After poking around with a few random generators online, it occurred to me that there's generators for just about everything, and I started to wonder what a campaign setting generated as much as possible by random generators would look like. To my surprise, I've learned that all my friends hate me because they're all encouraging me to try making such a campaign setting.
I'm halfway considering giving it a shot, but there are two concerns that I have. One is the lack of a theme. Anything done with generators isn't going to have any overriding idea, and I worry this will make it rather uninteresting to read, as it'll just end up being a mess of details. Any sort of theme would be emergent from the mass of details generated, but the world would have to be rather fleshed out before some theme would emerge, and it's a long walk to get to that point. Second concern is related, in that you're guaranteed to end up with something that has a lack of cohesion. I've used random generators for storylines for games I've run, and while you can end up with some fantastic things when you start with several random elements you have to put together in a way that makes sense, I kind of balk at having to square some of the totally off the wall things random generators spit out at you regularly. I don't want to get stuck trying to justify mermaids populating a desert city state and cactus-men living on an an ice continent. I also don't see any way a generator can create a non-contradictory history for an entire campaign setting, or multiple nations. That might be a blessing actually because the history might be a good way to try to introduce some cohesion into the setting.
And as long as I'm thinking out loud, if the "spirit" of this enterprise is to stick to randomness, then what options I choose on various generators or which generators I choose could be contrary to that spirit. Or for that matter if I'm going to selectively exercise editorial control to make things more cohesive or to ignore things that can't be made to work easily, why bother with the random generators at all? I can easily see a kind of burnout happening where slowly the person working on this would start putting more and more constraints on the random generation until the point where you might as well just be working on a regular campaign setting.
Those are my thoughts. I'm kind of surprised at the positive reception this has gotten elsewhere, but I'm wary of trying it.
As for theme you could always have randomness be a theme in itself. Maybe this all takes place on a world which has collided with an unreal dreamworld. Or it is the domain of a trickster god.
You would probably have to edit some of it; just because you involve a random factor doesn't mean that you should let it run its own game. Because then it will invariably lose.
Would probably be interesting to see what would happen, but I'd be just as interested to see your own project, so it is up to you :)
Random generators are for people who start playing D&D in 4th grade (like I did). It's the placeholder until you develop enough sophistication, experience, and actual geographical/cultural/economic/historical/meteorological knowhow to do it yourself.
Not necessarily. This is an experiment. It is a premeditated use of a random factor, with Mira knowing and acknowledging the risks. Not an incompetent effort to make something without making it. Obviously Mira has done some research in the fields of online random generators just like you have done some research in geographical/cultural/economic/historical/meteorological fields and I have looked into philosophical/ideological/fictional fields. A setting doesn't have to be limited to a specific field or fields.
That being said, this should probably not be the primary project of a would-be worldbuilder. But still, with sufficiently interesting generators you should be somewhat capable of creating a sufficiently interesting world. And if not, no harm done.
Mina---glad to see you back!
Acrimone is right, UNLESS it is a controlled experiment. Though I warn you, if you're like me, you'll get frustrated with the randome generators, and make your own...which is kinf od controlling the randomness...
Quote from: Cataclysmic CrowWould probably be interesting to see what would happen, but I'd be just as interested to see your own project, so it is up to you :)
I do plan on reworking my old homebrew that I posted here seven eons and four score years ago, but mostly I have creative sludge messing up muh brain. Probably a fear of sub-par work, kind of like how when you have something awesome you want to draw and so long as you never actually draw it it can remain perfect in your head, never having to be tarnished by the reality of skill and ink. It would probably be a good thing to work on a setting I'm not too invested in, so that it'll allow me to get going on things I do like.
I think I need to stop bleeding introspection on my posts. Gawd, it's all over the place.
Quote from: Cataclysmic CrowAs for theme you could always have randomness be a theme in itself.
Heh, that always seemed like a cop-out to me, though I've seen some good work done with that before, and I'm generally a huge fan of Rifts which is very much a hodgepodge.
Quote from: Vreeg's CoachwhipMina---glad to see you back!
Acrimone is right, UNLESS it is a controlled experiment. Though I warn you, if you're like me, you'll get frustrated with the randome generators, and make your own...which is kinf od controlling the randomness...
I don't know if it's so much an experiment in the strict sense. Maybe more like a four year old with a hammer going "I wonder what happens when I thwack stuff."
Alternately I could whip up a random map, draw some borders and just let people pick various countries they want to develop. Sort of a much scaled down CeBeGIA; keeps some randomness to the world but with infinitely more intelligent generators ;)
randomness can also be a good tool to use for breaking off the usual track and try to work with something you have never considered before. might even discover something to use on other projects.
which reminds me, I got the rules for one system which actually have a random campaign setting generator, since the system is geared toward quik pick up and play session.
I could post the table for that if you'll like
I also think my old map generator (fractal mapper 7 i think) Automatically placed random facts about cities whenever you made it place them randomly.
Quote from: Tillumnirandomness can also be a good tool to use for breaking off the usual track and try to work with something you have never considered before. might even discover something to use on other projects.
which reminds me, I got the rules for one system which actually have a random campaign setting generator, since the system is geared toward quik pick up and play session.
I could post the table for that if you'll like
Feel free to post any and all generators you might have.
ya got it. bear in mind ,this is from an rpg system called maidrpg, though maid, master and thier mansion can just as easerly be replaced with knights and a king in thier kingdom, field surgeon and thier commanding officer at an improviced hospital M.A.S.H. style or any kind of campaign where there is a employer/employee relationship at a specific place.
Setting world type generator: the first 6 is from the first suppliment, the last 3 are from the 2.nd suppliment. the rules book suggest using a bigger dice or ignore some of the options if only a d6 is avaliable.
1 Fantasy This is medieval swords and sorcery type
fantasy, in a European style. The GM is free to
come up with the fine details of the setting.
2 Early
Modern
The game takes place in the late 1800s or
early 1900s. The steam engine is changing
the world, and Westerners are exploring
more and more of the world. In this time
maids were an everyday sight.
3 Contemporary
The game takes place in present-day Japan,
or maybe even some other country.
Somewhere where there are people
with lots of money, in any case.
4 Space Outer space is vast, and somewhere in that
vastness, there are maids. Well, there could be.
5 Cyber This is a world ruled by the power of technology.
There could still be maids in such a world.
6 Post-
Apocalyptic
The world was destroyed in fire! But...
some of humanity survived! And naturally
that includes maids.
(7) Wild
Kingdom
In the midst of a beautiful and dangerous wilderness,
someone has built a mansion. And naturally
this madman has brought some maids along.
(8) Old West The game takes place on the frontier of the
expanding United States, a time when pioneers
do their best to survive, and gunfighters
duel in the streets. At this point do we
even need to mention that there are maids?
(9) Old Edo It is the closing days of the Tokugawa
Shogunate, the mid-1800s. Here in Edo
(which would later be called 'Tokyo') the
opening of Japan has brought the custom
of employing maids from the West.
Setting Mood generator:
1 Romance. The characters live and die by love. Love
controls everything. Can love really provide
everything you need?
2 Light. Things move at a light, casual pace, and the
stories are warm ones with laughter and
tears.
3 Action. Go straight for the slapstick. The laws of
physics are bent in whatever way is funniest.
4 Hard. Reality isn't something you can laugh at.
There is war, crime, and poverty. Find the
thrills and suspense in the shadows of grim
reality!
5 Dark. The true face of humanity is not a pretty
sight. The maids, the butler, the Master, and
many others are caught in a vortex of
desire and intrigue.
6 Horror. Unrelenting terror pulls people down into
madness. Such horrors lurk around every
corner of the mansion. Watch out!
Building type, based on setting:
Fantasy
Type Description
1 Castle A fortress made of stone, built with sieges
and large-scale combat in mind. It's more
for military use than living in per se.
2 Palace This is an extravagant house that nobles
and very wealthy merchants live in, with
many magnificent lobbies and terraces.
3 House This is an ordinary house, or at least something
that resembles such. It might be a
little crowded for having lots of maids...
4 Ruins Any way you look at it, these decayed ruins
of a mansion don't look inhabitable. And
yet, someone might just live there.
5 Tower This is a great tower that rises high above
its surroundings. Many who live in such
places wish to be apart from the world.
6 Dungeon There are those who live in a dungeon
protected by many traps and monsters.
Naturally, in such a place one needs the
help of maids.
Early Modern
Type Description
1 Castle A fortified building patterned after those
of days gone by. It's probably more livable
than those of the past, but not really a
proper residence.
2 Palatial
Residence
This is an extravagant house that nobles
and the wealthy live in, with many magnificent
lobbies and terraces.
3 House This is an ordinary house, or at least
something that resembles such. It might
be a little crowded for having lots of
maids...
4 Ruins Any way you look at it, these decayed
ruins of a mansion don't look inhabitable.
And yet, someone might just live there.
5 Bar This is a classy club, or a bar where
outlaws hang out. However, the mere
presence of maids changes everything.
6 Military
Installation
An important military installation, such
as a fortress or base. Even here, maids
aren't far off...
Facility Description rolled on a D66. this is rolled on 2 time to determen what kind of special facility the specific mansion have.
11 Beach There's a private beach right next to the mansion. Roll an extra die for any Romantic Activities done by two people on the beach.
12 Large Bath The mansion has a large bath, such that everyone who lives there could easily get in at once. (Gain +1D6 Favor when bathing)
13 Open-Air Bath The mansion has an open-air bath fed by natural hot springs on the grounds. Once a day one can bathe there and remove 2D6 Stress.
14 Indoor Pool There's an indoor pool with pleasantly warm water. The cost of swimsuit costume changes is halved (round down).
15 Outdoor Pool A pool you can't use in the winter. There's a shark or crocodile (attributes at 3) kept in it as a pet.
16 Tennis Court There's a tennis court on the grounds. The cost of the Tennis Wear costume change is reduced to 2.
21 Perfect
Shielding
The mansion is protected to the point that it could be dropped into the ocean or shot into space. Life can
carry on as usual if the mansion is submerged or in a vacuum, and it could easily survive a flood.
22 Soundproof Short of using a wiretap or some such, it's impossible to hear what's going on in one room from another.
23 Preliminary
Construction
Underground or somewhere nearby, there is the preliminary construction for a mansion. If the current
mansion it destroyed for whatever reason, a new one can be built once for the next session.
24 Mobility The mansion itself is equipped to move fairly quickly. It's possible to use the mansion itself to fend off attackers.
25 Barrier The mansion is surrounded by an electromagnetic barrier. Attacks against the mansion have a -10 penalty to the die roll.
26 Electromagnetic
Isolation
Signaling devices, as well as telepathy, cannot be used within the mansion. As such, anyone who enters the
mansion and is separated will be completely isolated.
31 Game Room The mansion has a room for playing games, preferably games of chance like mahjong or poker. It's possible
to play games in such a way that the loser can remove an article of clothing rather than take Stress.
32 Medical Room A room set up for medical treatment. You can spend your own Favor to reduce the Stress of another PC, without having to roll.
33 Religious
Facility
The mansion is equipped with a shrine or church. The cost of the 'Shrine Maiden' and 'Nun' costume
changes is halved (round down) here.
34 Secret Annex A secret part of the mansion removed from the rest. Any PC can spend 10 Favor to get the effect of the 'World For Two' Maid Power.
35 Canopied Bed Perfect for those moody nights. Maids and head maids get a bonus of +1 to die rolls for actions relating to this bed.
36 Traces of
Memories
This place has a lot of memories. If your Maid Roots are Childhood Friend, Hereditary Maid, or Distant
Relative, add +10 to your starting Favor.
41 Self-Destruct
Switch
The mansion is equipped with a switch that will annihilate it in an instant. The Master can eliminate any
NPC instantly, but will lose his mansion in the process.
42 Strategic
Preparations
The furniture and such in the mansion are carefully arranged with combat tactics in mind. Add +1 to the
die roll when attacking with a Maid Weapon or Butler Weapon.
43 Treasury This room contains vast amounts of wealth or power. The Master can have a third Power Source.
44 Stable A building for keeping horses. There is a horse (attributes 2/Spirit 0) for each person living in the mansion.
45 Jungle Regardless of game world, the mansion is surrounded by thick jungle. Use the 'Wild Kingdom' random event table.
46 Private Army There is a private military force stationed at the mansion. Treat these troops are considered pets with all attributes at 3.
51 Superintendent There is someone in charge of managing the mansion's affairs. The head maid gains a 'Superintendent'
Special Quality, and a +1 bonus to Affection and Will.
52 Secret Base The mansion is actually a secret base. Because of its concealed nature, add +1 to die rolls for combat against organizations.
53 Waste Disposal
Facility
The mansion has a waste disposal facility. By taking 10 points of Stress characters can get rid of cursed items.
54 Underground
Kingdom
There is a vast and strange world beneath the mansion. The character with the highest Cunning gets a +1
bonus to all die rolls.
55 Secret Passages The mansion is full of secret passages. Roll on the mansion's encounter table to find out who you run into.
56 Portrait A portrait of the Master. The character with the highest Affection can, once per day, gaze at the portrait and gain 2 points of Favor.
61 Laboratory A rather suspicious-looking laboratory. The cost of the Scientist costume change is halved (round down).
62 Otherworld Gate A gate to another world. If it is opened, roll on the World table again; the entire mansion is moved to that world.
63 Hidden Room A hidden room. Once per scenario someone can open it to get a random Item or Special Facility.
64 Torture Room A room used for torturing people. Anyone can spend 2D6 Favor to use the Maid Powers of Punishment or Lie Detector.
65 Old Well A gloomy, abandoned well. At the well, you can spend 1 point of Favor to roll on the 'Horror' Normal Event table.
66 Dungeon An underground prison. NPC enemies can be imprisoned here instead of dying.
edit: forgot to mention, there's also tables for randomly generating events, based on the mood and setting, and tables for generating the master and maids. just posted the setting creation tables for now though.
That's pretty interesting. I'm not sure how much of it I can use, but I think I'll probably borrow from it to put into other generators.