Implicit Understandings

From: MOB <mrmob_at_ozemail.com.au>
Date: Thu, 27 Apr 2000 11:25:07 +1000


G'day all,

Implicit Understandings

Danny Mr sez:

>As for retconning or subsequent changes what's the point unless the new
>version offers something new - and better- compared to the old. I still
>think back to the Elmal/Yelmalio debate with loathing.

You're not the only one, let me tell you...

>This is implicitly understood when
>you write for Glorantha, or at least I would have thought it would be.
>I had a similar sort of experience working on Grazepak where things were
>said, retracted and changed.

And unfortunately, for many otherwise enthusiastic, able, creative writers and designers an inevitable consequence of this enlightened approach is:

>The final result of which was that I vowed I
>would never work on anything based in Glorantha again.

Sadly, you're not alone here either. And at times such as these, I feel mightily tempted to swell the ranks of the permanently browned off myself...

Cheers,

MOB PS Danny Mr sez, of B-5 [hit page down if you're not interested]:

>>For example, if we took G'kars character in season 1,
>
>(snip rest of B5 example)
>
>As a script writer I can tell you that B5 is one of my least favourite
>series, not only because of its completely flawed and shallow set up, but
>also because of what you (and JMS) call evolution. In reality it's down to
>poor scripting with little or no reference back to original sources.

Whatever the show's limitations - and I'd add the often bad acting and lousy dialogue, shonky sets (though groovy CGI!), and a tendency to stage bar-room fistfights for want of any other action - IMO it stacks up well against similar shows in the genre, where the main leads automatically flip back to their default types at the end of each ep (eg. ST:NG, ST:V, perhaps not so much ST:DS9). I agree the scripts were often bad, especially in the later stages when Mr Stryzinski decided he could write them all single-handed, but I think one of the series' strengths was the original scenario, its consistency from there, and the development of the major characters as mentioned earlier. At least until they abruptly wrapped up the Shadow War plot, after which I began to lose interest (the fact that B-5 had a wandering late-night time slot here didn't help, nor the fact that it was often bumped at a moment's notice for Cricket, Rugby, Golf, Motor Racing, Yachting, Underwater Nude Basketweaving, and other ZZZZ-inducing TV sports).

>(Not that this is really relevant on the digest, but B5 is one of my
particular
>bugbears).

You're right, and I probably shouldn't have replied. However, let me just say I think your idea of creating an instant 60 year campaign by printing off a KoDP Long-Game saga is brilliant!



MICHAEL O'BRIEN - 9 Parker Street Richmond VIC 3121 Australia +61-3-9428-9048
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