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14th Mar 2022, 7:30 AM
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I think having unique sayings and idioms, and giving the world a sense that it's bigger than we see, is a really good way of making the world feel real. If there's a magic system, I also like seeing how magic gets incorporated into every day life.
There are plenty of complaints I have about the Kingkiller Trilogy, but I do positively remember all the stories about the world and the idioms it had. Characters regularly greeting each other with 'How is the road to (a place I forgot the name of' as a way of asking 'how's it going', or saying things are coming up sevens as a way of saying they're lucky or things are going great.
Genshin Impact is really, really good at making the world feel absolutely massive, and bigger than we see. I love collecting and reading the wide variety of in-universe books within it. I also love how it allows us to draw our own conclusions about how powerful the gods of the setting are. Hearing 'oh yeah, our god flattened the land and melted the snow by moving several mountains' is one this, seeing how the ocean has risen as a result and coming across one of those mountains that got moved, now in the ocean and upside-down, in an unrelated event, is very much another. Also how there's just... a lot of NPCs who also have rich and interesting lives, beyond the playable characters.
And for my final example, I think Witch Hat Atelier is the best example of seeing magical inventions and how it's incorporated into everyday life in a long time. Often in stories, magic is just kinda reserved for cool flashy battles, but in real life, while we do use technology and inventiveness on the battlefield, more of our time is spent living and surviving, and we've used inventions to increase our quality of life. If magic is something that can be reproduced, only by just a select class of wizards, I don't see how it should be much different. Witch Hat Atelier features flashy usages of magic, sure, but it's also got stuff like magical wheelchair-equivalents for disabled people, light-up stone tiles that function like street lights, flying carriages, stuff that everyday people who aren't wizards still use. Unrelated but I also love how Witch Hat Atelier's magic system is simultaneously so simple and versatile, it's probably one of the best ones I've seen in a while.
There are plenty of complaints I have about the Kingkiller Trilogy, but I do positively remember all the stories about the world and the idioms it had. Characters regularly greeting each other with 'How is the road to (a place I forgot the name of' as a way of asking 'how's it going', or saying things are coming up sevens as a way of saying they're lucky or things are going great.
Genshin Impact is really, really good at making the world feel absolutely massive, and bigger than we see. I love collecting and reading the wide variety of in-universe books within it. I also love how it allows us to draw our own conclusions about how powerful the gods of the setting are. Hearing 'oh yeah, our god flattened the land and melted the snow by moving several mountains' is one this, seeing how the ocean has risen as a result and coming across one of those mountains that got moved, now in the ocean and upside-down, in an unrelated event, is very much another. Also how there's just... a lot of NPCs who also have rich and interesting lives, beyond the playable characters.
And for my final example, I think Witch Hat Atelier is the best example of seeing magical inventions and how it's incorporated into everyday life in a long time. Often in stories, magic is just kinda reserved for cool flashy battles, but in real life, while we do use technology and inventiveness on the battlefield, more of our time is spent living and surviving, and we've used inventions to increase our quality of life. If magic is something that can be reproduced, only by just a select class of wizards, I don't see how it should be much different. Witch Hat Atelier features flashy usages of magic, sure, but it's also got stuff like magical wheelchair-equivalents for disabled people, light-up stone tiles that function like street lights, flying carriages, stuff that everyday people who aren't wizards still use. Unrelated but I also love how Witch Hat Atelier's magic system is simultaneously so simple and versatile, it's probably one of the best ones I've seen in a while.
World building variations
troblsomtwins829 on 14th Mar 2022, 7:30 AM
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My friend argued that an established standard of currency between regions is an important, though minor detail, of world building. Helps it feel more grounded than using standard measurements of gold, or constant nebulous use of credit cards.
I argued that fashion was a good way of establishing more than just status, but also culture. How clothes change from region to region throughout history and how their production is affected by native materials and infrastructure. It's equally minor to currency, but I argue more apparent as you don't always see coins, but you do see apparel.
What are some ways that you think help make a world feel more real? I know food's been a big one lately.