WorldCraft Club

Andor hit different. As far as Star Wars stories go this show fell on the 'grittier' side of things. Much like Rogue One, where we first met Cassian Andor. It also told a story which was more focused on the million small stories that took place around the major Skywalker narrative present in the main trilogy based movies. While the show made a splash on our discord server leading to several gushing reviews, the response was not altogether positive with some members of the community wondering where Star Wars was headed in the future. Per usual - spoilers abound. Key Takeaways: Convey your setting with confidence - this is a WorldCraft Club bingo entry for sure. Andor throws you into the middle of the setting and doesn't stick around to explain much of the 'whys and wherefores' of it. You're just there in the moment. Ferrix was a great example of this. The culture of Ferrix plays an important role in the story but little of it is explained or developed for the audience. We're just placed there. Let your setting communicate your story's themes - several characters are developed by the settings they inhabit, from Mon Mothma's ritzy apartment to Luthen's brutal concrete antiquities store these elements say something about the characters that inhabit them and the ideas the story is trying to communicate. If you major on the majors a lot of peripheral sins can be forgiven - the gang weren't without some criticisms for the series, particularly the lack of alien life found on the prison planet but these doubts were quickly forgotten because of the setting's bold committment to its themes and narrative. The result was that the fans of the show quickly found a way to make the lagging details fit and participated in the growth of the setting. Links and Sundry: The only link you'll ever need - our LinkTree! The one stop shop to find the Worldbuilder's Journal (our disc bound notebook to lead you through the process of immersive worldbuilding), an invite to our Discord Server (where you can join in on discussions like these), and a slack handful of links to our various social media outlets.

Do you ever stop to ask yourself why? At the WorldCraft Club that’s a yearly tradition. In order to perfect the craft of building exceptional worlds we hold the practice of pausing to reflect. We consider the definitions of our terms and look at how our understanding has changed. In this episode Seth and James discuss the meaning of Worldbuilding and, more importantly, what good worldbuilding is. Key Takeaways: Worldbuilding vs. Story - There’s an ongoing question in creative spaces about the value of worldbuilding and there are markets emerging where having an exciting world is a big part of the value of the property. This is where the rub is with traditionally published authors like Stephen King and something we’d do well to think about in our own creative endeavors. Humility is worldbuilding currency - Participation is about your visitants creating their own head canon for the setting. It requires humility as a worldbuilder to let control of your creation go, at least a little bit, in order to see it flourish in the hands of your audience. This is how you know you’ve completed your path as a worldbuilding and, with the right mindset, can be thrilling to watch. Your world is ultimately a collection of unfinished, unresolved conflicts - Leaving these elements open ended is not only realistic (as life seldom resolves) but is incredibly enticing. “I wonder what happened to that guy?” “Did those two nations ever find peace?” Links and Sundry: The Infamous Stephen King Tweet - What are your thoughts on this? Go ahead and buzz us using our LinkTree below. Where to find Seth’s stuff: Seth’s nifty website - Find out the latest about Seth’s comings and goings on this site as well as catching up on his latest books. Seth’s Newsletter - To make sure you always know what he’s up to. How to reach us: The only link you'll ever need - This is our LinkTree, from here you can get access to our Discord Community (which you definitely need to join) as well as everything else we make including the Worldbuilder's Journal.

Sometimes the process of worldbuilding can drag and steal your sense of excitement about a setting you’ve been crafting. The antidote? A good story, preferably a short one, set in your world that you can finish and share. Daniel McCormack talks with us about this powerful, instructive process that will make your worldbuilding richer, clearer and more fun than you dared to imagine. Key takeaways: You have a limited reservoir of wonder and excitement for your setting and short stories help fan this affection into flame rather than quenching it. In completing short stories you actually finish projects. Finishing means you have something complete to share and get feedback on, you get the psychic satisfaction of completing a task, and you’re forced to practice skills that can only be practiced with a completed work (satisfying character arcs, understanding the reader experience) Short stories can crystalize your ideas by causing you to interrogate your worldbuilding both adding to it as well as pruning elements that are unneeded, they can also help you determine types of stories that suit your setting and your goals as a storyteller and worldbuilder. Writing about what you love or what you hate can be incredibly powerful as you have a deep well of passion to draw from. Don’t be afraid to major on that major. Where you can find Daniel He wrote a blog on his medium about this topic that you can check out. Here’s his Facebook page. Come hang out with the WorldCraft Club Our Linktree has got everything you need to reach out to use including our Discord server, our Instagram, Facebook, and web store where you can buy the incredible Worldbuilder’s Journal to supercharge your worldbuilding.

Plotter or pantser? Do you take the time to write extensive outlines or do you find that you tend to create on the fly? It’s never really been a true dichotomy but rather a spectrum. The analogy of a garden or the process of cultivation with its pruning, grafting, and tilling earth seems apt. Seth and James talk about the process of gardening your worlds to life. Key Takeaways Don’t get caught up in your identity as a plotter or pantser but embrace the idea that you’re more likely on the garden spectrum. You may have an organized and well trimmed garden or you may have a wild one, but most worldbuilders will find themselves with a little pantsing in their plans or a planning in their pants. It’s not a bad thing to find that your world surprises you, in fact we’d argue that it’s a very good thing. Your characters and setting have begun to take on a life of their own. Where to find Seth’s stuff. Seth’s nifty website - Find out the latest about Seth’s comings and goings on this site as well as catching up on his latest books. Seth’s Newsletter - To make sure you always know what he’s up to. How to reach us: The only link you'll ever need - This is our LinkTree, from here you can get access to our Discord Community (which you definitely need to join) as well as everything else we make including the Worldbuilder's Journal.

Being GM is not easy. The worlds we create are supposed to ensnare our visitants and draw them in but when our audience have a mind of their own and desire to bring about meaningful change in our settings that can lead to some tricky situations. Greg from Worldbuilding.io joins us today to help us navigate the process of creating a setting that feels grounded but allows for dynamic change when encountering new ideas. Whether you’re into TTRPGs (Tabletop Roleplaying Games) or not, I think this medium has tons to teach us about crafting worlds that feel immersive and yet have vast story potential. Key Takeaways Know your audience, Greg’s familiarity with his audience helped him know what artifacts to place in his setting that would draw his visitants in. He uses the example of an Arena. You have players who you know are excited about fighting, put an item in the setting that will draw some fun out of them. Kill your darlings. You’re going to have great ideas, characters you fleshed out completely, plot hooks or points that were precious and exciting to you that you’ll just have to lay on one side for the sake of creating an experience for your visitants. Another way I think I’d modify this old axiom is this: ‘Adapt your darlings’. Like in the example of the mayor having the key the vault, he might not have it but the girl at the bar who the players are interested in might. It allows you to retain your plot point while funneling your setting through the interests of your visitants. Your world is founded in its conflicts. Every conflict that exists in your setting provides an opportunity to engross your audience. In this instance the audience are creating some of those conflicts but having the humility to reframe those challenges as a chance to make your world even deeper will yield serious dividends. Greg's Links Worldbuilding.io - Check out Greg's ite. It's a great clearing house for worldbuilding advice and a suite of tools to help with lots of different elements of your worldbuilding journey to get you ready for your next game. Greg on Twitter - Get your daily dose of worldbuilding wisdom here. Greg on Instagram - Or here. Greg's LinkTree - This contains links to Greg's Twitter, Facebook, Instagram and a host of other goodies that you can find. WorldCraft Club The only link you'll ever need - This is our LinkTree, from here you can get access to our Discord Community (which you definitely need to join) as well as everything else we make including the Worldbuilder's Journal.

This Netflix series by Studio Trigger brought Night City to life in new and unexpected ways drawing so many of is in from the first episode of it’s tragic run. The Discord server was abuzz with ideas about it for weeks and many of us couldn’t wait to grab the mic and talk about it. What follows are some highlights from that conversation where we critically analyze the show and uncover some solid world building secrets from a setting that blew us all away. If you’re looking to grow as a storyteller and worldbuilder you’re going to love this one. Major Takeaways: Confidence in your setting and trust of your audience is key. Be bold about what you're making and resist the desire to breakdown and explain every element of your setting. The topics Edgerunners explored are timeless and run deep in the human soul: Identity, choice, love, death, and freindship. While the setting is contemporary and topical the world's deeper themes are what keep the setting perrenial. Links: The David Martinez - Marcos referenced this when he went on his riff about the origins of the ‘Cyber’ in ‘Cyberpunk’ Manga Shakespeare illustrated by Sonya Leon - Rach referenced this as being a great basis for a cyberpunk dueling corps romance. It’s a terrible idea. An amazing terrible idea. WorldCraft Club Link Tree - Get access to the Worldbuilder’s Journal, our nova Discord Community, social media channels and much much more through this link.

The best worlds might be grown rather than made. We often talk about these two separate concepts that exist in tension in solid worldbuilding. There’s wonder, this feeling of getting wrapped up in the scale of a setting, the sense of the unknown just beyond your eye line. Then there’s immersion, the grounded sensation that the world is understandable and predictable. Both of these ideas play off one another to create a setting that excites your audience but doesn’t alienate them. What is the bridge between these two seemingly opposing ideas? Questions. This is how you cultivate a setting that grows into more than a core concept. Andrew Zimba joins the show to reveal some sound world building tips. Key Takeaways Don’t be afraid to start with something not blank But then explore and color that setting with questions Explore Ardalencor Andrew's Instagram In Times of War: A Tale of Ardalencor on Amazon Ardalencor Website - Read the opening chapters for free! Links and Sundry George RR Martin - Gardener Wim Hoff - The Ice Man - This man is... nuts. WorldCraft Club LinkTree - This contains all the things, our Discord, The Worldbuilder’s Journal, Email, you name it.

Horror lives just outside of our eyeline. In the peripherals of our vision. It's a feeling we can't quite shake when something seems amiss and the hairs on the back of our necks rise as our pulse quickens. To that end, world-building is absolutely critical to that tangible atmospher of dread. But how do we create this sensation in our visitants? Happy Halloween everyone! For this spooky episode of the WorldCraft Club Podcast we dive into how we can create horror in our fictional settings by twisting familiar stories. Ramp up your spooky worldbuilding and give us a listen. Key Takeaways Horror is found in the gaps - A lot like wonder, horror is really based in what is not known more than what is. Leverage this by resisting the urge to lavish details where they may not be needed. Let your visitant's mind wander into grisly possibilities. Twisting tropes is powerful - Fear is often based in seeing something that should be familiar but finding that it's altered in some unsettling way. This is true for familiar stories and tropes Worldbuilding is critical for horror to land - The atmosphere of dread is almost as important as the dreadful elements of the story itself. It's the setting that tells a reader the situation is unusual or that something is amiss before even your protagonist has become fully aware. Links and Sundry Zack Goings interview - More on horror from our interview with the excellent Zack Goings. Uncanny Valley - You know when something doesn't look quite right? You're in the uncanny valley. Nearly human... but not quite. Review of The Conjuring - If you love movies and don't mind missing a few weeks of sleep I highly recommend this movie. Check out this review from Ryan Hollinger, my go to source on horror filmography. Bug Man Men in Black Scene - This scene still freaks me out to this day. Come hang out with us! WorldCraft Club LinkTree - This is our LinkTree, here you can find the Worldbuilder's Journal, access to our fantastic Discord community as well as other ways to get in touch.

I think Arcane surprised everyone. Video game adaptations are seldom well received but this one exceeded all expectations and told a heartfelt story filled with interesting characters and fascinating world-building. I can count on one hand the people I know who didn't actively love this show. Let's break down what it did well, what may have missed the mark, and (most importantly) what we can learn and apply ourselves. This episode is a bit of an experiment in a new format of show where I, James, take moment to analyze content and seek to extract the gold from it. Key Takeaways Factions are incredibly powerful tools to leverage in character development and a sign of a well constructed world. Take time on understanding your factions goals and motivations, assign them to your characters and you'll unlock a layer of nuance as you develop them further. Take your time in your setting. Arcane, possibly due to its genre, zipped through some areas of the setting I'd like to have lingered on for longer. Don't be afraid to slow down the pace to let your visitants imbibe your setting to the fullest. Express the uniqueness of your setting. Arcane has some distinctive features that separate it from genre but I think the show could've done more to step outside of its genre's boundaries and create a world where an audience can find themselves exploring the setting. Make your world four dimensional. Arcane excels at expressing the passage of time. It's world develops to accommodate time leaps that feel grounded and realistic without becoming distracting. Don't let your world stagnate, allow the natural progression to occur as time moves on. Links and Sundry Schnee - this YouTuber does excellent analysis on Arcane and is criminally undersubscribed for his quality. Please take a moment to consider his work. Arcane and Microexpressions - Arcane broke the mold on animation and allowed deeply nuanced expressions to shine through on their characters. Steelstash - on our Discord Server introduced some really neat ideas here. He's part of the Black Dragon Dungeon Company and these guys are worth your time and make fantastic products. Check them out. Come Hang Out With Us! LinkTree - This is our LinkTree, here you can find our podcast, our discord server, and a bunch of other social links.

Worldbuilding is a long process that can feel overwhelming when you're dealing with just one primary planetary location let alone the universe at large. Today's interview with Ross Buzzell explores some techniques at developing unique races to populate your settings as we discuss his planned 16 part series (of which he is currently writing book 8 with book 7 available on preorder). We touch on not just how these races can be crafted initially but how they can be developed into more full and rounded additions to your setting. In typical WorldCraft Club fashion we explore his primary motivations for the setting and what he'd like his audience to take away from his book series. Key Takeaways Keep focused on your first love - remember what it is that drew you into creating this setting in the first place and continue developing from there. Don't fear the trope (at least initially) - a trope is just a story we tell a lot. Part of the reason that we tell those stories over and over is that they're compelling and they're known. Beginning with a trope can be an effective way of creating comfort in your visitants to give them something to key into while the universe expands around them. Links and Sundry So this is a tardigrade. Oh, and this is an axolotl. The God's Eye Nebula Find Ross' Stuff Ross' Facebook Group - He does some sweet giveaways here! Ross' Instagram Book One of Legacy Earth - only 99c! PreOrder Page for Book 7 (official release date is October 13) - order yours today! Ross' Website - to stay up to date with all his new releases Come hang out with us! Join the Club - We love our Patrons and they make this world(crafting club) go round, join us for early episodes, memes and a say in the direction of the pod LinkTree - This is our LinkTree, here you can find our podcast and a bunch of other social links.

What happens in your setting when someone dies? Are there gods? Are they deeply concerned with the comings and goings of people or are they aloof and indifferent? The Coats Brothers creators of the DinoBeasts Comic create some of the tightest worldbuilding on myth that I’ve seen in some time. Their setting seems to have...

What happens in your setting when someone dies? Are there gods? Are they deeply concerned with the comings and goings of people or are they aloof and indifferent? The Coats Brothers creators of the DinoBeasts Comic create some of the tightest worldbuilding on myth that I’ve seen in some time. Their setting seems to have...

Holy Cow! It’s been a minute. Seth and I owe you an explanation for our absence. To that end, let’s appraise you of all we’ve been up to. The Worldbuilder’s Journal Kickstarter is now fully complete and delivered and reviews are coming back raving. Our Discord is in full swing and growing and now we’re...

Holy Cow! It’s been a minute. Seth and I owe you an explanation for our absence. To that end, let’s appraise you of all we’ve been up to. The Worldbuilder’s Journal Kickstarter is now fully complete and delivered and reviews are coming back raving. Our Discord is in full swing and growing and now we’re...

Do you ever feel overwhelmed with the process of worldbuilding? There’s just so much to learn and do, you’re building a whole world after all! But don’t sweat it. James and Seth dive into the process of getting yourself started worldbuilding focusing on the major factors that contribute to a well written world. The practice is focused on meaning rather than detail with the understanding that even the best, most detail-oriented authors were driven by their interests and passions into creating immersive worlds without worrying about creating something bullet proof. Also, listen up because we have some big announcements in this episode. Don’t Forget to Check out The Worldbuilder’s Journal Key Concepts Meaning centered worldbuilding is more efficient and engaging vs detail centered worldbuildingThough detail centered worldbuilding is a ton of fun, it’s just not as efficient and tends to yield diminishing returns for your final workYou’ll never get your world totally right and someone will always be able to find fault, you might as well embrace your passion and focus on what helps you writeThe most powerful settings made by some of your favorite authors intuitively focused on themes and that’s why their work was so effective Links and Sundry Cow Hoof Doctors – Yeah, this is real thing. You should check it out. It’s mesmerizing.Concerning Hobbits – I still don’t buy that this economy could be this advancedHere’s a guy that disagrees about the Hobbit economy – I don’t find his arguments too persuasive but it’s well presented. Check it outQuantum Finish – Because Futurama is hilariousThe Night Hawks – This is James’ favorite painting. You should check it out. Get in Touch Join the Club – We love our Patrons and they make this world(crafting club) go round, join us for early episodes, memes and a say in the direction of the podFacebook Page – Our community here is rapidly growing and super fun, it’s also a great way to find out more about what we’re up toDiscord – Well, color yourself invited to our Discord channel where you can jaw with us about worldbuilding or help us with a collaborative projectThe Website – Oh yeah! We’ve got one of these too, check it out if you want to keep track of the blog where numerous authors talk all things worldbuilding. It’s updated sometimes.

Do you ever feel overwhelmed with the process of worldbuilding? There’s just so much to learn and do, you’re building a whole world after all! But don’t sweat it. James and Seth dive into the process of getting yourself started worldbuilding focusing on the major factors that contribute to a well written world. The practice is focused on meaning rather than detail with the understanding that even the best, most detail-oriented authors were driven by their interests and passions into creating immersive worlds without worrying about creating something bullet proof. Also, listen up because we have some big announcements in this episode. Don’t Forget to Check out The Worldbuilder’s Journal Key Concepts Meaning centered worldbuilding is more efficient and engaging vs detail centered worldbuildingThough detail centered worldbuilding is a ton of fun, it’s just not as efficient and tends to yield diminishing returns for your final workYou’ll never get your world totally right and someone will always be able to find fault, you might as well embrace your passion and focus on what helps you writeThe most powerful settings made by some of your favorite authors intuitively focused on themes and that’s why their work was so effective Links and Sundry Cow Hoof Doctors – Yeah, this is real thing. You should check it out. It’s mesmerizing.Concerning Hobbits – I still don’t buy that this economy could be this advancedHere’s a guy that disagrees about the Hobbit economy – I don’t find his arguments too persuasive but it’s well presented. Check it outQuantum Finish – Because Futurama is hilariousThe Night Hawks – This is James’ favorite painting. You should check it out. Get in Touch Join the Club – We love our Patrons and they make this world(crafting club) go round, join us for early episodes, memes and a say in the direction of the podFacebook Page – Our community here is rapidly growing and super fun, it’s also a great way to find out more about what we’re up toDiscord – Well, color yourself invited to our Discord channel where you can jaw with us about worldbuilding or help us with a collaborative projectThe Website – Oh yeah! We’ve got one of these too, check it out if you want to keep track of the blog where numerous authors talk all things worldbuilding. It’s updated sometimes.

Every GM is trying to creating a world with collaborators whether they like it or not. Authors are now embracing methodologies that include fans in their worldbuilding and story telling. How do you work well with others to create powerful settings and why might this be the best way to work? Long time collaborator and friend of the show Jog Brogzin has been busy. Like, really busy. Not just making awesome maps for Seth and his many other clients but building a collaborative world on his discord server one hex at a time. Seth and Jog go into detail on the process of cooking worlds with lots of chefs. What benefits this can yield and what pitfalls can make it tricky. Key Takeaways Collaboration might need some guard rails to be effective (final decision makers or voting on content)Scope and boundaries are critical. A good understanding of the limitations of the world you’re creating can help you quickly determine what fits and what doesn’t. Jog’s Stuff Jog’s Website – Check out Jog’s dungeon tiles and some beautiful maps he’s made for order on his site.Jog’s Patreon – This is where the magic happens. Get exclusive access to parts of Jog’s discord, 4k maps and much more!Jog’s Instagram – Follow along to see the amazing content he produces on a daily basis.Jog’s Facebook Page – Same deal as the instagram page. Come Hang Out With Us! Join the Club – We love our Patrons and they make this world(crafting club) go round, join us for early episodes, memes and a say in the direction of the podFacebook Page – Our community here is rapidly growing and super fun, it’s also a great way to find out more about what we’re up toDiscord – Well, color yourself invited to our Discord channel where you can jaw with us about worldbuilding or help us with a collaborative projectThe Website – Oh yeah! We’ve got one of these too, check it out if you want to keep track of the blog where numerous authors talk all things worldbuilding. It’s updated sometimes.

Every GM is trying to creating a world with collaborators whether they like it or not. Authors are now embracing methodologies that include fans in their worldbuilding and story telling. How do you work well with others to create powerful settings and why might this be the best way to work? Long time collaborator and friend of the show Jog Brogzin has been busy. Like, really busy. Not just making awesome maps for Seth and his many other clients but building a collaborative world on his discord server one hex at a time. Seth and Jog go into detail on the process of cooking worlds with lots of chefs. What benefits this can yield and what pitfalls can make it tricky. Key Takeaways Collaboration might need some guard rails to be effective (final decision makers or voting on content)Scope and boundaries are critical. A good understanding of the limitations of the world you’re creating can help you quickly determine what fits and what doesn’t. Jog’s Stuff Jog’s Website – Check out Jog’s dungeon tiles and some beautiful maps he’s made for order on his site.Jog’s Patreon – This is where the magic happens. Get exclusive access to parts of Jog’s discord, 4k maps and much more!Jog’s Instagram – Follow along to see the amazing content he produces on a daily basis.Jog’s Facebook Page – Same deal as the instagram page. Come Hang Out With Us! Join the Club – We love our Patrons and they make this world(crafting club) go round, join us for early episodes, memes and a say in the direction of the podFacebook Page – Our community here is rapidly growing and super fun, it’s also a great way to find out more about what we’re up toDiscord – Well, color yourself invited to our Discord channel where you can jaw with us about worldbuilding or help us with a collaborative projectThe Website – Oh yeah! We’ve got one of these too, check it out if you want to keep track of the blog where numerous authors talk all things worldbuilding. It’s updated sometimes.

Is breaking your rules because a particular scene needs a little extra oomph a good thing to do? The rule of cool is where your story starts to strain the expectations and rules that are created and there’s always a cost to it in the form of your visitant’s trust. Will you simply bend/break your rules again when it’s convenient? Marcos and James discuss where the limits of this rule are, jumping the shark, and Nathan Drake’s hit points. Key Takeaways Villains and heroes frequently bend this to make characters appear powerful, unique and interesting.The Rule of Cool is really useful for creating memorable and powerful moments in your story.Figure out what you want to do with this rule bending. Is it worth the cost?There can be partial explanations for the rule that can satisfy the boundaries of your world, have you considered them? Links and Sundry Rule of Cool Tropedia – This resource is incredible, you should definitely dive into stuff here for ideas.Fast and Furious – The franchise that went from ‘cool, cars racing’ to ‘wtf’ in about a decade.Matt Mercer on Rule of Cool – As you might expect he has some really good insights on its usage in TTRPG.Nathan Drake is Lucky – This is one of the best interpretations of rulesets I’ve ever heard and it’s definitely my head canon for most games that involve HP these days.Voldemort Flying – Like, he’s not supposed to. It was supposed to be impossible but he can do it. Why? Cause he’s super cool and scary, that’s why.Super Carlin Brothers – Why broomsticks never run out of gas. Scott's First Fight in Scott Pilgrim vs. The World – I still remember the awe I experienced watching this mad cap fight for the first time in theaters.Charlie's Angels Full Throttle – the scene that ruined it for Marcos.Jumping the Shark – This is it. It’s disputed as to whether or not this really was where Happy Days went downhill but it’s worth noting the phenomenon and seeking to avoid it where possible. Come Hang Out With Us Join the Club – We love our Patrons and they make this world(crafting club) go round, join us for early episodes, memes and a say in the direction of the podFacebook Page – Our community here is rapidly growing and super fun, it’s also a great way to find out more about what we’re up toDiscord – Well, color yourself invited to our Discord channel where you can jaw with us about worldbuilding or help us with a collaborative projectThe Website – Oh yeah! We’ve got one of these too, check it out if you want to keep track of the blog where numerous authors talk all things worldbuilding. It’s updated sometimes.

Is breaking your rules because a particular scene needs a little extra oomph a good thing to do? The rule of cool is where your story starts to strain the expectations and rules that are created and there’s always a cost to it in the form of your visitant’s trust. Will you simply bend/break your rules again when it’s convenient? Marcos and James discuss where the limits of this rule are, jumping the shark, and Nathan Drake’s hit points. Key Takeaways Villains and heroes frequently bend this to make characters appear powerful, unique and interesting.The Rule of Cool is really useful for creating memorable and powerful moments in your story.Figure out what you want to do with this rule bending. Is it worth the cost?There can be partial explanations for the rule that can satisfy the boundaries of your world, have you considered them? Links and Sundry Rule of Cool Tropedia – This resource is incredible, you should definitely dive into stuff here for ideas.Fast and Furious – The franchise that went from ‘cool, cars racing’ to ‘wtf’ in about a decade.Matt Mercer on Rule of Cool – As you might expect he has some really good insights on its usage in TTRPG.Nathan Drake is Lucky – This is one of the best interpretations of rulesets I’ve ever heard and it’s definitely my head canon for most games that involve HP these days.Voldemort Flying – Like, he’s not supposed to. It was supposed to be impossible but he can do it. Why? Cause he’s super cool and scary, that’s why.Super Carlin Brothers – Why broomsticks never run out of gas. Scott's First Fight in Scott Pilgrim vs. The World – I still remember the awe I experienced watching this mad cap fight for the first time in theaters.Charlie's Angels Full Throttle – the scene that ruined it for Marcos.Jumping the Shark – This is it. It’s disputed as to whether or not this really was where Happy Days went downhill but it’s worth noting the phenomenon and seeking to avoid it where possible. Come Hang Out With Us Join the Club – We love our Patrons and they make this world(crafting club) go round, join us for early episodes, memes and a say in the direction of the podFacebook Page – Our community here is rapidly growing and super fun, it’s also a great way to find out more about what we’re up toDiscord – Well, color yourself invited to our Discord channel where you can jaw with us about worldbuilding or help us with a collaborative projectThe Website – Oh yeah! We’ve got one of these too, check it out if you want to keep track of the blog where numerous authors talk all things worldbuilding. It’s updated sometimes.

Fish don’t know they’re wet. We all have a culture whether we know it or not. We tend to see it clearly in others and recognize that it’s a pivotal part of worldbuilding. We all remember a particular race or culture in our favorite media’s world-building that set our imaginations on fire whether it’s the Necrons of Warhammer, the Protoss of StarCraft, or the Sylvan elves of Lord of the Rings a diverse array of cultures can bring your world to life. How do you start with creating cultures, though? James and Marcos discuss some of the best ways to develop your cultures and place them in your stories in a way that highlights them all the while building a culture of cybernetic vikings. Key Takeaways Decide what role you want your culture to play.Location, location, location, where does your culture come from? This is a great first step when you’re asking questions about your culture.Culture is a by-product of progress which is rooted in necessity.Comedians are an excellent source of cultural commentary.Contrast is your friend, highlight differences with your visitants culture.Consider the impacts on neighboring cultures. Links and Sundry Synthesis – Massive spoilers ahead for Mass Effect. This is one of the three possible ending for the Mass Effect Trilogy. Where the endless conflict between organic and synthetic life is fixed by a complete blending of the two.Shark Laser Cavalry Charge – This is the best thing ever.Is Aquaman Good Worldbuilding? – Your question is invalid. There is Jason Mamoa. Seriously though, this thread is a really interesting discussion point for worldbuilding. All credit to -violetskies on our Discord for highlighting this.When you get slapped for thinking – Satire is such a great source. This clip won’t really help you at all. But should probably watch it anyway. Come join our culture. Like, why not? Join the Club – We love our Patrons and they make this world(crafting club) go round, join us for early episodes, memes and a say in the direction of the podFacebook Page – Our community here is rapidly growing and super fun, it’s also a great way to find out more about what we’re up toDiscord – Well, color yourself invited to our Discord channel where you can jaw with us about worldbuilding or help us with a collaborative projectThe Website – Oh yeah! We’ve got one of these too, check it out if you want to keep track of the blog where numerous authors talk all things worldbuilding. It’s updated sometimes.

Fish don’t know they’re wet. We all have a culture whether we know it or not. We tend to see it clearly in others and recognize that it’s a pivotal part of worldbuilding. We all remember a particular race or culture in our favorite media’s world-building that set our imaginations on fire whether it’s the Necrons of Warhammer, the Protoss of StarCraft, or the Sylvan elves of Lord of the Rings a diverse array of cultures can bring your world to life. How do you start with creating cultures, though? James and Marcos discuss some of the best ways to develop your cultures and place them in your stories in a way that highlights them all the while building a culture of cybernetic vikings. Key Takeaways Decide what role you want your culture to play.Location, location, location, where does your culture come from? This is a great first step when you’re asking questions about your culture.Culture is a by-product of progress which is rooted in necessity.Comedians are an excellent source of cultural commentary.Contrast is your friend, highlight differences with your visitants culture.Consider the impacts on neighboring cultures. Links and Sundry Synthesis – Massive spoilers ahead for Mass Effect. This is one of the three possible ending for the Mass Effect Trilogy. Where the endless conflict between organic and synthetic life is fixed by a complete blending of the two.Shark Laser Cavalry Charge – This is the best thing ever.Is Aquaman Good Worldbuilding? – Your question is invalid. There is Jason Mamoa. Seriously though, this thread is a really interesting discussion point for worldbuilding. All credit to -violetskies on our Discord for highlighting this.When you get slapped for thinking – Satire is such a great source. This clip won’t really help you at all. But should probably watch it anyway. Come join our culture. Like, why not? Join the Club – We love our Patrons and they make this world(crafting club) go round, join us for early episodes, memes and a say in the direction of the podFacebook Page – Our community here is rapidly growing and super fun, it’s also a great way to find out more about what we’re up toDiscord – Well, color yourself invited to our Discord channel where you can jaw with us about worldbuilding or help us with a collaborative projectThe Website – Oh yeah! We’ve got one of these too, check it out if you want to keep track of the blog where numerous authors talk all things worldbuilding. It’s updated sometimes.

Everyone’s afraid of being unoriginal. I mean, it’s understandable that we want to stand out. We don’t want our world-building to be hum drum filled with the same junk that we see day to day. But we needn’t fear the humble trope because it’s like salt. Too much and it’s poison but just the right amount can really pull the dish together. Tropes serve as a short hand for your players and readers. They allow someone to get caught up quickly with what you’re trying to say. When a character arrives on the scene in a menacing cloud of black smoke cackling all the while we can safely assume that we’re dealing with a villain and save some exposition in a scene that needs some pace. We can always build upon the character later or choose to subvert the trope in a unique way but just now we’ve offset some exposition labor on our world building and laid it back on the trope for a minute and our visitants will thank us. Join Seth and Marcos as they explore how to make the most of this powerful tool in a world builder’s arsenal. Key Takeaways Tropes set expectations in your world and can be a short hand for exposition.Good tropes are molded to your world but bad tropes seem to come out of nowhere or carry baggage that you don’t want.Repeating information (the inn keeper is a jovial fellow) sets expectations which operate like internal tropes that you can then use to attenuate your visitants to important information (when the inn keeper is gruff and dismissive they know something has changed). Links and Whatnot UltraViolet Trailer – This movie looks terrible. I mean, I don’t really know why Marcos and Seth even mentioned it. This trailer is… it’s bad.You can dodge a wrench, you can dodge a ball – Probably the best scene in Dodgeball, or really any movie.Carrot’s Character Profile – Seth’s pretty much right about this. If you read Pratchett you’ll be a better writer for it.TV Tropes – Here’s a handy list of tropes!One Punch Man – This show is very silly. You should probably watch it. Resistance is futile. Join our horde: Join the Club – We love our Patrons and they make this world(crafting club) go round, join us for early episodes, memes and a say in the direction of the podFacebook Page – Our community here is rapidly growing and super fun, it’s also a great way to find out more about what we’re up toDiscord – Well, color yourself invited to our Discord channel where you can jaw with us about worldbuilding or help us with a collaborative projectThe Website – Oh yeah! We’ve got one of these too, check it out if you want to keep track of the blog where numerous authors talk all things worldbuilding. It’s updated sometimes.

Everyone’s afraid of being unoriginal. I mean, it’s understandable that we want to stand out. We don’t want our world-building to be hum drum filled with the same junk that we see day to day. But we needn’t fear the humble trope because it’s like salt. Too much and it’s poison but just the right amount can really pull the dish together. Tropes serve as a short hand for your players and readers. They allow someone to get caught up quickly with what you’re trying to say. When a character arrives on the scene in a menacing cloud of black smoke cackling all the while we can safely assume that we’re dealing with a villain and save some exposition in a scene that needs some pace. We can always build upon the character later or choose to subvert the trope in a unique way but just now we’ve offset some exposition labor on our world building and laid it back on the trope for a minute and our visitants will thank us. Join Seth and Marcos as they explore how to make the most of this powerful tool in a world builder’s arsenal. Key Takeaways Tropes set expectations in your world and can be a short hand for exposition.Good tropes are molded to your world but bad tropes seem to come out of nowhere or carry baggage that you don’t want.Repeating information (the inn keeper is a jovial fellow) sets expectations which operate like internal tropes that you can then use to attenuate your visitants to important information (when the inn keeper is gruff and dismissive they know something has changed). Links and Whatnot UltraViolet Trailer – This movie looks terrible. I mean, I don’t really know why Marcos and Seth even mentioned it. This trailer is… it’s bad.You can dodge a wrench, you can dodge a ball – Probably the best scene in Dodgeball, or really any movie.Carrot’s Character Profile – Seth’s pretty much right about this. If you read Pratchett you’ll be a better writer for it.TV Tropes – Here’s a handy list of tropes!One Punch Man – This show is very silly. You should probably watch it. Resistance is futile. Join our horde: Join the Club – We love our Patrons and they make this world(crafting club) go round, join us for early episodes, memes and a say in the direction of the podFacebook Page – Our community here is rapidly growing and super fun, it’s also a great way to find out more about what we’re up toDiscord – Well, color yourself invited to our Discord channel where you can jaw with us about worldbuilding or help us with a collaborative projectThe Website – Oh yeah! We’ve got one of these too, check it out if you want to keep track of the blog where numerous authors talk all things worldbuilding. It’s updated sometimes.

It’s hard to kill your darlings. To let go of something that you spent hours (days/weeks/years) creating but that’s what we do when we engage on any creative endeavor. It’s especially true with tabletop roleplaying games where the visitants tend to want a hand in the creative process. They’re not passive observers of the story but active participants. RJD20 and James discuss how to hold your writing in an open hand and allow your players a seat at the table when you’re playing even as you do much of your harder worldbuilding at your desk between games. RJ’s Stuff RJD20 Blog – This is RJ’s blog and it’s exceptional. The worldbuilding content here is specific to TTRPGs but anyone can gain something from its worldbuilding content.RJ on Twitter – @RJD20 writes. Villain Backgrounds Volume 1 – Available currently for only $1Facebook Group – This is RJ’s Facebook group and is a great place to join in on the fun and talk to RJ. Links and Sundry GURPS Supplements – do yourself a favor and give these a read. They’re honestly phenomenal and worth every penny no matter what your worldbuilding aims or medium is. WorldCraft Club Episode Connector Join the Club – We love our Patrons and they make this world(crafting club) go round, join us for exclusive episodes, memes and a say in the direction of the podFacebook Page – Our community here is rapidly growing and super fun, it’s also a great way to find out more about what we’re up toDiscord – Well, color yourself invited to our Discord channel where you can jaw with us about worldbuilding. This is really where the magic happens.The Website – Oh yeah! We’ve got one of these too, check it out if you want to keep track of the blog where numerous authors talk all things worldbuilding. It’s updated sometimes.

It’s hard to kill your darlings. To let go of something that you spent hours (days/weeks/years) creating but that’s what we do when we engage on any creative endeavor. It’s especially true with tabletop roleplaying games where the visitants tend to want a hand in the creative process. They’re not passive observers of the story but active participants. RJD20 and James discuss how to hold your writing in an open hand and allow your players a seat at the table when you’re playing even as you do much of your harder worldbuilding at your desk between games. RJ’s Stuff RJD20 Blog – This is RJ’s blog and it’s exceptional. The worldbuilding content here is specific to TTRPGs but anyone can gain something from its worldbuilding content.RJ on Twitter – @RJD20 writes. Villain Backgrounds Volume 1 – Available currently for only $1Facebook Group – This is RJ’s Facebook group and is a great place to join in on the fun and talk to RJ. Links and Sundry GURPS Supplements – do yourself a favor and give these a read. They’re honestly phenomenal and worth every penny no matter what your worldbuilding aims or medium is. WorldCraft Club Episode Connector Join the Club – We love our Patrons and they make this world(crafting club) go round, join us for exclusive episodes, memes and a say in the direction of the podFacebook Page – Our community here is rapidly growing and super fun, it’s also a great way to find out more about what we’re up toDiscord – Well, color yourself invited to our Discord channel where you can jaw with us about worldbuilding. This is really where the magic happens.The Website – Oh yeah! We’ve got one of these too, check it out if you want to keep track of the blog where numerous authors talk all things worldbuilding. It’s updated sometimes.

It’s a bug bear isn’t it? Exposition. I mean, in one sense we’re told to show and not tell but we also need our visitants to understand your worldbuilding, to feel like they can anticipate outcomes so they’re not caught flat footed (or we don’t fail to catch them flat footed when we need to). How do you go about telling your visitant about the world you’re creating? Seth and Marcos uncover some really powerful tools that will help you up your game with exposition, promote clarity and help your visitant settle in. So pop on the ear amplifiers of your choice and dive into another fantastic episode of the WorldCraft Club Podcast. Links and Sundry Shaun of the Dead Doesn’t Know There’s Zombies – This provides world context for the story and highlights the sense of alienation that are present in so many zombie movies (even the funny ones).John Wick – The boogey man scene – This is straight exposition but it’s done with such dramatic flare that you’ve gotta love it sometimes its the difference between labeling details and making those details significant through the telling. Warning swears abound!The Way That Matrix Scene Played Out – This, my friends, is a lore dump.The Way That Matrix Scene Should’ve Played Out – I think we can all agree the architect was miscast in the original. ‘Ere go open you’re yapper one more time!’The Wise Mentor Trope – Rip Torn as Patches O’Houlihan was really the best example of a wise mentor trope. We know exactly what role he’s supposed to serve and he does it with a wrench in hand.One of Terry Pratchett’s Infamous Footnotes – The only thing known to go faster than ordinary light is monarchy, according to the philosopher Ly Tin Wheedle. He reasoned like this: you can’t have more than one king, and tradition demands that there is no gap between kings, so when a king dies the succession must therefore pass to the heir instantaneously. Presumably, he said, there must be some elementary particles — kingons, or possibly queons — that do this job, but of course succession sometimes fails if, in mid-flight, they strike an anti-particle, or republicon. His ambitious plans to use his discovery to send messages, involving the careful torturing of a small king in order to modulate the signal, were never fully expanded because, at that point, the bar closed. Don’t get friend zoned, come find us here: Join the Club – We love our Patrons and they make this world(crafting club) go round, join us for early episodes, memes and a say in the direction of the podFacebook Page – Our community here is rapidly growing and super fun, it’s also a great way to find out more about what we’re up toDiscord – Well, color yourself invited to our Discord channel where you can jaw with us about worldbuilding or help us with a collaborative projectThe Website – Oh yeah! We’ve got one of these too, check it out if you want to keep track of the blog where numerous authors talk all things worldbuilding. It’s updated sometimes.

It’s a bug bear isn’t it? Exposition. I mean, in one sense we’re told to show and not tell but we also need our visitants to understand your worldbuilding, to feel like they can anticipate outcomes so they’re not caught flat footed (or we don’t fail to catch them flat footed when we need to). How do you go about telling your visitant about the world you’re creating? Seth and Marcos uncover some really powerful tools that will help you up your game with exposition, promote clarity and help your visitant settle in. So pop on the ear amplifiers of your choice and dive into another fantastic episode of the WorldCraft Club Podcast. Links and Sundry Shaun of the Dead Doesn’t Know There’s Zombies – This provides world context for the story and highlights the sense of alienation that are present in so many zombie movies (even the funny ones).John Wick – The boogey man scene – This is straight exposition but it’s done with such dramatic flare that you’ve gotta love it sometimes its the difference between labeling details and making those details significant through the telling. Warning swears abound!The Way That Matrix Scene Played Out – This, my friends, is a lore dump.The Way That Matrix Scene Should’ve Played Out – I think we can all agree the architect was miscast in the original. ‘Ere go open you’re yapper one more time!’The Wise Mentor Trope – Rip Torn as Patches O’Houlihan was really the best example of a wise mentor trope. We know exactly what role he’s supposed to serve and he does it with a wrench in hand.One of Terry Pratchett’s Infamous Footnotes – The only thing known to go faster than ordinary light is monarchy, according to the philosopher Ly Tin Wheedle. He reasoned like this: you can’t have more than one king, and tradition demands that there is no gap between kings, so when a king dies the succession must therefore pass to the heir instantaneously. Presumably, he said, there must be some elementary particles — kingons, or possibly queons — that do this job, but of course succession sometimes fails if, in mid-flight, they strike an anti-particle, or republicon. His ambitious plans to use his discovery to send messages, involving the careful torturing of a small king in order to modulate the signal, were never fully expanded because, at that point, the bar closed. Don’t get friend zoned, come find us here: Join the Club – We love our Patrons and they make this world(crafting club) go round, join us for early episodes, memes and a say in the direction of the podFacebook Page – Our community here is rapidly growing and super fun, it’s also a great way to find out more about what we’re up toDiscord – Well, color yourself invited to our Discord channel where you can jaw with us about worldbuilding or help us with a collaborative projectThe Website – Oh yeah! We’ve got one of these too, check it out if you want to keep track of the blog where numerous authors talk all things worldbuilding. It’s updated sometimes.

But, what is the secret sauce!? Peter Chiykowski is all about it. He’s an award winning author, cartoonist, dog enthusiast and maker of awesome kickstarters and we get to pick his brains! We talk about it some of the key components to good worlds and how a creator can build such depth into their own settings. Take a second here to listen in on some of this solid wisdom. Peter’s Links The Deck of Worlds Kickstarter – This is THE Kickstarter for you get on the ground floor of if you want to get your brain motor running on creating settings. It’s a fantastic tool.The Story Engine – The precursor to the Deck of Worlds, it’s a modular writingPeter’s Website – Find out more about the man, the myth, the legend here.Peter’s Comic – Rock, Paper, Cynic is a comic that Peter’s been doing for a long dang time and it’s worth some of your eye time. Hang out with us! Join the Club – We love our Patrons and they make this world(crafting club) go round, join us for early episodes, memes and a say in the direction of the podFacebook Page – Our community here is rapidly growing and super fun, it’s also a great way to find out more about what we’re up toDiscord – Well, color yourself invited to our Discord channel where you can jaw with us about worldbuilding or help us with a collaborative projectThe Website – Oh yeah! We’ve got one of these too, check it out if you want to keep track of the blog where numerous authors talk all things worldbuilding. It’s updated sometimes.

But, what is the secret sauce!? Peter Chiykowski is all about it. He’s an award winning author, cartoonist, dog enthusiast and maker of awesome kickstarters and we get to pick his brains! We talk about it some of the key components to good worlds and how a creator can build such depth into their own settings. Take a second here to listen in on some of this solid wisdom. Peter’s Links The Deck of Worlds Kickstarter – This is THE Kickstarter for you get on the ground floor of if you want to get your brain motor running on creating settings. It’s a fantastic tool.The Story Engine – The precursor to the Deck of Worlds, it’s a modular writingPeter’s Website – Find out more about the man, the myth, the legend here.Peter’s Comic – Rock, Paper, Cynic is a comic that Peter’s been doing for a long dang time and it’s worth some of your eye time. Hang out with us! Join the Club – We love our Patrons and they make this world(crafting club) go round, join us for early episodes, memes and a say in the direction of the podFacebook Page – Our community here is rapidly growing and super fun, it’s also a great way to find out more about what we’re up toDiscord – Well, color yourself invited to our Discord channel where you can jaw with us about worldbuilding or help us with a collaborative projectThe Website – Oh yeah! We’ve got one of these too, check it out if you want to keep track of the blog where numerous authors talk all things worldbuilding. It’s updated sometimes.

Isn’t it great when your players are obsessed? When they form massive cork boards with twine and string connecting images of different characters and phenomena in your world. How do you bottle this, though? How does a GM drive player engagement with worldbuilding? James and Seth break down how to drive player excitement and engagement. Hang out with us! Join the Club – We love our Patrons and they make this world(crafting club) go round, join us for early episodes, memes and a say in the direction of the podFacebook Page – Our community here is rapidly growing and super fun, it’s also a great way to find out more about what we’re up toDiscord – Well, color yourself invited to our Discord channel where you can jaw with us about worldbuilding or help us with a collaborative projectThe Website – Oh yeah! We’ve got one of these too, check it out if you want to keep track of the blog where numerous authors talk all things worldbuilding. It’s updated weeklyish.

Isn’t it great when your players are obsessed? When they form massive cork boards with twine and string connecting images of different characters and phenomena in your world. How do you bottle this, though? How does a GM drive player engagement with worldbuilding? James and Seth break down how to drive player excitement and engagement. Hang out with us! Join the Club – We love our Patrons and they make this world(crafting club) go round, join us for early episodes, memes and a say in the direction of the podFacebook Page – Our community here is rapidly growing and super fun, it’s also a great way to find out more about what we’re up toDiscord – Well, color yourself invited to our Discord channel where you can jaw with us about worldbuilding or help us with a collaborative projectThe Website – Oh yeah! We’ve got one of these too, check it out if you want to keep track of the blog where numerous authors talk all things worldbuilding. It’s updated weeklyish.

Well!? The Empire is obviously evil, I mean, obviously. However, we reckon most folks in the galaxy far far away were pretty ambivalent about it and might not have even noticed the change of the guard. Marcos and James discuss the Mandolorian and how the show depicts the regular folks in the margins of galactic society and how they might’ve seen the Empire and the experiences they might have had as it collapsed. Was everyone on board with the Rebellion. Is the Rebellion doing a good job running the show since the Emperor died? We discuss these questions and more to give you great content for your own story worlds featuring collapsed empires. Links and Whatnot Operation Cinder – for those of you not in the know this is basically the pinnacle of mustache twirling evil that only Sith do.Basically Every Episode of the Mandalorian – We can’t do our mission because we’re out of… milk. Come Hang Out With Us! Join the Club – We love our Patrons and they make this world(crafting club) go round, join us for early episodes, memes and a say in the direction of the podFacebook Page – Our community here is rapidly growing and super fun, it’s also a great way to find out more about what we’re up toDiscord – Well, color yourself invited to our Discord channel where you can jaw with us about worldbuilding or help us with a collaborative projectThe Website – Oh yeah! We’ve got one of these too, check it out if you want to keep track of the blog where numerous authors talk all things worldbuilding. It’s updated weeklyish.

Well!? The Empire is obviously evil, I mean, obviously. However, we reckon most folks in the galaxy far far away were pretty ambivalent about it and might not have even noticed the change of the guard. Marcos and James discuss the Mandolorian and how the show depicts the regular folks in the margins of galactic society and how they might’ve seen the Empire and the experiences they might have had as it collapsed. Was everyone on board with the Rebellion. Is the Rebellion doing a good job running the show since the Emperor died? We discuss these questions and more to give you great content for your own story worlds featuring collapsed empires. Links and Whatnot Operation Cinder – for those of you not in the know this is basically the pinnacle of mustache twirling evil that only Sith do.Basically Every Episode of the Mandalorian – We can’t do our mission because we’re out of… milk. Come Hang Out With Us! Join the Club – We love our Patrons and they make this world(crafting club) go round, join us for early episodes, memes and a say in the direction of the podFacebook Page – Our community here is rapidly growing and super fun, it’s also a great way to find out more about what we’re up toDiscord – Well, color yourself invited to our Discord channel where you can jaw with us about worldbuilding or help us with a collaborative projectThe Website – Oh yeah! We’ve got one of these too, check it out if you want to keep track of the blog where numerous authors talk all things worldbuilding. It’s updated weeklyish.

Happy Star Wars day everyone! May the Fourth be with you! The Jedi are a staple in everyone’s worldbuilding imagination, most everyone wanted to be one at one time or another. Seth and I are gonna tell you why they’re terrible and not just cause they indoctrinate kids in their hokey religion or have a weird attachment to political power. The problems lie a little deeper, their philosophy presents the type of problems that generate Sith faster than Sith do. Links and Sundry Kreia’s Conundrums – Or was it conundra? Either way I highly recommend journeying down this rabbit hole. It will not disappoint.Other Force Traditions – This was another interesting journey for me. There’s actually a lot of non-sith non-jedi force traditions out there. Come hang out with us! Join the Club – We love our Patrons and they make this world(crafting club) go round, join us for early episodes, memes and a say in the direction of the podFacebook Page – Our community here is rapidly growing and super fun, it’s also a great way to find out more about what we’re up toDiscord – Well, color yourself invited to our Discord channel where you can jaw with us about worldbuilding or help us with a collaborative projectThe Website – Oh yeah! We’ve got one of these too, check it out if you want to keep track of the blog where numerous authors talk all things worldbuilding. It’s updated weeklyish.

Happy Star Wars day everyone! May the Fourth be with you! The Jedi are a staple in everyone's worldbuilding imagination, most everyone wanted to be one at one time or another. Seth and I are gonna tell you why they're terrible and not just cause they indoctrinate kids in their hokey religion or have a weird attachment to political power. The problems lie a little deeper, their philosophy presents the type of problems that generate Sith faster than Sith do. Links and Sundry Kreia’s Conundrums – Or was it conundra? Either way I highly recommend journeying down this rabbit hole. It will not disappoint.Other Force Traditions – This was another interesting journey for me. There’s actually a lot of non-sith non-jedi force traditions out there. Come hang out with us! Join the Club – We love our Patrons and they make this world(crafting club) go round, join us for early episodes, memes and a say in the direction of the podFacebook Page – Our community here is rapidly growing and super fun, it’s also a great way to find out more about what we’re up toDiscord – Well, color yourself invited to our Discord channel where you can jaw with us about worldbuilding or help us with a collaborative projectThe Website – Oh yeah! We’ve got one of these too, check it out if you want to keep track of the blog where numerous authors talk all things worldbuilding. It’s updated weeklyish.

There’s one thing that unites us all, one thing that is totally and indisputably common to the human experience. We eat (and breath, and probably whole bunch of other stuff but mostly that first thing). Every people has unique food and that food is informed by thousands (if not millions) of years of history, necessity, preference, resources and who knows what else. Baked into every element of food is the very richness of a culture and a ton of embedded knowledge. So why doesn’t everyone use it? Today Seth and James break down not just the history of some foods (why English food is so gross, why Eastern food has so many delicious spices and why American food tends toward the meaty middle) but how we help your audience connect with the foods you’re discussing. So, grab yourself a plate of delicious food and wash it down with some drink (goes great with food) while you git learnt. Links and Sundry A Phenomenal Guide to Great Food Words – Well, dang. This sucker is a useful link. Take some time to read this, you won’t regret it if you want to include solid food descriptions in your settings. Wanna Hang Out? Join the Club – We love our Patrons and they make this world(crafting club) go round, join us for early episodes, memes and a say in the direction of the podFacebook Page – Our community here is rapidly growing and super fun, it’s also a great way to find out more about what we’re up toDiscord – Well, color yourself invited to our Discord channel where you can jaw with us about worldbuilding or help us with a collaborative projectThe Website – Oh yeah! We’ve got one of these too, check it out if you want to keep track of the blog where numerous authors talk all things worldbuilding. It’s updated weeklyish.

There's one thing that unites us all, one thing that is totally and indisputably common to the human experience. We eat (and breath, and probably whole bunch of other stuff but mostly that first thing). Every people has unique food and that food is informed by thousands (if not millions) of years of history, necessity, preference, resources and who knows what else. Baked into every element of food is the very richness of a culture and a ton of embedded knowledge. So why doesn't everyone use it? Today Seth and James break down not just the history of some foods (why English food is so gross, why Eastern food has so many delicious spices and why American food tends toward the meaty middle) but how we help your audience connect with the foods you're discussing. So, grab yourself a plate of delicious food and wash it down with some drink (goes great with food) while you git learnt. Links and Sundry A Phenomenal Guide to Great Food Words – Well, dang. This sucker is a useful link. Take some time to read this, you won’t regret it if you want to include solid food descriptions in your settings. Wanna Hang Out? Join the Club – We love our Patrons and they make this world(crafting club) go round, join us for early episodes, memes and a say in the direction of the podFacebook Page – Our community here is rapidly growing and super fun, it’s also a great way to find out more about what we’re up toDiscord – Well, color yourself invited to our Discord channel where you can jaw with us about worldbuilding or help us with a collaborative projectThe Website – Oh yeah! We’ve got one of these too, check it out if you want to keep track of the blog where numerous authors talk all things worldbuilding. It’s updated weeklyish.

We spoil the crap out of this show so if you haven’t seen it yet and you want to see it and you don’t like spoilers then we recommend you give this a miss till you catch WandaVision. As for the rest of you. What happens when a deity grieves? This episode Marcos and James dive into WandaVision to talk about a world that is entirely under the control of one person and what the implications are for worldbuilding. It leads into a bit of a deep dive into the whys and wherefores of worldbuilding with powerful people. You won’t want to miss this. Links and Sundry The Ship of Theseus from Malcom Gladwell – This is actually a great episode of a podcast that has little to do with worldbuilding but a lot to do with the Ship of Theseus… and golf.Here’s that aspect ratio thing Marcos was talking about – It’s trippy. Like, really trippy. It speaks to the loving level of detail in this show. Wanna Hang Out? Join the Club – We love our Patrons and they make this world(crafting club) go round, join us for early episodes, memes and a say in the direction of the podFacebook Page – Our community here is rapidly growing and super fun, it’s also a great way to find out more about what we’re up toDiscord – Well, color yourself invited to our Discord channel where you can jaw with us about worldbuilding or help us with a collaborative projectThe Website – Oh yeah! We’ve got one of these too, check it out if you want to keep track of the blog where numerous authors talk all things worldbuilding. It’s updated weeklyish.

We spoil the crap out of this show so if you haven't seen it yet and you want to see it and you don't like spoilers then we recommend you give this a miss till you catch WandaVision. As for the rest of you. What happens when a deity grieves? This episode Marcos and James dive into WandaVision to talk about a world that is entirely under the control of one person and what the implications are for worldbuilding. It leads into a bit of a deep dive into the whys and wherefores of worldbuilding with powerful people. You won't want to miss this. Links and Sundry The Ship of Theseus from Malcom Gladwell – This is actually a great episode of a podcast that has little to do with worldbuilding but a lot to do with the Ship of Theseus… and golf.Here’s that aspect ratio thing Marcos was talking about – It’s trippy. Like, really trippy. It speaks to the loving level of detail in this show. Wanna Hang Out? Join the Club – We love our Patrons and they make this world(crafting club) go round, join us for early episodes, memes and a say in the direction of the podFacebook Page – Our community here is rapidly growing and super fun, it’s also a great way to find out more about what we’re up toDiscord – Well, color yourself invited to our Discord channel where you can jaw with us about worldbuilding or help us with a collaborative projectThe Website – Oh yeah! We’ve got one of these too, check it out if you want to keep track of the blog where numerous authors talk all things worldbuilding. It’s updated weeklyish.

If you were to strip your story from your setting leaving just the world you made behind would people still want to be there? If you take Rocky out of Philadelphia you just have, well, Philadelphia, Will Smith out of Bel Air and… you get the idea. Some worlds are just saturated with potential even if their stories suck (lookin’ at you Jupiter Ascending). Today Marcos and James discuss a Film Courage video featuring Houston Howard where they discuss what makes a world marketable and usable. The tools of the trade for making great worlds are more accessible and basic to the human experience than you might have imagined. You won’t want to miss this great discussion on how to put awesome story worlds together. Links and Sundry Film Courage: Houston Howard on Story Worlds – this is the video we based this discussion on. Intro to the Fresh Prince of Bel-Air – okay there wasn’t a reason for this it’s just a great jingle. For some reason there’s also, like, a 10-hour version of this that someone put together.The trailer from Jupiter Ascending – I defy you to not want to watch this. Wanna Hang Out? Join the Club – We love our Patrons and they make this world(crafting club) go round, join us for early episodes, memes and a say in the direction of the podFacebook Page – Our community here is rapidly growing and super fun, it’s also a great way to find out more about what we’re up toDiscord – Well, color yourself invited to our Discord channel where you can jaw with us about worldbuilding or help us with a collaborative projectThe Website – Oh yeah! We’ve got one of these too, check it out if you want to keep track of the blog where numerous authors talk all things worldbuilding. It’s updated weeklyish.

If you were to strip your story from your setting leaving just the world you made behind would people still want to be there? If you take Rocky out of Philadelphia you just have, well, Philadelphia, Will Smith out of Bel Air and… you get the idea. Some worlds are just saturated with potential even if their stories suck (lookin' at you Jupiter Ascending). Today Marcos and James discuss a Film Courage video featuring Houston Howard where they discuss what makes a world marketable and usable. The tools of the trade for making great worlds are more accessible and basic to the human experience than you might have imagined. You won't want to miss this great discussion on how to put awesome story worlds together. Links and Sundry Film Courage: Houston Howard on Story Worlds – this is the video we based this discussion on. Intro to the Fresh Prince of Bel-Air – okay there wasn't a reason for this it's just a great jingle. For some reason there’s also, like, a 10-hour version of this that someone put together.The trailer from Jupiter Ascending – I defy you to not want to watch this. Wanna Hang Out? Join the Club – We love our Patrons and they make this world(crafting club) go round, join us for early episodes, memes and a say in the direction of the podFacebook Page – Our community here is rapidly growing and super fun, it’s also a great way to find out more about what we’re up toDiscord – Well, color yourself invited to our Discord channel where you can jaw with us about worldbuilding or help us with a collaborative projectThe Website – Oh yeah! We’ve got one of these too, check it out if you want to keep track of the blog where numerous authors talk all things worldbuilding. It’s updated weeklyish.

Let’s be honest, GameLit is cheating at worldbuilding. Our very own Seth Ring is joining us today to talk about worldbuilding in his fantastical world of Nova Terra. Seth goes into the nuts and bolts of his collaborative writing style gives away some of his best secrets on how to write and keep writing even when you experience criticism. You won’t want to miss this great interview with this talented author. Check out Seth’s Books! Nova Terra: Earthshaper (Book 6) on Amazon USNova Terra: Earthshaper (Book 6) on Amazon UKThe Whole Nova Terra SeriesNova Terra: Kingbreaker (Book 3) on AudibleGet in on the ground floor at Seth’s Patreon Come talk to us! Join the Club – We love our Patrons and they make this world(crafting club) go round, join us for early episodes, memes and a say in the direction of the podFacebook Page – Our community here is rapidly growing and super fun, it’s also a great way to find out more about what we’re up toDiscord – Well, color yourself invited to our Discord channel where you can jaw with us about worldbuilding or help us with a collaborative projectThe Website – Oh yeah! We’ve got one of these too, check it out if you want to keep track of the blog where numerous authors talk all things worldbuilding. It’s updated weeklyish.

Let's be honest, GameLit is cheating at worldbuilding. Our very own Seth Ring is joining us today to talk about worldbuilding in his fantastical world of Nova Terra. Seth goes into the nuts and bolts of his collaborative writing style gives away some of his best secrets on how to write and keep writing even when you experience criticism. You won't want to miss this great interview with this talented author. Check out Seth’s Books! Nova Terra: Earthshaper (Book 6) on Amazon USNova Terra: Earthshaper (Book 6) on Amazon UKThe Whole Nova Terra SeriesNova Terra: Kingbreaker (Book 3) on AudibleGet in on the ground floor at Seth's Patreon Come talk to us! Join the Club – We love our Patrons and they make this world(crafting club) go round, join us for early episodes, memes and a say in the direction of the podFacebook Page – Our community here is rapidly growing and super fun, it’s also a great way to find out more about what we’re up toDiscord – Well, color yourself invited to our Discord channel where you can jaw with us about worldbuilding or help us with a collaborative projectThe Website – Oh yeah! We’ve got one of these too, check it out if you want to keep track of the blog where numerous authors talk all things worldbuilding. It’s updated weeklyish.

Horror holds a grim fascination for millions of people but it can be elusive at times. The things that you’d think would draw out the biggest screams sometimes fall flat because they’re too obvious or gratuitous. Real horror lies in subtlety and the unknown. What if the best horror is in the margins, just outside of your eyeline. Watching, waiting. This is exactly what Zack Goings and the team at STONEworks Gaming have imbued into their recent kickstarter ‘Winthrop Manor’, a ZineQuest contribution and introduction to their broader setting ‘Dreadlands’. We find out a little more about exactly what they’re making while also learning some solid worldbuilding and dungeon mastering advice for the aspiring horrific creator. But where do we find this awesome kickstarter? The Lights of Winthrop Manor – Jump in and help these guys while you can. Even if it’s only a few dollars to help keep their project at the top of the algorithm would be helpful. This is a great way to support independent creators who you like but also to bolster the community and let folks know that this kind of work is loved by so many.STONEworks Gaming can be found on: Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, their website and, of course, they’ve got a Patreon where you can lend them support. Reach out! Join the Club – We love our Patrons and they make this world(crafting club) go round, join us for early episodes, memes and a say in the direction of the podFacebook Page – Our community here is rapidly growing and super fun, it’s also a great way to find out more about what we’re up toDiscord – Well, color yourself invited to our Discord channel where you can jaw with us about worldbuilding or help us with a collaborative projectThe Website – Oh yeah! We’ve got one of these too, check it out if you want to keep track of the blog where numerous authors talk all things worldbuilding. It’s updated weeklyish.

Horror holds a grim fascination for millions of people but it can be elusive at times. The things that you'd think would draw out the biggest screams sometimes fall flat because they're too obvious or gratuitous. Real horror lies in subtlety and the unknown. What if the best horror is in the margins, just outside of your eyeline. Watching, waiting. This is exactly what Zack Goings and the team at STONEworks Gaming have imbued into their recent kickstarter ‘Winthrop Manor', a ZineQuest contribution and introduction to their broader setting ‘Dreadlands'. We find out a little more about exactly what they’re making while also learning some solid worldbuilding and dungeon mastering advice for the aspiring horrific creator. But where do we find this awesome kickstarter? The Lights of Winthrop Manor – Jump in and help these guys while you can. Even if it’s only a few dollars to help keep their project at the top of the algorithm would be helpful. This is a great way to support independent creators who you like but also to bolster the community and let folks know that this kind of work is loved by so many.STONEworks Gaming can be found on: Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, their website and, of course, they’ve got a Patreon where you can lend them support. Reach out! Join the Club – We love our Patrons and they make this world(crafting club) go round, join us for early episodes, memes and a say in the direction of the podFacebook Page – Our community here is rapidly growing and super fun, it’s also a great way to find out more about what we’re up toDiscord – Well, color yourself invited to our Discord channel where you can jaw with us about worldbuilding or help us with a collaborative projectThe Website – Oh yeah! We’ve got one of these too, check it out if you want to keep track of the blog where numerous authors talk all things worldbuilding. It’s updated weeklyish.

Remember when we looked up into the night sky and saw endless potential in that little red dot out among the stars. Was it a god looking down upon us? Aliens perhaps? Scantily clad space women from pulp fiction? I mean, c’mon, there were roads up there, I’m pretty sure once we found a face carved into the rock and at least one space pyramid. Alas, the adventure and promise of Mars has changed much. We’ve seen it now, landed a probe on its surface and that probe sings ‘happy birthday’ to itself every year. It’s a little like a young man leaving the promise of youth only to find that he’s not the man he expected he would become. The questions surrounding Mars are not really questions about who might be up there but how we might survive if we lived up there. The questions we have now aren’t inspired by wonder the practicality of life on an inhospitable planet. The fine work done in The Expanse does a great job with this with the Martian Colonial Republic is a key player in solar politics. So what’s going on in the heavens of your worlds? What mysteries do the nearest astronomical neighbors hold? Maybe it’s time for Mars to reclaim its youth in our fiction. Links and Sundry Have I talked about the Expanse enough? You should watch it. Did I say that? I think I said that. Why aren’t you watching now? Well, if you want convinced check out our YouTube playlist. It’s small as of this writing but it’ll grow. James’ love of this show is boundless. We are also taking recommendations for curated lists and such so if you sniff anything rad and worldbuildy on YouTube hit us up. Reach Out to Us! Join the Club – We love our Patrons and they make this world(crafting club) go round, join us for early episodes, memes and a say in the direction of the podFacebook Page – Our community here is rapidly growing and super fun, it’s also a great way to find out more about what we’re up toDiscord – Well, color yourself invited to our Discord channel where you can jaw with us about worldbuilding or help us with a collaborative projectThe Website – Oh yeah! We’ve got one of these too, check it out if you want to keep track of the blog where numerous authors talk all things worldbuilding. It’s updated weeklyish.

Remember when we looked up into the night sky and saw endless potential in that little red dot out among the stars. Was it a god looking down upon us? Aliens perhaps? Scantily clad space women from pulp fiction? I mean, c'mon, there were roads up there, I'm pretty sure once we found a face carved into the rock and at least one space pyramid. Alas, the adventure and promise of Mars has changed much. We've seen it now, landed a probe on its surface and that probe sings ‘happy birthday' to itself every year. It's a little like a young man leaving the promise of youth only to find that he's not the man he expected he would become. The questions surrounding Mars are not really questions about who might be up there but how we might survive if we lived up there. The questions we have now aren't inspired by wonder the practicality of life on an inhospitable planet. The fine work done in The Expanse does a great job with this with the Martian Colonial Republic is a key player in solar politics. So what’s going on in the heavens of your worlds? What mysteries do the nearest astronomical neighbors hold? Maybe it’s time for Mars to reclaim its youth in our fiction. Links and Sundry Have I talked about the Expanse enough? You should watch it. Did I say that? I think I said that. Why aren’t you watching now? Well, if you want convinced check out our YouTube playlist. It’s small as of this writing but it’ll grow. James’ love of this show is boundless. We are also taking recommendations for curated lists and such so if you sniff anything rad and worldbuildy on YouTube hit us up. Reach Out to Us! Join the Club – We love our Patrons and they make this world(crafting club) go round, join us for early episodes, memes and a say in the direction of the podFacebook Page – Our community here is rapidly growing and super fun, it’s also a great way to find out more about what we’re up toDiscord – Well, color yourself invited to our Discord channel where you can jaw with us about worldbuilding or help us with a collaborative projectThe Website – Oh yeah! We’ve got one of these too, check it out if you want to keep track of the blog where numerous authors talk all things worldbuilding. It’s updated weeklyish.

Ferror, the world of DinoBeasts, is merciless. Only the strong survive, the ones who pass the frequent testing of her savage jungles filled with deadly beasts. DinoBeasts is an action packed comic about a barbarian, the last of his species, on a desperate race against to the clock to recover a salamander princess who was kidnapped by ruthless adversaries but finds himself pitted, not only against foes of flesh and blood, but the very world itself. Today on the WorldCraft Club we talk with the Coats Brothers, creators of this comic, and find out how they convey this savage world to their readers. From the color palette, the line work and visual style to the pace of stories that are so often constrained and tricky with the comic book medium as the power of visuals is balanced against page real estate. How do you create a world where death is the norm and communicate danger from every pore? Find out in this fantastic discussion. Go Find These Guys! DinoBeasts Website!John Coats – Colors and StoryJames Coats – Art and LineworkDinoBeasts Facebook Page Come Talk to Us Join the Club – We love our Patrons and they make this world(crafting club) go round, join us for early episodes, memes and a say in the direction of the podFacebook Page – Our community here is rapidly growing and super fun, it’s also a great way to find out more about what we’re up toDiscord – Well, color yourself invited to our Discord channel where you can jaw with us about worldbuilding or help us with a collaborative projectThe Website – Oh yeah! We’ve got one of these too, check it out if you want to keep track of the blog where numerous authors talk all things worldbuilding. It’s updated weeklyish.

Ferror, the world of DinoBeasts, is merciless. Only the strong survive, the ones who pass the frequent testing of her savage jungles filled with deadly beasts. DinoBeasts is an action packed comic about a barbarian, the last of his species, on a desperate race against to the clock to recover a salamander princess who was kidnapped by ruthless adversaries but finds himself pitted, not only against foes of flesh and blood, but the very world itself. Today on the WorldCraft Club we talk with the Coats Brothers, creators of this comic, and find out how they convey this savage world to their readers. From the color palette, the line work and visual style to the pace of stories that are so often constrained and tricky with the comic book medium as the power of visuals is balanced against page real estate. How do you create a world where death is the norm and communicate danger from every pore? Find out in this fantastic discussion. Go Find These Guys! DinoBeasts Website!John Coats – Colors and StoryJames Coats – Art and LineworkDinoBeasts Facebook Page Come Talk to Us Join the Club – We love our Patrons and they make this world(crafting club) go round, join us for early episodes, memes and a say in the direction of the podFacebook Page – Our community here is rapidly growing and super fun, it’s also a great way to find out more about what we’re up toDiscord – Well, color yourself invited to our Discord channel where you can jaw with us about worldbuilding or help us with a collaborative projectThe Website – Oh yeah! We’ve got one of these too, check it out if you want to keep track of the blog where numerous authors talk all things worldbuilding. It’s updated weeklyish.

As worldbuilders we constantly desire more detail in our settings but is it possible that we're writing checks that can't be cashed? When an object is placed in the world it's inevitable that at least some your audience will place significance on it but the very act of worldbuilding is making things that exist, at times, only to facilitate a sense of place. This idea flies in the face of the principle of Chekhov's Gun and setting expectations with your audience. How then do we reconcile this with worldbuilding especially with TTRPG where your ‘audience' is also creating the world and their gaze can't be focused wherever the narrator desires. Join Seth and Marcos as they dive into this idea and explore how Chekhov's Gun can help your audience make sense of your world. Reach Out! We’re super stoked to talk to you, it’s not called a club for nothing. Drop us a line at any of the below: Join the Club – We love our Patrons and they make this world(crafting club) go round, join us for early episodes, memes and a say in the direction of the podFacebook Page – Our community here is rapidly growing and super fun, it’s also a great way to find out more about what we’re up toDiscord – Well, color yourself invited to our Discord channel where you can jaw with us about worldbuilding or help us with a collaborative projectThe Website – Oh yeah! We’ve got one of these too, check it out if you want to keep track of the blog where numerous authors talk all things worldbuilding. It’s updated weeklyish.