A question to World Builders.

FosoSam

How much planning do you believe you should do before you start a world?
Also, what aspect of the world do you start building first?

Docsprock

I guess the amount of planning would depend on your 'vision' for the world.

One simple thing to help planning, is write down a list of all the rabbitholes/venues you want in your world, then check them off as you add them. This is about all the planning I do.

Always start with sculpting/painting terrain.;)

SimRealtor

I don't really do any planning - I get an idea and I just start to go with it. This almost always starts, as previously recommended, with the initial sculpting and painting and land layout. Sometimes though I have built the landscape around the world its just easier to start the other way around - I think.

cllevett

Docsprock wrote:

.Always start with sculpting/painting terrain.;)

I was curious if other people started with sculpting first. I always start with laying roads & lots. Typically I work with Small & Tiny worlds were lot placement is critical on small space.

Often I do virtually no planning then have to back track a lot. In Tiny worlds you'll feel the effects of bad planning. Things will look really off & sculpting can be hard if its all weirdly laid out. I considered going & buying grid paper to start designing layouts before I start.

Rflong7

Hi

It depends if it's a small world or a large map... if it's a large map I always work on the distant mountains. After the mountains are pretty much in place then I start thinking of my main idea... of lot size placement pertaining to roads.
A small world get's a lot first and then roads...

Never paint anything until the roads are down. That's when the nitpicking goes on with details and switching back and forth as I see things that need doing.

I only write down what needs to be done if I get an idea or see a problem while I'm doing something else- like a bumpy road as I'm building a lot.

So- really only start with an idea and toss out maps as I sculpt- Only made a few worlds with the first map I worked an idea.
Usually have 5-10 working on sculpting/lot size & placement.

I tried sketching out a full map a few times- never did finish those worlds. . . It was more like I didn't have to because they were already done on paper.