Author Topic: RE: Format of AARs?  (Read 1717 times)

0 Members and 1 Guest are viewing this topic.

Offline xenoscepter (OP)

  • Vice Admiral
  • **********
  • Posts: 1154
  • Thanked: 317 times
RE: Format of AARs?
« on: May 17, 2019, 08:14:14 PM »
I'm sure someone might give the, "There is no right answer, be creative!" reply, but I am looking for a best practice and / or examples for how best to format my AARs.

Obviously they seem different, at least to me, from the novel format I'm used to writing in.
 

Offline Father Tim

  • Vice Admiral
  • **********
  • Posts: 2162
  • Thanked: 531 times
Re: RE: Format of AARs?
« Reply #1 on: May 17, 2019, 08:35:00 PM »
I classify them into two formats:  those that read like a newspaper report or history textbook, and those that read like a novel.  The difference between "The enemy cruisers launched another salvo of ship-killers" and " 'Missile launch!' screamed Lt. Travers at Tactical.  'Many missiles, impact in fourteen seconds.' "
 
The following users thanked this post: xenoscepter

Offline xenoscepter (OP)

  • Vice Admiral
  • **********
  • Posts: 1154
  • Thanked: 317 times
Re: RE: Format of AARs?
« Reply #2 on: May 17, 2019, 09:15:37 PM »
@Father Tim

Perfect! That helps immensely.
 

Offline MarcAFK

  • Vice Admiral
  • **********
  • Posts: 2005
  • Thanked: 134 times
  • ...it's so simple an idiot could have devised it..
Re: RE: Format of AARs?
« Reply #3 on: May 19, 2019, 06:53:57 AM »
My record on AAR's is pretty bad, but I've learned a few things, you want to type things down as you're running through the game, specific details can be gleaned from the event log, but what you should be recording is thoughts you have about whats going on from the perspective of people involved with the action. Your own thoughts at least are a must, if something unusual happens, or you make a prediction that may or may not happen later, make a note of it and incorporate that into the thoughts of someone else who was in a position to make that call, or at least someone with that knowledge to pass the information along.
Or write up the AAR as things occur, later going through it and the event logs to get the more dry details.
" Why is this godforsaken hellhole worth dying for? "
". . .  We know nothing about them, their language, their history or what they look like.  But we can assume this.  They stand for everything we don't stand for.  Also they told me you guys look like dorks. "
"Stop exploding, you cowards.  "
 

Offline Father Tim

  • Vice Admiral
  • **********
  • Posts: 2162
  • Thanked: 531 times
Re: RE: Format of AARs?
« Reply #4 on: May 19, 2019, 02:45:19 PM »
The secret to writing is rewriting.
 

Offline boggo2300

  • Registered
  • Rear Admiral
  • **********
  • Posts: 895
  • Thanked: 16 times
Re: RE: Format of AARs?
« Reply #5 on: May 19, 2019, 05:27:45 PM »
The secret to writing is rewriting.

The secret to writing is never talk about writing!

(ok the stretchiest Fight Club reference ever)
The boggosity of the universe tends towards maximum.
 

Offline MarcAFK

  • Vice Admiral
  • **********
  • Posts: 2005
  • Thanked: 134 times
  • ...it's so simple an idiot could have devised it..
Re: RE: Format of AARs?
« Reply #6 on: May 20, 2019, 12:22:55 AM »
The secret to writing is to actually write stuf, instead of second guessing and restarting everything constantly as you get new ideas.
Get it all out then rewrite if you must.
" Why is this godforsaken hellhole worth dying for? "
". . .  We know nothing about them, their language, their history or what they look like.  But we can assume this.  They stand for everything we don't stand for.  Also they told me you guys look like dorks. "
"Stop exploding, you cowards.  "
 

Offline Father Tim

  • Vice Admiral
  • **********
  • Posts: 2162
  • Thanked: 531 times
Re: RE: Format of AARs?
« Reply #7 on: May 20, 2019, 01:10:49 PM »
Steven King in 'On Writing' says everyone has a million words of garbage they have to work through before they write anything good.  Which, I suppose, is another way of saying if you want to get good at something, practice, practice, practice;  the best way to learn is by doing; and similar platitudes.
 

Offline xenoscepter (OP)

  • Vice Admiral
  • **********
  • Posts: 1154
  • Thanked: 317 times
Re: RE: Format of AARs?
« Reply #8 on: May 20, 2019, 01:44:08 PM »
*laughs in sitzleib*