Ulrichomega
2007-12-16, 09:37 PM
Well, a few days back, I started reading Rich's campaign world that he was creating. I got to the point where he took out most of the starting races, and started to not like it as much. I read on until he started making parallels to D20 Modern, and stopped.
Anyway, this got me thinking: I should create a world. I had already started one, called Thraen, but wasn't happy with it. That world consists of pretty much a map with some details sketched out in a word document, a brief history, and everything from DnD. I meant to say consisted of. The files got erased when my old computer died, but that's beyond the point.
So, where does Rich begin? Well, he begins with it being something that he wants to publish, and I'm going with publishing, mostly because I don't run, and really don't care who reads this. He then throws out the big bad villian part of the world, and goes from there.
This is where he and I diverge, I like the big villian part. I like there to always be a threat to humanity and peace. I think that I'm gonna keep the big bad villian, and sketch him/her/it later. He then goes into the gimic that the world has. Right now, I'm kind of leaning towards a FFXish setting for this world. Technology used to be everywhere, but now it has been wiped out and people live like in the Middle Ages, but with random technology here and there and tons of ruins (adventure fodder).Hmm, I like that. It gives the chance for there to be many adventures, and a good reason for there existing magical items that are super powerful.
Moving on, Rich goes into the big evil/good thing. He chooses to stray from this, but I think I'll stick with it for now, maybe spruce it up with something like "Magic vs. Technology" or something later but for now it's good and evil.
Something he throws in there are DnD concepts.I personally like the DnD system as is, and will stick with them.
Ah, another intersection on the road to World Creation. Rich goes for classes. I'll go with setting. I already said that I wanted a world with ancient technology, and I'll stick with that. I think I need something else to add in here too. Something that comes to mind is this being a super-future world, in the same universe as the real us, but on another planet. Ahh, I have an idea. The humans colonized the world millenia ago, but slowly regressed to the point where they are now. Then, the elves and dwarves and such landed on the planet. No, I think they'll have already been there, but have started much as the DnD world is. So now I've got a bunch of human overlords who no longer have technology and therefore cannot rule with an iron fist anymore. I like it. It gives a reason for Humans to be the dominant race.
Now for magic. Since this is in the same world, I could have some sort of super technology that is indistinguishable from magic, but I think I won't, too cliche. I'll just make it that magic has always existed, but we humans cannot use in the present day due to our disbelief or some other concept.
As I go along, I'm liking the idea of it being in the same universe less and less. I'll scrap that idea, but keep the rest (humans slowly declined and all that). So now I don't need a reason for us not using magic. This leaves room for gods and all of them.
So far, I have a world that humans have controlled in the past with their superior technology, but has declined to the present point, leaving the humans with little to no control, but still the most populous race.
Going back to magic, I think that I need something that all magic is drawn from. Elves aren't just better at it, and dragons don't pass it on after a few one night stands. Maybe there should be some sort of ancient power well that exists that all magic comes from. Kind of like the God's water fountain. That, however, brings up the problem of everyone having access to magic. If there is an infinite well of energy, why don't I just go over and get to level 20? RIght now I'm thinking of it being more of a key then a well. You go there, and it turns something on that allows you to use magic. This would do it for sorcerers, but not for wizards. Maybe it does the same thing, but the sorcerers are simply more adept and do not need spell books to accomplish the same thing. I like that, but it why don't they just use spell books and be twice as powerful? They're a gift and a curse perhaps? They allow one to focus one's power, but it then forces the person to focus that power into certain spells. Thinking about it, I lthink that it would work better if the wizard uses the spellbook, it imprints the selected spells upon the wizard, and they are used up when cast. So if the spell book is used, it doesn't allow the spellcaster to spontaneously cast spells. It takes that person power, shapes it, makes it bigger, and places it back in the person in that form. I'll go with that. A little complicated, but it works.
As a correlative, I think I'll allow wizards to cast without spellbooks, BUT it will be weaker. I.E. damage is minimum, saves are reduced by 4, any other effecs are treated as 4 caster levels lower. The only advantage is it is spontaneous. Obviously, no wizard will do this constantly, but it works as an auxiliary system. Trapped in a dungeon with no spellbook? Ambushed during the night? Misplaced your spellbook? The wizard is no longer a guy that stays in the back and whimpers. He can now actually do something.
I think I'll leave it here for tonight, and see the response it gets before working on it more. Just as a side-note, if this resembles anything that anyone else has published or created, it is entirely coincidental. I have never read tthe Homebrew forum before, and have never read the Eberon or Greyhawk setting, or any other setting.
Anyway, this got me thinking: I should create a world. I had already started one, called Thraen, but wasn't happy with it. That world consists of pretty much a map with some details sketched out in a word document, a brief history, and everything from DnD. I meant to say consisted of. The files got erased when my old computer died, but that's beyond the point.
So, where does Rich begin? Well, he begins with it being something that he wants to publish, and I'm going with publishing, mostly because I don't run, and really don't care who reads this. He then throws out the big bad villian part of the world, and goes from there.
This is where he and I diverge, I like the big villian part. I like there to always be a threat to humanity and peace. I think that I'm gonna keep the big bad villian, and sketch him/her/it later. He then goes into the gimic that the world has. Right now, I'm kind of leaning towards a FFXish setting for this world. Technology used to be everywhere, but now it has been wiped out and people live like in the Middle Ages, but with random technology here and there and tons of ruins (adventure fodder).Hmm, I like that. It gives the chance for there to be many adventures, and a good reason for there existing magical items that are super powerful.
Moving on, Rich goes into the big evil/good thing. He chooses to stray from this, but I think I'll stick with it for now, maybe spruce it up with something like "Magic vs. Technology" or something later but for now it's good and evil.
Something he throws in there are DnD concepts.I personally like the DnD system as is, and will stick with them.
Ah, another intersection on the road to World Creation. Rich goes for classes. I'll go with setting. I already said that I wanted a world with ancient technology, and I'll stick with that. I think I need something else to add in here too. Something that comes to mind is this being a super-future world, in the same universe as the real us, but on another planet. Ahh, I have an idea. The humans colonized the world millenia ago, but slowly regressed to the point where they are now. Then, the elves and dwarves and such landed on the planet. No, I think they'll have already been there, but have started much as the DnD world is. So now I've got a bunch of human overlords who no longer have technology and therefore cannot rule with an iron fist anymore. I like it. It gives a reason for Humans to be the dominant race.
Now for magic. Since this is in the same world, I could have some sort of super technology that is indistinguishable from magic, but I think I won't, too cliche. I'll just make it that magic has always existed, but we humans cannot use in the present day due to our disbelief or some other concept.
As I go along, I'm liking the idea of it being in the same universe less and less. I'll scrap that idea, but keep the rest (humans slowly declined and all that). So now I don't need a reason for us not using magic. This leaves room for gods and all of them.
So far, I have a world that humans have controlled in the past with their superior technology, but has declined to the present point, leaving the humans with little to no control, but still the most populous race.
Going back to magic, I think that I need something that all magic is drawn from. Elves aren't just better at it, and dragons don't pass it on after a few one night stands. Maybe there should be some sort of ancient power well that exists that all magic comes from. Kind of like the God's water fountain. That, however, brings up the problem of everyone having access to magic. If there is an infinite well of energy, why don't I just go over and get to level 20? RIght now I'm thinking of it being more of a key then a well. You go there, and it turns something on that allows you to use magic. This would do it for sorcerers, but not for wizards. Maybe it does the same thing, but the sorcerers are simply more adept and do not need spell books to accomplish the same thing. I like that, but it why don't they just use spell books and be twice as powerful? They're a gift and a curse perhaps? They allow one to focus one's power, but it then forces the person to focus that power into certain spells. Thinking about it, I lthink that it would work better if the wizard uses the spellbook, it imprints the selected spells upon the wizard, and they are used up when cast. So if the spell book is used, it doesn't allow the spellcaster to spontaneously cast spells. It takes that person power, shapes it, makes it bigger, and places it back in the person in that form. I'll go with that. A little complicated, but it works.
As a correlative, I think I'll allow wizards to cast without spellbooks, BUT it will be weaker. I.E. damage is minimum, saves are reduced by 4, any other effecs are treated as 4 caster levels lower. The only advantage is it is spontaneous. Obviously, no wizard will do this constantly, but it works as an auxiliary system. Trapped in a dungeon with no spellbook? Ambushed during the night? Misplaced your spellbook? The wizard is no longer a guy that stays in the back and whimpers. He can now actually do something.
I think I'll leave it here for tonight, and see the response it gets before working on it more. Just as a side-note, if this resembles anything that anyone else has published or created, it is entirely coincidental. I have never read tthe Homebrew forum before, and have never read the Eberon or Greyhawk setting, or any other setting.