The Campaign Builder's Guild

Thanks for the welcome back. It feels really good to be working on a world again. I've made some major changes to Marit which I will post soon.

Have the settlements stayed 'true' to the original settlement or has there been divergence with them being so widespread? If they have stayed 'true' how so? Do they have a system of communication beyond messenger? If they have diverged, what are some of the differences? How deep down can they go? Would they have explored the various trenches of the deep sea? Discovered ruined cities, or even preserved ships, metal or wood, especially in very cold water which preserves wood.

I think the former Madagascar would be a very cool place for the genesis of a race. It could be either very isolationist or very focused on a navy tradition.

Hi everyone. It has been way too long since I've visited The CBG or even played a game. My job took over and away from my gaming group. But we are looking to move back that area so I've dusted off my notes and started looking things over again to dive into world building. And I am thrilled to do so again.

Hope everyone has been doing well the last few years and I look forward to sharing ideas with all.

Ravenspath

I like the combination of the two. I've actually got a new world that I have been working on that I will post some general questions soon.

It has combined magic, super high tech and super powers into the modern world. But with some fantasy element too as demons are overruning the world and in the areas they control the landscape takes on a much more fantaseque appearance.

While the superhero genre has always been one of my favorite the costume part has become less so recently. I do like costumed characters, but it seems to make more sense to me to be not costumed at times.

A friend is also starting a sci fi campaign where magic has just reentered the universe so that should be lots of fun. You can get a biochip that will allow you access magic.

Very nice idea. Can't wait to see how it develop. Religions are one of my favorite things in world building.

One thing jumped  out at me. You mentioned no black and white morality but rather shades of gray based on perception (yeah for perception).

Quote from: Garanthfollowing a gods prescribed behaviours or principles

My question is how the there be prescribed behaviours or principles if everything is based on perception of the moment?


Take two followers of Ishtar. One is the sworn defender of a small child, the other has been hired to kill the child. One is following the valour path while the other is following the bloodshed path. The one protecting the child cheats in the fight, so is not honorable, but fufilled their obligation so they are valourous. At the same time the battle fills them with a joy of bloodshed. The killer also cheats to win the battle, but is honorable as he is following the agreement he made with someone.

I don't think there can be any behaviours or principles that are off limits if you are going based on a character's perception. If it fits the ideals of their god than it is an okay act. Perception is a very trick thing and two people may look at the exact same situation and see it to be completely differently.

The old 'glass half full/empty' example.
Standard: half full-optimist, half empty-pessisment.

But what about this situation:
If you need the glass to be empty then saying it is half full would be pessimistic statement and the half empty would be an optimistic statement.

 

I play online: Guild Wars (any campaign:Anya Corwin) and Hellgate: London (though not much recently)

Offline: Oblivion IV; Civ IV

Very nice summary Steerpike.  I haven't had a much time to keep up on the worlds that really interest me and this has helped me realize that I need to find/make the time to read and post here again. The creativity of this group is astonishing as is the quality of the writing.

Quote from: LlumFirst, yay for someone else who actually reads the Malazan book of the fallen. Its probably one of the best series written (comparable to Black Company, SoIaF) superior to WoT and blows Sword of Truth out of the water :D /end book rant.

I am right there with you on that rant. I can't stand WOT and got disillusioned by SoT when it started using the same model as WOT.

I'm like three books behind on Malazan, but they, IMHO, are the best 'long' series of books out there. And just some of the best fantasy period out there. They can be hard to read and it takes some mental shifts to understand what is going on sometimes, but they are good. Did you know they are based on his gaming world that he ran years ago? Wish they would come out in audio unabridged format, but they would be huge files! But worth it.

Anyway, thanks everyone for the quick replies. One of the reasons this community is great.

Quote from: _I think my tastes have shifted from dark/dystopian/cataclysmic material to purely inventive, evocative and thought provoking stuff.  I like fantasy that is both honest and optimistic; weird, wacky and wonderful; and I don't give a damn about realism.

Can you give some examples of what you are reading? I am always up for trying new authors and stories.

Hi everyone. I wanted to see if something that has happened to me has happened to others here as well.

And that would be my changing taste in reading materials and in my gaming/world building desires.

I have noticed over the last couple of years that when I choose a book to read I am staying away from more and more 'typical' fantasy novel. The only new series that I find myself driven to read is the Malazan books by Steven Erickson. Anything else fantasy based seems, well, flat. Now I am currently into urban/modern fantasy and science fiction for my every day reading. And this has had a big impact on my gaming experiences as well.

I've also realized that as a GM I am much better at running modern day games, either superhero or urban fantasy type game. Which I think is interesting as my main two worlds are both fantasy based. I can picture them pretty clearly in my head, and have been able to get some of it down on 'paper'. And still come up with ideas for both worlds. But I'm not driven to finish them since I will probably never run them, and my writing skills don't seem to lend themselves to writing stories in them either.

I started a short lived campaign with demons attacking Earth and taking over parts of the US in current day times. And had a ball with it. I've got various ideas for a space opera type game as well, but nothing down on paper.

I guess my question(s) is. Have you noticed a shift in your reading preferences. And if so how has it had an effect on your gaming and your world building?

Raven

History, magic/metaphysics. I want it all to have a 'fit' that works. And when it doesn't quite work I feel 'stuck' until I can get past the bit that doesn't seem to work.

Okay, I got it to install. I was reading a post for a different program and it stated that you have to install to a folder you have permissions to, not the program file folder. Before I had changed the path except for that.

So I installed to my personal folder and it installed fine. I haven't used it yet but at least it is installed.

Quote from: snakefingHmmm, let me guess: Vista?

You are correct. It is Vista.

That makes a lot of sense. Thanks for explaining.