World-building-oriented

Describing a creative endeavor, particularly in fiction, game development, or artistic expression, that prioritizes the construction and detailed elaboration of a fictional world's environment, history, cultures, societies, and underlying systems. This approach emphasizes the coherence, internal consistency, and richness of the created world, aiming to create a believable and immersive setting for the narrative or experience. It involves meticulously crafting aspects like geography, politics, magic systems, technology, and societal norms, ensuring they are interconnected and influence each other. The focus is less on character development or plot alone and more on establishing a robust and intricate foundation for the setting.

World-building-oriented meaning with examples

• The author's approach to the fantasy novel was decidedly world-building-oriented. They spent years developing the unique magic system, intricate political landscape, and diverse cultures of the world before even outlining the plot. The richly detailed environment gave the story an immersive feel, and the internal consistency made the fantastical elements believable. Readers praised the believable atmosphere and sense of depth.
• The video game's design team adopted a world-building-oriented philosophy. They meticulously crafted every detail of the alien planet, from its unique ecosystems to the societal structures of the various races that inhabited it. The complex lore and the way in which the players could interact with it resulted in deep immersion for gamers who could explore freely and discover its secrets at their own pace.
• A tabletop role-playing game often showcases a world-building-oriented framework. The game's rulebook includes extensive information on geography, cultures, history, and the religions of the world, providing a rich and detailed setting that players can interact with. This enables player-led storytelling and the development of personalized narratives within a well-defined world, which can be enjoyed for many years.
• The artist's concept art, produced for the science fiction film, was notably world-building-oriented. Sketches detailed not only the spacecraft and alien environments but also the daily lives of the inhabitants and the mechanics of their technology. The emphasis on consistency, such as the physics of the spacecraft engines, created an atmosphere where the universe felt more real and alive.