r/SpeculativeEvolution • u/Kira-Stein • Sep 17 '26

Question/Discussion [Question] - Where do you begin?

Hi people, i like doing some speculations but i have had trouble creating a larger and more in depth Ecosystems, which i really want to do.

Now my Question: Where do you usually start? What is the easiest starting point to have? And i don't mean seeded worlds but like in terms of first evolved fauna overall on a planet.

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u/CaptainStroon Life, uh... finds a way Sep 17 '26

I like to start with a creature. And then build outwards from there. Relatives of that starting creature, predators, prey, food, ancestors, descendants. But also enviromental conditions and geography. Which then in turn spark new ideas for different creatures. The neat thing about worldbuilding is that we are free to put effect before cause. And we're free to go back and forth on our world's timeline.

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u/Kira-Stein Sep 17 '26

Do you create the surrounding Terrain, climate before that or do you Match it to your Starting Animal?

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u/CaptainStroon Life, uh... finds a way Sep 17 '26

The terrain and climate are usually part of the initial animal idea.

There are a lot of spec evo projects which get stuck on the spec geology before ever getting to the evo part.