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<blockquote data-quote="Bedrockgames" data-source="post: 7416101" data-attributes="member: 85555">It is different, and its different for the very reason that RPGs are always different around this stuff than movies, books and television. In a movie or book, the director/writer has complete control over what we see and where the characters go. In RPGs, the GM does not have control over what the players characters do. A script writer who hasn't fleshed out a given section of town beyond the one room the hero is in, simply doesn't show us what is beyond that room if he doesn't have material on it. In a game, players at any point can start opening doors, moving in unexpected directions, and blowing up walls. You can do it on the fly as well, if you are able to (and even people who do a lot of world building come up with stuff all the time when they need it). But world building gives you a good foundation to work off of during play. I do think world building can be useful in fiction too. I don't agree with the OP at all in that respect. But I do think it is less crucial in those mediums than in RPGs. And again, if people have an approach they are comfortable with that involves zero world building, more power to them. That is great and fine. But when people say 'world building is bad' or 'too much world building is a problem' (and mean anything beyond a minimal amount), it leaves those of us who use world building as an essential tool, and have seen its utility in practice for years, scratching our heads.</blockquote>

[QUOTE="Bedrockgames, post: 7416101, member: 85555"] It is different, and its different for the very reason that RPGs are always different around this stuff than movies, books and television. In a movie or book, the director/writer has complete control over what we see and where the characters go. In RPGs, the GM does not have control over what the players characters do. A script writer who hasn't fleshed out a given section of town beyond the one room the hero is in, simply doesn't show us what is beyond that room if he doesn't have material on it. In a game, players at any point can start opening doors, moving in unexpected directions, and blowing up walls. You can do it on the fly as well, if you are able to (and even people who do a lot of world building come up with stuff all the time when they need it). But world building gives you a good foundation to work off of during play. I do think world building can be useful in fiction too. I don't agree with the OP at all in that respect. But I do think it is less crucial in those mediums than in RPGs. And again, if people have an approach they are comfortable with that involves zero world building, more power to them. That is great and fine. But when people say 'world building is bad' or 'too much world building is a problem' (and mean anything beyond a minimal amount), it leaves those of us who use world building as an essential tool, and have seen its utility in practice for years, scratching our heads. [/QUOTE]

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