Not everything for Book and movie is good, fits well for an RPG. This particularly concerns the setting, the background. An RPG is nunmal another medium. Whether it is a dystopian SF background or a fantasy world - for the role of other things to consider than the literary world building. In this article I will therefore give no information on the general setting design. This can be found on the net enough. I want to write about what should have specifics for an RPG setting.
first Make sure that the setting implements the subject of role playing!
A fantasy setting is not the same fantasy setting. At D & D I go down and hunt monsters in dungeons. For lead Reign I groups and kingdoms against each other. So you have both the focus of the setting be different: I need a D & D world of a brilliant old time, which is long gone and their legacy is evident in scattered tombs and ruins. I need a wild, wide and lonely enough to all the monsters and dangers to offer space, with the adventurers are to be confronted. I need but also centers of civilization, for healing and magical items to buy.
entirely different with a background world for Reign by Greg Stolze . Reign is a game of domination, power and influence of various groups. I need a dense network of all possible groupings, without the use of large Machtvakua, a vulnerable network of equilibrium, in which small acts have big consequences. A highly civilized world, this is excellent.
course, in this example, both concepts within a game world compatible, for example with a very intriguing empire in the south of the continent and old, abandoned, wild levels in the frozen north. The fact remains that I target the issue of the role-playing or keep an eye do if I create the setting.
second Pay attention to fluff and crunch plausibility, and you can choose the right level!
've given here I already written everything.
third Watch out for more playability!
There's no plausible and marvelously differentiated cultures, races, clans, etc. to create, if they can not be played. A culture in which are desirable in any way adventurers and vagabonds, provides not for D & D on. A culture that has developed over the millennia to a swarm of society, can offer no hanger for an individually acting character (except the theme of the game is to break out of such a culture). By then, if a player is a representative of such a Culture will play smoke, either the heads to make the character plausible, or access the GM has to unsatisfactory answer all Spielleitertums: "No you that way!". Therefore, each culture, each clan are designed so that sufficient policies must exist for playable characters.
Greg Stolze's Reign in the right way: To each culture are character concepts presented, as the last survivor of the Night Hunters for Truil or imperial courtesan. This ensures that there is in every culture playable characters.
Another example is the Oraniden in Tsoy . This is just horse people defined gender roles: the men live in the desert, the women in the cities. That is, at first sight: If I want to play as a player a rider, I have to play a male character. The problem is solved wonderful: the time of their initiation, boys and girls to the desired sex (and thus the desired living environment: city or steppe) choose. A female rider is so easily possible.
4th Offer tools for immersion!
These include matching names already lists (arche) typical items, common customs and peculiarities, which are used during the game, the immersion can - such as the description of cultural and traditional food and clothing in Reign. Players can draw from this fund to give their characters the color with which they can easily dip into the fiction. Keep an eye out that you pointedly describe the cultures! Not lose you in the deep, dozens of pages of description with the aim of the culture fully and consistently present - that no one reads! Limit yourself to the basics - and the main thing is what can bring the players in the game.
5th Differentiate clearly!
What is the difference between the French and Germans? The Frenchman loves red wine, with a beret on his head and a baguette under his arm, the German wearing leather pants and leads the world wars. Too cliched and stereotypical? Perhaps, but the real differences are so minimal and hidden that they deal only with much effort in a role-playing to the perceived surface. Cultures, clans, races need handy distinguishing features! An Aquilonian Cimmerian and can be distinguished at first glance, a Brujah from a Ventrue well. If you two cultures, groups, peoples, etc. can not differ significantly with a sentence that underscores one. This is true in principle for the World Building of all types, but even more for role playing. Small differences I can show visually in the film (costumes), in the novel, as set out in detail - in the role play, it is much harder. I have to concentrate on the essentials.
6th If you use a Metaplot, it makes the plot!
Here I am left out on this issue. A Metaplot can be problematic if the players have no control over and if he wishes the player will pass. Make the Metaplot instead to the plot, and let the characters be the protagonist! Accept that you have to share your influence on the plot with the players and that the actions of their characters have the weight to change the world.
7th Conveys information and color settings in the game, not outside!
does not mean that you are not interested players elaborations of cultures, gods, etc. shall provide - especially for the character creation can be extremely important. But whatever you deem important in your setting should occur even in the game redundant. Anything else is the hartwurstige "Phex with you!" For DSA: to make the world of gods and tangible experience. If you care about it, you'll find anywhere possible starting points for history, cultures, religions, just the color of your Settings: Why a mugger one simple as a distinctive scar give? If the ritual of Initationsnarben Bormisorkultes not a lot more colorful way, which also still conveys something about your world? Important here is redundancy. If the player has a magic sword +1 with the inscription "Cardigars pride" that, he thinks perhaps not a lot. but later he finds the tomb of King Cardigars, then learns King II Cardigar know, then it gradually opens up an overall image of the story worked out and closed settings.
For suggestions, additions, and criticism are always open to your remaining
Grimnir
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