http://www.imaginaryworlds.net Have you ever wanted to build your own world or universe from the ground up, and then tell stories in that imagined world? Writers, webcomic and comic artists, film makers, game designers and role players alike build worlds of fantasy, science fiction, horror and comedy, that become the reality that their characters inhabit. This is an English teachers perspective about world building fantasy settings and game design, from a literary point of view. Tue, 18 Dec 2007 23:03:55 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.1 en © 2003-2006 business@imaginaryworlds.net () business@imaginaryworlds.net 1440 dungeons,games,dragons,rpg,roleplaying,storytelling,writing,world,building,mythology,myth,magic,fantasy,science,fiction,geek Have you ever wanted to build your own world or universe from the ground up, and then tell stories in that imagined world? Writers, webcomic and comic artists, film makers, game designers and role players alike build worlds of fantasy, science fiction, ho Have you ever wanted to build your own world or universe from the ground up, and then tell stories in that imagined world? Writers, webcomic and comic artists, film makers, game designers and role players alike build worlds of fantasy, science fiction, horror and comedy, that become the reality that their characters inhabit. This is an English teachers perspective about world building fantasy settings and game design, from a literary point of view. Presented by Imaginary Worlds No no http://www.imaginaryworlds.nethttp://www.imaginaryworlds.net/wp-content/uploads/2006/07/sadlogo.jpg © 2003-2006dungeons,games,dragons,rpg,roleplaying,storytelling,writing,world,building,mythology,myth,magic,fantasy,science,fiction,geekGames & Hobbies/Other Gamessad@imaginaryworlds.netSandDWorldbuilding101http://feedburner.google.comSubscribe with My Yahoo!Subscribe with NewsGatorSubscribe with NetvibesSubscribe with GoogleSubscribe with PageflakesSubscribe with ODEOSubscribe with PodnovaHave you ever wanted to build your own world or universe from the ground up, and then tell stories in that imagined world? Writers, webcomic and comic artists, film makers, game designers and role players alike build worlds of fantasy, science fiction, horror and comedy, that become the reality that their characters inhabit. This is an English teacher?s perspective about world building fantasy settings and game design, from a literary point of view. http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/SandDWorldbuilding101/~3/pfSqApHmdts/ http://www.imaginaryworlds.net/2007/12/18/worldbuilding-ep-015-the-party/#comments Tue, 18 Dec 2007 23:02:22 +0000 sad@imaginaryworlds.net http://www.imaginaryworlds.net/2007/12/18/worldbuilding-ep-015-the-party/ ]]> http://www.imaginaryworlds.net/2007/12/18/worldbuilding-ep-015-the-party/feed/ 00:01:01 Worldbuilding Ep. 015: The Party Part of the Imaginary Worlds Fantasy Network Shakespeare,and,Dragons,Podcast:,Worldbuilding,101 business@imaginaryworlds.net no No http://www.imaginaryworlds.net/2007/12/18/worldbuilding-ep-015-the-party/http://media.libsyn.com/media/imworlds/sad-episode015.mp3 http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/SandDWorldbuilding101/~3/Hp_YNOJ6p_4/ http://www.imaginaryworlds.net/2007/11/14/worldbuilding-ep-014-setting-part-three-using-image-systems/#comments Wed, 14 Nov 2007 18:52:47 +0000 sad@imaginaryworlds.net visual image weather descriptive rela deliberate weapons campaign http://www.imaginaryworlds.net/2007/11/14/worldbuilding-ep-014-setting-part-three-using-image-systems/ ]]> http://www.imaginaryworlds.net/2007/11/14/worldbuilding-ep-014-setting-part-three-using-image-systems/feed/ 55:00 Worldbuilding Episode 014 Show Notes News The CORE review will appear in episode 15. In the meantime, check out CORE over at Dragons Landing, and post your ... Worldbuilding Episode 014 Show Notes News The CORE review will appear in episode 15. In the meantime, check out CORE over at Dragons Landing, and post your own reviews of the system. Is this a system that I should use in Season 2 in the development of our model world? Why or why not? In your opinion, what are the strengths of CORE as it applies to worldbuilding? Any weaknesses? Be sure to go to the forum and post your thoughts, opinions, and suggestions about the kind of world youd like to see developed in Season 2. Include your choice of genre, tone and mood, themes, characters, conflicts, inspiration (films, books, music, television) and anything else that comes to mind. Lastly, episode 15 will air next week. Version 2 of the site will be launched around this time, as well, and will include several of the changes you asked for in the forums and in emails. Worldbuilding Feature An image system is any kind of visual metaphor you use in the construction of your world, campaign, or adventure. The key word is visual. You can, when you build, pay deliberate attention to the setting, weapons, weather, and descriptive imagery that you create, and how they relate to your thematic ideas. Quick review Your plot is what happens in your story. Character A finds out about Artifact B, and then goes off on a quest to retrieve said artifact, while Antagonist C pursues our hero. Your theme is about why it happens. In our previous example, our thematic idea might be about belief. Let's say our artifacts in our world are divine in nature, and our hero, in order to succeed, must learn that the artifacts are truly divine, and not just some forgotten junk. Those who do not respect divinity will perish. The artifact is found, yet the hero must overcome his own sense of shallow disbelief in a higher power. Belief is the key thematic idea behind the Indiana Jones movies, and these films reinforce this key idea by setting the story in locations that represent divine belief, such as tombs, religious sanctuaries, churches, temples and holy sites, and pitting the hero against foes who represent callous and mercenary or overzealous attitudes towards the divine (Nazis, evil priests, fanatic cults, sacred orders). Indiana Jones is constantly searching in the forgotten realities of a divine past, covered in dust, always having one foot in the grave. The entire trilogy is layered with visual reminders that this is a story about belief. So, image systems are visual metaphors that reinforce and communicate and harmonize with the thematic ideas in your story. An image system will include your choice of settings and locations, costumes, weaponry, and any other forms of imagery, as well as the character types and details. Now, if you are designing a game world, and you determine what your thematic ideas are, or this realization occurs to you midway through your process, this realization will help you in limitless ways to construct your adventures and create characters and interesting situations, all of them being cohesively tied to together by your themes. Here are some random examples to show you how writers, filmmakers and worldbuilders use image systems in their work: Shakespeare is the master of symbolism and visual metaphor. Macbeth is one big image system. For example, the use of blood becomes a recurring pattern throughout the play that represents the corruption in nature that Macbeth and Lady Macbeth (and the witches) bring about through the murder of the benevolent king. In Romeo and Juliet, Shakespeare uses plant imagery throughout the story as a metaphor for the ambivalent nature of love to potentially heal or poison. George Lucas, in Star Wars, explores the dehumanizing power of technology and the ability of the spirit to overcome this. His villain is a man robbed of his humanity and who is now a walking machine, both empowered by technology and entombed within it. The entire second of the movie takes place with Shakespeare,and,Dragons,Podcast:,Worldbuilding,101 business@imaginaryworlds.net no No http://www.imaginaryworlds.net/2007/11/14/worldbuilding-ep-014-setting-part-three-using-image-systems/http://media.libsyn.com/media/imworlds/sad-episode014.mp3 http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/SandDWorldbuilding101/~3/tynRQfgqHQE/ http://www.imaginaryworlds.net/2007/11/06/daughter-of-the-sun-artwork/#comments Tue, 06 Nov 2007 21:29:28 +0000 sad@imaginaryworlds.net http://www.imaginaryworlds.net/2007/11/06/daughter-of-the-sun-artwork/ ]]> http://www.imaginaryworlds.net/2007/11/06/daughter-of-the-sun-artwork/feed/ http://www.imaginaryworlds.net/2007/11/06/daughter-of-the-sun-artwork/ http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/SandDWorldbuilding101/~3/ZTwXnfws9n8/ http://www.imaginaryworlds.net/2007/11/03/podcast-update/#comments Sat, 03 Nov 2007 22:39:12 +0000 sad@imaginaryworlds.net dormant applied motifs image systems weeks months roleplaying http://www.imaginaryworlds.net/2007/11/03/podcast-update/ ]]> http://www.imaginaryworlds.net/2007/11/03/podcast-update/feed/ http://www.imaginaryworlds.net/2007/11/03/podcast-update/ http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/SandDWorldbuilding101/~3/u1shr5sSofI/ http://www.imaginaryworlds.net/2007/10/11/thought-experiment-art-directing-for-the-core-game-engine-chupacinematic-open-source-role-playing-engine/#comments Fri, 12 Oct 2007 00:31:05 +0000 sad@imaginaryworlds.net http://www.imaginaryworlds.net/2007/10/11/thought-experiment-art-directing-for-the-core-game-engine-chupacinematic-open-source-role-playing-engine/ ]]> http://www.imaginaryworlds.net/2007/10/11/thought-experiment-art-directing-for-the-core-game-engine-chupacinematic-open-source-role-playing-engine/feed/ http://www.imaginaryworlds.net/2007/10/11/thought-experiment-art-directing-for-the-core-game-engine-chupacinematic-open-source-role-playing-engine/ http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/SandDWorldbuilding101/~3/FkJV-mzLd7k/ http://www.imaginaryworlds.net/2007/08/11/how-shakespeare-and-dragons-may-avolve-and-how-you-can-help-it-along/#comments Sun, 12 Aug 2007 04:38:29 +0000 sad@imaginaryworlds.net 2008 redesign redeveloping survey unique spirit worldbuilders buried http://www.imaginaryworlds.net/2007/08/11/how-shakespeare-and-dragons-may-avolve-and-how-you-can-help-it-along/ ]]> http://www.imaginaryworlds.net/2007/08/11/how-shakespeare-and-dragons-may-avolve-and-how-you-can-help-it-along/feed/ http://www.imaginaryworlds.net/2007/08/11/how-shakespeare-and-dragons-may-avolve-and-how-you-can-help-it-along/ http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/SandDWorldbuilding101/~3/tErobWD8_ys/ http://www.imaginaryworlds.net/2007/08/09/a-concise-list-of-resources-for-worldbuilders/#comments Thu, 09 Aug 2007 23:34:35 +0000 sad@imaginaryworlds.net squidoo worldbuilders resources list nicely provided article writers http://www.imaginaryworlds.net/2007/08/09/a-concise-list-of-resources-for-worldbuilders/ ]]> http://www.imaginaryworlds.net/2007/08/09/a-concise-list-of-resources-for-worldbuilders/feed/ http://www.imaginaryworlds.net/2007/08/09/a-concise-list-of-resources-for-worldbuilders/ http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/SandDWorldbuilding101/~3/CWj1uobGQAo/ http://www.imaginaryworlds.net/2007/07/24/worldbuilding-ep-013-setting-part-two-creating-cultural-attributes/#comments Tue, 24 Jul 2007 18:32:10 +0000 sad@imaginaryworlds.net tomorrow notes show culture worldbuilding world building games gaming writing fantasy science fiction roleplaying games http://www.imaginaryworlds.net/2007/07/24/worldbuilding-ep-013-setting-part-two-creating-cultural-attributes/ ]]> http://www.imaginaryworlds.net/2007/07/24/worldbuilding-ep-013-setting-part-two-creating-cultural-attributes/feed/ 47:00 Show Corrections Since this show first aired, I received a comment in the forum stating that I made a few errors in translating ideas from the ... Show Corrections Since this show first aired, I received a comment in the forum stating that I made a few errors in translating ideas from the Peace Corps website. First, "Attitude Towards Family" should be "Attitude Towards Formality" (although I think both could be useful in defining a culture). Secondly, I left out "Concept of Face," which would make this a list of 14 attributes rather than 13. For more information, go directly to these note on the Peace Corps website. Worldbuilding Episode 013 Show Notes Note: in the podcast, I mention that there are 14 cultural attributes; well, I guess there are only 13. Sorry for the inconsistency. When looking at these attributes, consider how your invented or researched culture views the following (and why): Attitude Towards Age Concept of Fate and Destiny View of Human Nature Attitude Towards Change Attitude Towards Taking Risks Concept of Suffering and Misfortune Source of Self Esteem / Self Worth Concept of Equality Attitude Towards Formality Degree of Realism Attitude Towards Doing View of the Natural World Concept of Time Here is an example for American culture: Attitude Towards Age Americans do not really value age for two basic reasons: 1. Americans value accomplishments and getting things done. The older you are, the less you are perceived to be able to get things done. 2. Americans value "newness." Older Americans are seen as not being "with it." They may be less likely, and less eager, to adopt something new than younger generations. Concept of Fate and Destiny Americans don't leave much up to Fate and Destiny. They believe in self-determination. You can do whatever you want to do with your life and, most importantly, you are the one in charge. If you don't succeed, you have no one, and nothing, to blame but yourself. View of Human Nature Americans basically consider people to be trustworthy and good. Because of this, they are pretty friendly to strangers. They tend to look for the reasons why people go bad. Attitude Towards Change Americans love progress and are constantly seeking perfection. You can't have either without change, so change is a good thing. Traditions have their place, but they should not be the ruling force. Attitude Towards Taking Risk One of the things that I took comfort in when starting my own business endeavors was the fact that many of the successful businessmen we know of today had their share of failures and disappointments. But that was ok. They simply learned from their mistakes and moved on. That exemplifies the American view towards taking risk. Failure is seen as a temporary setback. You will only improve your product via trial and error and if you don't succeed at one endeavor, there are plenty of other opportunities just waiting to be tackled. Concept of Suffering and Misfortune If you are unhappy, it's your own fault. You are the one in charge of your life and destiny, so find what it is that makes you happy and do it. Sources of Self Esteem/Self Worth In America, you are the maker of your own self worth instead of being born into it or being given it due to your position, rank, or age. You earn your own self esteem. Concept of Equality One of the things that the first settlers wanted to leave behind was the disabilitating class structure that was found in Europe. Because of this, American culture revolves around the notion of egalitarianism. Everyone is of equal value regardless of birth, power, fame, or wealth. Attitude Towards Formality Basically because of the concept that everyone is of equal value, Americans are usually pretty casual and informal when it comes to social and professional interactions. Americans don't stand on ceremony and don't really use titles or pay much attention to rank. Degree of Realism Americans are optimistic. One of the reasons could be the fact that they see themselves as being the ones in control. Americans tend to Shakespeare,and,Dragons,Podcast:,Worldbuilding,101 business@imaginaryworlds.net no No http://www.imaginaryworlds.net/2007/07/24/worldbuilding-ep-013-setting-part-two-creating-cultural-attributes/http://media.libsyn.com/media/imworlds/sad_episode013.mp3 http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/SandDWorldbuilding101/~3/NMLOA44rCVo/ http://www.imaginaryworlds.net/2007/07/10/show-update/#comments Wed, 11 Jul 2007 00:15:59 +0000 sad@imaginaryworlds.net podfading parter bunch eating attributes tentatively cultural plan http://www.imaginaryworlds.net/2007/07/10/show-update/ ]]> http://www.imaginaryworlds.net/2007/07/10/show-update/feed/ http://www.imaginaryworlds.net/2007/07/10/show-update/ http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/SandDWorldbuilding101/~3/len72OBzl7o/ http://www.imaginaryworlds.net/2007/06/29/the-feed-for-shakespeare-and-dragons-is-fixed/#comments Fri, 29 Jun 2007 15:19:24 +0000 sad@imaginaryworlds.net feed genius subscribe claim stupid figuring simple itunes http://www.imaginaryworlds.net/2007/06/29/the-feed-for-shakespeare-and-dragons-is-fixed/ ]]> http://www.imaginaryworlds.net/2007/06/29/the-feed-for-shakespeare-and-dragons-is-fixed/feed/ http://www.imaginaryworlds.net/2007/06/29/the-feed-for-shakespeare-and-dragons-is-fixed/ http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/SandDWorldbuilding101/~3/EvDDkdpgyQ0/ http://www.imaginaryworlds.net/2007/06/13/episode-13-is-coming-soon/#comments Wed, 13 Jun 2007 23:21:34 +0000 sad@imaginaryworlds.net attributes apologies spending absent reorganize continuation lame presented http://www.imaginaryworlds.net/2007/06/13/episode-13-is-coming-soon/ ]]> http://www.imaginaryworlds.net/2007/06/13/episode-13-is-coming-soon/feed/ http://www.imaginaryworlds.net/2007/06/13/episode-13-is-coming-soon/ http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/SandDWorldbuilding101/~3/byWEzyQtQcI/ http://www.imaginaryworlds.net/2007/04/27/worldbuilding-ep-012-setting-part-one-geography-power-structures-and-culture/#comments Fri, 27 Apr 2007 19:10:23 +0000 sad@imaginaryworlds.net dungeons and dragons gaming fantasy writing science fiction worldbuilding world building http://www.imaginaryworlds.net/2007/04/27/worldbuilding-ep-012-setting-part-one-geography-power-structures-and-culture/ ]]> http://www.imaginaryworlds.net/2007/04/27/worldbuilding-ep-012-setting-part-one-geography-power-structures-and-culture/feed/ 55:00 Warning: this file has "holes" in it. There are several places where the audio just cuts out. I was debating whether to just erase the ... Warning: this file has "holes" in it. There are several places where the audio just cuts out. I was debating whether to just erase the file, but I instead decided to leave it up to you to determine if you can find some use with the information, regardless of the quality of the audio clip. Shakespeare,and,Dragons,Podcast:,Worldbuilding,101 business@imaginaryworlds.net no No http://www.imaginaryworlds.net/2007/04/27/worldbuilding-ep-012-setting-part-one-geography-power-structures-and-culture/http://media.libsyn.com/media/imworlds/sad-episode012.mp3 http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/SandDWorldbuilding101/~3/jIS52vq6OD0/ http://www.imaginaryworlds.net/2007/04/25/episode-12-comes-out-tomorrow-afternoon/#comments Thu, 26 Apr 2007 03:21:34 +0000 sad@imaginaryworlds.net afternoon tomorrow uploaded edited patience promise http://www.imaginaryworlds.net/2007/04/25/episode-12-comes-out-tomorrow-afternoon/ ]]> http://www.imaginaryworlds.net/2007/04/25/episode-12-comes-out-tomorrow-afternoon/feed/ http://www.imaginaryworlds.net/2007/04/25/episode-12-comes-out-tomorrow-afternoon/ http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/SandDWorldbuilding101/~3/MhP2Bw7eGU0/ http://www.imaginaryworlds.net/2007/04/03/worldbuilding-activity-what-would-a-movie-trailer-promoting-your-world-look-like/#comments Tue, 03 Apr 2007 21:28:53 +0000 sad@imaginaryworlds.net trailer excellent encapsulating aspect film minutes mere commenting http://www.imaginaryworlds.net/2007/04/03/worldbuilding-activity-what-would-a-movie-trailer-promoting-your-world-look-like/ ]]> http://www.imaginaryworlds.net/2007/04/03/worldbuilding-activity-what-would-a-movie-trailer-promoting-your-world-look-like/feed/ http://www.imaginaryworlds.net/2007/04/03/worldbuilding-activity-what-would-a-movie-trailer-promoting-your-world-look-like/ http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/SandDWorldbuilding101/~3/bz6lwy6-01U/ http://www.imaginaryworlds.net/2007/03/30/behind-the-scenes-of-titans/#comments Fri, 30 Mar 2007 23:41:35 +0000 sad@imaginaryworlds.net things progressing serialized construction offer webcomic thought link comics fantasy writing science fiction action drama webcomics animation http://www.imaginaryworlds.net/2007/03/30/behind-the-scenes-of-titans/ ]]> http://www.imaginaryworlds.net/2007/03/30/behind-the-scenes-of-titans/feed/ http://www.imaginaryworlds.net/2007/03/30/behind-the-scenes-of-titans/ http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/SandDWorldbuilding101/~3/jMGqZY9oCYA/ http://www.imaginaryworlds.net/2007/03/26/imagine-fx-a-great-visual-resource/#comments Mon, 26 Mar 2007 17:07:47 +0000 sad@imaginaryworlds.net barnes noble magazines publication british guys find site http://www.imaginaryworlds.net/2007/03/26/imagine-fx-a-great-visual-resource/ ]]> http://www.imaginaryworlds.net/2007/03/26/imagine-fx-a-great-visual-resource/feed/ http://www.imaginaryworlds.net/2007/03/26/imagine-fx-a-great-visual-resource/ http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/SandDWorldbuilding101/~3/RI7St_EOWkY/ http://www.imaginaryworlds.net/2007/03/25/marketing-and-brand-design/#comments Sun, 25 Mar 2007 17:31:16 +0000 sad@imaginaryworlds.net comics design games gaming rpg Wizards of the Coast drawing Dungeons and Dragons http://www.imaginaryworlds.net/2007/03/25/marketing-and-brand-design/ ]]> http://www.imaginaryworlds.net/2007/03/25/marketing-and-brand-design/feed/ http://www.imaginaryworlds.net/2007/03/25/marketing-and-brand-design/ http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/SandDWorldbuilding101/~3/j_pGeZg57xc/ http://www.imaginaryworlds.net/2007/03/17/worldbuilding-ep-011-seven-steps-to-thinking-breathing-bleeding-scheming-heroes-and-villains-that-will-tell-you-the-secrets-of-your-world/#comments Sat, 17 Mar 2007 15:50:30 +0000 sad@imaginaryworlds.net fantasy science fiction anime manga rpg roleplaying comics webcomics cartoons animation gaming games http://www.imaginaryworlds.net/2007/03/17/worldbuilding-ep-011-seven-steps-to-thinking-breathing-bleeding-scheming-heroes-and-villains-that-will-tell-you-the-secrets-of-your-world/ ]]> http://www.imaginaryworlds.net/2007/03/17/worldbuilding-ep-011-seven-steps-to-thinking-breathing-bleeding-scheming-heroes-and-villains-that-will-tell-you-the-secrets-of-your-world/feed/ 60:00 Next Episode: We Start Looking at Setting Worldbuilding Episode 011 Show Notes Today is our first step on the road to bringing your maps, settings, worlds to ... Next Episode: We Start Looking at Setting Worldbuilding Episode 011 Show Notes Today is our first step on the road to bringing your maps, settings, worlds to life with great characters. Ive distilled a process down to seven steps that anyone can use to not only invent deep multidimensional characters, but to find new details and nuance about their world as well. Stare at your map, and think about who lives there, who fights there, who suffers there. Think about the quests and trials and tribulations that the citizens of your world experience. By the end of this of this episode youll have a process to help you develop the richly imagined characters that youll want inhabiting your invented worlds. Our Goal: to create clearly defined characters who are seeded with conflict and who have strong unified thematic values (controlling ideas) The Seven Steps to Thinking, Breathing, Bleeding, Scheming Heroes and Villains Step One: Decide on your setting and consider the time, space, scope and liquidity of the world Character design will be greatly affected by the time, space, scope and liquidity of your world. The following characters will have different needs, fears, anxietites and motives because of the nature of their respective worlds: an aristocrat in a tightly ordered feudal society; a cop in an economically rundown city; a rogue in a high-technology empire, or a demigod in a land of mythic beings. Characters are products of their environments just as environments are aspects of the characters' psyches, experiences and perspectives. Both character and setting are unified in the design process. In some ways, you can say that character is environment and environment is character: Batman and Gotham City Malcolm Reynolds and Serenity Monks San Francisco Frodo and Middle Earth Sherlock Holmes and Victorian England Seven Samurai and feudal Japan John Dunbar/Dances With Wolves and the American frontier Use yourself as an example. What are the conflicts of your own life that are the effects of the world you live in? What thematic values could you derive from this world and its struggles? Step Two: Find the value, the controlling idea, that will govern the characters existence Punisher, Batman and Dirty Harry: justice Holmes: logic Monk: obsession and order Malcolm Reynolds: belief in a cause Jack Bauer: devotion to a cause Spider-man: obligation and responsibility Macbeth: overriding ambition Hamlet: vengeance and lifes meaning Clarice Starling: saving the lambs (the innocent) and slaying the demons Atticus Finch: morality in an evil and unjust world Oedipus Rex: fate and family demons Sawyer (Lost): selfish self-destruction In order to find the thematic values, you will have to absorb the details and the conflicts of your world Step Three: Find the opposite of the character value or an inversion/mirror of the character value, and create an opposing character from that value Step Four: Make a list of conflicts (in the big four conflict categories) for the hero and then a separate list of conflicts for the opposing character Step Five: Create the backstory around the conflicts from step four (and leave room for mystery and future inspiration), then do the same for your opposing character Step Six: Create the matrix of character relationships for the hero, then a matrix of character relationships for the opposing character, focusing on how the controlling ideas of each relating and subordinate character connects with each other Step Seven: Devise at least one image or symbol that characterizes or defines an ESSENTIAL TRAIT of the character (you can do more later) These notes will be fleshed out in the coming weeks, and I will be adding a short glossary of terms used in these notes to help guide you through. I've been working on my serial, TITANS, which is the sole reason why I've been late with the shows and notes. Hope you enjoy this episode! And let me know in the comments box or the Shakespeare,and,Dragons,Podcast:,Worldbuilding,101 business@imaginaryworlds.net no No http://www.imaginaryworlds.net/2007/03/17/worldbuilding-ep-011-seven-steps-to-thinking-breathing-bleeding-scheming-heroes-and-villains-that-will-tell-you-the-secrets-of-your-world/http://media.libsyn.com/media/imworlds/sad-episode011.mp3 http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/SandDWorldbuilding101/~3/6AjpCG5140k/ http://www.imaginaryworlds.net/2007/03/06/testing-a-drawing-style/#comments Wed, 07 Mar 2007 05:02:26 +0000 sad@imaginaryworlds.net roleplaying games rpg anime manga comics webcomics games gaming http://www.imaginaryworlds.net/2007/03/06/testing-a-drawing-style/ ]]> http://www.imaginaryworlds.net/2007/03/06/testing-a-drawing-style/feed/ http://www.imaginaryworlds.net/2007/03/06/testing-a-drawing-style/ http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/SandDWorldbuilding101/~3/Px1S5BJbf78/ http://www.imaginaryworlds.net/2007/02/27/worldbuilding-ep-010-plot-part-three-structuring-plot-from-character-desires-and-forces-of-antagonism/#comments Wed, 28 Feb 2007 02:48:48 +0000 sad@imaginaryworlds.net patient coming notes show writing storytelling fantasy gaming rpg horror science fiction literature roleplaying games dungeons and dragons http://www.imaginaryworlds.net/2007/02/27/worldbuilding-ep-010-plot-part-three-structuring-plot-from-character-desires-and-forces-of-antagonism/ ]]> http://www.imaginaryworlds.net/2007/02/27/worldbuilding-ep-010-plot-part-three-structuring-plot-from-character-desires-and-forces-of-antagonism/feed/ 68:00 Worldbuilding Episode 010 Show Notes I know this is taking way too long to finish, but the notes here will be updated this week. Episode 11 ... Worldbuilding Episode 010 Show Notes I know this is taking way too long to finish, but the notes here will be updated this week. Episode 11 is being worked on right now, and should be posted by week's end as well. People have been asking for more of these, so... World Builder's Library. Get this worldbuilding book: How to Write Science Fiction and Fantasy by Orson Scott Card-one of the most useful chapters (from a worldbuilding perspective) is the one that focuses on the four mindsets available to storytellers. Card uses what he refers to as the MICE quotient when he thinks about how a story is constructed. The MICE stands for Milieu, Idea, Character and Event, and thinking about which quadrant or category best suits one's mood, style and preference can help the worldbuilder decide where and how to start and end his or her stories (as well as which aspects of the worldbuilding process is most relevant to him or her). Which of the four areas are you most interested in developing or focusing on as you develop adventures within your world: Milieu These stories, and worlds, according to Card, are about the world itself. Think about Gulliver's Travels, or Wizard of Oz (or for the super nerdy, the old Saturday morning adaptation of Dungeons and Dragons). If the strange world of your imagination takes center-stage, first and foremost, then you might be a developing what Card refers to as a Milieu Story. Adventures of these type usually begin when a character (an everyman who very closely resembles us with our modern sensibilities) enters the strange and fantastic. The adventures end when the hero returns home. Idea Do you have a theme, or a great twist, or a message or a social concern that takes center stage, so that the world you are creating becomes merely the stage for that idea to reveal itself in all its glory? You might be most interested in developing an Idea Story. Card says that mysteries and detective fiction follow this route. The adventures begin with a mystery, an idea that must be revealed or proven. The story is over when the detective solves the riddle, the crime, or reveals the nature of the hidden truth. I also think of The Twilight Zone, especially the old Rod Serling episodes, where the fun of the story happens in the end when the twist is played out, and the idea finally disclosed. Character If you have a character you are dying to play, use, write, or torture, and you want this character to go through significant and dramatic emotional arcs of great change and growth, you might be developing Character Stories. Indiana Jones, James Bond and Superman do not change, but rather stay essentially iconic and archetypal, so they fit better inside Event Stories. Sherlock Holmes would best suit the Idea Story, because like his Event Story counterparts, he does not change but stays always "Holmesish." A character who really learns something, who is different at the end of the journey, whose life path becomes significantly altered, is part of the Character Story. If your adventures are fundamentally about character change, then your adventures start with a character who needs changing, and end when that character finally resolves to change or grow as an individual. Incidentally, Character Stories are probably not great choices for licensed properties because once the character changes for good, the story kind of ends. Imagine if Spider-man died. Or Superman decided to stay with Lois Lane forever and give up his godhood. Frank Miller created a Character Story successfully for Batman with Dark Knight Returns, but this story is not considered canon and is usually treated as a possible future or an alternate timeline, so as to keep the Batman franchise continually churning out Event Stories. Event The world, in these stories, gets disrupted by something that must be righted and realigned. The adventure begins near the point of the disruption, which we writer types like to call the Inciting Incident, Shakespeare,and,Dragons,Podcast:,Worldbuilding,101 business@imaginaryworlds.net no No http://www.imaginaryworlds.net/2007/02/27/worldbuilding-ep-010-plot-part-three-structuring-plot-from-character-desires-and-forces-of-antagonism/http://media.libsyn.com/media/imworlds/sad-episode10.mp3 http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/SandDWorldbuilding101/~3/tAc9m4JgJlQ/ http://www.imaginaryworlds.net/2007/02/12/some-more-work-by-chris/#comments Mon, 12 Feb 2007 18:12:17 +0000 sad@imaginaryworlds.net battlestar galactica science fiction lost scifi channel computer animation pixar disney comics fantasy http://www.imaginaryworlds.net/2007/02/12/some-more-work-by-chris/ ]]> http://www.imaginaryworlds.net/2007/02/12/some-more-work-by-chris/feed/ http://www.imaginaryworlds.net/2007/02/12/some-more-work-by-chris/ http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/SandDWorldbuilding101/~3/gBhgOdKKatQ/ http://www.imaginaryworlds.net/2007/02/10/worldbuilding-ep-009-plot-part-two-scene-construction-and-a-look-at-the-worldbuilding-of-the-incredibles/#comments Sun, 11 Feb 2007 02:05:56 +0000 sad@imaginaryworlds.net Incredibles Writing Developing Plot Developing Characters Superhero Comics Roleplaying Games Lord of the Rings fantasy rpg dungeons and dragons http://www.imaginaryworlds.net/2007/02/10/worldbuilding-ep-009-plot-part-two-scene-construction-and-a-look-at-the-worldbuilding-of-the-incredibles/ The Incredibles--The Tone and Thematic Subjects in Lord of the Rings]]> ]]> http://www.imaginaryworlds.net/2007/02/10/worldbuilding-ep-009-plot-part-two-scene-construction-and-a-look-at-the-worldbuilding-of-the-incredibles/feed/ 60:00 Worldbuilding Episode 009 Show Notes Steps for Creating the Main Plotline and the Individual Scenes Within the Main Plotline Determine your beginning and ending by considering the ... Worldbuilding Episode 009 Show Notes Steps for Creating the Main Plotline and the Individual Scenes Within the Main Plotline Determine your beginning and ending by considering the plot's question and answer. The plot is a question that must be answered by the story's ending (look at your Premise to determine the question that the plot demands to be answered). Example Premise (from It): When a group of traumatized adults are called back to their hometown to face an immortal creature that uses fear as a weapon and devours children, each adult must overcome his/her personal worst fear and fight the creature that terrorized them in their youth. Plots question: will the adults destroy the creature? Plots question must be answered in the ending somehow, or else the story will be unsatisfying. Every plot needs a beginning and an ending, which is the question and the answer that forms the first beginning and end points of your plot. Your scenes are the building blocks of the plot; each scene needs a: Location: Well examine--in a future episode--how the story locations of your world can be inspired by your thematic subjects Conflicting Characters: Again, look at your premise and thematic subjects to find the conflicts A Need: What are the needs of your characters? The need drives the scene A Logical Cause and Effect: Why are the characters here, and how will their actions affect the next scene? The scenes move inevitably toward the plots answer; the story ends when the question is answered Write a brief summary of each scene on a notebook paper or on an index card; answer all of these questions to create a causal link of events leading from a beginning to an ending A Look at the Structure and Design of The Incredibles Storys Premise When a family of exceptionally gifted superheroes are forced to conceal their talents in a world that promotes conformity, the family must make a choice between revealing themselves to save society from a new villain or remaining hidden and safe. Thematic Subject and Thematic (Philosophical) Questions This is a movie about conformity. The film comments on our societys tendency to box exceptional individuals into conforming squares and to beat down and discourage the gifted. It especially satirizes the average who are in positions of power and who are threatened by exceptional people. It's easy to see how Brad Bird, an exceptionally gifted animator and artist, comments on personal experiences he has had with middle men, number crunchers and managers as he fought his way to a position in life where he was free to work his craft. The Cast of Characters (representing opposing/contrasting facets of the thematic subject of conformity) Bob Parr/Mr. Incredible: Mr. Incredible is forced into a life of normalcy where he must conform to the needs of an average society. Look at the name Parr; a par in golf is an average score for a hole. He also feels that the needs of his family normalize him and keep him from utilizing his gifts. His desire: I will hide my gifts to protect my family but I secretly feel imprisoned by my family and my society. Conformity makes me miserable." Helen Parr: Helen, Jacks wife, also must conform. However, she is willing to pay the price since her family is more important to her than the need to exploit her gifts. I am willing to conform as the price I must pay to raise a family. Dash Parr: Dash, the son must conform to the demands of public school (and everyone knows what experience school can have on exceptional people). I want to explore my gifts to the fullest. Why cant I be exceptional? Violet Parr: The daughter, in contrast to the son, doesnt want to be noticed. I want to be invisible because being exceptional means being different. I want to conform to society because I am embarrassed that I am different. Lucius Best/Frozone: His name is Best, again alluding to being exceptional. He is a cool guy, literally and figuratively, a Shakespeare,and,Dragons,Podcast:,Worldbuilding,101 business@imaginaryworlds.net no No http://www.imaginaryworlds.net/2007/02/10/worldbuilding-ep-009-plot-part-two-scene-construction-and-a-look-at-the-worldbuilding-of-the-incredibles/http://media.libsyn.com/media/imworlds/sad-episode009.mp3 http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/SandDWorldbuilding101/~3/Sxbe3z9JD3U/ http://www.imaginaryworlds.net/2007/02/03/worldbuilding-ep-008-plot-part-one-shapes-and-structure/#comments Sat, 03 Feb 2007 17:21:03 +0000 sad@imaginaryworlds.net storytelling Dungeons and Dragons Call of Cthulhu rpg roleplaying games interactive fiction plot writing story structure fantasy http://www.imaginaryworlds.net/2007/02/03/worldbuilding-ep-008-plot-part-one-shapes-and-structure/ ]]> http://www.imaginaryworlds.net/2007/02/03/worldbuilding-ep-008-plot-part-one-shapes-and-structure/feed/ 60:00 Worldbuilding Episode 008 Show Notes Thinking about the plot structures through which the characters experience your invented world will help you understand the overall feel and ... Worldbuilding Episode 008 Show Notes Thinking about the plot structures through which the characters experience your invented world will help you understand the overall feel and design of the world. For example, if you want the players to feel trapped or isolated (as in a horror game) you will probably migrate to using more constrained plots like the funnel web or onion. If you want your players to feel a sense of freedom and wonder, you would probably structure your plots in geographic spatial arrangments Plot Shapes Freytags Triangle Freytag's concept of a plot shape was a triangle in which characters moved in time along a horizontal axis, as well as upward along a vertical axis (representing the tension in the story) toward a final climax, which was the point of greatest tension where the conflicts were finally resolved. After this peak, the story wound down through a resolution where the final story threads were completed. Campbells Monomyth (or Hero Journey) The classic pattern of the Hero Journey (derived from ancient mythic stories like Gilgamesh and The Odyssey) involves an epic hero (a character with the innate ability to make the world better or to right a major source of disorder in the world) who moves around a circular shape that represents his or her life journey, trials and growth. Several archetypal patterns recur in the Hero Journey, such as the threshold (a kind of doorway into new worlds or locations that oftentimes includes a threshold guardian), other archetypal characters such as helpers, mentors and supernatural aids, an abyss (either Hell or some variant of Hell), a return home with a boon for the world, rebirth, atonement and other concepts that we'll return to in a later episode. Up-plot The plot ends with the heroes emphatically winning. Down-plot The plot ends with the heroes losing. Ironic variation (up-down) The heroes win but with a great sacrifice. Their success is tainted with an ironic price. Ironic variation (down-up) The heroes lose but with an unanticipated gain. The heroes don't get what they initially wanted, but they do get something that they didn't know they needed or wanted. The Onion The plot is shaped like an onion, with the story beginning on the outer layer. The characters have freedom to move around this outer layer, attempting to find any of the scattered clues left around this layer that can lead them deeper inward to the next layer. The characters need to peel back the layers one by one to find some "truth" in the middle. An interesting shape that lends itself well to interactive stories that involve a mystery (think: Call of Cthulhu scenarios...) Funnel Web (The Inferno Shape) Based on Dante's conception of Hell, the heroes begin on the funnel's lip and can only move downward and around in a spiral toward the horrible center. Similar to the Onion, but trapping the characters in a downward progression. The only way out is down and through... Puzzle Chart"The Fork Download and play Michael Gentry's Anchorhead for a great example of a game that uses this type of design. Characters begin at the top of the chart and progress downward (or vice versa). They are constrained to a mulitude of paths that must be completed (in any order) before the story's next act (and time) moves forward. This is a nice structure for more puzzle-oriented stories, but can also be used as a device to structure dramatic events. For instance, a villain might not appear to the heroes until they have solved three other mysteries that need to be explored before the act's climax (and the villain) is reached. Geographic/Spatial Less of a structure and more of an open map in which events are scattered around, each connected by an underlying story or meaning. As the events are triggered one by one in any order, the story's real meaning is uncovered and pieced together. The Multiplot Each hero's story is mapped as a different plotline that parallels and crisscros Shakespeare,and,Dragons,Podcast:,Worldbuilding,101 business@imaginaryworlds.net no No http://www.imaginaryworlds.net/2007/02/03/worldbuilding-ep-008-plot-part-one-shapes-and-structure/http://media.libsyn.com/media/imworlds/sad-episode008.mp3 http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/SandDWorldbuilding101/~3/dSl23A34dJk/ http://www.imaginaryworlds.net/2007/01/28/worldbuilding-ep-007-character-design-using-your-thematic-subjects/#comments Sun, 28 Jan 2007 17:34:49 +0000 sad@imaginaryworlds.net roleplaying games roleplaying rpg serenity firefly batman dungeons and dragons storytelling worldbuilding horror science fiction space opera epic fantasy superhero x men http://www.imaginaryworlds.net/2007/01/28/worldbuilding-ep-007-character-design-using-your-thematic-subjects/ ]]> http://www.imaginaryworlds.net/2007/01/28/worldbuilding-ep-007-character-design-using-your-thematic-subjects/feed/ 61:00 Worldbuilding Projects Keith Curtis is an illustrator for a collection of roleplaying companies (such as Green Ronin and Hero Games) and has created a complete world ... Worldbuilding Projects Keith Curtis is an illustrator for a collection of roleplaying companies (such as Green Ronin and Hero Games) and has created a complete world ready for exploration, which can be found at Savage Earth. Also, check out this hilarious and inventive webcomic at Giant in the Playground's site (of Order of the Stick fame). It's called Erfworld... I'll be posting some images from these two sites this week when I get my show notes in order... Worldbuilding Episode 007 Show Notes I'll have the show notes for episode 06 and 07 up this week...I promise! Until then, here are some quick diagrams to go along with the show's content. Both of these illustrate how characters can be based off of a central thematic subject. I use Batman Begins and Serenity as examples... Shakespeare,and,Dragons,Podcast:,Worldbuilding,101 business@imaginaryworlds.net no No http://www.imaginaryworlds.net/2007/01/28/worldbuilding-ep-007-character-design-using-your-thematic-subjects/http://media.libsyn.com/media/imworlds/sad-episode007.mp3 http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/SandDWorldbuilding101/~3/9zeHxtaxqUc/ http://www.imaginaryworlds.net/2007/01/18/worldbuilding-ep-006-thematic-subjects-of-your-world/#comments Fri, 19 Jan 2007 06:53:21 +0000 sad@imaginaryworlds.net gaming industry news roleplaying games webcomics worldbuilding wizards of the coast http://www.imaginaryworlds.net/2007/01/18/worldbuilding-ep-006-thematic-subjects-of-your-world/ ]]> http://www.imaginaryworlds.net/2007/01/18/worldbuilding-ep-006-thematic-subjects-of-your-world/feed/ 60:00 Worldbuilding Episode 006 Show Notes Is the gaming industry dying? I respond to an article by Ryan Dancey (cocreator of Legend of the Five Rings, and ... Worldbuilding Episode 006 Show Notes Is the gaming industry dying? I respond to an article by Ryan Dancey (cocreator of Legend of the Five Rings, and key figure at Wizards of the Coast), about his predictions for 2007 and what it means for the top six roleplaying companies. Fear the Boot also addresses this article in their current show and show notes. Worldbuilding Concepts Thematic subject: an abstract (idea, concept, something you can't touch or see) word or a phrase that is the underlying meaning of a work; in other words, it's what your world is about on a philosophical level. The subject is what the world or work develops or explores through its conflicts and characters. Usually, oppositional stances on a subject are developed to comment on differing aspects of the thematic subject. Examples of thematic subjects include: the nature of love, the reality of death, dangers of technology, the darkness of the human soul, the triumph of the human spirit, the power of faith, justice, revenge, violence (notice these are all one word or phrases). Theme: a theme is a complete statement about the thematic subject, and in some ways is similar to a thesis in that it is an opinionated stance on an issue, or a perspective on life or human nature. Sometimes a theme becomes morally didactic and attempts to teach a lesson to us. In nonfiction, the author attempts to prove the thesis through argument, rhetoric, example and evidence. In contrast, a story--or fiction--reveals its meaning through character and conflict. It is only after the story is fully explored that the thematic meaning becomes clearer, and even then, themes can be elusive to crystallize. Examples of themes: obssessive love often leads to self-destruction; violence is an irrational act that only leads to more violence; the power of a strong idea far outweighs the power of any weapon (these are all opinionatd claims about life, reality or human nature, that can explored, possibly proven or possibly countered by opposite viewpoints) Some Thoughts About Thematic Subjects in Worldbuilding There is no one right way to examine a story or world; there will be multiple interpretations of any one piece of fiction. The strength of one's analysis of a piece of fiction relies on the consistency of evidence within the text to support the theory about the work's theme. A thematic subject reveals itself as a consistent pattern in the conflicts, story logic, character motives, and plot complications. Dissecting a story for its thematic elements is a bit of surgery; and in a way, this kind of analysis robs a story or world of its magic. Stories are more than the sum of their parts, and I don't want to suggest that a left-brain dismantling of any story or world will give us a complete understanding of a story's vitality. But understanding the thematic subject of other stories, and consciously thinking about the thematic subjects of our own story worlds can help us solidify and strengthen all of the disparate parts of our world as we create and free-associate with the right brain. I'm not suggesting we always start with a thematic subject when we create our story worlds. But I am saying that we can pay attention to the thematic subjects that naturally reveal themselves in the creative process. Once the thematic subjects surface, and you have that "Aha" moment of clarity where you understand finally what your world or story is about, then you can go back and revise and refine and make sure all of the other pieces fit logically within the world's meaning. Lastly, you will inevitably see thematic subjects that I missed and vice versa. Many worlds and stories have multiple thematic subjects that can be stated in a multitude of way. Some Examples From Films Naturally, the following are my opinion, but can be substantiated with evidence from the stories: Spider-man 2 Thematic subject: power of love Theme that develops through the actions of Peter-Parker: Love for another is a Shakespeare,and,Dragons,Podcast:,Worldbuilding,101 business@imaginaryworlds.net no No http://www.imaginaryworlds.net/2007/01/18/worldbuilding-ep-006-thematic-subjects-of-your-world/http://media.libsyn.com/media/imworlds/sad-episode006.mp3 http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/SandDWorldbuilding101/~3/TDbZWz-Ji34/ http://www.imaginaryworlds.net/2007/01/12/worldbuilding-ep-005-premise-of-your-story-world/#comments Fri, 12 Jan 2007 18:56:50 +0000 sad@imaginaryworlds.net world building worldbuilding fantasy dnd dungeons and dragons roleplaying role playing writing game design story story telling d20 gaming campaign design rpg http://www.imaginaryworlds.net/2007/01/12/worldbuilding-ep-005-premise-of-your-story-world/ ]]> http://www.imaginaryworlds.net/2007/01/12/worldbuilding-ep-005-premise-of-your-story-world/feed/ 55:00 Worldbuilding Episode 005 Show Notes Worldbuilding Concept Premise (from wikipedia) The premise of a film or screenplay is the fundamental concept that drives the plot. A good premise can ... Worldbuilding Episode 005 Show Notes Worldbuilding Concept Premise (from wikipedia) The premise of a film or screenplay is the fundamental concept that drives the plot. A good premise can usually be expressed very simply, and many films can be identified simply from a short sentence describing the premise. For example: A lonely boy is befriended by an alien; A small town is terrorized by a shark; A small boy sees dead people. The uniqueness or compelling nature of a film story's premise is often a key element in selling it, especially during the initial pitch. However, truly original, compelling premises are fiendishly difficult to come up with, and may take a writer many months of thinking and reading. Unfortunately, most premises are either derivative (Die Hard in space), contrived (two black guys must dress up as white girls) or simply dull (A man has an extremely boring job). However a compelling premise is absolutely no guarantee of a film or screenplay's quality, nor is a derivative or lacklustre premise the kiss of death. A story which has an easily understood, compelling premise is said to be high-concept, whereas one whose premise is not easy to describe, or relatively small-scale or mundane, is said to be low-concept. A low-concept story is highly execution-dependent because the commercial viability of the project will depend largely on the quality of the creative endeavors of those involved, whereas a high-concept story may still pull in audiences even if the script is flawed, the acting wooden and the direction directionless. It is a common misconception that high-concept movies are necessarily expensive or effects driven. One of the most successful low-budget independent British films of recent years, The Full Monty (1997), had an almost perfect high-concept premise: a group of male steel workers decide to become strippers. There is no doubt that the simplicity, originality and compelling nature of the premise (which was perfectly captured in the film's publicity posters) played a major role in the film's commercial success. Worldbuilder's Library Get these books to help you develop the principles of storytelling (especially thematic development, thematically logical characters, image systems and of course developing a workable premise) in your worldbuilding! Power Screenwriting: The 12 Stages of Story Development by Michael Chase Walker Story by Robert McKee Introduction to Premise You want to build a Story World, a grand setting, a roleplaying world that others will want to explore. After overcoming the first requirement for designing your world"a passionate desire to create"you want to lay the foundation for your world design. There are three questions you want to ask right up front: What is the tone of this world? What is my central premise? And what are the key thematic subjects I want to explore. Weve talked about tone in Episode Two. Today we are going to explore premise, and then tackle theme in a later episode. Why is premise important? Where tone helps you establish the overall feeling of your world, the premise helps you define what your world is about"the potential characters, the central objectives, the core actions of play, the setting, the plotting and the pacing. Premise answers the questions of plot, conflict and character. Theme (which well tackle next time) addresses the meaning behind these things, the universal life questions that the game and world raise. All three help define and drive the overall design of the game; in fact they permeate every part of the design process (tone, premise and theme are the core of your design). Lastly, a well-drafted premise can help you market your world to the masses, and quickly communicate your concept in a pitch. A Traditional Story Premise (Traditional: Films, Novels, Linear Narratives) Your concept, delivered in 1 to a few sentences Describes what the story is about (the objective story: the characters, the central conflic Shakespeare,and,Dragons,Podcast:,Worldbuilding,101 business@imaginaryworlds.net no No http://www.imaginaryworlds.net/2007/01/12/worldbuilding-ep-005-premise-of-your-story-world/http://media.libsyn.com/media/imworlds/sad-episode005.mp3 http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/SandDWorldbuilding101/~3/Q1dPmng0vVc/ http://www.imaginaryworlds.net/2007/01/05/worldbuilding-ep-004-objectives-of-worldbuilding-and-an-introduction-to-the-designers-workshop/#comments Sat, 06 Jan 2007 05:09:12 +0000 sad@imaginaryworlds.net rpg roleplaying interactive fiction worldbuilding call of cthulhu horror science fiction games gaming dungeons and dragons http://www.imaginaryworlds.net/2007/01/05/worldbuilding-ep-004-objectives-of-worldbuilding-and-an-introduction-to-the-designers-workshop/ Designer's Workshop--Three Unfinished Horror Worldbuilding Projects--Gakido--Owl Creek--Born of Darkness]]> ]]> http://www.imaginaryworlds.net/2007/01/05/worldbuilding-ep-004-objectives-of-worldbuilding-and-an-introduction-to-the-designers-workshop/feed/ 50:00 Worldbuilding Episode 004 Show Notes Objectives of Worldbuilding: What kind of worldbuilder are you? Hobbyist Writer Artist Gamer Game Designer (table-top RPG) Game Designer (video games) Combination Designer's Workshop: The Inspiration and Worldbuilding Episode 004 Show Notes Objectives of Worldbuilding: What kind of worldbuilder are you? Hobbyist Writer Artist Gamer Game Designer (table-top RPG) Game Designer (video games) Combination Designer's Workshop: The Inspiration and Worldbuilding Behind Three Interactive Horror Games In our new segment that covers the worldbuilding steps of game designer creations, we take a tour through the thought processes behind three games united by one common desire: to evoke feelings of horror and dread in the player. Game One: Gakido Our first game was started as an interactive fiction, and inspired by the psychological horror of The Ring (and later Kwaidan and other classic Japanese stories), The Blair Witch Project and The Shining. The goal was to create an experience for the player that suggested its horrors and disturbed on an unconscious level, and slowly built up tension and dread over the course of the game. The premise of the game involved a small girl (in Middle Ages Japan) as a protagonist who must follow her stepfather and dysfunctional family to an isolated mansion in the mountains above Heian-Kyo to deliver a handcrafted sword to the aristocratic family that lives there. Upon arriving, the group finds the house deserted, its gardens overgrown and pantry contents rotting. They soon realize that they are not alone; subtle details suggest a malevolent supernatural presence watching them from the darkness. Our worldbuilding included research about the story world's setting, Heian-era Japan. We wanted to know the sights, smells and textures of this location, and understand the dynamics of the characters that were living during this time period. Research helped us to deliver setting-specific imagery in the game's descriptions: The fragrances of the immense and empty hall are familiar, smelling like the incense mother used to cook. In summertime, she would stir (with plum meat) jink and clove, camphor and deer musk (in a ceramic jar) and let the mush ripen in buried earth near the house spring; the receding hall smells of ten open jars. The aroma joins with the dust of brittle autumn pine invading through the ceiling portals, and fans the marching support beams. The receiving hall leads from the far southwest wall, slipping around a corner to another room, to the inner chambers in the northeast. The inner sanctuary is a circle of overgrown paths twisting in all directions, leading to scuttling azaleas, buzzing ponds and fat plum trees. To the southwest, about twenty paces through a waist high grassland is the cave-dark entrance to the mansion; its corridor-pavilions, like reposing arms, reach over the mirrors of fishing pools. The garden plot ebbs and flows; its grassy earth-mounds look as though they might abruptly crash down upon the pathways. The azaleas and plum trees scurry for cover in shadowy nooks. One wave crest, to the north, has captured a solitary gray and leafless tree. In death, it poses as a figurine, arching, pointing to its feet. Opposite the tree, and sweeping down into a trough some forty paces off, is a bell-tower, the bell veiled beneath the shadows of its cedar-shingled roof. In the corner of this cramped and grease-colored alcove is a man-sized hole beaten through the southeast wall, making a crude, splintered portal near the floor leading into a crawlway behind the paneling. Most of the furniture has been removed, their extant scratches cutting arcing tracks from two walls to the door. One series of these tracks cuts an X across the others to the improvised crawlspace. At one time, the room may have been used for a child: someone has delicately painted butterflies flitting across a yellow sky on the walls and ceiling; a toy dresser, even small for a teenage girl, squats diagonally in the center. The room's only door, unusually tall and narrow, is sealed. Artifacts from the game design include rough drafts of the story's flowchart (specifically the geographical scope of Shakespeare,and,Dragons,Podcast:,Worldbuilding,101,,Designer's,Workshop business@imaginaryworlds.net no No http://www.imaginaryworlds.net/2007/01/05/worldbuilding-ep-004-objectives-of-worldbuilding-and-an-introduction-to-the-designers-workshop/http://media.libsyn.com/media/imworlds/sad-episode004.mp3 http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/SandDWorldbuilding101/~3/fxWzCQJkQZM/ http://www.imaginaryworlds.net/2006/12/29/worldbuilding-ep-003-economy-of-the-world-and-the-needs-of-the-characters/#comments Sat, 30 Dec 2006 03:31:09 +0000 sad@imaginaryworlds.net world building fantasy dnd dungeons and dragons roleplaying role playing writing game design story story telling d20 gaming campaign design rpg http://www.imaginaryworlds.net/2006/12/29/ep-003-economy-of-the-world-and-the-needs-of-the-characters/ Worldbuilder's Library: Guns, Germs and Steel by Jared Diamond--Maslow's Heirarchy of Needs--Character Motivation Connected to Economy of the World--Stages of Development of Civilization--Hunting and Gathering--Agriculture--Industrial--Information--Space-faring--Researching the World's Economy--Civilization's Food Productivity and Its Link to a Civilization's Power--Thinking About Available Natural Resources in Your World]]> ]]> http://www.imaginaryworlds.net/2006/12/29/worldbuilding-ep-003-economy-of-the-world-and-the-needs-of-the-characters/feed/ 60:00 Worldbuilding Episode 003 Show Notes Warning: this episode veers from story-centered principles and ends up being a laundry list of information about the psychology of human ... Worldbuilding Episode 003 Show Notes Warning: this episode veers from story-centered principles and ends up being a laundry list of information about the psychology of human needs and how these shape behavior, and a break down of our own civilization's stages of development from a hunting-gathering economic level to a hypothetical space-based economic level.I give a warning because this is very much a textbook episode of information that ends up being a bit (cough) dry and academic. I spent a lot of time researching this one, using information from five print sources including Guns, Germs and Steel, but the episode ends up with a bit of content overload. I almost didn't publish this episode, but the content is good, and I didn't want to waste the material. I also believe that the questions I raise in the show are important ones to consider in understanding the major details of your world and the character's needs within that world. Introducing the World Builder's Library. Get this worldbuilding book: Guns Germs and Steel by Jared Diamond-great worldbuilding resource that more eloquently and completely explains the principles I try to explore in this episode's hour. Key Worldbuilding Concepts Maslow's Heirarchy of Needs(notes from Wikipedia) Maslow's hierarchy of needs is often depicted as a pyramid consisting of five levels: the four lower levels are grouped together as deficiency needs associated with physiological needs, while the top level is termed growth needs associated with psychological needs. While deficiency needs must be met, growth needs are continually shaping behaviour. The basic concept is that the higher needs in this hierarchy only come into focus once all the needs that are lower down in the pyramid are mainly or entirely satisfied. Growth forces create upward movement in the hierarchy, whereas regressive forces push prepotent needs further down the hierarchy. Suggested Worldbuilding Activity The goal is to get enough details about the world's economy from this activity that you can start writing with some authority about your world, and get started with the actual story, rather than over-developing every last detail. Picture a character in your world with all of his or her weapons and tools, sitting down to eat a meal in the obligatory tavern, restaurant or food establishment, and needing to repair a minor wound with medicine. Then describe this person in detail. Answer the following questions, and you will have a deep enough sense of your world: Where did all of the parts that make up the tools come from? The parts that make up the weapons? Trace these parts back to the natural resource they came from (metals, lumber, hides), then explain how each was made, mined, grown or manufactured at each stage of assembly. How difficult was it to acquire each piece, and what is the relative availability and value of each piece? Create a price ration (1 being the cost of one common food item in the world--in our world a car is about 20000 times what a unit of food like bread might cost). Who grew, raised, manufactured or assembled each piece? Answer the same sets of questions for the character's clothes, and the food he or she is eating. What taxes were incurred as the character bought the tools or weapons or food from the tavern? Who mandates the taxes, who collects the taxes, and who enforces penalties if these taxes aren't paid? What is the medicine and where did it come from? Note: if the world has collapsed or regressed, and the character is scavenging or has scavenged items, trace the source of the items from the origins in the previous world. Next episode, let's get back to the story design of the worldbuilding (and away from the dry and academic stuff). Let me know if you have specific topics you'd like to hear! Special thanks to: Dragon's Landing Inn, The Harping Monkey and Fear the Boot for their support! roleplaying,,games,,rpg,,fantasy,,worldbuilding,,writing,,science,,fiction business@imaginaryworlds.net no No http://www.imaginaryworlds.net/2006/12/29/worldbuilding-ep-003-economy-of-the-world-and-the-needs-of-the-characters/http://media.libsyn.com/media/imworlds/sad-episode003.mp3 http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/SandDWorldbuilding101/~3/r5E461aNanI/ http://www.imaginaryworlds.net/2006/12/22/worldbuilding-ep-002-power-of-tone-and-emotional-effects-on-the-story-world/#comments Fri, 22 Dec 2006 21:50:05 +0000 sad@imaginaryworlds.net world building fantasy dnd dungeons and dragons roleplaying role playing writing game design story story telling d20 gaming campaign design rpg http://www.imaginaryworlds.net/2006/12/22/shakespeare-and-dragons-episode-002-the-power-of-tone-and-emotional-effects-on-the-story-world/ ]]> http://www.imaginaryworlds.net/2006/12/22/worldbuilding-ep-002-power-of-tone-and-emotional-effects-on-the-story-world/feed/ 60:00 Worldbuilding Episode 002 Show Notes Key Worldbuilding Concepts MOOD: Another name for atmosphere. Mood refers to the feeling created in the reader by the work or ... Worldbuilding Episode 002 Show Notes Key Worldbuilding Concepts MOOD: Another name for atmosphere. Mood refers to the feeling created in the reader by the work or by a passage in it. Many factors contribute to the mood including: Diction; Imagery; Events that take place, the plot; Setting, especially the natural setting; The speaker's or author's tone. Mood is described by adjectives such as tragic or comic; mysterious, brooding or sunny; joyful, pleasant, life-affirming or mournful, lugubrious; optimistic or pessimistic; suspenseful; magical; poignant; ambiguous; the list is endless--or by phrases such as "a mood of mystery, a mood of happiness, a mood of pathos," and so on. TONE: Refers to 1) the attitude of the speaker or author toward the subject matter, the intended audience, or himself or herself; 2) the emotional coloring of the work that reveals this attitude. Tone is an important part of the meaning of a work. Tone is expressed in different ways: In speaking, by inflexions in the speaker's voice. Example: "I am going to get married today" can mean different things, depending on whether or not the tone is ecstatic ("Hooray!"), incredulous (II can't believe it!"), despairing ("Horrors!" or resigned ("May as well face it."). Tone is relatively easy to detect in speaking. In writing, tone is expressed by: connotations of words used imagery metaphors and similes irony understatement and hyperbole rhythm sentence structure in prose Tone is described by adjectives such as playful or solemn; humorous or solemn; light or dark, brooding; mocking or reverent; calm, bland, matter-of-fact or excited; sympathetic or critical; formal or informal; sarcastic; the list is endless. Example: The scenery in Emily Bronte's Wuthering Heights is described as dark and gloomy. Plus, the house is portrayed in the same manner. (from http://tweedy.flanigan.us/school/High%20School/Language_Arts/litterms.html) Why consider tone in worldbuilding and storytelling? Many world building topics begin and end with the geography of the world. I argue that tone is more of a priority. In Shakespeare and Dragons, tone will trump all other decisions as the first decision one should make before jumping into the other issues of setting and geography, map-making, characters, conflicts and adventures, imagery, even theme; tone breathes life into all other aspects of the world, and it also provides an over-arching framework that guides the other elements of the design process. What is tone? Tone is the attitude expressed by the author (or authors in the case of a collaborative interactive world) as expressed through the world's language, imagery, sounds, music, choice of setting, and dialogue, that creates an emotional effect on the players or readers, establishes the mood of the world's setting, and the pacing of the stories within that world. Tone words can be as numerous as the infinite range of emotions that a human being can experience. Tone is usually stated as a single word, usually an adjective, such as romantic, satirical, slapstick or objective, or as a noun, such as: dread; melancholy; or, whimsy. All of this to decide on a single word? Yes. This is, in my opinion, the first critical decision that you will make in building your world. Not where the continents are, not how many languages you will include, not the export or import goods of your fantasy country ruled over by Count Whats-his-name, but tone. One word. One emotional center of the Story World. Power of Tone in Worldbuilding and Storytelling The appeal of a story operates on two levels. The intellectual level of thematic ideas makes us think about our lives, raises interesting questions for discussion, enlightens us to possibilities and potentials of human nature and existence, gives us new thought experiments to explore, or helps define reality and offer order and meaning for our lives.The emotional level, as communicated through tone, inspi roleplaying,,games,,rpg,,fantasy,,worldbuilding,,writing,,science,,fiction business@imaginaryworlds.net no No http://www.imaginaryworlds.net/2006/12/22/worldbuilding-ep-002-power-of-tone-and-emotional-effects-on-the-story-world/http://media.libsyn.com/media/imworlds/sad-episode002.mp3 http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/SandDWorldbuilding101/~3/rz2cXr-rNo0/ http://www.imaginaryworlds.net/2006/12/20/worldbuilding-ep-001-world-of-the-story/#comments Thu, 21 Dec 2006 00:04:10 +0000 sad@imaginaryworlds.net world building fantasy dnd dungeons and dragons roleplaying role playing writing game design story story telling d20 gaming campaign design rpg http://www.imaginaryworlds.net/2006/12/20/worldbuilding-ep-001-world-of-the-story/ Illiad and the Odyssey--Challenging Superman, the Ultimate Epic Level Character--The Definition of Story--The Function of Story--Adapting the Elements of Story to Interactive and Collaborative Models]]> ]]> http://www.imaginaryworlds.net/2006/12/20/worldbuilding-ep-001-world-of-the-story/feed/ 55:00 Worldbuilding Episode 001 Show Notes What are the principles of Storytelling, and how do these apply to world building? Story is life concentrated. It is real ... Worldbuilding Episode 001 Show Notes What are the principles of Storytelling, and how do these apply to world building? Story is life concentrated. It is real and unreal. It is outside the real time of our existence, but part of the Eternal Time of our imagination, our Spiritual Reality. Good Story appeals to both our intellectual desire to see things new and to be enlightened, as well as our emotional need to connect to others and feel deeply.Traditional Story: the author of the medium creates "interesting" and "appealing" characters that are motivated to do something, that have a desire and/or a need. The author then creates the ultimate conflicts specially catered to these characters' needs, desires and flaws, and continually thwarts the characters' journeys to obtain their desires by creating complications for the characters; again, complications that are uniquely catered to the characters (and complications that often force the characters to choose between opposing desires or needs). The Story, in its most essential form, is about a character, or group of characters, who must overcome personal flaws and work through conflicts, in order to reach a personal desire or need. In interactive storytelling, the player's role becomes the creation of a unique and interesting character, with a strong motivation and desire, a clear set of flaws, and a rich back story. The author's--or game master's--role is to provide a setting detailed enough to inspire complex and detailed characters, and to create antagonists, conflicts and complications that are uniquely catered to these characters and force them to move forward to resolve the problems set up by the author/game master. When the author/game master provides the conflicts that the players' characters must deal with, the players will make choices that will shape the ultimate themes of the story. Who wins, who loses, how conflicts are resolved, and what prices are paid in resolving these conflicts will determine the thematic ideas of the story. The author/game master also inspires the tone of the game, the atmosphere of the world, and the textures of the setting. But the players embody the attitudes of their characters, which in turn affect the tone and mood of the game. The author/game master can only set the pieces up for play, but should not and cannot anticipate the variables of human choice, free will, emotion, and/or absurdity. The finale of the game cannot be a product of fate, but rather a choice of free will. The game master can only arrange the elements of the game to anticipate the likely outcomes of play; but the outcome will usually be a surprise. Suggested Worldbuilding Activity Pick a character from fiction, a book, movie or television show. Determine the character's: Desire--what motivates him or her Needs--what the character needs emotionally or spiritually, what the character must learn The character's external and internal weaknesses and flaws The forces of antagonism that are in direct opposition to the character's desires and needs Next, watch for the complications that test the character's weaknesses and keep him/her from obtaining his/her desires. What choices does the character make when confronted with these complications? What are the thematic ideas that the character embodies when he/she makes these choices? We are on Podcast Alley! If you enjoyed the show, you can help us out by voting for us and leaving a positive review at the Alley, and letting your friends know about the show. Shakespeare and Dragons was conceived as a 10-12 part interactive series about fantasy world building. If you have suggestions, questions or comments please use our contact form! My Podcast Alley feed! Shakespeare,and,Dragons,Podcast:,Worldbuilding,101 business@imaginaryworlds.net no No http://www.imaginaryworlds.net/2006/12/20/worldbuilding-ep-001-world-of-the-story/http://media.libsyn.com/media/imworlds/sad-episode001.mp3 Presented by Imaginary WorldsnonadultHave you ever wanted to build your own world or universe from the ground up, and then tell stories in that imagined world? Writers, webcomic and comic artists, film makers, game designers and role players alike build worlds of fantasy, science fiction, ho