Yesterday I asked for some ideas / thoughts / feedback on designing a sandbox. The feedback was / is (as it's still coming in) excellent on both the blog side and G+. Lots and lots of stuff to think about, especially with the size of the default hex - I must say there is something to be said about the 10 mile hex broken down by 2 mile hexes within. 6 mile hexes have a good argument too.
As I look at my sandbox, I've pretty much decided that I want it to be Swords & Sorcery in flavor. Why? Mostly because my newest campaign is going to be using the Crypts & Things ruleset (which in turn is based of Swords & Wizardry). Since S&S is the flavor for the new campaign, I may as well mix the exercise of working on a new sandbox into the mix.
S&S leads to, in my opinion, a less default urban setting and more of a "each urban center, large or small, has it's own feel to it" which is cool to play with when designing. It also means you no longer have the usual fantasy races to play with and fill their default roles, which become a whole 'nother change.
Actually, starting small and working outward is a good thing. Maybe the world does have a limited numer of demihumans, but this area is remote enough that they are known as mere legends amongst the populace. It allows be to throw "generic fantasy" into the mix at a later point, with all of the issue / problems / intrigue that follows it.
Alright, time to read some of the Fafhrd and the Gray Mouser Graphic Novel to get myself in the right frame of mind ;)
I got ahold of C&T when it first came out and immediately liked the game. However, I could not get a group together to run it with (or I was distracted by other things, I forget which). I am looking forward to whatever you come up with for this game!
ReplyDeleteI'm drafting a series on sandbox construction, Erik, similar principles to the Node-Based Megadungeon you spent some time in. It won't be ready for a while, though.
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