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Iluvatar · 04-05-2003, 12:37 PM

I am thoroughly enjoying this somewhat ‘heated’ debate and actually laughed a few times. I don’t feel the conversation has gone off track at all and I believe even beneficial to quite a few.

Oh well, I guess I was wrong and the use of “you” is still a controversy to many. I think I’ll reiterate and simplify my point though for your consideration since those of us who object to its use rarely seem to have a valid answer to “why” according to KaVir. Don’t get me wrong, I totally respect KaVir, but I think he’s overcomplicated a simple issue in my opinion.

‘You’ is a personal thing; a subjective, forced reaction in response to some verb that has/was attempted to imply or apply to your character. If your character walks into a place that exists, then the implication is things exist there that can be looked at or smelled or felt or otherwise experienced but nothing specifically targeted since all ‘you’ did was walk in. Sure, I realize “you are here now” can be a valid response to the action of walking into a new place and I use such a simplistic term because that’s what a lot of builders actually do. Is it realistic though? Find a safe place in some wooded area, close your eyes and carefully walk ten paces deeper into it (without hitting a tree), then open them. Does some voice say to you “you are here now” or do you experience sights, sounds, smells and textures of things around you all at once on a grand scale? Something grabs your attention and sure, ‘you’ look at it.

As I stated in my original post, “you” has its place in grammar and story telling and is extremely valuable in the mind-numbing worlds of super-PK where if you take the time to read you get dead in a hurry. In worlds that pride themselves on interactive rooms or promote the seemingly rare talent of “knowing how to read,” the ability to avoid its use and make generic rooms is a valuable attribute for any aspiring builder. Those who learn when it’s actually appropriate to use are even more rare and valuable.

An interesting side note… I have received from 5-10 builders’ applications every month for at least the last six years from aspiring writers. They are requested to provide three written rooms as examples of their talent for our consideration to hire. It both totally amazes and saddens me that stock mud type descriptions and DOOM type blood and guts is the general rule and not the exception.

04-05-2003, 12:37 PM	#27
Iluvatar Member Join Date: May 2002 Location: Mississippi USA Posts: 142	I am thoroughly enjoying this somewhat ‘heated’ debate and actually laughed a few times. I don’t feel the conversation has gone off track at all and I believe even beneficial to quite a few. Oh well, I guess I was wrong and the use of “you” is still a controversy to many. I think I’ll reiterate and simplify my point though for your consideration since those of us who object to its use rarely seem to have a valid answer to “why” according to KaVir. Don’t get me wrong, I totally respect KaVir, but I think he’s overcomplicated a simple issue in my opinion. ‘You’ is a personal thing; a subjective, forced reaction in response to some verb that has/was attempted to imply or apply to your character. If your character walks into a place that exists, then the implication is things exist there that can be looked at or smelled or felt or otherwise experienced but nothing specifically targeted since all ‘you’ did was walk in. Sure, I realize “you are here now” can be a valid response to the action of walking into a new place and I use such a simplistic term because that’s what a lot of builders actually do. Is it realistic though? Find a safe place in some wooded area, close your eyes and carefully walk ten paces deeper into it (without hitting a tree), then open them. Does some voice say to you “you are here now” or do you experience sights, sounds, smells and textures of things around you all at once on a grand scale? Something grabs your attention and sure, ‘you’ look at it. As I stated in my original post, “you” has its place in grammar and story telling and is extremely valuable in the mind-numbing worlds of super-PK where if you take the time to read you get dead in a hurry. In worlds that pride themselves on interactive rooms or promote the seemingly rare talent of “knowing how to read,” the ability to avoid its use and make generic rooms is a valuable attribute for any aspiring builder. Those who learn when it’s actually appropriate to use are even more rare and valuable. An interesting side note… I have received from 5-10 builders’ applications every month for at least the last six years from aspiring writers. They are requested to provide three written rooms as examples of their talent for our consideration to hire. It both totally amazes and saddens me that stock mud type descriptions and DOOM type blood and guts is the general rule and not the exception.