Anyone into world-buiding and map making (Inkarnate, Wonderdraft, World Anvil) etc. ?

[Christoph Maria]

I'm not sure whelther this is the right forum, but it seemed to me
the closest...
Is anybody here on CF into (fantasy-) world buiding?
What tools do you use, besides your own imagination?

I found that creating a detailed map is a great help to get
started, because one has to answer a lot of questions in the
process, like: What races, what religions, what history, what
traditions, natural resources, climate, biopes, geology,
what flora, what fauna etc. etc. etc.

I myself use Inkarnate, Wonderdraft, Krita, Azgaars and
World Anvil as tools, besides others.

Would be nice to meet fellow CFers who are into world
building, even if you do not use any of the above mentioned
tools! After all its the PROCESS that matters most!

Kind regards,

/Christoph

 

[AlexB23]

I'm not sure whelther this is the right forum, but it seemed to me
the closest...
Is anybody here on CF into (fantasy-) world buiding?
What tools do you use, besides your own imagination?

I found that creating a detailed map is a great help to get
started, because one has to answer a lot of questions in the
process, like: What races, what religions, what history, what
traditions, natural resources, climate, biopes, geology,
what flora, what fauna etc. etc. etc.

I myself use Inkarnate, Wonderdraft, Krita, Azgaars and
World Anvil as tools, besides others.

Would be nice to meet fellow CFers who are into world
building, even if you do not use any of the above mentioned
tools! After all its the PROCESS that matters most!

Kind regards,

/Christoph

I have no idea how to world-build, but am slowly working on a short sci-fi story series about the Xa'na race of planet Xanadu, whose planet has technology about 20-25 years ahead of ours. For instance, the Xa'na race had 1940s Earth WW2 level technology in the late 1910s. So much sci-fi focuses on the far future, or advanced aliens, so 20 years is not as futuristic.


Xanadu (data as of 2024)
Day length: 100,000 berkels (85,900 seconds)
Year: 363.9 Earth days (36.6 million berkels)
Diameter: ~12,500 km (~50,000 ghenidist'als)
Moon(s): 1 moon, named Raeln. A second moon named Ghemir, about the size of a small asteroid was destroyed in 1053 BC by a comet.
Temp: 14 C

Alien Race
Race: Xa'na
Height: 169 cm (6.5 dist'als)
Skin color: Gray with dark splotches to light gray with no splotches
Hair: Similar to humans
Currency system: Standard Khib (made a global standard currency unit in 2012)
Tech level: The Xa'na had similar tech to our 2024 earth sometime during the year 2000, but with more advanced photonic computers and AI slightly more powerful compared to ChatGPT.

 

[Christoph Maria]

Sounds great! You have done a lot of work already!
Can you tell me more details about Xanadu and the
Xa'na race? (continents, cities, resources, culture etc. etc.)

Have you thought about a map of Xanadu?

I find that when creating a map - or just thinking about
it, one has to ask oneself many, many questions - and
that tends to give ideas and sometimes even a plot!!
(conflicts etc.)

I myself am currently building on a world called Erasan
(technology: more or less similar to the english -
middle ages - monasteries play a big part when it
comes to learning and even progress...).

Am still in the process of fleshing it out... I started with
a first (local) map (using Wonderdraft) and parallel as it
comes up I try to add details (lore, physical geography, cities,
cultures, political situation, peoples etc. etc.).
I like to store these in Worl Anvil, which I can recommend.
(There's a free version).

I am (so far) not a good writer by any standards, but I am,
if I may say so - pretty good with tools...

But enough about me. Have you thought about a map
of Xanadu? I could create a rough sketch for you - if
you give me more details ...

Greetings from Sweden and GOD bless!

 

[AlexB23]

Sounds great! You have done a lot of work already!
Can you tell me more details about Xanadu and the
Xa'na race? (continents, cities, resources, culture etc. etc.)

Have you thought about a map of Xanadu?

I find that when creating a map - or just thinking about
it, one has to ask oneself many, many questions - and
that tends to give ideas and sometimes even a plot!!
(conflicts etc.)

I myself am currently building on a world called Erasan
(technology: more or less similar to the english -
middle ages - monasteries play a big part when it
comes to learning and even progress...).

Am still in the process of fleshing it out... I started with
a first (local) map (using Wonderdraft) and parallel as it
comes up I try to add details (lore, physical geography, cities,
cultures, political situation, peoples etc. etc.).
I like to store these in Worl Anvil, which I can recommend.
(There's a free version).

I am (so far) not a good writer by any standards, but I am,
if I may say so - pretty good with tools...

But enough about me. Have you thought about a map
of Xanadu? I could create a rough sketch for you - if
you give me more details ...

Greetings from Sweden and GOD bless!

I will eventually create a map of Xanadu, but I first have to get my 1910s sci-fi plot finished. You have a cool world yourself. It would be nice to see what your planet looks like.

 

[Christoph Maria]

I will eventually create a map of Xanadu, but I first have to get my 1910s sci-fi plot finished. You have a cool world yourself. It would be nice to see what your planet looks like.

I hope to have the latest iteration ready for showing in 2-3 weeks, there's still a lot of work
to be done....
But it's only a regional map - not the whole Erasan.

I can post an exported image in this thread!
Not sure about filesize here at CF though...

-----------------------------------------------------------

If you don't mind my asking: How do you manage to come up with
the names for your regions, cities, peoples, factions, political parties,
individual characters, institutions, religions etc. etc. etc. ?

There is a somewhat decent name generator at:

Fantasy name generators. Names for all your fantasy characters.

Don't worry: It also has a generator for Sci-Fi names and stuff!

But the generator(s) don't fix everything right away - one has to
generate a lot of names before one can be sure that it's
the right (or even a good) name for the purpose intended...

For your map of Xanadu I highly recommend:

Azgaar's Fantasy Map Generator

Free web app that helps fantasy writers, game masters, and cartographers create and edit fantasy maps

azgaar.github.io

It is 100% free - and very easy to learn. Plus it has features
that normaly only $150 - $300 software provides(if at all), like
3D view and tons of other stuff!

Check it out, if you like.

BTW: I am intrigued by your idea of 'advanced photonic computers and AI' .

Would you perhaps care to elaborate a bit? Without giving too
much away - of course...

GOD bless!

 

[AlexB23]

I hope to have the latest iteration ready for showing in 2-3 weeks, there's still a lot of work
to be done....
But it's only a regional map - not the whole Erasan.

I can post an exported image in this thread!
Not sure about filesize here at CF though...

-----------------------------------------------------------

If you don't mind my asking: How do you manage to come up with
the names for your regions, cities, peoples, factions, political parties,
individual characters, institutions, religions etc. etc. etc. ?

There is a somewhat decent name generator at:

Fantasy name generators. Names for all your fantasy characters.

Don't worry: It also has a generator for Sci-Fi names and stuff!

But the generator(s) don't fix everything right away - one has to
generate a lot of names before one can be sure that it's
the right (or even a good) name for the purpose intended...

For your map of Xanadu I highly recommend:

Azgaar's Fantasy Map Generator

Free web app that helps fantasy writers, game masters, and cartographers create and edit fantasy maps

azgaar.github.io

It is 100% free - and very easy to learn. Plus it has features
that normaly only $150 - $300 software provides(if at all), like
3D view and tons of other stuff!

Check it out, if you like.

BTW: I am intrigued by your idea of 'advanced photonic computers and AI' .

Would you perhaps care to elaborate a bit? Without giving too
much away - of course...

GOD bless!

I manually came up with the names for the planet and the nations on it.

This is an excerpt from my other sci-fi plot (still set on Xanadu), that discusses photonic chips in a section:

On the radio, Kyra heard some news, one part which struck her. The anchor said "the rise of electric cars has taken several decades. Well prototypes for electric wagons have existed since the 1850s, steam and then internal combustion took over. Even in the 1880s, electric cars and internal combustion cars coexisted. Then by the 1890s, the drop in gasoline engine prices have made electric cars not viable. Fast forward to the 1950s, and concept electric cars slowly started hitting showroom floors. However, it wasn't until the last two decades that electric cars began to take over. In 1982, a car company released a vehicle that had a modular design. In total, 20,000 of them were made. It could run on electricity, combustion, or a high-tech ethanol fuel cell, depending on which options the customer chose. This car ran on a special photonic chip called the Anrinior, which allowed the vehicle to be nearly 100% autonomous. About 13 years ago, a slew of thefts happened because the chip inside of the car was so advanced, and hundreds of times faster than regular electronic computer chips of the time. In fact, a global agreement to ban such manufacture of photonic chips was implemented. Finally that ban ended earlier this month. Newer photonic chips for the next generation of autonomous cars are expected to hit the market in 1997. However, current electric vehicle manufacturers are making autonomous cars right now. While the newer EVs do not use photonic chips, regular electronic microchips have increased in such power that they have the equivalent capability of that photonic chip released back in 1982. However, current electronic chips are not fast enough to transfer data compared to the 1982 photonic chip. Scientists say that it would take another 5 years for a traditional chip to transfer data as fast as that Anrinior chip. However, with the next generation of photonic microchips and traditional silicon, driverless car automation should see extreme changes by the early 2000s".

And another except: "Kyra replied "Wow, that is a deep history of yourself. I am truly sorry for what happened in the '60s. Luckily, God or whomever you believe in, brought you into our little enclave nation of Mindekowa. We are surrounded on all sides by Mursanian soil, but you chose us. What do you think about the tech here?" Mr. Vito excitedly said "For one, the roads here are so smooth. In Mursa, we had road seams that felt like the car was gonna fall apart any berkel from now. Also, the infrastructure overall in Mindekowa is much better maintained, and advanced. Also, the Anrinior II chipset was amazing. I was lucky enough to work with those at my previous job. Back in 1983, the fastest silicon could simulate a car crash in 10 days. The Anrinior chip could do it in half a day, with a tenth of the energy consumption, as the chipset was mostly photonic instead of electronic". Kyra thanked "why thanks, am glad you enjoy it here, and that photonic chip was awesome, the lasers made the whole chip light up in multicolor if you looked at it from the side, with the aluminum cover cap removed. Any complaints about Mindekowa"? Mr. Vito said "Less complaints about Mindekowa compared to Mursa, but both countries suffer at the hands of the Yatra Order. That evil organization was founded in my home city after an asteroid tsunami decimated the slums and a factory back in 1909. The Yatra Order originally targeted billionaires of multinational companies. That all changed in 1948, as they began to form a base in the Mursanian province of Iverkrois, just south of the Mindekowan border. They launched missiles inside Iverkrois after stealing two experimental prototype laser computers, a precursor to the modern photonic chip."

 

[Christoph Maria]

I completely forgot:

Detail of French map of Asia made by Sanson d'Abbeville,
geographer of King Louis XIV, dated 1650.

Marco Polo's Xanadu/Ciandu/Xandu:

 

[Christoph Maria]

Sorry, Alex...
Cross posting! My bad....

 

[AlexB23]

I completely forgot:

Detail of French map of Asia made by Sanson d'Abbeville,
geographer of King Louis XIV, dated 1650.

Marco Polo's Xanadu/Ciandu/Xandu:

View attachment 345650View attachment 345650

I heard about that also, after naming my planet. But, it works as a cool name.

 

[Christoph Maria]

I manually came up with the names for the planet and the nations on it.

This is an excerpt from my other sci-fi plot (still set on Xanadu), that discusses photonic chips in a section:

On the radio, Kyra heard some news, one part which struck her. The anchor said "the rise of electric cars has taken several decades. Well prototypes for electric wagons have existed since the 1850s, steam and then internal combustion took over. Even in the 1880s, electric cars and internal combustion cars coexisted. Then by the 1890s, the drop in gasoline engine prices have made electric cars not viable. Fast forward to the 1950s, and concept electric cars slowly started hitting showroom floors. However, it wasn't until the last two decades that electric cars began to take over. In 1982, a car company released a vehicle that had a modular design. In total, 20,000 of them were made. It could run on electricity, combustion, or a high-tech ethanol fuel cell, depending on which options the customer chose. This car ran on a special photonic chip called the Anrinior, which allowed the vehicle to be nearly 100% autonomous. About 13 years ago, a slew of thefts happened because the chip inside of the car was so advanced, and hundreds of times faster than regular electronic computer chips of the time. In fact, a global agreement to ban such manufacture of photonic chips was implemented. Finally that ban ended earlier this month. Newer photonic chips for the next generation of autonomous cars are expected to hit the market in 1997. However, current electric vehicle manufacturers are making autonomous cars right now. While the newer EVs do not use photonic chips, regular electronic microchips have increased in such power that they have the equivalent capability of that photonic chip released back in 1982. However, current electronic chips are not fast enough to transfer data compared to the 1982 photonic chip. Scientists say that it would take another 5 years for a traditional chip to transfer data as fast as that Anrinior chip. However, with the next generation of photonic microchips and traditional silicon, driverless car automation should see extreme changes by the early 2000s".

And another except: "Kyra replied "Wow, that is a deep history of yourself. I am truly sorry for what happened in the '60s. Luckily, God or whomever you believe in, brought you into our little enclave nation of Mindekowa. We are surrounded on all sides by Mursanian soil, but you chose us. What do you think about the tech here?" Mr. Vito excitedly said "For one, the roads here are so smooth. In Mursa, we had road seams that felt like the car was gonna fall apart any berkel from now. Also, the infrastructure overall in Mindekowa is much better maintained, and advanced. Also, the Anrinior II chipset was amazing. I was lucky enough to work with those at my previous job. Back in 1983, the fastest silicon could simulate a car crash in 10 days. The Anrinior chip could do it in half a day, with a tenth of the energy consumption, as the chipset was mostly photonic instead of electronic". Kyra thanked "why thanks, am glad you enjoy it here, and that photonic chip was awesome, the lasers made the whole chip light up in multicolor if you looked at it from the side, with the aluminum cover cap removed. Any complaints about Mindekowa"? Mr. Vito said "Less complaints about Mindekowa compared to Mursa, but both countries suffer at the hands of the Yatra Order. That evil organization was founded in my home city after an asteroid tsunami decimated the slums and a factory back in 1909. The Yatra Order originally targeted billionaires of multinational companies. That all changed in 1948, as they began to form a base in the Mursanian province of Iverkrois, just south of the Mindekowan border. They launched missiles inside Iverkrois after stealing two experimental prototype laser computers, a precursor to the modern photonic chip."

Awesome - I will reply in detail tomorrow -
it's already late here in Sweden!

GOD bless!

 

[AlexB23]

Awesome - I will reply in detail tomorrow -
it's already late here in Sweden!

GOD bless!

Definitely brother. Have a good night, and God bless you as well.

 

[Tuur]

I'm not sure whelther this is the right forum, but it seemed to me
the closest...
Is anybody here on CF into (fantasy-) world buiding?
What tools do you use, besides your own imagination?

Geology and geography. I set several manuscripts in a fantasy country but wanted it to be realistic. I had a very specific terrain in mind for part of it (based in part on terrain I remembered while traveling) but there had to be a specific geology and natural history for that to happen. That dictated other aspects of the region.

With that in mind, I took grid paper, assigned each grid to half a day's travel and used that to get an idea of distances. It took the characters X number of days to get from Point A to Point B during good weather on descent roads for that era, so that gave me some idea of the size of the area I needed.

Rivers and streams were dictated by terrain. Everything flows from high ground to low, eventually ending into a sea (or depression and evaporating, but none of the latter in this fictional land). Farm, pasture, and timber areas were hardest. It takes a certain population to support thing, and if you have X number of knights, you need Y number of people supporting them, as well as farm, pasture, and timber to supply everyone. I ended up finding some suggestions for making role playing games, putting them into a spreadsheet with the desired population, and using the random function to generate population numbers for cities, towns, and villages. Set in Europe, I had a settlement about every half day's journey on the roads, some no more than a few houses. From that I had an idea of how much had to be farmland and pasture, and how much left over for timber.

Using the grids, I could estimate the area and know how much of it would be the farmland, pasture, and timberland and sketch them in. Now I had rivers, streams, towns, roads, and trails as the setting. It also affected available building materials, and that dictated the structures people lived in.

Terrain affects weather. I had a significant mountain range, but that would also mean I had a rain shadow. If rain moved it, it didn't do so from the mountains. Also had lower mountains where there wasn't a rain shadow. And mountains affect things like how the characters experience sunrise and sunset.

 

[Tuur]

Oh, about world building: since all this was set in a land that never was but in a certain time in European history, world building was - and is - a matter of studying the culture at that particular time. That's easier than making it all up from scratch. There still needs to be a plausible reason for things, and came up with a summary of the fictional history that served as handwaving for why things were like they were.

For place names, I almost went exotic, but then it hit me that in the real world, exotic sounding names are just common names in a different language. Rio Grande is simply Big River. Baton Rouge is Red Stick. Colorado is Colored Red, and so on. So place names in the language of the characters is are rather plain sounding, with the exotic ones plain sounding names that are in another language. Names came mostly from period sites. The SCA was a good source, but had to fidge and look at "model" languages for the nearby countries to come up with some place names.

For religion, again I looked at that period and place. Protestantism? Hadn't happened. Most were Roman Catholic, but had contact with Eastern Orthodox. For handwaving purposes, there had to be a special reason for two specific plot points. Here I tried to have the characters think close to to people of that age. There's some mention of Judaism, and contact with Muslims. There are pagans. I didn't delve deeply into pagan beliefs because I didn't want to spark interest. There's some mention to some specific pagan customs, but that's it.