One of the hardest things to do when worldbuilding is to create unique, realistic worlds. In particular, so-called "garden worlds" have a tendency to be just that–Earth-like. The truth is they do not have to be, and that is where your creativity can come in.
Garden Worlds Do Not Have to Be Earth-Like
Really, a garden world may "human habitable" but that does not mean it has to be a Garden of Eden. Planets may have only marginal atmospheres, tainted with chemicals that require filters or some form of breathing apparatus.
That can be caused by the chemical makeup of the planet, the amount of liquid water on the surface or the history of the planet itself–even Earth went through a number of changes over its history that made the world much less habitable than it is today.
Another thing that can cause a different environment is the system’s star itself. Different stars give off energy in different amounts throughout the electromagnetic spectrum, leading to different impacts on a planet.
… even Earth went through a number of changes over its history that made the world much less habitable than it is today.
For example, red dwarf stars do not really show everything in red light. The light from those stars is slightly more red, but the visible light still looks a lot like ours. The thing is that most of the energy from the star is in the infrared part of the spectrum–which will affect the evolution of plant and animal life.
The same could be said for F-type stars–more ultraviolet light. (I am not sure all of the impacts of light from different star types, but I am trying to learn that. More to come…)
All of those alterations can be used to make the planet vastly different from Earth, but still be habitable.
GURPS Space vs. Cepheus Engine/Traveller
For myself and the Far Jewel setting, I have been using the rules in GURPS Space, mostly 4e with some 3e, and not the ones in Cepheus Engine or Traveller. A full one third of the GURPS Space (4e) book is devoted to worldbuilding–and it is great. Any gaming supplement that uses the terms "blackbody temperature" and "significant figures" appeals to the engineer in me… but it may not be for everyone. If the math is not for you, don’t use it!
Of course, one big hole in both editions is the issue of weather. 4e goes into great detail about how to calculate the average temperature of a planet based on the star’s luminosity, distance from the star and albedo figure. What it does not talk about is how to model–in game terms–a weather plan for the planet.
This could be very useful for making the planet more unique, and not just the same old thing. Does the planet have hurricane winds? Or almost none? What if the planet is tidally-locked to the star? What weather effects are there? All those questions and answers will make the planet more fun to game.
Make the Setting Memorable
And that means ultimately, the important thing to keep in mind is to make the planet memorable. The more we learn about the universe around us, the more we learn that the place is stranger and weirder than we ever thought. That can lead to planets that are habitable, but still have strange makeups and surroundings. Use your imagination to define them!
However, let me say this: the best advice I can give is to not make your world a Planet of Hats. This term comes from the original Star Trek habit of having an entire world be based on a single idea or trait–see the episode "A Piece of the Action."
Another example in Star Wars was Hoth, the "Ice Planet." Planets are living, breathing ecosystems with a wide variety of features. Don’t be suckered into thinking they only have one aspect.
For more realism, just look at Earth. The average temperature is 59°F (15°C), but we have much warmer equatorial regions and colder poles–and everything in between. Any habitable planet would have much the same amount of variability, and space to game.
What all of this means is that when creating habitable planets, do not be limited by any preconceived notions about the label "garden planet." Use some imagination to create different environments–and variability in different areas of the same planet. That can be kinda scary when you think about it… but it is also a lot of un, too!
What are your worldbuilding ideas? How do you handle garden worlds? Let me know in the comments below…
Marko ∞
(Originally published on farjewel.com, on 6/4/2018.)
