Creating a world for PbP

[Slingshot]

So I'm a realitivly inexperiance DM, but I want to give it a shot. I've nearly finished creating enough of the world to start a campaign of some sort, but don't know what people would like to see in the campaigns for a PbP game.

The way I've built the world there is the possibility for dungeon diving, participating in large wars between countries, and just about anything else that the players are interested in doing.

So what I'm looking for is input from the playground on what people would like to see out of a 3.5 campaign to see what I can do to accomodate and get one started.

Thanks in advance for any feedback!

-Slingshot

[LoyalPaladin]

Howdy Slingshot!
You might be interested in the World Building (http://www.giantitp.com/forums/forumdisplay.php?57-World-Building) forum. That is where you would probably get the best feedback.

[Demidos]

First suggestion is, have a theme -- some unifying idea that tends to crop up everywhere throughout your world. In Dark Sun, that is "The environment is hostile", in Eberron its "Steampunk and Magic!". You want a core idea or three so that your game isnt too, well, generic.

Second, make up 12-15 characters who are "important" in your world, complete with motivations, ideals, and backstories. They may not have power yet, but they are certainly going to make a splash in the future. Maybe an aspiring young evil cleric who is close to finding a powerful artifact that will catapult him to head of his church and will bring around a holy war. Maybe a good spymaster who is a mere few months from overthrowing the monarchy. These characters have plans that will significantly impact the world, if the PCs dont interfere. You can throw the PCs into some plans, or let them find their ways into others, but these characters all make a great storyline, because it is based on how they interact that the story will progress. They dont all have to be ready before the campaign. Maybe your PC's let one of their orc prisoners go, and he makes a new religious order called the Redeemed, which attracts monsters to use their powers for good and peace. This allows the characters to continually interact with known faces, giving them a sense of continuity in the history and settings of your world, the important thing is not to railroad their stories, but allow the PCs a say in them, to give them allies or enemies.

Third, for PbP -- you will certainly find players for any campaign on this forum, especially as a DM offering a game, so really make the game about what YOU want it to be, and let them come to you. Also, don't make it gestalt, those games tend to die really quickly.

Good Luck!

[Slingshot]

Thanks for the pointers!

I'll be sure to dig through the wold building stuff.