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How deep do you go when building out your campaigns? (piefed.ca)

submitted 1 day ago by Gyangrene@piefed.ca to c/rpg@ttrpg.network

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Curious to know how other GMs go about designing and filling out their campaigns with different material like items, NPCs, locations, etc. I've traditionally gone very deep and sometimes even granular (much to my own detriment because I bite off more than I can chew sometimes), and try to build out enough material to establish the setting and make everyone feel "unique" to the campaign setting.

What do you find works best for you? How deep do you like to go when building out the setting and materials? Are there any specific elements you focus more on as opposed to others?

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[–] mongooseofrevenge@lemmy.world 3 points 1 day ago

I've come to think of the process of GMing more like stage production than storytelling. You litterally set the stage for your players and you just need to control what's on that stage at any given moment. So instead of writing out entire cities, towns, dungeons, and deep descriptions I'll come up with a unique shop or NPC and drop it in when the situation calls for it. Even with a map and set locations, if the players haven't visited yet then they don't know what's there. You can wheel in the set pieces and backdrops as needed. The party doesn't see the stagehands moving the scenery they just need to enjoy themselves onstage.

It works for me because I might have a fun idea for an NPC or location randomly and write it down. Then I have a catalog of people, places, quests/treasures to pull from as I plan sessions. And if the party doesn't interact with it that session it goes back on the shelf.

Otherwise I have a loose plan for the overarching main quest but I spend a lot of my time thinking about how the world will look based on the characters choices. Like right now the group failed to stop an assassination of a lord. This also got an ambassador to another nation killed. With tensions already high between the two kingdoms, how will this effect everything else? I found that so much can change in the world based on their choices that planning so far ahead can be detrimental and I'd end up trying to railroad them early on.