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What is Depth in Worldbuilding terms? How to achieve it?
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<blockquote data-quote="Raven Crowking" data-source="post: 3560529" data-attributes="member: 18280"><p>A lot of good stuff here already. <img src="https://cdn.jsdelivr.net/joypixels/assets/8.0/png/unicode/64/1f642.png" class="smilie smilie--emoji" loading="lazy" width="64" height="64" alt=":)" title="Smile :)" data-smilie="1"data-shortname=":)" /> </p><p></p><p>Depth can be added in the following ways, IMHO. This list is inclusive, mind, not exclusive. There are more ways than I am listing:</p><p></p><p>(1) Mysteries that the player characters can potentially solve with the investment of time and effort. It is important that the players actually hear about these mysteries before the adventure they can be resolved in. Depth is based, in part, on the way ideas resonate over time. You do a disservice to your campaign if you do not allow some ideas a fallow period between when they are first mentioned, and when they become important.</p><p></p><p>(2) Precise description. It's better to say the type of stone than just the word "stone" and takes only a little more effort. A "stone wall" supplies less information than an "obsidian wall". A stand of pines is preferable to a stand of trees.</p><p></p><p>(3) Pick details that count, but don't make every detail significant. It's important to mention the monkey-lizards in the cave complex if they provide potential food (including for monsters), if they provide a bit of unkown (the PCs don't know if they should fight or not), if they can be animal companions, or if they help to make the adventure setting unique. It isn't helpful to detail every rock on the cavern floor. Mention that a stalagmite resembles a hunched over dwarf without worrying that it isn't important; not knowing what is significant can be a major ingredient of sense of wonder.</p><p></p><p>(4) Choose details that make sense. Keep a list of names that fits your cultural area, and a list of small details (dungeon dressing, etc.) at hand at all times. Whenever the PCs decide to question a peasant or an orc, you can easily tell them his name. Suddenly, it's not easy for the PCs to pick out the hidden Important NPC because he has a name.</p><p></p><p>(5) Include encounters with animals. Include encounters with animals that have no combat in them (even if in passing). Mention the squirrels in the trees, or the deer seen in a sun-dappled clearing. Not only will it give the Druid something to do, but when you decide to throw in a wolf-in-sheep's-clothing or an NPC's familiar spy, it won't be obvious.</p><p></p><p>(6) Give your players compelling reasons to like the common people in your world. Let them give the PCs free room and board, or offer to mend things for free. Let them be honest. Then, when the NPCs ask the PCs for help, the players might actually care instead of saying "OK, guys, I guess this is tonight's hook...."</p><p></p><p>(7) Don't be afraid to allow time to pass in the campaign world. PCs don't have to rocket from 1st to 20th over the course of a year.</p><p></p><p>(8) Anything the players express interest in is significant. If they want to talk to the local cleric about religion, let them, even if you have to make it up on the fly. If they want to skirt the Dread Forest, let them, even if it means you wasted a dozen encounters.....you can always use them later. If they want to circumnavigate Dino Island on a raft before exploring the interior, let them. Any time that the players express interest, they are investing themselves in your campaign world.</p><p></p><p>(9) Never tell the players when you are winging it....but be damn sure to <em><strong>take notes</strong></em>. Consistency is easier to maintain when you can look at your notes about what was south of the Dread Forest, instead of having to try to remember.</p><p></p><p>(10) Never run a game that you aren't interested in. If your interest is shallow, you can bet that your game will be shallow, too.</p><p></p><p></p><p>Good Gaming,</p><p></p><p>RC</p></blockquote><p></p>
[QUOTE="Raven Crowking, post: 3560529, member: 18280"] A lot of good stuff here already. :) Depth can be added in the following ways, IMHO. This list is inclusive, mind, not exclusive. There are more ways than I am listing: (1) Mysteries that the player characters can potentially solve with the investment of time and effort. It is important that the players actually hear about these mysteries before the adventure they can be resolved in. Depth is based, in part, on the way ideas resonate over time. You do a disservice to your campaign if you do not allow some ideas a fallow period between when they are first mentioned, and when they become important. (2) Precise description. It's better to say the type of stone than just the word "stone" and takes only a little more effort. A "stone wall" supplies less information than an "obsidian wall". A stand of pines is preferable to a stand of trees. (3) Pick details that count, but don't make every detail significant. It's important to mention the monkey-lizards in the cave complex if they provide potential food (including for monsters), if they provide a bit of unkown (the PCs don't know if they should fight or not), if they can be animal companions, or if they help to make the adventure setting unique. It isn't helpful to detail every rock on the cavern floor. Mention that a stalagmite resembles a hunched over dwarf without worrying that it isn't important; not knowing what is significant can be a major ingredient of sense of wonder. (4) Choose details that make sense. Keep a list of names that fits your cultural area, and a list of small details (dungeon dressing, etc.) at hand at all times. Whenever the PCs decide to question a peasant or an orc, you can easily tell them his name. Suddenly, it's not easy for the PCs to pick out the hidden Important NPC because he has a name. (5) Include encounters with animals. Include encounters with animals that have no combat in them (even if in passing). Mention the squirrels in the trees, or the deer seen in a sun-dappled clearing. Not only will it give the Druid something to do, but when you decide to throw in a wolf-in-sheep's-clothing or an NPC's familiar spy, it won't be obvious. (6) Give your players compelling reasons to like the common people in your world. Let them give the PCs free room and board, or offer to mend things for free. Let them be honest. Then, when the NPCs ask the PCs for help, the players might actually care instead of saying "OK, guys, I guess this is tonight's hook...." (7) Don't be afraid to allow time to pass in the campaign world. PCs don't have to rocket from 1st to 20th over the course of a year. (8) Anything the players express interest in is significant. If they want to talk to the local cleric about religion, let them, even if you have to make it up on the fly. If they want to skirt the Dread Forest, let them, even if it means you wasted a dozen encounters.....you can always use them later. If they want to circumnavigate Dino Island on a raft before exploring the interior, let them. Any time that the players express interest, they are investing themselves in your campaign world. (9) Never tell the players when you are winging it....but be damn sure to [i][b]take notes[/b][/i][b][/b]. Consistency is easier to maintain when you can look at your notes about what was south of the Dread Forest, instead of having to try to remember. (10) Never run a game that you aren't interested in. If your interest is shallow, you can bet that your game will be shallow, too. Good Gaming, RC [/QUOTE]
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