The thread about what settings have inspired your world-building impulse had mentions of geology texts, which didn't seem to quite fit with the thread subject. So this thread is here for that. What books are your essential references for world building? Let me prime the pump and give you an idea of what I mean.

The Science Fiction Writing Series, edited by Ben Bova, has a number of titles that are very good references for anyone wanting to build worlds. Books like World Building, Aliens and Alien Societies, Space Travel, and Time Travel, as well as a number of others, condense down a lot of concepts for each subject. This is especially good for those who want solid science behind their worlds, but who may not have the strongest science background.

The Science of Aliens by Clifford Pickover is a great book, which discusses everything from how alien biologies might work to how aliens might think. Much food for thought for scifi gamers, but also is very inspirational if you play a fantasy game and want your nonhumans and monsters to be really different from the humans.

A Handbook for Space Pioneers is a late 70s oddity that details a number of fictional planets that have been colonized by humans. The books details the process of becoming a settler on these colonies, and provides a lot of detail on the planets themselves, from a world with trilaterally symmetrical lifeforms to a planet with a fairly hostile environment but rich with minerals. Scifi in theme, the planets could also be used for fantasy settings.

After Man and The New Dinosaurs, both by Dougal Dixon, a paleontologist. Both explore the implications of evolution in a unique, enjoyable way. The former presents an Earth 50 million years after the (unexplained) extinction of the human species. Dixon shows how evolution can take surprising turns, with predator rats preying on rabbucks, but also how evolution can fill niches with animals wildly different from their predecessors, but which can look hauntingly similar (convergent evolution). This is explored further, and in a different way, in The New Dinosaurs, in which Dixon posits a world in which the dinosaurs survived and evolved over the last 65 million years. Both books present alternative ecologies that could make for very colorful settings with a minimum of effort - most of these critters can easily use the stats for existing animals, whatever game you play.

GDW put out a world building book, based on theories of planets of 30 years ago, detailing types of stars, habitable zones, etc.  that's handy.

Fernand Braudel, and economic historian, put out 3 books about how biome, food type, economy, and culture are interrelated.

Quote from: NicephorusGDW put out a world building book, based on theories of planets of 30 years ago, detailing types of stars, habitable zones, etc.  that's handy.

Interesting. Was it for Traveller specifically? I don't recall it.

Actual game books I feel are worth recommending are:

The Dungeon Master's Survival Kit, World Builder's Guidebook, Dungeon Builder's Guidebook, Campaign Sourcebook and Catacomb Guide, Creative Campaigning, the Complete Book of Villains, and the Castle Guide are all worth looking at, even if you play a game other than AD&D (which these were written for). The first five make the best reading, and I remember being quite taken with CSCG and Creative Campaigning when they first came out.

The Order of Hermes and Covenants are Ars Magica books. Together, they are good inspiration for wizard-dominant settings.

A blank spiral bound note book that will fit in you back pocket for jotting down ideas as you have them.

Quote from: ColonelHardissonInteresting. Was it for Traveller specifically? I don't recall it.

Somebody remove this mans gamer geek card.

Traveller is like only the first and probably most successful sci-fi RPG (okay maybe Star Wars in it's various forms got more success).

Quote from: BagpussSomebody remove this mans gamer geek card.

Traveller is like only the first and probably most successful sci-fi RPG (okay maybe Star Wars in it's various forms got more success).

What are you on about? I know what Traveller is. Hell, I have dozens of the little black books. I was asking about the specific book mentioned in the post I quoted. Notice he didn't even mention Traveller - he only said GDW.

Probably thinking of World Tamers' Handbook.


Cheers,
Roger

I often browse this site http://www.otherworlds.net/otherworlds.net/worldbld.htm
to replenish my world building library. One book that was particularly good was Climate And the Affairs of Men by Nels Winkles and Iben Browning. Lots of good stuff in this book about climate change and societies.

There are loads of books, on scifi/fantasy/other world building to suit your gaming needs, whatever the genre or power level.

Now back to your regular programme

Regards,
David R

Quote from: ColonelHardissonInteresting. Was it for Traveller specifically? I don't recall it.

Yea, from the MegaTraveller era if I recall.  I don't recall the exact name, it's in the back of my closet somewhere.

Quote from: David RI often browse this site http://www.otherworlds.net/otherworlds.net/worldbld.htm
to replenish my world building library. One book that was particularly good was Climate And the Affairs of Men by Nels Winkles and Iben Browning. Lots of good stuff in this book about climate change and societies.

There are loads of books, on scifi/fantasy/other world building to suit your gaming needs, whatever the genre or power level.

Now back to your regular programme

Regards,
David R

Cool link. Some of the books I mentioned above are named there. I was surprised to see Imaginary Worlds: The Art of Fantasy by Lin Carter listed there. I have this book. Carter, no matter what you think of his fiction, was a hell of an scifi and fantasy editor and historian. It's too bad he's been gone for going on 20 years now.

I used ICE's original Campaign Law for many years.  It was both concise and informative, and its general advice (regarding geography, weather, cosmology, politics, etc.) could apply to any FRPG.

Quote from: AkrasiaI used ICE's original Campaign Law for many years. It was both concise and informative, and its general advice (regarding geography, weather, cosmology, politics, etc.) could apply to any FRPG.

I'd forgotten that one.  I need to dig it out.  Rep++

Quote from: BagpussA blank spiral bound note book that will fit in you back pocket for jotting down ideas as you have them.

Exactly. I often use my regular players as a resource, too. The more brains working to create an economic system, the better the world will be, and it gives the PC's an idea of how the system works, without me having to explain it.

I have kept a notebook with me most of my life, to jot down phone numbers and other info, as well as ideas for campaigns or fiction I'm writing. But I also am the first to say I need help with the nuts 'n' bolts of world creation.

Quote from: AkrasiaI used ICE's original Campaign Law for many years.  It was both concise and informative, and its general advice (regarding geography, weather, cosmology, politics, etc.) could apply to any FRPG.

Thanks for the reminder. I'm trying to set up a new campaign, and had that lying under my nose the whole time :ponder: . Hopefully, it will help jog my processes up, and then I can get to the stage of Bagpuss' notebook