Favorite worlds

[Ravenspath]

I was wondering what are some everyone's favorite published worlds that are out there? Even though we are all building our own I am sure that there are published ones that we take inspiration from and thought it would be nice to share.

My all time favorite world is Al-Qadim. The flavor completely fascinates me and I have been lucky enough to pick up all the published items for it. There are conversions to the d20 systems but this is the one world that I wish they would redo officially. I really like how the gens and the elements play such a huge role in the world (as reflected in Marit) and how the races are 'civilized' with none of the usual elves hate dwarves racial ideas.

The supplements were well written and full of so many plot hooks and secrets that I will set and re-read the books to get ideas for games or just to read them for fun.

I like parts of Eberron (which I am running). The Dragonmarked houses fascinate me and how they have such a huge impact on the governments and commerce. Can we say monopolies? I also really like the warforged race.

The possibilities in Planescape have always interested me, but I haven't read enough to truly get into that world/setting.

Non-fantasy worlds:
I have always liked the Champions core setting. The do an excellent job making the game a world wide game with a focus on North America (since that is their core base). The master villians are very evil and dark and yet easily adaptable to varying levels of play.

The original WOD I like a great deal, especially Mage: The Ascension. The interplay of the different Traditions was fantastic and the detailed history was fun to read. I really liked how WW tied all the games histories together.

And what about your favorite worlds/settings?

[Matt Larkin (author)]

I like WoD pretty well, and Shadowrun's crazy cyber punk setting.

[Jürgen Hubert]

Planescape: For a multitude of strange and alien but beautiful environments. For being vastly different from all other D&D settings that came before it.

Transhuman Space: For being a true hard SF setting - no FTL spaceflight, no intelligent alien species coming to visit us, no psionic, no dubious miracle technology - that nevertheless manages to be more alien than the vast majority of SF settings out there, despite taking place not even 100 years in the future. For being more thought-provoking than any three other allegedly "philosophical" games. For being the first setting whose published works include my writings.

Blue Planet: For having the best realized alien environment in an SF setting ever. For making a world with only three million human inhabitants seem crowded with plot hooks.

Delta Green: For being a brilliant realization of the Cthulhu Mythos in the modern age. For having spawned an immensely interesting, thought-provoking and illuminating mailing list that probably taught me more about gaming and world-building than pretty much anything else.

Shadowrun: For taking an extremely silly premise, playing it straight, and turning it into a complex and fun setting.

Fading Suns: For pulling off the best "kitchen sink" setting ever without sacrificing its central themes and mood. For making occultism - seeking hidden knowledge - more than just dabbling with supernatural powers and turning it into a central element of the setting.

[Wensleydale]

I liked Eberron, simply because it seems more logical to have non-military uses for magic in a high magic world, and I liked some (but not all) aspects of FR, despite its vast and immutable pantheon.

[XXsiriusXX]

Planescape: I like this setting do to the fact that there are so many options for realms to play in, also I really like the concept of Sigil.

Spelljammer: I liked the idea of each the core settings being contained inside a giant crystal sphere, magic powered star ships, and the some what sci-fi elements that it added to the D&D universe.

[Ishmayl-Retired]

Midnight: I love the dark, gritty, low-hope setting.  Fighting purely for survival isn't just for adventurers - it's for everyone on the planet.

There may be more, but that's all I can think of

[Ravenspath]

Blue Planet: For having the best realized alien environment in an SF setting ever. For making a world with only three million human inhabitants seem crowded with plot hooks.

Fading Suns: For pulling off the best "kitchen sink" setting ever without sacrificing its central themes and mood. For making occultism - seeking hidden knowledge - more than just dabbling with supernatural powers and turning it into a central element of the setting.

I forgot about those two. I have some of the books and agree with your thoughts on them, especially Fading Suns and the hidden knowledge aspect. Thanks for bringing them up! I will have to go dig those books out.

[Hibou]

Ravenloft and the Starcraft "setting" would be two of my favorites. OWoD I kind of liked when they had rules for Inquisitors, but the new stuff I just use for the game mechanics.

[khyron1144]

Spelljammer: Giff, Giant Space Hamsters, Neogi, Arcane, interesting physics.

Greyhawk: You need someplace to plunk Tomb of Horrors and Expedition to the Barrier peaks down into? how about the world they were made for?  And why Mordenkainen is a name of power.

Warhammer FRP's Old World:  Basically the system and world marry each other so well, that I wouldn't think of running Warhammer FRP with any old world.