Daunte
Sergeant
518 Posts
    
 | | 03/22/2006 1:59 AM |
| OK there is enough interest in this that I think it would be pretty doable.
Going to get an outline worked out on what all needs to be done. Im sure i will miss things so any input would be great.
Once i have the outline done and some idea's laid out ill post and we can hash it out from there. Add and delete thigns and wathever is needed and then start on the actual creation of the world istelf.
Now one thin i just want to mention before we get into all this. Its inevitable that at some point and time during this process someone is not going to get what they want or things or not going to go there way. Please jsut remember what ever happens that nothing is personal and this is for the good of all. Going to try and make decisions as a group, id ont want to amek all the decisions. I think most of everything we shoudl vote on, although a lot of input is going to be personal and everyone will be able to leave there mark on the world.
But anyway, im off to do the outline, hoping to get it posted this evening so we can get rolling on this ASAP.
| |
Ha:19 of 80! De:43 of 60! Ar:24 of 60! GoL:60 of 72! Ab:59 of 60! Dk:58 of 60! Af:60 of 60 Complete! Ud:60 of 60 Complete! WD:60 of 60 Complete!
Trade Thread
Excel Trade Calculator
Excel Price guide/Checklist | |
|
dagonet
Sergeant
442 Posts
| | 03/22/2006 2:11 AM |
| That's not how I think we should do it. [:p]
| |
"People should not be afraid of their governments. Governments should be afraid of their people."
Champion of Kyuss and his Servants of Squishy Doom | |
|
Daunte
Sergeant
518 Posts
| |
Daunte
Sergeant
518 Posts
| | 03/22/2006 3:05 AM |
| OK, trying to come up with an outline and there is going to be a lot to this. So instead of an outline maybe we shoudl just start a list of the different things that need to be accomplished and then we can decide on what order best to accomplish them. Ill get it started off.
Geography - creating the world bsically, continents, climatology and so on.
Societies - how many, where they are located, what type of society.
Gods and devils - Just like it says, what gods and devils/demons the world should have.
Magic - what type, any variances, non magic areas of the world and so on.
Guilds/Groups - what power guilds and groups are in the world, kind of like harpers in FR. What guilds are prominent and play a major role in the world.
Thats a start, forgive me a bit, i am kind of tired right now and cant think all that straight, or type straight for that matter, hehe.
A few things that i would also think we would need that we may see what people can do. We are going to need 1 or a few people who are good at mapping and have access to a scanner or digital camera or something.
I have access to all the webspace iw ould need pretty much and plenty of time to throw things together on a website. Once we get this up and running ill probably throw a website together dedicated to the project.
But lets get some ideas going. | |
Ha:19 of 80! De:43 of 60! Ar:24 of 60! GoL:60 of 72! Ab:59 of 60! Dk:58 of 60! Af:60 of 60 Complete! Ud:60 of 60 Complete! WD:60 of 60 Complete!
Trade Thread
Excel Trade Calculator
Excel Price guide/Checklist | |
|
orcdoubleax
Sergeant
694 Posts
| | 03/22/2006 4:50 AM |
| some ideas of things to consider
Exploration: You have to decide if the world is fully explored an each culture aware of the others.
The benfit of a fully explored world is that it is simpler and that players can travel wherever a storyline takes them. A single common lang and gp standard applies everwhere.
If the world is not fully explored however the different societys can be completly different with no cross containation. There may be reasons why the world can not be fully explored. (such as areas control by dragons or sea travel is too dangerous do to the number of Kraken).
Technology level: Certain items are very important in the terms of wheter the technology is available. some examples are.
Steel: do all the societys have the capacity to make harded steel. Is the knowledge limited to just dwarfs for instance.
Stirups: Mounted calvery was not possible until the introduction of stirups.
Gunpower:Does it exist at all. also alchemical items fall into this same vein.
Navigation and the compass:Sea travel goes from routine to extremly limited without proper ships and technology.
Also is technology advancing or is it stagnate. Stagnate technology allows you to have a long history in a world that is basically unchanged.
Animals: What animals exist. Not monsters, but mundane animals. It is easy to use the real world because people are familar with it. You can change however, the world quite signifcantly by eliminating or adding a few mundane animals.
The elimnation of horse will change the world a lot. What animals are used instead. Camels, zebra, large magically trained cats etc.
or you could add prehistoric animals either from the iceage or jurasic period. It would be interesting if instead of worrying about wolves shepards were worried about raptors.
Also a few original animals add flavour to the game. A small teddy bear style animal that is orignally forest dewling, but overuns human cities the way monkeys do in certain parts of the world.
Races:which races are standard which are not. What is the % breakdown of each. Someraces will be declining and others will be growing. Non-standard races may be more common or not existant. Goliths, cat-folk, Avians, Half-giants etc.
Also are there any changes in the races. for example are halflings still the wandering ggypsy that they are in 3.5.
Example Alternate halflings: Halfings are an urban based race with strong family connections. They are involved heavly in certain industries specifically money changing, gems and fine stones, import/export and alchemy. Many Halflings are reputed to be heavly involved in organized crime. | |
Yes I am Gelatinous.
www.gelatinousdudes.com
| |
|
ShadowLord XT
Commander
2646 Posts
Plane of Shadow
| | 03/22/2006 10:35 AM |
| | So day 1 is just set up? Or can I start giving some ideas for Geography? Or is that not the first topic we're voting on? | |
Disipline is the only way to overcome chaos.
Champion of Half-Golems
Knight of Golems
"This world is made for love and peace" - Trigun
"anyway..shadow..you've figured women out. KUDOS." - raye_kino16 | |
|
brazenwood
Sergeant
386 Posts
Etowah NC
| | 03/22/2006 11:30 AM |
| I think right now we are working out our procedure for tackling the project. World Design is a very intensive process, and like organizing a novel, if you don't have a good outline, it will easily come unraveled, unfocused, and basically never reach a place of beauty and perfection.
I have access to mapping programs, CC2, and Fractal Terrains. Fractal Terrains can generate a world map worthy of the project and then we can break it down from there. I can then zoom into each continent and get maps of those up. I'm really excited about CC3 which comes out in April, so we should design the world with that, and we'll be the first online world designed with the new version of Campaign Cartographer. That would be just too cool.
My concern at this point, being an astrologer in real life, is the top-down perspective. In other words, what is the solar system like? We should vote on how many planets, moons, suns, asteroid fields, gas giants etc. we need in the solar system. We could just roll 3D6 for the number of vote or use a nice sacred geometry number like 12 so we can have 12 signs of the zodiac and maybe 12 deities, they don't have to be anthropomorphic.
But if you look back at the shaping of cultures on our world, you'll quickly see that they had two worlds they were concerend with...the day to day flatland of resources and wild beasts to contend with and the mystery of the heavens that shaped religions and stories.
Think of it this way, the ancient sky was their movie theater! They would sit around the fire checking out the sky and telling stories about what happened that day and some smart weak nerdy gamer dude would realize that the planets that moved through the sky had archetypal energies that related to what was happening down there. Wala...the shaman priest dude was born, and they would start realizing cycles of time, first lunar cycles and seeing it related to feminine fertility cycles...
Anyway, next we can decide on how many 2000 year astrological ages have passed, a good number is 2D6...
| |
Kelly Lee Phipps
Visit my New Fantasy World Website: www.astrofantasy.com
Email: kellyleephipps@gmail.com
My Have/Want List: http://www.maxminis.com/hw_list.asp?user=brazenwood
My Reference List Link: http://www.maxminis.com/forums/topic.asp?TOPIC_ID=6375 | |
|
orcdoubleax
Sergeant
694 Posts
| | 03/22/2006 12:17 PM |
| stars, zodiacs and astrological ages oh my.
I will defer on that one. My home world went would the classic approarch of a greek stlye flat world. the stars are indeed the heavens and the suns is a fiery chariot pulled by two massive radient dragons.
| |
Yes I am Gelatinous.
www.gelatinousdudes.com
| |
|
dagonet
Sergeant
442 Posts
| | 03/22/2006 12:32 PM |
| | I would add (respectfully--that's a very big gun, Daunte) History as one of the primary or secondary categories to deal with. What major events in the past have shaped the world as it is today? | |
"People should not be afraid of their governments. Governments should be afraid of their people."
Champion of Kyuss and his Servants of Squishy Doom | |
|
The Great
Choco Monster
Ghendar
Warlord
13069 Posts
Mud Lick, Kentucky
| | 03/22/2006 2:00 PM |
| | I vote for a pre-gunpowder technology level. | |
WotC - making me wish more and more every day for a return to the TSR days. :(
I fought the snark and the snark won. I'm baaaaaaaaaaack!
Some of my favorite Maxminis quotes
I actually love to be swallowed. - Posted By gss_000 on 09/04/2007 2:32 PM
Could somebody explain Snatch to me? I understand the basics, but not how to enter/use it. - Posted by orcmonk220
G's the man. - Posted By greyhaze on 11/11/2008 8:58 AM
I dont mind butting heads every once in a while. It makes thing interesting. Thats why I'd be heartbroken if Ghendar ever left - Posted By Count Dooku on 04/03/2006 11:58 AM
| |
|
devasque
Sergeant
874 Posts
| | 03/22/2006 6:22 PM |
| I'll make a second for a pre-gunpowderesque tech level. Keeps it more in flavor of DnD in the classic sense.
As to cosmology, I'll vote for a single large habital world with 1 or more moons (I'll throw out Jupitar as a concept). Accessable via both the Astral and Shadow planes (not a stickler on this but for world building it keeps options open - i.e access to planes/higher powers and a cadre of other archieved DnD material to tap).
Also to note, I'm with Brazenwood in that I've got CC2 as a mapping utility so the burden could be shared (and yes I'm all for CC3 in April). | |
You see! There ARE others out there just like me. What? Why are laughing? | |
|
brazenwood
Sergeant
386 Posts
Etowah NC
| | 03/22/2006 6:43 PM |
| Cool! Then we'll map it with CC3 when it comes out, good project to practice the new program with, eh?
Maybe we can get a moderator to create us a forum for just this world once we name it and vote on the name. That way people could just go to the World Design Project forum and hit links to see various aspects of the project...like Geography, Cultures, House Rules, etc.
WHat say ye? Moderators? | |
Kelly Lee Phipps
Visit my New Fantasy World Website: www.astrofantasy.com
Email: kellyleephipps@gmail.com
My Have/Want List: http://www.maxminis.com/hw_list.asp?user=brazenwood
My Reference List Link: http://www.maxminis.com/forums/topic.asp?TOPIC_ID=6375 | |
|
Most Edumacated
zenthrus
Warlord
5132 Posts
SLC, UT
| | 03/23/2006 1:01 AM |
| quote:
Originally posted by Ghendar
I vote for a pre-gunpowder technology level.
I'll third that and add relatively low-magic was well (more Greyhawk than Eberron for example). | |
Knight Warlord a.k.a. Commander (#32) in only 6 months. Where's my pie?
Champion of Dwarven Thunderlashers
Knight of the Large Dire Chicken
Have/Want List
Trade References | |
|
orcdoubleax
Sergeant
694 Posts
| | 03/23/2006 5:33 AM |
| I thought that before we started voting on anything the plan was to get a list of what things we had to work on and decide where we were going to start.
I think a forum would be nice, but I also think that some of the early item have to be dealt with one at a time as opposed to having different treads going all at once. If you do that there will be contridictions and conflicting material.
I suggest that the first thing dealt with is finish the list of things that need to be covered and organize them.
So far things suggested are:
Geography -the world itself
Societies - who and where
Gods and devils - who are the powers that be
Magic - type, level
Guilds/Groups - who and where
Technology level - what is and in is know
Non Magic Animals - Earth standard or different
Races - who and what
Exploration - level of contact between socitys
What other things should be on this list.
Daunte I am not trying to take over your project. Put the gun down. Put the gun down.
| |
Yes I am Gelatinous.
www.gelatinousdudes.com
| |
|
Daunte
Sergeant
518 Posts
| | 03/23/2006 8:52 AM |
| I know doubleaxe. A little under the weather so a little slow at responding today and last night. Ill be back up and running this evening and hopefully we can get the outline done and know where were going from there. Keep the idea's coming and we can flesh out the basic strategy and then start working on things.
One question for you mapping guys. WIll you be able to import a map done with cc2 into cc3. I think one of the most important things were going to need to get done is the basic map. I dont want to have to wait til april to get it all done. And having a couple people doing the map would be great. each of you could do one, or more if we have people out there with access to a mapping program or who just want to draw one up and then we can vote on it from there.
but im going to pass out again now and post more tonight. | |
Ha:19 of 80! De:43 of 60! Ar:24 of 60! GoL:60 of 72! Ab:59 of 60! Dk:58 of 60! Af:60 of 60 Complete! Ud:60 of 60 Complete! WD:60 of 60 Complete!
Trade Thread
Excel Trade Calculator
Excel Price guide/Checklist | |
|
devasque
Sergeant
874 Posts
| | 03/23/2006 10:16 AM |
| Everything I've read leads me to believe any/all CC2 files should carry over to CC3 without any hiccups. Brazenwood, you hear anything different? Should be more like a program upgrade then a complete rewrite...
(here's the snippit from ProFantasy...)
The upgrade is a full working version of Campaign Cartographer 3. If you have registered your CC2 or CC2 Pro on our website, you'll be able to order the upgrade and get new serial number.
| |
You see! There ARE others out there just like me. What? Why are laughing? | |
|
The Great
Choco Monster
Ghendar
Warlord
13069 Posts
Mud Lick, Kentucky
| | 03/23/2006 10:40 AM |
| quote:
Originally posted by zenthrus
quote:
Originally posted by Ghendar
I vote for a pre-gunpowder technology level.
I'll third that and add relatively low-magic was well (more Greyhawk than Eberron for example).
Yes, Let's make this as far from eberron as possible.
Lower magic level definitely. | |
WotC - making me wish more and more every day for a return to the TSR days. :(
I fought the snark and the snark won. I'm baaaaaaaaaaack!
Some of my favorite Maxminis quotes
I actually love to be swallowed. - Posted By gss_000 on 09/04/2007 2:32 PM
Could somebody explain Snatch to me? I understand the basics, but not how to enter/use it. - Posted by orcmonk220
G's the man. - Posted By greyhaze on 11/11/2008 8:58 AM
I dont mind butting heads every once in a while. It makes thing interesting. Thats why I'd be heartbroken if Ghendar ever left - Posted By Count Dooku on 04/03/2006 11:58 AM
| |
|
brazenwood
Sergeant
386 Posts
Etowah NC
| | 03/23/2006 10:56 PM |
| Yes an early map on cc2 would transfer to cc3 from the loom of it on their site. I propose we design a world map using profantasy's Fractal Terrains first. Then we can import it into CC2 as they are compatible. That way wer would literally have continental maps of the whole world and hundreds of zooms for many regions.
I guess I could use fractal terrains to pre-generate many world maps and then post them all to a website with labels like world A, world B, etc. and then we could collectively vote on the one to use.
On the subject of low level magic, I fully agree. Heck in my loacal campaign that I've run for the last five years I cut out the last 8 levels of the core classes, so that only 12th level is available in any core class (For most classes the higher levels only give redundnt more time per day abilities anyway, don't worry, I hooked up the monk with cool styles that totally liberates the monk making him very flexible)
My point is that in limiting the class levels of core classes to 12, I've made high level play more interesting without the power imbalance of high level magic (7th, 8th, and 9th level). In this way I allow 7th level magic through group rituals or power spots only and leave 8th and 9th to the Gods...
So as you can see I'm definetly a fan of lower magic campaigns. | |
Kelly Lee Phipps
Visit my New Fantasy World Website: www.astrofantasy.com
Email: kellyleephipps@gmail.com
My Have/Want List: http://www.maxminis.com/hw_list.asp?user=brazenwood
My Reference List Link: http://www.maxminis.com/forums/topic.asp?TOPIC_ID=6375 | |
|
maijstral
Underboss
2105 Posts
| | 03/23/2006 11:12 PM |
| How about a low magic world with the potential to abuse it using powerfull magic.
The world has a finite amount of magic in it and everybody more or less knows this. So magic use is restricted and some adventures may be to stop a mage from preforming a powerfull ritual.
I'm not saying limited the way Dark Sun works in that powerful magics leave a wasteland behind. More like powerfull magics sometimes leave dead or weakened magic areas but the land is otherwise undamaged and unchanged. | | | |
|
orcdoubleax
Sergeant
694 Posts
| | 03/24/2006 4:48 AM |
| when I think of low magic (still think we are getting ahead of our selves) I don't think of restrictions on magic I think about how common magic is. In most D&D games you can find a wizard, a cleric or someone selling magic item in any town of decent size.
A low magic campaign for me is one where wizards and sorceror are rare and a wizard selling his service can't be found everywhere. Not all prist are cleric a lot are just prist, and it is very difficult to find someone buying or selling magic items.
Of course this is a contiuium on one side there is no magic at all, on the other side the streets are lit with contiual flame and there are magic trolly car as public transportation.
I don't think it is important to determine rules about what magic PC can or can not have. Each DM can do this himself. Those are campaign varients and have little effect on world building. What we have to do with magic is determine how common it is among NPC's, How powerful is the magic avaliable and what type of effect it has on the daily lives of the general populace.
The is once we get to that point. As of yet we have even determine the list of what is to be coveried and what order we are going to do it in. | |
Yes I am Gelatinous.
www.gelatinousdudes.com
| |
|
The Great
Choco Monster
Ghendar
Warlord
13069 Posts
Mud Lick, Kentucky
| | 03/24/2006 7:41 AM |
| quote:
Originally posted by orcdoubleax
when I think of low magic (still think we are getting ahead of our selves) I don't think of restrictions on magic I think about how common magic is. In most D&D games you can find a wizard, a cleric or someone selling magic item in any town of decent size.
A low magic campaign for me is one where wizards and sorceror are rare and a wizard selling his service can't be found everywhere. Not all prist are cleric a lot are just prist, and it is very difficult to find someone buying or selling magic items.
This is how I look at it as well. I'm not in favor necessarily of level restrictions.
However, magic items and spellcasters in general shouldn't be found everywhere. They should be on the scarce side. But maybe that's just me.
Large cities have maybe one or two magic shops if any at all and most magic items are obtained through commission or by private sale by the spellcaster.
We have to be careful not to restrict it too much though because one of the coolest things about D&D is having pcs acquire magic items. | |
WotC - making me wish more and more every day for a return to the TSR days. :(
I fought the snark and the snark won. I'm baaaaaaaaaaack!
Some of my favorite Maxminis quotes
I actually love to be swallowed. - Posted By gss_000 on 09/04/2007 2:32 PM
Could somebody explain Snatch to me? I understand the basics, but not how to enter/use it. - Posted by orcmonk220
G's the man. - Posted By greyhaze on 11/11/2008 8:58 AM
I dont mind butting heads every once in a while. It makes thing interesting. Thats why I'd be heartbroken if Ghendar ever left - Posted By Count Dooku on 04/03/2006 11:58 AM
| |
|
Knight of Argenis
Corim Danex
Warlord
6842 Posts
West Valley City, Utah
| | 03/27/2006 2:43 AM |
| quote:
Originally posted by maijstral
The world has a finite amount of magic in it
I have never quite understood this idea (when I have heard others present it). I think it makes more sense for people to be careful with magic, not because it is a resource, but the ability to use it should be a responsibility to use it well.
I am certaintly in favor of pre-gun powder era. Not too far before that. Fairly stagnant technology growth is good because of allowing long history with consistent story. | |
"Look to God and live." Alma 37:47
Vindicated Champ of Hippogriff (Arcadian Hippogriff) and Uncommon Horse | |
|
Most Edumacated
zenthrus
Warlord
5132 Posts
SLC, UT
| | 03/27/2006 5:00 AM |
| Imposing level limits when designing a campaign world is a big no-no. DMs can do whatever they want. Setting designers don't really have that luxury.
I think Ghendar and Orcdoubleaxe are with me on what constitutes a "low-magic" campaign setting. Streets aren't lit with everburning lamps, shoppers aren't assisted by unseen servants, and if you want to get from point A to point B, walk, get a horse, or hire a caravan since finding a wizard that can and will teleport you is not a likely option.
I'm a big fan of magic being a mysterious and rare force. Wizards spend countless years uncovering ancient mysteries. The spark of sorcerous blood is a rare and precious gift. Only the most devoted to their faith can call upon the gods for assistance. If magic is too mundane (i.e. Eberron) it loses it's, well, magic.
This doesn't preclude PCs getting magic items/potions/etc. They are just not likely to find much for sale. Magic items would be pried from the corpses of villains recently vanquished or given as rewards by nobles for successfully completing quests. A fighter doesn't just receive a +1 longsword: it is Orcleaver, a family heirloom passed down for several generations named for the countless orcs slain through the centuries.
To respond to Orcdoubleaxe's concern about priority/order of things to be done:
When creating a fantasy world the prevalence of magic should be the first consideration. In a high-magic setting the scars of battles waged by powerful wizards and their legions cover the landscape (altering geography and shaping history); magic is used for mundane purposes (sociological implications, attitudes of people); powerful, magical creatures are common (flora/fauna, impacts on surrounding environs, impact on people); politics (use of magic for spying, magocracies, etc).
By contrast in a low-magic setting geography would be marginally (or not at all) altered; magic would not be used for mundane applications (impact on technology/sociology); powerful, magical creatures are rare , etc.
Determining the prevalence of magic should be step one. [:D] | |
Knight Warlord a.k.a. Commander (#32) in only 6 months. Where's my pie?
Champion of Dwarven Thunderlashers
Knight of the Large Dire Chicken
Have/Want List
Trade References | |
|