Draw Steel Lore Q&A
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- Опубліковано 13 січ 2025
- Enjoy some design discussions about the lore in our new upcoming RPG, Draw Steel.
The full Q&A was streamed live to our Patrons on October 17, 2024.
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I appreciate it wasn't working for everyone, but I will say I miss the Designing the Game videos because: they gave me the boost to start designing games! 3 one-pagers done and a 32 page RPG underway!
Thanks for inspiring me!
Did people really dislike the DTG videos? They’re so good I go back and watch them.
I really like them as well but I find that between the twitch streams and the patreon and the discord I get 150% more designing the game ideas then I would have gotten watching the videos
@@TheBiomedZedI feel the same way. I've published one 300 page RPG and have 2 more completed drafts. (About 300 page each) And the designing the game vids really helped me refine my process and ideas
My immediate take-away from this, which I intend to use in my game, is don't give solid answers to questions that wouldn't have solid answers in our world. Not so much as a rule but as a general vibe. I am often worried about what if my players ask this or that, I need to have a thousand years of history planned out I guess. Well, no actually I don't. I can just say what people think they know and impress upon the players that the truth is lost to time. Cool.
I think that's a bad take. I think it's a great description of what Matt just said, but understand that Matt is writing for a different audience than you are. I think this makes a lot of sense when you are writing stuff for a published setting that other authors are going to work on, and that this is extremely standard fare in the business. I have been watching Lawhammer with Andy Law recently who wrote a lot for Warhammer, and he reiterates this point in reference to writing for Warhammer a lot, because it leaves doors open for other writers, and critically if you have another writer later on that wants to contradict you, they can without invalidating or retconning your work. However, if you are writing for your own setting just for your players, I think it is perfectly fine to have some definitive answers, and to give them out to your players when they have earned them.
It might help you to not have definitive answers and give in character explanations instead, but it is also fine, and I'd argue a lot more impressive, if you do the work and know the material on a deep level. Especially if you like the work you have done, and can express what you like about it.
I think that's a valid style, I am skeptical of using it in my own game though. The players don't remember all the lore when it's explicit, so I worry that making it potentially false will just lead them to ignore it. I wonder if this is part of why Matt has said he thinks players don't care about lore?
Again, either style is valid, write what inspires you, and present it in the way you think it will work best
"How would your character know that?"
@@teball31 "...a lot more impressive..." I don't think the purpose of lore is to make people think your lore is impressive. And also I think it's more impressive, not less, if, not only did you create the correct answer, you also created millennia of different cultures interpreting and re-interpreting it. Just because the characters can't access the right answer doesn't mean there isn't one.
Well, that's part of it, but I think a take that will serve you better is to think about your answers, rather than just telling the characters the truth.
I actually don't think Matt knows the truth much of the time. He doesn't stop and wonder what actually happened so much as I think he wonders what people think happened. Which is much more realistic, but whether it serves you depends on your game
Man, these lore videos just give me that warm, fuzzy feeling. I’m so hyped for Draw Steel.
Matt's lore is amazing, its fascinating to be able to peak into his mind, paints a better picture on how to run a world from what most other TTRPGs teach. looking forward to Draw Steel!
I love how parallel to Keith Baker style this worldbuilding is: Dont GIVE cool ANSWERS, ASK inspiring QUESTIONS
The shadow elves are so cool! The invisible sun concept is similar to how I describe angels in my games, for a different effect. For me, angels have their own invisible light source that always shines on them at the most flattering angle, except for when they exert their wrath, at which point that 'sun' moves behind them so that everything but their glowing eyes is in silhouette
Oh … it’s Beautiful!!
Matt is so close to fromsoft storytelling when it comes to lore that it's crazy cool. No definitive answers and context dependence.
Came here to say this
YES! Give me lore! More lore! Until my face melts!
I actually really like the 'license plate' names for the robot people. It's super flavorful, and it really wouldn't be that hard to come up with a name that is easily phonetic. It seems like they're pretty rare so it's not like you'll have to randomly invent a name at the table; they're going to be specifically planned out NPCs.
When the art started popping up, I needed a Smash Love button cause HOLY AMAZING!!!!
Memonek barbarian: I decide to rage!
Some of the best work/life advice I've ever gotten... If you can't get out of it, get into it.
As judge dredd said: I am the lore
Very creative lol
That is so cool about being cell shaded. In my world goblins returned to the lands of fey after years of being in the real world. So, they always seem larger than life, they look cartoonish when they are comical and their eyes are red and glow and are always shadowy to the people who fear they will steal their children in the night.
Very vague and evocative as always. *fingersnaps* (actually, it has some specifics in places that are quite handy too - thanks for the video!)
Hey Matt, thanks for doing this video in person :) I did enjoy it.
This was a real treat. Thanks for this, gang. I appreciated and enjoyed it greatly.
As soon as Matt explained the Gloom dragon, I thought of RuneScape and how the runes work, like the mud runes being able to be used as either water or earth, lava as either earth or fire, etc.
Bundaberg and world building. Why are you always such a class act Matt?
Y'see I wasn't going to listen all that closely, but then someone calls out a Bundaberg reference?! Saddle up!
How dare you, this was a fun and pleasant q&a and its making me regret not making time for the patreon q&a! 🎉
Thing about the Shadow Elves: do their lit halves shine in Orden's darkness - causing them to take on a hopeful aspect for the denizens of Orden as a light amidst darkness? How would that negatively impact stealth - can body paint or tattoos hide this shine, or just clothing? Does their invisible sun never set?
I think your advice about writing as a career is perfect for literally any skill or trade. What you explained supercedes all other career advice by a country mile. Just replace "writing" with whatever trade or profession one it pursuing.
More important than schooling, more important than training, the DOING teaches best, CONNECTING with people opens opportunities. And while luck is a real requirement, PRESERVERENCE allows you to game luck. Just like rolling stats 100 times until you get a character you want to play.
I do really love ALL MCDM videos!!!! ❤
Love the Shadow Elf discussion, and I'm with Matt 100% that the art won't exist divorced from the flavor text. Can't wait to see the Shadow Elf, and only the Shadow Elf, done up with glossy holographics [a la the X-Men trading cards of my youth].
is there an unedited version of this video somewhere, sorry if this question is redundan.
The unedited version is available on our Patreon - mcdm.gg/patreon
Wodes.... Wyrd Magic maybe...? Traveling "vast distances" perhaps by walking through a wode? mayhap a Wode Walker?
Did Dael send over that Aussie Bundaberg ginger beer Matt is drinking? :D
Awesome!
Did I see a bottle of Bundaberg soft drink?? Great choice.
just your run of the mill Demigod… by the powers i love high fantasy
I have always disliked the idea of psionics in my medieval fantasy until Matt just described them as Jedi. I'm all in now.
Is there supposed to be links to the lore document in the description? Because there currently isn't. Or is everything supplemental posted here a patreon exclusive.
This is a patreon post turned q and a.
Oops... my bad. You are right, the link is now in the description. Enjoy!
Yay!
Top 10 reference caught me by surprise. I always think of the chapter he's talking about when I think of the Norse gods, but I never hear anyone talk about the comic itself. I remember it being pretty great, one of the first times I encountered super hero nonsense butting up against real world "adult" problems in a sort of believable way.
Interesting about Axiom. I would assume (not knowing the lore) that it's not that they would _decide_ to become angry, but rather they would only become angry if the proper procedure were followed and the laws that govern their emotion required they react that way. Being a world of law, the law dictates, and the people of Axiom follow. Though I suppose the result is pretty similar, as it's not like someone from a plane of law is going to just haul off and decide to be angry without cause.
The way you describe Scionics, and the X-Men allegory to their innate powers, makes me look at The Talent and Sorcerers as having a very cool kinship. I know 5th edition (and other editions) of D&D have painted Sorcerers as their Mutants.
Shadow elves half in shadow look like Zagreus in the Hades game.
Stat block for Murder Books please. 😂
I want to see (though maybe not play) a version of Draw Steel! where everything has the names Matt didn't think he could get away with giving them. I bet it would be a glorious mess.
This is such a good video 🖤🙏🖤
MCDM already has my money because I'm an early backer, that being said I find the lore frontloading for this game overwhelming. I don't think I'd be able to direct a camping if the lore keeps building up leaving little room for me to be creative.
More lore!!!
Re the idea of there not being a reliable account of true history, it's very much like the Dark Souls mythos: you have different characters take different philosophical positions but you don't really know for sure who is right. Are the gods heroes, or manipulators? It depends on who you ask.
Ajax needs some dressing up. From the wiki I understand he just went from University to take over the world. It... needs a little more. Why doesn't EVERYONE who graduates university in this setting take over the world? He needs more time to attract a reasonable amount of power and give him a reason. Also I have a little trouble with Saints... what is the Matt Coleville understanding of saint? It's too far off the mark from what a saint is in Christianity to be a touchstone. I would prefer a different word. Avatar? Messiah? Prophet? Prophet seems like the right word.
Why's Dale wearing flannel? Ain't it Summer down there?!
Flannel is all-season wear for some people.
Not me, gods no. But some people pull it off.
Dael!!
Nice. This was awesome
Those Shadow elves are sexy as hell
Awesome!