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<blockquote data-quote="Dungeonosophy" data-source="post: 6303937" data-attributes="member: 6688049">While for strictly short-term economic reasons, it makes sense to focus on a single world for WotC's corporate Organized Play, this doesn't really embody the full potential for cultivating a renaissance of do-it-yourself creativity and kit-bashing in the next generation of D&amp;D gamers. Sure we can 'always' do this on our own, but I'd like to see this formally instilled into the game itself.1) I propose that for Fifth Edition (or at least by Sixth Edition), that nearly all D&amp;D adventures be written in such a way that all proper names (people, places, gods) are expected to be replaced by the Dungeon Master, with only a default name printed in parentheses in the text. To help the fledgling DM, there could be a table of names to choose from.2) That each published adventure have a little appendix in the back adapting the adventure to each of WotC's published worlds (Dragonlance, Mystara, and so forth). With fitting proper names, geographical placement(s), and monster replacements (drow &gt; Mystara shadowelf).3) That it be an 'expected' default that the DM makes up a world as they go along...in a similar way that Gygax and Arneson did. See, for example, my &quot;<a href="https://sites.google.com/site/dndphilmont/worldbuilding" target="_blank">Worldbuilding as you go</a>&quot; article. This 'on the fly' worldbuilding would be an integral part of the game, with step-by-step, simple methods which recreate what the pioneers actually did.4) That it be an 'expected' default that the published worlds will at least be re-conceived by each DM (or gaming group) as &quot;So-and-so's World of Greyhawk&quot; or &quot;So-and-so's Forgotten Realms&quot;.5) That in the case of published worlds (Eberron, Birthright, and so forth) that the concept of each DM's campaign is a distinct alternate timeline of the &quot;corporate owned&quot; WotC timeline be explicitly embedded into the game.6) That it be an 'expected' default that the DM make their own homebrew world out of a stitched-together patchwork of whatever adventures they happen to buy or write. There'd be a tradition for honoring and reconciling whatever elements ended up in the mix.7) That there be a random 'Campaign Setting name generator' in the DMG which 'reverse engineers' the names of all the published settings. Like this:First Name Element:<ul>
<li data-xf-list-type="ul">Colors: &quot;grey&quot;, &quot;black&quot;, &quot;red&quot;, &quot;blue&quot;, &quot;golden&quot;, &quot;silver&quot; etc.</li>
<li data-xf-list-type="ul">Other adjective, usually mysterious: &quot;forgotten&quot;, &quot;birth&quot;, &quot;dark&quot;, &quot;savage&quot;, &quot;hollow&quot;, &quot;known&quot;, &quot;unknown&quot;, &quot;oath&quot;, &quot;mystery&quot;, &quot;hidden&quot;, &quot;secret&quot;</li>
<li data-xf-list-type="ul">Monster: &quot;dragon&quot;, &quot;ghost&quot;</li>
</ul>Second Name Element:<ul>
<li data-xf-list-type="ul">Animal: &quot;hawk&quot;, &quot;wolf&quot;, &quot;eagle&quot;, etc.</li>
<li data-xf-list-type="ul">Geographic: &quot;realms&quot;, &quot;moor&quot;, &quot;coast&quot;, &quot;world&quot;,&quot;isles&quot;</li>
<li data-xf-list-type="ul">Celestial: &quot;sun&quot;, &quot;moon&quot;, &quot;star&quot;, etc.</li>
<li data-xf-list-type="ul">Arms and Armor: &quot;steel&quot;, &quot;lance&quot;, &quot;knife&quot;&quot;sword&quot;, &quot;axe&quot;, &quot;helm&quot;, &quot;shield&quot; etc.</li>
<li data-xf-list-type="ul">Other: &quot;walk&quot;, &quot;way&quot;, &quot;guard&quot;, &quot;right&quot;, &quot;watch&quot;, &quot;bound&quot;</li>
</ul>Planet names:&quot;Earth&quot;-like names: Oerth, Uerth, Aerth, Yarth, Nerath, Urt (the original name of Mystara in BECMI box era)And so: Eorth, Yirth, Naorth, Ourt, Oorth, Aardh, Yort...Other names: Toril, Abeir, Mystara, Aebrynis, Athas, KrynnAnd so: Aestara, Torthas, Mynneir, Kyril...and many other syllable options.And at higher levels, a cosmology generator, with all the existing published cosmologies as examples to mix and match by choice, or at random.8) That one of the goals of the DMG (and online enhancements) is for, once the characters are approaching 20th level, for the gaming group to produce a nigh-professional-quality Campaign Setting book PDF which portrays the patchwork world which they created by their actions. With its own logo and graphic style. The published WotC setting guides and logos would be broken down and 'reverse engineered' to show how to make your own.9) That WotC support this homebrew concept with a dedicated website (similar to the WotC-designated amateur websites for each of the published worlds), perhaps called &quot;The World Serpent Inn&quot;.Instead of a &quot;core setting&quot; there would be an “Un-Setting” with the published settings (FR, GH, DL, ...) explictly offered as examples for reverse engineering, and as parts for mix-and-matching.This wouldn't mean more prep time for DMs. The usual homebrew world would be slapped together quickly, but organically (though actual play), in D&amp;D gonzo style. For more see, my “<a href="https://sites.google.com/site/dndphilmont/make-your-own-campaign-setting" target="_blank">D&amp;DNext Un-Setting</a>” article.What do you think, ENWorlders?Mod Note:&nbsp; Removed formatting so this was legible on the black forum skin.&nbsp; Hope you don't mind.&nbsp; ~Umbran</blockquote>

[QUOTE="Dungeonosophy, post: 6303937, member: 6688049"] While for strictly short-term economic reasons, it makes sense to focus on a single world for WotC's corporate Organized Play, this doesn't really embody the full potential for cultivating a renaissance of do-it-yourself creativity and kit-bashing in the next generation of D&D gamers. Sure we can 'always' do this on our own, but I'd like to see this formally instilled into the game itself. 1) I propose that for Fifth Edition (or at least by Sixth Edition), that nearly all D&D adventures be written in such a way that all proper names (people, places, gods) are expected to be replaced by the Dungeon Master, with only a default name printed in parentheses in the text. To help the fledgling DM, there could be a table of names to choose from. 2) That each published adventure have a little appendix in the back adapting the adventure to each of WotC's published worlds (Dragonlance, Mystara, and so forth). With fitting proper names, geographical placement(s), and monster replacements (drow > Mystara shadowelf). 3) That it be an 'expected' default that the DM makes up a world as they go along...in a similar way that Gygax and Arneson did. See, for example, my "[URL="https://sites.google.com/site/dndphilmont/worldbuilding"]Worldbuilding as you go[/URL]" article. This 'on the fly' worldbuilding would be an integral part of the game, with step-by-step, simple methods which recreate what the pioneers actually did. 4) That it be an 'expected' default that the published worlds will at least be re-conceived by each DM (or gaming group) as "So-and-so's World of Greyhawk" or "So-and-so's Forgotten Realms". 5) That in the case of published worlds (Eberron, Birthright, and so forth) that the concept of each DM's campaign is a distinct alternate timeline of the "corporate owned" WotC timeline be explicitly embedded into the game. 6) That it be an 'expected' default that the DM make their own homebrew world out of a stitched-together patchwork of whatever adventures they happen to buy or write. There'd be a tradition for honoring and reconciling whatever elements ended up in the mix. 7) That there be a random 'Campaign Setting name generator' in the DMG which 'reverse engineers' the names of all the published settings. Like this: First Name Element: [LIST] [*]Colors: "grey", "black", "red", "blue", "golden", "silver" etc. [*]Other adjective, usually mysterious: "forgotten", "birth", "dark", "savage", "hollow", "known", "unknown", "oath", "mystery", "hidden", "secret" [*]Monster: "dragon", "ghost" [/LIST] Second Name Element: [LIST] [*]Animal: "hawk", "wolf", "eagle", etc. [*]Geographic: "realms", "moor", "coast", "world","isles" [*]Celestial: "sun", "moon", "star", etc. [*]Arms and Armor: "steel", "lance", "knife""sword", "axe", "helm", "shield" etc. [*]Other: "walk", "way", "guard", "right", "watch", "bound" [/LIST] Planet names: "Earth"-like names: Oerth, Uerth, Aerth, Yarth, Nerath, Urt (the original name of Mystara in BECMI box era) And so: Eorth, Yirth, Naorth, Ourt, Oorth, Aardh, Yort... Other names: Toril, Abeir, Mystara, Aebrynis, Athas, Krynn And so: Aestara, Torthas, Mynneir, Kyril...and many other syllable options. And at higher levels, a cosmology generator, with all the existing published cosmologies as examples to mix and match by choice, or at random. 8) That one of the goals of the DMG (and online enhancements) is for, once the characters are approaching 20th level, for the gaming group to produce a nigh-professional-quality Campaign Setting book PDF which portrays the patchwork world which they created by their actions. With its own logo and graphic style. The published WotC setting guides and logos would be broken down and 'reverse engineered' to show how to make your own. 9) That WotC support this homebrew concept with a dedicated website (similar to the WotC-designated amateur websites for each of the published worlds), perhaps called "The World Serpent Inn". Instead of a "core setting" there would be an “Un-Setting” with the published settings (FR, GH, DL, ...) explictly offered as examples for reverse engineering, and as parts for mix-and-matching. This wouldn't mean more prep time for DMs. The usual homebrew world would be slapped together quickly, but organically (though actual play), in D&D gonzo style. For more see, my “[URL="https://sites.google.com/site/dndphilmont/make-your-own-campaign-setting"]D&DNext Un-Setting[/URL]” article. What do you think, ENWorlders? [color=darkorange][B]Mod Note:[/B] Removed formatting so this was legible on the black forum skin. Hope you don't mind. ~Umbran[/color] [/QUOTE]

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