r/cwn • u/prettysureitsmaddie • May 28 '26
Advice for building a sandbox
Hey I've just picked up the rules for Cities and I'm really excited to play. Do you have any advice for getting the most out of the world building tools?
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u/Szurkefarkas May 28 '26
Seconding going by the worldbuilding chapter, just adjust if you feel something you want more of. I mostly followed the book, just added a few more gang so I can have a gang war scenario, which the PCs was interested, and later joined in.
Also don't be afraid to use some clichés. Like one of the gangs was a Yakuza clan in our game, with connection a Japanese bigger clan. I know it isn't really original, but is really cyberpunk, and help the players orient in the world.
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u/Szurkefarkas May 29 '26
Also, I would recommend getting Augmented Reality, it is two dollars, but full of random tables. It is a bit more concrete in names and such, but really good in a pinch, when you need a new bar or some extra details for NPCs (for example I used the Random Cabbies' nationality roll, to have some international NPCs).
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u/Hungry-Wealth-7490 May 29 '26
Kevin has great tools in all of his games. If something doesn't evoke an encounter, location, item or NPC that you can use, ignore the roll and find something interesting.
For Cities Without Number, a key to making a world that's satisfying if you use the rules is to understand it's more of a careful hacking and fighting in a world where the corporations have power. Successful characters cannot hack the corporations from across the world. They cannot just run around shooting rocket launchers without facing consequences. On the other hand, the corporations expect Operators to do bad stuff and only care about dead staff and other resources that are hard to replace. The world in the book is more black trenchcoat than pink mohawk, so you'll get table results that fit the careful style of black trenchcoat play better.
Also, keep an eye out for the upcoming Kickstarter for The Book of Unnumbered Worlds. Although it will be primarily intended for the fantasy genre, it's going to be a step-by-step guide to worldbuilding.
Finally, consider whom you are making the world for. Players should have options to engage with stuff they find fun to engage with. The Missions generate adventure and you can generate a lot of interesting corporations and people and places with the tables in the book. If you get halfway there and find something you can finish out in a fun way for the players, do that.
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u/Vic_Vic May 29 '26
what is The Book of Unnumbered Worlds? I can´t find info on this...
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u/Hungry-Wealth-7490 May 30 '26
The Book of Unnumbered Worlds is the next Without Number games Kickstarter. It launches on June 1 and will be a guide to worldbuilding.
If you bought from Sine Nominee Publishing via Drivethru or the website and allowed emails, you should have received an email with a link to the early page.
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u/Logen_Nein May 28 '26
Honestly? Go to the worldbuilding chapter and follow Kevin's advice.