Agreed Tom. A well written standardized dungeon crawl, ---- as in Eamon can
be a fun litle diversion, but for a true exploration setting I deffinately
want more background and detail. I think many writers, (particularly of pvp
heavy grinders), have been very lazy in just snipping superficial elements
from tolkeen without actually writing any propper details of the world's
overall plot, how the adventure figures into things, or what races actually
are.
Once again though Sryth, Arborell (where there's even an entire gamebook,
and upcoming series playing as a non human race), and the Lone wolf series
have all done this very well.
But world building in scifi is something we've just not seen yet. Strictly
speaking, the final fantasy games, ----- particularly later entries in the
series are actually much closer to scifi than traditional sf, sinse the
world, technology and history is very much magitech, ---- magic, robots,
airshipsand weapons ranging from firearms through swords to lasers.
this was one reason my first big writing project was a novelization of the
Ps1 rpg Xenogears, that I found the world so intreaguing.
Again though, this is a style of world and game we've just not seen done in
text, ---- other than a few hints in lone wolf.
I'd personally be more in favor of a freshly created world for the game than
using an existing one. Much as I'm a fan of Doctor who, Startrek etc (and
rapidly becoming a bigger fan of the starwars universe), imho discovery of
the world itself and it's races is one of the most fun elements of a game.
That's why i love the background entries in Sryth.
On the other hand, in a pre-done world, you do have the fun of exploring
locations such as the jedi temple or ds9 yourself, with your own character,
rather than just having to sit back and watch or read about them.
Personally, if it was me I'd be more in favour of a unique game world, ----
but again, i'm not the one doing the programming, and it's just a difference
of style I think.
Btw, i am at the moment planning a gamebook for the june Arborell
competition. I have a section plan, plopt and unique setting myself fixed,
and it's only necessary now to write in the actual adventure pages (which to
me is the fun bit), ---- which will probably be my contribution to world
building games I think.
Beware the Grue!
Dark.
---
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