How much detail do you need to know to run a particular setting in FRPG? Some settings have about the detail level of comic books, some are more detailed such as Edgar Rice Burroughs' Barsoom novels or Lord of the Rings (LOTR), some have settings as detailed as the Game of Thrones show. Can you explain your RPG setting in just six words?
Many D&D settings are detailed enough for a large book, tens of thousands of words long. The Game of Thrones books (Song of Fire and Ice) will top two million words. LOTR has spawned three movies over 12 hours altogether (extended versions). Yet other settings are relatively sparse.
On the other hand, Jeffro Johnson (author of the "Appendix N" book about D&D's sources), says that you only need to know six things about your setting to run an adventure. He tends to rely much more on GM invention and much less on written material than most.
Jeffro never put any categories, it was just six things. I'd think of categories:
I've asked readers of my Gamastura (video site) blog to offer six word statements for various topics, with interesting results. Limiting yourself to a few words can help creativity. Here's the challenge:
I've tried a few examples for existing settings below (admittedly, some of the most detailed settings around). Anytime you try to describe something complex in six words, it can only be a hint, but might be enough to interest players. Another way to approach minimalism is the "elevator pitch," well known in video game design, about as many words as you say during an elevator trip. Two or three sentences, say 25 words?
[h=3]Original D&D - Greyhawk[/h]
This article was contributed by Lewis Pulsipher (lewpuls) as part of EN World's Columnist (ENWC) program. Lew was Contributing Editor to Dragon, White Dwarf, and Space Gamer magazines and contributed monsters to TSR's original Fiend Folio, including the Elemental Princes of Evil, denzelian, and poltergeist. You can follow Lew on his web site and his Udemy course landing page. If you enjoy the daily news and articles from EN World, please consider contributing to our Patreon!
Many D&D settings are detailed enough for a large book, tens of thousands of words long. The Game of Thrones books (Song of Fire and Ice) will top two million words. LOTR has spawned three movies over 12 hours altogether (extended versions). Yet other settings are relatively sparse.
On the other hand, Jeffro Johnson (author of the "Appendix N" book about D&D's sources), says that you only need to know six things about your setting to run an adventure. He tends to rely much more on GM invention and much less on written material than most.
Jeffro never put any categories, it was just six things. I'd think of categories:
- Transportation and communication would be one.
- Lethality (how many die/get killed prematurely in the world) might be another.
- Rarity of magic; how powerful is magic; stage of magic (see "Four Stages of Magic"); is it people or magic items that are powerful?
- What forms of government exist (empires, monarchies, oligarchies, etc.).
I've asked readers of my Gamastura (video site) blog to offer six word statements for various topics, with interesting results. Limiting yourself to a few words can help creativity. Here's the challenge:
Can you explain your RPG setting in just six words?
I've tried a few examples for existing settings below (admittedly, some of the most detailed settings around). Anytime you try to describe something complex in six words, it can only be a hint, but might be enough to interest players. Another way to approach minimalism is the "elevator pitch," well known in video game design, about as many words as you say during an elevator trip. Two or three sentences, say 25 words?
[h=3]Original D&D - Greyhawk[/h]
- Medieval fantasy, cooperation, magic is dominant
- Medieval monsters, tactical combat, magic everywhere
- Betrayal, lust, greed, swords; magic rare
- Winter is coming, war and rebellion
- Devastation, fire-breathing dragons, Ice Walkers cometh
- Forever young, constantly at war, Mars
- Desiccated Mars, pseudo-science, swords, guns, flyers
- Aerial battle fleets, individual heroism, Mars
- One Ring, evil reawakened, orcs, besieged
- Orcs dominant, magic rare, medieval technology
- World in decline, monsters reawakened, Doom (Double-entendre there.)
- Fantasy space-travel; Neogi, Beholder, Illithid ships!
- Fast fantasy spaceships, low gunpowder technology
- Arabian nights, desert survival, desert "spirits"
- Desert survival, princesses, thieves, "genies," spirits
This article was contributed by Lewis Pulsipher (lewpuls) as part of EN World's Columnist (ENWC) program. Lew was Contributing Editor to Dragon, White Dwarf, and Space Gamer magazines and contributed monsters to TSR's original Fiend Folio, including the Elemental Princes of Evil, denzelian, and poltergeist. You can follow Lew on his web site and his Udemy course landing page. If you enjoy the daily news and articles from EN World, please consider contributing to our Patreon!
