World Building with Burning Wheel

[TickTockMan]

Greetings!

This is my first post here, but I have addressed this topic on rpg.net and I figured I ought to come straight to the source!

I am going to try to use BW as the engine for creating a P&P rpg world from the Rachkam TT game Confrontation set in Aarklash.

Everything I have read about BW so far says it is Tolkien-esque, to the point where it seems the two are inseparable. Is it a good engine for world-building? Is it easily customizable?

I would think so, given that BW has no real setting attached to it. I always figured that the reason humans, orcs, elves and dwarves were used so strongly is because they are really imbedded in gamer consciousness, and that helps facilitate discussion and game development.

The world I am going to build my game has the usual suspects in it, elves, dwarves, trolls, ogres, giants, undead, etc. But it also has a lot of magic in it, and even some weird technology. Can I use BW to create this, or was it intentiaonally made with a setting in mid that suits it better?

[Bill Cook]

BW has an implied setting. I think the lifepaths, skills and racial technicalities are the strongest contributors. Within a dimension of Tolkein-esque fantasy, it supports options. Your parameters apply well.

At another level, you can employ the MB and do Moorcock. That's pretty astounding, if you think about it.

[luke]

I always figured that the reason humans, orcs, elves and dwarves were used so strongly is because they are really imbedded in gamer consciousness, and that helps facilitate discussion and game development.

The world I am going to build my game has the usual suspects in it, elves, dwarves, trolls, ogres, giants, undead, etc. But it also has a lot of magic in it, and even some weird technology. Can I use BW to create this, or was it intentiaonally made with a setting in mid that suits it better?

Hi Tick Tock, welcome to the BW forums.

You're right. Orcs, Elves, Dwarves, etc are used as easy to grasp examples. I hope that when people see how well these tropes are handled in the game, they'll be inspired to look deeper.

With the Monster Burner, you can really customize nearly any type of character. With the magic burner, you'll prolly be able to do any genre -- magical, technological, fantastical, etc.

Anyway, once the revision is out and settled, I have some side projects coming that I think you'll be interested in.

-L

[Kevin]

The main thing that makes BW feel like Tolkein is the way the various things like Grief, Hatred, and Greed work (and to a lesser extent the lifepaths). Remove or tweak those emotional attributes and the races will feel a lot different.

[Kublai]

Welcome, TickTockMan!

The way I see BW, it makes playing in Tolkien-esque settings extremely easy while having an amazing flexibility to accomodate any other settings. New skills and technology are really simple to create mechanics for. Just look at what Viper did with his steam-tech stuff!

I've heard about campaigns taking place in medieval, renaissance, oriental, and even apocolyptical future settings. I myself plan to take it another step and adopt it for Star Wars in the near future. I don't think you'll have a problem creating your own setting. Always feel free to ask the boards for advice, too!

[eruditus]

Any help you need in developing the Confrontation setting, let me know. I love those minis! They are so evocative they just scream for a game.

As such one of the things you will find in adapting a setting is that there is a scale of grittiness where you can maintain games that are down to earth and super-realistic yet have elements, even entire settings, tht are t the height of cinematic action. Its all about the Artha distribution combined with the shade of skills and stats. both mechanics and tranform a gritty tolkien world into an "Exalted" extravaganza.

For those who are unfamiliar with this setting here is a taste:

Rackham English catalogue (http://216.239.37.104/translate_c?hl=en&u=http://www.rackham-store.com/index_us.htm&prev=/search%3Fq%3Drackham%26hl%3Den%26lr%3D%26rls%3DGGL D,GGLD:2004-06,GGLD:en)

There was a better site I had found ages ago when I wanted to do this very same thing. If I find it again i will let you know.

[Fourth Horseman]

Anyway, once the revision is out and settled, I have some side projects coming that I think you'll be interested in.

Is that all I am to you? One of your side projects? :(

:buries head in hands and runs away crying:

[TickTockMan]

I am glad to hear all this! It is very good news, and I found a Confrontation Kindred spirit.

As soon as I get the revised BW I will get to work on creating Aarklash. I PM'd you, Eruditus, hoping to get a copy of the old BW so I can get a hard start, so let me know if that is still out there. I would really appreciate a Confrontation collaborator, especially a Burning Wheel veteran. If you are game, than I am game!

It sounds encouraging. I will be sure to track down Viper's steamtech stuff as well, since I am a steamtech buff myself.

Thanks for the support everyone, I appreciate it!

[friartuck]

As an illustration of the system's versatility, you might want to check out the "Under a Serpent Sun" campaign setting in the Downloads section (under the rules variants heading, if I remember correctly). It's pretty awesome.

[Drozdal]

Under a Serpent sun can be found here (http://www.burningwheel.org/html/modules.php?op=modload&name=Downloads&file=index&req=getit&lid=39). This mini-setting needs to be updated and revised, but it will be done after BW revised will hit shelves..

[TickTockMan]

Wow! Thanks for the link. Under a Serpent Sun is a damn sight from Tolkien, so I really do not see why some people think BW is restrictive in its setting opportunities. It looks like with the right investment of time and energy I can do basically anything I want.

Now I just have to let all this simmer until May...

[tetsujin28]

Everything I have read about BW so far says it is Tolkien-esque,Do you mean the assumed 'world' for BW? Then true
to the point where it seems the two are inseparableFalse
Is it a good engine for world-building?Very much so.
Is it easily customizable?Q.v. supra.
I would think so, given that BW has no real setting attached to it. I always figured that the reason humans, orcs, elves and dwarves were used so strongly is because they are really imbedded in gamer consciousness, and that helps facilitate discussion and game development.Well, and Luke really loves LotR and doesn't think that other games have done it justice.

The world I am going to build my game has the usual suspects in it, elves, dwarves, trolls, ogres, giants, undead, etc. But it also has a lot of magic in it, and even some weird technology. Can I use BW to create this, or was it intentiaonally made with a setting in mid that suits it better?It can do all of that, and more.

[TickTockMan]

Good to hear from you, Tetsujin28. I often agree with your posts on rpg.net, so I value your opinion on this one.

When I saw what Luke did with Under a Serpent Sun, it immediately became apparent that I can basically do whatever I want with the system.
There world will be a mix of several different thematic elements, but I think BW can handle them all. Even games and settings that are great get tweaking from me, and I think world building is fun.

I had never heard that Luke thought other games had not done justice to the LotR saga. It is a personal favorite of mine, too, but that never really occurred to me. As I think about it, now, Luke is right.

[Skinnyghost]

I think this idea is pure genius and I'd love to help in any way I can.

[Skinnyghost]

I think this idea is pure genius and I'd love to help in any way I can.

[AndyAction]

Reading UaSS and I'm rocked.
-=A