Difference between revisions of "Setting"

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The '''setting''' of a [[campaign]] is, in simplest terms, the game world where it takes place. For a historical campaign, the setting might be the court of King Louis XVI, whereas for a superheroes campaign it might be the fictional city of Metropolis, and for a [[GURPS]] [[Fantasy]] campaign it might be the world of Yrth.
 
The '''setting''' of a [[campaign]] is, in simplest terms, the game world where it takes place. For a historical campaign, the setting might be the court of King Louis XVI, whereas for a superheroes campaign it might be the fictional city of Metropolis, and for a [[GURPS]] [[Fantasy]] campaign it might be the world of Yrth.
  
−
In [[role-playing game]]s (RPGs), setting is usually presented as an atlas or encyclopedia of the area where the [[player character]]s (PCs) are expected to be, with lists of important people the PCs might meet and locations they can explore.  The game tries to create a fictional reality and [[player]]s are expected to create [[character]]s to suit it rather than vice versa.  More flexible [[GM]]s will tweak details of the world to suit the players' [[character concept]]s, but the larger and more complete the setting, the more difficult this becomes.  On the other hand, a deep and well-developed setting such as ''[[Tékumel]]'' or ''[[Glorantha]]'' allows the players to feel that their characters are experiencing and exploring something larger than themselves
+
In [[role-playing game]]s (RPGs), setting is usually presented as an atlas or encyclopedia of the |area where the [[player character]]s (PCs) are expected to be, with lists of important people the PCs might meet and locations they can explore.  The game tries to create a fictional reality and [[player]]s are expected to create [[character]]s to suit it rather than vice versa.  More flexible [[GM]]s will tweak details of the world to suit the players' [[character concept]]s, but the larger and more complete the setting, the more difficult this becomes.  On the other hand, a deep and well-developed setting such as ''[[Tékumel]]'' or ''[[Glorantha]]'' allows the players to feel that their characters are experiencing and exploring something larger than themselves
  
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Many RPG publishers also publish settings for use with their products. These include the Yrth setting for ''GURPS Fantasy'' and the ''[[World of Greyhawk]]'' [[supplement]] for ''[[Dungeons & Dragons]]''. Many other games include setting and rules in the same book. Examples include ''[[Vampire: The Masquerade]]'' and ''[[Star Wars]]''.
+
Many RPG publishers also publish settings for use with their products. These include the Yrth setting for ''GURPS Fantasy'' and the ''[[World of Greyhawk]]'' [[supplement]] for ''[[Dungeons & |Dragons]]''. Many other games include setting and rules in the same book. Examples include ''[[Vampire: The Masquerade]]'' and ''[[Star Wars]]''.
  
 
Setting and [[game system|system]] are commonly held to be the two halves of an RPG, though this dichotomy is sometimes difficult to apply neatly.  Some games, such as ''[[D&D]]'' and ''[[Sorcerer]]'', have no explicit setting, but the rules naturally give rise to a particular kind of game that fails outside of certain settings.  Others, like ''[[Nobilis]]'', have rules so specific to their setting that they are impossible to use for anything notably different without extensive reworking.
 
Setting and [[game system|system]] are commonly held to be the two halves of an RPG, though this dichotomy is sometimes difficult to apply neatly.  Some games, such as ''[[D&D]]'' and ''[[Sorcerer]]'', have no explicit setting, but the rules naturally give rise to a particular kind of game that fails outside of certain settings.  Others, like ''[[Nobilis]]'', have rules so specific to their setting that they are impossible to use for anything notably different without extensive reworking.
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==Chronological List of Published Fantasy RPG Settings==
 
==Chronological List of Published Fantasy RPG Settings==
  
−
Setting Name           Year       Name of Initial Publication as RPG Setting
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{| border="1"
−
 
+
|+ Overview
−
Blackmoor         1972     Issue #13 of the Domesday Book, July 1972
+
|-
−
Gorree                 1974
+
|'''Setting Name''' || '''Year of Publication as RPG Setting''' || '''Name of Initial Publication'''
−
Tekumel                 1975     Empire of the Petal Throne
+
|-
−
Trollworld         1975     Tunnels & Trolls
+
|Blackmoor
−
Greyhawk         1975     Supplement I
+
|1972
−
Edwyr                 1975
+
|Issue #13 of the Domesday Book, July 1972  
−
Hellsgate         1975
+
|-     
−
Tirien                 1975
+
|Gorree                  
−
Ryth                 1975
+
|1974
−
Bigglestone's Setting 1975
+
|-
−
Wilderlands         1976     City-State Maps "I"
+
|Tekumel                  
−
Islandia         1976     Palace of the Vampire Queen
+
|1975      
−
Stormgate         1976
+
|Empire of the Petal Throne
−
Gramarye/Busyrane      1976
+
|-
−
Arduin                 1977
+
|Trollworld          
−
Greenlands         1977
+
|1975      
−
Glorantha         1978     RuneQuest
+
|Tunnels & Trolls
−
Cidri                 1978     The Fantasy Trip
+
|-
−
Midkemia         1979     Cities
+
|Greyhawk          
−
Known World/Mystara 1981     X1 Isle of Dread
+
|1975      
−
Thieves' World         1981
+
|Supplement I
−
Harn                 1983     Columbia Games Publication
+
|-
−
Ravenloft         1983     I6 Ravenloft
+
|Edwyr                  
−
Palladium World         1983     Palladium Fantasy
+
|1975
−
Middle-Earth         1984     Middle Earth Role Playing
+
|-
−
Dragonlance         1984     DL1 Dragons of Despair
+
|Hellsgate          
−
Forgotten Realms 1985     ???"Into the Forgotten Realms" Dragon March 1985
+
|1975
−
Warhammer              1987     Warhammer Fantasy Roleplay
+
|-
 +
|Tirien                  
 +
|1975
 +
|-
 +
|Ryth                  
 +
|1975
 +
|-
 +
|Bigglestone's Cursed City & Environs (Name?)
 +
|1975
 +
|-
 +
|Wilderlands          
 +
|1976      
 +
|City-State Maps "I"
 +
|-
 +
|Baylor       
 +
|1976      
 +
|Palace of the Vampire Queen
 +
|-
 +
|Stormgate          
 +
|1976
 +
|-
 +
|Gramarye/Busyrane       
 +
|1976
 +
|-
 +
|Arduin                  
 +
|1977
 +
|-
 +
|Greenlands          
 +
|1977
 +
|-
 +
|Glorantha          
 +
|1978      
 +
|RuneQuest
 +
|-
 +
|Cidri                  
 +
|1978      
 +
|The Fantasy Trip
 +
|-
 +
|Midkemia          
 +
|1979      
 +
|Cities
 +
|-
 +
|Known World/Mystara
 +
|1981      
 +
|X1 Isle of Dread
 +
|-
 +
|Thieves' World
 +
|1981
 +
|-
 +
|Harn                  
 +
|1983      
 +
|Columbia Games Publication
 +
|-
 +
|Ravenloft          
 +
|1983      
 +
|I6 Ravenloft
 +
|-
 +
|Palladium World          
 +
|1983      
 +
|Palladium Fantasy
 +
|-
 +
|Middle-Earth          
 +
|1984      
 +
|Middle Earth Role Playing
 +
|-
 +
|Dragonlance          
 +
|1984      
 +
|DL1 Dragons of Despair
 +
|-
 +
|Forgotten Realms
 +
|1985      
 +
|???"Into the Forgotten Realms" Dragon March 1985
 +
|-
 +
|Warhammer               
 +
|1987      
 +
|Warhammer Fantasy Roleplay
 +
|}
  
 
Other Early Settings
 
Other Early Settings

Latest revision as of 10:46, 21 March 2009

The setting of a campaign is, in simplest terms, the game world where it takes place. For a historical campaign, the setting might be the court of King Louis XVI, whereas for a superheroes campaign it might be the fictional city of Metropolis, and for a GURPS Fantasy campaign it might be the world of Yrth.

In role-playing games (RPGs), setting is usually presented as an atlas or encyclopedia of the |area where the player characters (PCs) are expected to be, with lists of important people the PCs might meet and locations they can explore. The game tries to create a fictional reality and players are expected to create characters to suit it rather than vice versa. More flexible GMs will tweak details of the world to suit the players' character concepts, but the larger and more complete the setting, the more difficult this becomes. On the other hand, a deep and well-developed setting such as Tékumel or Glorantha allows the players to feel that their characters are experiencing and exploring something larger than themselves

Many RPG publishers also publish settings for use with their products. These include the Yrth setting for GURPS Fantasy and the World of Greyhawk supplement for Dragons. Many other games include setting and rules in the same book. Examples include Vampire: The Masquerade and Star Wars.

Setting and system are commonly held to be the two halves of an RPG, though this dichotomy is sometimes difficult to apply neatly. Some games, such as D&D and Sorcerer, have no explicit setting, but the rules naturally give rise to a particular kind of game that fails outside of certain settings. Others, like Nobilis, have rules so specific to their setting that they are impossible to use for anything notably different without extensive reworking.

Chronological List of Published Fantasy RPG Settings[edit]

Overview
Setting Name Year of Publication as RPG Setting Name of Initial Publication
Blackmoor 1972 Issue #13 of the Domesday Book, July 1972
Gorree 1974
Tekumel 1975 Empire of the Petal Throne
Trollworld 1975 Tunnels & Trolls
Greyhawk 1975 Supplement I
Edwyr 1975
Hellsgate 1975
Tirien 1975
Ryth 1975
Bigglestone's Cursed City & Environs (Name?) 1975
Wilderlands 1976 City-State Maps "I"
Baylor 1976 Palace of the Vampire Queen
Stormgate 1976
Gramarye/Busyrane 1976
Arduin 1977
Greenlands 1977
Glorantha 1978 RuneQuest
Cidri 1978 The Fantasy Trip
Midkemia 1979 Cities
Known World/Mystara 1981 X1 Isle of Dread
Thieves' World 1981
Harn 1983 Columbia Games Publication
Ravenloft 1983 I6 Ravenloft
Palladium World 1983 Palladium Fantasy
Middle-Earth 1984 Middle Earth Role Playing
Dragonlance 1984 DL1 Dragons of Despair
Forgotten Realms 1985 ???"Into the Forgotten Realms" Dragon March 1985
Warhammer 1987 Warhammer Fantasy Roleplay

Other Early Settings Kalibruhn Aquaria Hyboria Bunnies & Burrows?

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