How much do you prepare for a homebrew?
- Thread starter AlphaOmega
- Start date
Here's what I did for my homebrew. Start with a basic outline of the world. Basic desciptions of the major nations/regions, cosmology, and anything else that is unique to the world as a whole. Then, pick the area you want to run the first game in. Go in for more detail here. The closer to where the PCs are, the mroe detail you need. Maps aren't nearly as important as most people make out - I'm on my second campaign in the world and still haven't gotten around to making a world map. Hasn't seemed that important. I know where everything is in relation to everything else.
Currently I have 19 pages of information mostly non rules information, which includes 2 fully detailed islands, 3 monsters, 1 template, a full new money system, 1 god, and 1 bardic collage.
My world is an island based world, all ocean and island. I am using the seafarers handbook for ship to ship combat rules.
I voted for in the middle for though this is a good deal it was written on and mostly off over several years.
Also not included in the above totals are 3 maps. But theirs no world map, the islands would be to small to show.
My world is an island based world, all ocean and island. I am using the seafarers handbook for ship to ship combat rules.
I voted for in the middle for though this is a good deal it was written on and mostly off over several years.
Also not included in the above totals are 3 maps. But theirs no world map, the islands would be to small to show.
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Storm Raven
First Post
AlphaOmega said:
I prepare what I need, and what interests me. I detailed most of the stuff the PCs are likely to encounter or need to know. However, there are some areas and aspects of my campaign world that the PCs will likely not ever see or deal with, but I detailed them because that interested me.
Does spending 5 years on detailing background, scientific plausability, detailing a nearly comprehensive ecology, fleshing out the internal interactions of over 25 major nations and countless other smaller cultures, along with over 150,000 years worth of history starting from pre-written eras, and still not considering the world finished enough to use count as 'overpreparing'?
Granted this was all originally to be a lengthy hard science novel but the pitches all fell through and I'll be darned if I'm letting it go to waste.
Granted this was all originally to be a lengthy hard science novel but the pitches all fell through and I'll be darned if I'm letting it go to waste.
Davelozzi
Explorer
I answered somewhere in the middle, more specifically before we began I prepared:
A detailed map of kingdom that the campaign is set in, with major cities and towns named, and villages, keeps etc. shown but not named. All the major provinces (duchies) are named as well as ome of the counties.
A broad map showing the relevant portion of the continentwith all the countries and the major metroploises named. A larger map showing the rest of the continent, and part of another, but without names.
I have a big list of NPC names appropriate for the closest few cultures, either for use on the fly during sessions or to prepare in advance for upcoming sessions.
A religion with one major god and for the home kingdom and some nearby areas. He's served by saints (more like demigods) and I've named a few of them. For other regions I have a broad idea of what kind of pantheon they worship in case it comes up.
Short descriptions of how the races fit in my world with a few relevant changes. Also a few changes to character classes, and details on three prestige classes.
At this point (a year and a half into the campaign, playing slightly more than monthly), the characters are all about 6th level and most of the action has taken place in one particular province of the kingdom. Most of the small towns and villages have been named, the larger towns detailed and mapped, and a host of relevant NPC have been named or detailed as required, including all nobles of the rank of count or higher in the area.
A detailed map of kingdom that the campaign is set in, with major cities and towns named, and villages, keeps etc. shown but not named. All the major provinces (duchies) are named as well as ome of the counties.
A broad map showing the relevant portion of the continentwith all the countries and the major metroploises named. A larger map showing the rest of the continent, and part of another, but without names.
I have a big list of NPC names appropriate for the closest few cultures, either for use on the fly during sessions or to prepare in advance for upcoming sessions.
A religion with one major god and for the home kingdom and some nearby areas. He's served by saints (more like demigods) and I've named a few of them. For other regions I have a broad idea of what kind of pantheon they worship in case it comes up.
Short descriptions of how the races fit in my world with a few relevant changes. Also a few changes to character classes, and details on three prestige classes.
At this point (a year and a half into the campaign, playing slightly more than monthly), the characters are all about 6th level and most of the action has taken place in one particular province of the kingdom. Most of the small towns and villages have been named, the larger towns detailed and mapped, and a host of relevant NPC have been named or detailed as required, including all nobles of the rank of count or higher in the area.
MatrexsVigil
First Post
I begin most games with little more than a smattering of sentences on a piece of paper from the night before. I tend to model my world around the type of characters my friends want to play. Although, once the game starts rolling, I go mad with world-designing, coming up with stuff most of my players will never see in game.
-P.C.
-P.C.
Katerek
Iconic Gnoll
Don't know if you are still monitoring this...but here goes.
I remember the Ray Wininger(sp?) articles quite well. The Rules of Dungeoncraft completely revolutionized the way I run and prepare my games.
I am very fortunate in that my homebrew has been running continuously now since 1987. I say I am fortunate, because I continue to luck into some really great players (although there have been a few turds over the years) that really provide me with the right kind of support.
By some comparisons, I suspect that what I do is over prepare. Whenever I go to start a new campaign in my setting, I request that each potential player submit three to four character concepts and then I choose from their submitted concepts what character they will play. This helps to ensure long term party cohesiveness and it also helps me in 'bringing the party together' at the beginning of the campaign. This has proved very successful. I currently run two campaigns, one that is just entering its fourth year of play, and one that is only a few months old.
Another thing that I provide is a Player's Guide to the setting. This is a document that contains all of setting information that I have been able to put to paper, as well as home rules and whatnot. Another thing I do is collect feats, prestige classes, and other odd things from various hard-to-find d20 products and reproduce them in this document. This provides the players with single go to source for as much information as possible. This document also acts as a glossography and gazeteer to the world. Currently, my Player's Guide clocks in at 220+ pages, 9 pt Times New Roman with no graphics. My players seem to respond to it very well, and I find it is a great place to store all of my various home rules and rulings.
This document is something that I have grown, at my own pace, over the course of the last five years. So these things take time.
As far as NPC development, I keep track of important NPCs only to the degree that I absolutely NEED to. I never force myself to create more than I must, but due to the sheer time invovled I have volumes of information at my disposal, so again, this is the kind of thing that just ends up creating itself.
On the same lines as NPC development, I track relative power bases such as noble houses, guild unions, religious organizations, et al. I track what alliances have been made, and in the case of nobility, blood ties and relations.
The main thing I do for each campaign that I run, and there have been many with which I have been able to fine tune this process, is I keep a campaign story bible. Basically, I look at each gaming session as an 'episode' and each year as a season. I track the major stories I want to accomplish and based upon each character levelling about every three episodes or so, I can plan very far ahead. It also helps to have a regular schedule that everyone can commit to. It probably goes without saying that I am a bit of a gaming snob, and typically do not let players in who are not at least soemwhat committed.
This is probably my all-time favorite subject to discuss, but since this is a public forum I will limit myself. If you are interested, and want more feed back, just say the word.
I remember the Ray Wininger(sp?) articles quite well. The Rules of Dungeoncraft completely revolutionized the way I run and prepare my games.
I am very fortunate in that my homebrew has been running continuously now since 1987. I say I am fortunate, because I continue to luck into some really great players (although there have been a few turds over the years) that really provide me with the right kind of support.
By some comparisons, I suspect that what I do is over prepare. Whenever I go to start a new campaign in my setting, I request that each potential player submit three to four character concepts and then I choose from their submitted concepts what character they will play. This helps to ensure long term party cohesiveness and it also helps me in 'bringing the party together' at the beginning of the campaign. This has proved very successful. I currently run two campaigns, one that is just entering its fourth year of play, and one that is only a few months old.
Another thing that I provide is a Player's Guide to the setting. This is a document that contains all of setting information that I have been able to put to paper, as well as home rules and whatnot. Another thing I do is collect feats, prestige classes, and other odd things from various hard-to-find d20 products and reproduce them in this document. This provides the players with single go to source for as much information as possible. This document also acts as a glossography and gazeteer to the world. Currently, my Player's Guide clocks in at 220+ pages, 9 pt Times New Roman with no graphics. My players seem to respond to it very well, and I find it is a great place to store all of my various home rules and rulings.
This document is something that I have grown, at my own pace, over the course of the last five years. So these things take time.
As far as NPC development, I keep track of important NPCs only to the degree that I absolutely NEED to. I never force myself to create more than I must, but due to the sheer time invovled I have volumes of information at my disposal, so again, this is the kind of thing that just ends up creating itself.
On the same lines as NPC development, I track relative power bases such as noble houses, guild unions, religious organizations, et al. I track what alliances have been made, and in the case of nobility, blood ties and relations.
The main thing I do for each campaign that I run, and there have been many with which I have been able to fine tune this process, is I keep a campaign story bible. Basically, I look at each gaming session as an 'episode' and each year as a season. I track the major stories I want to accomplish and based upon each character levelling about every three episodes or so, I can plan very far ahead. It also helps to have a regular schedule that everyone can commit to. It probably goes without saying that I am a bit of a gaming snob, and typically do not let players in who are not at least soemwhat committed.
This is probably my all-time favorite subject to discuss, but since this is a public forum I will limit myself. If you are interested, and want more feed back, just say the word.
s/LaSH
First Post
A good amount. I've got pages of 'filler plots' that'll never see the light of day. I've detailed the ecological niche and global distribution of every creature in two Monster Manuals. I've figured out the military strength of individual countries (probably inaccurately).
Most of this stuff stays background. The players don't need to know, so I'll save it for then. Of course, I've also developed a great big adventure path and a Destiny.
I agree with worldbuilding as an enjoyable pastime, of course.
Most of this stuff stays background. The players don't need to know, so I'll save it for then. Of course, I've also developed a great big adventure path and a Destiny.
I agree with worldbuilding as an enjoyable pastime, of course.
Desdichado
Hero
Ray Winnenger all the way. I actually really like world-building, but I lack focus, and am easily distracted by other ideas for other settings if I try to put too much detail on to a single one. However, I find that a good idea, with just a little flesh on the bones, can keep me satisfied for a long time if it's getting some use.
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