Making a Setting [Archive] - Wizards Community

Making a Setting [Archive] - Wizards Community

Post/Author/DateTime Post
Kedami
10-01-07, 01:53 PM I have my kingdom all planned out and my maps fr the main cities prepared and all the rest of it, but I was wondering, generally, how long it takes to make an entire setting.

This includes things like a proper list of laws for each kingdom, full world maps, weather cycles, and so on.

Also, when creating a setting, do you place your wilderness dungeons (that is, ones that are in ruined forts, or caves, etc...) while you are making each area, or as your players are to go to them?
Ishmayl
10-01-07, 02:24 PM It really just depends. To some people, world and campaign building is just an exercise that is used for no other reason that to set up a spot to throw some adventures in. For some others (http://www.thecbg.org), though, it's become a form of art, and a hobby, and people will spend 5 to 10 years working on one world. If you just need a place that will "work" for some adventures, you can probably spend a couple weeks throwing something together. If you want a world that interacts on all different levels, then expect be at it for awhile. However, it's great fun, and has many different rewards as well. Good luck!
Dex
10-01-07, 06:41 PM It depends how physically large your setting is. If it's a couple of countries with distinct differences, then it should only take a weekend or something. If it's huge (and by huge, I mean freaking huge) then the aforementioned "decades" is more like it.

Also, when creating a setting, do you place your wilderness dungeons (that is, ones that are in ruined forts, or caves, etc...) while you are making each area, or as your players are to go to them?
That depends. If you have a wilderness dungeon and the players just say "ok, we're heading into the unexplored wilderness to try and find some adventure" then sure, place it as you players go along. If it's critical they go to the right location, though, place them before hand. A mix of both is probably the best way to go.

I find it's easier to draft adventure ideas, then stat the adventures by level, and then worry about where this fits into the world, than the other way around. Hope this helps.
Hochiu
10-02-07, 02:48 PM I have my kingdom all planned out and my maps fr the main cities prepared and all the rest of it, but I was wondering, generally, how long it takes to make an entire setting.

This includes things like a proper list of laws for each kingdom, full world maps, weather cycles, and so on.

Also, when creating a setting, do you place your wilderness dungeons (that is, ones that are in ruined forts, or caves, etc...) while you are making each area, or as your players are to go to them?

Depends on how inclusive you want your setting to be. I'm a masochist for realism (realism in the fact that there's a generally complete feel to the setting in all areas), so I tend to over detail the game. However, one needs to not detail it to the point that the characters feel they cannot do anything in it. Finding the balance between player interest/feeling of worth in a world that's as detailed as Forgotten Realms can be interesting and challenging.

Myself, I take forever to make a world, because I end up growing bored with them after a while and end up setting them aside to work on a new idea, only to forget about them. It repeats itself until the present time, whenever that is. I'm hoping that my current world is sufficiently interesting and different that I can continue with it.

I tend to make each "wilderness" area a fair wilderness, and I generally only place my forts or whatever there when the players find them. I may have an idea about it, for instance, a ruined city that people have forgotten may be in the area, but I won't generally have it on a map until the players find it.
Deadlypudding
10-02-07, 05:03 PM Well from a personal perspective, I've been working on my world (well its really more like an entire universe), for about 5-6 years now. I've laid out a very elaborate history with several eras and NPCs (both heroes and villains) for each era. I've drawn many maps, including the main planet's world map. After all this time its really not complete, and I've only run a few short campaigns within it unfortunately.

It does take time if the world is meant to be as real as the one we live in. My best suggestion if you plan on such a venture would be to formulate a history and an outline of major areas on this world. Then start planning the real cities and people the PCs would encounter.

With the wilderness, I suggest bassically taking your world map and start scaling. As you get a smaller and smaller perspective you can add towns, and then farms, and then ruins, and then the roads. Using this method it allows you to be flexible with your world map drawing, and it doesn't force you to make every minute detail immediately.
Kedami
10-03-07, 09:46 AM Thanks for all your comments. I think they will help.

I'm hoping it doesn't take that long, but I've already planned for quite a few countries...
Hochiu
10-03-07, 10:36 AM After all this time its really not complete, and I've only run a few short campaigns within it unfortunately.

This seems to be the biggest bane of all campaign world creators - the sheer lack of player feedback and input. On one hand, you want to make a world where they can play in fairly well without impromptu decisions, but on the other, you'd like to make a world where they can affect the course of things like politics and local situations and you just can't...do all of your ideas well without them playing it.

I have the biggest problem with this part right here. None of my friends at home want to play my campaign setting because I "change the game too much". Meaning, I change things for flavor and little crunch. Like I take races and change them around in a stylistic way and sometimes (not often) change the race mechanically to suit that style.

Also, they don't like being unable to port their characters from their overpowered, overmagic game into mine. I'm not running a sterile campaign, but I'm not devolving it to their level of gameplay and mindnumbing 2 hour long combat sequences.

So yeah, I lose interest because I generally have no real feedback from players and all the ideas I can't really happen until they start playing in it at the level of dedication to the world I want.

Post/Author/DateTime	Post
Kedami 10-01-07, 01:53 PM	I have my kingdom all planned out and my maps fr the main cities prepared and all the rest of it, but I was wondering, generally, how long it takes to make an entire setting. This includes things like a proper list of laws for each kingdom, full world maps, weather cycles, and so on. Also, when creating a setting, do you place your wilderness dungeons (that is, ones that are in ruined forts, or caves, etc...) while you are making each area, or as your players are to go to them?
Ishmayl 10-01-07, 02:24 PM	It really just depends. To some people, world and campaign building is just an exercise that is used for no other reason that to set up a spot to throw some adventures in. For some others (http://www.thecbg.org), though, it's become a form of art, and a hobby, and people will spend 5 to 10 years working on one world. If you just need a place that will "work" for some adventures, you can probably spend a couple weeks throwing something together. If you want a world that interacts on all different levels, then expect be at it for awhile. However, it's great fun, and has many different rewards as well. Good luck!
Dex 10-01-07, 06:41 PM	It depends how physically large your setting is. If it's a couple of countries with distinct differences, then it should only take a weekend or something. If it's huge (and by huge, I mean freaking huge) then the aforementioned "decades" is more like it. Also, when creating a setting, do you place your wilderness dungeons (that is, ones that are in ruined forts, or caves, etc...) while you are making each area, or as your players are to go to them? That depends. If you have a wilderness dungeon and the players just say "ok, we're heading into the unexplored wilderness to try and find some adventure" then sure, place it as you players go along. If it's critical they go to the right location, though, place them before hand. A mix of both is probably the best way to go. I find it's easier to draft adventure ideas, then stat the adventures by level, and then worry about where this fits into the world, than the other way around. Hope this helps.
Hochiu 10-02-07, 02:48 PM	I have my kingdom all planned out and my maps fr the main cities prepared and all the rest of it, but I was wondering, generally, how long it takes to make an entire setting. This includes things like a proper list of laws for each kingdom, full world maps, weather cycles, and so on. Also, when creating a setting, do you place your wilderness dungeons (that is, ones that are in ruined forts, or caves, etc...) while you are making each area, or as your players are to go to them? Depends on how inclusive you want your setting to be. I'm a masochist for realism (realism in the fact that there's a generally complete feel to the setting in all areas), so I tend to over detail the game. However, one needs to not detail it to the point that the characters feel they cannot do anything in it. Finding the balance between player interest/feeling of worth in a world that's as detailed as Forgotten Realms can be interesting and challenging. Myself, I take forever to make a world, because I end up growing bored with them after a while and end up setting them aside to work on a new idea, only to forget about them. It repeats itself until the present time, whenever that is. I'm hoping that my current world is sufficiently interesting and different that I can continue with it. I tend to make each "wilderness" area a fair wilderness, and I generally only place my forts or whatever there when the players find them. I may have an idea about it, for instance, a ruined city that people have forgotten may be in the area, but I won't generally have it on a map until the players find it.
Deadlypudding 10-02-07, 05:03 PM	Well from a personal perspective, I've been working on my world (well its really more like an entire universe), for about 5-6 years now. I've laid out a very elaborate history with several eras and NPCs (both heroes and villains) for each era. I've drawn many maps, including the main planet's world map. After all this time its really not complete, and I've only run a few short campaigns within it unfortunately. It does take time if the world is meant to be as real as the one we live in. My best suggestion if you plan on such a venture would be to formulate a history and an outline of major areas on this world. Then start planning the real cities and people the PCs would encounter. With the wilderness, I suggest bassically taking your world map and start scaling. As you get a smaller and smaller perspective you can add towns, and then farms, and then ruins, and then the roads. Using this method it allows you to be flexible with your world map drawing, and it doesn't force you to make every minute detail immediately.
Kedami 10-03-07, 09:46 AM	Thanks for all your comments. I think they will help. I'm hoping it doesn't take that long, but I've already planned for quite a few countries...
Hochiu 10-03-07, 10:36 AM	After all this time its really not complete, and I've only run a few short campaigns within it unfortunately. This seems to be the biggest bane of all campaign world creators - the sheer lack of player feedback and input. On one hand, you want to make a world where they can play in fairly well without impromptu decisions, but on the other, you'd like to make a world where they can affect the course of things like politics and local situations and you just can't...do all of your ideas well without them playing it. I have the biggest problem with this part right here. None of my friends at home want to play my campaign setting because I "change the game too much". Meaning, I change things for flavor and little crunch. Like I take races and change them around in a stylistic way and sometimes (not often) change the race mechanically to suit that style. Also, they don't like being unable to port their characters from their overpowered, overmagic game into mine. I'm not running a sterile campaign, but I'm not devolving it to their level of gameplay and mindnumbing 2 hour long combat sequences. So yeah, I lose interest because I generally have no real feedback from players and all the ideas I can't really happen until they start playing in it at the level of dedication to the world I want.