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Page de couverture de Game Theory — Wednesday: Worldbuilding 101 — Creating Believable Fantasy Worlds

Game Theory — Wednesday: Worldbuilding 101 — Creating Believable Fantasy Worlds

Game Theory — Wednesday: Worldbuilding 101 — Creating Believable Fantasy Worlds

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 Welcome to Gold Dragon Daily An AI-powered podcast by Gold Dragon Investments, helping you win the game of passive investing. This is Game Theory — Worldbuilding 101 What Is Worldbuilding? • Art of creating believable, immersive fictional worlds • Foundation of every great fantasy story—novels, D&D campaigns, video games • Well-built world feels real: has history, culture, geography, rules that make sense • Poorly built world feels shallow and breaks immersion Geography: The Skeleton of Your World • Shapes everything else—mountains create borders, rivers enable trade, deserts isolate civilizations, coastlines encourage naval power • Think about how geography affects people who live there • Tolkien's Middle-earth: Misty Mountains divide continent, Mordor surrounded by mountains/wastelands (natural fortress), Shire fertile and isolated (explains peaceful Hobbits) • Geography isn't just a map—it's reason why cultures develop the way they do • George R.R. Martin's Westeros: North is cold/harsh (tough Northerners), Reach is fertile (wealthy/populous), Dorne is desert (distinct/defensive culture) • Geography creates diversity, diversity makes worlds interesting Culture: The Soul of Your World • Language, religion, customs, values, social structures • Every culture should feel distinct but make sense within environment and history • Avoid "planet of hats" trope—every member identical • Real cultures are diverse with internal conflicts and subcultures • The Witcher: Northern Kingdoms aren't monolith—Redania (theocracy), Temeria (feudal), Skellige (warrior culture, Norse influences), Nilfgaard (expansionist empire, Roman aesthetics) • Each culture has own identity, identities clash in believable ways • Brandon Sanderson's Cosmere: each planet has unique cultures shaped by magic systems and histories • Scadrial: rigid caste system (Lord Ruler's thousand-year reign) • Roshar: cultures shaped by Highstorms and constant threat of Voidbringers • Culture isn't random—it's response to environment, history, conflict Economy: Often Overlooked but Critical • How do people make money? What do they trade? What resources are scarce? • Economy drives politics and conflict • Rare magical resource = wars fought over it • One region controls food supply = leverage over everyone else • A Song of Ice and Fire: Reach controls most of Westeros's food production (why House Tyrell is powerful), Iron Islands poor in resources (turn to raiding), Free Cities of Essos wealthy (control trade routes) • Economy isn't just background detail—it's driver of plot Magic Systems: Hard vs. Soft • Hard magic: clear rules and limitations • Soft magic: mysterious and unpredictable • Both can work but serve different purposes • Brandon Sanderson: master of hard magic • Mistborn's Allomancy: strict rules, burn metals to gain specific powers, limitations create tension and problem-solving • Stormlight Archive's Surgebinding: tied to oaths and ideals, magic feels earned, rules create dramatic stakes • Soft magic works when used sparingly • Tolkien's magic is soft: Gandalf's powers vague (intentional), magic in Middle-earth ancient and mysterious, not a tool but force of nature • Soft magic works when it enhances atmosphere, fails when used as plot device to solve problems • Key: internal consistency—whatever rules you establish, stick to them • Magic requires sacrifice = always requires sacrifice • Dragons can't fly in cold climates = never fly in cold climates • Consistency builds trust with audience History Gives Your World Depth • Every culture, conflict, institution has a past • Don't need thousand-year timeline, but should know major events that shaped world • Why are these kingdoms at war? What ancient empire collapsed? Why do people fear the forest? • Tolkien built Middle-earth's history over decades—Silmarillion covers thousands of years of lore • Most readers never see that detail, but it informs everything in Lord of the Rings • Weight of history makes world feel real • The Witcher's Conjunction of the Spheres: event that brought monsters, magic, humans to world • Ancient history but explains why world is the way it is • Don't need to explain everything, but need to know the answers Religion and Mythology • Shape how people see the world • What gods do they worship? What creation myths? How does religion influence politics and daily life? • Religion isn't just window dressing—it's lens through which people interpret reality • A Song of Ice and Fire: Faith of the Seven, Old Gods, Lord of Light all real forces with real consequences • Religion drives characters like Melisandre and High Sparrow • Not just flavor—source of conflict and motivation Common Pitfalls to Avoid • Don't make every culture a monolith • Don't ignore logistics: food, water, travel time • Don't use magic as deus ex machina • Don't ...
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