How do I write a good AAR?

from GalCiv2 Forums
I don't know if this is the proper place to post this, but here goes anyways. I am interested in writing a great AAR, but I am slightly unsure about how to go about it. I tried setting up an excel spreadsheet to record the basics of my game so that I could use it as a review sheet to write the AAR later. The problem is that is a lot of information to record.

I decided to come here and ask you guys how you go about writing some of these great AARs. I have been especially impressed with Basrin's "The Rise of Humanity" AAR. I really enjoyed all of the minor details and "fluff" that was included in the AAR. It gave it a lot of flavor.

I'd be interested in hearing any suggestions or advice on how to go about writing a great AAR. Thanks.
aars
6,805 views 6 replies
Reply #1 from GalCiv2 Forums Top

I found the best way to "record" all the information was just take lots and lots of screenshots throughout the game. One picture can tell you so much about what's going on at any given point. I'd also take a screenshot whenever something important happened, like wars being declared or major events.

Then when I was writing the AAR I was able to look through the hundreds of screenshots I took one by one and remember exactly what happened in the game.

Since GalCiv doesn't have an inbuilt way of saving screenshots you'll need to download a program like Hoversnap which saves them automatically to the hard drive when you hit printscreen.



Reply #2 from GalCiv2 Forums Top
I just kind of rp mine. Not that mine are all that great. I usually forget to take screen shots. I'd like to start doing that however.
Elemental: Reforged
Reply #4 from GalCiv2 Forums Top
Hi!
I am interested in writing a great AAR

Define point by point what makes an AAR "great" and you're half there.

BR, Iztok

Reply #6 from GalCiv2 Forums Top
I use Grab Clip Save, it is a good one to use, or Fraps, which will also allow you to take 30 second clips of what is going on in the game. If you do use Fraps for that, you are looking at huge AVI files which will need to be compressed by a program called VirtualDub (at least that is what i use). Turns my 100 - 200 MB AVI into a 6 MB AVI. So it compresses a lot!

Good luck on the AAR! Take a look at my first complete AAR if you want to see another approach, and a resounding defeat at the hands of the Drengin...

It is called Torgalian Domination. Or was before I was defeated, it now has the extra tag -- Defeated! on it.

GalenEvil