Kos Play

System Analysis attempts to break down how authors make decisions about their Litrpg systems. It's a blog interview series about current authors and how they approach the craft. It seeks to answer the question: How the heck did you do that?

Today, we’re talking to Kos Play, the author of System School (which is great) and the more recent Start Menu. Kos is one of my writer buddies from way back.

How'd you come up with this system?

When I came up with it, this system was very basic. I used the same one from System School, which all began with a class and a level. I evolved the system in very different ways for the two series. In Start Menu, I added Pi, a glitch in the system. He came to life and attached himself to Alexander Krup like a parasite. By doing so, he gave Alex access to a class and a level, along with the ability to inspect things and get system statistics. Pi's origin and motives are still a mystery, so we will have to wait and see what he's up to.

(2) Was it based off a game you played and loved or a book?

In this case, it's based on a lot of things. Up to Start Menu, each series was influenced by the previous one. This includes Eternity's Bargain, System School, and Start Menu. I also base much of what I've written off of my predecessors in the LitRPG community. Dakota Krout heavily influenced me with both Divine Dungeon and The Completionist Chronicles. Based on what he's done, I added cultivation, dungeon cores, and real-world-like MMO elements. Iris's Cookbook is a nod to the rituals in The Completionist.

(3) Is math a constant obstacle for you?

I hate to admit this, but I make a lot of mistakes here. I made a spreadsheet for future projects.

(4) What are the main skills, and why did you choose those?

I chose earth based magic for Start Menu. I wanted something that wasn't done much, and I'd never read a story about an Earth Mage before.

(5) Did you make the system first or work through the plot first?

Definitely the system. System school sat on a shelf for 6 months because I couldn't come up with a good plot to match Melvin's skills. It wasn't until I decided he needed to summon Kalliphae that the story really took off.

(6) Is there anything you wish you had done differently?

YES! I wish I hadn't listened to so many of the naysayers. I didn't fully embrace my story because some people griped. As it turns out, the Royal Road voice didn't matter a whole lot as the book did significantly better on Amazon.

(7) What's a "level up" in your system?

I stole this from The Way of the Shaman. A level up is basically a full body orgasm. In WOTS, leveling up felt so good that people would stoop to desperate measures to get that next level of skill up. I went into a lot of detail on the feeling in Eternity's Bargain but toned it down significantly for future series.

What are you currently working on?

My current projects are mostly secret. One is based on crafting, another is my take on vampires, and there’s a couple from Melvin’s world.

This is the one I can tell you about even though it’s on hiatus. https://www.royalroad.com/fiction/87998/the-skill-forger

It’s a VRMMO story. I started writing to clear the palate between books. The main character, who chooses the name Veritas, exploits the game to complete.

How have you found writing in general?

The journey has been an adventure. I went from excitement that I could do it, to major imposter syndrome as people began to recognize me as an author, to acceptance. Now I just want to pass on what I've learned to other aspiring writers.

What's your daily schedule like?

Day to day writing takes a lot of work. I used to write all day and deeply enjoy it. Now I've had to find moderation as anything in excess can be bad for you. I've seen far too many writers burn out by overdoing it.

What drew you to Litrpg?

Hmm. I think .hack drew me to LitRPG. For a long time, I thought full dive video games were the kinds of stories I wanted to read. I hesitantly branched out into the other branches, starting with dungeon core, post apoc, isekai, and finally regression fantasy. They all have their own unique charm that makes for fun stories.

You can find more about Kos here!

 https://kosplayauthor.com

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