BlueCon 2012 - World-Building Discussion

[Leala Sedai]

 

In every sci-fi/fantasy story, the author is charged with an unusual task.  They have to make up an entirely different world from the one they live in!  This may seem like an aruduous task at first, but it can also be pretty fun and liberating.

 

In this discussion, I'll pose a new question every day about established sci-fi/fantasy worlds AND worlds that you yourself are building or have built.  Feel free to ignore whichever question you don't want to answer.  If you come in late and want to answer a question from a previous day, please do so.  :)

 

Day 1: 

 

Established sci-fi/fantasy worlds - What is your favorite sci-fi/fantasy world?  Why?

 

Creating sci-fi/fantasy worlds - Are you more comfortable writing a sci-fi world or a fantasy world?  Why?

 

[michellem]

Not quite sure what my favourite world is. But I am quite a fan of writers who write urban fantasy; with fantastical stories set in our world; I like to see how they make it work. If I would have to pick one specific favourite though, it would probably be Krynn (Dragonlance).

 

I have only ever tried writing a fantasy world once, and it ended up as the worlds worst LotR-rip off (even worse than Eragon). So I gave it up! But I would be more comfortable writing fantasy, since I know nothing about sci-fi and doesn't care for it.

[Daruya]

Established sci-fi/fantasy worlds - What is your favorite sci-fi/fantasy world? Why?

 

Tough one! I love the HP world because the thought of being able to do HP-type magic in our world is just delicious! (Though I often wondered why, when magic could fix so much, Harry never got his eyesight fixed!) But I also love the LotR world and the WoT world. And Valdemar, too. But if I can only list just one, I'll go with HP.

 

Creating sci-fi/fantasy worlds - Are you more comfortable writing a sci-fi world or a fantasy world? Why?

 

I wish I could write well! But I think I'd be more comfortable writing about fantasy because I do enough technical stuff during my normal day that I want magic and fantastical creatures for my entertainment.

[blank]

Favourite world: oh I'm not sure, there are so many great ones. My favourite ones to read are fantasy stories based in another world - but I'm not a massive fan of elves or dwarfs (I know it's weird!) So stuff like the WOT universe suits me perfectly. I like world like that.

 

Creating Scifi/fantasy worlds - I'm not very well read in the Sci-fi genre and I've never written in it. I would have no idea how to go about building a world.

With big fantasy epics I'd love to have the attention to detail to invent a whole world but I just don't - yet. I'll keep trying. When I do try my hand at writing it's mostly post-apocalyptic fantasy stuff. Not only do I love to read and write in that sub-genre but if you're writing it you can also be like " nobody knows what came Before the Destruction"   It makes world building a lot simpler.

[Starrik]

Pick one? Pick one?! Wheel of Time, Lord of the Rings, Star Wars, Harry Potter, Doctor Who oh and the list goes on! I could never pick just one.

 

I love world-building. It's the main reason I suck at fan-fiction, as I always want to expand the world and build onto it. I spend heaps of time world-building, and very little actual story-writing in the end. But I love putting stories in my worlds too.

[Leala Sedai]

I have a hard time picking out my favorite, too!  xD  I think it would be Wheel of Time, because the world is just so detailed, and there's so much history!  I feel like if I walked into anywhere in Randland, I'd understand most of it.  I also love the Harry Potter world for the same reason Dar does.  It's just so close to home that it feels almost real!  I also love the world in the Black-Jewels trilogy.  The three-tiered world and the jewels system is just really intriguing to me.

 

I'm much more comfortable writing in the fantasy genre, because sci-fi just confuses me.  I've always hated science, and technology routinely hates me.  :P  I've always loved the fantasy genre, ever since I was a little girl, and all these ideas keep building up.  My problem is usually organizing them to make sense to others.  xD

[Ithillian Turambar]

Black Jewels Trilogy is Win!

 

My favourite world belongs to my favourite book, The Blue Sword. It is just different enough to be 'elsewhere' but real enough to make you think you could go and visit.

 

I've never really built a world, in a writing sense, but I often had major daydream and pre-dream adventures where I would happily put lots of details together and build scenes. For me, the scene setting in a book is so important because I tend not to read words in books, apart from dialogue, but just see the pictures instead. When the description starts to fall apart I end up with looking at words on a page and that is when I know the book doesn't really work for me. I think that if I wrote a book it would be a mixture of sci-fi and fantasy. because prefer people to have inbuilt abilities - even in LotR there was no way to learn Magic, you either had it or you didn't. I think that may be why WoT works so well for me, as it's not really a magic world - some people just have amazing abilities to alter their surroundings.

[Leala Sedai]

Today's question is applicable to both established and worlds in the works.  :)

 

Day 2:

 

Fantasy:  What kind of magic system is your favorite, or easiest to understand?

 

Sci-fi:  What kind of technology is your favorite, or easiest to understand?

[Lenlo]

Established sci-fi/fantasy worlds - What is your favorite sci-fi/fantasy world?  Why?

Hmm... Fantasy - I have to say either Krynn or World of Darkness which is a table top game

 

Sci-Fi - Enders Game. Its the reg world, but I just love the books. Its so well written. I may also say Incarnations of Immortality's world by Piers Anthony but im not sure if its Sci-Fi or Fantasy

 

Creating sci-fi/fantasy worlds - Are you more comfortable writing a sci-fi world or a fantasy world?  Why?

Fantasy. Its so much easier and there are so many less rules in my eyes. In a Sci-Fi world all the laws of science and the inventions have to make sense but in Fantasy worlds there is one word that, while not a good way to explain things, is very helpful for the harder things. Magic. Explains everything. Its a horrible trope to use when building a world but it works.

 

Fantasy:  What kind of magic system is your favorite, or easiest to understand?

World of Darkness - Mage rule set or DnDs system. I dont know of many other magic systems to be honest. Mistborn kinda is but thats not really a massive established magic system. Dragonlance uses the same as DnD and there just isnt much to pick from.

 

Sci-fi:  What kind of technology is your favorite, or easiest to understand?

I dont read much Sci-Fi but... I loved Star Wars. Made sense, all the space ships werent just nice looking boxs. They are gritty and look functional.

[Panchi]

Love this topic(being Worldbuilding Project Leader at ACW )

 

In every sci-fi/fantasy story, the author is charged with an unusual task.  They have to make up an entirely different world from the one they live in!  This may seem like an aruduous task at first, but it can also be pretty fun and liberating.

 

In this discussion, I'll pose a new question every day about established sci-fi/fantasy worlds AND worlds that you yourself are building or have built.  Feel free to ignore whichever question you don't want to answer.  If you come in late and want to answer a question from a previous day, please do so.  :)

 

Day 1: 

 

Established sci-fi/fantasy worlds - What is your favorite sci-fi/fantasy world?  Why?

 

Creating sci-fi/fantasy worlds - Are you more comfortable writing a sci-fi world or a fantasy world?  Why?

Favourite worl would be Randland because it is varied enough and is not too confusing that I may get killed, usually not.

 

I am more comfortable with fantasy worlds. With sci-fi there is a need to understand technology and all the stuff but with fantasy you can give wings to imagination

 

Today's question is applicable to both established and worlds in the works.  :)

 

Day 2:

 

Fantasy:  What kind of magic system is your favorite, or easiest to understand?

 

Sci-fi:  What kind of technology is your favorite, or easiest to understand?

I understand WoT system best. Maybe because it is one of the few that I have read enough to understand.

 

I don't pay much attention to technology but maybe technology in Artemis Fowl.

[Leala Sedai]

My favorite magic system is a tie between the One Power and the Jewels system of the Black Jewels trilogy.  The One Power is just so logical.  He sets it up in a way that it's very easy for me to understand, and there's always room for creativity.  there are weaves that the Forsaken don't even know about.  It's pretty interesting.

 

And the Jewels system...I won't lie...it's probably most likely that they're shinies.  But the craft, and the tie in with the psychic powers are pretty cool.  And unlike the One Power, the Jewels system establishes a pretty good ranking system, too, since the darker the jewels, the stronger the practitioner.  And the kindred, too.  That's one thing WoT doesn't have.  Magic-using animals.

[Lenlo]

No heres a question... What happens if a woman who can channel is also one of the Wolf Kin like Perrin? Like if Perrin and an Aes Sedai had a child or something... That would be very weird.

[Starrik]

Magic System. There are a lot, and many really good ones. I like the Magic used in the card game Magic the Gathering, it works really well with the background, and while it is just fluff it appeals to me. As does the WoT system though.

 

Technology, I'd have to say that there are again too many good styles. WH40K is very in-depth, and super gritty, but with contrasting elegance of times past. Realsitic ideas in reagrds to spaceship design are always preferrable.

[Starrik]

Magic System. There are a lot, and many really good ones. I like the Magic used in the card game Magic the Gathering, it works really well with the background, and while it is just fluff it appeals to me. As does the WoT system though.

 

Technology, I'd have to say that there are again too many good styles. WH40K is very in-depth, and super gritty, but with contrasting elegance of times past. Realsitic ideas in reagrds to spaceship design are always preferrable.

[Leala Sedai]

<blockquote class='ipsBlockquote'data-author="Lenlo" data-cid="2703071" data-time="1355434012"><p>

No heres a question... What happens if a woman who can channel is also one of the Wolf Kin like Perrin? Like if Perrin and an Aes Sedai had a child or something... That would be very weird.</p></blockquote>

 

My mind is blown. The world would be doomed. xD

 

I'm sorry this took so long. I had a really long day yesterday. And i'll have another today, so I'll post my owed questions in the next post.

[Leala Sedai]

I'm on my phone, so no bolding. :P

Day 3:

Name one or some of your favorite races from a sci-fi and/or fantasy world.

Tell us about a race you've created that you're proud of, or if you haven't created one, make one up now! :)

Day 4:

Mythology. Which sci-fi/fantasy world has the best creation stories or mythology?

Tell us a bit about your own created mythology.

Day 5:

Languages. Do you like an extra made-up language or two?

Have you made up your own language for your projects? Tell us a but about it.

[Ryrin]

I like the fantasy worlds. It's easier for me, in particular to lose myself in them and view them as more realistic.

[Leala Sedai]

Day 6:

 

Do you prefer a world with an instant traveling spell/technology?  Or do you prefer a world where they have to walk everywhere?

 

What's an instant travel technique you have used?

[Elgee]

Day 6:

 

Do you prefer a world with an instant traveling spell/technology?  Or do you prefer a world where they have to walk everywhere?

 

Instant travelling is certainly handy, but I love the opportunities for exploration that walking / riding a horse offers. Nature is a passion of mine, so I love imagining what kinds of scenery / terrain the people are travelling through.

 

What's an instant travel technique you have used?

 

None. Yet. :)

[Leala Sedai]

Day 7:

 

Do you prefer a world with subtle magic/technology (Game of Thrones/Hunger Games) or heavy magic/technology (Wheel of Time/Starwars)?

[Lenlo]

Name one or some of your favorite races from a sci-fi and/or fantasy world.

Halflings. I have always loved them. Or the servant people from Mistborn. Those were good to.

Tell us about a race you've created that you're proud of, or if you haven't created one, make one up now! :)

Alright... Ive never actually amde a race before so here goes.

Mythology. Which sci-fi/fantasy world has the best creation stories or mythology?

Dragonlance imo. I loved the balance and the thought put behind it.

Tell us a bit about your own created mythology.
I have never created my own. I dont make to many of my own worlds/campaigns. I just dont have the time.

Languages. Do you like an extra made-up language or two?

If done well they are amazing, but more often than not they are poorly done. I prefer not to take the risk with made up languages rely on the world for the story or to make races unique.

Have you made up your own language for your projects? Tell us a but about it.

I have not.

 

Do you prefer a world with an instant traveling spell/technology?  Or do you prefer a world where they have to walk everywhere?

Walking. As I say in the next question, whats the point of the world if you can ignore it. Things like carts or horses to make you go faster are alright, but not any *BOOM* your there stuff.

 

What's an instant travel technique you have used?

None actually. Im not a fan of instant travel in my worlds. Whats the point of making a world and everything if they can just fast travel around it?

 

Do you prefer a world with subtle magic/technology (Game of Thrones/Hunger Games) or heavy magic/technology (Wheel of Time/Starwars)?

 

Subtle, but preferably more easily seen than GoT. LotR was pretty good about it. Magic was in alot of places but you never directly got to see how it works or any obvious magic short of Gandalf and the Balrog.