What influences you?

[PyreBorn]

I had a thought while reading through my other thread, but instead of diverting that one too much, I thought I'd start another thread.

What I was wondering was, what inspires you the most when working on a campaign world? Is their any one source that you draw from more than others? Such as music, movies, books? Has anything influenced you when you didn't expect it? Like a random verse in a song, a line in a movie?

For me, everything I watch, read or listen to usually influences me in one way or another, even if I don't realize it at first. Anime seems to influence me more often than most things, take a snippet from this show, a bit from that and see if they mesh into some unholy abomination :) Sometimes though, my campaign influences me into watching/listening to something. The planar organizations led me to watching Bleach, and working on steampunk influence got me listening to Abney Park.

Although recently the video game Alice: The Madness Returns has had me working on a plane for the campaign.

I think the strangest influence I had was from the Godsmack song "I Stand Alone". There was 4 words that set me off into the campaign I'm working on now "before the Final Falling".

For some reason those 4 words brought about an entire backstory for a campaign world and pages of material for me to go through.

So how about all of you? Any favorite resources for certain genre's?

[Matt Larkin (author)]

Mythology and history the most.

I've also drawn inspiration from music. Video games, movies, and, of course, other fiction have their influences, though these tend to be more subtle and sometimes unconscious.

[SA]

Specific words and their relationships.

The genesis of just about every setting I've ever produced was founded upon (or at lest fuelled by) a temporary obsession with a particular word, it's phonetic nuances and all its attendant imagery.

[Polycarp]

A lot of things, I suppose.  History and mythology, but also games and other media - only in chat a few days ago did I realize that playing Myst back in the day probably contributed a lot to my interest in worldbuilding and my specific ideas since then.  It's not something I'd thought about before.

Art is important for me too.  I probably get more inspiration from looking at landscapes and fantasy art than anything else, these days.

[Gamer Printshop]

While the body of world history and folklore always exists and influences ideas I come up with - most actual inspiration comes from dreams. The seed of all my creations come from ideas that pop in my head while I sleep. If strong enough of an idea I remember when I wake and use that to start the next project. I'm sure television, movies and books have equal influence as my knowledge of history/folklore - it's not all inventions from my head. Just the specific detail that leads to impetus of a setting or any project, almost always comes from dreams I have.

[Nomadic]

Wow this is going to sound really sappy but here goes.

You guys influence me. I'm being completely serious here. More than anything reading your works and getting reviews and critiques from you on my stuff, even the short little conversations we have on abstract and concrete game design concepts influence me. I have become a much better writer and world builder because of each of you. Having interested readers ready to give feedback and skilled writers with ideas I want to read about has given me a great learning experience. Because of it my characters are becoming better, my setting ideas more immersive, and my ideas more creative. You all have done a great deal to influence my skills regarding world building in the best way possible.

Basically what I'm trying to say is:

[Mason]

ooo good question.

[spoiler=Answer One]
Inspiration is for amateurs....professionals get to work
-Chuck Close
(if you don't know that artist I highly recommend you check him out!
[/spoiler]


[spoiler=Answer Two]

Music. I listen to music constantly so it's not surprising that the words often get my mind spinning. Also, movies and concept art.

Over Under Inspiration:
Us and Them
Time
Gymnodedies

Pinnacle/Blurge Inspiration:
NiN
Explosions in the Sky
Mogwai

[ooc=idea]
I think we've done this before but what about putting together inspiration playlists for our settings or other members settings? I would love to throw a "soundtrack" playlist together for awesome settings like Clockwork or Mare Eternus
[/ooc]
[/spoiler]

[Weave]

A lot of things, I suppose.  History and mythology, but also games and other media - only in chat a few days ago did I realize that playing Myst back in the day probably contributed a lot to my interest in worldbuilding and my specific ideas since then.  It's not something I'd thought about before.

Art is important for me too.  I probably get more inspiration from looking at landscapes and fantasy art than anything else, these days.

Polycarp!* and I are more similar than I thought! As a visual learner, imagery and art have always been very important and inspiring to me. I invest a fair amount of my hobby funds on fantasy art books (If you haven't already, go buy a Spectrum book; really amazing stuff). Photography and, to some lesser degree, even sculpture have made impacts on my creations, as well as writing and music.

History has also been a big source of inspiration. I like to take a lot of "what if" scenarios and play them out in different periods and places. They say the truth is stranger than fiction, and damn is it true! I think those instances make the best sources of inspiration.

*See what I did there?

[Humabout]

I get inspiration largely from any traveling I do, books I read, hugely from music, the weather at times (autumn and wintery feelings are great for writing, I find), and visual art.  Sometimes, I like to look at landscapes, as well, but that is mostly when I've already homed in on a very particular part of a region.

[SA]

Wow this is going to sound really sappy but here goes.

I think I speak for everybody here when i say "aw, shucks."

[Xeviat]

I try to not get influences from what I read at this moment, as I'm ankle deep in writing my own novel. I'm reading the "Codex Alera", by Jim Butcher right now, and seeing something similar to my own setting. So at this stage, I'm trying to not be influenced by things too closely related to my setting.

Outside of that, I am inspired by movies and television, with a small bit of influence from music. Sometimes I close my eyes and just imagine fantastic scenery, and I guide my designs towards those.

[Humabout]

I should probably add that I get inspired to a fair degree by other games, but I generally try not to insert them directly or gratuitously.  For example, I love about 75% of the WH40K universe, but I'm not planning on jamming Necrons, awesome though they may be, into Elyria.  I might consider a Tyranid-inspired branch of outsiders from Beyond Time and Space, however.  I suppose this is what I meant when I said I get inspiration from books; I don't try to recreate the books, but grab the bits that make me go "hell yeah!"