Doing computer maintenance. Software & system updates, backups, etc… I have wondered where most of my hard drive space went to. I found it. A recursive directory called “Dump” that was my whole home drive duplicated. A tool used in building the computer I no longer needed. I dumped it. Halved the used space on the drive.
No that was not my backup. That is a separate drive. But running the backup was how I found it. New School tools need to be maintained.
My the tools have changed. One can honestly say that legal pads did not require much maintenance. That, a calculator, and a typewriter were the tools we had back in 1976. Maps were drawn on graph paper or hex paper. If you were getting fancy you used colored pencils.
My first home made character sheet took about 14 hours of work on a drawing board with layout pencils, technical pens and press type lettering. Lucky for me I had the skills and the tools. Character sheets done at the local print shop. The same job was updated on the computer years later in about an hour and a half and printed as needed. Somewhere around here I still have those original layout boards.
Do I miss the old tools? I have to say that there is a satisfaction in handwork. I do not miss maintaining technical pens. Those things are a bitch to keep working. I like my new school tools. I even gave away my old drawing board. I do mapping on the computer too and enjoy the process (mostly) and certainly the results.
With a bit of work and an on demand printer I can get results as professional as anything Lizards of the Coast can produce. Even with my comb binder I can make some nice looking books. (That’s the spine of the book in Losing My Religions). I’m a Desk Top Publishing nerd. I have neat toys in that department. Yes a long carriage plotter is my holy grail device. Where I plan to put this holy grail is another matter. There is not a square foot of the Sanctum that is open. Maybe Castle Anthrax has an empty tower.
So new school tools and old school processes. I think they make a fine game.