Things to Avoid In Set Construction

[David Johnston2]

1. Do not try to make the world "exotic" by telling the players that the sun rises in the west. West and east are defined by the direction the sun rises and sets.

[johndallman]

I have played a long campaign in a world whose direction of rotation had been reversed (to simplify the actual mechanics a bit).

However, this was a historic event within the setting, and a major part of the campaign was to change it back again. We talked in terms of "old-fashioned" and "new-fangled" east and west.

[Whitestreak]

Names really don't have to be unpronounceable.

[Phantasm]

Similarly, the letters "e" and "i" don't need to be replaced with "y" in every name, nor "s" with "z" or "u" with "w".

Also, vowels don't need to be doubled up ("Aayla" instead of "Ayla" for a name), and apostrophes should be placed to make sense ("Allira'el" might be acceptable, showing a break in sound between the 'a' and the 'e', but "J'ak'e" should just be shot.)

Altering the arrangement of letters ("Jaek" instead of "Jake") might be fine, but don't abuse it.

[RyanW]

Originally Posted by David Johnston2

1. Do not try to make the world "exotic" by telling the players that the sun rises in the west. West and east are defined by the direction the sun rises and sets.

A scientist seeing this (assuming he had a compass indicating east and west were "backwards") is as likely to come to the conclusion the magnetic field is reversed relative to Earth as the planet is spinning the other way. Without a magnetic compass, it would be meaningless.

Originally Posted by tbrock1031

Also, vowels don't need to be doubled up ("Aayla" instead of "Ayla" for a name), and apostrophes should be placed to make sense ("Allira'el" might be acceptable, showing a break in sound between the 'a' and the 'e', but "J'ak'e" should just be shot.)

Altering the arrangement of letters ("Jaek" instead of "Jake") might be fine, but don't abuse it.

Jaek would be "Jeek" to me. Aayla would be ah-eye-lah, roughly a two-and-a-half syllable word.

[Kalzazz]

TownA, TownB, MaguffinA, ChurchA, ChurchB etc are not valid names

You cannot name NPCs after the Minnesota Twins

Doug Mienkiewicz is not a good name for a villain

Norka, Notnac, Notsuoh, Kroy Wen and Tiorted are not good names for countries

[Anders]

Nhostril is not a good name for a city (this from a Swedish RPG world).

[David Johnston2]

Don't create polytheisms who have no gods relevant to people's basic survival needs.

Don't draw rivers on your map that cross mountain ranges.

[Xenarthral]

Originally Posted by Anders

Nhostril is not a good name for a city (this from a Swedish RPG world).

On the whole, if you're going to get published* it is not a good idea to assume your readers are unfamiliar with major foreign languages or that foreign people will never read what you've written (especially if you write in English).
*And are trying to be serious.

[The Colonel]

Originally Posted by Xenarthral

On the whole, if you're going to get published* it is not a good idea to assume your readers are unfamiliar with major foreign languages or that foreign people will never read what you've written (especially if you write in English).
*And are trying to be serious.

On which topic, N. Robin Crossby, please call your office.

Actually, re-using place names that sound exotic to you can amuse people as well - Ghost tower of Inverness anyone?