Gemstone Shards

As we discussed in our previous podcast, while it isn't really possible for high-level gameplay to "break" Dungeons & Dragons or any other major fantasy RPG, it very well might break your story or even your setting if you haven't planned ahead. In our next two episodes we're going to talk about building a scalable world, one that can handle whatever your players characters throw at at, whether they're novice adventurers wielding rusty daggers, or exemplars of their classes, ready to challenge the gods themselves!

If you've played fantasy role-playing games for any length of time, then you've probably heard someone complain that "'X' breaks the game", where the value of 'X' might be anything from "high-level player characters" to the Wish spell. On today's episode, Gregory and Mike discuss some of the common values of 'X', whether it's "the game" or your story that they're breaking, and what you can do to prevent it from happening!

As it turns out, we had a lot to say about expanding your game world's economy beyond the basics, and what had been intended as a single episode quickly became two! On today's podcast, Gregory and Mike will talk about several more advanced economic concepts, including banking, coinage, and taxes, and how they can make your world deeper, richer, and more believable!

Today's episode picks up immediately following the end of Episode 040, and you'll want to check that one out first, if you haven't already.

Now that we've discussed ways you can construct a simple but believable economy within your game world, it's time to look at ways to expand the basic economic model we introduced in our previous episode. Join Gregory and Mike as they discuss trade routes, value added manufacturing, and how broadening your world's economy can create believable new adventure hooks and increase immersion for your players!

On our previous podcast, we looked at how developing a realistic economy for your game world benefits both you and your players. Now it's time to make it happen! On today's episode, Gregory and Mike discuss the four essential elements of a basic economy, and offer a simple blueprint for building a believable regional economic structure based on those elements.

In our last three episodes we discussed the importance of having a believable ecology for your game world, even though it usually lurks quietly in the background of your gaming sessions. Now it's time to look at your setting's economy, which likely plays an important role in almost every adventure you run. So how do you create an economic system that feels realistic without bogging yourself down in minutiae? And is it really going to be worth the effort? Tune in to today's episode and find out!

On our two previous episodes on ecology, we looked at building believable natural environments for your game world. But what happens to your setting's ecology when you add fantastic elements like spell casters, dinosaurs, and advanced underground civilizations into the mix? Can an ecosystem populated by magical plants and animals still feel realistic? Join Gregory and Mike as they discuss what makes a fantasy ecology believable, plus examine the role that sentient species play in your world's ecosystem!

On this week's episode, Gregory and Mike resume their look at what goes into creating a believable ecosystem for your game world, including how to avoid immersion-breaking errors when selecting flora and fauna for various environments your player characters may encounter. Please note that this is a continuation of a discussion from our previous podcast, and will be much easier to follow if you've already listened to Episode 035, "Building a Believable Ecology, Part One."

Developing realistic ecosystems for your game world can be a thankless task, and if you do it right, your players probably won't even notice. So why bother? Join Gregory and Mike as they discuss how ecological errors can break player immersion, what your player characters should (and shouldn't) expect to see in different biomes, and why polar bears don't belong on tropical islands!

On our previous episode, we discussed how effective timekeeping systems improve your game and the world you've built to host it. But how do you make that happen? We're glad you asked! On today's episode Gregory and Mike discuss what's involved in creating a believable, easy-to-manage calendar for your game world: where to start, pitfalls to avoid, and how your timekeeping system can help make your setting feel unique!

 

While this is our second episode on the subject of timekeeping, each episode can stand alone, so it's not necessary to listen to Episode 033 before enjoying today's podcast. It's definitely worth checking out, though!