The Art of the AARMany peoples believe that telling a story is an art. With or without pictures. The native Americans thought that if you told a story, you passed on a part of your living soul to the listener. AARs are much the same. The way they are written, the style of text, the pictures, even the font all show the authors personality and writting style. In truth and AAR shows even more. It shows the way the author plays his AAR game of choice. He shows his commitment, judging if he or she can saty with his or her AAR and see it through. An AAR truly is an art form.
AARs are a personification of the author, a shadow so to speak. TWC is lucky to have so many amazing authors. We have Juvenal, Kallum, Theodotos I. We have Xavier Dragnesi and Benz. We have Legio Caesar and MarcusAurelius Antoninus. Those are only a select few on these forums. Many are AARtists at heart and have yet to dicover their ability.
To create a succesful AAR you must write it like you are writing a story. It is boring to hear a status report of your AAR's going ons. You must elaborate and let the reader get in touch with characters. Make your characters real, make them human. For even though it may be fun to have an invincible super soldier for an Emperor, King or leader, it is better reading if he has internal issues and problems. Each problem that he solves should be replaced with a tougher problem. For there is nothing worse then to have an anti-climax. Even if in the game itself your Empire flourishes, you must find a problem and make it grow. A personal favorite is the "civil war" tactic. This allows you to have intriuge into your AAR. You can even make the civil war real and write a few pictureless paraghraphs about the battles and the overall outcome.
In the end however it all comes down the the actual in game products. Pictures in AARsare an extremely important aspect. Remember, as much as you can elaborate and add to the story it is not a book. It is an "After Action Report". Pictures in an AAR allow for the reader to have a break from the text and examine the situation of your Empire. An important thing to note; almost all readers get tired if they read too much text. Put pictures in intervals to break up the text.
AARs are in many way a certain lifeblood for TWC. They allow for many things to be created. Imagine a TWC without AARs. At first you may laugh and say, "Well we still got all this stuff to do like..." Well yes, you do. However think f the chain effect. No AARs mean no AAR competition or RPG games, no AARs means the destruction of an enitre forum in TWC. All that would be left is TOTW.
This is not a guide to make an AAR. AARs are living things. You can't have a guide or a manual how to make them as each AAR is completely different. However if you ever want some advice from a readers point of you, read this article.
This is John Adams from Eagle Standard.
"I think that I might start an AAR". Omar Nelson
Omar).
Originally Posted by Omar Nelson B.
Honestly I hope that DLV is not stopped. I have empire and it is fun but becomes boring compared to this. It lacks depth and imersion. I just wanted to say thanks to Repman for making such a B.A mod.Teutonic campaign: Focus on the Acre General, and his way up north. How he decides to travels. Maybe he seattles down in Irakolin, or if he seattles down in Corsica&Sardinia starts to fight on the south western border of HRR. After if conquesers the main land, he gives it back to HRR.
(BL-W)
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