arbados
Explorer
OK, the title of this thread is not meant to start a flame war or argument over who has created the most detailed game world, but tonight as I started to prepare a major battle against a major npc in my world (a godly epic gargantuan dragon) I actually started to recognize how many books and detail I have written for my game world over the years! Yes, I mean binders full of information. Currently in my personal library for my game world I have six 3" binders, two 2" binders, and seven 1" binders all with information I have personally written detailing my game world of Krinthius! My friends joke with me that I am a bit obsessive and over the top with my detail, but I find it to be a most interesting pastime. I love sitting down at my computer late at night and simply writing detail after detail.
One of my 3" binders simply contains all the boats that the world has. It has laminated color pics of every boat that the players could get aboard. They go from huge galleons to small row boats all to scale for miniatures. Each boat has a detailed description outlining everything from its hardness, speed, persons needed to reach maximum speed, attacks, any magic, crew required, etc. Every boat detailed to the maximum. This has come in handy on the few occasions that my groups have needed a boat. However, the huge binder with maybe 150 pages is used maybe only 5 times a year! However, it is awesome that when the group does go for a sea voyage I have so much detail to throw out to them!
Another 3" binder I have is my Underdark world! Not only does it outline a general description, but I have written at least 2-5 pages for each major and minor underdark city in our world. My underdark is completely mapped out and corresponds to my surface world (if you use some magic to transport you below I would know exactly where you wind up beneath). I will say that I utilized a tremendous amount of information from WotC Underdark book, but at least 75% is my own ideas and writing! Getting a starting point is all that is needed!
I have a binder which has a picture of every npc that the group has ever met. When the group should meet them we look through the index for their page number in the binder and then pull out the color picture for all to view! This adds a great benefit to my game as people love to see pics and bringing the played out personality to picture is an added bonus! The book contains at least 500 pics and npc names written beneath.
I have a book which details each and every deity in my world. Yes, I know this seems like nothing big, but my book contains, a pic of the deity, their areas of influence, appearance, expectorations, what a routine prayer to them is expected to be, what an offering to them should entail, holy day expectations, what a good omen and bad is, their dogma, home plane, favored weapon, symbol, detail of their church and temples, what their primary worshipers consist of, what routine services are like, what their holy book states, as well as myths and legends. This book has come in quite handy!
A have a huge binder with simple npc stats that the group has encountered. They may have met them years ago, but I still have the stats. yes I understand that if met again their level would have increased and that is done, but it is great to have reference as to when they first met to see what their level was back then to make a reasonable adjustment to their stats. When the change is made due to another encounter this updated sheet replace=s the other.
My maps ARE HUGE! They are not included in the books. I am not talking about simple 8x12 maps. I am speaking about huge game cities mapped out in Dunjinni (which I am an expert at) on 48x60 glossy, full color maps. This is for each of my major cities which are about 10. My group chips in $20 each to get them printed so as we move on we get more and more done. In fairness I have about 7 done and need another 3 to be printed. The group loves them as well as I. Each building is clearly seen as well as every other detail of the city! No, I am not modest with my map making skill. They are the best and I have seen many, many posted. There is a guy named Bogie that is absolutely a fantastic map maker!!!
I also have a very detailed distance traveled calculator for when the group goes across country. It is a simple system to determine the # of days it takes them to go from point A to point B taking into consideration encumbrance, terrain traveled, weather, skills, etc. Works wonderfully!
I have a 3" binder outlining stats as well as motivations, goals and territory occupied for all major dragons in my game world. All colors represented along with families consisting of young and the relationships that the parents have or had! For my two most major cities I have at least 100 shops outlined in full detail including pictures of the owners, their motivations, their personality, and many other details including prices of goods. This brings me to my other chart that outlines the price of goods across all cities and towns across my world of Krinthius. Some give better bargains on certain goods than others depending on location. Not only do I have detailed shop descriptions, but I also have detailed "districts" within the larger cities. This outlines what that area of the city is typically like including major deities, city patrol frequency and many other things.
For my world map I have a book which outlines every area on the map. Each area includes a name, a description of its terrain, any major landmarks (detailed), the major inhabitants (detailed), threats, major cities and towns (all detailed as well) and finally something which I call their Undead Rating. That has to do with my game world history which dealt with a demi-lich attempting to push forward a dominance over the world by sending undead controlled by various greater undead leaders to take control of the major cities. each area has a rating between 1-5 which indicates the strength and number of undead within the area.
I have a world calendar indicating all major world events including the dates of holy worship for each deity! It is printed and hanging on my wall like a regular calendar! I have about 20 different CD's which have music for all my different races and ones which would be played at the typical pubs they would go to. They are each about 2 hours long so the music is usually started on various tracks so that it is not repetitive when visiting the same pub more than once.
I have at least 7000 different minis totaling at least 20,000 in all! Yeah, this is an obsessive thing I have to personally deal with and I am sure when I am done writing this I will search out some more minis! I have just about every, and I mean every module produced from TSR/WotC. Yes, I love Pathfinder, but have found that I have enough which can easily be converted and also love to write, as you can see, my own stuff. have played off my own adventures/modules for the last 2 years!
I have also made up my own individual character sheets in a Corel document as well as have all spells that everyone has printed out for them in a binder with a laminated spell used sheet. Each player also has a sheet outlining all their special abilities including feats. I have created laminated initiative cards for every player which includes their character name, normal hp's and all ability modifiers that when changes can be written and placed down on the table for all to see.
I guess I should stop here, but with one last bang. I have bought each and every David Graffam 3D paper models. Many have been prepared and ready to go and when needed I make others to play and use. I love these as, although they only represent the building itself, I can map out the insides with hexes when the group would enter, but it is cool to put all these simple 3D building on the map.
Wait, while I sit here and write I see more and more stuff! I have 3 large boxes of gems and jewels that I have individualized into a spreadsheet indicating price, potential magical offering if alchemy is used, name, color description and its origin. I have a personalized DM screen which outlines what I feel is most important to know (this changes and is updated as time goes on).
I have a game which includes a playing card which I have personally made from the idea of a video game. The game is called Triad and I have literally made 2000 laminated cards which include creature pictures and stat numbers to play a game called Triad. Anybody familiar with Final Fantasy Video game may know the game. I have it in my game world with creature pics and cards for thousands! These are used in an odd sort of way in my world, but all players understand their fun and importance!
I guess I should end with my once a year Convention for players. Once a year we get together and play at least 8 hours+ straight. During this time I create many major videos for the group. At these conventions group members compete against various other reputable individuals of the world. I have the players role out numbers way in advance and then creature a slide show to show the results. I have them sit around watching my 60: TV in the dark watching the competition play out on the screen all through a Pro Show Gold Program. (not a great program as it is complex, but it shows a video just like at the movies (3D and all). My players see themselves fighting their opponent and the victor is seen on the screen. matches advance like sports brackets until he victor is identified. We play multiple gambling games including an old favorite called Spottle Dice. They get to go through various games of my creation many of which use real life games such as family feud, candy-land, checkers, etc. to play out. However, they are all played out with rules I created, as well as game boards which are relevant to my fantasy world.
I have a drinking contest where p[layers drink different types of drink from the various races. I purchase all sorts of wine, ale, beer, liquor and then put them in about 50 shot glasses and then there is the roulette wheel which they spin to see what they drink and then identify the race of the drink to win. I have purchased a reel life roulette wheel to play multiple games on, but keep in mind the spots on the wheel have all been changed to represent my needs!
I have plastic trees, rocks, etc. as well. In truth I just keep going on with my creations and love doing it. I would gather to guess my players have seen or dealt with less than 20% of all I have done and in the end NONE will ever see everything. However, I just keep plugging along enjoying the fun of writing and expanding the possible.
If anyone also has anything or any idea they have done for their game world I would love to hear it as I may steal the idea and go with it! You can take any of mine and I would be happy to share.
One of my 3" binders simply contains all the boats that the world has. It has laminated color pics of every boat that the players could get aboard. They go from huge galleons to small row boats all to scale for miniatures. Each boat has a detailed description outlining everything from its hardness, speed, persons needed to reach maximum speed, attacks, any magic, crew required, etc. Every boat detailed to the maximum. This has come in handy on the few occasions that my groups have needed a boat. However, the huge binder with maybe 150 pages is used maybe only 5 times a year! However, it is awesome that when the group does go for a sea voyage I have so much detail to throw out to them!
Another 3" binder I have is my Underdark world! Not only does it outline a general description, but I have written at least 2-5 pages for each major and minor underdark city in our world. My underdark is completely mapped out and corresponds to my surface world (if you use some magic to transport you below I would know exactly where you wind up beneath). I will say that I utilized a tremendous amount of information from WotC Underdark book, but at least 75% is my own ideas and writing! Getting a starting point is all that is needed!
I have a binder which has a picture of every npc that the group has ever met. When the group should meet them we look through the index for their page number in the binder and then pull out the color picture for all to view! This adds a great benefit to my game as people love to see pics and bringing the played out personality to picture is an added bonus! The book contains at least 500 pics and npc names written beneath.
I have a book which details each and every deity in my world. Yes, I know this seems like nothing big, but my book contains, a pic of the deity, their areas of influence, appearance, expectorations, what a routine prayer to them is expected to be, what an offering to them should entail, holy day expectations, what a good omen and bad is, their dogma, home plane, favored weapon, symbol, detail of their church and temples, what their primary worshipers consist of, what routine services are like, what their holy book states, as well as myths and legends. This book has come in quite handy!
A have a huge binder with simple npc stats that the group has encountered. They may have met them years ago, but I still have the stats. yes I understand that if met again their level would have increased and that is done, but it is great to have reference as to when they first met to see what their level was back then to make a reasonable adjustment to their stats. When the change is made due to another encounter this updated sheet replace=s the other.
My maps ARE HUGE! They are not included in the books. I am not talking about simple 8x12 maps. I am speaking about huge game cities mapped out in Dunjinni (which I am an expert at) on 48x60 glossy, full color maps. This is for each of my major cities which are about 10. My group chips in $20 each to get them printed so as we move on we get more and more done. In fairness I have about 7 done and need another 3 to be printed. The group loves them as well as I. Each building is clearly seen as well as every other detail of the city! No, I am not modest with my map making skill. They are the best and I have seen many, many posted. There is a guy named Bogie that is absolutely a fantastic map maker!!!
I also have a very detailed distance traveled calculator for when the group goes across country. It is a simple system to determine the # of days it takes them to go from point A to point B taking into consideration encumbrance, terrain traveled, weather, skills, etc. Works wonderfully!
I have a 3" binder outlining stats as well as motivations, goals and territory occupied for all major dragons in my game world. All colors represented along with families consisting of young and the relationships that the parents have or had! For my two most major cities I have at least 100 shops outlined in full detail including pictures of the owners, their motivations, their personality, and many other details including prices of goods. This brings me to my other chart that outlines the price of goods across all cities and towns across my world of Krinthius. Some give better bargains on certain goods than others depending on location. Not only do I have detailed shop descriptions, but I also have detailed "districts" within the larger cities. This outlines what that area of the city is typically like including major deities, city patrol frequency and many other things.
For my world map I have a book which outlines every area on the map. Each area includes a name, a description of its terrain, any major landmarks (detailed), the major inhabitants (detailed), threats, major cities and towns (all detailed as well) and finally something which I call their Undead Rating. That has to do with my game world history which dealt with a demi-lich attempting to push forward a dominance over the world by sending undead controlled by various greater undead leaders to take control of the major cities. each area has a rating between 1-5 which indicates the strength and number of undead within the area.
I have a world calendar indicating all major world events including the dates of holy worship for each deity! It is printed and hanging on my wall like a regular calendar! I have about 20 different CD's which have music for all my different races and ones which would be played at the typical pubs they would go to. They are each about 2 hours long so the music is usually started on various tracks so that it is not repetitive when visiting the same pub more than once.
I have at least 7000 different minis totaling at least 20,000 in all! Yeah, this is an obsessive thing I have to personally deal with and I am sure when I am done writing this I will search out some more minis! I have just about every, and I mean every module produced from TSR/WotC. Yes, I love Pathfinder, but have found that I have enough which can easily be converted and also love to write, as you can see, my own stuff. have played off my own adventures/modules for the last 2 years!
I have also made up my own individual character sheets in a Corel document as well as have all spells that everyone has printed out for them in a binder with a laminated spell used sheet. Each player also has a sheet outlining all their special abilities including feats. I have created laminated initiative cards for every player which includes their character name, normal hp's and all ability modifiers that when changes can be written and placed down on the table for all to see.
I guess I should stop here, but with one last bang. I have bought each and every David Graffam 3D paper models. Many have been prepared and ready to go and when needed I make others to play and use. I love these as, although they only represent the building itself, I can map out the insides with hexes when the group would enter, but it is cool to put all these simple 3D building on the map.
Wait, while I sit here and write I see more and more stuff! I have 3 large boxes of gems and jewels that I have individualized into a spreadsheet indicating price, potential magical offering if alchemy is used, name, color description and its origin. I have a personalized DM screen which outlines what I feel is most important to know (this changes and is updated as time goes on).
I have a game which includes a playing card which I have personally made from the idea of a video game. The game is called Triad and I have literally made 2000 laminated cards which include creature pictures and stat numbers to play a game called Triad. Anybody familiar with Final Fantasy Video game may know the game. I have it in my game world with creature pics and cards for thousands! These are used in an odd sort of way in my world, but all players understand their fun and importance!
I guess I should end with my once a year Convention for players. Once a year we get together and play at least 8 hours+ straight. During this time I create many major videos for the group. At these conventions group members compete against various other reputable individuals of the world. I have the players role out numbers way in advance and then creature a slide show to show the results. I have them sit around watching my 60: TV in the dark watching the competition play out on the screen all through a Pro Show Gold Program. (not a great program as it is complex, but it shows a video just like at the movies (3D and all). My players see themselves fighting their opponent and the victor is seen on the screen. matches advance like sports brackets until he victor is identified. We play multiple gambling games including an old favorite called Spottle Dice. They get to go through various games of my creation many of which use real life games such as family feud, candy-land, checkers, etc. to play out. However, they are all played out with rules I created, as well as game boards which are relevant to my fantasy world.
I have a drinking contest where p[layers drink different types of drink from the various races. I purchase all sorts of wine, ale, beer, liquor and then put them in about 50 shot glasses and then there is the roulette wheel which they spin to see what they drink and then identify the race of the drink to win. I have purchased a reel life roulette wheel to play multiple games on, but keep in mind the spots on the wheel have all been changed to represent my needs!
I have plastic trees, rocks, etc. as well. In truth I just keep going on with my creations and love doing it. I would gather to guess my players have seen or dealt with less than 20% of all I have done and in the end NONE will ever see everything. However, I just keep plugging along enjoying the fun of writing and expanding the possible.
If anyone also has anything or any idea they have done for their game world I would love to hear it as I may steal the idea and go with it! You can take any of mine and I would be happy to share.
