The best GM is made better by a good group. No where is this more true than when a GM is willing to take a big leap of faith and start a homebrew world and campaign. It's exciting to make your own world, implement all the ideas you came up with while daydreaming at work, pillage nifty ideas off the internet, and blend it all together into something that is unique to the group. However, for the really adventurous GM, may I suggest Collaborative World Building (CWB for short)?
Basically, CWB involves the GM developing a core part of the world- a single city or region before the game starts- rather than make the effort to define the world in detail. The map remains largely undefined. It then falls to the players and the GM equally to define the world as the game unfolds. In this way, the GM is not the only one with a hand in how the world looks- creative and ambitious players work hand in hand with the GM to create a world shared by all.
CWB starts with the very basics- the group. CWB involves a lot of trust between the GM and the players. It also requires a good deal of extra work and brainstorming on the part of the players- often much more than they may be used to. Thus, it takes a bit of a leap of faith on the part of the GM and the willingness of the players to stay on top of CWB.
Once the GM has a group they trust, they can spend the time before the campaign defining a core part of the world. I usually take the time to detail a single city and some vague ideas about what surrounds the city. By default, the first couple of adventures need to stay largely within the confines of that one defined area. However, during those first sessions the group has the opportunity to detail the surrounding regions. Given a couple of in-game ideas and some detailing of those ideas after the game session the group will organically grow the campaign world.
The players become part-time GMs. CWB gives them the freedom to define the world as they see fit. Even the most hard-core players that have never GMed have dreamed about the type of world or campaign they want to play in. CWB gives every player the latitude to implement those ideas they find exciting- all they need to do is find a way to work those ideas into their character’s background or experiences in a believable way.
Has a player daydreamed about Dwarven magic being exclusively psionics? Then encourage them to find a way to weave that into the story. The only rule is that the player must introduce the background point through their character in a believable way. Moderation is the watchword for the players- a GM using CWB should not allow players to go too crazy. Its important for a GM to say no when the game is getting derailed by a particularly long or off-the-wall CWB event.
Defining the backgrounds of NPCs and campaign elements is a good way to ease into CWB. When a new contact or a new item that should have some backstory associated with it is introduced the GM can look to the associated player for a little exposition on the region, country, or event that surrounds the item or NPC.
One pitfall to avoid here is to not force the player to have to go into any more depth than they want. Allow the player to define as much or as little (within reason) of the background as they are comfortable with while the GM takes appropriate notes. Then, after the game in a wrap-up session, the GM can discuss the new background and how it impacts the campaign with the group at everyone’s leisure. E-mail is a great way to do exactly this and allows people to mull over the new element and background at their leisure.
One problem I often run into when using CWB is that the players are very enthusiastic about the process at the beginning but fall into the trap of looking to the GM to define the world like normal. Players naturally focus on their characters and often don't spend the time to also think about what they can contribute to the world.
It's not really laziness (though it might appear so to the GM)- its more a problem keeping the players focused on the options that CWB create. A GM willing to use CWB needs to spend the first couple of sessions paying attention to how the players decide to use CWB (and even if they are exercising the option). A few prompts here and there by the GM along the lines of "maybe you can tell me a little about where your contact comes from?" or "can you tell me a little about what your character knows about the elven homeland?" will do wonders for getting the players involved in CWB.
This leads not only to a shared sense of accomplishment and excitement about the world the group adventures in- but it also often frees up the GM to rely on the players to help create the world. Extra time for the GM is always a good thing. Another benefit is that the Gm gets an idea of who might be a good GM-in-training. A player that really embraces the idea of CWB and makes an effort to help build the world in tandem with the GM is often the type of person that would make an enthusiastic GM for a later game.
I mentioned above that is important for the GM to be able to say "no" in CWB. This is the GM veto. Any idea or background point presented by the players has to be approved by the GM. If the GM feels the player point does not quite fit with the feel of the world, then the GM needs to say "no" to the idea or at least take a couple of moments to brainstorm and see how the idea needs to be modified so it is useful.
Just as important, the GM needs to take quick notes when a player decides to exercise a CWB event, tell the group that they will all deal with the point after the session, and continue the game. CWB runs a real risk of derailing the game if things get too long-winded or sidetracked. It can be fun to brainstorm on the spot during the game, but a good GM needs to know when to stop and continue the process at a more convenient time.
Limited CWB is also useful in more traditional games. Instead of having players define all their contacts before hand or working up a detailed backstory, keep things a bit vaguer and allow a creative and active player to use those grey areas in game to advance the plot. If they need a contact- have them come up with a name, a bit of backstory, and how they are useful on the fly. From then on, the player has access to that contact- tailor made to the need at the time and possibly useful in the future.
I am a big fan of Collaborative World Building. CWB takes work by everyone involved but is a very rewarding experience. Some of the most exciting and dynamic settings I have ever GMed were the ones I only had a role in starting- from there it was a team effort where the group as a whole created the world.
There is no "I" in "roleplaying." Okay ... there actually is, but you get the point.
In Summary:
- Trust your players- they are just as creative as you are.
- At its core, CWB is brainstorming.
- A world you all have a hand in developing is one you all are excited to play in.
- CWB allows for an organic world- one that grows as the campaign grows.
- GMs can use CWB in small bits- give a free hand to the players to develop background and contacts as the game develops.
- Regions, history, and backstory are all open for a CWB event.
