From: beregar
Date: 2002-01-30 16:42:23
Guys! Use common sense when creating templates. There is no need for multiple templates if the subjects can be covered in one. Plant and herb templates are a good (or bad) examples for a bad template designing. The plant template should descripe a plant AND its uses, including possible structural (building) uses for a tree, they are plants too btw ;), so there's really no need for another template for herbs (I have said this before). Consider this when you create a template. Also, templates should be coherent in their form: If one template has "overview" it shouldn't be "description" in another.
Also, I'm going to discuss in this thread about what should be placed into a template (and thus worldbook sections) and what should be left out. Currently we have following templates:
Creature template: This template is for creatures that appear in the game, after the cataclysm. They don't have that much history (nothing that could be covered in origins section) or are simply generic animals and such.
While creating a creature text, consider the general guidelines where you want to develop the creature race (if it is an intelligent being), its purpose and the location(s) where it appears, both terrain and physical location(s). Remember that most creatures should be tied to certain terrain types, not necessarily to specific location (like Nemen). I created the Felmur race as an example for an intelligent race without too much background; they were created only a few hundred years before cataclysm. Players give the purpose for races like these!
IF you want to create a historically detailed, intelligent race that may, or may not, survived the cataclysm and can be later pinpointed to certain location(s), like for example Brahjians, refer to my Brahjian desc (or other such descs). These races need to be detailed because they have affected the world of Majik in a large scale BEFORE the cataclysm. They must be detailed because they are the sources for future quest, ancients texts, building and item blueprints and other in game information, even more so if some members of the race survived from the cataclysm and will eventually be a playable race. I'd actually suggest creating some sort of historical section to the worldbook for these races. As said earlier, this doesn't apply that much to current races as everything starts from the "clean table". Remember that the worldbook is only for designers!
NaturalResourceTemplate which should be actually renamed to "material template" as it doesn't include plants, which are natural resources too. This template deals with minerals and their refined forms. Like plant with plant template, there is no reason to create different templates for raw materials (iron, uncut gems etc.) and for refined materials (steel, cut gemstones, etc.).
Like with race template, consider the purpose of material, how it fits the theme of Majik (no ripoff materials such as mithril (mithral), admantium (admantite). Also, don't base your design too much on real-life physics, if your material turns transparent in water, don't start explaining how this or that affects to its molecular structure, such things don't belong to fantasy, besides they are quite useless from design point of view. Still, if the material has some special properties, explain why and how did it get them, just don't use too much physics lingo. :)
Other important things for this template are mass per some volume unit (which should be decided) because it may later affect the creation of items, there resistances and such. Also, try to give some general idea about how well the item resists fire, cold etc as they are tied to the material, not (at least not completelly) to the item fashioned from the material. Also, give some idea how easy it is mine the material (if mineable), how common (or rare) it is and how difficult or easy it is to work.
I'm probably going to go through this template too and make some small alterations. They shouldn't bother much already existing materials, but if you feel they do, contact me and I'll make the necessary changes myself.
Plant template should be pretty obvious. All previous things apply to it. Consider the terrain and location where the plant appears, consider the purpose of the plant. Also, if it is a plant creature it should be descriped here rather than in the creatures section as there may be special uses for its parts, of course use reasoning here, a tree which can move, attack as is intelligent is obviously a creature where as a carrion plant is obviously that, a plant.
If you want to be specific about the origins of the plant, you can add "origins" part for the plant template but it is not a neccessity. As I said, I'm going to redesign this template and also add an example plant to better illustrate my points.
I repeat once more: no different plant and herb templates!
Item template is heavily under construction until we agree creation process for items. If the blueprint system is accepted, it defines major parts of this template. Try to avoid creating complete, ready items until we have more raw materials (and thus better sources for item creation) and more info about item creation itself. It is notable that this template is not for unique items, magic items or artifacts with detailed backgrouns, effects and history.
Region template is mostly for historical purposes and creation of historical settings. It doesn't apply that much to current game situation as the idea is that players create everything. It can be used for other existing cultures that are not yet player races, but I'd recommend focusing in creation of places first and then gathering them into larger regions.
There are still many other templates which I'd like to see. Templates for after cataclysm locations, such as plans for ruins, mystical sites, places of worship and such which may have survived the cataclysm or which are rebuild. It is also good to remember that while there will be only one playable race when the game opens, there are other creatures that may already dwell in some other areas (be they ruins or something else constructed) and there certainly will be more playable races later.
- Beregar