Best resources to aid campaign world creation?

[Eyeless One]

I've dabbled in campaign world creation over the years, and I'd like to get a bit more serious about it. Specifically I'm looking to create a new continent or group of islands for my favorite D&D OoP gameworld. I would appreciate any suggestions for:

- Products that give good world building advice/guidance
- Any websites out there that do the same
- Recommended software to create maps fairly easily (I've been looking at CC3/Fractal Mapper for the random continents it will create - a program that will randomly create a land mass based on parameters I provide that I can then edit would be ideal vs. starting from a blank screen)

And for what it's worth, I did try to search for this info before starting a new thread but didn't come up with much for whatever reason. I'll be the first to admit it was likely operator error. If you veterans could point me in the right direction I'd appreciate it.

Thanks very much

 

[Tovec]

I'm not a vet and I'm not sure what resources are available on the forums here but there are a few resources I've found helpful in compiling my own campaign worlds.

The DMG has a lot of resources in it, and I always seem to find something I was looking for in there without ever realizing it was there before.
Cityscape and Dungeonscape were helpful for VERY different reasons. They are good at getting you to ask yourself some specifics you might not be considering.
There are other WotC books but I can't think of them off the top of my head and I'll have to re-examine my collection.

A tool I have found invaluable is to write down EVERY and I do mean absolutely every idea that came across my mind. I have compiled a lot of the stuff that stuck onto a WIKI format so my players can look at it easily.

I know you were hoping for sofeware or web resources to help but I've found much of that fleeting. Others have found it useful and I'm sure they'll post what they know too.

 

[Pergentile]

1. Open Minecraft
2. Type in anything for "World Seed"
3. Generate world
4. Map out the landmass you are on, map out the high/low/cave areas, map out where thick brush is, and map out where lots of animals spawn.
5. High Area=Mountain, Low Area=Lake or Vallyey, Cave=Underdark, or a smaller suitable underground system/cave, Thick Brush=Forest, Lots of Animals=Town/Monsters/anything with high Populace.
6. ???
7. Profit!

 

[Whizbang Dustyboots]

Every D&D DM ought to own a copy of A Magical Medieval Society: Western Europe. It's an amazingly good world-building resource for building a typical Western European flavored D&D environment.

 

[Gilladian]

IF, and this is a big if, you want your new continent/island chain to have a reasonable geography and climate and weather, I strongly suggest going to the library and getting a couple of books on weather and climate.

I did a LOT of reading on this subject when I was still trying to create my own campaign world maps, and I learned things that have stood me in good stead for decades. (I finally "gave up" trying, though, and now I just use "the real world" for my maps). I also have a world weather almanac, which gives wonderful tables of average temperatures, rainfall, etc... for each month in every locale.

A good world atlas that shows natural resources for every country/region is also really helpful. When you want to know what is likely to be farmed in a region, what is mined there, what gems show up with what minerals in the "real" world, it is invaluable. I mean, can you mine silver and copper from the same hills? How about diamonds and emeralds? It can save a lot of future "that isn't logical" arguments!

 

[Eyeless One]

Thanks for the responses thus far. A quick walk over to the local game store turned up a copy of A Magical Medieval Society: Western Europe, which was a fantastic suggestion. Unfortunately they just sold their copy of Cityscape a couple of days ago, so I'll have to find it online. The other advice was solid as well. Any additional world-building products or websites people can recommend would be greatly appreciated.

 

[Greg K]

Here are several that I think can help you build the world, bring it to life for the players, and inspire

Pre 3e/pred20/ non D&D
Campaign Law/Gamemaster's Law (Iron Crown Enterprises) for Rolemaster

World Builder's Guide (TSR) for AD&D 2e

Cities (Chaosium Games) For creating cities

GURPS Culture Books (Aztecs, Celtic Myth, Greece, Japan, Rome, Vikings)
From Dragon Magazine:

Thief's Handbook (TSR) for AD&D 2e A lot of people did not like the kits, I did, but I really liked the other material on thiefs and thief guilds and use it as reference.

Any of TSR's 2e green historical books (e.g., Celts, Vikings, A Mighty Fortress, Charmlemagne's Paladins, The Glory of Rome, etc.)

3e/d20
Unearthed Arcana (WOTC): The class variants, variant class abilities, and alternate spell systems are good for tailoring classes to a given campaign or its culture(s).

Cityscape Enhancement (WOTC): one of them has a wilderness/urban skill swap that is good for certain classes to make wilderness classes more urban and vice versa.

A Magical Medieval Society Western Europe (Expeditious Retreat)

Medieval Player's Manual (Green Ronin)

Frost and Fur (Monkey God/Highmoon Games): a book about cold environments and cultures

Sandstorm (WOTC): desert environments

Wilds (AEG) looks at various environments and their hazards in d20 terms. Also provides new ranger types by environment


Airships (Bastion Press)

Alchemy and Herbalists (Bastion Press/Dragonwing)

Experts 3.5 (Skirmisher Press): Will get you thinking about the NPC professions that make the world work.

From Stone to Steel (Monkey God/Highmoon Games): Equipment Guide and notes by various real world cultures w/sample PrCs.

Ink and Quill (Bastion Press/Dragonwing): Get you thinking about writings, books, manuals, tomes- especiallly, magical one's in your campaign along with spellbooks and those who make use of the written or spoken word. Its free

Poisoncraft (Blue Devil): a good book about poisons in D&D. Rewrites how poison works.

Cavaliers Handbook (Green Ronin): Not a fan of the class, but there rest of the material is really good.

Psychic's Handbook (Green Ronin): It has its own class and system for mental powers that I like. However also some good discussion on powers of the mind

Shaman's Handbook (Green Ronin): A good shaman class and related material. it will get you thinking about the role of spirits and the spirit world in your campaign.

Witch's Handbook (Green Ronin): A good look at fantasy witchcraft for d20

Holy Warrior's Handbook (Green Ronin): a 3.5 update of the Holy Warrior from Book of the Righteous.

Unholy Warrior's Handbook (Green Ronin):

Book of the Righteous (Green Ronin): The book and its pantheon are good inspiration for creating your own religion and the myths surrounding it.

Book of Fiends (Green Ronin): Combines their Armies of the Abyss and Legions of Hell with a third, previously unpublished section).

Beyond Countless Doorways (Malhavoc): for alternate dimensions

Redhurst Academy (Humanhead Publishing) : for magical schools and running campaigns in them

Tournaments, Taverns and Faires (EN Publishing)

Noble Steeds (Avalanche Press): Lots of good stuff on horses and mounts for D&D. Also good for a character that wants a mount like either The Lone Ranger's horse, Silver or Roy Roger's horse, Trigger

Predators (Betabunny): Lots of real world critters. The previews looked good and I have heard good things. I can picture it making a great combination with the the next two books.

Advanced Bestiary (Green Ronin): Lots of good monster templates

Deluxe Book of Templates Revised (Silverthorne/Goodman Games): More good templates

 

[Greg K]

These 3e products might be helpful if you are running seafaring or aquatic based advemtires

Corsairs (Adamant Entertainment): The pdf is about $2)
Seafarer's Handbook (Fantasy Flight Games)
Seas of Blood (Mongoose Publishing)
Stormwrack (WOTC)

 

[mirrorcoloured]

Using other things as inspiration is great for reasons pointed out above. I've done what Pergentile suggested but with Dwarf Fortress. Also if you have/could get any of the Civilization games they would work well. The map editor feature allows you to create a world and then edit as you see fit.

Or you could get a big bin/tank, and put some water in the bottom. Then, get a bunch of clay, and put it in. Move it around and shape it to form whatever landmasses you want. Have a camera on hand

On a more micro scale:

Roleplaying City Map Generator

This is a nice little program that creates pretty detailed city maps. It has lots of parameters to tweak, and you can always just spam create until you get something you like. Fast and accurate.

http://www.mathemagician.net/town.html

Handy online tool for generating a healthy amount of detail about the residents of a city. Makes all the npc's you'll need, as well as shops (complete with names, owners/employees, opening/closing times, prices). You obviously don't need all the detail, but if you have a computer during the game it makes for some nice detail/flavour.

 

[magnusmalkus]

Creating campaign worlds/continents/cities is something of a hobby for me, even if I never get to play in them. The World Builder's Guide (TSR) for AD&D 2e has been a great, fun tool regardless of gaming system. I love doing things with a method and I go back to this resource time after time.