A Plausible World [Archive] - Wizards Community

A Plausible World [Archive] - Wizards Community

Post/Author/DateTime Post
Lasrifriir
08-13-04, 10:16 AM I myself have had the core rulebooks for about 8 months, and have been DMing for about 3 months of that.

However, my main problem is how frustrating it is to create a plausible world. I am using the Eberron campaign setting (which is a great book and setting, I can't wait for more supplements to come out), but I always have trouble when I try to have the world "flow around the PC's" rather then the other way around.

I have read many threads on the subject, and most of them come down the emphasis on detail. I would like to know if anyone has some strategies that help them while creating such an environment.
magicbehere
08-13-04, 10:26 AM I have the same problem so I don't have the world flow around them, unless they do sometime to realy make that happen.

Also why did you run out of ore so quickly? Have you been over smelting? I'm not sure if WotC will be supplementing it.
Farland
08-13-04, 10:32 AM My advice: know the world inside and out. Plan or roll for some random events in the world that have nothing to do with the PCs, and have the events either impact the PCs or have them hear of it. Oh yes, and detail is important, as you've said.
Mike the DM
08-13-04, 11:22 AM Okay, here's what I do.

First, I create detailed settings. That means starting big and going small, which is exactly the opposite of what most DMs will tell you to do. I like to know what the other side of the world looks like from where the PCs are standing at any given moment. I also put together a lot of history - for the setting I'm putting together now, I've got about ten thousand years roughly sketched out.

It sounds like a lot of work, but if you use the tools available to you, such as mapping programs and such, it's not as bad as it seems at first blush.

Second, I create about a dozen BBEGs, some relatively minor, some of epic power, and some in-between. I figure out what they want to do - their goals and the means they'll use to achieve them. Then I plot out a timeline for each - this brigand leader will attack these towns in this sequence, this lich will attempt to enthrall that king through his minions, and so on. Each timeline generally covers about a year or two of game time, though for some BBEGs (like a lich or a dragon), some plots take a very long time to develop as they can afford to be patient and make small moves over many years).

In the game, it works out that the player characters may be exposed to certain plots - clues about the brigand leader may lead them to foil one of his attacks. This means I adjust the brigand leader's timeline and goals. If the players don't encounter any of the lich's minions, then his plans continue forward unchecked toward his final goal.

I think the key to a world with verisimilitude is that it's not wholly dependent on the players' actions. What the players do or don't do has ripple effects as plans succeed or are foiled in turn.
Kingside_Bishop
08-13-04, 02:18 PM I find that one on one time with a player really helps. At the beginning and end of each session, I'll take each player aside and ask them about their character, how they think its going, and so on. Then we'll run through a little bit of solo action, usually about half an hour, all in town, so that they develop their character. Some guys like to go to the bar, some to the weapon shops, some tor restaurants, some like to spar down at the local arenas.

Just make sure they know what their options are. Most characters won't go everywhere, so everyone will know they're missing something. They'll probably also make friends with people at these locations, and when Player A says he knows someone that no one else does, someone that could help them with this problem, then all of the players feel more like individuals in a larger world.

Just make sure you've got plenty of interesting locations, each with plenty of interesting NPCs.

Post/Author/DateTime	Post
Lasrifriir 08-13-04, 10:16 AM	I myself have had the core rulebooks for about 8 months, and have been DMing for about 3 months of that. However, my main problem is how frustrating it is to create a plausible world. I am using the Eberron campaign setting (which is a great book and setting, I can't wait for more supplements to come out), but I always have trouble when I try to have the world "flow around the PC's" rather then the other way around. I have read many threads on the subject, and most of them come down the emphasis on detail. I would like to know if anyone has some strategies that help them while creating such an environment.
magicbehere 08-13-04, 10:26 AM	I have the same problem so I don't have the world flow around them, unless they do sometime to realy make that happen. Also why did you run out of ore so quickly? Have you been over smelting? I'm not sure if WotC will be supplementing it.
Farland 08-13-04, 10:32 AM	My advice: know the world inside and out. Plan or roll for some random events in the world that have nothing to do with the PCs, and have the events either impact the PCs or have them hear of it. Oh yes, and detail is important, as you've said.
Mike the DM 08-13-04, 11:22 AM	Okay, here's what I do. First, I create detailed settings. That means starting big and going small, which is exactly the opposite of what most DMs will tell you to do. I like to know what the other side of the world looks like from where the PCs are standing at any given moment. I also put together a lot of history - for the setting I'm putting together now, I've got about ten thousand years roughly sketched out. It sounds like a lot of work, but if you use the tools available to you, such as mapping programs and such, it's not as bad as it seems at first blush. Second, I create about a dozen BBEGs, some relatively minor, some of epic power, and some in-between. I figure out what they want to do - their goals and the means they'll use to achieve them. Then I plot out a timeline for each - this brigand leader will attack these towns in this sequence, this lich will attempt to enthrall that king through his minions, and so on. Each timeline generally covers about a year or two of game time, though for some BBEGs (like a lich or a dragon), some plots take a very long time to develop as they can afford to be patient and make small moves over many years). In the game, it works out that the player characters may be exposed to certain plots - clues about the brigand leader may lead them to foil one of his attacks. This means I adjust the brigand leader's timeline and goals. If the players don't encounter any of the lich's minions, then his plans continue forward unchecked toward his final goal. I think the key to a world with verisimilitude is that it's not wholly dependent on the players' actions. What the players do or don't do has ripple effects as plans succeed or are foiled in turn.
Kingside_Bishop 08-13-04, 02:18 PM	I find that one on one time with a player really helps. At the beginning and end of each session, I'll take each player aside and ask them about their character, how they think its going, and so on. Then we'll run through a little bit of solo action, usually about half an hour, all in town, so that they develop their character. Some guys like to go to the bar, some to the weapon shops, some tor restaurants, some like to spar down at the local arenas. Just make sure they know what their options are. Most characters won't go everywhere, so everyone will know they're missing something. They'll probably also make friends with people at these locations, and when Player A says he knows someone that no one else does, someone that could help them with this problem, then all of the players feel more like individuals in a larger world. Just make sure you've got plenty of interesting locations, each with plenty of interesting NPCs.