Questions About Stuff and Nonsense (Threadbare #1)

by Andrew Seiple (Goodreads Author)

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Do you have to be a gamer to appreciate this book, or can someone who never participated in a RPG still enjoy it?

Draco18s Sometimes the stats / quests / system notices add something to the story. Often by being snarky, punny, suspiciously on point ("wait, how did the game…moreSometimes the stats / quests / system notices add something to the story. Often by being snarky, punny, suspiciously on point ("wait, how did the game know I was having problems at school?"), or in some other way humorous.

For example, Morningwood: Everyone Loves Large Chests has whole jokes that require the stat system to exist, such as the skill "Aci◻ Spray, Description: 3͢Er̸ф̀гj͠fЯo͡fR҉ ͢ ͢P#́f̨l̸B̀>̴taQg̷ ;;;" and main characters ends up having to enquire with a demon to figure out why he can't read it (and the audiobook goes full sound effects with dings, chimes, bleeps and so on, in order to convey the messed up text; its fabulous).

Or you get things like "Skill gained! 'I Have Concerns.' Having spent so long eating hallucinogenic berries for nourishment, the berries throw in the towel and give up! No longer will poisons negatively impact you and may even heal you." (Whereupon the main character got angry because he wanted the hallucinations back).

It'll depend on the author how they use it, but in general it isn't important for the reader to know what the exact values of the character's stats are, or what the skills do, or how they compare to another character (usually when it's relevant the author will include a recap of the skill description or whatever, so you don't have to remember it).

It's more that the trope of litrpg is that the *characters* themselves are aware of their own attributes and skills, can view their own character sheet, and so on. Sometimes it's because the novel takes place in a VRMMO (such as Awaken Online, Completionist Chronicles) or because "that's just the way the world works" and the main character might be a native to the world (Dungeon Deposed) or an outsider from our world (Wandering Inn, Newbtown).

It's also very trope-y of litrpg for the main character to find a way to break the system in unintended ways (and often become extremely powerful as a result (and sometimes the system steps in and patches things to bring the power back in line)).(less)

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