Conveying Setting Information

[Reynard]

The discussion around the Cosmere RPG kickstarter got me thinking about how we go about presenting setting information to players who have not, and probably won't, read the books or your primer or anything else. This is especially oriented toward worlds that have unusual or novel settings (Like Roshar in the Stormlight Archives) and you can't simply rely on tropes and assumptions (aka "it's like Earth except where we say it isn't.")

So, what do you do to present the world to the players? Do you infodump? Do you expect them to research? Do you provide a primer? And how does the players' lack of knowledge interact with the (assumed) knowledge of the PC?

 

[DragonLancer]

I tend to do a small (max 5 page) guide for the players that covers a basic map, rough outline of the nations/cities, some commonly known history and then end it with any game relevant info such as races, classes, gods...etc.

 

[Reynard]

I tend to do a small (max 5 page) guide for the players that covers a basic map, rough outline of the nations/cities, some commonly known history and then end it with any game relevant info such as races, classes, gods...etc.

Does that work? What do you do in play when a significant new setting element comes up (hearing about a faction or whatever)?

 

[DragonLancer]

That is when you introduce it. My experience is that no one wants to be infodumped and often players would rather learn something organically. The other way to do it is if it comes up as something relevant during character creation. That is why a session zero is so popular. You can work little things like that in during the discussion.

 

[TiQuinn]

The discussion around the Cosmere RPG kickstarter got me thinking about how we go about presenting setting information to players who have not, and probably won't, read the books or your primer or anything else. This is especially oriented toward worlds that have unusual or novel settings (Like Roshar in the Stormlight Archives) and you can't simply rely on tropes and assumptions (aka "it's like Earth except where we say it isn't.")

So, what do you do to present the world to the players? Do you infodump? Do you expect them to research? Do you provide a primer? And how does the players' lack of knowledge interact with the (assumed) knowledge of the PC?

Honest take - In the case of something like Cosmere, I think you're either a fan and devour that stuff already or you're not going to connect at all, and it's maybe not worth trying to run a TTRPG off of it. I certainly wouldn't drop that game on a bunch of people who've never read Sanderson's work.

In general, though, I don't think you want to infodump. I think you want to let little pieces come out in drips and drabs, and you keep the game focused on the characters and whatever it is that they are doing, and let stuff come out at the rate they are willing to engage with it -- not when you want to give it. Meaning, if there's a weird altar to some important god in your campaign, and the players start investigating it and asking questions about what it's used for and who is it for, that's when I'll start letting backstory come out. I try to let the players ask the question first because it's being driven by them. I find that exposition just goes through one ear and out the other for most players.

 

[Theory of Games]

During recruitment/session 0 I give the players a super-short primer: "it's like Earth except blahblahblah." Very short and to the point. I learned a long time ago most players could care less about the setting. They care about their characters and how cool they are. If you don't believe me, a test: if you're currently running a 1shot or campaign, ask your players to name 2-3 things they really like about the setting.

I'm not your mom or your dad BUT never, ever, ever infodump. It sucks as a player listening to a GM whine on about their setting. Go listen to RPPR's actual plays. I love those guys but holy crap Ross can infodump like a champ when he GMs. It's boring.

You're expecting your players to research your setting?

The safe (?) assumption is the PCs will know more about the setting than the players. So it's okay IMO if the players could care less about the setting. That's what "Knowledge checks" are for, right?

 

[payn]

I dont put much effort into games unless I know I have invested players. For example, a one shot probably has a few paragraphs at most describing what the game will be about. For campaign play. I always use a players campaign guide. This is a 5-10 page document that is a mix of setting info with character options included within. If a player cant at least read through that (some pages will have no interest as they are likely about class and ancestry not picked by the player anyway) then I probably dont want you in my campaign.

Once the campaign has been kicked off, I keep a discord server going. Folks can ask questions and I can post lore and rules and such as we go. I use Foundry so the players have a file full of notes I created about NPCs and important places they can review after they have been revealed in the game. So, a combination of established notes and organic discovery as the game goes on.

 

[Reynard]

It occurs to me that art is a really good way to convey a lot of setting information easily. I remember the first time I ran Eberron I made to point to show the players all the evocative Eberron art, with warforged and lightning rails and airships and so on. D&D worlds in general have a lot of art to work with, but literary worlds tend to have less.

 

[payn]

It occurs to me that art is a really good way to convey a lot of setting information easily. I remember the first time I ran Eberron I made to point to show the players all the evocative Eberron art, with warforged and lightning rails and airships and so on. D&D worlds in general have a lot of art to work with, but literary worlds tend to have less.

Oh yeah, I spent a ton of time adding pictures to my notes in Foundry when I ran a Traveller Pirates of Drinax campaign. I added a pic to everything if I could. A note about the PCs having a letter of marque I found a pic to use. Whenever they went to a spacestation I tried to find pics that looked liek what it would be like. Old abandoned one, Alien type photos. Sprawling commerce station, bright and crowded. Etc..

The visuals help reduce the amount of text you need to provide and also help with immersion in the game world. A win/win.

 

[Reynard]

Oh yeah, I spent a ton of time adding pictures to my notes in Foundry when I ran a Traveller Pirates of Drinax campaign. I added a pic to everything if I could. A note about the PCs having a letter of marque I found a pic to use. Whenever they went to a spacestation I tried to find pics that looked liek what it would be like. Old abandoned one, Alien type photos. Sprawling commerce station, bright and crowded. Etc..

The visuals help reduce the amount of text you need to provide and also help with immersion in the game world. A win/win.

I probably should not underestimate fan art for stuff like The Stormlight Archives. I bet there is plenty out there.