So you want your own world to join the ranks of those with a sub-forum? These are the basic requirements for achieving a sub-forum of your own; a place to display your world(s). Keep in mind that each world is unique, each world will have its own combination of these elements. This is an outline of what is required, but this is by no means meant to be limiting. Let your imaginations soar.

1. Geographical Understanding - You need to have and be able to show a pretty good grasp on the basic layout of your whole world. A world map of some quality would be great, but multiple maps of different sections of your world would work as well. The goal here isn't to force you into making a map, but just to let us see that you know what's where in your world and you've thought about its layout as a world.

2. Races and Cultures - This category basically looks at how developed the peoples that live in your world are. Having a comprehensive list of the races in your world and where they live in it is a good way to help yourself see how your world is coming along. I'll give a personal opinion here: If, you have a world with three continents, but all your races live on the same continent, your world probably needs some work. This category also encompasses the various cultural aspects that you've come up with for your world, like the languages, technologies, government and so on and so forth. This isn't a "this, this, and this" requirement as much as it is asking to see how much you've worked out about the people in your world and how they live. You also need to show a pretty decent understanding of the history of your races and of their interactions with one another. Their own internal histories like legends and myths would fall into this category.

3. Overall Premise - This looks at some of the more general aspects of your world that make it what it is. Things like world history (nothing mind-blowingly complicated, just a healthy understanding of the history of your world), theological history and workings, the unique cobha of your world if it has one (this includes but is not limited to things like magic, special abilities among your races, etc...), and any unique plants or creatures that live in your world. You know, the things that make the reader say "we're not in Kansas anymore". Some of these things overlap with the other categories. For instance, if the cobha of your world means that certain races have certain abilities that you've developed fairly well, then it would also factor into the People's aspect, as would the history of your world, which generally involves people.


Remember that all of these categories are pretty flexible especially in regards to one another. The basic idea is that we're looking to see if your world is developed enough to have its own sub-forum.

If you think your world is ready for a sub-forum, or you would like some help finding out, please private message Reiyen with the following:

1. The name of your world
2. Whether or not you've posted about it in the forum. If you have, be sure to mention where the posts are and roughly how many there are.
3. A brief summary of how you feel about the development-level of your world and in what areas you think it could use strengthening.
4. A paragraph or so for each category, discussing briefly what you have developed in it and any areas in that category that you would like to see better developed. This may seem a bit redundant after giving the overall summary, but this helps us get a better picture of just how well your world is doing at meeting the requirements.
5. Whether you want your world's sub-forum to be open for anyone to see and read or if you want it to be private so that only signed-in members can access it.

Now how hard was that? We also hope this new system will help motivate others to join those already in the Realms Beyond in ruling over their designated Realm. Pull out your files from one of your fantasy worlds and judge it against the requirements. Are you ready for a sub-forum? If so, bring it out for the world to see! If not, work towards it! These requirements provide a perfect goal to help you develop your world – with a nice reward at the end!

eru for the HW team

Is this still what the requirements are? I'm considering caving in and getting a sub-forum.

Yup, still the requirements.

eru

Ok. Then I'll hold out til I can meet these requirements.

Excellent.

eru

You don't necessarily need a complete map. I started out with a general map, and added as I went. A general idea of where the main continents might be fine to start with.

*waits for official Andrew-word*

Cool, I finally got the 'rest' of my world map drawn. Now I have two super-continents and like twenty smallish islands to explore and name (though I might just 'unnamed' some of them)!

*Also waits for official word*

*summons Andrew*

He still might not get to this for a few days though. He's going to be really busy the next week or two.

Nope, an "official" and fully-complete map is not totally necessary.



Basically, we're looking to make sure that you have some sort of understanding of the geography in your world; which usually leads to a world map =)

Thanks for summoning me, Mark

Andrew

Cool, thanks guys! Hopefully I'll be ready by this Summer.

You're welcome, Andrew.

So if I wanted to acquire a world sub-forum, who would I contact with the information?

That'd be me, Sir Vivace Just drop me a PM =)

Andrew

UPDATE EDIT: After this post, Reiyen became chief of Realms Beyond. After he proved not particularly skilled at it, ELANHIL is now the ML to go to for new forums.

That was quick! Okay, I'll do that once I have a little more of my world developed. Thanks!

No problem

Andrew

I'm a little confused because in one discussion I thought I saw it say I should PM Reiyen about acquiring a subforum, and in another it said I shoulsd contact Elanhil. Who do I contact?

You have to contact Elanhil (Elanhil Ion-Mimetes), Renna; he took over from Reiyen, so that's where the confusion is coming from.

We might want to edit a note into the other posts about the change...it was very confusing to try and figure out what was the real instructions.

Here's the post explaining Elanhil is taking over. Yes, editing the other posts is a good idea.

Um..I'm planning to make a sub-forum, but who will I tell about my information of my world?

Send it to Elanhil. He took over the sub-forum applications here: viewtopic.php?f=65&t=6472

I have a quick question... what is the limit for the number of worlds you could have a sub-forum for? I'm just wondering because I have two worlds and was wondering if I could submit them both.

I was wondering that too.

There's no formal limit on how many subforums one can have. However, that being said, I'd say go one at a time with them. Start with one and get it all filled up and stuffed with threads and posts, and then you can ask about a second forum. I know that's kinda what I'm doing. I have two major worlds but am working on one before bringing in a subforum for my second world.

OK. Thank you.

Define "world". My current major work takes place on an island-country surrounded by other island-countries which may interact with the former. Do I have to give the whole things a name and all that, or can I just do the one country as my novel's "world"?

I think that counts perfectly well. There was someone else that had something like that, I think... I can't remember which. But your setting should fit in.

Yep, I agree with Juliet.

If you're interested in having a sub forum, Nua, PM Reiyen to request one.

....so...who do we ask about a sub-forum? Elanhil or Reiyen? *is so confused*

Um... Elanhil I believe.

It won't do any harm to ask him, anyway.

Ohmygosh, seeing this made me realise that I haven't posted in my world sub-forum at all in months because of school.

Does this mean it has to be locked or something since it's been inactive? I want to try to put something in it soon...

So where would I contact Elanhil about a sub-forum?