In the Trenches #11:

In One Page Or Less: Setting

by Laurel Stuart
June 14, 2002

Like most amateur game designers I know, I finished off an entry for WoTC's "Fantasy Setting Search" this week. As tired and sick as I've been lately, there was something about a $100,000 grand prize for a hundred page setting bible that just set my heart a flutter, leading to those silly daydreams about life without a day job and sending Sallie Mae my outstanding college loans in a lump sum. The one thing I've learned about the gaming industry is that it never hurts to try; always submit your work when the opportunities are available. You never know what avenues might open up.

The WoTC contest used a proposal template that I personally adored. Within the frame of a single typed page, I needed to answer six important questions about my proposed setting — and nothing else. There was no opportunity to go off into long tangents or details. I was forced to present as much meaningful information as I could in a very short amount of space. I enthusiastically endorse this approach to Storybuilders who are trying to design their own settings. Regardless of whether or not my entry wins the contest, I created a spectacular world in a very short amount of time that will make a fine RPG somewhere, some day. The personal satisfaction I get when I look at a copy of my setting proposal is its own reward.

I'm going to offer a suggested "Storybuilding Setting Template" for personal use when working on your own Chat Theatre proposals or games. Feel free to start with more text and then revise it down. Just be sure that by the end, everything fits within a standard format typewritten page.

1. Core Sentence

Can you describe your setting in a single sentence? All you need is to address both your game's ethos and premise. Ethos can be defined as the truly distinguishing characteristic, sentiment, moral nature, or social situation of your story. Its the cornerstone on which everything else rests, surrounded by a foundation called premise. The premise clearly and directly states the dramatic issue at the heart of the story and what has to be done, what movement the story needs to take, in order for the premise to be fulfilled. Rather than detailing this out in pages, or even paragraphs, it all belongs in a simple, elegant sentence.

Here's a classical example: Romeo & Juliet. The ethos would be two families at war in 16th century Verona. "Great Love Defies Even Death" is a typical premise offered for the play. So the core ethos-premise sentence could be something like: As two families war upon one another in 16th century Verona, a great love defies even death.

For Devil's Cay, the ethos is a fantastical island in the Caribbean where dreams come true for a price. The premise is "Temptation Destroys Virtue". So the core sentence? Temptation destroys virtue on a fantasy island in the Caribbean where dreams come true for a price.

One of the best essays I've ever read on creating story premise was written by Bill Johnson and can be found here.

2. Who Are Your Protagonists?

Write a brief description of the kind of protagonists necessary for the setting. Protagonists are characters central to the story. They are dynamic, not passive. Through their actions, storylines unfold. In a Chat Theatre, the best protagonists are Player Characters (PCs). You as a game designer and Story* don't have absolute control over character creation, but you can frame the game itself in such a way that players will produce protagonists that will produce storylines that challenge and fulfill your core sentence.

In Castle Marrach, the protagonists are characters who become heavily involved with the guilds and established social hierarchy and either attempt to solidify the existing political structure or undermine it. Sure, there are tons of other stories there, particularly of an interpersonal nature (who loves/hates/distrusts/manipulates who) but if you scratch the surface you can see that an awful lot of action revolves around issues of one's place within Marrach's society. The storybuilders who created the guild structure and inner and outer baileys made all those stories possible.

3. What Do They Do?

A Chat Theatre needs endless opportunities for protagonist and the ability to sustain the heavily integrated stories of massively multiple protagonists. Online RPGs are a unique medium when it comes to this phenomenon. So its very important when creating a setting to make sure that the players will be able to create interactive stories with one another. NPCs and underlying plots are a great way to get the ball rolling, but are like training wheels on a bike: they exist to help the players find their own balance, tell their own stories.

So write down what main objectives protagonists should have in your game and what they will need to accomplish on the journey there. Keep in mind what time frame it will generally take the PCs to succeed at their objectives- a week? a month? a year? Will that meet the needs of the players themselves?

4. Threats, Conflicts, Villains

All Chat Theatre settings should be prepared for a lot of drama. Drama is a situation or series of events involving interesting or intense conflict. Sustaining drama is one of the challenges that you will face as a Storybuilder. What dramatic elements will your setting contain?

Keep in mind that as your player base grows, you will be constantly implementing new elements of antagonism. Never let your own NPC villains steal the show from the protagonists or take away storymaking opportunities from the players. Work with players, work against characters.

5. Nature of Reality?

Are there gods? Monsters? Magic? What is out there, and in what sort of abundance? The cosmology of your setting will have a tremendous impact on your Storybuilding. Magic or psionics will require a lot of extra work on your part, but could also be extremely rewarding.

6. What's Special? What makes your setting unique? What does it offer players that they can't find anywhere else? What are you offering that is going to keep them coming back? Every game setting should be able to offer at least three unique and fascinating elements.

Once you've finished your setting template, print out the page and keep it close at hand as you work on your game proposal or initial building. By having this sort of frame of reference to work with, you'll be able to design a better game, faster.