The Campaign Builder's Guild

This thread was sparked by a conversation concerning World Building in the Chat. It occurred to me that many of us here never finish a Campaign setting, or at least never detail it to the extent they wish, which leaves only a shell of a setting you're never truly proud of. I always thought the concept of Spelljammer and Planescape were very intriguing in that they allowed adventurers to travel to different worlds far outside the norm. What I never really liked was the fact that these settings utilized normal D&D IP which typically led to things like Faerunians going to Krynn, which never seemed as cool to me as creating an entire universe where this type of travel is occurring.

With that in mind, I would like to open up a discussion and see if the community is interested in this topic and, more importantly, willing to aid in its creations. This is just a concept that will make for a massive campaign setting but not force each individual designer to tax themselves to any degree, nor will the project rely too heavily on one or two people (which is a recipe for failure for projects like these).

Not much is set in stone, other than traveling to other 'worlds' that are much smaller than earth (so creators aren't too burdened). There is no set flavor yet, so this could be anything from a High Fantasy to Sci-Fantasy to 'semi-realistic' sci-fi to ultra futuristic sci-fi.

Let's see where the discussion takes us! :)

This sounds cool, and maybe I want in but this would be something like a fourth world-building project for me and I do have a life both off the internet and on other parts of the internet.  This means I may not have a lot of time to put into it, but count me in for a tentative yes.


I like Spelljammer too.  I never really got into Planescape.  I do own the Planes of Conflict splatbox and really liked the expanded Slaad Lords from Dragon, but I never bought the main setting box, and I never really liked the Sigil idea that much.

Interesting. I might contribute to such a project on the side, even while I'm working on my Savage Age, especially if it's going to be some flavour of fantasy or a fantasy-[insert another genre] hybrid. We'd definitely need to figure out the framework - how travel between settings happens, how to limit possibly too drastic effects that such travel may cause - right in the beginning. Allowing free traffic between a "low fantasy" world and a world stuffed full of insanely powerful demigods and reality-devouring cosmic horrors would result in either a very fast and profound makeover of the former, or a serious flaw in internal consistency.

I'm interested, especially if this is to be a system-neutral project.

Sounds cool.  Of course, I'm biased. (http://www.thecbg.org/wiki/index.php?title=Wake)  

I might be interested as well. I'm better at finishing off small ideas than entire setttings anyway, a tendency that has left my setting rather incomplete. Might get my creative juices flowing or something. Not sure how much time i can devote to this since i really only write stuff when i get a good idea and is in the mood for it, but might as well try to add something. Should be fun :)

EDIT: Making it hard sci-fi might limit the creative flow a bit, so i vote fantasy or sci-fi/fantasy or some variation thereof.

Count me in as well.  I'm not so good with the actual places, but I've got a whole list of races people can use.

First thing I'd suggest before we start is to get down exactly what travel methods we want.  This is even more important than genre because you could always include the option for another genre to exist somewhere on the periphery of the setting, but the travel method influences who can travel and how people approach the wider uni/multiverse.

My vote is for portals or plane-shifting that can occur naturally but be controlled because you don't need to be all that advanced to use this method and so tech levels can be mixed across the setting.

We may also need to consider whether the physical/magical laws of this setting apply equally in all places, or if some have different types.

If we're getting down to discussing that stuff already, here is my idea:

A very long time ago, there existed a civilization / race / guild / whatever that learned of other worlds. They were so advanced that, in time, they eventually were able to travel to these other worlds. They traveled using ships, gates, and maybe even other means. These people are now gone and have been for so long that no one remembers why. They left things behind but very little of it now works. Some new races on these worlds have learned how to use bits of this leftover technology, probably most commonly the gate.

I feel this makes the setting a little sci-fantasy overall but leaves it open for each individual world to be very different. Maybe none of this strange (seemingly magical) technology was left on some worlds. Maybe enough was left on others that the races there are very advanced. Maybe there are worlds where a lot was left behind but because of something to do with the planet, all of it malfunctions in the same way?

Or even better, we go with something like this but there is no absolute TRUTH. Every world would probably make up different explanations for this stuff but no one could know for sure. Just a thought.

Quote from: Ninja D!If we're getting down to discussing that stuff already, here is my idea:

A very long time ago, there existed a civilization / race / guild / whatever that learned of other worlds. They were so advanced that, in time, they eventually were able to travel to these other worlds. They traveled using ships, gates, and maybe even other means. These people are now gone and have been for so long that no one remembers why. They left things behind but very little of it now works. Some new races on these worlds have learned how to use bits of this leftover technology, probably most commonly the gate.

I feel this makes the setting a little sci-fantasy overall but leaves it open for each individual world to be very different. Maybe none of this strange (seemingly magical) technology was left on some worlds. Maybe enough was left on others that the races there are very advanced. Maybe there are worlds where a lot was left behind but because of something to do with the planet, all of it malfunctions in the same way?

Or even better, we go with something like this but there is no absolute TRUTH. Every world would probably make up different explanations for this stuff but no one could know for sure. Just a thought.

I'm liking this. Especially since it's not necessarily the truth.

I'm in, and I'll try and commit myself to this.

That's a good angle.  Establishes the Ancient Ones for people who want to have Old Stuff to find.

I'll chime in with my own suggestions.

Looking at H.P. Lovecraft's dreamworld (found in the stories Celephais and The Dream Quest of Unknown Kadath), one can find some interesting methods of travel. For those who haven't read the stories: dreamworld is another dimension that exists along the 'real' world, which can be entered when asleep. Because the dreamworld functions by different laws than the real world, many crazy things are possible there. Such as...

Quote from: The Dream Quest of Unknown KadathIt was dark when the galley passed betwixt the Basalt Pillars of the West and the sound of the ultimate cataract swelled portentous from ahead. And the spray of that cataract rose to obscure the stars, and the deck grew damp, and the vessel reeled in the surging current of the brink. Then with a queer whistle and plunge the leap was taken, and Carter felt the terrors of nightmare as earth fell away and the great boat shot silent and comet-like into planetary space.

Not only can ships sail the sky, they can even go through space! Not to mention that leaving the planet is as simple as sailing off the great waterfall on the edge of the sea.

Now, I'm not suggesting that we copy these ideas straight, but use them as a source of inspiration. Perhaps there are places (transition zones) on the seas that lead into an astral plane (or similar) that connects all the worlds? These could be anything from massive whirlpools, to perpetually mist-shrouded regions, to ghostly twilight areas where time stands still. What ever form they take, a normal ship should be able to pass through without problem. The astral plane would allow them to continue sailing (not necessarily on water) across a phantastic, unearthly space, and proceed to a another transition zone leading to a different world.


Another source of inspiration could be found in the Hyperion/Endymion series by Dan Simmons. Those books feature a river called Tethys, which runs across several different planets - consisting of sections of rivers on those planets that connect to each other via massive teleportation arches. Something like this would be more easy to work into Ninja D's suggestion.

Probably the best way to go. The only problem i see with planes is that instead of a variety of interconnected worlds we just get a number of solitary worlds that a game can change between. There is no "space" to interconnect the worlds and make them part of a single universe. As somebody mentioned i also think we should go with various forms of transportation. Some might have ships that can leap between worlds while other use ancient rituals to open rifts in the universe (or whatever we decide on).

EDIT: If we wanted to go along with a "single universe" concept we could have a belt of asteroid-sized microworlds and rocks in a large belt around a star (or some such). This would limit the distances you have to travel between worlds while still retaining the feeling of a multitude of worlds in a single universe. With a reasonably broad belt you could even account for climate variances and stuff. But just an idea.

These are all pretty good ideas. I think the best would be a kinda conglomerate thing, people can travel between planets however they can manage it (spaceship, space boat, wormhole, Gate, Planar Portal, tapping their heels together and chanting) where some of these things could be left by Ancient ones (abandoned Portals, Ships, teleport circle etc..) and some people invented their own method. This would leave it open to whatever people wanted.

I'll go along with whatever.  My specialty is weird creatures, not travel.

I think we'll end up undermining suspension of disbelief if we let the level of technology or magic* to vary too much between the worlds. After all, they are in contact with each other. Unless every civilization adheres to some kind of Start Trek Prime Directive, there would logically be trade of tech or magic, and/or conquest & enslavement of the weaker civs.


* In case of magic we could justify thigs somewhat by making it world-specific ie. you can't use your magic after leaving your homeworld. But that kind of explanation strikes me as poor/lazy design.

I think an easier point of reference would be to first describe what each persons 'world-sphere' (or what ever we call them) looks like. Are they large asteroid like planetoids, set adrift in a massive field of similar planetoids, aimlessly rotating around a massive sun, migrating through clouds that would not be out of place on Bespin (http://images3.wikia.nocookie.net/starwars/images/e/e5/Bespin_lifezone.jpg)?  Or are they more like actual D&D Planes, barely connected through the astral sea relying on portals more than ships?

I like Nomadic's idea of an ancient race that first explored the 'galaxy.' It would give many spheres some ancient ruins and allow some Spheres to be more advanced than others (i.e. copying the tech and fully utilizing it). Its also cool because it may not be entirely true. Whose to say it was a race of people that built the ruins, the portals and the ships, perhaps it was an almighty God or a pantheon of Gods who laid them out for mortals to find and use...

EDIT: I think magic can vary (to make for diversity) but the scale would be small. Though I have to say, it would be interesting to develop worlds where magic hasn't been fully harnessed . Imagine the Native's first reaction to seein ga Wizard? That makes for fun campaigns right there :) But on the whole, I think it would be best to have a sliding scale of how common magic is from Sphere to Sphere.

I concur that we shouldn't make magic world-specific. Not only is it poor design as Ghostman said, it also serves to separate our worlds which is as far i can understand the opposite of what we want to do. I vote towards fantasy-ish tech levels with high-tech magical/technological artifacts of the Old Ones since that ensures the primitive planets/worlds that we might want to include aren't instantly overrun by laser gun toting corsairs and actually provide some kind of threat.
If we go with a space-like environment what about using metal-like rusted starship-like constructs of a bygone age powered by some kind of arcane substance (no, not rocket fuel). I immediately call to mind images of warhammers warpstone, but really any substance could serve. We could also link the ships to telepaths or something such so they are the only ones able to pilot them. Or have humans permanently fused to them...
now I'm just throwing ideas out there, so i'll stop for a while and see where this goes...

Quote from: Elemental_ElfI think an easier point of reference would be to first describe what each persons 'world-sphere' (or what ever we call them) looks like. Are they large asteroid like planetoids, set adrift in a massive field of similar planetoids, aimlessly rotating around a massive sun, migrating through clouds that would not be out of place on Bespin (http://images3.wikia.nocookie.net/starwars/images/e/e5/Bespin_lifezone.jpg)?  Or are they more like actual D&D Planes, barely connected through the astral sea relying on portals more than ships?

^ A decision has to made on this, as it will affect what kind of transportation forms are feasible to begin with.

I'd lean on more diversity in the worlds themselves. If we don't require all the worlds to be in the same solar system (or other kind of "local space") then people will have greater freedom in defining their world. If we go all the way (treat worlds as separate but connected planes of existence) then wildly different kinds of worlds become possible. You could have one world that is nothing but liquid, without surface or bottom to it, another world that rests on platforms built over enormous pillars rising up from an unfathomable abyss, a third world that looks like the insides of a clockwork machine, etc.

Anyway, how are decisions made here? Do we vote on a poll or something?

I like the idea of each world being more connected than separate planes. Ship travel should be just as plausible as portal travel (if a bit slower). So I'm in favor of the 'Solar System'(i.e. hundreds of small groupings of World-Spheres) or the 'Massive Solar System' (where all world sphere rotate around the same sun).

Quote from: GhostmanAfter all, they are in contact with each other.

I think this is the key here: we don't have to have all the worlds connected to each and every other one.  I know that may make some people leery because it breaks up the setting, but it keeps the setting from being all the same.  Plus it can be reasonable: settings of similar level can be connected to one another, and "primitive" settings are good places for more advanced people to have "crash land" adventures in.

If that doesn't sell I think there really should be a way to let different parts of the setting have different tech/magic levels while still functioning equally.  My favorite method is to not make them different: instead of this magic/physics divide you just have physics, but physics can be bent in such a way that it looks like magic to the uninformed.  Note that this isn't the same as "technology indistinguishable from magic" because that relies on the laws of physics not bending.

If that still doesn't sell then my vote is as follow:
Futuristic technology level but also with high magic, integrating the two.  I find that more technologically (and often socially) advanced settings offer a greater variety of elements to use.

Alright, lets say we have a big solar system or what not. Lets look at it in two dimensions, we have an X and Y axis. Lets say X is technology and Y is magic.

Each world can be placed wherever in the solar system, but its level of Magic/Tech would depend on where it is along these axises. Now this doesn't solve the transporting tech/magic to a different area (maybe they last for a little bit but then slowly die).

This would also let different Tech/Magic level worlds co-exist pretty well with them going as uplifting all other worlds to a higher level.

Travel can be done by Ship (spaceship, space boat, space dragon, space plane or what ever) or by Portals (Stargates, Wormholes, teleport grids, leylines or what ever)

I might have missed something but I believe this covers our immediate problems, feel free to raise all objections with this idea.

Quote from: Elemental_ElfShip travel should be just as plausible as portal travel (if a bit slower).

In that case I see two feasible paths:
(Edit: assuming that we're going for low tech rather than high tech)

1. Abandon realistic notions of distance, vacuum, etc. Crazy things like in my Lovecraft quotes are possible, perhaps people can even jump (literally!) from one planet to another if they jump in the right place in the right way (Dream Quest of Unknown Kadath actually has intelligent talking cats leaping from the Moon to the Earth)

2. Keep the 'physics' more conventional, but organize the worlds in an unconventional system (ie not a solar system). They should be floating/orbiting close to each other, the space between should have breathable athmosphere, etc.

Quote from: SilvercatMoonpawI think this is the key here: we don't have to have all the worlds connected to each and every other one.  I know that may make some people leery because it breaks up the setting, but it keeps the setting from being all the same.  Plus it can be reasonable: settings of similar level can be connected to one another, and "primitive" settings are good places for more advanced people to have "crash land" adventures in.

I think this could be feasible if the methods of travel to these primitive worlds are limited enough. In other words, going there would have to be difficult, dangerous and/or expensive, so that no one would even think about shipping massive cargoes, large numbers of passangers, or an army.

Quote from: GhostmanI think this could be feasible if the methods of travel to these primitive worlds are limited enough. In other words, going there would have to be difficult, dangerous and/or expensive, so that no one would even think about shipping massive cargoes, large numbers of passangers, or an army.

Or no one knows about them yet.

That kind of defeats the point of being part of the world-sphere, doesn't it? I mean, it's no different from any standalone setting until first contact, soon after which it'll be fundamentally changed.

I think a better way to explain relative isolation would be a local superpower. Like a sleeping god that doesn't want to be disturbed; the local people don't bother it because they aren't so advanced, but any high-tech intruders are in for a very nasty surprise...

Have fun with this. I was thinking about joining but the whole set forms of travel and interaction kinda killed it for me. I joined a project like this where we had to follow certain rules based on stuff like that. The thing died because people weren't free to do what they wanted with their world. If I were to choose I would much rather let each person decide how known their world is to others and how it accesses them (leaving them free to access it how they want).

I agree with Nomadic.  Damn the logic, full speed ahead! :axe:

To mix all this together, what about a number of stars each with a sea of small asteroid-ish world spheres spreading out from the sun in a belt like the Kepler Belt between Mars and Jupiter, only so broad that it it extends from mercury to Jupiter or some such, with smaller globes even farther out. The various systems are connected with portals (maybe some of the small worlds were carved out to act as immense magical portals) and pseudo-technological starships are used for transport between world spheres and through the gates. Each sphere is surrounded by an atmosphere, but it extends somewhat out in space so that as long as you are within the "Sea" you have ample oxygen, akin to being on a very tall mountain, and you can survive the radiation without instantly dying. Although extensive exposure to Solar Waves might have some effects on your physique. Technology has developed to various degrees depending on where you are and who you are in contact with, and exists in all levels. Magic is a secret force; organized practice of magic is limited to a few individuals and seclusive organizations (perhaps with a few exceptions) and those who pursue it delve into secrets that often destroy their minds, and the only magic that is widely available is that which can be accessed through Old One technology which is spread throughout the universe. These artifacts can have all kinds of wondrous effects, and if you need some kind of limited magic on your world-sphere you can link it to Old One technology. Maybe one world was the site of some kind of Old One Electrical Array that would send electricity out into the universe and this has infused the inhabitants with electrical powers or the ability to pick up radio signals. On another world magic staffs that can throw fire might be hoarded by an ancient order of warrior-mages.
I don't think we should attempt to create a world where every possible idea could fit in; that will just make for a setting that is clumsy and seems too artificial. What we should try and make is a setting that everybody wants to add to.

EDIT: after looking at some of the posts that were written while i was writing this, i must say that i still agree with what i said before. Making a world where everything is allowed destroys much of the credibility of a setting, and then we might as well just combine all of our own settings with planar gates and call it a day. What i'm trying to say is that a thing that would be better than making a world with no rules is to make a world where the "rules" allow for whatever people want to happen.  
   

Again I just think that there should only be 3 rules.

1 - Your world can be whatever you want it to be
2 - How your world accesses other worlds is up to you
3 - How well known your world is is up to you

Otherwise people are going to give up because now they are no longer creating their own world, they are creating someone else's world (and thus this whole thing falls into the cebegia trap).

Quote from: NomadicAgain I just think that there should only be 3 rules.

1 - Your world can be whatever you want it to be
2 - How your world accesses other worlds is up to you
3 - How well known your world is is up to you

Otherwise people are going to give up because now they are no longer creating their own world, they are creating someone else's world (and thus this whole thing falls into the cebegia trap).

This actually solves the whole problem in itself. Lets say each world is a Sphere (its an example, you can make your world a cube, lozenge, torus or shaped like a bump on a log) so we don't have to worry about an overarching rule, just let people deal with it themselves. We got caught up in the idea, and it didn't work out so back to basics seems like a good idea.

I think I remember seeing something like this on a forum (wizards) where every poster was the Creator of their own little world/plane/what have you and they could dictate whatever they wished about their own thing.

Quote from: Crippled CrowI don't think we should attempt to create a world where every possible idea could fit in; that will just make for a setting that is clumsy and seems too artificial. What we should try and make is a setting that everybody wants to add to.

Contradiction.

Quote from: Crippled CrowWhat i'm trying to say is that a thing that would be better than making a world with no rules is to make a world where the "rules" allow for whatever people want to happen.

Acceptable.

I say the problem is that the more rules we restrict ourselves to the more we choke off our creativity.

Quote from: Crippled CrowWhat we should try and make is a setting that everybody wants to add to.

That might just be impossible. People have different tastes, that can't be helped.

There seems to be 2 groups forming in this thread, those that want total freedom to make what ever they want and those who want to put some common threads through each world to make a more plausible 'galaxy.'

Honestly, I want to maximize creative freedom yet also have a set meta... I suppose I want everyone to make what ever they want but there has to be more rules and more restrictions than Nomadic is proposing. The reason for this is that, in the end, all we'll have are a thousand individual worlds with no rhyme or reason for their shared existence.

I say we steal an idea from Star Wars - there will be 3 'rims' in our universe. The Inner-Rim will be very magical and other worldly. The Mid-Rim will be more technological (due perhaps to their distance form the Magical center of the universe?). And the Outer-rim will be less magical and less technological, on the whole, but will can also be more fantastical because of ancient tech and powerful beings.

The Outer rim will be very isolated from the rest of the 'galaxy' and thus the creators of outer-rim Spheres have more creative control. Mid-Rim will be much more connected through Shipping lanes and easy portals. The inner-rim is... Well it too would be isolated but be far more magical and otherworldly and more prone to being very exotic locals (like an entire Sphere of Horror or a Sphere where one can, literally, enter other people's dream clouds, or etc.).

EDIT: I hope this is a compromise both groups can agree on!

Quote from: LlumI think I remember seeing something like this on a forum (wizards) where every poster was the Creator of their own little world/plane/what have you and they could dictate whatever they wished about their own thing.

Wouldn't we save a lot of time and effort if we gathered all existing settings and just glued them together? Why bother starting a project when the result won't be any different (in terms of how well the worlds fit into the overall supersetting).

Quote from: Elemental_ElfThe reason for this is that, in the end, all we'll have are a thousand individual worlds with no rhyme or reason for their shared existence.

Couldn't we just assume there's a reason but never say what it is?

I suppose. I'm just playing Devil's advocate here, offering other ideas.

Maybe the sun could be a sort of portal to Chaos/dreamscape/Divine force of creation/mutation energy.
Would we have one single system with the three rims? Or more? Is space actual space or is it some kind of not so terrible space? Are we still going with the Old Ones idea? And are we just going with whatever transportation we want?

I think Elemental_Elf is on to something, I don't think that the two groups are irreconcilable. I think we could use a "meta" framework that leaves an area open for whatever someone wants to create, no matter how it bothers to fit it. While still having elements that people can choose to use.

To tweak the "Rims" meta a bit, the outer realm could be the outer edge of creation, where all the raw creation stuff is, getting there is difficult/strange so people can control how they want to travel to be possible and have free reign on everything else. (Now the raw creation bit doesn't have to stick, just the concept).

This would leave the Inner and Middle Rims to have their own specific "meta" traits. Really we could have as many "Rims" as we want. However we don't want it to get crazy where everyone has their own Rim (unless thats what people wish).

Hmm, i'm still saying that if we don't have a framework of some kind, this won't be a setting but a connective framework. A point that a good deal of others have also made. that being said, i like the three rims approach

EDIT: as far as the 3 rules go, the idea of each of us not wanting to join the project because we want to make our own world is sorta silly. If you want to make your own world you might as well just do it. There is no point in interaction between worlds if it is random anyway; they have to be linked by something for it to matter. This is a project to create a collective setting. I wasn't part of Cebegia, but i looked at it and i can see why people found it constricting. but you can easily make a framework that isn't constricting in the same way without sacrificing options and limiting creativity.

Llum, I love the idea of the Outer Rim/Realm being the newly created portions of the 'galaxy!'

I think 2-5 Rims/Realms is all we need any more and it will get confusing (unless rims/realms become finite sectors of space). Perhaps the inner most realm is the most technological realm, having been created eons ago.

Hmm, what if we had 2 Rims - Inner and Outer - and between these 2 were sectors (large concentrations of Spheres) that each had their own diverse Orthologies. Think of the galaxy as a pizza pan. At the center is the inner realm, on the periphery of the pan is the outer realm. In between these 2 lie massive clumps of dough and ingredients; some have peperoni, while others are smothered with Anchovies and Peanut butter.

So if I were to create (just an example) a world that is an infinite flat plane, with no suns or stars but an athmosphere that emits light, and this world can be exited & entered only by performing a ritual sacrafice (which prompts a spirit to open a mini-wormhole), how would I fit it into the three-rim framework? I guess it'd be on the outermost rim, but how does it fit there, or should it even be visible from space? And where would travelers from this world show up when they exit it via the ritual? Do they just pop in the middle of empty space? Presumably they could not go directly to another world unless said world has allowed travelers to enter in this manner.

So long as we can have places where both magic and technology are high-level.

As I see it the problem arises that if you ask for logic first '" "Won't the people with lasers conquer all the people with pointy sticks?" '" then you've restricted yourself before you've started.  Instead if we say what we want first '" "We want people with pointy sticks to live next to people who have lasers without getting conquered." '" then we can get that down and come up with a reason later.

Well each sphere could be seen as finite on the outside but infinite on the inside. What the denizens of your Sphere see as a wormhole would be called a Portal on other Spheres. to open a portal to another world you would have to follow the normal rules for Portal travel for both your world (i.e. Sacrificing a person for your Sphere and what ever arcane laws the Sphere you are trying to enter may have).

This mechanic could definitely be used to keep some people's Spheres less accessible than others.

Of course that relies on Spheres being more Mystical bubbles than planets.

Ghostman, what if your world was on the inner rim with a magically luminiscent ceiling in a giant hollowed out world sphere :)
Although this would be a bit too much for my taste you could have a small globe suspended inside another one to create the "infinity" effect.

EDIT: and the spirits could let them astral project to wherever they want to go.

As to where you would fit your infinite flat world, I figure it would be on the "edge" of the Outermost Rim. On the Rim it looks finite (lets say you see a sphere) but as soon as you step inside your world, it would be infinite. Kinda a bad explanation, but do you understand what I'm saying?

For the Rims I think the Outermost Rim should be the one where anything/everything goes. The succesive inner "Rims" could have different "meta" ways of tying together, just an idea. This doesn't necessarily have to be a Magic and Tech dividing line.

Lets say on the Inner Most "Rim" space is liquid (cause its compressed so much ok?) So people "swim" from Sphere to Sphere. The Second "Rim" would have air instead of vacuum for space (not always breathable, but some kind of gas-state substance). The Third "Rim" could have real vacuum. The Fourth "Rim" is connected by nothing, there's no actual anything between the Spheres (travel is only possible by portal/gate type things) then the Outer "Rim" is the special one where people can choose whatever type of transport they want to reach their realm.

So Magic and Tech Spheres can be side by side in the first "Rim" and one my travel between them by Space-Boat, magical sea turtles or whatever.

Once again, this is just a suggestion on how to classify the "Rims" by "meta-ness". Feel free to take apart/find flaw with the idea.

Hm, looking at it from that angle, it could just as easily be a star or any other common object that acts as an anchor for an infinite pocket dimension. With that kind of stuff anything becomes possible :-p

Quote from: Crippled CrowEDIT: as far as the 3 rules go, the idea of each of us not wanting to join the project because we want to make our own world is sorta silly. If you want to make your own world you might as well just do it. There is no point in interaction between worlds if it is random anyway; they have to be linked by something for it to matter. This is a project to create a collective setting. I wasn't part of Cebegia, but i looked at it and i can see why people found it constricting. but you can easily make a framework that isn't constricting in the same way without sacrificing options and limiting creativity.

Silly? Hardly. What I said was based on experience. The world I talked about was full of people who wanted to create worlds and join them together. Everyone gave up though because it stopped being about creating their world and started being about creating a world for someone else that fit preconceived notions. I suppose my 3 rules was really me just giving the idea a warning bonk on the noggin.

On that note... I like the rim idea (especially the compressed space idea llum had). I think that one will work just fine as it keeps control solidly in the world builders hands.

Ok, taking the idea of the Rims/Realms I have constructed a map (to better visualize what we're talking about). Note this is just a concept rather than an actual map.

 [spoiler](http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v614/RHO1/Rim2.png)
[/spoiler]

While I think it would be much more fun if rims didn't have hard shapes (i.e. the four kinds of space mentioned where all mixed up in each other) it's acceptable enough.

Maybe the Outer "Rim" where anything is possible should be located in space like all the others but instead is an "all encompassing" space (like the Astral Plane from D&D).  Just an idea.

Well the "Rims" don't have to be hard and fast circles, I'm sure you could make it so a "tendril" of the Second "Rim" has snaked its way out to the Fourth "Rim" so there's a sort of  causeway of air that lets you "fly".

Quote from: SilvercatMoonpawMaybe the Outer "Rim" where anything is possible should be located in space like all the others but instead is an "all encompassing" space (like the Astral Plane from D&D). Just an idea.

I'm not sure exactly what you mean when you say that. Its probably just my unfamiliarity with D&D though.

So what does everyone think about the Liquid-->Air(gas-state)---Vacuum---Everything/Anything goes "Rim" divisions? IF that's what Elemental_Elf divisons are supposed to mean?

Quote from: LlumI'm not sure exactly what you mean when you say that. Its probably just my unfamiliarity with D&D though.

It means that the "Outer Rim" lies in the exact same place as all the other rims but out of "phase" with them such that the stuff in them doesn't interact, but people can use special methods to access this "all encompassing" rim and then traverse it to get to other places without having to transition at the edge of each rim to a new form of transport.

Hmm, does anybody have any idea about what world they are going to create?

I found a cool picture of a distant galaxy that may serve our purposes.

[spoiler](http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v614/RHO1/SpiralRealmcopy2.png)[/spoiler]

Essentially, the First Rim is the center of the 'galaxy.' 2 of the Rims are actually a spiral arms. The Fourth Rim is a rim that is much like a foundry; a new core, churning out the new and diverse Spheres. Fifth Rim would be dead and/or empty space.

If we use the Liquid-->Air-->Vaccum-->Nothing paradigm it isn't as interesting if the second rim doesn't sit entirely between the first and third.

And did we establish rim metas yet?

Quote from: Crippled CrowHmm, does anybody have any idea about what world they are going to create?

I'm still working on it.  Preliminary has races/species based around animals important to Asian mythologies.

I'd love to get involved with this, however it ends up being designed.  I'll probably do something  post-apocalyptic, dystopian, or just bizarre, though it won't be a clone of the Cadaverous Earth.

I had some kind of idea about a prison colony built around a rock in which some primeval being is imprisoned. But i'm not really sure how to on with it so it is up for grabs if anybody wants it : p

I think I'll try something like a myth or dream realm, where objects exist in space with a funny relationship to each other: buildings bigger on the inside, Escher rooms, etc.

If we settle on the Liquid--Gas--Vacuum--Nothing "Rim" kinda thing I was thinking about making a Gas Giant in the Gas "Rim" where most people live on moons that orbit it.

Tech level would be roughly turn of the 20th century, not sure on magic. Tripod cities and tentacle sporting blimp animals would show up.

I'll second Silvercat when he says:

Quote from: SilvercatMoonpawIf we use the Liquid-->Air-->Vaccum-->Nothing paradigm it isn't as interesting if the second rim doesn't sit entirely between the first and third.

And i'll agree with that. If we use this idea it should be like some kind of "magical" air-liquid that flows from the sun and get's thinner as we get farther out, and when it ceases to be there existence ends (the fourth rim or whatever). It's concentrated reality :P (maybe not)
I still find the idea somewhat odd, although i'm warming to it.  

Wait, is this supposed to be only one star system?

As it stands now, yes. Minus the occasional weird 4th rim world. At least, that's the way i understood this. Otherwise the whole microworld concept would be kinda ruined if everything requires interstellar travel wouldn't it? Of course, we could build around that, but still.

Wouldn't it get a bit crowded if we had only 1 solar system? Of course everyone's worlds are micro, so perhaps it would work... Hmm, what if the Solar system were populated by massive Gas Giants and orbiting each were our little Spheres?

Personally I'd much prefer a more abstract version of the cosmology than a "hard" solar system.  It seems that if you're keeping the "infinite on the inside/finite on the outside" idea, or making that a possibility, then it doesn't make sense (or strikes me as inelegant) to make the spheres act as planets orbiting stars/gas giants.

Does this mean we have settled on the "rims" idea? I like that one, myself. I think there is still room for the ancient people that traveled, too, at least on some worlds.

I think the Rims Idea has won out, its just how the rims are viewed conceptually that is being debated now.

This is probably too early in the development process of the whole shared worlds thing to share my idea, but however you guys work it, it sounds like there's room for high tech in some corner of the universe.

This is a concept that I was originally developing partly with the idea of a comic book drawn by either my brother or his friend as part of the end result.  For some reason I decided that the potential characters for this series ought to be statted up in Mekton Z terms and mostly be professionals with detailed lifepaths.

The basic concept involved a ship that was the human race's first test ship for some kind of captured alien technology space-fold/ space-ward/ jump drive/ hyper space translation drive/ thingamajiggy. I think my idea originally involved the ship full of mecha and fighter planes and such like ending up on a planet of the kaiju.

I think with this metaframework, what I would do instead is say they made a jump from their high tech low magic home sphere to a low tech high magic sphere.  The tech they ahve with them will keep working as long as the batteries last but long-term they will have real problems.

Hmm, although i made some assumptions about it before i'm not sure the liquid->air thing will work out that well. It will make the universe somewhat compartmentalized. In addition, i don't think we should try and fit infinite worlds onto small world-spheres: that will just screw up the internal logic too quickly. Instead, we could use a combination of planes/parallel world (that are large, (in)finite, strange, and often more general than detailed (this is a microworld setting after all)) and one (or more) rim universes. I say we make space non-lethal, but decidedly dangerous (especially in the outer rims); this essentially makes all types of transportation viable, although at different levels of comfort. If anybody wants to have planets with shared, comfortable atmospheres and air travel between they should be free to do that. Magic and technology shouldn't be limited by external factors; only by culture. And we can have all manners of schools of magic that we want. Magic and technology are equally viable for transportation.
Come on, isn't this close enough to what everybody wants? Really, with planes added, anything can fit into this while the microworld retains some external logic.  

If magic isn't limited by location, what would be the point of planes / rims?

Well, magic has to be learned by a culture for it to be of any use, in *theory* we could have "magic" in our world; maybe we just haven't discovered it yet. So even in a place where magic isn't limited by location we might have an intensely magical civilization next to a high tech one. It could of course also depend on race. Some races might have reservoirs of celestial energy in their bodies or special brain waves that can alter physical reality (or whatever). Planes on the other hand allow for worlds that defy common sense and don't fit easily into the rim-world frame; e.g. infinite plains, rains of meteors, a plane that constantly assembles and disassembles itself, a dream realm, etc. I think this division is both more intuitive than the aforementioned, is more flexible, and keeps the rim-world from turning into a useless mish-mash of the real and the unreal. (yes, a campaign could be built around a mish-mash of the real and unreal, but if we really want to put no limits on peoples' creativity this shouldn't be the case here as a "real world" will be forced to deal with the very unreal aspects of the rest of the world that it might not want to have anything to do with.)
By the way, Rim-world would be a nice name. has anybody used that yet?

I support the idea of having planes/parallel dimensions.  Some concepts just aren't going to work a planets of any kind.  I don't think it detracts anything from the setting: so many fantasy worlds (probably ripping off D&D) have alternate reality planes for storing their metaphysical concepts.  If we say those alternate planes are connected to all the worlds in one universe that would mean we'd have some of us designing the cosmology and some the material world.  I think we could achieve some interesting results.

@Ninja D! Forgot to answer your question as to rims: they aren't really needed in that version of the universe, but it goes without saying that places not in the "temperate band" are somewhat more hostile, and therefore might result in more hardy mutations/development of life-sustaining magic. Or maybe magicians just settled down there to get privacy. Makes sense.

What if every World-Sphere was a shimmering golden bubble. Each Bubble was finite on the outside but varied on in size on the inside. The Solar System is composed of 2 distinct areas, the first area appears like the sky, complete with clouds and birds. In the sky area, the World-Spheres float, like hanging Christmas tree ornaments. The sky is completely breathable and allows for ship travel. The second area is the void. This is the area outside creation, as it were. This area is slowly being formed and molded, it does not follow the typical laws that the Sky-Area does.

Essentially, yjis is breaking it down into 2 areas, the core area where certain rules will apply and then the hinterland where only a scant few rules for creation will apply.

Okay, not to needlessly propagate my "own" idea, but do we really want a world composed of shimmering golden bubbles (i know that was just a suggestion, but still)? With the concept i proposed we get exactly as much freedom, and without sacrificing external and interal logic and credibility, and without having to create a dozen ad hoc rules. I don't know about you, but the idea of travelling around between a couple of hundred golden bubbles just ruins this concept for me, even though i like the idea of this project. I say finite go in one of the Rim-worlds (we can have more) and infinite go into a plane. If you want, you can always make a planar rift or something so your plane is a constant part of a Rim-world. On the other hand, i agree that some of the areas between worlds should have breathable air, a point i also made before. I don't think we should make suffocation a danger unless you move extremely far away from the sun.

I'm not one for the Golden Bubbles either but it seemed appropriate if we didn't do Planes...

I have to say the idea of making the weird concepts extra dimensional planes of existence is growing on me. It keeps them separate and distant yet accessible. I think we should go with these planes.

What if the Solar System was Geocentric, orbiting around a ball from which all magic is drawn. Think of it like a Purple sun, it glows ominously and has strands ripping off of it and heading to where the magic is needed. Around this Purple Sun, and out until you reach the orbit of the Yellow (i.e. real) Sun would be breathable Sky. Beyond the orbit of the Yellow Sun would be void, much like real space. Travel outside the Yellow Suns's Orbit (ie Rim 2) would hostile and require more space ship like technology than in the Sky area (ie Rim 1).

We should really make a call on this.

So we have the Purple Sun concept of the Rims (and planes), the more normal Solar System with Rims (and planes) and finally we have the basic Rim idea which would not correspond to a solar system.

My main vote goes to normal solar with planes, although i could live with purple sun. Although i can't really see why you think we need it?

Its just a potential way of describing why the 'Sky' area exists, plus the image is just cool :)

I'd be happy with either.

Hmm, agreed, purple sun is a pretty neat image :)
But wouldn't a source of magic be unnecessarily limiting? And would the rim-world suns be orbiting this central thing then? Also, i don't personally think we have to suspend our belief that hardly to believe that you can breathe in space. Most people probably believed that in the olden days (citation needed).  

Since it appears that planes are given some consideration, I'll make this suggestion for a fairly simple framework:

1. All the small worlds are in the planes BUT a single plane can have any number of these smaller worlds within it (depending on how much room there is, how the plane is structured, etc)

2. Besides these world-planes, we have a hub (call it the astral, space, what ever) that is like a (pseudo) solar system. It's small and compact enough and the environment friendly enough that inhabitants from any of the planes will be able to travel in there, though not necessarily easy or without some danger.

3. All the traffic between the planes must go through the hub. This way we'll avoid problems with planes possibly being too incompatible for direct travel from plane to plane. Each plane has one or more entry points in the hub, found in one of the planets or asteroid-like things in there.

4. Two worlds that are located in the same plane can have alternative ways to travel between them. For example, if the plane happens to be a realistic solar system and the worlds in question are planets in the system, then they could use spaceships; they would not have to go through the hub. They'd have to use the hub if they either don't have necessary tech, or if they're going to a world that's on a different plane.

I think this framework would give a great deal of freedom while still offering a reasonably plausible way to travel between the worlds. If a world has to be entered in a particular way, that way will be possible on one of the planets of the hub.

Quote from: Elemental_ElfWhat if the Solar System was Geocentric, orbiting around a ball from which all magic is drawn. Think of it like a Purple sun, it glows ominously and has strands ripping off of it and heading to where the magic is needed.

That would be heliocentric :P

Anyhow just to pop in and throw out a comment. I like the concept of a mix of worlds and planes. I will say though that I think it would be better not to have an actual "solar system".

Quote from: Crippled CrowHmm, agreed, purple sun is a pretty neat image :)
But wouldn't a source of magic be unnecessarily limiting? And would the rim-world suns be orbiting this central thing then? Also, i don't personally think we have to suspend our belief that hardly to believe that you can breathe in space. Most people probably believed that in the olden days (citation needed).  

Whose to say all magic is derived from it, or any? Maybe that just what people in the Inner Rim believe?

Quote from: NomadicThat would be heliocentric :P

Originally it was going to be a massive planet but I changed it to a sun because planets shouldn't be that big. :)


Ok, it seems the group is breaking up again. We have the 'I want separate planes for MY World' group, and the 'I want a solar system for everyone (save the freaky planes)!' group.

Ghostman's idea of a hub isn't entirely bad, nor incompatible with the Solar System idea. I don't see how having a Solar system act as the spacial/material hub for the planes is a bad concept.


*** PLEASE READ***
 Lets just make the Solar system a normal Heliocentric system. Space is a Vacuum. The Solar System is a mix of High Fantasy and Sci-Fi, with hundreds of planetoids capable of sustaining life. Space Travel is more common towards the center of the system and less common the farther out you go. The System is an acts as an interdimensional hub, ferrying people from one plane to another. Access to other planes is dependent on the Plane you are trying to access, some have weird voodoo rituals, others just allow everyone to come and go as they please. The Planes can be as vast, or as tiny as the creator wants them to be, you have complete creative control in your plane. The Solar System will have several rules and themes that course through it but will attempt to cede as much creative control to the designers as possible.

I think that works out to be the fairest compromise we can make.

Hmm, your frame isn't half bad, but do we need to have so strict rules of transportation? Can't we just agree that there are two types of transportation: actual physical transportation by vessel that is limited by the laws of physics only, and portal tech/magic that can break planar bonds and access any other plane. I can't see why we would limit transportation any other way; if you try and go to a hostile plane you brought it on yourself. (although maybe we should limit it so that planes always require force to enter (beyond what is present at creation from water/air pressure).

EDIT: this is a reply to Ghostman

I'm all in for Elemental_Elf's. That sounds fine. Go magical spaceships.

Quote from: Crippled CrowCan't we just agree that there are two types of transportation: actual physical transportation by vessel that is limited by the laws of physics only, and portal tech/magic that can break planar bonds and access any other plane. I can't see why we would limit transportation any other way.

It's a nod to the idea that each world can set limits on how it can be accessed. Someone creating a world may not want to allow direct links from any and all planes into his world. With a large number of worlds it could be quite a headache to specify which ones can and which ones can't have a portal to a particular world. We'd avoid that if we just use the hub for all plane-to-plane traffic.

I support whatever method results in the widest possible space.  I think limiting ourselves to one solar/star system is missing out on some very good possibilities.

Silvercatmoonpaw: how about we run with my idea (not to sound egotistical, it just seems to have some appeal) and see if it needs expanding into other systems?

I think EE's idea could work.

I like EE's suggested framework too.

Quote from: Ghostman

Quote from: Crippled CrowCan't we just agree that there are two types of transportation: actual physical transportation by vessel that is limited by the laws of physics only, and portal tech/magic that can break planar bonds and access any other plane. I can't see why we would limit transportation any other way.

It's a nod to the idea that each world can set limits on how it can be accessed. Someone creating a world may not want to allow direct links from any and all planes into his world. With a large number of worlds it could be quite a headache to specify which ones can and which ones can't have a portal to a particular world. We'd avoid that if we just use the hub for all plane-to-plane traffic.

But wouldn't limiting it to the hub be setting limits?...
If somebody wants a plane farther removed from reality they have to specify how it's further removed from reality. Otherwise every plane will be exactly what you said you wanted to avoid: equally accessible compared to all other planes.
Also, i don't think every plane should be forced to have a permanent entrance as in a gate placed somewhere. That should be up to whoever makes it. Planes can be natural or artificial, but i think the latter would be more normal.

Quote from: Crippled CrowAlso, i don't think every plane should be forced to have a permanent entrance as in a gate placed somewhere. That should be up to whoever makes it. Planes can be natural or artificial, but i think the latter would be more normal.

I didn't imply a permanent gate. Just that there's at least one location in the hub that can be entered from the plane, one way or another.

Perhaps the best way to deal with limits on plane-to-plane traffic would be for each plane to define which other planes (if any) can have direct travel into it, and by what kinds of methods said travel can happen. A plane can not state that you can go from it to another plane. For example, we have planes A and B, and A does not set any restrictions at all, but B doesn't allow entrance from anywhere but the hub. In this situation you can go directly from B to A, but not from A to B, making links between them one-way only.

Ok, since the basic frame work has been agreed upon by a majority. We should now bridge out and create some fluff, a paragraph at most, on something/someplace we each want to create. By doing this we can get a good handle on where everyone is going.

Oh..um...uh-oh, my brain stopped again.

Please let us know what you don't understand.

So have you guys decided on the solar system as a hub for all the different planes as the standard model?

No, I understand. It was just a process. Work nine days in a row and that happens to your brain, you see. Especially shortly after you wake up.

were you going to create a template for each sphere?

Quote from: Elemental_ElfOk, since the basic frame work has been agreed upon by a majority. We should now bridge out and create some fluff, a paragraph at most, on something/someplace we each want to create. By doing this we can get a good handle on where everyone is going.

Mikail's Spacers
Admiral Mikail (something that sounds Russian and ends in "in") has become an embarassment to the United Earth Government.  He became a hero during the war against the Xenanths and Xenarths, but his old-style ravings about the evils of capitalism and popularity made him a liability.  He was too high profile for the United Earth Council to simply have disappeared or shot.  So he was put in charge of the UEGSS Nova, the Earth's first extra-solar jump-drive powered colony ship.  The jump went very very wrong.  The Nova landed on a planet where the humanoid inhabitants worship giant beasts that roam the planet.  The shamans can do things that might as well be called magic.

@Lium: i think we decided that if you make a plane, you can choose which planes you can access it from. I think that people will one rarely say anything except Hub since they often don't know of other peoples' ideas and have developed their own idea without always considering other planes.  
@ Vreeg: like some kind of standard form (entire sphere or just overview) we can fill out or what were you thinking?

As far as ideas go i'll have to think about that...
Probably a small civilization that combines technology and magic.

A realm that disregards the logic of the outside world, a place where things exist as they are interesting and not as they should be.  The most modern street imaginable, but ascend the skyscrapers and you find yourself on top of a mountain peak above the clouds, a martial arts monastery rising in front of you.  Approach a sandy beach and behold the wonders of an entire desert civilization.  Creatures almost obscene in their fantasticness stalk the whateverscape; the kuusou, the chimeric natives, have dispensed with the singular form altogether.  If you can find mu, the essence of a dream, you may visit and stay and make a place for yourself.  But beware the akumu, those who delight in fooling others into self-torture, who live in the moping realms.  And beware arrogance, for the Musouka, the Dreamer, will not be broken to the will of anyone.

Enter a world without sky, without suns, moons or stars. Enter Xi, the great hollow space surrounded on all directions by unfathomable depths of firm soil. In the inverted world, light is provided by the Heaven's Gate - ever brilliant, ever swirling cloud of aetheric steam that is the visible manifestation of a large wormhole leading to the hub of the worlds. Illumination in Xi never ceases, never dims; there is no cycle of night and day, no changing of seasons. On the ground level, black-leaved branches of Stega-trees twist and spiral ever upwards under the eternal glow, while cyclopean cacti stand silently in the shadow of their parabolic light-gathering top-bowls. Cities of the Xiwids rise proudly on the shores of the many rivers and lakes of turquoise nectarium; massive towers of stone and metal connected at several levels by webs of covered bridges. Below them the honeycomb-like maze of alleys and bazaars conceals the uncouth masses long since forgotten by the masters of these overgrown metropoleis. Coursing through the orb-shaped athmosphere can be spotted the great windsock forms of the Lago-Lago beasts carrying the bio-augmented warriors of the Anointed caste, patrolling the airspace or heading for a mission beyond the Heaven's Gate.

(100th post already)
Just a suggestion: since we're apparently past the debate as to whether to begin this project and how to do it, maybe we should make a clean thread where people can post their ideas? Then newcomers don't have to fight their way through a, now useless, discussion.

That's probably a good idea...and I should come up with something. I've been spending my time with mechanics and tailoring a modern setting to what I want lately and I would like to create again.

I have to agree, this thread should become the Discussion Thread.

We should come up with a name, unless everyone is happy with World-Spheres.

Rim-world
The Hub of Worlds
Circle of Spheres
(Path of) Horizons
I guess our shared symbolism is that there many worlds and the circular ring i guess our worlds make up as they circle the sun.

[blockquote=Silvercat Moonpaw]Believe that the world around you is yours to command and the entirety of Kyuumu will rise up against you. This is just my personal twist, the idea that dreams can't be controlled, only negotiated with.[/blockquote]I really like this idea, although thinking about the world-as-dream, are you planning on incorporating the idea of lucid dreaming (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lucid_dreaming) in any fashion, where the dreamer assumes near god-like control over their own dream, having realized its artificiality?  Could the "Gods" of the Dreamtime actually be lucid dreamers?  Or is lucid dreaming perhaps the source of personally invoked "magic" in the setting?  Or as a collective rather than individual dream, does Kyuumu not provide for or even actively inhibit any form of lucid dreaming (is this in fact the source of the hostility towards the belief that the world is yours - the first step in lucid dreaming and apotheosis in a dream-world?)?

Lot to go through there, though you're going to have to explain this one to me:

Quote from: SteerpikeOr as a collective rather than individual dream, does Kyuumu not provide for or even actively inhibit any form of lucid dreaming (is this in fact the source of the hostility towards the belief that the world is yours - the first step in lucid dreaming and apotheosis in a dream-world?)?

To start of with Kyuumu isn't a dream world like the kind that other settings posit thinking beings visit while asleep, so it doesn't follow rules like lucid dreaming.  It has its own rules.

But you'll have to give me a few hours to write them up.

Yeah I understand it's not a literal dream as in a world created through collective sleeping or whatnot.  But since you're incorporating a dream-like logic to the world, and one of the ways that dream-logic is being implemented is that the Dreamtime and its residents resist the idea of someone "possessing" the dream because dreams must normally be negotiated with rather than directly controlled by the "dreamer", I was interested if there was an equivalent mechanic for the "lucid dreamer" - the individual who achieves mastery over his or her dreams by recognizing the innate malleability of the dream-world, allowing the dreamer to manipulate the dream with much greater facility.  Looking forward to more on the "rules" of Kyuumu, whether or not any stylized form of lucid dreaming plays a role.

Okay, here's how it goes:

The forces behind Kyuumu should be thought of as one independent mind.  But it's not a sentient mind: it's like an intelligent animal with the creativity of a sentient mind.  So you can't communicate in any good detail.  So if you want to consciously control things you either have to teach it patiently to respond to you -- and even then you can't get much across (there's no communicate with Kyuumu spell) -- or try abusing it.  And like lots of other animals this one does not go down without a fight.

There is a third way to get things, but I'm not quite sure how to explain it yet.

Since i used a lot of time opposing everybody's ideas for the framework earlier in this thread, i felt like i was obligated to write up some kind of material while coming up with a slightly more complicated sphere :)
So, behold: The Green God. Find it now in a thread near you.

So the Green God only attacks Spheres, not planes, right?

He's really cool, I sort of imagine this huge demonic cabbage floating through space.

hehe, thanks for the praise. And i guess a demonic cabbage isn't too far away from what he would look like, although my image looks more like some tangled mass of gargantuan vines. And i think most planes are a bit too big for him (and he can't really find his way onto them without help).

Quote from: SteerpikeLooking forward to more on the "rules" of Kyuumu, whether or not any stylized form of lucid dreaming plays a role.

Looking forward to anything from Kyuumu myself. :mad:

Ok, just to make sure I'm not stepping on anyone's toes, before I post the big writeup on the main thread:

Does anybody have any objections to a sort of planet of the kaiju where magic works being one of the planets in the main solar system?

Hmm, now, i don't know a lot about all that japanese stuff, but according to wikipedia kaiju roughly equals great monster, yes?
So, are you going to fill a planet with the pre-created monsters, aka godzilla etc, or new ones?
(basically, i'm not really sure what you are asking)
But i'm completely okay with magic and big-ass monsters, that's kinda the point with this setting to be able to do stuff like that. I'd only have a problem with it if you took pre-made monsters. That just seems... uncreative/unoriginal. But i don't think that's what you're saying, no?

Kaiju planet... now that'd be a place to attract some Xiwi explorers. They'd be most eager to run some "experiments" on the local fauna.

Hmm, it was a probably a good idea that we included planes; it seems to be what most people are making :)

Personally I didn't want to make a plane, but with all the planets being planetoids that really really limits almost anything you want to do that isn't just another planet.

Not that it matters, I tweaked my idea a bunch to fit it into the whole "meta" or framework. That's what a community project is all about isn't it?

Well, yours could technically have been a planetoid except it would have been pretty out of context with all the time warped stuff going on.
And are you being ironic? can't tell?

No, at least not intentionally. Your right I could have taken certain battles and expanded them into a single planetoid. But I don't think I could have really done the air battle one well on a planetoid (maybe a gas giant but meh) so a plane seemed as the easiest thing. I am tempted to expand the Luxan Jungle into simply the Luxan planetoid. But I already have my plane so I'll work on that for now.

Quote from: Crippled CrowHmm, now, i don't know a lot about all that japanese stuff, but according to wikipedia kaiju roughly equals great monster, yes?
So, are you going to fill a planet with the pre-created monsters, aka godzilla etc, or new ones?
(basically, i'm not really sure what you are asking)
But i'm completely okay with magic and big-ass monsters, that's kinda the point with this setting to be able to do stuff like that. I'd only have a problem with it if you took pre-made monsters. That just seems... uncreative/unoriginal. But i don't think that's what you're saying, no?

Yes.  Kaiju, I think it means monster, kaiju eiga means giant monster.  It's the genre of film that Godzilla, Gamera, and similar beasties belong to.

I would try to generate originals rather than copy established kaiju.

so technically you are asking if you could do a planet(oid) with monsters? :)
Fine by me. Can't wait to see it.

I have posted a small subproject on the supersoldier race of the Hunters. I put it together rather quickly, so feel free to comment if anything is missing/incoherent. But now we have some more villains if anybody needs that.
Anyway, although the Hunters are fearsome, i'm unsure as to whether they could be made even more so. Any suggestions? Only limitation is that they have to be somewhat humanoid in size and shape.

I think they're good as-is.  Really, at the moment the setting is just filling up with dangerous places.  If it weren't for Kyuumu (and I'm not sure about Steerpike's Manor) there wouldn't be anywhere to be safe in the whole setting.

hehe, true, we need some sanctuaries or peaceful places. Although they wouldn't stand much of a chance with this onslaught of hostile races.

Updated Eimos some more. Looking forward to some kaiju action :D

Just a note. If you guys create multiple planes/planets please post them in separate posts so I can link them to the front page. :)

Well, I posted the first part of Mikail's Spacers.  I'm breaking it into two parts because more or less there's the home plane they come from and the then there's the world they land on in the hub solar system.

I'd love to hear thoughts on this.

Their own world; is that our world in the future?
Our a similar parallel?
Also, E_Elf, the Green God doesn't seem to be included on the list of worlds/planes. Now, it's not exactly a world i know, but i would like if it was linked to the front page somehow nonetheless.

Quote from: Crippled CrowTheir own world; is that our world in the future?
Our a similar parallel?
Also, E_Elf, the Green God doesn't seem to be included on the list of worlds/planes. Now, it's not exactly a world i know, but i would like if it was linked to the front page somehow nonetheless.

Trust me that was not intentional, some how it just got skipped over, sorry  :cry:

Quote from: Crippled CrowTheir own world; is that our world in the future?
Our a similar parallel?

Is it too much of a cop-out to say possibly both, maybe neither, and/or your choice?

Pretty open-ended answer, but no, you don't have to be any more specific :) was just wondering, that's all

I got the second half posted, the actual Planet of the Kaiju.  I hope you like it.

So how long are we allowed to keep going on about one particular creation in the main thread?

I ask because I realize now that what I've got posted so far is basically all narrative.  It might be nice to have a few cold hard facts about the Planet of the Kaiju.

Right now it's just a few ideas clunking around in my head:

1) Earth is in terms of surface area mostly water.  The Planet of the Kaiju might not be.  Right now thinking about an even fifty-fifty split between land and water.  My science background is spotty:  I can remember that about three-quarters or more of the Earth's surface area is water, mostly in the seas and oceans.  I have no idea what effect it has on Earth's meteorology and biology or what tinkering with that percentage would do.  Once I've thought it out a bit better, I might say something more definite.

2) One thing I'm running with, pretty definitely, though is this:  The Planet of the Kaiju has no salt water.  It's just one of the strange magical properties of the world.  There are fresh water oceans on the Planet of the Kaiju full of sharks, whales, dolphins, squids, octopus, and plesiosaurs.  

3) This is one that I pretty definitely wouldn't put in the main thread anyway, but I was thinking of posting the Mekton Z stats for certain characters mentioned in the narrative.  I started an NPC folder thread (http://thecbg.org/e107_plugins/forum/forum_viewtopic.php?54170) a while back anyway.  Anybody want to see this to see how these guys are compared to your imagination?

I think the best way to organize longer than single post worlds/planes is to Link the main overview post in the Index then in your main overview post, create your index which links the various subtopics of your world/plane.