I've started writing again, after a long hiatus. Bits and pieces of a full-scale fantasy world are starting to come together now, and I was wondering yesterday if there's room for another? I started this project thinking in terms of a novel as opposed to an RPG setting, so this could apply to either, or both. I'm sure I'll end up unleashing this on my players at some point, once I get the bones and sinews laid down, then the rest will flesh itself out over time.

No elves. No orcs. I'm coming up with (or trying to) fairly new places and people, but it can't help but feel recycled here and there. Has it truly ALL been done already? Are we setting'd out in RPGs? Too much "Wheel of Time" and other bad LotR knockoffs in the realm of the Novel?

I say yes, there is room for another fantasy setting.

Reading the novel "The Nam of the Wind" proved to me that you can take fantasy and still make it fresh and new.

I'd say go for it.

My take is that it is almost impossible to be completely original when doing a fantasy setting without ending up with something so weird that most people wont like it (Thus making your writing unmarketable).

What you can do is be unoriginal in interesting and engaging new ways. Maybe you can't come up with something in fantasy that nobody has seen before, but maybe you can get them to look at certain aspects of fantasy in a new way.

You had me at:

QuoteNo elves. No orcs

.

Regards,
David R

Quote from: David RYou had me at: .

Regards,
David R

Oh, good! So far, all the "races" aside from two are just humans evolved or modified in some fashion, or not at all. The big distinctions are going to be between cultures and such, rather that humans with the serial numbers filed off.

I, too, feel that orcs and elves are about done. This is my attempt to do something about it.

Quote from: WerekoalaThe big distinctions are going to be between cultures and such, rather that humans with the serial numbers filed off.

It will be interesting to see how you pull this off. My own preference for such things is to make the various  human cultures as "alien" as possible instead of basing them on real world cultures. Like I said, it always interesting to see what folks come up with. If you cut out all the fantasy races stuff , humans become pretty hard to "do"

Regards,
David R

Well, they're very DIFFERENT human races, but still genetically human. I have, for example, a subterranean race that are a cross between Morlocks and dwarves, I suppose (again, not intentionally, but that's how they turned out). They're hairless, pale blue skinned creatures with squat, strong bodies - but long ago they were "normal" human. Again, I have two distinctly alien races (i.e. non-human). And the main "bad guys" are humans that take body modification to a serious extreme, and as such have access to dark powers normal folk don't. Even for all that, they're still 'humans" in the genetic sense.

Hope that clarifies things a bit.

Quote from: ConanMKMy take is that it is almost impossible to be completely original when doing a fantasy setting without ending up with something so weird that most people wont like it (Thus making your writing unmarketable).

What you can do is be unoriginal in interesting and engaging new ways. Maybe you can’t come up with something in fantasy that nobody has seen before, but maybe you can get them to look at certain aspects of fantasy in a new way.

No offense, I don't really get this post: where do you draw the line between original and diriviative? If it has people in it- is it by definition, unoriginal? If it draws from a differrent era in history than the traditional settings, is it still unoriginal?



I think there is plenty of room to move in fantasy, and ots of stuff that hasn't been done yet- what kind of stuff? I don't know because it hasn't been done yet.

I think some RPG authors worry too much about being original and not focus enough on creating a good setting. Also don't try to tie everything in the setting to some sort of meta-plot, that is where RPG authors really constrict the GM and player creativity.

Quote from: WerekoalaHope that clarifies things a bit.

Interesting.

Have you read any Paul Park ? His Starbridge Chronicles esp book - The Cult of Loving Kindness may be a source of inspiration :

http://www.amazon.com/Cult-Loving-Kindness-Starbridge-Chronicles/dp/0380718197

Regards,
David R

I think the market pretty clearly gives you an indication that there can never be enough fantasy settings.

Quote from: joewolzI think the market pretty clearly gives you an indication that there can never be enough fantasy settings.

... As long as I didn't write it.

-clash

Quote from: RockViperI think some RPG authors worry too much about being original and not focus enough on creating a good setting. Also don't try to tie everything in the setting to some sort of meta-plot, that is where RPG authors really constrict the GM and player creativity.

Oh, agreed - no "metaplot" (I'm saving that for a novel if this heads that way). I'm just putting the pieces in place, giving some history and motivations, and then we'll see what happens.

Hey man, there's ALWAYS room for a new fantasy setting. Always.

The real question is, "are you planning on selling it, or just using it to run for your group?"  Personally, I make up new settings all the time for my own gaming group. However, I haven't done anything unique or interesting enough to warrant sinking money into producing and publishing it.

Quote from: WerekoalaNo elves. No orcs. I'm coming up with (or trying to) fairly new places and people, but it can't help but feel recycled here and there. Has it truly ALL been done already? Are we setting'd out in RPGs? Too much "Wheel of Time" and other bad LotR knockoffs in the realm of the Novel?

Here's the thing: Fuck races. Let's get past what the humans look like, and perhaps get into the details of what the WORLD (physically, socially, politically) is like.

The "A Song of Ice and Fire" series has a schlock fantasy setting with some seasonal junk in it.  The real uniqueness comes with the deep political struggles, the political and social history, the families, etc.

1) So what does the world physically look like, in a single sentence?

2) What about the physical world is unique or interesting (if anything), in a single sentence?

3) What does the world look like socially, in a single sentence?

4) What about the society(ies) is unique or interesting, in a single sentence?

5) What is the political makeup of the world?

6) Anything unique or interesting there?

Finally, the standard Forge bit:

7) What will the PCs do in your world, that they wouldn't do in Dragonlance, Forgotten Realms, or A Song of Ice and Fire?

-Andy

There's always enough room for another well written setting on my shelf.

Edit: I think I was channeling Andy briefly...