#TTRPGTHOUGHTS People talk about “World-building” in #TTRPGs as if it’s clever or essential. It isn’t. Anyone can sketch out a map and write how a race of dragon centaurs fought eleven-lizard people. Their mixed blood on the battlefield gave rise to myriad species. What it is is: 1/5 - ThreadSky

squadronuk.bsky.social • 43 days ago

#TTRPGTHOUGHTS

People talk about “World-building” in #TTRPGs as if it’s clever or essential.

It isn’t.

Anyone can sketch out a map and write how a race of dragon centaurs fought eleven-lizard people. Their mixed blood on the battlefield gave rise to myriad species.

What it is is:

1/5

Comments

julianmfbernick.bsky.social•42 days ago

The old saw about sanboxy campaigns applies here. Just give them enough world to live in and as they start going to other parts, create that.

As a GM who might buy stuff my sincere request is... don't give me more small print cruft to read.

squadronuk.bsky.social•43 days ago

1. A waste of time. Hours spent detailing things that people are never going to see.
2. Impositional. Having written their magnum opus, Referees want to show it off to players through needless, excessive exposition or railroading them through the “important” bits.

2/5

squadronuk.bsky.social•43 days ago

3. Too often written to be read by the purchaser of the game rather than for use in play.
4. Limiting to both creation of characters and future adventures.

All you need is a starting location, some idea of how it fits into a larger structure and what character options you are going to allow.

3/5

squadronuk.bsky.social•43 days ago

Everything else can grow organically.

AND, if you happen to pick up a great pre-written adventure, you can easily slot it into your campaign.

Can I use Star Trek TOS as an example or is everyone too young for that now?

A ship. Part of a fleet.

4/5

squadronuk.bsky.social•43 days ago

Presumably Earth is out there somewhere with its usual history as most of the PCs are human. One player wants to play an alien. You let them.

EVERYTHING else was added later.

Can anyone defend world-building? Come on you Glorantha and Tékumel fans!

5/5

punmaster2000.bsky.social•42 days ago

As with all opinions, it depends on the players. Some groups will actively work with the GM to build a world from the ground up - they'll create their own storylines, nemeses, crises, etc. Others... won't. A good GM will adapt to the players in their group, and give them enough hooks to bite... 1/5

punmaster2000.bsky.social•42 days ago

to match their level of experience/desire/responsiveness. Some groups, plopped down in a small town in the wilderness, will end up knee deep in empire-building just through dint or sheer chaotic energy and creativity. Some groups will end up bored AF, and wander away from the table 2/5

brachyrgames-atlas.bsky.social•43 days ago

You prefer earth-like or minimal differentiated worlds. Cool, good to know.
Some people don't. Some people do prefer to experience or engage with the weirdness of another world or impossibilities of things that our world simply can't.
Some people like Discworld(as an example)

brachyrgames-atlas.bsky.social•43 days ago

1) My brain grubs disagree, they yearn to be free
2) Some do, some don't.
3) How can it be used if not read? that some people ignore the lore is not to say the lore can't be used; it says that those people don't want to use it.
4) Because "Creative Limitation" isn't a thing?

fandomlife.bsky.social•43 days ago

I am pretty sure Discworld didn't start of all created in advance either.

Same with me the setting of Lord of the Rings.

If people like deep diving into setting creation the only justification is it's fun.

squadronuk.bsky.social•43 days ago

IMHO people who like “The Discworld” are missing the point. It isn’t about the elephants.

burnafterrunning.bsky.social•42 days ago

Hear, hear! Worldbuilding at the table is loads better than worldbuilding from the GM (or those multi-page backstories).

I'll offer my short campaign of 13th Age Glorantha as an example of how, even in the big G, most of the worldbuilding can be left up to the preferences of the table!

sweetjimmy72.bsky.social•42 days ago

I tend to generate my NPCs through world building. I'll decide on a roadhouse and populate it with folks to chat with. If they never chat with those folks or go to that roadhouse, it's ready for if the next group comes by. I will also use those NPCs for the area around the roadhouse.

delver.bsky.social•43 days ago

I say it all the time: Tropes > Lore

planesailinggames.com•42 days ago

I’m a fan of Glorantha and Tekumel and have run long campaigns in both. I like that they had done lots of world building that I could take and be inspired by and build on further. Both set out a non- traditional canvas to work with.

planesailinggames.com•42 days ago

I prefer campaign words that don’t revolve around the PCs; where hints can be dropped of other things going on which the players may or may not choose to engage with (and consequences may ensue for the world if no one engages)

raptornx01.bsky.social•42 days ago

well, one may choose to do extensive world-building up front as a way to set their own personal rules. others may never see it, but it can allow you to create consistency.

like say, you have a story set in a city, so you make a map of that city & it influences events

raptornx01.bsky.social•42 days ago

this is why many (most?) tv shows have "show bibles". they can be simple, or they can be highly detailed & complex.

another example might be, describing to an actor, a character's entire backstory. even if only a drop of that story makes it into the final product, it effects the actor's performance

brianduguid.bsky.social•43 days ago

Counter-example: We live in a world that is hugely detailed, pre-defined, filled with metaplots that we can't influence, a cast of NPCs most of whom will never meet etc. Presumably we shouldn't set games in this world because it cannot be flexible in play, and because most of the content is wasted?

brianduguid.bsky.social•43 days ago

I think you arguing against people putting a lot of labour into the setting, however much they enjoy that, because it runs counter to the flexibility and contingency that creates space for players to find their own fun.

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