World Building - Template and Discussion

[JenivereDomino]

A while ago I shared my template for creating and developing character profiles here viewtopic.php?f=47&t=60835 and I though it might be helpful to look at the other side of making notes to start off, and develop, story ideas. World building.


NOTE - This is going the be a LONG discussion post, but I welcome feedback and encourage those of you who want to use this as a world-building template to take your time and even leave and come back to this as you develop your own world details. Like with my character creation file, I'm going to try and cover a lot, and add in details/prompts for each point. I have found that I have worked best in world building by asking myself a lot of questions, or having someone else prompt me or ask me questions about my world as I fill in the details. Some sections may be more relevant to you than others, and if you feel I've missed anything or made any errors please let me know, I'd like to improve this as much as possible to use as a resource for myself as well as leaving it here for others to use too.

In my opinion, it is a good idea to have a rough picture of your world state before you start writing a VN, as your world can inform you about the characters, situations, and many other things that will impact your p[lot and development. However, I also feel it is helpful to look at this as a guide and to be prepared to be flexible - if you find that your story will work better if you change, add, or remove some of your world details, big or small, then absolutely be prepared to do that. If you update your templates and notes, it will help you to keep consistency in your plot, characters, and world in general. Nobody likes having plot holes or continuity errors taking them out of the story (unless you're writing comedy or something else where your continuity errors are intentional and add to the project, in which case, carry on!). Some things, or even many of them, that you think up or include in your world building might never come up directly in your story, but they will still influence how you write characters, events, and locations. The clearer the image in your mind, the easier it'll be to write.

So where to start? The first thing is going to be your base world and genre. This is the starting point for building the rest of your world, as it will set the tone and aim for the plot you want to happen in the world. It is worth noting that you can mix and match too, so for genre you could have a noir romance, a slice of life horror, or for base world type you could have a steampunk fantasy, or a modern sci fi.

Base World - This is the "theme" or basis of your world, the place where the characters live (or die) and the story happens here. It'll be the basis for a lot of the world building, and it is worth keeping it in mind for consistency in design too.
Base World examples:
* Sci Fi - Short for science fiction, this can include a huge range of things, from time travel to complex genetics, or even a world with super powers or aliens and space travel.
* Fantasy - This is usually a world type that includes the magical, mythological, or mystical. It could be High Fantasy (like Lord of the Rings, or Skyrim), or have a more real world flavour where there are fantasy creatures/elements in a more familiar world (ie, Earth, in any time period).
* Cyberpunk - Like a sub-genre of sci fi this usually has a focus on androids or modifying humans with technology, at the very least it is commonly full of elaborate and futuristic technology.
* Real World/Earth - This could be a modern world, based on the present day, or focused on a period of history (eg, Victorian England, or the "Wild West" era USA). Your base world will generally have many of the same features of the real world. This can be easier, because you have less work to do in building your world details, but also may mean you're a little more constricted by the limitations of reality.

Genre - This is more about the type of story that is going to happen in your world. It'll help with the tone and developing the plot and character backgrounds as you go along.
Genre examples:
* Romance - Always popular, because people love love. Whether your romance is pure, bittersweet, or dark, that's all up to you, but you may need to ensure there are things build into your world design to allow the romance you want to be able to happen.
* Noir/"Film Noir" - This is a specific kind of storytelling type, where often the tone will be dark, and although it is told from the protagonist's perspective, the story parts may be told in a different order. A common trope is to have the opening scene as a tense moment from partway through or even near the end, then jump back and show how the situation got to that point. A Noir style world is more likely to have darker themes, and criminal organisations.
* Horror/Thriller - Here be monsters, whether they're fictional creatures or a more real world horror, you'll want to ensure your whole world has hints of the horror tone. Maybe its jump scares, or maybe it is a slow creeping psychological horror, there's plenty of ways to incorporate it.
* Slice of Life - These stories generally follow an "ordinary" person, showing more of their life than a narrative driven plot. There'll be more focus on the characters themselves than the world, but it is still worth keeping some world building notes as reference.
* Comedy - Comedy can take many forms, and there's many ways to use it. If comedy is the main theme of your game, though, you'll want to use it in your world building too. Bits of funny lore, silly place names, or other jokes written into the background of your game can keep people entertained and laughing even when your dialogue isn't making jokes.
* Action - fairly simple, the focus is on the action. The world around you can be a source or driving point for those high action scenes, or adding that tension and urgency to your story.
* Mystery or Puzzle - Whether it is solving more literal puzzles, or unravelling a deeper narrative mystery, your world will still need to make sense while the player/reader is working it out. Maybe hints to the greater plot and hidden secrets can be planted through your world state.
* Historical or Fan Fiction - If you're planning on writing in an established world, either about real history or creating fan stories in an existing world, it is worth having a clear outline of the world, any facts you need to get right, and any details you're changing from established canon or historical fact. It might be less about creating your own world here, but you should be familiar with the established ground you're working in.


So we have your Base World and your Genre, whether you took one or multiple, you should have a vague idea of the flavour you want to create, but now it is time to add all those delicious ingredients. The following template could hopefully serve as a guide for you, although not every point will be relevant to every genre.

World Building Template v1.0


Locations

1. Universe or Multiverse?
Is there one universe, or alternate universes? Can people travel between them? Do decisions made in one universe affect another?

2. Planets, Solar Systems, and Galaxies.
Are we on one planet? Is there interplanetary travel? How many suns and moons are visible from each planet? How do people travel between planets/galaxies?

3. Countries and Continents.
What are the main countries and continents in the world? Which does the story take place in? Are there a lot of differences between the countries? What is travel like? Can people freely cross borders or are there rules, or even border patrols preventing access?

4. Cities, Towns, and Major Landmarks.
What are the main cities and towns like? Is everywhere really built up and interconnected, or are locations more isolated from each other? Are there places some people can and cannot go, either due to physical limitations (eg humans unable to breathe underwater in a submerged city) or other reasons (eg some people banned from entering a town due to past actions, or race/class/species restrictions)? What is travel like between towns and cities?

5. Buildings and Structures.
What materials are the buildings made from? Are there limitations to this or flaws? Are buildings generally similar in design, or in all kinds of different styles due to being built in different eras? What kind of home does an average person live in? What kinds of industrial structures are there? Do castles or fortresses exist?

6. Climate
What kind of climate is in this area? Are there unusual weather systems? Are there environmental hazards? Are there environmental concerns like pollution or global warming? Does the climate affect the people, buildings, vehicles, etc?

7. Flora and Fauna
What kinds of wildlife are common? Are there any rare or uncommon animals? Are there creatures that people in this area commonly keep as pets or livestock? What kinds of crops grow here? Are there any dangerous plants or animals? Is there a unique food chain? Are there lots of areas of natural land, or has everything been built on? Are there protected habitats? Are there poisonous or venemous plants and animals here? Are any animals something that people have a common phobia of (eg snakes, spiders)?

Society
You may find you will want to fill this part in multiple times for different countries/societies in your world, often different places and people will have different traditions and societal structure. This could be a cause of conflict between countries, or individual characters.

1. What kinds of people/characters exist in the world?
Are there just humans, or one singular race of people? Are there aliens or fantasy type characters like elves (more on custom species below)? Are there sub-races (like half-elves, other hybrid species, or variation of a single species like drow and high elves in D&D lore)?

2. Is there a clear class divide?
Does class play a role in your world? Are people restricted on what they can do or where they can go based on social class? Is it forbidden to mix with those of a different class? Is class tied to race, religion, or species? Is class tied to the kind of job a person has? Is class something you're born into and cannot change, or can you move up and down in class based on your social/financial/employment status?

3. Who rules over society?
Is there a monarchy? Or elected rulers? Maybe a mixture of monarchy and government rule in the same area, or some areas with a monarchy and some with pure government? Who are the key/main rulers in the main society/societies? Are there people who want to change this system, like wanting to overthrow a politician or get rid of the monarchy, or restore power to a monarch who was wronged and get rid of the usurper on their throne?

4. Military and War.
Is the military a strong feature in your world? Is there any war going on currently? Has there been a war in the recent or distant past which might affect how characters act, or even be a part of their backstory (eg ex soldier, or lost a grandparent in a war long ago, or a war hero in the family)? This can strongly influence the world, from buildings (military camps, disused castles, security checkpoints) to events (battles, or even the discovery of a secret weapon that was never used or didn't detonate).

5. Religion.
How many religions are there? Is there any conflict between religions? Is there proof that the religion is "real" in this world? Is there proof that the religion is not real in this world? Is the religion real/not real even though there is no proof that people know of? is religion an important factor to your world and characters? (More on creating details on deities and religions below)

6. The Economy.
What kind of money do people use? Are there different currencies for different places, or is everything under a singular currency (eg, galactic credits)? Has your society moved beyond the point of requiring money, or do people barter and trade goods and services directly instead of using money? You may not need to go into a lot of detail with this, but it is handy to know just roughly how people obtain goods and services, as this can come up in the background of most stories. Also, is there illegal trade or a "black market"? What kinds of things are traded and why are they illegal? Is there poverty, and if so how/why? Is there a big divide between the rich and poor? How do people feel about money in general? Is there a problem with corporate greed and exploitation, or are workers generally paid fair wages?

7. Love, Romance, Sexuality, and Relationships.
Are there any societal restrictions on who people can and cannot be in a relationship with? Are there any relationships which are allowed but considered taboo (eg, rabbit person dating a cat person)? Are any sexualities expressly forbidden or otherwise frowned upon? Is the culture generally monogamous (2 people only) or polyamorous (2 or more people in an open or closed relationship)? Is the culture more favourable of long term relationships and marriage, or short term romantic relationships either expressly for reproduction or just for enjoyment without long term commitment? Are there arranged marriages in this world, and what are the rules to the arrangements? Are any of your characters in or due to be in an arranged marriage, and how do they feel about this? Are there any cultures or species who do not indulge in romance or relationships at all?

8. Education and Childhood
What kinds of education are there? Are any cultures or characters more likely to be highly educated (university equivalent)? Is learning achieved in a non traditional way, like using technology or telepathy to impart the knowledge and wisdom to the individual? What is a standard childhood like, are children raised by the family or by a larger social group? Are children even raised by parents at all or sent somewhere else to be educated? Are children expected to work or earn money for the family? Do children have their own societies and rules (eg, Neverland)?

9. The Elderly
What happens to the elderly in society? Are the revered and respected as storytellers, historians, or leaders? Are they more often sent to homes or left behind by newer generations who don't value their wisdom and experience? Do people even grow old or does something happen that means there are few or no elderly people (eg, Soylent Green, where people were sent away at a certain age never to be seen again)?

10. Disability
What is life like for disabled people? Are any of your characters chronically ill or disabled, and what do they use to help them navigate life (eg, wheelchair, walking cane, guide dog/animal, sign language)? Are you being thoughtful in your portrayal of disabilities? (I recommend consulting disabled people, "nothing about us without us", because you will gain insight in how to write about disability in a respectful way and avoid "inspiration porn" or having powers or abilities that completely negate a disability. I myself am disabled, and if I'm going to include a disability I will speak to several people affected by that disability or something similar if it is fictional. I'm happy to discuss this topic in greater detail if needed). Is the world accessible for disabled people, or are there barriers that are difficult to overcome (stairs and no ramps/lifts, negative stigma around disabilities like how people saw leprosy in the past)?

11. Health and Healing
What is healthcare like? Are there hospitals and large healing centres or only smaller clinics and travelling healers? Is there magic or technology that can aid in healing and health, and are there limitations to how much this can heal or how it can provide the healing? Is there a cost to healthcare or can anyone access what they need when they need it? Are there any major illnesses that affect the people/countries (eg, Kepral's Syndrome in Mass Effect which affects many of the Drell species, or pandemics from our own history like the Bubonic Plague or Smallpox)? What would your characters do if they were injured or sick?

12. Clothing and Fashion
Whilst this is more about the visual design, it is handy to know what kinds of clothing and fashion your societies wear. Does clothing denote social class or job? Do people have to wear specific clothes for their environment? Is fashion important to society or do people prefer function and comfort? Are there any current style trends that might impact how people get around (eg large hoop skirts, high heels)? Would someone's choice in clothing impact how people react to them? Are there types of clothing specific to a race/species (eg, in Mass Effect, Quarians have to wear fully enclosed environmental suits with helmets at all times to prevent sickness, which impacts how they interact with the world a well as their visual style)?

13. Leisure and Hobbies
What do people do in their free time? Are there sports people watch and/or play? Are there unique games? Do people use alcohol or other substances, and if so which of these are legal? What kinds of leisure buildings and locations are there (eg pubs, restaurants, nightclubs, swimming pools, gyms, social clubs)? What kinds of hobbies are common? What kinds of hobbies are uncommon or considered strange by others? Are there things like plays/films/tv, and if so what is popular and are there celebrities who are well known for their roles?

14. You're History!.... Your History.
What major historical events shaped this society? Are there statues or special days to commemorate significant events? Have people forgotten about an important part of their history, or are they taught to remember these things well? Are there any buildings or ruins that have been built/abandoned after these historical events, or been repurposed for new uses?


Races and Species
This will largely apply to creating your own humanoid or other races/species, or knowing the details of the mythological or other fictional species you intend to include. This part should be filled out once for each different species.

1. Main Physical Features
What does the species look like? What kinds of physical variances are there, like skin colours, hair colours, types of ears or tails? What physical features do they have that are specific to the environment they usually live in (eg, gills for underwater, wings for those with flight, different skin for different environments, different body shape for living in different levels of pressure and gravity.)?

2. Genders and Gender Differences
How many genders does the species have, or are there no specific genders (eg, Asari in Mass Effect only have one gender and all appear female similar to human women)? Are there visual differences in the genders (eg, physical features, hair/eye/skin colours, clothing or hair styles, musculature or skeletal structure, powers or abilities unique to a gender)? If relevant, are there ways the species can change gender (eg, a changeling in D&D lore can physically shift their body to be like any race/species and/or gender they wish to)? Are there specifically assigned roles to genders in the species (eg, in Dragon Age, Qunari women are given roles as teachers and traders, whilst the men are put in combat and leadership roles)?

3. Other Main Variations
Are there sub-races/sub-species? Are there people who are mixed species (like a half-elf half-human, for example)? What features do the sub or half species have? Are they treated differently by people because of their differences (eg in Dragon Age a half elf half human may find themselves rejected by both societies for not being fully like either of them)? Do they have any special abilities, or specific strengths and weaknesses (eg higher resistance to magic but not able to use magic themselves, or able to see well in the dark but sensitive to bright sunlight, or health concerns specific to the species)?

4. How does society treat this race/species?
Do other societies fear them? Or are they well respected? Do they stand out or blend in with most of society? Are there any stereotypes? Do any other races or species use them for their unique abilities, either as employees or as slaves (or maybe one species sees them as a culinary delicacy, or otherwise uses the body parts of a species for medicine or magic, if you want to go into a darker or more horror based route)?

5. Lifespan and Age Markers
How long does this species typically live for? At what age are they considered to reach adulthood? (As an example, in Mass Effect the Asari live to 1000 years old and are only considered adults at 100 years old, but a Salarian is unlikely to live to be age 50 and would be expected to be at university around age 14/15 years old.) How does their lifespan affect their lifestyle and life plans? How does their lifespan affect how they interact with other species with different lifespans? Are there physical changes that happen in different phases of their lives (eg grey hair, growing horns, change in abilities)?

6. Reproduction
How are new generations born/formed? Does this species reproduce sexually or asexually? Are they able to reproduce with other species, and if so which ones? Are there any other key or important points about how they reproduce?

7. Religion and Traditions
Is there a specific deity or religion that this species tends to follow? Do any deviate from this? Is this deity/religion real or just a belief, and is there confirmation or proof either way? Are there any traditions or holidays specific to this species, religious or otherwise?

8. Daily Life
What is the typical day in the life of someone of this species? Is there anything they need to specifically do at set intervals (eg, Vulcans' Pon Farr in Star Trek, or perhaps the reptilian race needs to take a midday nap after their meal and through the hottest part of the day to aid digestion)? What do these people generally eat? Do they have specific dietary preferences or needs? Is there anything the species cannot eat or drink due to their physiology?

9. History and Development
How did this race evolve or come into being? For example, in D&D 5e lore, Tieflings are the descendants of humans who had relationships with demons, or were they created by a deity or curse like how some Greek myths describe Gorgons (like Medusa) as being created by Gaea. Have this species always been the same or have they developed different features or abilities over time? Are they new to the world or have they been around a long time? Is there a moment in their history that is very significant to the species as a whole?

10. Heroes and Prominent Figures
Are there any well-known heroes or prominent figures of this species that affect how others react to them, or are held as an example to what the people of this species should aspire to be like?

11. Names and Naming Conventions
How do this species get there names? Are they given, or choose, different names at different life stages? Do they have different names they use with different people? If you were to address someone of this race/species politely, how would you say their name (eg whole name, last name only, use of honorifics/titles)? If you were to address someone of this race/species casually, how would you say their name (eg nicknames, first name only, use of different honorifics or title)? Do this species/race use nicknames, and if so, who do they allow to use their nicknames? What kinds of words or sounds are used to make the common names of this species/race? Are there similarities to existing name types you can use for inspiration (eg Celtic names, or names from a specific real world country or region)? Is the meaning of the name important to this species/race or do they simply choose something they like the sound of?

12. Language and Speech
Are there any quirks to how this race/species communicates? Do they have their own language? How do they communicate with people who speak different languages? Do they use non-verbal communication like hand gestures, pheromone fluctuations, or emitting different wavelengths of light/sound/vibrations? Are there any specific insults towards people of this species/race, and how bad are these considered if used? Are there any specific phrases or idioms to this species/race? Do they have a specific accent? Are there people who find them harder to understand? What is the written language like? Is there a universal language every race/species uses to communicate for trade/interspecies relations?

13. Joke's on You
Are there any jokes either about this race/species or made by them instead? My favourite example of this is a joke mentioned in Mass Effect, which has negative stereotypes about 2 different species, but is said to be told by both species as a joke about the other, without changing a word of it.

14. Society
Take a look at the society section above - are there any traits specific to this species that differs from other societies?


Religion
This one might be simple to skip for many worlds, but for those of you writing in certain world types and genres you may find it very useful to think on the details of religions and religious groups in your world that might affect your story. Especially so if you're looking at something like Greek Mythology style, where the pantheon of gods each have their own jobs and meddle with each other as well as mortal races constantly. If you have multiple gods or religions, you may want to fill this out for each deity/religion.

1. Is It Real?
Is the religion your writing about considered to be real from the perspective of the story and characters? Is there any solid evidence that the religion is real (eg miracles, physical interference by deities, other undisputable evidence of the religion being real)? If there is no evidence, is there anyone who is pushing false evidence to make people believe? If there is evidence, are there people who will go to any length to deny the evidence exists even when it is right in front of them? Are people who follow the religion right about some things, but wrong about others (eg, misinterpreting the will of the deity, or misunderstanding how it works)?

2. One Religion?
Is there only one religion in your world, or are there several? Are there conflicts between different beliefs? Do they contradict each other? Is more than one religion confirmed to be real? How does this impact the world and people?

3. One God or Many?
How many deities are there? Is there one singular deity, or are there lots of different gods? If there are many, what do each of them represent? Do they interact with each other? Are there factions amongst the deities that want different things? Are there alliances and enemies between different deities? Does their conflict ever impact the mortal world?

4. Different Realms, Heaven or Hell?
Where do any deities reside? Do they have a heavenly realm like Mount Olympus, or somewhere more disconnected from the mortal world? Can mortal people travel to these realms while alive? Do the deities stay in their realms, watching over mortals (or otherwise doing godly things), or do they travel to the mortal world? What do the realms of the deities look like (are they similar to existing ideas of heaven/hell, are they more like a blank void that goes on forever, or are they completely beyond all mortal comprehension)?

5. Life, Death, and Souls
What happens when a mortal person dies? Are they judged by the religion? Is there a punishment or reward type of afterlife based on their actions in life? Is there an afterlife but nobody really knows what it is or how it works? Are there ghosts, or souls that remain on the mortal plane and can they interact with or communicate with the living? Are people reincarnated after death? Do people have souls at all? Are there some species/races who may or may not have souls (eg, does an AI have a soul)? Can people be brought back to life after dying using magic, science, or technology? Is immortality possible, and if so how do immortal people feel about the prospects of living forever while others around them might die of old age or other things? Are there any demi-gods, the result of a god reproducing with a mortal or otherwise blessing a mortal with the status of demigod?

6. Religion and Purposes
What is the purpose and focus of the religion? Are people driven to convert non believers to "save their souls"? Is the religion there to provide comfort to people trying to make sense of grief and loss? Is the religion a way of explaining things in the world that science and other evidence based practices have been unable to explain? Is religion a way for people to connect and find community and solidarity? Is the religion heavily linked to the law and rules of the nation? Is the religion focused on a specific aspect of life (eg a religion for a healer god being focused on healing and hospitals, whereas a religion for a god of war would be more focused on military or safety, and a religion for a god of wisdom might be home to libraries or education)?

7. Fanatics and Cults vs Everyday Believers and Churches
Are there extremists (like isolationist monks) who take every word very seriously? Are there cultists who use the religion for their own ends, or twist the meaning of the religion or the will of the deity/deities into something else? How do everyday believers feel about these extremes - do they respect people who are entirely devoted to the religion, or fear the people who go too far?

8. Buildings, Statues, and Icons
Is there a symbol for the god/religion? How is this symbol generally used in clothing/jewellery/architecture? What kinds of religious buildings are there, and what purpose does each type of building serve? Are there graveyards or other burial practices for this religion that have specific locations associated with them (eg, platforms for a "sky burial", graveyards, or forests where trees are planted over each person buried)? Do religious buildings serve other purposes or are they only there for worship?

9. Clergy, Leaders, and Prominent Figures
What kinds of clergy are there, and what are they called? Can only certain people become leaders in the religion? Are there any prophet-like figures in the religion? Does the religion have one main leader at the top (like the Pope for Catholic Christianity), or is there a council of leaders, or no overall leadership? Can clergy/leaders communicate directly or indirectly with the deity/deities? How do they do this (ritual, sacrifice, magic, prayer)? Do the gods respond directly or indirectly to this communication? Are there specific clothes, hair styles, accessories, or other visual features associated with the clergy or religious leaders? Are there people revered as saints or oracles? How did they earn this status/title?

10. Books and Scriptures
Are there any books or other writings central to the religion? What language are they written in? Can anyone read them, or do only certain people have access? Do people often misinterpret what is written? What are the books or scriptures called? Who wrote them?

11. Significant Events
Are there specific celebration days for this religion? Are there multiple days to celebrate different things (like Easter and Christmas celebrate different prominent Christian events)? What kinds of traditions are associated with these days (eg clothing, gift giving, pilgrimages, ceremonies, prayers)? Are different life milestones marked with religious ceremonies (eg naming ceremonies, Marriages, Funerals, coming of age ceremonies)? Are there any events significant to the history of the followers of the religion (eg wars, miracles, mass migration of a religious group, establishing of the religion)?

12. Other Important Details
Is there anything else important or specific to this religion, deity, or followers, that hasn't been covered above? Does the deity have an established physical appearance? Does the deity have different names? Does the deity have any special powers or abilities? Does the deity have an established age or gender? Is there a hierarchy amongst the deities? Is the deity/deities responsible for creating the world/universe, and if so how did they do this? Is the deity/deities responsible for creating the mortal races, and if so how did they create them (eg some myths say gods created humans from clay that they shaped and brought to life)?

Transport and Technology
This section may be more relevant to sci-fi, modern, or futuristic worlds, but is still useful for any world types to give background information and set the scene.

1. Travel
How far can people travel? Can they go between planets, across different planes of existence, travel around the whole world, or only get around locally? Do people tend to travel a lot, or stay in their home towns/cities? Are there any obstacles to travel, like needing passports or other documents? Is travel expensive or affordable for the average person?

2. Vehicles and Roads
What kinds of land vehicles does the average person use? What do the roads look like to accommodate this travel? Are there forms of public transport (eg trains, buses) or are people largely independent in getting around? Is there any kind of instantaneous travel (eg magic, technology based teleportation), and is this readily available or affordable for the average person? Is there travel by sea/water, and if so what are the ships like (sails, steam, electric, underwater or overwater, fast or slow, etc)? Is there travel by air, and if so what are these vehicles like (eg blimp/airship, aeroplane, helicopter)? Is air and/or sea travel affordable by the average person? Are there ever any vehicle accidents? What kinds of safety precautions are there? Are any vehicles reliant on animals or other living beings (eg horse drawn carriage)? How long does it take to travel between the major/important locations in your story?

3. Industrial Vehicles
How are goods and industrial materials transported? Are there any specific kinds of vehicles used by industries (eg forklifts, combine harvesters)? Are animals used to pull industrial vehicles or equipment? Are there problems caused by industrial vehicles, like pollution or slow traffic?

4. Power and Electricity
Is there electricity? How is it created? How is it made available to homes and businesses? Is electricity common or only for the rich/privileged? Are there people who do not want to use electricity even though it is available? Is magic used to power things in the same manner as electricity, if so how does it work? Is power a limited resource or unlimited? Are there any restrictions on using power/electricity? How advanced is technology - look at different periods of history and sci fi here for inspiration as to whether you're in pre-industrial, industrial revolution, steampunk, modern, or completely futuristic. Do different societies have different levels of technological advancements? Are there any relics from ancient civilisations that turned out to be advanced technology that people are now using?

5. Everyday Technology
What kinds of technology and gadgets are in the average home? How much do people rely on technology to get through daily life? What pieces of tech could people not live without? How does technology influence how people interact with each other? What kinds of advanced tech are only available to the rich/privileged?

6. Virtual or Artificial Intelligence - Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep?
Is there any kind of simulated intelligence, or true artificial intelligence? How do artificial intelligences feel about squishy mortal meatbags? How do people feel about artificial intelligence? Are there androids/similar who look indistinguishable from organic species? Is there a way to find out if someone is organic or artificial? Can artificial beings be programmed or controlled? Are there rules by which artificial intelligences are bound (eg, laws of robotics that they are not able to bring harm to organic through action or inaction)? How are artificial life forms powered? Are synthetic beings essentially immortal if maintained correctly, or do they have a built in lifespan? Do artificial intelligences simulate emotion, experience real emotion, or avoid emotion entirely? Do artificial intelligences have their own society (if so refer to society section and fill our for AI/synthetic life, multiple times if there are different AI societies)?

7. Technology and Health
Is technology used in healthcare? Is technology used to enhance organic life forms with extra abilities (eg, seeing in the dark, connecting to technology, extra strength or physical abilities)? Is there a downside to combining technology with healthcare or using it to enhance organic life? Can this technology be disabled by hacking/EMP/other outside sources, potentially affecting the person it is connected to? How is technology that has been incorporated into someone's physical body powered (external battery, solar power, or using their own body energy)?

8. Communication
How do people communicate? What is the most common form of communication on a day to day basis (eg post, email, text, phone call, telegram, morse code, fax, sending a bird or animal with a note tied to its leg)? What are the limitations to communication methods (eg, time delay, distance limits, bird not strong enough to carry the book of poetry you want to send to your beloved, bird eaten by a dragon on route, military or government censoring communications)?

9. Other Important Technologies
What other important pieces of technology are there in your world? What kinds of things do people interact with? Are any pieces of technology central to your story?

Magic and Mythology
This will largely apply to fantasy and other similar genres, or anything that includes myths or magic in the world, but some small parts might be relevant to other stories (eg, urban legends may be important to horror). Magic can also apply to superpowers, as the mechanics can be similar, as they're supernatural abilities.

1. Is Magic Real
Is magic a real thing, or is it something people believe is real even if it isn't? is magic only real if you believe in it?

2. Who can use magic?
Can anyone use magic? Is it something you are born with? Or is it something you have to learn? Are there different types of magic that different people can use? Do people without magic face discrimination for not being able to use it? Is magic something you gain when you reach a certain age? Do people have specific affinities to use certain types of magic (eg, bending the elements in Avatar - the animated series)? Are there different types of magic users who use it in different ways? Can people gain these abilities through a mishap or accident (eg exposure to a substance, experiment gone wrong)?

3. How does magic work?
Do people need to recite a spell, do a ritual, or make a hand motion? Or is using magic innate and doesn't require words or motions? Do you need a wand or other magical item to be able to use magic? Is magic a religious gift or blessing, a deal with a magical creature/entity, or a science you can study and learn? Do you need to use ingredients or a component to be able to use the magic (like Fullmetal Alchemist's rules of equivalent exchange, where something of equal value is used up to create the item or effect desired)? Does magic use up a resource or your own mental energy to cast?

4. Are there limitations to magic?
What kinds of things can magic NOT do? Is there a limit to how much a person can use magic in one day? Is magic something that has a downside if you use too much, like causing negative effects? Are there items or spells that can counteract magic? Can someone lose the ability to use magic, or have it taken away from them? What kinds of dangers are there to using magic, like magical accidents or mishaps (eg, in Dragon Age, mages are at risk from being seduced and possessed by demons which can control them and turn them into monsters)?.

5. History of Magic
Has magic always been a part of the world, or is it a more recent discovery? How did people react to discovering magic? Is magic used by the average person in their everyday life, or is it only used for special purposes? Is magic forbidden or taboo? Are there certain types of magic that are forbidden or frowned upon? Are there other regulations regarding who can use magic and how? How does magic affect society?

6. Urban Legends and Folk Tales
What are the kinds of magical or mythical creatures that people talk about as horror stories, folk tales, or urban legends? Are these creatures real? Are they not real but instead a way to explain some kind of phenomenon (eg vampires explaining anaemia, or ghosts blamed for something falling off a shelf with no visible cause)? Do these tales vary by region? Are there people who are trying to prove these things are real? Are these creatures real but not how people think (eg, someone thinking there is a fairy except it is an alien species instead)? Are there traditions made to appease or celebrate these mythical creatures? If they're real, how do mythical creatures feel about the rest of society (do they fear them, admire them, like to mess with them, or try to hide from them)? Is there a particular urban legend that seems to keep getting more and more elaborate the more it is shared, and was there ever any truth to it?

7. Myths and Mystics
What kinds of mythology stories are told? Are they real, or used as a way to share a story with a hidden lesson in for children? Are there mystical people able to communicate with mythological creatures or entities? Are there traditions like fortune telling, and do these work? If they do work, are they accurate or are the predictions vague and concealed?Are there legitimate people as well as frauds? Are the myths important to society as a whole? Are there statues or other art depicting the myths and legends?

8. Magical Creatures
Are magical creatures real? What do they look like? Do people know they exist or are they rare and hidden? Are they common or near extinction? Do people use magical creatures in any way? How did magical creatures come into existence? Can the creatures use magic themselves, or do they just have some kind of magical quality?


Crime and Punishment
Every society has laws, crimes, and punishments. It might not be something that comes up in your story, but you should probably have at least a vague idea of it for your world.

1. Police/Guards/Military
Who is responsible for the street level law enforcement? Are they fair? Are there problems with the force? Do they take bribes? Are the police replaced instead by military forces? What kinds of outposts/guard stations are in different types of settlements? Are law enforcement commonly seen on patrol or on the streets, or are they only present when there is a problem they've been called to respond? What kinds of buildings are there associate with law enforcement? What kinds of uniforms and/or symbols do they have? Are they armed or do they have any specific powers or abilities? Are there different branches that deal with different things? How does the average law-abiding citizen feel about the law enforcement?

2. What is illegal, and what is legal?
You don't need to make a long list if these are pretty common sense things like "murder is illegal, stealing is illegal, stepping on the grass is discouraged but not actually illegal". However, are there specific things which are legal that normally wouldn't be, or things that are illegal that normally would be legal (eg, in Star Trek where on planet makes breaking any rule like not stepping on the grass highly illegal and possibly punishable by death, or things like The Purge where there are specific circumstances in which things that are usually illegal are permitted)?

3. Judgement
How are people judged for their crimes? Are there courts and juries? Are there magic or technologies that can tell if someone is lying, and if so can anyone trick or fool these? Are there surveillance systems which could be used to prove someone's guilt or innocence? Can those surveillance systems be hacked or modified by someone to hide or fabricate evidence? If there are judges and/or juries, what kinds of people can take those roles? Are there different types of judgement systems depending on the type of crime the person is accused of? Are there people who are considered above the law who would never be called into question or face judgement for crimes? Are there people considered to be guilty before any evidence is even given (prejudice/discrimination)?

4. Prison and Punishment
How are different levels of crime punished? Is punishment a public affair (eg being put in stocks, or public execution)? What kinds of prisons are there? What are conditions like in those prisons? What are societies attitudes to people who are in prison or who have been punished for their crimes? Do criminals get rehabilitated, or even "re-educated" and brainwashed, to prevent them from committing crimes in the future? Is there any capital punishment, and if so how do people feel about this? Is the punishment for crimes fair, and does the average person agree it is fair? Are different people given different punishments for the same crime, based on class/species/etc?

5. Organised Crime
Are there any big criminal organisations (eg mafia, yakuza, gangs, corporate crime, terrorist organisations, activists that commit crimes for their cause)? How are these organisations structured? Do they operate openly or does the average person not know they exist? Are the criminal organisations tied in to government/monarchy/law enforcement? What is the goal of the organisation (eg, sew chaos amongst the people, make a whole lot of money, distribute drugs, control government, force change in the system)? Does the organisation have a symbol, tattoo, colour, or clothing item associated with them? How do people generally join these organisations (do they recruit people, seek out people from certain backgrounds, or are there any initiations new members have to do to prove themselves)?


Is that all?
This is roughly all I can think of for now, but if there's something I've missed or need to go into more detail on, please let me know! I'll put a "blank" version as a reply (where I'll delete all the questions in italics to make it a more consistent and easy to use form to fill in) and I'll edit both if we add or change anything later.

Let me know what you think of this, if you like it, don't like it, find it useful, or would prefer something different like splitting the categories into different forms to add more detail to each subject.

Have fun building up your worlds!

[JenivereDomino]

World Building Template v1.0


Base World -
Genre -


Locations

1. Universe or Multiverse?

2. Planets, Solar Systems, and Galaxies.

3. Countries and Continents.

4. Cities, Towns, and Major Landmarks.

5. Buildings and Structures.

6. Climate

7. Flora and Fauna


Society

1. What kinds of people/characters exist in the world?

2. Is there a clear class divide?

3. Who rules over society?

4. Military and War.

5. Religion.

6. The Economy.

7. Love, Romance, Sexuality, and Relationships.

8. Education and Childhood

9. The Elderly

10. Disability

11. Health and Healing

12. Clothing and Fashion

13. Leisure and Hobbies

14. You're History!.... Your History.


Races and Species

1. Main Physical Features

2. Genders and Gender Differences

3. Other Main Variations

4. How does society treat this race/species?

5. Lifespan and Age Markers

6. Reproduction

7. Religion and Traditions

8. Daily Life

9. History and Development

10. Heroes and Prominent Figures

11. Names and Naming Conventions

12. Language and Speech

13. Joke's on You

14. Society


Religion

1. Is It Real?

2. One Religion?

3. One God or Many?

4. Different Realms, Heaven or Hell?

5. Life, Death, and Souls

6. Religion and Purposes

7. Fanatics and Cults vs Everyday Believers and Churches

8. Buildings, Statues, and Icons

9. Clergy, Leaders, and Prominent Figures

10. Books and Scriptures

11. Significant Events

12. Other Important Details


Transport and Technology

1. Travel

2. Vehicles and Roads

3. Industrial Vehicles

4. Power and Electricity

5. Everyday Technology

6. Virtual or Artificial Intelligence - Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep?

7. Technology and Health

8. Communication

9. Other Important Technologies


Magic and Mythology

1. Is Magic Real

2. Who can use magic?

3. How does magic work?

4. Are there limitations to magic?

5. History of Magic

6. Urban Legends and Folk Tales

7. Myths and Mystics

8. Magical Creatures


Crime and Punishment

1. Police/Guards/Military

2. What is illegal, and what is legal?

3. Judgement

4. Prison and Punishment

5. Organised Crime


Is that all?
(Additional World Notes Here)