Azarkon
Arcane
- Joined
- Oct 7, 2005
- Messages
- 2,989
Tigrane has the best take on this issue, I think.
The issue is not quantity. It's quality. Quality not just in the sense of well-executed prose, but ideas being conveyed. Empty talk is empty regardless of how expertly it's written. While we might marvel at the lurid Shakespearian description of a chamber pot, unless this description has original metaphors and imagery - and I don't think any such is going to come out of video game writing - it's useless. Same with the Pillars of Eternity quote. What purpose does it serve at that moment in time? What new ideas does it convey?
Writing is a form of communication. It's only as valuable as what it communicates. Garbage in, garbage out. Bad writers have nothing of value to say, and try to disguise this fact with flowery language, to no avail. The best writers, on the other hand, need every word they use.
The issue is not quantity. It's quality. Quality not just in the sense of well-executed prose, but ideas being conveyed. Empty talk is empty regardless of how expertly it's written. While we might marvel at the lurid Shakespearian description of a chamber pot, unless this description has original metaphors and imagery - and I don't think any such is going to come out of video game writing - it's useless. Same with the Pillars of Eternity quote. What purpose does it serve at that moment in time? What new ideas does it convey?
Writing is a form of communication. It's only as valuable as what it communicates. Garbage in, garbage out. Bad writers have nothing of value to say, and try to disguise this fact with flowery language, to no avail. The best writers, on the other hand, need every word they use.