Visualization/Realism in Alterations

[thornhappy]

Olanan's 'bellhop pants' in the 'fix me' thread brought up a few things that I've always been curious about.

I wonder.. do other people see this item the same way I do?

Visualization. With off-the-shelf items (and long descriptions) there's a much higher degree of interpretation. Shows will tell explicitly what something looks like, though sometimes they're rather nebulous as well. heh.

I think it'd be interesting to post up items and see how we'd describe them/what we'd compare them to if they were real.. I'm curious how much the responses will vary.



Now on to the next..

When I'm designing alterations, whether for myself or others, I always strive to be realistic. For examples..

Wedding rings. Why must Elanthians have crap crusted/etched/adorned all over them? To me, a wedding ring is simple, perhaps inscribed or using two metals, but not generally looking like some gangsta's ring o' bling..

Hunting attire. The apparent fascination with creating something as skimpy as possible to wear traipsing through the woods/snow/etc.. from things that would FALL OFF under NORMAL circumstances (Kritz)..

Daily wear.. There is more liberty with wording here, but honestly.. how often do you see someone, even at a formal dance, wearing something that's DIAMOND/CRYSTAL DUSTED SPARKLY PERFECT FLAWLESS etc.. And then there's the whole HALF-NAKED SHEER MIDRIFF EXPOSING.. and onward.. things that would never in a million years be combined or possibly stay together if they were actually created.

It seems to some extent men are more grounded in this area, as blood/runes of death and doom are relatively more realistic in our environment. heh.


Just a few disjointed thoughts in between calls here at work.

[Olanan]

Some spiffy black denim jeans enscribed with bloody crimson runes of vile death.

You see Carl.
He appears to be a Jackass of the local bar on Tuesdays.
He has deep black evil eyes and lightly tanned skin. He has stringy oily hair.
He has an ugly face, a fat head and a big mouth.
He is wearing a white tee with the words, "Carl, the meat", written on it, some spiffy black denim jeans enscribed with bloody crimson runes of vile death, a wide black belt with a large belt buckle, and some big black cowboy boots.

True story.

[Jolena]

I actually disagree with you there, on a few points. I do think that the diamond/crystal dusted flawlessness of gowns/dresses is something that we see at formal dances in RL. Although I will admit that many of the descriptions for altered dresses in GS are a bit more modern than should be for the genre, I don't believe that they are unbelievable if placed in a RL context. I personally have seen many gowns that had sheer fabric over the back or midriff portion of the gown, especially in hollywood premieres, etc. Is this genre appropriate? Probably not, but in the context of your post, I would have to say that it is very much seen in RL gowns.

As to the armor, I've never quite understood why people think its appropriate to wear flimsy, see-through armor in GS. Its armor, its supposed to protect and be sturdy.

[AnticorRifling]

It's magical armor damnit. You're stiffling my RP, please find a textual fire and die in it kthxbai.

[thornhappy]

I was referring more to the people who insist on wearing a flawless diamond encrusted gown to go sit in the Raging Thrak Trophy Room/park/etc..

I definately agree with your points on genre.. There were certainly very elaborate gowns in GS's supposed time frame..

[Stanley Burrell]

I pray to the snake-headed lizard demon(s?) that Sukara will get even more drunk than usual as to make me only the finest a transgender neon yellow samite Dwarven cotehardie wrinkling upwards enough at the midriff to expose a protruding lump of pube-reminiscent-tufted beer gut.

Olanan's post prevented me from posting anything constructive...er.

[Shari]

ROFL @ Stanley.

I agree alot with what thornhappy said. (The gangsta bling wedding rings cracked me up, btw) I associate GS with early Renaissance times. They were VERY elaborate. However, if you're a rogue, warrior, etc or someone who swings a sword, how the FUCK do you ambush in a full-length gown/skirt?

I'm okay with spellcasters, who just stand there and wave their hands. Jesae has the luxury of wearing just about anything she wants since she's just flailing her arms about like an air-traffic controller.

And...I'm still waiting for someone to propose to her with "a platinum solitare engagement ring set with a dazzling square-cut white diamond". Or something to that effect. :D

[Mighty Nikkisaurus]

I was referring more to the people who insist on wearing a flawless diamond encrusted gown to go sit in the Raging Thrak Trophy Room/park/etc..

I definately agree with your points on genre.. There were certainly very elaborate gowns in GS's supposed time frame..


Well, at least with Issi her nice gowns aren't just for balls and stuff. Her nice gowns were for everyday wear because RP wise (and sometimes mechanics wise, haha) she's filthy rich and a noble. When she hunted, obviously she changed.. but if she was going to be in the public eye (waiting for merchants, etc) she was going to be dressed well and look immaculate. Then again, she never sat down on the ground and what have you (like in TSC when people sit down) unless a merchant asked her too. Still.. just because people wear the gowns doesn't mean it doesn't make sense in some situations.. just not ALL situations.

Of course there's also the problem of laziness. I know I sometimes would get too tired/lazy to want to go fully change Issi's outfit so even if it wasn't *entirely* appropriate I decided screw it, who cares?

[StrayRogue]

It's fantasy. If someone wants to go hunting in a pink rolton costume, let them.