Sunday, February 23, 2014

Blogger contest: 30 posts to create a campaign setting in 60 days!

So I was reading up on the 24 RPG project which seems like a really cool endeavor that I totally don't have time for.* I do hope to someday write one of my own, but realistically that's a ways off. But what I can do is whip up a blog (as I'm wont to do with side projects from time to time) and basically come up with a campaign setting or my own version of how I'd play an established game with house rules, etc.
Put on your thinking cap, kids!
Throw in there the idea that the OSR loves light rules. Bloggers love to talk about how the early games gave you a pencil, a piece of paper and some funny dice and away you went. It seems there's something to be said for brevity and starting with just bare bones inspiration.

Then it got me thinking... (I know, dangerous!) What if there was a similar festival/contest/whatever for game bloggers? 24 hours seems nearly impossible for a decently rounded out campaign blog, but what about limiting the posts? Keep the paramenters centered on worldbuilding and gameplay of something you'd actually kinda' want to play.

Got me thinking about all settings I've started, but never finished......

SO HERE'S AN IDEA...

  1. Pick a game--any old rules will do. Stick to one set though.
  2. Dream up a campaign setting--it can't be anything you've previously posted, published, or talked about before. It doesn't have to be "new" per se, just new to the rest of us.
  3. Create a new blog--yes a new URL and everything, but use your current account so we can tell it's still yours. Name if after your campaign settting.
  4. Write 30 posts in 60 days. (C'mon, that's less than 1 a day!) You have just that long to outline the major key elements (setting, monsters, rule modifications, classes, races, etc.). This is straight-up worldbuilding using elements you'd normally talk about on your home blog. But here, you've got economize and decide what the most important elements are. Here's some general guidelines:

30 POSTS TOTAL

  • 13 on monsters or villains, one type or one specific individual per post (so "hobgoblins" is one, a "kaiju" is another, "Vader's granny" another, etc.)
  • 4 on special treasure, a lost artifact, weapons, vehicles, etc., however you choose to parse. 
  • 3 on setting, this is all aesthetic so you'll want to focus on places, maps, NPCs, the way magic works, how the local ruling space authority, uh...rules the galaxy, etc.
  • 3 on classes with each dedicated to a separate player class.
  • 2 on house rules, specifically how your campaign either strays, modifies, or embellishes on your chosen rule set (posts can be as detailed as you like); carousing rules, etc. all apply here
  • 3 on any topics you like, these help you round out the rough edges and could be additional classes, races, setting, etc.
  • 1 intro post to set up your premise for your campaign (e.g., , declare your ruleset and acknowlege participation in the contest
  • 1 report of actual play, which should include at least one picture, be it from the campaign or actual play; you can make this your final post with a big sign off or you can use it as a playtest, but you gotta play it at least once and record it for posterity

That's it! That's all you get!

Why be so limiting?

Well, limits help push you to problem solve, be creative and force you to make decisions. Why 30? Well seems like you need at least 20 or so to establish the world and make it feel like there's enough of it to explore. 10 more to round it out. "But we should do 40 or 50 or..." Yeah,  we could. But we're NOT. It's gotta feel like a doable, participatory event with a clear finish line.

What happens after the contest/thingy?

Well, you abandon the blog. At least, you no longer post to that blog address. It's done. Finito. You can/should link to it on your regular blog and you're totally able to take it further on there. But on the newly created blog--you only get 30 posts.

Then, hopefully, we all get a chance to maybe play our games? Talk about sharpened skills and broken pencils, etc. Enjoy some laughs and return to our civilian lives, changed but better human beings.

...or not. But at least you'd have a cool contest entry and maybe that would spark some ideas.

So is there a winner?

Dunno yet. Maybe I could come up with some prizes and/or get others to pitch in. But I'm not comfortable being the only judge. So maybe we all vote? Maybe there's a jury that recuses themselves from the contest? Maybe it's just a cool thing we attempt like those Lego builder "contests" and NaNoMiRoWhatever. But one thing is for sure YOU ONLY GET 30 POSTS!

So, is anyone interested in something like this?

I tried to parse out the blog post requirements along the lines of something I generally see on home blogs. Maybe that needs to be modified. But then again, I don't think anyone wants to read 20 posts on house rules, 10 on play testing, and only 10 for worldbuilding. Of course, I could have missed something major so be sure to let me know.

If enough people are interested. When should we start? After the one-page dungeon contest? Gives you a few weeks to read up on rules or daydream at work about your new setting. What's the contest called?

30 FOR 60
RPG World-Building Blogging Challenge!
(If I could do art, this is where that cool custom logo would go.)

Okay, questions? Suggestions? Let's hear 'em!



*I'd also nitpick the thing to death after the fact and I just know I'd never be satisfied with the outcome.

25 comments:

  1. Interesting idea! It is a biT how my blog is proceeding, but way more random and sloooower.
    Something like this would perhaps kick it up a bit or two.

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  2. I think it's an interesting idea. I don't that I'm up to diving in to a new setting at the moment, but I hope others do.

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  3. Thanks guys, I appreciate the comments and feedback!

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  4. I like it, and would like to do it.

    The one thing I'm not keen on is abandoning the blog afterwards. If I wanted to do some further development on it, I would like to have it on the same blog, just to have everything in one place.

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    1. That can be eased. Maybe we just mark the posts with tags for the event and anything after that wouldn't have the special tags. Or something. In any case, I'm sure there's a way we can make it so there's an obvious beginning and ending to the contest/event/whatever portion.

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  5. On the issue of limits, maybe select a world map (or make one) and have the campaign built around it? It could be interesting to see how different people use the map in different ways or for different settings/genres.

    -Ed

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    1. A map is a great idea. We could make a blank template available. Hexes?

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    2. Not all game systems use hex-based maps, so maybe one version with and one without, if that's not too much trouble.

      -Ed

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    3. I dislike the idea of a map, because I'll be doing a space sector.

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  6. The 30 post guidelines seem a bit... narrow. Were I to join in, I would likely not have anything I could classify as a monster or villain in the normal sense, nor would I have any classes, because my game rules don't use classes. I suppose this for D&D like RPG games only?

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    1. Velexia, I'd be open to bending the rules--maybe "monsters" is just "adversaries". It definitely should be more inclusive than D&D. What sort of game are you running?

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    2. Ah well, it's one of my own creation. I intend to publish the setting someday in the future, and I thought something like this might be fun =)

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    3. As for Classes I don't use classes by any other name either, I simply don't have classes in my game.

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    4. Maybe I could just write about setting specific skills instead.

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    5. That sounds really intriguing. At the very least it could help as sort of an exercise maybe?

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  7. I'm tempted to try this as I'm in the process of starting up a new game right now and this might kick start some of the background material.

    Like Velexia said, however, I'm running a system (Star Frontiers) that doesn't have classes. However, maybe those 3 posts could go toward "archetypes" using the house rules skill system we'll be running.

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    1. I've no problem with archetypes. It's really just a stand-in for character types. Call them what you will, but the aim is that they are distinct from one another. 

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  8. I think it's a great idea except for one thing...OK two.

    First, I don't want to make another blog just for a recap of the material for one campaign and than abandon it. The seems like a waste on so many levels. It also just feels wrong. Still, if I did do it that way it wouldn't interfere with my March Muppets Madness Month II.

    Second, I would be able to do this until maybe May. March is going to be dedicated to my Muppets RPG and April is usually reserved for the A-to-Z challenge.

    Still, it sounds fun and I have just the campaign in mind.

    What to do, what to do...

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    1. I'd say timing is negotiable right now. Seems like there's a lot of blog stuff going on right now, which is why I floated it as a topic for conversation first.

      As far as abandoning the blog, I think we can figure out a way to cap the end of the event with either the play report or an official "wrap up" post. Either way, that rule will likely be tweaked.

      Good feedback, as always BA!

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  9. I'm way behind on my blog feed, and only just getting to this post now. I think this is a great idea overall. I'm not sure that I'd want to do it on a separate blog though...

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    1. Thanks David! I'm behind on my replies but I appreciate your comment. The original reason for the separate blog was to make it as easy as possible to review the content (if there are to be judges, etc.). Tags in a blog work well too, but not everyone uses them unfortunately. That said, there's nothing preventing someone from reposting the content on their regular blog--and then expanding on that once the event is over.

      At this point though, it's still early so let's just say for the moment "stay tuned" until I've got some of the details pinned down for sure. :)

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  10. I'm just reading this today and have an idea that's been bouncing around I'd like to give a shot.

    Are you planning a start date or just go?

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  11. Hi Herb, I'm thinking mid to late summer. I'm working out details, will take me a bit to coordinate. I also think the time off from the recent spate of blog hops will help people recharge their creative juices. So hang on to that idea and stay tuned!

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  12. Hi Herb, it is. I still need to round up judges. I'd run into a lack of availability when I last went looking.

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