World Building 101 (part 1)

Several years ago at a science-fiction convention I was part of a writer's panel, and someone asked me a great question: How much time should be spent on world building? This might vary depending on whether you're writing a novel, a table-top RPG rulebook, or a video game, but in all cases, you do need to spend some time developing the fictional world of the story you want to tell. Regardless of whether the setting is fantasy, science-fiction, or some other genre, you need to have a good idea of the setting that your characters will be living in. This setting affects many aspects of your story, such as the overall tone and the options your characters have available to them; it can even have a significant affect upon the characters themselves. If your setting is a prison-world, your characters will likely have severe restrictions upon them and they are unlikely to be carefree and optimistic about their lives. If your setting is an upscale, wealthy community obsessed with status, your characters might be focused on entirely different concerns. The world you build for your story is the first major factor that will shape your characters.