Re: Does Dungeons and Dragons make technical writers?

[Bill Burns <bill_burns -at- lionbridge -dot- com>]

Andrew wrote:

> I never played D&D. I hate fantasy stuff. I preferred wargames, like D-Day
> or Stalingrad from Avalon Hill . The ones with those little cardboard
> pieces for units. 
> 
Guess I'm lining up with the other geeks out there.

I play 'em all (or have played 'em all). The problem with Avalon Hills type
games is finding opponents. I've got Blitzkrieg and Main Battle Tank sitting
unused in a closet. I've moved into the computer realm for both D&D and
strategy games so I don't have to have a real opponent (not that I don't
like 'em, just can't find 'em). However, I also play Warhammer and
Warmaster, which are table-top games. You learn something different from
each. Skirmishing type games (like D&D and Warhammer force you to think in
more short-term tactical terms, while the Avalon Hills games and Warmaster
force you to think in terms of movement, positioning, maintaining supply,
and holding a line of retreat. 

To pull this back into the tech writing realm, I've found that the Avalon
Hills games are extremely detailed, typically well indexed, and consistently
organized. Warhammer and Warmaster documentation isn't as well done, and the
contents is often confusing, leaving some matters up to debate (which the
developers say is intentional). What most of these games do provide are very
useful aids (like job aids) that provide short cuts, result charts, stats,
and quick-reference materials--pretty much the same thing you get with a
well-designed application doc bundle. 

(And I also have a copy of Latin of All Occasions.)

Bill Burns
Technical Communications Manager
Lionbridge Technologies, Inc.
12585 W. Explorer Dr., Suite 150
Boise, ID 83713
Phone: 208.321.4406
FAX: 208.321.4490
E-mail: bill_burns -at- lionbridge -dot- com




Bill Burns
Technical Communications Manager
Lionbridge Technologies, Inc.
12585 W. Explorer Dr., Suite 150
Boise, ID 83713
Phone: 208.321.4406
FAX: 208.321.4490
E-mail: bill_burns -at- lionbridge -dot- com




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