Imagining Other Worlds

“Worldbuilding,” from Living in Other Places

“… instead of thinking of the border between [science fiction and fantasy] as things to be policed, they should be considered together as a holistic way of thinking that provides new modes of imagining a world…

“SFF worldbuilding… depends on two rules, as I see them, derived from dominant strains of thinking about, alternatively, fantasy and science fiction. First, that fictional worlds should attempt to be coherent and proceed logically, no matter how fantastic their premises or details. Secondly, that these fictional worlds are nonetheless built around some specific element that is not strictly bound to the laws of reality that form the primary world that we all inhabit – the very fantastic element that secondary worlds must work to maintain as coherent and logical.”

– excerpted from a longer research project, focused on the narrative strategies and forms of SciFi and Fantasy worldbuilding. Longer excerpt can be found here.

(Photo credit: The Verge)

“The Learned Confraternity of the Gate”: a homebrew adventure

After coming through the Gate, you stand a large open space, clearly underground, with a cathedral ceiling and elaborate tiling throughout. The ceiling is clearly in bad shape, though, with huge cracks coming through it where old, gnarled roots have broken through – as a result, the back part of the chamber has been caved in, and there’s piles of rubble, dirt, and stone in the corners, cobwebs, the whole place seems to be in a bit of a state of disrepair.

“‘Right lads, where d’ya think you are?…”

Setting Descriptions , Lore & Background, and Characters (NPCs and Villains) with Dialogue can be found here.

(Photo credit: Lukasz Stefanski / Shutterstock)

“Plot Points: A Review of Masande Ntshanga’s Triangulum“

“…. the player realizes that the whole plot is imagined – a strange, delirious adventure creakily assembled in Link’s mind as the trusty Hylian hero clings for life, spread across a log floating in the ocean, his iconic pointy hat creating a peak against the backdrop of the waves. I remember well this revelation from my own childhood. I agree with Rohan. It was the best part. 

Commissioned review for The Carolina Quarterly https://thecarolinaquarterly.com/2020/04/plot-points-a-review-of-masande-ntshangas-triangulum/

(Image credit: Nintendo)