The Foundation
What is your motivation for building this world?
I got the idea from the ongoing debate about how far is too far when it comes to technology.
What are you hoping to get out of it?
To see how people would rather live if they had an option to either live like we do now or in the future of technology where it might not be as awesome as we assume.
What is the hook/unique selling point of your world?
Could you share the world with robots?
What’s the genre of your world?
Fantasy, sometime in the future.
How does the world feel (player experience)?
It should feel scary but also gives some source of adventure.
What is the tone of your world?
Somewhere between dark and happy, there should be times when the player is just adventuring but other times where they don’t know what is going to happen.
What is the character agency-level like?
I don’t think the characters are trying to change the world, rather just accomplish the mission.
What are the recurring themes which reinforce the genre, tone, and feel of your world?
Dark scenes when they must explore at night.
The sound of the buzzing bots.
The warmth of the house when returning home.
Meta:
-Technology: technology has taken over and outsmarted us, they are now being treated as equal as humans.
-Class Regulations: You only get to go outside when it’s your turn depending on if you are human or bot.
Drama:
- Technology got smarter than humans around the year 3000, now to prevent war, the humans have 12 hours to spend outside while the bots have the other 12 hours.
- Before this agreement, there were daily attacks against both sides. After years of tension rising between the two sides, a war broke out. A year later, our President and their Master met and created the 12-hour schedule.
- The schools and hospitals are split by human or bot. Leaving a big gap that would allow them to meet in the middle.
Setting the Scene
What are the fundamental differences in the natural laws of your world compared to Earth?
- Stay inside if it’s not your outside window.
- You must stick to your assigned buildings/rooms.
- Failure to follow these rules will result in punishment as the other side sees fit.
How did this world come to be?
It happened over time when the bots got as smart or smarter than us. They wanted the freedom we have but we wouldn’t let them have it, so after a year of the war, they finally came up with the way they live today.
What does the geography of your world look like?
The geography is the same as it is in the present day, with a slightly more industrial/futuristic feel.
Does your geography have any special properties or features?
As stated above, it’s very similar to the world we live in today, but the bots would live in a more industrial and futuristic type of home filled with technology to help them recharge and enjoy themselves.
What is the initial size of your active campaign setting?
It will start in one household, to learn the background and everything. Then the main character will get a chance to explore the outside world during both human and bot time.
Who used to live in your active campaign space, and what’s their history?
It’s especially the same as what we believe in the real, everyday world. We have evolved to get to this point. The people that live there now are not only humans but also bots as well.
Which species/cultures live here now and what’s their history?
In addition to humans, we now have bots. We created the technology but never imagined that it would turn into a machine that is as smart as us.
What do they need, and what do they need from each other?
The bots don’t realize it, but they need humans to keep their engines running (literally). The humans need the bot to keep up with their everyday lives that humans used to do, like packaging up an online order and even updating and fixing old laptops and computers.
The world concept sounds very interesting and has a lot of potential for some pretty thought-provoking realizations. I also think the natural laws are fascinating.