CWBP 2 : Goals of the project

[Azélor]

As contributors to the project I would like to hear your thought about the goals of the project. I see a lot of people wondering what the project is about and what his goals are. Right now, it doesn’t really have any even if I thought it had. We need to talk because the project is what we make of it. It’s as simple as that.

Some questions for reflexion but the list of question is not exhaustive:

Is it just for mapping purposes?

Do we create a world where we can role-play characters?

Is it just a hobby, or do we want to be able to make money out of it? Even if money is not the only finality.

Is it a Cartographer’s Guild project or if it’s even wider than that? The campaign world builder guild or even the whole internet?

[Jalyha]

Is this for people to say what they think it is, or what they want it to be, or both?

I thought it was (and my personal thoughts on the issues):

1) To have fun building and mapping a world with other people.

2) If you only want people who are into the RP side of cartography to participate.. make it about role play. If not, don't worry about it. You can RP with any world. I didn't think that was supposed to be focused solely on the RP aspect though.

3) Just a hobby. When you add the prospect of money into aanything, *everything* about it changes. And it starts up money-mongering and bickering that will, in the end, severely restrict the creativity aspect of the project.

4) Cartographer's Guild. Open it up more than that and you start risking/sacrificing people's privacy.


And I'm sorry, but this will be my last post on the subject for a while (at least until things settle). I got interested in following/participating in the project at all because I thought it was a fun casual side project, with no worries - like money and time constraint issues - in other words, a way to relax/escape. All this fuss and bother is overwhelming. I hope everything turns out for the best, and I may still follow/participate, but for now, I've more than voiced my opinion

[12rounds]

My thoughts:

Is it just for mapping purposes?

No. Why should it?

Do we create a world where we can role-play characters?

Why not? The acronym CWBP already refers to a scope more broader than simply cartography. Of course mappers should silently ignore any non-mapping related issues excepting perhaps a common licensing.

Is it just a hobby, or do we want to be able to make money out of it? Even if money is not the only finality.

Hobby - I have a day job and a family. I'm not really interested in the money making process. But I would most definitely buy decently edited, proofread and nicely presented eBooks or printed books based on the project (with possibly my stuff in there). I would prefer an outcome that could, if enough interest is gathered, end up as a publication (say, to give just an example, something like the old TSR's D&D Gazetteer series each detailing a single region). Maybe it's by guild members to guild members via a KickStarter, but a prohibiting licensing automatically kills that as a future option. A good number of licensing schemes also can not be revoked.

Is it a Cartographer’s Guild project or if it’s even wider than that? The campaign world builder guild or even the whole internet?

If CG is able to support it via CG's technological platform, then it should remain here - after all this place is bustling with skilled mappers already.


My personal mission summarized in a few sentences would be:
I have been a part of making a rich, coherent, detailed, non-system -specific, well-thought out and unique world completely built by co-operating volunteers. The world is so good as to compete with other - even commercial - worlds out there. The basis of the world is built in such a way that it is infinitely expandable in both commercial and non-commercial ways and all contributors have a clear and concise understanding of how their contributions are treated licensing-wise. The world has enough flavor and appeal to encourage story tellers, map makers and illustrators to further develop it.

What I would hate to see is:
I've contributed to a fantastic world building project by a group of enthusiast volunteers. Unfortunately it feels confusing due to conflicting maps, cultures, flora&fauna and the fundamentals of the world change region by region. It is impossible to base any coherent stories or adventures on. Even if a printed book could now be produced by guild members and aimed towards other guild members, it has become impossible due to licensing selected when the project begun - or even worse - there's a bunch of conflicting licenses attached to various aspects of the world. Some contributing volunteers are reluctant to continue contributing since they may be locked in a confusing licensing chaos.