Friday, December 01, 2006

Cavemen and Coat-Hangers

Consider, if you will, the humble coat hanger.

Simple; elegant. Not much to it. But then again it doesn't need much, does it? Any effort at improving or altering its design might result, at best, in a fancier thing of more precious or cunning materials -- or, at worst, an overcomplicated monstrosity which, in its zeal to improve (or perhaps impress), forgets its basic, defining function:

To hang up your coat.

Coat hanger.

Over on The RPG Site, forum regular Abyssal Maw presented recently a little thing he calls "The Abyssal Guide: Create A Bog-Standard Dungeony Fantasy Campaign With Dungeons". Due to the fundamental nature of his campaign design advice, he refers to it as "real caveman stuff"; in a sense, he's right, but it's a hell of a reminder of how basic and essential foundations can encourage sophistication and, more importantly, get the job done.

Elegance is at its best, after all, when it does something well.

Click on the link and go tidy up your closets.