For those of you who do their own world-building: Where do you get your inspiration?
Personally, I get my inspiration primarily by reading books. What books?
Any books. Books on history, other cultures, guide books, RPG setting books and many more. Even if they seem to have little in common with the setting I am developing, there is almost always something that fires a chain of neurons in my brain and allow me to come up with some new material for my own setting.
I also frequently do research on the Wikipedia. I know that the material there cannot be 100% trusted at all times, but that doesn't actually matter. After all, I am developing a fantasy world and not a book on history, so as long as it inspires me in some way it is all good. The Random Article (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Special:Random) function of the Wikipedia can also be very useful if you are trying to come up with something - the human brain can make the oddest connections...
And I take care to always have a notebook available nearby.
So, what inspires you?
My inspiration sometimes comes from books or movies, but the majority comes from myself. My questions about life and how people work, why they do things, what secrets they know, and my own dreams, nightmares, and fears.
Sometimes the things you know best are what scare you most.
Books are my primary external inspiration. Gothic literature in particular, with special emphasis on Lovecraft. Real-world mythology is always good for kickstarting the old creative juices as well. I'm fascinated by european folklore (particularly Anglo-Saxon), although it's very rarely obvious in my settings.
Of course, ultimately, I'm my own inspiration. Like WitchHunt, I find that I'm often my own best source of ideas. I'm definitely not a fan of obviously derivative work, which is why I'm possibly the most anti-fantasy fantasy fan there is (I've had about enough of Vancian spellcasting and elves and dwarves and swords and sorcery etcetera... do these people have an original bone in their bodies!?!).
Oh yeah, hallucinations are always good as well. Schizophrenia is not without its perks.
Political history texts. Cheesy B movies.
Long forgotten adventure books.
CNN.
The little green gnomes that clean my office...
Little motes of ideas that float through the air and strike my brain.
Seriously, I tend not to draw ideas from other sources. I use 'Lovecraftian' to describe my horrors, but alot of those horrors I thought of long before I picked up the (excellent) works of HP Lovecraft. Most of my ideas come to me as I pace back and forth at the pool where I guard, and then simmer in my brain until I can get somewhere to write them down.
My more recent works, with the exception of Sooth, tends to be anti=traditional as well. Datrik may or may not have the PHB races, but if they do it will be in a greatly diminished role, while Thaedia's traditional elements are nothing like they are in traditional DnD. When I'm looking for help, though, I love wikipedia, and use it quite often. :)
Quote from: Xathan, Heart's ForsakenLittle motes of ideas that float through the air and strike my brain.
Same here. I've stopped anything not on my school curriculum a while ago, and i've tried to isolate myself from any especially powerful media. I find that I like my work better if it's truly mine and not based off of a cool concept I ripped off from somthing I saw on TV the night before. I often work very closely with one or two other people to bounce ideas off of, but most of my ideas come straight from my twisted mind and delusional musings.
The original spark for my current setting actually came from somewhere else though... Check the sigs of users as you browse RPG forums, and interesting, and often inspiring, things may surface.
I like mixing childhood fantasy and adult literature. Of course, I spent my childhood reading Tolkein, Asimov, and the like... so for me they're probably one and the same.
QuoteI like mixing childhood fantasy...
There's something I forgot to mention. Many of my attempts at fantasy worlds have been a kind of like The Wizard of Oz meets Snow White, Cinderella, Beauty and the Beast, and a myriad of other Disney movies meets high fantasy or horror (depending whether you're viewing Aath, Nussur Ethara, Vilydunn, Muriath, The Sundown Gardens, or something else; each one was a little different in my approach and influences). When I was a kid things as simple as the crossroads on the Wizard of Oz, when they had to decide which way to go, fueled my imagination. I always wondered what was down the other roads and where the other colors might have lead (I don't know who else has actually seen the movie). As weird as this pharagraph might sound, I think movies like TWoO are great for kids' imagination. It helped my own. :)
Most of my inspiration comes when I'm watching TV or a Movie. I go write it down and play it out, and miss the rest of the show. Good thing I can catch it again on the western broadcast. These ideas are often the ones I put in the 'neat' catagory.
But sometimes it just creeps up on me when I'm reading some article or post. These often go into the 'pure genius' catagory.
Quote from: MezerousQuoteI like mixing childhood fantasy...
There's something I forgot to mention. Many of my attempts at fantasy worlds have been a kind of like The Wizard of Oz meets Snow White, Cinderella, Beauty and the Beast, and a myriad of other Disney movies meets high fantasy or horror (depending whether you're viewing Aath, Nussur Ethara, Vilydunn, Muriath, The Sundown Gardens, or something else; each one was a little different in my approach and influences). When I was a kid things as simple as the crossroads on the Wizard of Oz, when they had to decide which way to go, fueled my imagination. I always wondered what was down the other roads and where the other colors might have lead (I don't know who else has actually seen the movie). As weird as this pharagraph might sound, I think movies like TWoO are great for kids' imagination. It helped my own. :)
Yeah... Wizard of Oz, Princess Bride, and anything Monty Python (even if I didn't get half the jokes back then) were great ways to prime those brain juices as a kid