. Or maybe the character begins to feel sick.

Figuratively: Within the scene, someone may have a task to get someone to hand something over. Or maybe the character must try to get someone to begin to confess to something.

3. The verb may be used in dialogue to speak about someone or something. 
Literally: within a scene someone may *cough cough*, or hack hack for any reason, biologically meaning that something in the throat or lungs is causing the cough such as a cold, sickness, smoke, irritant, allergy, or something like physical or physiological reason.
Body Language: Coughing may indicate the character needs to say something that a person is holding back.

Comparing Scene Action Generator and Verb Fuel

Scene Action Generator

Verb Fuel

This post will introduce and compare the Scene Action Generator tool and Verb Fuel resource. In the next post I'd like to play around with both the tool and the resource just for fun.

I use the word generator and tool for the Scene Action Generator because, to me, the categorization and groupings brings additional use and function that the alphabetized resource does not. The alphabetized resource is a fuel in the sense that is a just an uncategorized pool of words ready to add further meaning.

Pages

• Scene Action Generator is 2 pages, without any graphical cover, title page, nor table of contents.
• Verb Fuel is 12 pages with a cover, title page, and table of contents.

So, Verb Fuel leaving out the cover to table of contents, content wise, is 8 pages or four times more pages than the two pages of Scene Action Generator.

Content found in the table 

• Scene Action Generator has 6 broad categorized action types and in total has 144 rolled results–some of which have more than one keywords to pick from. An attempt was made to group somewhat similar words, especially for less drama-action–especially if they mean somewhat similar dynamics to scene action flow. Counting up all of the verbs on the table, there is just over 280 verbs categorized and grouped on the table
• Verb Fuel has 1,000 alphabetized rolled results. Each result has one verb or a contraction that contains a verb.

Example from the books

This is the example from Scene Action Generator.

• For example, a 1d12 roll resulting in 5 means a ‘social’ action type. Another 1d12 roll resulting in a 12 would indicate a either an ‘involve’ or ‘engage’ action. This might means that something is happening that involves or is engaged by more than one person. People or something else is joining in on the conflict in the scene.

This is the example from Verb Fuel.

• Example of using the Verb Fuel random verb table: The player rolls for a verb, rolling 0, 7, and 4 or = 074. Looking up 74 on the verb chart is the word “begin”. What does “begin” mean? That depends on what actually is beginning. Or maybe tense is important, maybe the action is not in the present tense. Maybe something began in the past. Or maybe something will begin in the future.

Sources

Scene Action Generator & Verb Fuel have the same origin actually. Verb Fuel radically changed in October to a more inspiring source.

• If I remember correctly, Scene Action Generator began as a concept by looking over lists of verbs for my fantasy languages. I wished for a very large list of verbs to helped build scenes randomly. Then after releasing the Plot Generator keywords, the list expanded and changed a bit until it went dormant for months. After resurrecting the project in October of 2018, I tried to think up the most popular adventure tasks. Categories of the verbs gradually emerged–which meant moving around words. And finally, story tasks verbs were collected until 144 results were filled.
• Verb Fuel actually began with the same initial idea to build a very large list of verbs to help build scenes randomly. Further than Scene Action Generator, the first hope was to build a list to 500 verbs. I can't remember when, but I came across a community content licensed source of words. Experimenting with that source, I began to figure out that what I wanted was more ownership of the resulting list. In October 15th of 2019, sick of community content source possibly limiting what I could do with the end result of the list, I came across a 1000 word public domain source of American English words. It was however unclassified and lacked parts of speech. However, fueled knowing that I could own the rights to the final product, unlike the community content source, I started from the beginning. I put parts of speech selectively onto this 900 words gleaned from the public domain source document using three dictionaries.
  
  When finished, about 400 verbs emerged. This initial list is too abstract academic, business, religious, and US government related. It lacked common everyday verbs that is more useful for stories. I started to add more common verbs. The 400 verb list quickly became 617. I did a quick draft to see if I could make a product late in October. The final list wasn't fully satisfying to me. I let it set for a week and then tried again, finding a few more sources of great verbs. After reaching 1000, I let it set a few days. Going back through the list, I replaced some verbs with better verbs.

3.5 vs 5.0 d20 - Large Spider comparison

5e SRD Series

D & D 5th Edition and a 5e x 5 SRD Project

The difficulty with 5e escalating HP and Damage.

5e- the fluidity of magic

5e Magic v Technology

5e skill reduction, Modern D20 to 5e

5e Skill Observations compared to 3.5 and OSRIC

3.5 vs 5.0 d20 - Large Spider comparison

I want to compare the stat block for the Large sized spider to see how the versions changed. I notice that most of the stats are similar despite being different CR levels. This may only be true at lower levels. I'll try doing a higher level comparison of a dragon next time..

1. Names

3.5e Monstrous Spider, Large
5e Giant Spider

First of all the names are somewhat different. In 3.5e, several sizes are available besides the Large Monstrous Spider. However, 5e only comes in one size in the reference document.

2. Challenge Rating

3.5e Challenge Rating: 2
5e Challenge 1 (200 XP)

The Challenge Rating has gone down one level. Despite this decrease, the stats and abilities seem somewhat similar as will be seen below.

3. Size, Type, alignment

3.5e Size/Type: Large Vermin

5e Large beast, unaligned

Both spiders are Large size

4. Hit Dice & Hitpoints

3.5e Hit Dice: 4d8+4 (22 hp)

5e Hit Points 26 (4d10 + 4)

Despite being lower CR, the 5e giant spider has more hitpoints due to the increase in hitdice from d8 to d10

5. Armor Class

3.5e Armor Class: 14 (-1 size, +3 Dex, +2 natural), touch 12, flat-footed 11

5e Armor Class 14 (natural armor)

Armor Class the same. 3.5 provides additional information that explains how that number was calculated.

6. Speed

3.5e Speed: 30 ft. (6 squares), climb 20 ft.
5e Speed 30 ft., climb 30 ft.

Speed is the same and climb has increased.

7. Abilities

3.5e Abilities: Str 15 (+3), Dex 17 (+3), Con 12 (+1), Int Ø (na), Wis 10 (+0), Cha 2 (-4)

Initiative:	+3

5e STR14 (+2), DEX16 (+3), CON12 (+1), INT2 (−4), WIS11 (+0), CHA4 (−3)

Strength has decreased and intelligence and charisma have increased slightly.

8. Skills

3.5e Skills: Climb +11, Hide +3*, Jump +2*, Spot +4*

Monstrous spiders have a +4 racial bonus on Hide and Spot checks and a +8 racial bonus on Climb checks. A monstrous spider can always choose to take 10on Climb checks, even if rushed or threatened. Monstrous spiders use either their Strength or Dexterity modifier for Climb checks, whichever is higher.
*Hunting spiders have a +10 racial bonus on Jump checks and a +8 racial bonus on Spot checks. Web-spinning spiders have a +8 racial bonus on Hide and Move Silently checks when using their webs. 

5e Skills Stealth +7 Spider Climb. The spider can climb difficult surfaces, including upside down on ceilings, without needing to make an ability check.
Web Sense. While in contact with a web, the spider knows the exact location of any other creature in contact with the same web.
Web Walker. The spider ignores movement restrictions caused by webbing.

The stealth ability seems better for the 5e spider. Climb seems much better since the 5e spider automatically climbs difficult surfaces due to the description of Spider Climb. The 3e spider seems to have to make a climb roll and use a +11 bonus - which means that that spider could fail the roll and fall. While the 3e spider receives +4 Spot bonus, the 5e spider receives a 10 to perception as will be seen in the section 10 Senses section and Web Sense.  This is very much improved senses.

9. Attacks

3.5e Base Attack/Grapple: +3/+9 Attack:Bite +4 melee (1d8+3 plus poison) Full Attack: Bite +4 melee (1d8+3 plus poison) Space/Reach: 10 ft./5 ft. Special Attacks: Poison, web

Poison (Ex)

A monstrous spider has a poisonous bite. The details vary by the spider’s size, as shown on the table below. The save DCs are Constitution-based. The indicated damage is initial and secondary damage.

Web (Ex)

Both types of monstrous spiders often wait in their webs or in trees, then lower themselves silently on silk strands and leap onto prey passing beneath. A single strand is strong enough to support the spider and one creature of the same size. Web-spinners can throw a web eight times per day. This is similar to an attack with a net but has a maximum range of 50 feet, with a range increment of 10 feet, and is effective against targets up to one size category larger than the spider. An entangled creature can escape with a successful Escape Artist check or burst it with a Strength check. Both are standard actions whose DCs are given in the table below. The check DCs are Constitution-based, and the Strength check DC includes a +4 racial bonus.

Web-spinners often create sheets of sticky webbing from 5 to 60 feet square, depending on the size of the spider. They usually position these sheets to snare flying creatures but can also try to trap prey on the ground. Approaching creatures must succeed on a DC 20 Spot check to notice a web; otherwise they stumble into it and become trapped as though by a successful web attack. Attempts to escape or burst the webbing gain a +5 bonus if the trapped creature has something to walk on or grab while pulling free. Each 5-foot section has the hit points given on the table, and sheet webs have damage reduction 5/—.

A monstrous spider can move across its own web at its climb speed and can pinpoint the location of any creature touching its web.

5e Bite. Melee Weapon Attack: +5 to hit, reach 5 ft., one creature. Hit: 7 (1d8 + 3) piercing damage, and the target must make a DC 11 Constitution saving throw, taking 9 (2d8) poison damage on a failed save, or half as much damage on a successful one. If the poison damage reduces the target to 0 hit points, the target is stable but poisoned for 1 hour, even after regaining hit points, and is paralyzed while poisoned in this way.
Web (Recharge 5–6). Ranged Weapon Attack: +5 to hit, range 30/60 ft., one creature. Hit: The target is restrained by webbing. As an action, the restrained target can make a DC 12 Strength check, bursting the webbing on a success. The webbing can also be attacked and destroyed (AC 10; hp 5; vulnerability to fire damage; immunity to bludgeoning, poison, and psychic damage).
To snare its prey, a giant spider spins elaborate webs or shoots sticky strands of webbing from its abdomen. Giant spiders are most commonly found underground, making their lairs on ceilings or in dark, web-­filled crevices. Such lairs are often festooned with web cocoons holding past victims.

Despite being lower CR level, the 5e spider receives a higher bonus to hit and though has similar damage.

10. Senses

3.5e Special Qualities: Darkvision 60 ft., tremorsense 60 ft., vermin traits

Tremorsense (Ex)
A monstrous spider can detect and pinpoint any creature or object within 60 feet in contact with the ground, or within any range in contact with the spider’s webs.

5e Senses blindsight 10 ft., darkvision 60 ft., passive Perception 10

11. Saves

3.5e Saves: Fort +5, Ref +4, Will +1
5e STR14 (+2), DEX16 (+3), CON12 (+1), INT2 (−4), WIS11 (+0), CHA4 (−3)

5e switched to basic stat based resistance instead of fort, ref, and will. It also has charisma save.

12 Remaining information from 3.5e.

Feats:	—
Environment:	Temperate forests
Organization:	Solitary or colony (2-5)
Treasure:	1/10 coins; 50% goods; 50% items
Advancement:	5-7 HD (Large)

This is information missing from the 5e SRD. This information is helpful for setting and treasure distribution.

Summary

In all, I think that the large monstrous spider and the giant spider are comparable between versions with only small changes.

 

Search for a current fantasy main system Part 4: Organizing Losers Battles

Prior posts in the series
Search for a current fantasy main system Part 1: suggested games and evaluating their samples
Search for a current fantasy main system Part 2: First look at downloaded samples
Search for a current fantasy main system Part 3: Organizing "Battles"
Search for a current fantasy main system Part 4: Organizing Losers Battles
Search for a current fantasy main system Part 4: Evaluating the game systems

Here are my combined posts concerning the structure of the losers bracket battle rounds.

I'm working out a system to test the non-playable games.

I think after I finish doing the battle phase and reduce the playable games nearly in half, I will do a losers bracket.

Phase 1: losers bracket battle round

*Phase one Criteria might be three:

1. Official Rules - How good are the rules that I can find on the official site? And I don't want to create an account to access it or given something not available officially to all. Unless it's available on RPG Now, which I already have an account.

2. Gameplay - Can I figure out the rules by looking at or watching a few gameplay media?

3. Reviews - Can I figure out the rules by reading or listening to rules review?

*Criteria are subject to change, if between now and then I think of something different or better.

I'll use the same grading scale - A through E as the winners phase 2 battle round.

If any of the systems are missing any of those three data points, it will be an automatic E = 0 for that criteria.

If I can't remember or forget or am distracted hearing or reading a detail - tough, too bad, so sad. My attention and memory can only go so far when media isn't in front of me.

I'll then divide the score by three to get the score.

Phase 2: losers bracket

The winners of the first losers bracket phase I'll try to do a full evaluation using what I've learned about the game like the other games taking the winners and tied games of the first round against each other. Anything that I can't figure out or remember from a few gameplay, reviews, and rules notes in the full-20 criteria will be an automatic E = 0. And all the total of the scores on my criteria spreadsheet is divided by 20.

Only one game from the losers bracket will emerge.

If there is a tie ... maybe a dice roll if I can't decide.

I think it's tough but fair.

Losers Bracket Phase 1 Battles

Strange Object Battle - Burning Wheel Gold v Cypher System

Two 'The's Battle - Shadow of the Demon Lord v The One Ring

Hero Battle - Hero System v Heroquest Glorantha

Kickstarter Battle - Blades in the Dark v 7th Sea

Anyway, it will be a while, at least a week, before I get through the top games. Heck, they might even read this and make sure they have material ready

Search for a current fantasy main system Part 3: Organizing "Battles"

Prior posts in the series
Search for a current fantasy main system Part 1: suggested games and evaluating their samples
Search for a current fantasy main system Part 2: First look at downloaded samples
Search for a current fantasy main system Part 3: Organizing "Battles"
Search for a current fantasy main system Part 4: Organizing Losers Battles
Search for a current fantasy main system Part 4: Evaluating the game systems

In this part, I will show how I set these initial observations up into a competitive battle round series, aimed at decreasing the number of similar games and overall selection down to a manageable number to actually test out. Reading can only go so far.

I was watching TV and saw a music competition. It seemed like a nice way to narrow down the games to a manageable set of playable systems. 

First I tried to find similarities between the systems. I grouped each head-to-head against another game based on a common theme. The following is the text I created for this battle round

Phase II

I'll be beginning a phase 2 - Reviews and gameplay research.

I mentioned Godbound can be bought in a future time. Ars Magica and Fantasy Age are not for me. Neither three will be considered anymore. Burning Wheel Gold was moved down to the insufficient gameplay section.

For the next phase I will try pairing up somewhat similar games into battles where I will try to pick the system that fits my criteria, which I'll try to list more formally later. A game in this phase just has to beat one competitor to make it to the next phase. I'll consider the opinions of others. So, input is welcome!

Battle Phase - Reviews & Gameplay

d100 Battle = Open Quest v Runequest

d20 Spinoff Battle = Radiance v Unchained Heroes

Different dice Battle = Earthdawn v What's O.L.D. is N.E.W.

ALL CAPS BATTLE = GURPS v JAGS

Minimized Battle = 13th Age v Dungeon World

Fantasy Crunch Battle = Rolemaster Unified v Hackmaster

After creating a battle structure, I tried to write up formally my criteria, many of which I had already state and clarified. Some that I wrote down for the first time. Here is my 10 criteria and the main question I would try to answer for each.

10 Major Criteria & 10 Sub-criteria

1. Depth - how meaningful and utilized are the data & functions are used?

a. Meaningful - does data recorded makes a difference in the game?

b. Utilized Functions - are there multiple uses for data recorded?

2. Flexible/Adaptable - how usable is it with other custom settings?

3. Consistency - how many different systems are there within the game?

4. Understandable - are concepts defined before they are presented, Or is it just a rule dump without explanation?

5. Character - how is behavior explained and can characters be unique?

a. Behavior tied to character - how well does the data determine how a character behaves?

b. Unique Character - can the characters stand out from other characters of similar nature?

6. Combat System - are the mechanics interesting and innovative?

a. Turn/move/action - does the game use the same boring turn based mechanics?

b. Attack speed/ hastened/quicker - will having higher quickness make the attacks go faster and multiple times?

7. Spell System - does the game use the boring overused spell set?

a. Spell Regulatory - how does the game use data to limit magical powers?

b. Spell Breadth - is there a wide variety, yet coherently grouped collection of spells?

8. Creatures - how many provided creatures are available?

a. Standard Fantasy - does the game provide the expected common monsters and creatures?

b. Creation - are there creature creation rules so that I can add my own creatures?

9. Content - is the overall content presented in the core detail depth and have variety. Do elements differ in sufficient degree among other data?

10. Aesthetic - does the game have a subjective coolness factor?

I then needed a grading scale, which I reused the same one as I did to score the available playable material and rules. Here is that text.

I plan on using the A, B, C, D, and E again, this time tying them to points so I can convert it into a total value for the game.

For each criteria

A = 4 - beyond my expectation

B = 3 - great

C = 2 - sufficient

D = 1 - below my expectation

E = 0 - horrible, unusable

Total evaluation = sum of criteria/20

I wanted to to also keep a score of other information which is helpful.

In addition to the criteria I will grade availability of reviews and gameplay. All game makers can at least do their own gameplay. If they choose not to, or if no one else does any, I don't know what to say. Or at least an interview.

Reading or watching reviews & gameplay helps me to subjectively fill in the criteria.

Next Post
In the next post, I will show my losers bracket