I’m building a world with felids, avian, and primates. So, I need to make sure the worlds each of them interact with make sense for their body types.
Here are a few quick ideas from my archive about building a world for different body types.
Rather watch a video?
Check out the YouTube version of this blog post.
Designing the Right Sci-Fi Device for the Right People
Adding details to a sci-fi worldbuild is fun, but adding them just for fun can result in a nonsensical world. I found myself building vehicles for different peoples in the Drifting Amalgams universe, and just as I began designing transportation for the tadaribrae, I had to stop.
So, the tadaribrae are a flying species capable of flying throughout the night at 160 kph, or 100 mph. If I could navigate my way to anywhere on the planet at that speed and had the endurance to make the trip in one go, would I get in a car?
Yeah… probably not.
Today’s lesson? Design objects that make sense for the people using them!
Making Fictional Space More Accessible
Worldbuilding is full of different planets and species who may not walk and talk the same. Funny thing about that is that when their worlds combine, I still have to remember what their differences may mean for everyday life.
Two of the species I’m building live on a planet with a red dwarf star. Fun detail… What happens when they spend time on a planet with a brighter star? Blindness, probably.
And what about people who are accustomed to lower gravities? Immobility, maybe? …bone crushing if they’re less lucky?
That’s why I try to remember what could make everyday life harder for different people. …And then I make cool stuff like multi-vision glasses and mobility suits.
Oh hoho, the gadgets!
Worldbuilding Hobbies and Careers
When worldbuilding hobbies, careers, and artistic endeavors, cultural factors play an important part, and so do individual factors.
What physical or mental limitations or aptitudes are common for individuals in that society? For instance, the po’ongabel of my Drifting Amalgams universe have been at war for centuries, so many veterans have prosthetics. So activities requiring a keen eye, such as food inspection or painting miniatures with subtle colors, are common.
What a fun way to build distinctiveness into a world.
Until next time, keep creating.