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Gristlemane
Sergeant
623 Posts
    
 | | 04/28/2006 6:53 PM |
| So I'm finally getting around to writing down all of the info for my homebrew setting. (I'm almost certainly not going to publish it or anything, I just want to have it all recorded.) And after writing out most of the crunchy stuff, I've started on the fluff.
The only problem is that I'm not sure how much detail to record for everything. There are only 4 major cities in the world. This is because I like having lots of detail for a small number of places rather than glossing over two dozen cities in 350 words each like the FR's does. But I think I may have gone overboard in the other direction.
The history section of my favorite city is 2 pages long. That doesn't include arts, the economy, geography, the shops or prominent people, etc. Just the history of the place. The total length is about 16 pages long just for that city. Given the fact that I'm only going to talk about 4 different cities, do you think that is too much? | |
It's deja vu all over again. | |
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dagonet
Sergeant
442 Posts
| | 04/28/2006 8:15 PM |
| Hey, whether we admit it or not, we GM's/worldbuilders are in this for our own enjoyment first, and that of our players second. So yes, if sixteen (or sixteen hundred) pages of city description are what your muse calls for, go for it. Having said that, a GM without an actual play-group is rather a sorry sight, so I'd suggest a one or two page summary sheet (with the most important historic/cultural/etc details) for those people who don't need/want the full novella. [:D] That way the people who want to immerse themselves in your setting can do so, while those who (for whatever reason) don't want to wade through everything can still function effectively.
Cheers,
Dagonet | |
"People should not be afraid of their governments. Governments should be afraid of their people."
Champion of Kyuss and his Servants of Squishy Doom | |
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zenthrus
Warlord
5132 Posts
SLC, UT
| | 04/28/2006 8:43 PM |
| 16 pages per city is way too much for most PCs. My current group will get bored or distraced by shiny objects after a page or two. Summaries are best.
Granted, if you have players that really enjoy being immersed in a fully-fleshed out environment then by all means write until you feel finished. If your players don't give a rat's buns about the historic architecture then you might want to pass over that type of detail. | |
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Gristlemane
Sergeant
623 Posts
| | 04/28/2006 9:18 PM |
| I think I will take your advice, Dagonet. Because I'm writing it in .html form, I can have links to both a short summary and the long explication.
Zenthrus, as for the players not wanting to read 16 pages, well they shouldn't really be reading all of it anyway. The short summary version will let me write the "player's version".
So thanks, both of you. That solves the problem quite nicely. | |
It's deja vu all over again. | |
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driordan
Sneak
52 Posts
| | 04/28/2006 11:36 PM |
| quote:
Originally posted by Gristlemane
Zenthrus, as for the players not wanting to read 16 pages, well they shouldn't really be reading all of it anyway. The short summary version will let me write the "player's version".
Other than a little information that I gave them at the start of the campaign, there is no "players version" of the notes for the locations in my campaign. The players simply ask questions or go to location X and I give them the relevant details verbally.
I have a standard template that I use for the locations in my home brew world. It insures that I don't skip over important details and also makes it quick and easy to locate important information. In case you (or anyone else) was looking for inspiration, here's what I have for the PC's current 'home base'. (Note: Information that I mean to keep secret is colored differently, normally to blend in with the page background.)
Gankur
Population - 11,400 humans, 300 hin (halflings)
Leaders - Lady Inês Amandi, Countess of Gankur
- Holy Consul, - representing the temples
- Guilds Consul, - representing the guilds and merchants
- Knightly Consul, - representing the knightly orders
Power - Knights of the Order Radient - two score of knights and their retainers.
- The White Circle - The small cabal aids arcanists while gathering information from then and giving them 'council'. Secretly woship Vecna.
- The Fools - A rather light hearted association of performers in service of the Laughing Rogue. A front for theives, most of whoom 'give half to the poor' to keep up their immage.
Religion - St. Cuthbert has a large temple at city center.
- Heironeous has a temple near the city barracks and his worship is mandated among the guard.
- Istus and Celestian share an ornate temple at city center where her preists offer advice, astrological readings and divinations.
- Mouqol has a temple in the market quarter where loans can be had.
- Geshtai has a temple near the docks where passage is arranged up and down river.
Notable Persons - Njord Leandro, inkeeper at the Red Stag, where certain conscripts (i.e. the PC's) have been quartered by order of the Countess.
- Jaromil, leader of the White Circle
Craft & trade - The people fo Gankur bread good work horses, build wagons, and provide other caravan supplies. They seek timber, iron and luxury items.
Flavor - bustling, relatively clean and modern (thanks to the fire of 761)
Inns and Outs - The Alehouse of the Servants - A cheep alehouse and front for the Fools.
- The Scripture - An establishment catering to scholerly and pious folk. Run by Dalibor.
- The Devil's Stein - Seedy establishment in the poorer part of town, frequented by members of the white circle and their friends.
Taxes - Annual poll tax (2gp per head in Nolus), roof tax, land taxes, 1sp per man or animal to enter the gates.
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Thenameless
Warlord
12481 Posts
The Fortress of Solitude
| | 04/29/2006 3:33 AM |
| | It's quality, not quantity. If you're a good writer, and your players find your words entertaining, then 16 pages will leave them wanting more. If, on the other hand, the content is basically just in list form, you'll have them yawning after the first or second page. | |
Over 270 successful online DDM trades. | |
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orcdoubleax
Sergeant
694 Posts
| | 04/29/2006 5:43 AM |
| I don't think I am a good person to ask.
The first atlas I made for my homebrew was 95 pages.
I did a describtion of the capital of one country once that was 35 pages. | |
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driordan
Sneak
52 Posts
| | 04/29/2006 7:37 AM |
| quote:
Originally posted by orcdoubleax
I don't think I am a good person to ask.
The first atlas I made for my homebrew was 95 pages.
I did a describtion of the capital of one country once that was 35 pages.
IMHO, some of you guys are just going waaaay overboard. | |
Once the game is over, the King and the pawn go back in the same box. | |
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Bert the Troll
Commander
3964 Posts
Adelaide
| | 04/29/2006 8:09 AM |
| I do small hand outs to characters based on master lists. Gives them reading material while they are stunned/dazed/decapitated. I`m starting to make sure my master notes are better formated for others reading and intend on handing them out later in campiegn. Most of the people I play with read for pleasure, so something short storyish should hold thier attention. But for offline reading not during the game.
quote:
So yes, if sixteen (or sixteen hundred) pages of city description are what your muse calls for, go for it.
True Words. | |
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jgsugden
Commander
4320 Posts
Walnut Creek, CA
| | 04/30/2006 3:28 PM |
| I think of writing an RPG in the same fashion that I think of writing a book. Accordingly, I think the best advanice on how to handle this question can be answered in books that help people learn to write stories. Check them out in your local library ...
My approach: Pretend that the campaign is a series of books. How much description would the city get if the campign were this series of books? Would it be an important location, where you need to have lots of details at hand? Or would it be someplace that PCs visit briefly, where only a very rough description is necessary ... and only a few places within the city deserve any specific description at all.
That approach serves me well ...
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