Talk:Random Nation Generation Tables (3.5e Variant Rule)

D&D Nation Builder?

I'm thinking of creating a system for which to create and quantify governments and nations using a D&D system. I hope for a group effort with this on making a possibly Complex system (Which shouldn't be clunky). I will think about this, however; in the mean time, I'd perhaps like some ideas on what to add to it... --Pz.Az.04Maus 13:09, 20 April 2006 (MST)

UPDATE: It might be better to not do a project on such a large scale; think basic and simple, then expand. This is a very difficult subject to touch upon, and thus would be practically impossible to create full rules for a near real-life nation that looks like a real country.

Since I do not have enough time for all this, I will just come in and say what I wish, whenever I wish. I do not consider myself the owner of this data, just a focal point. I will not be doing much with this, save holding the data as a name holder anyways. Please, add something to this, and put ideas on here... One note: this is going for realism. Economies, armies, politics. Everything. Society to a limited extent, but not much. Everything to make up random nations in part or in whole, or to create your own, should be packed into here. This is a similar task to The Stronghold Builders Guide. You have your orders. --Pz.Az.04Maus 00:00, 14 May 2006 (MDT)

Note: And... This is a possible example of what should be similar to our outcomes, though perhaps larger than we want... (UK) Example: United Kingdom --Pz.Az.04Maus 16:31, 19 May 2006 (MDT)

Just to make sure we're on the right track, we might need use of Wikipedia at times to get around the shortcomings of the CIA Fact book style of nations. Wiki article on States

NOTE:

If you are using sources to help with this project, please either put them at the bottom of the random nation generation rules, or in here. It might be useful. --Pz.Az.04Maus 16:36, 19 May 2006 (MDT)

ANOTHER...

PLEASE, PLEASE SHOW WHERE YOU WROTE IN WHAT YOU DID. I do Not take much responsibilty for anything BUT the beginning, the rest of it are the work of other members. --Pz.Az.04Maus 17:48, 5 June 2006 (MDT)

Banging Away at this Puzzle

What I've done so far:

• I did a brain dump, listing every type of government form that I could think of. It was a start.
• I wrote a bunch of questions to ask when creating a nation.
• I wrestled with this stuff.
• I did my best to break these questions into decision points. I created these as linear tables.

Quite honestly, this has been hard. I've spent a good month just thinking about this project. Now that I've gotten it this far, I'm back to thinking about it.

Some things that I see that need doing:

• Weight the tables. The results should not be linear.
• Create some sort of flowcharting to help the generation process.
• Create some form of looping, pathing, or multiple-results.
• Create a table of "quick picks".
• Create a table for the general alignment leaning of the current rulers.
• Create a table for "current political crises".
• Create a table for "stability."
• Create a table for the race and class of the current ruler(s).
• Create a table for the population.
• Create a table for the predominant race.
• Create a table for the history/age of the area.
• Create a table for primary instustry (farming, herding, fishing, hunting, gathering in some combination, or the very rare something else).
• Create a table for secondary instrustries (this is the same table as the rare something else from above).

--Dmilewski 19:47, 16 July 2006 (MDT)

Aff, this has been probably difficult for you, since noone (including me, sadly) has been doing that much to help. We're going to need a bunch of people to start working on this... I'll try to get back around to this project, but as of late, I've been slacking off with my other things, and even more, I've been not looking at this for a little while. -_- --Pz.Az.04Maus 21:06, 16 July 2006 (MDT)

Technology and society.

I think that something similar to the PL system in d20 future might help with the technology stuff, but with something extra. First of all, it has been known that technology doesn't travel in straight lines; thus, it might be applicable to have a base technology table that shows the various updates in technology from each PL, and then there are some things taken in and out, with some parts lowered in PL, raised in PL, and then there would be some bits that are random things that don't even fit in a PL.

Again, The PL system should be kept a bit vague, but not completely vague as to be no help. Technology is not linear, neither, so PL shouldn't be their only source of technology.

We might need to make some things akin to Character Attributes and the like, like a spartan society has "+2 Str," only without the Str and something else taking its place --Pz.Az.04Maus 21:11, 16 July 2006 (MDT)

Also, this will be arduous...

Hrms... I think this needs a little salt...

Not to be rude or anything, but I feel a little something is missing. Perhaps this should be a little geared between PC/NPC Relevancy. Perhaps make it something more... Authoritative? Some individual thinking/creative thought will be neccessary soon. Though, as of now, it seems to be chugging along at an alright, slow pace. Keep up the work boys, this railroad needs to be made :3 --Pz.Az.04Maus 17:09, 24 July 2006 (MDT)

Direction

The focus on this page, and the question that we must always ask ourselves, is "how does this help the DM create adventures?" If we produce a system so complex that the DM's out there won't use it, then we have created a failure. If we create an overly-simplistic system with gaping flaws that content creators love to use, then we succeed.

A primary temptation here is to create a system that generates too much useless detail. Detail, for the sake of detail, should be avoided. The detail generated needs to propel an adventure game. For example, "Mmagical democracy, newly independent" is far more useful than "5% of the population has freckles." I can create adventures from "Magical democracy, newly independent." I can't create adventures from "5% of the population has freckles." --Dmilewski 21:01, 24 July 2006 (MDT)

I'd say in most ways that this generally should hold true, except for perhaps a small amount of fluff, of which can be added later on. Of course, this also should be kept to a slightly strict minimum, as they aren't as vital to the state as, say Economic things. --Pz.Az.04Maus 21:36, 24 July 2006 (MDT)

What is the purpose of this project? To me, the whole point of the RNG is to produce a place that the players will adventure in. To that end, the tables should focus on adventure and setting related material. --Dmilewski 13:54, 12 September 2006 (MDT)

Crisis, Terrain, Demographics

I added a section for crisis. Most of this list is really high-level adventure hooks or mini-campaigns. Alsoo added Terrain and Demographics. I kept the entries very generic and hand-wavy on purpose. Environment matches game environment/terrain types. --Dmilewski 13:48, 12 September 2006 (MDT)

Edits

Moved the page to Random Country Generation Rules. "Country" is a more appropriate term. These rules can produce countries that aren't nations at all. Moved the opening discussion to the discussion tab. Wrote an intro to the table. --Dmilewski 14:09, 11 December 2006 (MST)

My wife thinks Random Nation Generation Tables sounds better. What do you think?--Dmilewski 07:31, 14 December 2006 (MST)

I think it does as well... Good idea from your wife. It seems...more in line with what WotC would have named it if they had made it. --Green Dragon 15:25, 14 December 2006 (MST)

Moved one last time. --Dmilewski 19:53, 14 December 2006 (MST)

Removed unfinished tables. --Dmilewski 07:31, 14 December 2006 (MST)