How much has world-creation been important to you?

[Aeolius]

I've been an inveterate world-builder since AD&D 2e.

Having just visited deepseanews.com, I read this at first as "invertebrate".

For me, the best support came from outside the game rules (fiction, film, real history, heck, even some poetry).

Absolutely. Discovery/BBC's "Blue Planet" series, coupled with books like [ame="http://www.amazon.com/Ocean-American-Museum-Natural-History/dp/0756636922/ref=pd_sim_b_4"]OCEAN[/ame] , and websites like deepseanews, underwatertimes, and Monterey Bay Aquarium's excellent webcams have been more valuable than gaming supplements, for my game.

 

[Greg K]

I've been an inveterate world-builder since AD&D 2e.

Here's a question to the OP: what would you consider "good support" for world-building? For me, the best support came from outside the game rules (fiction, film, real history, heck, even some poetry).

Not the OP, but, here is my take.

I find Anthropology books, History Channel, Discovery Channel, novels, movies, etc, helpful for ideas and inspiration. However, I find products that help me to, mechanically, implement those ideas and inspiration to generate new ideas, or distill the information into gaming related terms to be just as helpful or moreso. What I find useful support:

1. Rolemaster Campaign Law/GM Law
2. 2e World builder's Guide
3. TSR's 2e Green Books (e.g., Celts, Vikings, A Mighty Fortress), Expeditious Retreat's Magical Medieval Society: Western Europe (Expeditious Retreat), and GURPS Historical books (e.g, Aztecs, Celtic Myth, Japan, Vikings)
4. Green Ronin's Cavalier's Handbook, Psychic's Handbook, Shaman's Handbook, and Witch's Handbook
5. Cities 3e by Chaosium
6. Experts 3.5
7. From Stone to Steel
8. Betabunny's Bestiary: Predators, Green Ronin's Advanced Bestiary, Silverthornes' Book of Templates, Avalanche Press's Noble Steeds, and the following from Bard's and Sages: Sharks!, Snakes!, and Spiders!
9. Alchemy and Herbalists (Bastion Press/Dragonwing), Ink and Quill (Bastion Press/Dragonwing), Libem Liborium (Silven Publishing)
10.Products that help me alter or replace existing races, classes, the magic system
b. 2e PO: Spells and Magic
c. 3e Unearthed Arcana- especially, the class variants, variant class abilities, weapon groups, and alternate magic systems
d. Artificer's Handbook (ok this is magic item creation, but it redefines magic item creation)

 

[Jack7]

As a DM, the most important aspect of the game to me

 

[the Jester]

D&D is my favorite art form, and world creation is my favorite part of the art.

 

[Li Shenron]

I prefer homebrew just because it's a lot more fun but it's also damn hard...

The only real problems I have with using a published setting (a part from the obvious that only some of them are appealing to me since the start) is the risk that some players will know significant more than I do about it.

 

[TheAuldGrump]

My favourite part of DnD - I ticked Extremely - though I still love published settings and steal from them shamelessly.

Probably THE most inspiring book I have is the World Builder's Guide (from 2e times).

It inspired me to go and create my own versions where I have documents for creating Realms of any size. I love randomness and I have crammed in everything I can from as many sourcebooks as possible. What better way to make use of them than when something on one of my random creation charts directs me to them.

Anyway, a lot of advice on this would be great in 5E.

The World Builder's Guidebook was an awesome book - the map sheets still see use in Pathfinder.

The Auld Grump

 

[Connorsrpg]

[MENTION=6957]TheAuldGrump[/MENTION]

You might be interested in the Realm Creation charts I have continued to develop inspired by that book. I basically keep adding to them. (See link in sig - go to DM Tools).

I know people have put these in online generators, but I love seeing all the options (and references) right there before me. Hence, these are simple Word docs.

 

[Number48]

I've been an inveterate world-builder since AD&D 2e.

Here's a question to the OP: what would you consider "good support" for world-building? For me, the best support came from outside the game rules (fiction, film, real history, heck, even some poetry).

What you mention I would call concept. I got concept. What I want from the books is method.

 

[Stormonu]

Though I use the TSR/WOTC worlds for some of my games, I would not play if there wasn't the ability to make my own. I've acually made several worlds of my own, and have been slowly working on further fleshing them out between games.

I'd probably be using my own even more if premade APs weren't so convient to my current situation.

 

[Wormwood]

I'm currently running a homebrew world (post-arthurian fantasy Britain), but even then I would appreciate an implied setting in the core rules---if only for bits to cut/paste into my campaign.

A few pages devoted to generating villages/cities would be helpful, of course, but I don;t need much help beyond that.