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"World Building"
This is a post in our ‘Advanced Topics in World Building’ series. See this post for an introduction to this series of high-level discussions for the experienced world builder. A master list of these posts can be viewed on the “Free Info” tab. Part 1 of this post is here. …
We’ve got a new video online!
This video tip explains a simple way to simulate continental drift by creating a “Pangaea” type proto-globe, and “growing your continents” from that basis.
This is an easy method to model some big earth-shaping geological processes. It’s great how-to for map-makers, writers of fiction and game designers who want a rational geological basis for how their fictional world looks. …
Folk beliefs are incredibly persistent, lasting across centuries, and can erupt under the right circumstances centuries after most people thought that mindset had faded into oblivion. To the people sharing an outmoded belief-set, their behavior makes perfect sense, though it will seem odd or irrational to people who have left that folklore-informed worldview behind.…
Someone just asked me how to create unique musical instruments in his world where he has altered some of the rules of physics. I can’t give a detailed response to that without knowing a great deal more about the physics and the world (hopefully he will post about this in our forum), but I do have a general suggestion to offer for anyone trying to come up with unique musical instruments.…
This is a post in our occasional ‘Advanced Topics in World Building’ series. See this post for an introduction to this series of high-level discussions for the experienced world builder. An index of these posts can be viewed on the “Free Info” tab.
As societies become more complex, people who are specialists in a field gain social status.…
From time to time here (and starting today), I’ll be posting some advanced-level posts on world building. These are not intended for beginners in this field. Rather, these subjects are aimed at folks already grounded in the basics, who want deeper knowledge about various (possibly obscure) aspects of societies and cultures and how they function.…
Polyphemus in the night sky above Pandora (from the movie Avatar)
I’ve had a couple people remark to me lately that they thought the world building info I’ve offered to date has nothing to do with science fiction.
I want to say something on that point. If you’re a science fiction writer or game designer, hopefully this will be of direct personal interest, but even if you aren’t, it will put you in the picture regarding my approach to and prioritization of world building topics.…
Charlemagne, greatest king of the Dark Ages (742-813)
In Part 1 of this series, I outlined some of the factors that mark an era as being a Dark Age. In this final installment, Part 2, I look at things that go beyond the doom and gloom of “oh no, civilization has collapsed!”
Not So Dark: the March of Progress
While things were falling apart in one regard, from another perspective big changes happened over time, and many of them were for the better.…
I was recently reading some novels set in the Dark Ages in Saxon Britain (more about those below). This era just predates the more popular Middle Ages and is relatively overlooked in fantasy world building, although it has an established niche in historical fiction.
Many worldbuilders do not know much about what life was like then, or why this might be an interesting era to base a fictional setting on.…
Happy Halloween! As our festivities continue, here’s a Halloween ghost story for you, beautifully illustrated by Emily Vitori. (Click here to go to the original post with download links.) For the connection to world building, read on.
This story is taken from my free samurai adventure novel, Dragonsword.…
