-Some general design questions.
When designing a world or a setting or a new game, why do you do it?
What motivates you to design a world, or a setting, or a new game?
(Is something lacking in your old game- the time period is wrong, the feel is wrong, the system is wrong?)
What is the first question you ask yourself when you design a new world?
What gives you a sense of satisfaction when you are done designing a world (or in the process of)
(Feedback? Self-Set Goals? Test-Running)
Have you ever been able to playtest your game or settings? How did it go?
What is the biggest lesson you learned from your game design? (Did you learn a real life lesson? Did you learn a game design lesson?)
Do you have a particular philosophy when creating a game or a setting?
(Top-Down? Player Centric? System-Centric? Vague v. Detailed?)
How do you make your new creation?
(Do you write down a lot of ideas? Deal with things as they come up? Answer people's questions?)
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Quote from: Light DragonWhen designing a world or a setting or a new game, why do you do it?
What motivates you to design a world, or a setting, or a new game? (Is something lacking in your old game- the time period is wrong, the feel is wrong, the system is wrong?)[/quote]
What is the first question you ask yourself when you design a new world?[/quote]
What gives you a sense of satisfaction when you are done designing a world (or in the process of)(Feedback? Self-Set Goals? Test-Running)[/quote]
Have you ever been able to playtest your game or settings? How did it go?[/quote]
What is the biggest lesson you learned from your game design? (Did you learn a real life lesson? Did you learn a game design lesson?)[/quote]
Do you have a particular philosophy when creating a game or a setting?(Top-Down? Player Centric? System-Centric? Vague v. Detailed?)[/quote]
How do you make your new creation?(Do you write down a lot of ideas? Deal with things as they come up? Answer people's questions?)[/quote]
Questions are the most helpful; as it is, I usually make stuff up as I think of them. When posting setting info here I usually put down the header for a section and try to come up with in-character/fluff illustrations of something, then make up OC/rules/etc. stuff based on that. To take an example from my most recent setting, I mentioned dwarven rune magic in one IC paragraph and originally meant it to be just flavor for spells or item creation. When I finished it and looked over it again, I thought, "That would make an interesting magic system," so I made an interesting magic system, even though at the outset I'd planned for pure 3e without too many new mechanics.
Quote from: Light DragonWhen designing a world or a setting or a new game, why do you do it?
What motivates you to design a world, or a setting, or a new game? [/quote]
What is the first question you ask yourself when you design a new world?[/quote]
What gives you a sense of satisfaction when you are done designing a world (or in the process of)[/quote]
Have you ever been able to playtest your game or settings? How did it go?[/quote]
What is the biggest lesson you learned from your game design?[/quote]
Do you have a particular philosophy when creating a game or a setting?[/quote]
How do you make your new creation?[/quote]
I think about it and jot things down and stuff accumulates. Then I post it here. As I organise and finalise stuff, I move it to a clean looking main thread.
Quote from: Light DragonWhat motivates you to design a world, or a setting, or a new game?
(Is something lacking in your old game- the time period is wrong, the feel is wrong, the system is wrong?)
What gives you a sense of satisfaction when you are done designing a world (or in the process of)[/quote]
What is the biggest lesson you learned from your game design?[/quote]
How do you make your new creation?[/quote]
Mostly I write down a bunch of ideas, then start organizing them. History is usually a pretty early step for me, though it has to revised as the setting develops.
Quote from: Light DragonWhen designing a world or a setting or a new game, why do you do it?
What motivates you to design a world, or a setting, or a new game? (Is something lacking in your old game- the time period is wrong, the feel is wrong, the system is wrong?)[/quote]
What is the first question you ask yourself when you design a new world?[/quote]
What gives you a sense of satisfaction when you are done designing a world (or in the process of)(Feedback? Self-Set Goals? Test-Running)[/quote]
Have you ever been able to playtest your game or settings? How did it go?[/quote]
What is the biggest lesson you learned from your game design? (Did you learn a real life lesson? Did you learn a game design lesson?)[/quote]
Do you have a particular philosophy when creating a game or a setting?(Top-Down? Player Centric? System-Centric? Vague v. Detailed?)[/quote]
How do you make your new creation?(Do you write down a lot of ideas? Deal with things as they come up? Answer people's questions?)[/quote]
I usually come up with a theme, say 16th century France. Then give it a gimmick, say 16th Century France with real Gods on a flat geocentric planet. After that, I draw a map in Photoshop, weaving story threads in my mind and interweaving those with the map. At the end of the process, I take a step back, and decide whether I want to continue the process into actual design or keep the map as a map and move on.
Once I have committed myself to a design, I like to dive in and start creating. This typically takes the form of simply scrawling notes in Word. I then take those notes, rewrite them into coherent ideas and post them on the CBG. From there, I answer people's questions and slowly develop the setting as a whole.
When designing a world or a setting or a new game, why do you do it?
I barely remember why I begin the process.
Normally, there is an idea or a feeling I want to accomplish. A fresh sheet of paper, where there is nothing in the way of this creation, is the best way to start. Even when I create a new adventure, part of it is motivated by this.
What motivates you to design a world, or a setting, or a new game?
(Is something lacking in your old game- the time period is wrong, the feel is wrong, the system is wrong?)
No, it is rarely a problem with the old game, but a need to build something new.
What is the first question you ask yourself when you design a new world?
I never have asked myself a question like this. Creating is not a reflective proces for me. It is an additive, piece-by-piece building of the feeling I am looking for.
What gives you a sense of satisfaction when you are done designing a world (or in the process of)
(Feedback? Self-Set Goals? Test-Running)
Lots of things. I actually enjoy the creative process, and there is something nice about creating games I feel other GMs would want to use.
But there are few feelings that mirror that GM satisfaction when the Players get a piece of the puzzle. Whether it is a system-thing, or a piece of interconnected fluff, there is nothing like it when they figure it out. I have learned to find patience, to create interwoven plots, and when they figure out things from here, it is very powerful.
Have you ever been able to playtest your game or settings? How did it go?
Umm, yes. Well.
What is the biggest lesson you learned from your game design? (Did you learn a real life lesson? Did you learn a game design lesson?)
That there is no such thing as too much detail, but that no one will ever appreciate it.
Do you have a particular philosophy when creating a game or a setting?
(Top-Down? Player Centric? System-Centric? Vague v. Detailed?)
Top down, very detailed...and yes, system-centric.
How do you make your new creation?
(Do you write down a lot of ideas? Deal with things as they come up? Answer people's questions?)
I guess I now have made so many adventures that I start writing an outline, followed by the history, then literaslly start describing item by item, area by area.
When designing a world or a setting or a new game, why do you do it?
Generally because I have an idea I can't find in another setting and I want to get it out there so I and others can try it out.
What motivates you to design a world, or a setting, or a new game?
See above
What is the first question you ask yourself when you design a new world?
What sort of feel do I want in this setting?
What gives you a sense of satisfaction when you are done designing a world (or in the process of)
Being able to look at the finished product (by which I mean something that you can play games in) and know that I completed what I set out to do.
Have you ever been able to playtest your game or settings? How did it go?
A couple times, they were pretty crazy as it was less of a playtest and more of a quick game run through them.
What is the biggest lesson you learned from your game design?
A setting isn't something you just sit down and pop out. It's a craft that can take months or years as you sculpt it. You work on it, you take a break here and there, and then maybe you pick it up again after awhile and get a whole bunch done in a burst of inspiration. Over time the game world comes to life as you add in a piece here and a piece there.
Do you have a particular philosophy when creating a game or a setting?
Fluff first, get everything that makes the setting what it is done and finished. Only when you have a workable background do you attach or craft a rules system onto it. The rules should always cater to the setting, not the other way around.
How do you make your new creation?
I tend to deal with things as they come up. For myself this works in writing out general categories to fill out. Outside that though I tend to branch off in directions based on feedback I get. What people want to hear more about.
Quote from: Light DragonWhat motivates you to design a world, or a setting, or a new game?
(Is something lacking in your old game- the time period is wrong, the feel is wrong, the system is wrong?)
What gives you a sense of satisfaction when you are done designing a world (or in the process of)(Feedback? Self-Set Goals? Test-Running)[/quote]
What is the biggest lesson you learned from your game design? (Did you learn a real life lesson? Did you learn a game design lesson?)[/quote]How do you make your new creation?
(Do you write down a lot of ideas? Deal with things as they come up? Answer people's questions?)[/quote]
I just write stuff, I prefer answering people's questions because they usually get me to look at something I hadn't thought of yet. A lot of stuff is planned out, but when needed I tend to improvise on the fly. Or "wing it" as I call it.
When designing a world or a setting or a new game, why do you do it?
Because I need something to do.
What motivates you to design a world, or a setting, or a new game?
(Is something lacking in your old game- the time period is wrong, the feel is wrong, the system is wrong?)
Most settings I've found are just too much about some facet of human storytelling that I am entirely, completely confused about and often repulsed by. So I have to make my own.
What is the first question you ask yourself when you design a new world?
"Who's going to live there?" I consider the people of the world more important than the world itself because it's people who make the story.
What gives you a sense of satisfaction when you are done designing a world (or in the process of)
(Feedback? Self-Set Goals? Test-Running)
I wish I could say "self-gratification", but if I left it at that I'd just leave the ideas in my head. Someone else has to see what I've created, and they have to at least be intrigued by it or I've wasted my time.
Have you ever been able to playtest your game or settings? How did it go?
I'm currently undergoing this, but it seems to have stalled.
What is the biggest lesson you learned from your game design? (Did you learn a real life lesson? Did you learn a game design lesson?)
I'm not sure yet.
Do you have a particular philosophy when creating a game or a setting?
(Top-Down? Player Centric? System-Centric? Vague v. Detailed?)
Not really, although I tend to go for the things that differentiate the people like "race".
How do you make your new creation?
(Do you write down a lot of ideas? Deal with things as they come up? Answer people's questions?)
I write when it comes to me. It's not a great system, but if I force it nothing comes out. People asking questions is a good inspirer, though I tend to get lost in trying to meet their expectations.
When designing a world or a setting or a new game, why do you do it?
In many ways, world-building allows me to peak my creative abilities. No matter how I'm feeling, some aspect of the setting can appeal to me and be written on. I design worlds because the creativity used in other games rarely appeals to me, and I like being able to show mine.
What motivates you to design a world, or a setting, or a new game?
There's no system or world that intrinsically fits what I'm looking for. Did you know that there are currently no major steampunk systems available? Hence the Tephra system. Another aspect is that I dislike the way many worlds approach culture. Most worlds are full of European influences. Some worlds specifically take other cultures and make entire worlds out of them. I dislike both approaches. I like to mix and match things to create new cultures, and I enjoy seeing how players interact and represent them.
What is the first question you ask yourself when you design a new world?
Foremost would be envisioning it, trying to figure out what it looks like as a whole. The first question, though, is to ask what races will be found. That determines a lot of the world.
What gives you a sense of satisfaction when you are done designing a world (or in the process of)
Completeness. I enjoy having a complete and somewhat inspiring product. The player feedback and general interest doesn't do as much for me as the feeling of having a complete game or world.
Have you ever been able to playtest your game or settings? How did it go?
Quite often and quite well. Playtesting has become a common aspect of my life and it's always improving my creation.
What is the biggest lesson you learned from your game design? (Did you learn a real life lesson? Did you learn a game design lesson?)
Probably a unique lesson, but I'm learning how to manage people. This may sound weird, but I've been involved in a lot of collaborative creations, and management is a large part of it.
Do you have a particular philosophy when creating a game or a setting?
Re-mix everything. If you've seen it before, twist it.
How do you make your new creation?
One step at a time (but sometimes several). Honestly, I brainbuzz it out on unlined paper (I use sketch pads for notes - it gives me a freeform way of writing and allows me to doodle while I fill pages, which keeps my brain going). Then I just write out things as I feel the need.
[ooc]Good questions![/ooc]
When designing a world or a setting or a new game, why do you do it?
I have an overactive imagination and it helps me to write things down. It's rather cathartic, actually.
What motivates you to design a world, or a setting, or a new game?
Getting a new idea. Sometimes I try to focus my thoughts on a single project, but when I get an idea that won't fit, I have to go in another direction. Back when I was a DM, I used to infuriate my players by always wanting to change campaigns or switch to a new setting. I can't help it (but I do try...).
What is the first question you ask yourself when you design a new world?
Two questions, actually - what would a human being from Earth think of this place? What would the natives think of a human being from Earth? This very quickly establishes the all-important "how is this setting different" question.
What gives you a sense of satisfaction when you are done designing a world (or in the process of)
Goodness, I don't think I've ever been "done" designing a world. But being able to tell a story that links already-existing setting elements together is a but goalpost for me; in other words, having a background comprehensive enough that you don't have to make up new background in the process of telling a story in your setting.
Have you ever been able to playtest your game or settings? How did it go?
I have occasionally been able to do that in the past. Usually it turns out pretty well, until I get tired of it or I just run out of ideas.
What is the biggest lesson you learned from your game design?
Ambiguity is crucial to storytelling and gaming. There is a space that lies between completely unknown and completely known where the best stories and settings are.
Do you have a particular philosophy when creating a game or a setting?
Bottom-Up, definitely. I mean, there are some general truths about the world you have to establish, but for me it always starts with details and gets bigger from there.
How do you make your new creation?
I get ideas, I write them each in their own little Word document, and they are either expanded from there or left at the bottom of the electronic pile. The best ones stay consistently near the top while the bottom ones fade into obscurity. I never work on a single one from start to finish, but skip back and forth adding details as they come to mind. Sometimes I do go on a tear and do a lot of work on a single topic in one sitting, but more often it's a series of small iterations plus several edits and rewrites.
Jharviss: "There's no system or world that intrinsically fits what I'm looking for. Did you know that there are currently no major steampunk systems available? Hence the Tephra system. Another aspect is that I dislike the way many worlds approach culture. Most worlds are full of European influences. Some worlds specifically take other cultures and make entire worlds out of them. I dislike both approaches. I like to mix and match things to create new cultures, and I enjoy seeing how players interact and represent them."
What about Etherscope? And I believe there are at least 2 other settings that tweak existing systems? Then there is Castle Falkenstein, and Iron Kingdoms to some degree?
Mixing and matching might seem worthwhile. I think a good idea when approaching culture is to determine in your head (don't write it down... because it is likely to be boring) what the last 5000 years of history were like in your world; how the countries formed, what their festivals are, what their values are... and then you can figure out how they may have designed buildings and their societies.
Thank you everyone for responding. I read each entry and acquired some ideas.