OOTP Developments Forums - View Single Post - Looking to start writing dynasty reports, need some help

Hrycaj · 07-17-2018, 07:40 AM

The most important things to consider are perspective and how it ties into what you are looking to showcase. For example. One of my first attempts was to write a report from the single player perspective. I had read a bunch of stuff from bigsix and that was his angle. I wanted to do something similar so my focus was on the player, his family, history of the era and how my player fit into all of that. I enjoyed that format but eventually abandoned that one because I wanted to showcase more of the teams rather than a single player.

Then I read Orcins awesome dynasty report and loved how he used his perspective through the eyes of a gm to tell his story. I wanted to do something similar so I started a dynasty report for a completely fictional league through the eyes of a gm. I loved doing that one. I still remember most of the fictional players in that league as if they were real. However, I did have some burnout issues as well. In my template I was reporting on a lot of mundane stuff that I had to get down in my posts before I could move on for the sake of consistency. That became work I didn't necessarily want to do in the heat of a pennant race. The other issue was that I took a bottom level team and won the title in 2 years. During that report I also learned that I wanted to tell a story from a much larger perspective than just focusing on my single team.

Which brings me to where I am today. Eugene Church among others do a fine job of writing about a league from the macro perspective. (God mode, whatever you want to call it). His Southern League report doesn't focus on a single team or player but on the whole world in general. Not to speak for him but I believe his is a passion project (which they all become I think) where some things have been edited for accuracy to his childhood. It reads well and gives you a feeling of the league and period. I realized that is ultimately what I wanted to do. I wanted to tell the story of a league and have the freedom to talk about individual teams and players if I wanted to, but not be chained to a single team or player perspective wise. I also wanted to utilze a website in some manner like dreamteams does with his great dynasty report. I find the website gives me more freedom graphically.

So in this long post you may have learned that I am a copycat

I admit it wholeheartedly. However, by copying things I enjoyed I found my own voice and learned which style really works for me. Although I have to admit I will attempt a report like Westhiem's one day where I do the day to day managing of a club and really break down the actual games. It is a great report but I can only focus on one creation at a time. I hope this helps and wasn't just a bunch of name dropping and rambling!

07-17-2018, 07:40 AM	#3
Hrycaj All Star Starter Join Date: Oct 2010 Posts: 1,764	The most important things to consider are perspective and how it ties into what you are looking to showcase. For example. One of my first attempts was to write a report from the single player perspective. I had read a bunch of stuff from bigsix and that was his angle. I wanted to do something similar so my focus was on the player, his family, history of the era and how my player fit into all of that. I enjoyed that format but eventually abandoned that one because I wanted to showcase more of the teams rather than a single player. Then I read Orcins awesome dynasty report and loved how he used his perspective through the eyes of a gm to tell his story. I wanted to do something similar so I started a dynasty report for a completely fictional league through the eyes of a gm. I loved doing that one. I still remember most of the fictional players in that league as if they were real. However, I did have some burnout issues as well. In my template I was reporting on a lot of mundane stuff that I had to get down in my posts before I could move on for the sake of consistency. That became work I didn't necessarily want to do in the heat of a pennant race. The other issue was that I took a bottom level team and won the title in 2 years. During that report I also learned that I wanted to tell a story from a much larger perspective than just focusing on my single team. Which brings me to where I am today. Eugene Church among others do a fine job of writing about a league from the macro perspective. (God mode, whatever you want to call it). His Southern League report doesn't focus on a single team or player but on the whole world in general. Not to speak for him but I believe his is a passion project (which they all become I think) where some things have been edited for accuracy to his childhood. It reads well and gives you a feeling of the league and period. I realized that is ultimately what I wanted to do. I wanted to tell the story of a league and have the freedom to talk about individual teams and players if I wanted to, but not be chained to a single team or player perspective wise. I also wanted to utilze a website in some manner like dreamteams does with his great dynasty report. I find the website gives me more freedom graphically. So in this long post you may have learned that I am a copycat I admit it wholeheartedly. However, by copying things I enjoyed I found my own voice and learned which style really works for me. Although I have to admit I will attempt a report like Westhiem's one day where I do the day to day managing of a club and really break down the actual games. It is a great report but I can only focus on one creation at a time. I hope this helps and wasn't just a bunch of name dropping and rambling! __________________ Click on my signature to read about the great game of baseball in Normington.