I like telling the story, not making maps and such. What to do? - Downloaded from the Wizards Community, all coding removed by Solauren

I like telling the story, not making maps and such. What to do?

Post/Author/DateTime Post
#1
mzell06
Aug 14, 2009 5:34:08 Well, I've had the story for a campaign world for a long time now. I may just sit down and put it to paper too. I really want to make a campaign with the background I have been brainstorming for many years.

Problem is, whenever I decide to attempt to create a campaign world with the history/story I like, the map making and city detailing gets to me.

Deciding details like what livestock a farm in the North caries vs. the livestock on a farm in the South and issues like that are somewhat necessary but so trivial.

Then you get into what kind of trees are in this forest vs. that forest and so on............and the end result of trying to tackle all this is.............I give up and just say "forget about it, never mind".

For anyone who has completed their campaign setting to their liking, how'd you deal with this?
#2
Topheh
Aug 14, 2009 5:41:23 If they're unimportant to the plot and yet still something you want to fill in, make a nice rollable table and just roll some random states for them all.

Say... livestock: Chickens, Pigs, Goats, Cows, Turkey and...oh, I don't know... Beavers. For each town, roll a d6 and poof. There's your livestock for the town. Repeat for anything else you'd like to mention that likely isn't all that relevant, but you'd still like to provide flavor to your game.

As for the maps themselves... I often repurpose maps used in other adventures, and just tell my players to ignore the numbers on them (I play using an online tabletop, if that matters). So far its worked great... If I need something custom, I make it, but... if you're having a 'manor-raid'... there are literally hundreds of published building layouts... you can find one to match your needs relatively simply.
#3
mzell06
Aug 14, 2009 5:49:31 I found software that does all the work for you before, but forget who it was. You could basically outline the continent, plug in a few things like planet size and all.............and it'd fill in the details like weather (mimicing earth) and what tree's grow where and all that.

I have no idea what the site was tough.
#4
lestanley1979
Aug 14, 2009 6:12:14 It's a little bit daunting I agree sitting with a map of a country in front of you, having put in the capital and the main river and the main mountain range and then realising you have an area the size of France to detail...and very few ideas.

Random tables work well for close-ups, and published maps can at least give you a feeling for the size and shape of a sample kingdom, leaving you to add the flavour.

There are a number of sites out there but Campaign Cartographer is the big one, though it's also fairly expensive ($34.95 I think, £29 UK price). I think I came across another mapping program elsewhere but try googling the above for starters.
#5
garner_adam
Aug 14, 2009 20:01:34
Well, I've had the story for a campaign world for a long time now. I may just sit down and put it to paper too. I really want to make a campaign with the background I have been brainstorming for many years.

Problem is, whenever I decide to attempt to create a campaign world with the history/story I like, the map making and city detailing gets to me.

Deciding details like what livestock a farm in the North caries vs. the livestock on a farm in the South and issues like that are somewhat necessary but so trivial.

Then you get into what kind of trees are in this forest vs. that forest and so on............and the end result of trying to tackle all this is.............I give up and just say "forget about it, never mind".

For anyone who has completed their campaign setting to their liking, how'd you deal with this?

Are you sure these are the specific questions you ask yourself when you build your setting? I mean I've never really had to address those questions. But more important ones that come up with any n00bie GM are things like "Hey how does this city get water?" and "why are these towns so far from one another?"
#6
sigil_beguiler
Aug 14, 2009 20:07:42 Personally I never go into such things. I just create a framework that fits the setting. So what themes, concept, colour themes, etc. are appropriate for the setting from there I just expand as the game expands. So wherever the PCs go, or what the Players decide exist in the world or what not is what ends up existing. You need a city covered in jungle BAM! that city exists.

I think it is more important to delve into stuff like, what does the setting feel like. The type of trees in it, the commerce between towns, ancient, ancient history, etc. that won't be relevant to your average PC and if it is, make it up together. Instead concentrate on stuff like the atmosphere of a city, how do races view one another, and so forth.

Essentially what I am saying is you only need to flesh out what the PCs will actually see, interact with, and are influenced by.
#7
garner_adam
Aug 14, 2009 20:54:13
Essentially what I am saying is you only need to flesh out what the PCs will actually see, interact with, and are influenced by.

It took me years to understand this absolutely critical GMing advice.
#8
strand0
Aug 14, 2009 21:39:41 Settlement Development
http://forums.gleemax.com/showthread.php?t=1191017
#9
mzell06
Aug 16, 2009 3:39:49 All wonderful advice. Yeah, I think the average player could care less about:

The livestock at this farm is not compatible with the climate of the area.
The trees to the north are supposed to be more tropical since it is closer to the equator.

Issues like that are what held me up. I enjoy writing the background and making the scene, and that's really what they will notice anyway.

Thanks everyone for the input.
#10
yellowdingo
Aug 27, 2009 20:22:55
Then you get into what kind of trees are in this forest vs. that forest and so on............and the end result of trying to tackle all this is.............I give up and just say "forget about it, never mind". For anyone who has completed their campaign setting to their liking, how'd you deal with this?

And rightly so. I break out a copy of 'Certificate Level Geography' (A School book) if I want indepth realism in my campaign settings. But there are weird things out there. Pines dont allways grow in cold regions (we have one here that grows in Tropoical Swampland and on Gravel ridges).
It has alowed me to build my game quality.

But you are in a Fantasy setting: Be happy to throw in:

Goblinbrush (Description: a thick weed that grows to groin height and has annoying thorns that scratch - Environment: any plains or light forest).

Dryadwood (a tree that when it dies from too much railfall gets a large swelling at the base of an otherwise dead trunk that looks a lot like some sort of Dryad sized cocoon. Its actually a yellow fungus spore - Environment: Equatorial/Medium-High rainfall).

Post/Author/DateTime	Post
#1 mzell06 Aug 14, 2009 5:34:08	Well, I've had the story for a campaign world for a long time now. I may just sit down and put it to paper too. I really want to make a campaign with the background I have been brainstorming for many years. Problem is, whenever I decide to attempt to create a campaign world with the history/story I like, the map making and city detailing gets to me. Deciding details like what livestock a farm in the North caries vs. the livestock on a farm in the South and issues like that are somewhat necessary but so trivial. Then you get into what kind of trees are in this forest vs. that forest and so on............and the end result of trying to tackle all this is.............I give up and just say "forget about it, never mind". For anyone who has completed their campaign setting to their liking, how'd you deal with this?
#2 Topheh Aug 14, 2009 5:41:23	If they're unimportant to the plot and yet still something you want to fill in, make a nice rollable table and just roll some random states for them all. Say... livestock: Chickens, Pigs, Goats, Cows, Turkey and...oh, I don't know... Beavers. For each town, roll a d6 and poof. There's your livestock for the town. Repeat for anything else you'd like to mention that likely isn't all that relevant, but you'd still like to provide flavor to your game. As for the maps themselves... I often repurpose maps used in other adventures, and just tell my players to ignore the numbers on them (I play using an online tabletop, if that matters). So far its worked great... If I need something custom, I make it, but... if you're having a 'manor-raid'... there are literally hundreds of published building layouts... you can find one to match your needs relatively simply.
#3 mzell06 Aug 14, 2009 5:49:31	I found software that does all the work for you before, but forget who it was. You could basically outline the continent, plug in a few things like planet size and all.............and it'd fill in the details like weather (mimicing earth) and what tree's grow where and all that. I have no idea what the site was tough.
#4 lestanley1979 Aug 14, 2009 6:12:14	It's a little bit daunting I agree sitting with a map of a country in front of you, having put in the capital and the main river and the main mountain range and then realising you have an area the size of France to detail...and very few ideas. Random tables work well for close-ups, and published maps can at least give you a feeling for the size and shape of a sample kingdom, leaving you to add the flavour. There are a number of sites out there but Campaign Cartographer is the big one, though it's also fairly expensive ($34.95 I think, £29 UK price). I think I came across another mapping program elsewhere but try googling the above for starters.
#5 garner_adam Aug 14, 2009 20:01:34	Well, I've had the story for a campaign world for a long time now. I may just sit down and put it to paper too. I really want to make a campaign with the background I have been brainstorming for many years. Problem is, whenever I decide to attempt to create a campaign world with the history/story I like, the map making and city detailing gets to me. Deciding details like what livestock a farm in the North caries vs. the livestock on a farm in the South and issues like that are somewhat necessary but so trivial. Then you get into what kind of trees are in this forest vs. that forest and so on............and the end result of trying to tackle all this is.............I give up and just say "forget about it, never mind". For anyone who has completed their campaign setting to their liking, how'd you deal with this? Are you sure these are the specific questions you ask yourself when you build your setting? I mean I've never really had to address those questions. But more important ones that come up with any n00bie GM are things like "Hey how does this city get water?" and "why are these towns so far from one another?"
#6 sigil_beguiler Aug 14, 2009 20:07:42	Personally I never go into such things. I just create a framework that fits the setting. So what themes, concept, colour themes, etc. are appropriate for the setting from there I just expand as the game expands. So wherever the PCs go, or what the Players decide exist in the world or what not is what ends up existing. You need a city covered in jungle BAM! that city exists. I think it is more important to delve into stuff like, what does the setting feel like. The type of trees in it, the commerce between towns, ancient, ancient history, etc. that won't be relevant to your average PC and if it is, make it up together. Instead concentrate on stuff like the atmosphere of a city, how do races view one another, and so forth. Essentially what I am saying is you only need to flesh out what the PCs will actually see, interact with, and are influenced by.
#7 garner_adam Aug 14, 2009 20:54:13	Essentially what I am saying is you only need to flesh out what the PCs will actually see, interact with, and are influenced by. It took me years to understand this absolutely critical GMing advice.
#8 strand0 Aug 14, 2009 21:39:41	Settlement Development http://forums.gleemax.com/showthread.php?t=1191017
#9 mzell06 Aug 16, 2009 3:39:49	All wonderful advice. Yeah, I think the average player could care less about: The livestock at this farm is not compatible with the climate of the area. The trees to the north are supposed to be more tropical since it is closer to the equator. Issues like that are what held me up. I enjoy writing the background and making the scene, and that's really what they will notice anyway. Thanks everyone for the input.
#10 yellowdingo Aug 27, 2009 20:22:55	Then you get into what kind of trees are in this forest vs. that forest and so on............and the end result of trying to tackle all this is.............I give up and just say "forget about it, never mind". For anyone who has completed their campaign setting to their liking, how'd you deal with this? And rightly so. I break out a copy of 'Certificate Level Geography' (A School book) if I want indepth realism in my campaign settings. But there are weird things out there. Pines dont allways grow in cold regions (we have one here that grows in Tropoical Swampland and on Gravel ridges). It has alowed me to build my game quality. But you are in a Fantasy setting: Be happy to throw in: Goblinbrush (Description: a thick weed that grows to groin height and has annoying thorns that scratch - Environment: any plains or light forest). Dryadwood (a tree that when it dies from too much railfall gets a large swelling at the base of an otherwise dead trunk that looks a lot like some sort of Dryad sized cocoon. Its actually a yellow fungus spore - Environment: Equatorial/Medium-High rainfall).