Subject: MYSTARA-L Digest - 5 Jan 2003 to 6 Jan 2003 (#2003-7) From: Automatic digest processor Date: 07/01/2003, 19:00 To: Recipients of MYSTARA-L digests Reply-to: Mystara RPG Discussion There are 5 messages totalling 310 lines in this issue. Topics of the day: 1. Almanac 1018 fonts (3) 2. Secret Circles 3. War-Journal of Bue Geirsteinson - Part XVII ******************************************************************** The Other Worlds Homepage: http://www.wizards.com/dnd/OtherWorlds.asp The Mystara Homepage: http://www.dnd.starflung.com/ To unsubscribe, send email to LISTSERV@ORACLE.WIZARDS.COM with UNSUB MYSTARA-L in the body of the message. ---------------------------------------------------------------------- Date: Mon, 6 Jan 2003 01:01:10 -0800 From: Herve Musseau Subject: Re: Almanac 1018 fonts > From: SUBSCRIBE MYSTARA-L hammer_of_ulric > > I'm looking at the latest almanac, but it is very difficult to read. > > I'm not sure which font has been used. What are the chances of getting the > font changed for future editions? A gothic font was used, for the pdf version. Basically, I released two versions: One in rtf that is intended for screen display/reading, using Times and Arial. The Atlas section also contains the revisions, to make it easier for incremental reading, though I think it was also confusing to some people and I will handle this differently for 1019. Basically, this version is for people who work with it: people who need to check it often, reference it, etc. As such, it also does not contain the pictures. The second version is the pdf one, intended to be printed and read on paper. It reads out nicely enough, and has the flavor of gothic, but only on paper; it is indeed not intended for screen reading. It contains the full version, the one that would be released if we were real publishers, with pictures et al. I simplified things from the year before, because it was a hassle to maintain several different versions. But things are still open for more refining, and remarks such as this one help me make the MA better. > From: Giampaolo Agosta > > The last almanac, at least in the pdf version, had a gothic font face > _everywhere_. Indeed, its use could be limited to the titles. So, if I understand correctly you like the gothic font, but you'd like it to be restricted to the titles? I understand, and I hesitated to use the gothic font everywhere, but as I said when printed it works. However, I am open to using other fonts for the body text (or even change the gothic font used), though I would like to not use a basic font (ie not Times or Arial), but something more Mystaran-looking. I am open to suggestions. If you have nice fonts you'd see fitting for the MA, don't hesitate to send them to me. > From: SUBSCRIBE MYSTARA-L hammer_of_ulric > > The pdf is in a very fancy font, not Times or Arial. I'm using the pdf > rather than the rtf because it has the pictures embedded. Without better alternative for 1018 (short of modifying the rtf files yourself), I suggest you print out the pdf for a thorough reading and enjoying the almanac in its fullest, and use the rtf without pictures version for searching for specific bits and pieces when you need them. > The files could also be improved by adding bookmarks. Its quite tricky > finding anything in such a huge document. Good point. The rtf has a toc, which is also present in the pdf but they're not translated into bookmarks but plain text. I don't have the pdf tools to make bookmarks (or I don't know how). If you know which software i should be hunting for to do this, please tell me. > Apart from these minor quibbles, an impressive body of work! Thank you. I'm glad you like it and use it. > From: Chris Furneaux > > deffinately change the font. > > I stress this because that fone is a pain to read. A simpler font would mean > it can also be printed smaller with two pages to an A4 because the point size > used > in the PDF is still quite large meaning that it ends up at about the size of > the official almanacs (but thicker!) :D > > Complex fonts just make printing more expensive and the current font is one > of the main reasons I didn't print the last almanac. IIRC you used a different font (though quite similar) in the art. Do you think we should use it instead? Do you have any ideas for another font we might use, for example if we use different fonts for titles and body? ===== ___________________________________________________________ Herve Musseau http://www.geocities.com/hmusseau/ __________________________________________________ Do you Yahoo!? Yahoo! Mail Plus - Powerful. Affordable. Sign up now. http://mailplus.yahoo.com ------------------------------ Date: Mon, 6 Jan 2003 10:57:23 +0100 From: Daniel Mayer Subject: Secret Circles Hi, all! Just a small question: The revised Glantri-Circles are quite nicely presented on starflung. But i miss a hint whether a spellcaster advances in his spell-levels or not... A short note would be sufficient. I don't expect a spell-progression, because the powers of e.g. the dracologist are quite impressive, but playing a 17th lvl (11wiz/6thdrac.) wizard who even can't cast 7th lvl spells (w/o drac: 1x9th-lvl spell...) :( Thanks, Daniel ------------------------------ Date: Mon, 6 Jan 2003 16:01:32 +0100 From: Jacob Skytte Subject: War-Journal of Bue Geirsteinson - Part XVII The end, well almost. ;) Jacob Skytte scythe@wanadoo.dk *** The War-Journal of Bue Geirsteinson Vatermont 28th, the year 1000 After Crowning of the First Emperor of the = Thyatian Empire Our return to Norstedt brought a pleasant surprise, but also turned out = to be yet another sorrowful day for me. I knew that this war would = require many sacrifices on my part, but I still was not prepared for the = pain I would face throughout it. Waiting for us at Norstedt was my sister Lis, the skald Ralf Silk-Tongue = and the woman I had not been able to get out of my head, Asta = Katlasdottir, alive and well! I rushed to her side, wishing to embrace = her in relief, but she held up a hand, and made me keep my distance. = Concerned, I heard her ask me if we could speak in private, and I = readily agreed. Once we were secluded in the great hall, she told me in a heavy voice = that though she had survived the day until the time came that Ralf could = heal her, all was still not well. I asked her what was wrong. "Bue," she breathed softly. "My feelings for you are strong and I can = see that you return them. This would be a dream come true, if but for = one thing: My actions at the battle against your father. I used sorcery = against him, and it was an act for which there are consequences." She sighed deeply and put a finger to my lips, silencing me before I = could speak. "I have been expelled from the shield-maidens, I have lost = my honour. I know that you might not care about that, but I have to. I = must return to my family in Ringmark, where I have to find a way to = restore my honour. Until such a time comes, I cannot be with you; my = presence would bring shame on you. I know that you are to be jarl of = Noslosford now, and I will not be the one who endangers your position." I spoke out, because I had to. "I care nothing for this position of = jarl, and if it means losing you, I will readily give it up. If you = truly feel for me, as you say you do, then let me help you restore that = honour, stay with me or let me come with you." She shook her head sadly. "I must do this on my own or I will have = regained nothing. I cannot be the one for you as long as I carry this = stain. You might not mind, but I would. I will not hold you back, make = you less than you could be..." "You never could, Asta," I replied. It is only without you that I am = less than I could be..." Tears sprang from her eyes. "Oh Bue, do not say that. Do not make this = any harder for me. We must part until such a time that I may have = regained my honour. If that time comes, I can only pray that you will = want me back." "All right," I replied. "I will respect your decision. But I swear to = you, Asta Katlasdottir, that I will wait for as long as it takes, and = once you find that you are able to return to me, you will find me here, = waiting. Waiting for you, my love." With a sob, she fell into my arms, and our mouths met, but only for a = brief kiss. She broke the embrace and turned from me, wiping at her = eyes. "Live well, Bue," she breathed, a barely audible whisper. It = sounded final, but I refused to believe that it was. Before I had a = chance to speak to her again, she was gone, gone from my household, from = my life. But not from my heart. The rest of the day seemed unimportant. There was the swearing of oaths = of fealty to King Hord, followed by the feast in my honour, to celebrate = my ascent to jarl of Clan Noslosford. The words seemed hollow to me, the = food like ashes in my mouth. Only my sister Lis could coax a smile from = me, and that only because I did not want her to see my despair. = Ingibjorg attempted to strike up conversation between us, but I ignored = her. Ralf Silk-Tongue wished to cheer me up, but his stories all seemed = glum and filled with despair. Hord seemed pleased enough at the feast, and seemed to not mind my dark = mood. Perhaps he thought my mood was due to the fate of my family, which = it probably should be, but the only thing on my mind was Asta, and how = unfair it was that she could not be with me and I with her. As the night drags on, I am left to pen these thoughts in my journal. = The war is over, I have won. Why then do I feel like I have lost = everything? I am left to hold the reins of power, to be jarl of a clan = that used to mean everything to me. Now it seems truly unimportant. But = it remains my duty to be the best jarl I can be for my clan. I will be a = slave to that duty until a day comes, when I will be free to pursue my = happiness with Asta. I only pray that she will know what to do, and that = she will succeed in her quest to regain her lost honour. The end of the War-Journal, penned by Bue Geirsteinson, jarl of Clan = Noslosford in the year 1000 After Crowning of the First Emperor of the = Thyatian Empire ------------------------------ Date: Mon, 6 Jan 2003 16:33:32 +0100 From: Giampaolo Agosta Subject: Re: Almanac 1018 fonts Herve Musseau wrote: > >> The last almanac, at least in the pdf version, had a gothic font face >> _everywhere_. Indeed, its use could be limited to the titles. > > So, if I understand correctly you like the gothic font, but you'd like it to be > restricted to the titles? Yes. That would strike a balance between readability and fancy fonts ;) > I understand, and I hesitated to use the gothic font everywhere, but as I said > when printed it works. I do not doubt this, but I'm also quite certain I'm not going to print the whole almanac, since it would take a lot of paper--actually, I seldom print anything for reading at all. Bye, -- Giampaolo Agosta http://digilander.iol.it/agathokles ------------------------------ Date: Tue, 7 Jan 2003 16:27:40 +1300 From: Chris Furneaux Subject: Re: Almanac 1018 fonts > So, if I understand correctly you like the gothic font, but you'd like > it to be restricted to the titles? That has my vote. > I don't have the pdf tools to make bookmarks (or I don't know how). If > you know > which software i should be hunting for to do this, please tell me. Acrobat 5, cause I use it occationally at uni. > IIRC you used a different font (though quite similar) in the art. Do you > think we should use it instead? Do you have any ideas for another font we > might use, for example if we use different fonts for titles and body? The font I used was 'VI University' but I only used it because it is a similar style to that used on the PWA's. I think the gothic is far too hard to read tho. Too complex. The beauty of "Times New Roman" is that it can be read at a very small size (because it was created with that goal for 'The Times' newspaper so that they could maximise the infomation on a page as I understand it.) More complicated fonts need to be larger to be read as effectively as times and therefore require more pages when printing. I tend to print anything D&D related at the smallest practical font which I find is about 8 or 10. At that size you need three columns to a page and it comes out at about the same size print as in the old modules ot the PWA's. The title font could be changed but it is the text that needs to be simple because titles are usually bigger. As you say the PDF is to print, so therefore it should be designed for this. At the moment 1018 is very unwieldy when printed (800 pages for the atlas!!!) but with a different font it sould be readable at two pages per A4 side. If you send me the to be PDF'ed doc file I would be happy to re-PDF it in Times new roman. As Giampaolo said: "I'm also quite certain I'm not going to print the whole almanac, since it would take a lot of paper--actually" But I seldom read anything without printing it so I would like to print it. Chris. ------------------------------ End of MYSTARA-L Digest - 5 Jan 2003 to 6 Jan 2003 (#2003-7) ************************************************************