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Author Topic: The complexity of worlds in multi-world settings.  (Read 1464 times)

Bren

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The complexity of worlds in multi-world settings.
« Reply #15 on: March 16, 2016, 07:45:03 PM »
Quote from: Spinachcat;885125
I overprepare (because I enjoy the world building process), but then cannibalize unused ideas for other games / sessions.

I don't think much is wasted, just shelved for later. Sometimes years later.
Or lifetimes. I need more lifetimes.
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RPGPundit

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The complexity of worlds in multi-world settings.
« Reply #16 on: March 22, 2016, 05:18:31 AM »
In my Amber games, players would routinely end up with 'favorite realities', which they would want very detailed.  Some of these were worlds they created/'bought' themselves, and thus could detail for themselves.  On at least a couple of occasions, I had players make 30-50 page notes about said worlds.
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JesterRaiin

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The complexity of worlds in multi-world settings.
« Reply #17 on: March 22, 2016, 06:01:46 AM »
Quote from: RPGPundit;886561
In my Amber games, players would routinely end up with 'favorite realities', which they would want very detailed.  Some of these were worlds they created/'bought' themselves, and thus could detail for themselves.  On at least a couple of occasions, I had players make 30-50 page notes about said worlds.


A question! How much of what said players invented came into actual play? I'm ok with little/most distinction, or something along the lines.
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AsenRG

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The complexity of worlds in multi-world settings.
« Reply #18 on: March 23, 2016, 02:55:19 PM »
Quote from: JesterRaiin;884170
There's this event in one of Roger Zelazny's book, where the protagonist travels to entirely different reality, gathers some precious gemstones, then comes back to the reality he came from and pays with said gemstones for some rare artifact. Details aren't important here, but it got me thinking...

I'm not sure whether "multi-universe" is the proper way to describe settings I have in mind, but let's assume that all settings where PCs might travel to another reality/dimension/cosmos/universe qualify.

For example: Amber, Lords of Gossamer and Shadow, The Strange, Call of Cthulhu and arguably D&D/Pathfinder qualify, but Firefly, Myriad Song, Star Wars (unless someone retconned alternative universes into the franchise), Space 1889 or Blue Planet don't, because everything what happens there happens in same "cosmos", same "universe".

The question is: do you know groups that invested much effort into making another "universe" more complex than, let's say, a continent?

Come to think about it, each time PCs switch the reality, they are in entirely different cosmos, with plenty of planets, galaxies (there are exceptions, some tiny domain-world or something, but they aren't the most important here), probably myriads of races and cultures with their own histories and goals.

I mean, sure, I happened to meet players and GMs alike who breathed enough life into a single castle/stronghold or a city, so that it became a separate setting on its own, or have seen to it, that every planet in their stellar system(s) were noticeably different from each other. However, I've just realized that I've never seen a group that seriously expanded alternative realities?

Usually, unless it was a campaign centered around "adventures in the other place" (some Planescape adventures, or Heart of the Winter campaign for PFRPG are good examples of what I'm talking about) everyone treated these other "worlds" as a place to visit sporadically, made some business there, did some quick side-quest, hide before the law (or other hunters), but no more than that.

Just a quick trip to Bahamas and back, that's all.

What's your experience?

I prefer "multiverse", and I happen to be running a game like that now:).

And it's really simple to get as much depth as you wish;). I've just slotted all the settings that I've ever liked after having played, run, or read them:D!
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The complexity of worlds in multi-world settings.
« Reply #19 on: March 25, 2016, 07:13:50 AM »
Quote from: JesterRaiin;886565
A question! How much of what said players invented came into actual play? I'm ok with little/most distinction, or something along the lines.


Well, it varies. In most cases more than what you'd expect, because the players made it their character's home base and got really involved in events there. And of course, NPCs who wanted to manipulate or threaten the PC in some way would also end up getting involved.  This worked just like it really ought to work in an Amber game, in other words.

But of course, the dudes who wrote 30-50 page 'sourcebooks' for their own worlds didn't see MOST of that in actual play. I think they really didn't do it for that reason, anyways.
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Arrows of Indra: The Old-School Epic Indian RPG!
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DavetheLost

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The complexity of worlds in multi-world settings.
« Reply #20 on: March 27, 2016, 09:23:14 AM »
I played a lot of plane hopping Stormbringer adventures. Most of the other planes were detailed very loosely. Sort of the Fodor's Guidebook approach. I would jot down the basics of what made that plane different and unique, then more details about the specific place the players were going to visit.

I didn't see a need for world mapping, naming cities and continents or coming up with complete histories for a place that was just going to be a stop over or a one shot adventure.

Sometimes I would do full on world building, just because that can be fun in its own right.