Post/Author/DateTime	Post
#1 Crazymerc22 Apr 21, 2015 8:09:45	As a DM, I really like to create my own locations, kingdoms, and worlds as well as my own adventure. When I go out and look for new books to buy, I look for rules and settings books, books that will help enhance my own adventures. I never buy adventures because to me it limits my creativity, I want to have my own adventures for my players to enjoy. So when I think about starting a career in TRPGs, I want to do stuff for people like me, I want to create settings and rules. However, when I look for starting out in the game industry, almost all of the talk is about adventures, how to pitch adventures, how to create adventures, how to get your adventure published etc. I don't want to do that, I want to create settings. I don't necessarily want to start big, I'm not expecting something like Forgotten realms right from the start, but things like an interesting castle or faction will do. I want to create special rules or prestige classes that fit my locations. I want things that everyone can look at to try to find inspiration for their own creations, not an adventure that everyone will go through relatively the same everytime. My question is, are there entry-level avenues to do stuff like this, because all I can find is stuff about freelance adventure creating.
#2 Jenks Apr 21, 2015 13:13:09	It's great to see such passion for you hobby man, and don't anyone ever let you feel like you can't acheive your goals!   That being said, the reason you see everyone talking about adventures is because that's generally where people start. Starting by creating an entire campaign setting is like trying to climb kilimanjaro on your first public excursion. It's just asking for trouble. Adventures are short and to the point, but allow enough creative freedom that people can see your style and skills as a writer/creator. They allow for quick and easy feedback, whereas someone sorting through an entire campaign setting would take weeks if they ever even gave you feedback at all. Feedback is EXTREMELY important. It will show you things you can improve, and there is always something you can improve, as well as what you are doing right. Not to mention, you have no name for yourself yet. Why would people want to buy an entire setting book from some guy they've never heard of? A $3 dollar adventure is much easier to pitch to folks.   Also remember that world build is usually a team effort in an actual company. You won't be the only one making it. So if that bothers you, it's something you'll have to deal with.   I see two options for you. Go ahead and try making some adventures. There's plenty of room to create small settings and atmosphere in adventures, and they offer you a good way to get your foot in the door and get your name out there. If you REALLY want to produce your own setting, your best bet is to make a company and release it yourself. This used to be a very risky option, but with the advent of things like DriveThruRPG it's not so bad. You will spend a lot of time making the setting for probably less payoff than you expect, however. But that's to be expected when your name is really out there yet. Also one last piece of advice. The RPG road is a long and hard road. You can ask almost any proffessional in the field and they will tell you that TTRPGs are a labor of love more than a lucritive way of living. It's not a huge industry, so the jobs are not plentiful either. But that being said, if it's really what you want to do, go for it. Life's too short to be wasted wondering what if in a job you hate!     Edit: I don't know how I missed the point about not wanting to start big. You can feel free to ignore that part of my statement. To this point though, adventures offer something players can use more concretely than a piece of setting, hence why they sell better generally. However, you can VERY easily combine the two, as adventures normally involve a bit of setting as well (like a town, or a countryside even). Plenty of room for you to flex your creative muscles.
#3 CCS Apr 21, 2015 12:08:30	To be honest with you I've gotten much more use out of individual adventure modules than I've EVER gotten from entire campaign settings.
#4 LordTwig Apr 21, 2015 12:37:19	Except he said he wasn't going to make an entire game setting. He was going to make some interesting locations or social factions that can be used for a homebrew setting. I think that is a great idea.   As others have said, you won't make much money (most likely), but if it is something you love doing you can self publish and try to build up a following. There is probably some advise you can find out there for self publishing. I've never done it myself.
#5 lawrencehoy Apr 21, 2015 21:22:24	You can use an adventure to showcase interesting locations or factions, along with any special rules or sub-classes appropriate to the location or faction that you highlight in such an adventure.   I'd suggest that this is, likely, the best way, for someone who is already experienced at creating adventures, to get their feet wet in the area of rules creation. All the while, each adventure introduces a little more of an entire setting.