I'm throwing in the towel when it comes to setting design for a bit.
Lately my attempts to write a setting haven't just been frustrating me, they've been outright depressing me. I feel like I just don't have any original ideas, that I can't write, blah blah blah emo crap. And it's not that I don't have ideas, it's that as soon as I ask myself "what would someone do in this setting?" or try to think of cultures, my brain shuts down. So, I quit. I'm just not going to try for a bit. My current plan is to keep working on X20 here and there (since I can do mechanics, kinda...we'll see) and comment on other people's stuff and play in some forum games.
Why did this deserve a thread, then?
Because I don't want to contribute just by comments and a system I'm not sure will go anywhere and playing in games. I want to do...something. But my creative ego is very, very small right now, so I thought I'd gauge interest in an idea I've been tinkering with:
I've been considering making a thread of monsters and NPCs. No setting, no particulars. Some will be sci-fi creatures, some with be strange evolutions, some will be Lovecraftian horrors, some will be fuzzy little buggers, some will be of the pokemon vein. Just call it Xathan's Creatures or something. However, with my current foul creative mood, it would be better for me to just take a break from trying than it would be to post something no one was interested in. Please, don't think of this as a cry for attention. If there's no one who would be interested in reading about the random weird monsters I pop out, that's fine. I just figured this would be a way to gauge interest...
..and, if I'm being perfectly honest with myself, a little moral support wouldn't hurt either.
Thanks in advance,
Xathan.
DO IT. Seriously, I'm a staunch supporter of random, disjointed setting elements devoid of context. I mean, that's basically what all the Monster Manuals are, right?
Also, I need you to stick around and play the Ceremorphs so that the Elder Evils can bring madness and slavery to the surface world.
Quote from: Superbright
DO IT. Seriously, I'm a staunch supporter of random, disjointed setting elements devoid of context. I mean, that's basically what all the Monster Manuals are, right?
That's what I was thinking. I mean, a copy of the Fiend Folio at a used book store is what got me into DnD in the first place.
QuoteAlso, I need you to stick around and play the Ceremorphs so that the Elder Evils can bring madness and slavery to the surface world.
I don't feel it's meta at all to say that one of my first actions round one is going to be contacting you. Especially considering that we're neighbors anyway. :P
Don't worry Xathan we all burn out. Just take your time. You gave the world Terra Macabre after all. One of the things I find helps me when I'm stuck is to start reading or watching movies. Just recharge the old batteries. We will miss your settings for a while though :(
Thanks, Newb Again, it's appreciated. :)
Unrelated: Changed the title to something less "Angst Wanting Attention" getting.
I just wanted to say, it's ok not to be posting material every day. It's ok not to be writing material every day. It's ok not to be thinking about fictional worlds every day. I haven't posted an update to my world in over a month, and before that I took a two year break. When I started again after that? My material was ten times better than it was before. Take a break. Do some stretches. Get some sun. When you're done with that? No pressure. There are no deadlines here, only opportunities. As long as keep that in perspective, you'll be fine and the words will come. We'll still be here when you write them.
Xathan, that's a great idea, really. Whenever I get burnt out, I just start doing whatever sounds fun, usually making random tidbits for unimagined settings and such. Eventually, you'll find yourself with enough stuff or ideas to combine them, or you'll just get a creative spark again.
I totally support your idea, man!
Thanks for the support, both of you. :)
Yeah, like we said on IRC, it's a great idea. And I agree with Numinous and Humabout. Take the breaks you need. Focus on what will come.