RPG and design, II - Crunch x Fluff

RPG and design series so far:

* I - Vocabulary; Manual x Encyclopedia
* II - Crunch x Fluff
* III - Crunch IS Fluff (excavators can't jump!)
* IV - Theme, Mechanics, and Narrative
* V - Incongruous and dissociated mechanics
* VI - Unproductive fluff (and crunch)
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In my latest post about RPG design, I mentioned two functions for RPG books: "Manual" and "Encyclopedia".

One comment in that post mentioned an interesting blog post from Grindstonë Games with more accurate jargon: procedure information x reference information.

Procedure type info is basically the rules. The crunch [reference information is also crunch IMO; see below]. The rules might be a single unified mechanic or a million little different subsystems hobbled together. The rules might be light and let the DM wing it, or they might be comprehensive hoping to cover all of the more likely scenarios to prevent rules lawyers from dominating the game. They might be wedded to the Overview [see below] or they might be easily adapted to any world or situation.

Reference type info is the pile of entries that actually dominate most RPG. The monsters, the spells, and magic items and treasure are the best examples. You can continue to add more spells, and more monsters, to the game without fundamentally changing anything. If the GM doesn't like the additional spells they just don't appear and no harm done. Character classes and character races might fit into this category [...]

In addition, it mentioned "overview information":

Overview is basically setting information and those bits of creative writing that occasionally introduce a section hoping to give it color. Setting may be separate from the rules (example D&D with its one set of rules and thousands of settings) or it may be built into the DNA of the game (example Stormbringer and Harnmaster). The choice of bonding a system to the setting can provide a richer experience but it could also hold that system back if folks think the setting is weird or would rather create their own (see RuneQuest and Glorantha). Adventure modules fit into this  category as well.

Now, I am not sure how this last piece of jargon is actually used in "the Darwin Information Typing Architecture" mentioned in the post. However, while the terms "procedure" and reference" are intuitive, "overview" is not as intuitive for me.

I think this part of RPGs - "creative writing", "color" - is what I'd call inspiration or fluff. From wikipedia:

Fluff: The setting and ambiance of a game, as distinct from the rules/mechanics*, particularly in reference to written descriptive material.

[* i.e., "crunch"; both procedures and references are crunch, IMO.]

There are chunks of pure inspirational material, or big piles of fluff. Good examples are the pieces of comic books and short stories that were inserted in many RPGs in the 90s, or a couple of quotes for "The Wire" (!) and other sources that you can find in games such as Dungeon World.

They are not as usual now. The reasons, for me, are quite obvious; while they are good for introducing readers to a new setting, they usually get in the way of procedures and references; read once, and take valuable space afterwards. Certain books, however, specially those written "in universe ("Volo's Guide...", etc.) are full of fluff.

Of course, there are also small pieces of fluff ALL OVER every product. A paragraph or two, or even a couple of lines. For example, the fact that a certain type of skeleton has a few arrows through its head, for example, or that its bones glow with a sickly purple radiance. Most "cosmetic" stuff is fluff.

In 5e, monster "crunch" is contained within a yellow box (lower left):

Or look at this 4e power; it is all crunch, except for the italicized part (fluff):

These distinctions are not always that obvious, but they are immensely useful.

Notice that you can change the fluff infinitely without affecting the crunch (the "weapon of divine..." could be a divine attack, a tactical move, a savage blow that inspires nearby allies, etc.*). However, the fluff must have some relation to the crunch, as we'll explain in a later post (this is a fundamental part of RPGs, often misunderstood).

(*Of course, that would require changing the "divine" keyword; in 4e, this part is crunch)

One last thing: unlike stated above, I wouldn't say that "adventure modules fit into this category [overview] as well".

Adventure modules may contain all three types of information. They are mostly reference (new trap, monsters, rooms, maps, etc.) + fluff, but can contain some additional pieces of procedure, although this is more uncommon. "Tomb of Annihilation" for 5e, for example, contain the "meat grinder mode"; a new (or merely alternative) procedure for death and dying.

There is a LOT more to talk about these issues, but that's enough for one post.