Settings, as we know, are vital parts of effective, engaging, and immersive stories. Just look at Harry Potter, or The Hunger Games as fine examples. True enough that places aren’t always that important depending on the story itself, but for sci-fi, fantasy, dystopia, anything whacky like that, they’re a must. Of course, even with the more mundane stories, great locations work wonders. My rule of thumb: the setting must be engaging. That’s one thing I look for in a book, or videogame. Locations are bloody hard to get right, and there is a fine line between story and world-building, but if done right, then you’re on for a winner.
I Left My Heart Somewhere
What sparked the idea for this post was the outstanding 2014 videogame, Far Cry 4. These days when someone says Far Cry, they think about the insane villains: Vaas and Pagan Min. Before their appearance, it was the settings. The games always choose the less-travelled road, with Africa, tropical islands and Far Cry 4’s Kyrat, a valley cradled in the Himalayas. In a medium sprawling with done to death settings such as New York, and pretty much all of America, it’s great to visit other cultures and places where things are so different. Kyrat enchanted me immediately. The place is drowning with spirituality, religious trinkets and ancient temples dying to be explored. When you take the reins, and finally get to play for yourself, you come across the first vista in Kyrat and it takes your breath away. Right away you can tell that this valley is guarded by the Himalayas, watchful eyes of the mountains overseeing their ancient structures and forbidden wildlife, all the while unmoved by lashing storms and rising sea levels. You really get the sense that gods built this place, and where the mountaintops brush the sky the gods declare the sky is theirs, and all that remains below is human.
Then you’ve got settings like New York City and London, two popular places we may haven’t all visited yet, but we’ve seen enough to form an image. That’s where urban fantasy stories, City of Bones and Rivers of London come in. For me, the settings make and break these franchises. On the one hand, City of Bones plays it safe with New York. We can picture it which makes the action form into place easily, but it’s never played out of tune. The book never takes a chance, and instead of becoming a character on its own it’s nothing more than a battleground for the characters to clash on. Rivers of London takes London and turn it into an urban fantasy paradise. There is so much folklore surrounding the city, and all the make belief that Ben Aaronovitch can think up that he can bend, mold, and twist together to create these insane magical storylines. Instead of playing a typical tune, he comes up with a whole new one, finding notes nobody’s heard before, and before you know it he’s created a symphony, powerful enough to inject admiration into your veins, and jealousy that you couldn’t play the music.
Then you’ve got settings like New York City and London, two popular places we may haven’t all visited yet, but we’ve seen enough to form an image. That’s where urban fantasy stories, City of Bones and Rivers of London come in. For me, the settings make and break these franchises. On the one hand, City of Bones plays it safe with New York. We can picture it which makes the action form into place easily, but it’s never played out of tune. The book never takes a chance, and instead of becoming a character on its own it’s nothing more than a battleground for the characters to clash on. Rivers of London takes London and turn it into an urban fantasy paradise. There is so much folklore surrounding the city, and all the make belief that Ben Aaronovitch can think up that he can bend, mold, and twist together to create these insane magical storylines. Instead of playing a typical tune, he comes up with a whole new one, finding notes nobody’s heard before, and before you know it he’s created a symphony, powerful enough to inject admiration into your veins, and jealousy that you couldn’t play the music.
Destination Unknown
However, my all-time favourite location is Skyrim, from The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim. No game or book has had me misty-eyed and smitten by a setting before. Sure, Dead Space’s derelict spaceship, USG Ishimura has had me shaking with fear, and Red Dead Redemption’s New Austin had me convinced I was in a reconstruction of Old West America, and that my shoes in the real world sparked iron off the pavement, and 1984’s Airstrip One had me paranoid and afraid of everybody in it, but nothing comes close to Skyrim. Then again, no games comes close to Skyrim’s intoxicating detail, design and depth. At every single turn there is something to do and see, and all of its worth exploring. And yes, I am including the spider nest somewhere near Windhelm. Eugh. I’m not usually taken by fantasy, but Skyrim had me at the word DRAGON. Nothing beats trekking the plains minding your own when a dragon swoops down, wings beating, and dragon breath screaming the end of the world. And when that dragon’s slain, and you’re just about standing, your sword’s enchantment’s wearing thin, and you’ve had just about all you can take, you see a respite in the shape of a trusty steed faraway on the hilltop where you can ride to the next town. God, I miss that game.
In short, settings can make all the difference. If that’s unavailable, then the characters have to shine. I guess it depends on the genre or the story itself, and we all work in different ways and prefer different things. Whatever the way you choose, you can bet there’s an audience out there for whatever you’ve got cooking. For me, engaging settings are a must, but if a book or a game hasn’t got that, then hopefully the story and the characters can make up for it. But ultimately, the story, cast and setting should all work together. Especially for those off-world stories like fantasy and sci-fi. Locations come with the package. Creating places is one of my favourite parts of writing, even if I’m not writing anything weird. I want to know what the street looks like, and if there is anything special about it. I want to know everything.
Songs of the Week:
In short, settings can make all the difference. If that’s unavailable, then the characters have to shine. I guess it depends on the genre or the story itself, and we all work in different ways and prefer different things. Whatever the way you choose, you can bet there’s an audience out there for whatever you’ve got cooking. For me, engaging settings are a must, but if a book or a game hasn’t got that, then hopefully the story and the characters can make up for it. But ultimately, the story, cast and setting should all work together. Especially for those off-world stories like fantasy and sci-fi. Locations come with the package. Creating places is one of my favourite parts of writing, even if I’m not writing anything weird. I want to know what the street looks like, and if there is anything special about it. I want to know everything.
Songs of the Week:
- 'Blow Your Trumpets, Gabriel' by Behemoth
- 'Ov Fire and the Void' by Behemoth
- 'Messe Noire' by Behemoth
- 'Ora Pro Nobis Lucifer' by Behemoth
- 'Rage and Red' by Anaal Nathrakh
- 'Unleash' by Anaal Nathrakh
- 'People Live Here' by Rise Against
- 'The Good Left Undone' by Rise Against
- 'Stars' by The XX
- 'Infinity' by The XX