Worlds Building 101 - Oh What a Wonderful World!
So you want to build a RPG world for future players to live, love, and eventually leave their mark as heroes in. You have come to the right place. Welcome to World Building 101, a series for those who aspire for more than what is offered.
Before we begin, let us talk about imagination. This is your world. You are Brahma, and you are Shiva. Whatever you want this world to be, your imagination is the limit of its appearance, the people and creatures that populate it, and what hand does Fate and the gods play in its shaping.
Let’s address some questions. This world you want to build, is it a cyber-punk post-apocalyptic Hellscape, or is it a high fantasy world based on a medieval European aesthetic? Or is it a series of planets in a space adventure game. What type of world are we looking at? Once you find your genre you can start to get a handle on the people, creatures, and beings that will inhabit your vision.
The world itself, does it have temperate zones, deserts, high mountains, arctic wastes, vast oceans, and deep cavernous places? Here is where you may want to employ a map making program like Azgaar’s Fantasy Map Generator.
From Azgaar’s Fantasy Map Generator you can generate physical maps for any world you dream of. But that isn’t all. Azgaar’s will also create countries, cities, and so much more. Where are you going to find a generator that will create city placement that you can click on and see a coat-of-arms, the population, and even a minimap of the town? Not to mention you can even rename the cities, countries, and other features.
You can set the number and names of cultures, and religions. The map will even show you population density. You can also see the military strengths of each nation with a click of your mouse. The best part about this map maker is that it is free. There is so much to explore, so don’t get overwhelmed. You may only want a physical map, but you have a powerful tool at your disposal anytime you desire more.
Looking for something not as robust as Azgaar’s, then look no further than Donjon’s Fantasy World Generator .
At Donjon’s you can find several world building options. This free generator doesn’t dive deep into all the minutiae that Azgaar’s does, but it is still very useful to someone looking for a way to visualize a new world.
Make sure to check out Donjon’s dungeon and city generators.
There are several map makers out there. Some are free, most require a small fee, and then there are ones that will cost you a monthly subscription. Whatever you decide, be ready for some trial and error.
Here is an beginning outline to follow when building a world:
I. Name of world
II. Genre
A. High Fantasy
B. Modern
C. Cyber-Punk
D. Post-Apocalyptic
E. Space Opera
F. Dark Fantasy
G. Horror (Gothic, Cosmic, etc.)
H. Futuristic
III. Climate of World
A. Temperate
B. Desert
C. Artic
D. Irradiated wasteland
E. Other (Earth-like, etc.)
IV. Inhabitance
A. Fantasy Creatures & Peoples
B. Aliens
C. Mutants
D. Other (combinations)
In closing, sit down with a pencil and paper. Think about what you want your world to look like. Think about how old the world is. Imagine what sort of creatures inhabit your world. Write down your thoughts, but be ready to erase them if you feel that it may conflict with other ideas. Be Brahma the Creator, and even if it doesn’t pan out, remember that you are also Shiva the Destroyer.
Our next installment will cover the history of your world. So check back soon.
