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Message: <blockquote data-quote="Hussar" data-source="post: 3513054" data-attributes="member: 22779">A single word on a map doesn't really do anything.  It does add atmosphere to the setting, but that's about it.  It doesn't detract from the adventure and it is easily removed.  I suppose, in that sense, it is world building since it's superfluous, although, IIRC, you can hand that map to the players as part of the hook for the module.  But, it's been a LONG time since I read that module although I ran the remake recently.It probably is world building, but, forgivable since it isn't getting in the way.  That's the point that everyone seems to ignore.  World Building is bad when it gets in the way.  If you smack down a single line on a map, or name the ale, that's fine.  That's more setting than anything.  It's when you begin to detail out large amounts of information that is superfluous to the text or the adventure that you move from creating setting to world building.Is there something wrong with my definition that there is a spectrum?  On one end you have the most basic of setting creation found in very short short stories and various other forms with almost no setting and all plot.  On the far other end, you have pure world building, with almost no plot (or no plot at all) and all setting information such as a Star Trek Tech Manual.Is it so hard to believe that I don't think this is a purely black and white issue?</blockquote>