[poll] A Poll (Pre-Writing I: Data Collection)

[limetom]

The poll is pretty straight forward.  Please vote in it.  This is perliminary work to an article that I will be writing either for the Post or the Campaign Builder's Guide.

Please post any and all comments below.  This poll was made to be as scientific as possible; report any suspected errors in this aspect by PM.

Poll:

*Alignment(s): 2 (8%)
*Dress: 0 (0%)
*History: 13 (55%)
*Language(s): 0 (0%)
*Notable Person(s): 1 (4%)
*Politics: 1 (4%)
*Race (in D&D terms): 0 (0%)
*Religion(s) and Rituals: 3 (12%)
*Multiple From Above (List): - (N/A)
*Other(s) (List): 4 (17%)

Total: 24 votes

[CYMRO]

Polls still do not work.

But, my answer:  POLITICS.

[Lmns Crn]

Voting HISTORY, because I am a cheater; history informs all of the other things on the list. With a nice, solid history, most of the other elements of culture practically write themselves, and you can certainly see why they're there and why they're important.

I almost voted race, but did not, because in a setting without multiple races, or where cultures are homogeneous mixtures of several races, it's a non-factor. Race is the lens through which I often view cultural matters in my own work, however, and I find it works well.

I almost voted religion, but did not, because history and religion overlap in many places, and because societies are not necessary religious at all (again, making it a non-factor.)

I almost voted politics, but did not, as from a design standpoint, politics can often be derived from a well developed culture, but I find it much harder to do the reverse.

Notable Persons are wrapped up in History. Dress strikes me as cosmetic only (a useful defining tool, but as an afterthought), language is similarly a cosmetic issue (barring cases where language barriers have complicated interactions between multiple cultures), and I consider Alignment a dangerous temptation to oversimplify moral issues.

[Elven Doritos]

I'm a history guy. The history is what shapes the political, moral, racial, and cultural backgrounds of all the people of the world, and it's constantly evolving-- history grows, literally, with each passing day in the game world, and its impact on the game is undeniable.

[Matt Larkin (author)]

I'd have to go with history, though generally I consider everything linked.  History creates politics, terrain helps shape both, history and religion and politics all shape each other, on and on...

[Numinous]

History and Religion.  History is what defines a culture, but in a world with active gods or other divine figures, religion can play a big part too.

[So-Keher]

I have to agree with elven doritos and say that history is very imprtant. You can use it to explain all the other things like dress and rituals, etc. Religion is also very important because it shapes how a     ure will act a/o react to various situations, and where they look for guidance.

@limetom: (off topic) initial-d?

[SDragon]

i would say either other (tone), or history, personally.

one major reason i say history, though, is that it can explain the tone. granted, its not the only thing, but it does help quite a bit.

[limetom]

initial-d?

Hai[/i].

[snakefing]

I'd put History and Religion (beliefs and values, not just rituals) in a dead heat. They both affect each other, and one can often infer or create cultural practices, politics and the like from that.

But I'm also going to throw in Economics as my number one. What resources are plentiful and which scarce? What do they have to trade for and what do they trade to others? How are they dependent on others, or how can they use their economic strengths to bully their neighbors. An awful lot of history, religion, cultural practices, politics, and the like can be written once you start to think about what is really important to their way of life.

[So-Keher]

I'd put History and Religion (beliefs and values, not just rituals) in a dead heat. They both affect each other, and one can often infer or create cultural practices, politics and the like from that.

But I'm also going to throw in Economics as my number one. What resources are plentiful and which scarce? What do they have to trade for and what do they trade to others? How are they dependent on others, or how can they use their economic strengths to bully their neighbors. An awful lot of history, religion, cultural practices, politics, and the like can be written once you start to think about what is really important to their way of life.

snakefing is right

i don't think ther eis one single element that ismost important, also shown in the Elements of a Good Campaign Setting thread (or something like that) i started a while ago. It is rather a mesh of all the elements that creates an environment where people, places and ideas all interact to make it lifelike.

[the_taken]

History, followed closeley by geography. As mentioned before, history practicaly writes everything else, since evertyhting else answers why that history ttok place.

Geography is a very improtant factor when considering dress. Colder climates will require heavier and warmer clothing, while a hot and sunny place far from any clothing resources will require a more conservative use of meterails.

[beejazz]

I'd have to say "prevailing attitudes". It's like alignment but a little harder to pin down. A consumer society, a fear society, and a rural community are very different places... though they can also overlap. And note that it isn't just up to the government.

[Túrin]

History and Religion.  History is what defines a culture, but in a world with active gods or other divine figures, religion can play a big part too.

What he said, but more so (because there don't have to be active gods or divine figures for this to be true).

[Yair]

My vote goes to History, as well.  History is the underlying story of any culture. It affects their views of religion, dress, their attitudes toward others, etc.