World Building [Archive] - Wizards Community

World Building [Archive] - Wizards Community

Post/Author/DateTime Post
Shadycowmist
04-06-07, 09:59 AM World Building from the ground up?

Greetings and Salutations.
So, I'm new. More or less.
I've been looking to run a game (for a while now), and the standard worlds just don't really seem to fit my idea's too well. So, I was wondering if anyone had any advice for how to build something more suited to myself and my style (or lack there-of). I can think of a dozen different ways to start working on it but I'm not sure which would be the best.

Obviously there's the standard Pre-History start point and then work forward flagging important events and times and places, until you reach the starting point.

A different thought that has recently come to me is start backwards. To start a game in the world as I want it, and work backwards finding different points that define the world as the game progresses and my players find more and more information out about different things.

Thoughts? Questions? Ideas? Suggestions?
-=Shadycowmist=-
Khementari
04-06-07, 10:10 AM It all depends on how much work you want to do. Most people that create worlds do it as a labor of love and most of those people have a number of worlds they pour themselves into.

As far as DMing for some friends most people would suggest doing the least amount of work possible and let it grow from there.

So you have a question to ask yourself, "Am I a DM or am I a world-builder?"

Beyond that why don't you share what you see as your world, since the published worlds you have seen don't seem to fit your ideas.
Elf_Jedi
04-06-07, 11:46 AM Ok, so what are your ideas for your world? Have any sort of direction you want to take it in? Soon as you toss some ideas out there the soon you can get building.
Ishmayl
04-06-07, 11:47 AM The whole outside-in and inside-out debate is never going to be solved. Everyone has a different way of doing it. Heck, I combine both; I create an entire world with weather patterns, history, and tectonic movements (yes, I'm a geek), but then focus on a small area first to start the campaign in. In either case, I certainly wouldn't recommend starting with a detailed history. Whether you do outside-in, or inside-out, you need to have established how you want your world to work. I know that's a kind of broad (and rather grandiose) statement, but it really is important. You need to have a theme established - such as "Good versus Evil," "Order versus Chaos," "Redemption of Fallen Warriors," or whatever! Then you need to figure out a tone. Are you doing a pretty gloomy campaign? Do you want it to be light-hearted? Do you plan on mostly PG-type adventures, or will you be delving into the R-rated (or higher) areas? It's pretty important to figure this out up front so that your players know what to expect. Lastly, I think, you need some sort of premise (which can also be called a Core Ethos). It usually combines the tone and theme with a bit of description to explain how the setting works. Here are a few examples from homebrews on my site:

We Aren't Alone, But we are Lost: There are a multitude of different alien races that were born from the catastrophe of the first humans; we are not alone. However, humanity has found themselves adrift in a sea of uncertainty after the Great Wars, and unless they find a uniting purpose, they will decay and die.

Heaven conquered, the angels scattered, and a nation tearing a path through the planet’s core… we have a lot to answer for.

Both of those are from very well-detailed campaigns that started with just a premise. They both give you a general idea of the tone as well as what the general point of the campaign is.

Afterwards, you probably want to figure out a ruleset. This basically means, do you want to use core D&D rules (PHB, DMG, etc), or do you want to use something else. Trust me, core works very well for first timers. If you decide it just doesn't work, you could always look to other settings that use non-core (Midnight, Arcana Evolved, Iron Kingdoms), or you could create your own (which can be very difficult and time consuming).

After that, I would worry about the whole outside-in/inside-out thing, and which works best for you. Most beginner world-builders find that starting small and working outwards work best for them, because it gives them a chance to really focus on the details of what really matters to the players. Then, when they develop a true love for their world (and hopefully the players do as well), they start expanding.

Anyway, just my 2 cents.
Kadasbrass
04-06-07, 01:49 PM the backwards method would be best for new DM. Alot of people spend more time then need to designing stuff their not going to use. Just make an area you'll use and make references as needed to stuff beyond the area.
Shadycowmist
04-06-07, 02:46 PM So you have a question to ask yourself, "Am I a DM or am I a world-builder?"

Interestingly enough. I love to write. I also like running games, most of my prior experience has been with systems like WoD, and Roll and Keep AEG stuff. I've played in a bunch of D&D games, most of them in the Forgotten Realms.

Getting back to the question at hand, I'd have to classify myself as a World-Builder first, and a DM second.
Shadycowmist
04-06-07, 02:59 PM Ok, so what are your ideas for your world? Have any sort of direction you want to take it in? Soon as you toss some ideas out there the soon you can get building.

Dark, Gloomy, Gothic. But not the Realms of Dread. Even though I love the heck out of Ravenloft. There are just little things that I don't really like about the setting itself. Which is one of the reasons I picked up Heros of Horror. It seemed like, and it does, have a lot of the aspects of things that I enjoy and would love to use for a game. I am also fond of Forgotten Realms, I think the added information into Character Creation presented there (like the bonus feat, the extra items, etc) gives the players something to look forward to. I get a lot of resistance in wanting to start everyone at 1st level, because it's what everyone is used too, but I don't feel confident starting at something more advanced, (Like ECL's, and stuff of that nature) for my first attempt.

You need to have a theme established - such as "Good versus Evil," "Order versus Chaos," "Redemption of Fallen Warriors," or whatever! Then you need to figure out a tone. Are you doing a pretty gloomy campaign? Do you want it to be light-hearted? Do you plan on mostly PG-type adventures, or will you be delving into the R-rated (or higher) areas?

I suppose my theme would have to be Salvation from Evil. I want a world where the characters struggle to beat the evil, choking, oppression they are faced with. I don't expect them to change everything at once. What I'd like is for them to progress from being village no bodies, to the rulers of a Kingdom. A kingdom that other people flock too because it presents them a glimmer of hope...

the backwards method would be best for new DM. Alot of people spend more time then need to designing stuff their not going to use. Just make an area you'll use and make references as needed to stuff beyond the area.

See that's what I was thinking. I have a tendency to plan lots of stuff, or make ties that the players will usually miss or that won't be appricated, or even needed, I wanted to try and cut that stuff down some so I frustrate myself and my players less.

-=SCM=-
Kadasbrass
04-06-07, 04:38 PM See that's what I was thinking. I have a tendency to plan lots of stuff, or make ties that the players will usually miss or that won't be appricated, or even needed, I wanted to try and cut that stuff down some so I frustrate myself and my players less.

Its a mistake almost all DMs make, and we make it often. We forget players are not going to be traveling the world in the first session nor that the players should even have access too or require a world map. We want to see the whole forest when we only need a tree or two.
Araes
04-06-07, 05:37 PM My post on improvizational DMing (http://boards1.wizards.com/showpost.php?p=11885992&postcount=43) covers this somewhat, but I'll expand my thoughts a bit.

For the most part, I agree with what Ishmayl said. Its a common question, and he hit most of the high points. I do, however, disagree on some of the details.

Technically, I don't think its necessary to have a theme for your world before you start writing an adventure. Its nice and helps, but you can start one out without it and build based on what the party likes. Particularly at low levels.
I don't generally view the large to small version of world creation as being any harder than the small to large if approached intelligently.

As they have already alluded to, you need to treat large to small world creation as a fractal process. Effectively, you create levels of detail, and segments of the observable world. You then work downward through the scale from large to small. You only work in areas close to where the players will be, and you only create details based on their likelihood of being observed by the PCs. IE:

World - very rough details, at most maybe some terrain and kingdom names, and species.
Kingdom players are in - light details like names of powerful people that would be talked about, important towns, important attractions.
Traveling area players are in - Important town if there is one, maybe more people, stuff like local customs, trades, or events, things of interest nearby.
Immediate area players are in - General mental image of what its like, hooks, plots. Don't bother making general populace, just fake them without stats unless they really need it. Maybe make one or two important characters.
Graphically, you can kind of think of it like this.
http://araesmojo.googlepages.com/Quadrature.jpg

Also, as Ishmayl kind of suggested, even though you may start with the small to large method, you are very likely still going to need to have some of the large to small aspects as you play. As such, it just makes sense to use a large to small approach, but limit yourself to a least effort possible creation method.

Finally, if you really want your players to know what to expect, then one suggestion I would have is to pursue an option of collaborative world creation. Possibly set out a high level theme ahead of time, since you apparently want one, but then you can use options like - Dawn of Worlds (http://www.clanwebsite.org/games/rpg/Dawn_of_Worlds_game_1_0Final.pdf) - or something similar to guide the process and allow your players to have input into what appears in the world they game in.
filmus
04-06-07, 07:25 PM If you have a good set of players, and are trying to create the "right" world for a campaign I recommend:

Dawn of Worlds (http://www.clanwebsite.org/games/rpg/Dawn_of_Worlds_game_1_0Final.pdf)

DoW is a game where the players and the GM create a new game world from scratch. Admittedly, I'm a bit biased, since I wrote it, but lots of people have had success with it. There is also a good discussion of it in the Collaborative World Creation (http://boards1.wizards.com/showthread.php?t=812417) thread. Araes and 77IM had some good observations about it over there too.
yellowdingo
04-06-07, 08:49 PM He could also go and cut a D20 Polyhedron from Paper and randomly generate a worldmap one facet at a time.
1. World Geography
1d20---------------------Result
1-10..............................Ocean
11-14............................Mountain/Hill
15-16...........................Swamp/fens
17................................Desert
18.................................Plain s/Savanna/Grasslands
19-20............................Forest/Jungle

These are dominating Features of your regional Geography.
Mountain regions are more likely to have many valleys between the ranges.
By Loading the Geography Chart, the PCs are likely to achieve the sort of World they want.

2. Local Region
Take an even larger triangle with a 4000 mile side and draw your regional map.
The Deer riders of Feng in that valley there, the Gerble Empire dominating that stretch of coastline, the Theocracy of Bling in those hills...surrounded by the Fens of Terror.

3. A Brief History of the World as the DM should Know it
Write a few things down on the general history of the world, draw a few arrows on a duplicate globe showing mass migrations.

4. The Immortals
(Gods if any)

5. Local History
Describe the Sacking of the Kingdom of Gent, the Raping of the fields of her farmers in the fifth century, The invasions by the Elves who showed up and grew forests where farms once stood, History as the PC's might Know it.

6. Very Local Geography
Knock up a Map of the Very local area, say the Village of Francis and its adjacent ruined castle, or the Coastal Port of Hullrippedopen.

7. Determining Agricultural Conditions
It is unlikely that your adventurers will travel beyond the limits of their own regional triangle. but if you can do traderoutes, agricultural production support tell if a region is in perpetual famine.
If your Kingdom is in famine, bankrupt and on the verge of collapse or invasion. This can be important to your campaign both in previous history and in future events.

Produce Limits
We know that the productivity rate in 14th Century France (with 212821 Square Miles/50%forest with 1.9 million people-15% in Paris) for its better estates is 91% of yield limit, other regions as low as 29%. For Vineyards Bee Pollination adds 20%-50% to yields. So the farm yield range for a non-bee enhanced estate is going to be 0% - 71%. The Average for all agriculture in France at this time is going to be 35.5%
Average Productivity: 35.5%

Firewood: In this case the city of Paris clears 29,000 acres (At 20,000lb timber per acre) of forest for firewood per year. (19,333,330,000/(20,000))/640acres= 1510.42 square miles per year of felled forest. Paris alone requires the clearing of 226.53 square miles of forest per year to support its fuel needs. Mostly this is going to be woodlots but much of it is open forest clearing. At a regrowth rate of fifty years, we require a support forest of 75,520.82 square miles (existing forest, mountains, fens, and no-mans-land: 106,410 square miles).
Wine: We are looking at 88,208,818.125 gallons of Wine.
Grapes> 10 row vineyard acre = 2&1/2 ton/acre.
Wine> (Post Ferment Red, Pre Ferment White) 85lb-90lb per 5 gallons
What is needed to produce the minimum wine volume is found by:
88,208,818.125 gallon/5=1,037,751 grape-units/ 85lb = 207,550 acres /35.5%x100%=584,649 acres/640 acres=913.5 square miles
Grain: We need 980,006,497.7lb grain. This is supported by 1/3 of the farm (three field rotation).
Barley, fallow-ground> 28 bushels per acre
(28/100%)x35.5% x 50lb = 497lb per acre
(980,006,497.7/497lb)/640=3,081 square miles
x3 field rotation = 9,243 square miles
Wool: 11,599,998lb Wool for Clothing, blankets.
Ewes, Grazing> 180 days @ 1 sheep/3 acres 2&1/2 lb Wool /year.
We estimate the sheep-herd by 11,599,998lb / 2.5lb=4,640,000 /35.5% x 100%=13,070,420 sheep x 3 acres= 39,211,261 acres /640 acres = 61,267.6 square miles.
Dairy: We are looking for 176,416,636.25lb cheese.
Ewes, grazing> 1/4 gallon milk/day
We have (13,070,420 sheep/6) x 5= 10,892,017 ewes x .25 gallon per day x 180 days per year =490,140,750 gallons.
Cheese> milk(gallons)x10.31=milk(lb)x(5/43.25)=cheese(lb)
=584,202,443lb cheese (surplus cheese=407,785,807lb cheese)
Meat: Now 352,833,272.5lb meat is needed.
Sheep> 50% live-weight=77lb
13,070,420 /4=25% herd (4year old)=3,276,605 sheep x 77lb=251,605,585lb
352,833,272.7lb-251,605,585lb=101,227,687.7lb Surplus
Oxen: 386,667 oxen each supported by 50lb mix per day.
Oats, fallow-ground> 24 bushels per acre
35.5% x 24=8.52 bushels
22 acres per oxen per year x 386,667=8,506,674 acres/640 acres=
13,292 square miles
x 3 field rotation = 39,876 square miles
Leather: 1,933,333lb Leather for footwear. We find this in the 13,070,420 x 3lb sheep hides (39,211,260lb-1,933,333lb=37,277,927lb)/ 3lb=12,425,976 surplus sheep hides
Vegetables: 705,666,545lb/2240lb=315,029.7 ton vegetable
Turnip> 25 ton/acre
((25 ton per acre/100%)x35.5%)=8.875 ton per acre
315,029.7/ 8.875=35,496.3 acres /640 acres =55.463 square miles
X 3 field rotation = 66.389 square miles
Poultry: Finally 705,666,545 eggs are needed per year.
Hens> freerange@20/acre 180 eggs/year/hen
705,666,545/180=3,920,370 hens/20 per acre=196,018.5 acres/640 acres= 306.3 square miles.

A weekend of Work can build the basis of a Campaign world.

ps. if you desire a document on estimating medieval agriculture, put your email in my Wizardpostbox and i will send you the Doc.
taradusis
04-07-07, 10:45 AM Some suggestions.Savage species has a monster progression method that allows players to start with a weak version of a monster and build it up.Concentrate on the home base of the players,its where they'll spend the most time.
Shadycowmist
04-08-07, 09:20 AM Dawn Of Worlds was a pretty good suggestion. I've been looking it over for a little while and I definitly think between that, and yellowdingo's suggestions with a smattering of everyone elses ideas I might be able to come up with something befitting my evil and twisted visions *insert evil laughter*
.
..
...
*/evil laughter*

In all seriousness I am very grateful for the useful suggestions and as soon as I have a chance to sit down and start working this up with my players I will definitly post what we end up with. I can only hope that it works out as well on paper as it does in my head.

Once again.
Thanks!
-=SCM=-
PS: If anyone has any more suggestions and stuff please let me know!
yellowdingo
04-09-07, 06:26 AM Just remember that 14th century France had an over population of about fifty thousand (thats thirty thousand children going hungry and a nation going bankrupt and not feeding them). Paris has famine, exploitation of poor children, cannibalism, two wagonloads of dead children a day being dumped in mass graves outside the city...everything they skim over during this pre plague era.

Post/Author/DateTime	Post
Shadycowmist 04-06-07, 09:59 AM	World Building from the ground up? Greetings and Salutations. So, I'm new. More or less. I've been looking to run a game (for a while now), and the standard worlds just don't really seem to fit my idea's too well. So, I was wondering if anyone had any advice for how to build something more suited to myself and my style (or lack there-of). I can think of a dozen different ways to start working on it but I'm not sure which would be the best. Obviously there's the standard Pre-History start point and then work forward flagging important events and times and places, until you reach the starting point. A different thought that has recently come to me is start backwards. To start a game in the world as I want it, and work backwards finding different points that define the world as the game progresses and my players find more and more information out about different things. Thoughts? Questions? Ideas? Suggestions? -=Shadycowmist=-
Khementari 04-06-07, 10:10 AM	It all depends on how much work you want to do. Most people that create worlds do it as a labor of love and most of those people have a number of worlds they pour themselves into. As far as DMing for some friends most people would suggest doing the least amount of work possible and let it grow from there. So you have a question to ask yourself, "Am I a DM or am I a world-builder?" Beyond that why don't you share what you see as your world, since the published worlds you have seen don't seem to fit your ideas.
Elf_Jedi 04-06-07, 11:46 AM	Ok, so what are your ideas for your world? Have any sort of direction you want to take it in? Soon as you toss some ideas out there the soon you can get building.
Ishmayl 04-06-07, 11:47 AM	The whole outside-in and inside-out debate is never going to be solved. Everyone has a different way of doing it. Heck, I combine both; I create an entire world with weather patterns, history, and tectonic movements (yes, I'm a geek), but then focus on a small area first to start the campaign in. In either case, I certainly wouldn't recommend starting with a detailed history. Whether you do outside-in, or inside-out, you need to have established how you want your world to work. I know that's a kind of broad (and rather grandiose) statement, but it really is important. You need to have a theme established - such as "Good versus Evil," "Order versus Chaos," "Redemption of Fallen Warriors," or whatever! Then you need to figure out a tone. Are you doing a pretty gloomy campaign? Do you want it to be light-hearted? Do you plan on mostly PG-type adventures, or will you be delving into the R-rated (or higher) areas? It's pretty important to figure this out up front so that your players know what to expect. Lastly, I think, you need some sort of premise (which can also be called a Core Ethos). It usually combines the tone and theme with a bit of description to explain how the setting works. Here are a few examples from homebrews on my site: We Aren't Alone, But we are Lost: There are a multitude of different alien races that were born from the catastrophe of the first humans; we are not alone. However, humanity has found themselves adrift in a sea of uncertainty after the Great Wars, and unless they find a uniting purpose, they will decay and die. Heaven conquered, the angels scattered, and a nation tearing a path through the planet’s core… we have a lot to answer for. Both of those are from very well-detailed campaigns that started with just a premise. They both give you a general idea of the tone as well as what the general point of the campaign is. Afterwards, you probably want to figure out a ruleset. This basically means, do you want to use core D&D rules (PHB, DMG, etc), or do you want to use something else. Trust me, core works very well for first timers. If you decide it just doesn't work, you could always look to other settings that use non-core (Midnight, Arcana Evolved, Iron Kingdoms), or you could create your own (which can be very difficult and time consuming). After that, I would worry about the whole outside-in/inside-out thing, and which works best for you. Most beginner world-builders find that starting small and working outwards work best for them, because it gives them a chance to really focus on the details of what really matters to the players. Then, when they develop a true love for their world (and hopefully the players do as well), they start expanding. Anyway, just my 2 cents.
Kadasbrass 04-06-07, 01:49 PM	the backwards method would be best for new DM. Alot of people spend more time then need to designing stuff their not going to use. Just make an area you'll use and make references as needed to stuff beyond the area.
Shadycowmist 04-06-07, 02:46 PM	So you have a question to ask yourself, "Am I a DM or am I a world-builder?" Interestingly enough. I love to write. I also like running games, most of my prior experience has been with systems like WoD, and Roll and Keep AEG stuff. I've played in a bunch of D&D games, most of them in the Forgotten Realms. Getting back to the question at hand, I'd have to classify myself as a World-Builder first, and a DM second.
Shadycowmist 04-06-07, 02:59 PM	Ok, so what are your ideas for your world? Have any sort of direction you want to take it in? Soon as you toss some ideas out there the soon you can get building. Dark, Gloomy, Gothic. But not the Realms of Dread. Even though I love the heck out of Ravenloft. There are just little things that I don't really like about the setting itself. Which is one of the reasons I picked up Heros of Horror. It seemed like, and it does, have a lot of the aspects of things that I enjoy and would love to use for a game. I am also fond of Forgotten Realms, I think the added information into Character Creation presented there (like the bonus feat, the extra items, etc) gives the players something to look forward to. I get a lot of resistance in wanting to start everyone at 1st level, because it's what everyone is used too, but I don't feel confident starting at something more advanced, (Like ECL's, and stuff of that nature) for my first attempt. You need to have a theme established - such as "Good versus Evil," "Order versus Chaos," "Redemption of Fallen Warriors," or whatever! Then you need to figure out a tone. Are you doing a pretty gloomy campaign? Do you want it to be light-hearted? Do you plan on mostly PG-type adventures, or will you be delving into the R-rated (or higher) areas? I suppose my theme would have to be Salvation from Evil. I want a world where the characters struggle to beat the evil, choking, oppression they are faced with. I don't expect them to change everything at once. What I'd like is for them to progress from being village no bodies, to the rulers of a Kingdom. A kingdom that other people flock too because it presents them a glimmer of hope... the backwards method would be best for new DM. Alot of people spend more time then need to designing stuff their not going to use. Just make an area you'll use and make references as needed to stuff beyond the area. See that's what I was thinking. I have a tendency to plan lots of stuff, or make ties that the players will usually miss or that won't be appricated, or even needed, I wanted to try and cut that stuff down some so I frustrate myself and my players less. -=SCM=-
Kadasbrass 04-06-07, 04:38 PM	See that's what I was thinking. I have a tendency to plan lots of stuff, or make ties that the players will usually miss or that won't be appricated, or even needed, I wanted to try and cut that stuff down some so I frustrate myself and my players less. Its a mistake almost all DMs make, and we make it often. We forget players are not going to be traveling the world in the first session nor that the players should even have access too or require a world map. We want to see the whole forest when we only need a tree or two.
Araes 04-06-07, 05:37 PM	My post on improvizational DMing (http://boards1.wizards.com/showpost.php?p=11885992&postcount=43) covers this somewhat, but I'll expand my thoughts a bit. For the most part, I agree with what Ishmayl said. Its a common question, and he hit most of the high points. I do, however, disagree on some of the details. Technically, I don't think its necessary to have a theme for your world before you start writing an adventure. Its nice and helps, but you can start one out without it and build based on what the party likes. Particularly at low levels. I don't generally view the large to small version of world creation as being any harder than the small to large if approached intelligently. As they have already alluded to, you need to treat large to small world creation as a fractal process. Effectively, you create levels of detail, and segments of the observable world. You then work downward through the scale from large to small. You only work in areas close to where the players will be, and you only create details based on their likelihood of being observed by the PCs. IE: World - very rough details, at most maybe some terrain and kingdom names, and species. Kingdom players are in - light details like names of powerful people that would be talked about, important towns, important attractions. Traveling area players are in - Important town if there is one, maybe more people, stuff like local customs, trades, or events, things of interest nearby. Immediate area players are in - General mental image of what its like, hooks, plots. Don't bother making general populace, just fake them without stats unless they really need it. Maybe make one or two important characters. Graphically, you can kind of think of it like this. http://araesmojo.googlepages.com/Quadrature.jpg Also, as Ishmayl kind of suggested, even though you may start with the small to large method, you are very likely still going to need to have some of the large to small aspects as you play. As such, it just makes sense to use a large to small approach, but limit yourself to a least effort possible creation method. Finally, if you really want your players to know what to expect, then one suggestion I would have is to pursue an option of collaborative world creation. Possibly set out a high level theme ahead of time, since you apparently want one, but then you can use options like - Dawn of Worlds (http://www.clanwebsite.org/games/rpg/Dawn_of_Worlds_game_1_0Final.pdf) - or something similar to guide the process and allow your players to have input into what appears in the world they game in.
filmus 04-06-07, 07:25 PM	If you have a good set of players, and are trying to create the "right" world for a campaign I recommend: Dawn of Worlds (http://www.clanwebsite.org/games/rpg/Dawn_of_Worlds_game_1_0Final.pdf) DoW is a game where the players and the GM create a new game world from scratch. Admittedly, I'm a bit biased, since I wrote it, but lots of people have had success with it. There is also a good discussion of it in the Collaborative World Creation (http://boards1.wizards.com/showthread.php?t=812417) thread. Araes and 77IM had some good observations about it over there too.
yellowdingo 04-06-07, 08:49 PM	He could also go and cut a D20 Polyhedron from Paper and randomly generate a worldmap one facet at a time. 1. World Geography 1d20---------------------Result 1-10..............................Ocean 11-14............................Mountain/Hill 15-16...........................Swamp/fens 17................................Desert 18.................................Plain s/Savanna/Grasslands 19-20............................Forest/Jungle These are dominating Features of your regional Geography. Mountain regions are more likely to have many valleys between the ranges. By Loading the Geography Chart, the PCs are likely to achieve the sort of World they want. 2. Local Region Take an even larger triangle with a 4000 mile side and draw your regional map. The Deer riders of Feng in that valley there, the Gerble Empire dominating that stretch of coastline, the Theocracy of Bling in those hills...surrounded by the Fens of Terror. 3. A Brief History of the World as the DM should Know it Write a few things down on the general history of the world, draw a few arrows on a duplicate globe showing mass migrations. 4. The Immortals (Gods if any) 5. Local History Describe the Sacking of the Kingdom of Gent, the Raping of the fields of her farmers in the fifth century, The invasions by the Elves who showed up and grew forests where farms once stood, History as the PC's might Know it. 6. Very Local Geography Knock up a Map of the Very local area, say the Village of Francis and its adjacent ruined castle, or the Coastal Port of Hullrippedopen. 7. Determining Agricultural Conditions It is unlikely that your adventurers will travel beyond the limits of their own regional triangle. but if you can do traderoutes, agricultural production support tell if a region is in perpetual famine. If your Kingdom is in famine, bankrupt and on the verge of collapse or invasion. This can be important to your campaign both in previous history and in future events. Produce Limits We know that the productivity rate in 14th Century France (with 212821 Square Miles/50%forest with 1.9 million people-15% in Paris) for its better estates is 91% of yield limit, other regions as low as 29%. For Vineyards Bee Pollination adds 20%-50% to yields. So the farm yield range for a non-bee enhanced estate is going to be 0% - 71%. The Average for all agriculture in France at this time is going to be 35.5% Average Productivity: 35.5% Firewood: In this case the city of Paris clears 29,000 acres (At 20,000lb timber per acre) of forest for firewood per year. (19,333,330,000/(20,000))/640acres= 1510.42 square miles per year of felled forest. Paris alone requires the clearing of 226.53 square miles of forest per year to support its fuel needs. Mostly this is going to be woodlots but much of it is open forest clearing. At a regrowth rate of fifty years, we require a support forest of 75,520.82 square miles (existing forest, mountains, fens, and no-mans-land: 106,410 square miles). Wine: We are looking at 88,208,818.125 gallons of Wine. Grapes> 10 row vineyard acre = 2&1/2 ton/acre. Wine> (Post Ferment Red, Pre Ferment White) 85lb-90lb per 5 gallons What is needed to produce the minimum wine volume is found by: 88,208,818.125 gallon/5=1,037,751 grape-units/ 85lb = 207,550 acres /35.5%x100%=584,649 acres/640 acres=913.5 square miles Grain: We need 980,006,497.7lb grain. This is supported by 1/3 of the farm (three field rotation). Barley, fallow-ground> 28 bushels per acre (28/100%)x35.5% x 50lb = 497lb per acre (980,006,497.7/497lb)/640=3,081 square miles x3 field rotation = 9,243 square miles Wool: 11,599,998lb Wool for Clothing, blankets. Ewes, Grazing> 180 days @ 1 sheep/3 acres 2&1/2 lb Wool /year. We estimate the sheep-herd by 11,599,998lb / 2.5lb=4,640,000 /35.5% x 100%=13,070,420 sheep x 3 acres= 39,211,261 acres /640 acres = 61,267.6 square miles. Dairy: We are looking for 176,416,636.25lb cheese. Ewes, grazing> 1/4 gallon milk/day We have (13,070,420 sheep/6) x 5= 10,892,017 ewes x .25 gallon per day x 180 days per year =490,140,750 gallons. Cheese> milk(gallons)x10.31=milk(lb)x(5/43.25)=cheese(lb) =584,202,443lb cheese (surplus cheese=407,785,807lb cheese) Meat: Now 352,833,272.5lb meat is needed. Sheep> 50% live-weight=77lb 13,070,420 /4=25% herd (4year old)=3,276,605 sheep x 77lb=251,605,585lb 352,833,272.7lb-251,605,585lb=101,227,687.7lb Surplus Oxen: 386,667 oxen each supported by 50lb mix per day. Oats, fallow-ground> 24 bushels per acre 35.5% x 24=8.52 bushels 22 acres per oxen per year x 386,667=8,506,674 acres/640 acres= 13,292 square miles x 3 field rotation = 39,876 square miles Leather: 1,933,333lb Leather for footwear. We find this in the 13,070,420 x 3lb sheep hides (39,211,260lb-1,933,333lb=37,277,927lb)/ 3lb=12,425,976 surplus sheep hides Vegetables: 705,666,545lb/2240lb=315,029.7 ton vegetable Turnip> 25 ton/acre ((25 ton per acre/100%)x35.5%)=8.875 ton per acre 315,029.7/ 8.875=35,496.3 acres /640 acres =55.463 square miles X 3 field rotation = 66.389 square miles Poultry: Finally 705,666,545 eggs are needed per year. Hens> freerange@20/acre 180 eggs/year/hen 705,666,545/180=3,920,370 hens/20 per acre=196,018.5 acres/640 acres= 306.3 square miles. A weekend of Work can build the basis of a Campaign world. ps. if you desire a document on estimating medieval agriculture, put your email in my Wizardpostbox and i will send you the Doc.
taradusis 04-07-07, 10:45 AM	Some suggestions.Savage species has a monster progression method that allows players to start with a weak version of a monster and build it up.Concentrate on the home base of the players,its where they'll spend the most time.
Shadycowmist 04-08-07, 09:20 AM	Dawn Of Worlds was a pretty good suggestion. I've been looking it over for a little while and I definitly think between that, and yellowdingo's suggestions with a smattering of everyone elses ideas I might be able to come up with something befitting my evil and twisted visions insert evil laughter . .. ... /evil laughter In all seriousness I am very grateful for the useful suggestions and as soon as I have a chance to sit down and start working this up with my players I will definitly post what we end up with. I can only hope that it works out as well on paper as it does in my head. Once again. Thanks! -=SCM=- PS: If anyone has any more suggestions and stuff please let me know!
yellowdingo 04-09-07, 06:26 AM	Just remember that 14th century France had an over population of about fifty thousand (thats thirty thousand children going hungry and a nation going bankrupt and not feeding them). Paris has famine, exploitation of poor children, cannibalism, two wagonloads of dead children a day being dumped in mass graves outside the city...everything they skim over during this pre plague era.