Campaign setting

Acampaign settingis usually afictional worldwhich serves as asettingfor arole-playing gameorwargamecampaign. Acampaignis a series of individualadventures,and acampaign settingis the world in which such adventures and campaigns take place.^[1]^: 30^[2]^: 12–13Usually a campaign setting is designed for a specific game (such as theForgotten Realmssetting forDungeons & Dragons) or a specific genre of game (such as medieval fantasy, or outer space/science fiction adventure). There are numerous campaign settings available both in print and online. In addition to published campaign settings available for purchase, manygame masterscreate their own settings, often referred to as "homebrew" settings or worlds.

While obviously connected to game materials, campaign settings are supported also by other media, such as novels and comic books.^[1]^: 171

Examples of major campaign settings include numerous settings withinDungeons & Dragons,^[1]^: 30as well as many others such asBattleTech.^[1]^: 171

Types of setting

The use of the term "world" in describing a campaign setting is loose, at best. Campaign worlds such as theWorld of Greyhawkdetail entire cosmologies and timelines of thousands of years, while the setting of a game such asDeadlandsmight only describe one nation within a brief segment ofalternate history.

There are three primary types of campaign setting^{[according to whom?]}:

The first type of setting is specifically tied to a single game, such asWarhammerorWorld of Darkness,where the game has only the one setting.
The second type of setting is for games that have multiple settings such as modernDungeons & Dragonsor generic roleplaying systems such asGURPSorFudge
The third type of setting is developed without being tied to a particular game system. Typically this last sort are developed first as stand-alone works of fiction, which are later adapted to one or more role playing systems such as theStar Warsuniverse orMiddle-earth,though there are a few exceptions of settings which were designed explicitly for role playing gaming, but without a specific system in mind, such asHârn.

Nikolai Butler distinguished two types of campaign settings, homebrewed and official.^[2]^: 13According to games journalistDavid M. Ewalt,established campaign settings have the advantage of providing a wealth of material written by professional game designers. When creating a homebrew setting "you're on your own - but without limits and preconceptions", which can lead to more interesting games as the game master may be "more invested in the material and passionate about its development".^[3]

Setting genres have touched on every genre of high-action fictional storytelling from role-playing's roots infantasytoscience fictionin settings such asTravellertohorrorin theWorld of Darkness.Even modern-dayspy thriller-oriented settings such asSpycrafthave been introduced.

A small number of campaign settings fuse two or more genres in a single game. InGURPS Infinite Worlds,for example, the characters play "Infinity Patrol" agents who travel toalternate worlds.Shadowruncombines fantasy with cyberpunk,Castle Falkensteindraws on fantasy andsteampunkelements, andTorgmixes fantasy, science fiction, pulp and horror elements whileFeng Shuicombines Chinese historical fantasy with kung fu action tropes and dystopian science fiction.

Fantasy

Fantasysettings draw their inspiration almost exclusively fromfantasy literature,such as the works ofJ. R. R. TolkienandRobert E. Howard.The setting in these games is usually a world with a level of technology similar to that ofmedieval Europe.Fantasy elements includemagicand supernatural/mythological creatures, such asdragons,elves,dwarvesandorcs.

The first role-playing settings from the late 1960s and early 1970s (World of Greyhawk,andBlackmoor) were based in the fantasy genre, primarily based on the popularity of fantasy works by authors such asJ. R. R. TolkienandC. S. Lewis.Over the decades since, fantasy role-playing has evolved and expanded tremendously, even developing its own subgenres. The genre can be subdivided intohigh fantasywhere supernatural events are commonplace, andlow fantasywhere there are few or no supernatural aspects.

While pure fantasy games were initially popular, games such asArs Magicapopularized the notion of fantasy set within elements of real-world history. Later games would update this concept even further, bringing fantasy gaming into the present day in a genre known asurban fantasy(e.g.Mage: The Ascension) or even into the future by combining urban fantasy withcyberpunk(e.g.Shadowrun). Even when the main setting of a game is not taken directly from the history of our world, they still tend to draw heavily on historical models, though distorted by the presence of magic; also, as gods often have direct and tangible interactions with the world, religion is usually very unlike our world.

Fantasy typically remains the most played roleplaying genre.^[1]^: 30RPGs of the fantasy genre are sometimes collectively called "Fantasy roleplaying games" ( "FRP" ).

SeeCategory:Fantasy roleplaying games

Science fiction

Science fictionsettings are inspired byscience fictionliterature. The setting is generally in the future, sometimes near future but also quite often in the far future, though in many cases the setting bears no connection to the world we live in, e.g.Star Wars.Common elements involve futuristic technology, contact with alien life forms, experimental societies, and space travel.Psionicabilities (i.e.ESPandtelekinesis) often take the place of magic. The genre can be divided similarly withscience fictionliterature into subgenres, such ascyberpunkorspace opera.

Science fiction settings for role playing were introduced withMetamorphosis Alphain 1976—dungeon adventuring on a "lost starship" —and in 1977 soon followed withTraveller,aspace operagame. ItsThird Imperiumsetting covered multiple worlds andalienraces. Due to the success ofStar Wars,and the impact that the franchise had on popular culture, many science fiction settings were introduced or adapted, especially during the 1980s. The scope of a science fiction setting is typically larger than that of a fantasy setting, encompassing multiple worlds or even entire galaxies. Such settings often involve detailed accounts of military and/or trading operations and organizations.

Gamma World,introduced in 1978, explored the replacement of traditional elements of fantasy settings with thepseudo-scientificelements ofpost-apocalyptic fiction.These settings lend themselves to the "adventuring" mode of most fantasy games, and thus focus on developing specific locations and loosely defined cultural or racial groups.

SeeCategory:Science fiction roleplaying games

Historical

Historicalsettings take place in the past. Because historical games often overlap the fantasy genre, a distinguishing mark is that fantasy games are set on a "fantasy world" similar to but distinct from Earth, while historical games are set in the past of Earth. Settings that have been explored in roleplaying games includePendragon(Arthurian),Sengoku(Japanese warring states),Recon(Vietnam War),Tibet(historicalTibet), and Fantasy Imperium (historical Europe).

The roleplaying gameArs Magicais one such 'historical' game, set in what its source materials call 'Mythic Europe': while history is generally accepted to unfold as depicted in real-world historical accounts,Ars Magicapresents a detailed background for its setting, tying the existence of magic, wizards and the Faerie realms into a historical context while allowing for 'fantasy' elements to come into play.

SeeCategory:Historical roleplaying games

Horror

Horrorsettings take their inspiration fromhorror literature.Horror role-playing can be divided into two major groups.

Modern horror settings such asCall of Cthulhuwere first introduced in the early 1980s, creating a hybrid of fantasy horror and modern thrillers. These settings tend to focus on organizations and societies in which generally normal people fight against malevolentsupernaturalentities. Such games often are structured as a straightforward "monster hunt", thoughCall of Cthulhualso involves a great deal of investigation and clue-finding.

The second style of horror game reverses the roles, with the player characters being such supernatural creatures asvampiresandwerewolves.This second style was popularized byWhite Wolf'sVampire: The Masquerade.A series of games by the same company followed, sharing a setting called theWorld of Darkness.

The setting in both these styles of horror games is often contemporary, between the 19th century and the current day. Creating the correct mood and air of suspense is very important in these games.

Some elements of fantasy role-playing settings were often related to the horror genre. Vampires and ghosts are typical fare in most such settings, for example. Campaign settings that combine horror and fantasy elements on an even footing include theDungeons & DragonssettingsRavenloftandGhostwalk.The D&DHeroes of Horrorsourcebook also provides ways to emphasize horror elements within a more typical fantasy milieu.

SeeCategory:Horror roleplaying games

Humor

Humorgames are based on creating situations which are funny or have a funny premise. Humor is not usually a genre in itself (although it can be), but a modifier added to other genres. In 1983Bureau 13introduced humorous modern horror/fantasy gaming. In 1984, theParanoiagame introduced a science fiction setting which used a post-apocalypse world in which to set a tongue-in-cheek game of futile struggle against a computer-controlleddictatorship.Humorous settings for multiple genres have since been released. Humorous settings typically develop few if any locations and organizations, focusing instead on specific characters of note and general tone.

SeeCategory:Comedy roleplaying games

Multi-genre

Multi-genregames that mix elements of different genres together. For example,Deadlandspresents aWild Westin which elements of horror, magic and steampunk are prevalent,^[4]andCastle Falkensteinpresents aVictorian-eraworld withJules Verne- andH. G. Wells-inspired technology alongside fantasy elements like magics and the denizens ofFaerie.

Similarly,Shadowrunpresents a futuristic dystopia that draws heavily fromCyberpunkinfluences such as cyberized limbs, megacorporations and the virtual reality internet in the form of the Matrix, while also including, as a major plot element, the return of magic to the world and the classicDungeons & Dragonsraces of elves, dwarfs, trolls and so forth. Likewise, thesuperherogenre typically emulates thecomic bookuniverses such as theDCandMarvel Universesas a form ofscience fantasyset in contemporary setting where all fantastic elements from futuristic technology to mythic beings co-exist.

More extreme mashups are also possible;Torgcombined fantasy, science fiction, pulp, and horror elements whileFeng Shuicombined Chinese historical fantasy with Kung Fu action tropes and dystopian science fiction. InGURPS Infinite Worlds,the characters played "Infinity Patrol" agents who travel toalternate worldscharacterized by different genre elements including steampunk and horror.

Licensed

Licensedgames aretie-insto larger media franchises. They were once rare but the number of these games is increasing. Licensed games are usually considered part of their franchise's genre rather than a genre in and of themselves. Many licensed products are now defunct because of license expiration, while others such asBlood of Heroestake a system designed for a licensee's game world and create a new world to match it.

References

^^a ^b ^c ^d ^eBarton, Matt; Stacks, Shane (18 April 2019).Dungeons and Desktops: The History of Computer Role-Playing Games 2e.CRC Press.ISBN 978-1-351-27339-8.
^^a ^bBjädefors Butler, Nikolai (2018)."From Rolling to Reading: An Analysis of the Adaptation of Narrative Between Role-Playing Games and Novels".Lund University Publications.
^Ewalt, David M.(2013).Of Dice and Men: The Story of Dungeons & Dragons and the People Who Play It.Scribner. pp. 223–224.ISBN 978-1-4516-4052-6.
^Ward, Rachel Mizsei (2013). "Genre Mashing in the Role-Playing GameDeadlands: The Weird West,the Horror Steampunk Western ". In Miller, Cynthia J.; Van Riper, Bowdoin (eds.).Undead in the West II: They Just Keep Coming.Scarecrow Press.pp. 269–285.ISBN 978-0-8108-9264-4.

[:0-1] Barton, Matt; Stacks, Shane (18 April 2019).Dungeons and Desktops: The History of Computer Role-Playing Games 2e.CRC Press.ISBN 978-1-351-27339-8.

[:1-2] Bjädefors Butler, Nikolai (2018)."From Rolling to Reading: An Analysis of the Adaptation of Narrative Between Role-Playing Games and Novels".Lund University Publications.

[3] Ewalt, David M.(2013).Of Dice and Men: The Story of Dungeons & Dragons and the People Who Play It.Scribner. pp. 223–224.ISBN 978-1-4516-4052-6.

[Ward-4] Ward, Rachel Mizsei (2013). "Genre Mashing in the Role-Playing GameDeadlands: The Weird West,the Horror Steampunk Western ". In Miller, Cynthia J.; Van Riper, Bowdoin (eds.).Undead in the West II: They Just Keep Coming.Scarecrow Press.pp. 269–285.ISBN 978-0-8108-9264-4.

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