So, my D&D 3.5 game is back in motion (yay!) and I have found myself needing/wanting to build the game world out from the starting region. This isn't a problem itself, but what I do find is that I am constantly finding myself getting bogged down in world building details. It's not just the "proper" placement of rivers and mountains and such, but also considering the climatic realism of areas and such. Can I explain this tropical region so close to a supposedly temporate area? Is this desert in the right place considering the placement of forests and rivers and the assumed prevaling directions of the winds and such.
This then continues on to the people of the realm. I find, that like many other fantasy settings, my game worlds' cultures bear striking resemblences to earthly cultures. Some of this is on purpose but many times I just accidentally manage to do it. This can be good for keeping things within the suspension zone, but also it can tend to hem a DM in. The problem I find, is that if I go too crazy with a new culture then I run the risk of "jumping the shark" or at least leaving my characters scratching their heads.
Odd-ball cultures do have their place, in small doses. They can add spice and surprises and even a sort of puzzle to the game. Used right they can be used as nice accents to reestablish the fantasy of the setting. I still find myself wondering sometimes if I have too many recognizable cultures in my settings and if the worlds are a little more gritty than a fantasy setting really needs to be.
-Eli
Tags: RPG D&D World Building
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