WorldEmber 2025 Prep
For this year's WorldEmber, I'm going to focus on DinerPunks, mainly because I'd like to release the game sometime next year as the first "big" supplement for the Q3E system. I originally set up the DinerPunks page for WorldEmber2023 (I think), and that got me some basics (general world history, character "classes," along with a lot of oddball flavor (like The Nixon Show, The White Album, Cooter, the beer-drinking kaiju armadillo). This year I'm going to focus on the stuff that still needs to be written for the game: location descriptions, factions and NPCs, life in the camps and on the road, that kind of thing. Basically the stuff that less wacky and fun but kind of necessary to filling in the holes needed to turn this random collection of articles into a playable setting.
I already had a pretty good list in the Meta section of the page, so this is a "review" situation. I just finished prettying up and correcting that section, including expanding the music section to more than just a playlist. Last week while I was working on creating an outline for the rulebook to help identify what still needs to be written, I asked my computer to find some more potential inspirations. A lot of the results were already on the list, a few were things that I'd missed (and have now added), and some I should probably look into. I'll check some of them out and add them to the list if they fit.
Other projects and life nonsense have kept me from doing much on World Anvil in the past year, so there's nothing in progress right now.
The playlist was one of the first things I did when I started working on the setting, but I might add to it before December.
I've re-read several articles in the process of putting together the outline for the rulebook, but not all of them.
Pledge
My pledge certificate is over in the sidebar. I'm going to ignore the advice of focusing on a specific location in the world and instead focus on a specific kind of content--specifically, content that is either gameable or that provides necessary (or at least useful) information for running and playing an RPG set in the Boomlands. I'm going to set my goal at 10,000 words, but will write more if I can.Prep
This month, I'm going to focus on completing column 1 of the Homework Bingo Card, in part because it's the easiest column for me to complete. I'm just getting back into writing regularly after a month or so of maintenance and farting around, so I'm going to ease into things by picking a "bingo" that's easy or mostly done. I'll probably do a few of the other things on the card as well (I'll update this article as I complete stuff). The tasks are listed below, along with where I am on them. I'll update and add notes as I go along.Review or collect your world inspirations
Completed, but could be made more complete.I already had a pretty good list in the Meta section of the page, so this is a "review" situation. I just finished prettying up and correcting that section, including expanding the music section to more than just a playlist. Last week while I was working on creating an outline for the rulebook to help identify what still needs to be written, I asked my computer to find some more potential inspirations. A lot of the results were already on the list, a few were things that I'd missed (and have now added), and some I should probably look into. I'll check some of them out and add them to the list if they fit.
Tidy up your writing space.
Done, but I'll probably have to do it again before WorldEmber starts.Finish all articles you've started this month before December
DoneOther projects and life nonsense have kept me from doing much on World Anvil in the past year, so there's nothing in progress right now.
Plan your worldbuilding playlist
Done, but may be expanded.The playlist was one of the first things I did when I started working on the setting, but I might add to it before December.
Re-Read your core articles
In ProgressI've re-read several articles in the process of putting together the outline for the rulebook, but not all of them.
Update 11/09
I've watched one movie that I already knew and two new ones from my "to watch" list:- Six-String Samurai:It's been years since I've watched this one, but it still holds up and is very close to the Diner Punks vibe--it just needs more cars and community.
- A Boy and His Dog:Don Johnson is a serial rapist whose psychic dog helps him find victims. I think we can leave this on out.
- The Postman:So far I'm 0/2 on Costner apocalypse movies. I skipped both this and Waterworld when they came out because everyone said they were bad, but I've now seen both and they're both fine. I'm adding The Postman to the list becuase the idea of small random actions snowballing into something biggers seems like a good fit for the tone.
Update 11/30
- A couple of nights ago I watched Death Racers, which is an extremely low-budget Death Race knockoff starring the Insane Clown Posse. It's objectively terrible, but kind of un.
- I've spent the last few weeks dividing the Boomlands into several distinct regions with their own flavors, hazards, factions, and soundtracks, so I've got a good idea of where I'll start writing tomorrow. World Ember will be a lot of setting material and maybe a little of the camp/convoy/adventure stuff I can do without rules.
- There are still a couple of articles I haven't re-read yet, but I'll do that tonight.
Best of luck with all your goals!! Have fun with WE :)
Thanks! It's always a fund way to end the year.