Scenario Designer Guide

[Kevin Kenneally]

Well,

I bought Mark's Designers Guide and will take my time to read this.

But at a first glance, the cover and back pages are ALL the color that is in the magazine. The inside pages are all B&W, with a lot of wasted space. The formatting of the pages could have been done a little better, with some color illustrations added to the different areas.

The MD Designers Guide has much more information of DYO possibilities, colour images and maps used in different examples.

Once I read Mark's Designer Guide, I will give a more "indepth analysis".

 

[Pitman]

There is nothing in the SDG which needed color; furthermore, color adds about $1 per page to the cost, and if you use color, you have to pay for every single page as a color page, regardless of whether it has color or not, so it would be asking people to pay considerably more for no benefit.

There's a reason why MD's book is three times as expensive as mine.

As for the rest, I'll merely say that I have 35 published ASL scenarios to my name, and MD has not published a single ASL scenario. Indeed, he has only even played a handful of ASL scenarios (including ASLSK) in his whole life.

 

[Gwinnell]

There is nothing in the SDG which needed color; furthermore, color adds about $1 per page to the cost, and if you use color, you have to pay for every single page as a color page, regardless of whether it has color or not, so it would be asking people to pay considerably more for no benefit.

There's a reason why MD's book is three times as expensive as mine.

As for the rest, I'll merely say that I have 35 published ASL scenarios to my name, and MD has not published a single ASL scenario. Indeed, he has only even played a handful of ASL scenarios (including ASLSK) in his whole life.

Mark

Don't rise to the bait.

Gavin

 

[tmanmerlin]

HA HA HA HA HA, ohhh, HA HA HA HA HA HA, Too good, newbie blindside, from the mouths of babes and all that. Har Har, got em both!

 

[Kevin Kenneally]

There's a reason why MD's book is three times as expensive as mine.

Mark,

I spent only "$37.50" on Mike's book. So I believe your MATH is Not "quite up to standard" (or are you using the IIFT to calculate the amount?).

My amount INCLUDES postage.

 

[Kevin Kenneally]

There is nothing in the SDG which needed color; furthermore, color adds about $1 per page to the cost, and if you use color, you have to pay for every single page as a color page, regardless of whether it has color or not, so it would be asking people to pay considerably more for no benefit.

Mark,

As much as I heard about the "goodness" that this "rag" provided, I would have spent the "extra geld" to acquire.

There's a reason why MD's book is three times as expensive as mine.

Already replied to this WORTHLESS drivel.

As for the rest, I'll merely say that I have 35 published ASL scenarios to my name, and MD has not published a single ASL scenario. Indeed, he has only even played a handful of ASL scenarios (including ASLSK) in his whole life.

WHO Frakkin CARES.

This thread is ABOUT a Designers Guide from a ASL player named Mark Pitcavage. Is he HERE? Or is the "Pitman" hiding like a lost SMC?

 

[Kevin Kenneally]

HA HA HA HA HA, ohhh, HA HA HA HA HA HA, Too good, newbie blindside, from the mouths of babes and all that. Har Har, got em both!

See you in Austin next month?

 

[Kevin Kenneally]

Mark

Don't rise to the bait.

Gavin

Bait?

I do not waste my digits with bait.... :blab:

 

[Michael Dorosh]

As for the rest, I'll merely say that I have 35 published ASL scenarios to my name, and MD has not published a single ASL scenario. Indeed, he has only even played a handful of ASL scenarios (including ASLSK) in his whole life.

I'm not sure why you state this; firstly it isn't true, and secondly - how would you know?

Mark

Don't rise to the bait.

Gavin

Have to agree with this comment; the thread seems intended to provoke an argument. The best advice is this:

. Har Har, got em both!

Most people I've talked to have suggested that it was worthwhile to them to purchase both books, as there were, in their opinion, enough unique points about both to make it a worthwhile endeavour to them. If anyone has any questions about mine, all they need do is send me an email and I'm happy to address them, or send out some sample pages over and above the detailed sample pages already online, so that they can see if the book is truly for them before they make a purchase. Hobby dollars and time are scarce and I would never want to see anyone squander theirs on something that isn't a good investment for them.

 

[Michael Dorosh]

Well,

I bought Mark's Designers Guide and will take my time to read this.

But at a first glance, the cover and back pages are ALL the color that is in the magazine. The inside pages are all B&W, with a lot of wasted space. The formatting of the pages could have been done a little better, with some color illustrations added to the different areas.

The MD Designers Guide has much more information of DYO possibilities, colour images and maps used in different examples.

Once I read Mark's Designer Guide, I will give a more "indepth analysis".

User reviews of books are always something that an author looks forward to, so long as they are constructive.

I do think the two books complement each other more than you may perceive. My own perception is that Mark's may have been written from a "scenario design as art" perspective (it's been a while since I have read it), and mine more from the "scenario design as science" perspective. Your own reaction may simply be a reflection of your own biases? I do know that there are some solid "science" elements to Mark's books that usually get high praise in his reviews, however, such as the list of SSRs in the appendix.

I do think, also, that it would be wrong to consider any one book as the beginning or end point of information on the topic. As discussed in other threads (follow the tag below), there are some other very talented persons who have written on the subject. Pete Shelling's article has yet to see print in the Journal, for example, but Steve Swann had a great article in Critical Hit on the subject, Jon Mishcon had a brief bit in The General about it with a couple sample scenarios for GI, etc. I recently found a good article in a back issue of WARGAMER as well. Lots of resources out there - including, of course, this forum. The MwT contests seem like a good training ground for newcomers also, as the judges provide detailed feedback to the designers, though one may need to sort through conflicting comments.

So, I would urge you to take all that into account when reviewing his work and considering any public commentary; no book can hope to be perfect, and bear in mind also that it was his first publication.

 

[Delirium]

I'm not sure why you state this; firstly it isn't true, and secondly - how would you know?

Michael, notwithstanding the Original Poster's transparently hostile attitude to Mr Pitcavage, I think this discussion could have some value.

Prima facie, the number of scenarios an author has designed, and of course played, is a relevant issue in determining expertise. As scenarios played is a difficult metric to independently verify, scenarios published is a superior metric. So, I ask, as Mr Pitcavage's authorial record is well known, how many commercially published scenarios have you authored, and what are they?

 

[shirlfactor]

For whats its worth, I own Mark's book and my father owns Michael's( which I am borrowing as we speak). I used both books when I designed my mwt3 scenario and some scenarios I submittd for a third party product. Each book has a diffrent slant on designing scenarios in my opinion. I wrote in my blog an aar on my scenario and how I used each book. In a nut shell Mark's book is the order of which my scenarios were designed. I went chapter 1,2,3, ect. It makes perfect sense to design a scenario that way. Michael's book I used by going to each chapter that was the same as Mark's , for example if I was on the landscape chapter of Mark's book , I flipped Michael's book to the same one. I also used Mark's book to help me right my ssr's, he has a whole page full of them. So I could know how to make my ssr's make sense. Michael's book has a whole proofing checklist to use on your design from top to bottom, its a big help when you are reviewing the final design, making sure you haven't forgot anything and the scenario layout is the way it should be. In general I reccomend you get both books becasue they both should be used when designing a scenario. Just my 2 cents.

 

[custardpie]

Well Norm's balanced comments may just cost me £55 as I now want to buy both of them!!!! But how come they cost the same in £ as $, anyone cry foul!!! some exchange rate there!

I will ponder my options

Cheers
Ian

 

[applecatcher4]

I bought both and read them cover to cover in the garden. With a cup of tea and the kids playing happily while the wife was at work, I couldn't have been happier.

 

[Pitman]

Mark,

I spent only "$37.50" on Mike's book. So I believe your MATH is Not "quite up to standard" (or are you using the IIFT to calculate the amount?).

My amount INCLUDES postage.

http://www.lulu.com/product/paperback/scenario-designers-handbook/6289403?productTrackingContext=search_results/search_shelf/center/1

 

[Gen. Sosabowski]

If anyone has any questions about mine, all they need do is send me an email and I'm happy to address them, or send out some sample pages over and above the detailed sample pages already online, so that they can see if the book is truly for them before they make a purchase. Hobby dollars and time are scarce and I would never want to see anyone squander theirs on something that isn't a good investment for them.

This is 100% true. I pretty much told Michael that my ONLY interest was the Polish OOB, and he emailed me that entire section. Someday, I'm going to order the book, if only to support his work.

 

[Psycho]

I used neither book in my scenario packs.

 

['Ol Fezziwig]

I used neither book in my scenario packs.

Not even the Fudge Pack? :clown:

 

[custardpie]

I used neither book in my scenario packs.

That is obvious!!

 

[Kevin Kenneally]

I used neither book in my scenario packs.

That is why you are SOooooooooooooooooooo luv'd here.....