List of links to worldbuilding websites, tools, softwares and random generators

Worldbuilding Resources Websites

Table of Contents

Introduction
WORLDBUILDING PLATFORMS
NAME GENERATORS
- ROLL FOR FANTASY
- FANTASY NAME GENERATORS
MAP GENERATORS
YOUTUBE CHANNELS
OTHER TOOLS
COMMUNITIES
- REDDIT WORLDBUILDING COMMUNITY
WORLDBUILDING KNOWLEDGE
BOOKS
TUTORIALS
Worldbuilding DISCORD SERVERS
WORLDBUILDING BLOGS
Worldbuilding PODCASTS
- PLAYER ONE READY

Introduction

This list gives you the best of what is available in terms of map-making softwares, fantasy name generators, youtube channels about worldbuilding but also worldbuilding books.

WORLDBUILDING PLATFORMS

CHARACTER STORY PLANNER 2

Another worldbuilding application on Android

YARPS

Advanced platform for worldbuilding, story planning and managing D&D campaigns

It is a platform combining different worldbuilding tools such as a map generator, a fantasy name generator and others to help you build your world. It also allows you to order printed versions of your own maps

IKARUS

Text-based desktop worldbuilding software

PLOT FACTORY

Platform to keep track of your world

WORLD ANVIL

World Anvil is an excellent platform to build your world

LEGEND KEEPER

New worldbuilding application

KANKA RPG CAMPAIGN MANAGEMENT TOOL

Kanka is a community driven worldbuilding and tabletop RPG campaign management tool perfect for worldbuilders and game masters alike

NAME GENERATORS

ROLL FOR FANTASY

Impressive amount of generators and guides to help you in your worldbuilding and DnD campaigns

FANTASY NAME GENERATORS

Multitude of name generators to cover you for almost every scenario

MAP GENERATORS

OTHER WORLD MAPPER

Advanced downloadable map maker with assets addon

MAP TAILOR

Helper tool to create zoomable, interactive maps out of already existing images (e.g. created by Wonderdraft) that can be displayed on a website

MAP PROJECTIONS

Map projections of the Earth to download for free

AZGAAR FANTASY MAP GENERATOR

Free advanced procedural map generator

WONDERDRAFT

Advanced map generator with a natural feel to it

WATABOU MEDIEVAL CITY GENERATOR

Great free city procedural map generator

INKARNATE

Great software to paint your maps by hand and giving you access to many beautiful assets

POLYGON MAP GENERATOR

Not a lot of customization and small but a nice inspiration

WORLD MAP GENERATOR

Procedural map generator to make pixel-art maps

YOUTUBE CHANNELS

THE INFOGRAPHICS SHOW

Improve your knowledge with animated infographics

SPACEDOCK

Learn about spaceships, how to make them interesting, the mistakes to avoid and refresh your knowledge on all major IPs

CRASHCOURSE

Crash Course on different topics. Supercharge your learning on interesting topics

ISAAC ARTHUR

Channel on advanced sci-fi worldbuilding considerations

ARTIFEXIAN

Channel on map making and other aspects of worldbuilding

BEYOND THE SCREEN

Beyond the Screen is a storytelling channel for anyone who loves roleplaying games and telling stories

FENG ZHU DESIGN SCHOOL

Videos helping you learn about design through concrete exemples and in-depth explanations

HELLO FUTURE ME

Good channels to give you some writing tips

TYLER EDLIN'S YOUTUBE CHANNEL

Great concept art and worldbuilding videos by Tyler Edlin

COGITO

Learn about all kinds of different topics in history in a fun way

OTHER TOOLS

DONJON

Collection of random generators, including names,maps, calendars, demographics, and more

FIVERR WORLDBUILDERS

If you need somebody to help you write, illustrate or create maps for your world and you have some cash to spare, you can check Fiverr

FOLDER STORY

Very good smartphone application for authors to write on the go

SCRIVENER

Scrivener is more targeted towards general writing but may also be of interest to you

FLAG DESIGNER

Design your own flag in an esay way even if you do not know how to draw

EIGENGRAU'S GENERATOR

Very well done generators about descriptions of cities, NPCs and magical objects

LEXICITY

Build the language of your people with Lexicity

OURLORE

Collaborative worldbuilding tool based on a shared document

RELIGION CREATOR

Spreadsheet to help you create a fictional religion

RANGEN

Good writing articles and a very large selection of worldbuilding, writing and character generators

ARTIFACT GENERATOR

Generator for relics or artifacts

COMMUNITIES

REDDIT WORLDBUILDING COMMUNITY

Biggest worldbuilding community in the world, very active and a great place to discuss anything related to worldbuilding

WORLDBUILDING KNOWLEDGE

WORLDBUILDING GUIDE

Good starting point for beginners with a template to follow

THE WORLDBUILDING LEVIATHAN

Work on your world using more and more refined worksheets to develop it in an organic way

BEHIND THE NAME

Get inspired by list of names and their meaning to help you name your characters

ATOMIC ROCKET

Website full of articles to help you make a more realisitc hard sci-fi world

MYTHCREANTS

Articles on different aspects of worldbuilding

PLANET PLANET

Some good articles about building planet

BOOKS

HOW TO DRAW FANTASY ART AND RPG MAPS: STEP BY STEP CARTOGRAPHY FOR GAMERS AND FANS

Orcs prepare for battle against high Elves, Dwarves retreat to the mountains and men march to the sea to reclaim crumbling fortresses. Fortunes are decided. Kingdoms are lost. Entire worlds are created. This book will teach you to bring your fictional realm to life with simple step-by-step instructions on how to draw authentic fantasy maps. Set the stage for adventure by illustrating domains, castles and battle lines, mountains, forests and sea monsters! Learn to create completely unique and fully functional RPG maps time and time again on which your world can unfold

FANTASY WORLD-BUILDING: A GUIDE TO DEVELOPING MYTHIC WORLDS AND LEGENDARY CREATURES

When artists and designers explore or create a fictional setting, the milieu must be completely fleshed out, explained, and designed. In this book, comic and gaming art veteran Mark A. Nelson explores and demonstrates his methods for fashioning visually stunning, believable environments for fantasy creatures and characters. Scores of images and step-by-step examples illustrate how variation and experimentation lead to fresh, original designs for otherworldly beings, their environments, and their stories

ON WRITING AND WORLDBUILDING: VOLUME I

Writing advice tends to be full of 'rules' and 'tips' which are either too broad to be helpful or outright wrong. In On Writing and Worldbuilding, we will discuss specific and applicable ideas to consider, from effective methods of delivering exposition and foreshadowing, to how communication, commerce, and control play into the fall of an empire

THE GUIDE TO WRITING FANTASY AND SCIENCE FICTION

Science fiction and fantasy is one of the most challenging--and rewarding!--genres in the bookstore. But with New York Times bestselling author Philip Athans and fantasy giant R. A. Salvatore at your side, you’ll create worlds that draw your readers in--and keep them reading! Just as important, you’ll learn how to prepare your work for today’s market. Drawing on his years of experience as one of the most acclaimed professionals in publishing, Wizards of the Coast editor Athans explains how to set your novel apart

WONDERBOOK: THE ILLUSTRATED GUIDE TO CREATING IMAGINATIVE FICTION

Wonderbook has become the definitive guide to writing science fiction and fantasy by offering an accessible, example-rich approach that emphasizes the importance of playfulness as well as pragmatism. It also exploits the visual nature of genre culture and employs bold, full-color drawings, maps, renderings, and visualizations to stimulate creative thinking. On top of all that, the book features sidebars and essays from some of the biggest names working in the field today, including George R. R. Martin, Lev Grossman, Neil Gaiman, Michael Moorcock, and Karen Joy Fowler

CREATING CHARACTER ARCS: THE MASTERFUL AUTHOR'S GUIDE TO UNITING STORY STRUCTURE, PLOT, AND CHARACTER DEVELOPMENT

Have you written a story with an exciting concept and interesting characters but it just isn’t grabbing the attention of readers or agents? It’s time to look deeper into the story beats that create realistic and compelling character arcs. Internationally published, award-winning novelist K.M. Weiland shares her acclaimed method for achieving memorable and moving character arcs in every book you write

CREATING PLACES (THE ART OF WORLD BUILDING BOOK 2)

Learn the difference between types of monarchies, democracies, dictatorships and more for realistic variety and believable conflict. Understand how latitude, prevailing winds, and mountains affect climate, rainfall, and what types of forests and deserts will exist in each location. Consistently calculate how long it takes to travel by horse, wagon, sailing vessels, or even dragon over different terrain types and conditions

THE ART OF LANGUAGE INVENTION: FROM HORSE-LORDS TO DARK ELVES, THE WORDS BEHIND WORLD-BUILDING

From master language creator David J. Peterson comes a creative guide to language construction for sci-fi and fantasy fans, writers, game creators, and language lovers. Peterson offers a captivating overview of language creation, covering its history from Tolkien’s creations and Klingon to today’s thriving global community of conlangers. He provides the essential tools necessary for inventing and evolving new languages, using examples from a variety of languages including his own creations, punctuated with references to everything from Star Wars to Michael Jackson

CULTURES AND BEYOND (THE ART OF WORLD BUILDING BOOK 3)

Invent interesting laws, crimes, and punishments that involve imaginary creatures or technologies, and learn how to leverage trial by ordeal and other judicial acts from Earth’s past. Determine how much education is available and what form it takes. Create currencies for different places while keeping them easy for your audience to fathom, plus learn how to determine the value to assign labor, materials, products, time, and more. Master the art of creating naming styles for different societies. Fashion new military groups in gritty detail. Dream up sensible rules for magic, its practitioners, the supernatural and what happens when things go wrong. Learn what kind of files you’ll need to create, how to organize them, and get jump started with a dozen free templates you’ll use again and again

CREATING LIFE (THE ART OF WORLD BUILDING BOOK 1)

Unlike other world building guides, the series discusses how to use your inventions in stories while balancing narrative flow with the need for explaining your world. Tailored examples illustrate this. Extensive, culled research on life forms is provided to classify and understand options without overwhelming world builders with extraneous details

KOBOLD GUIDE TO WORLDBUILDING

Roleplaying games and fantasy fiction are filled with rich and fascinating worlds: the Forgotten Realms, Glorantha, Narnia, R'lyeh, Middle-Earth, Barsoom, and so many more. It took startling leaps of imagination as well as careful thought and planning to create places like these: places that readers and players want to come back to again and again. Now, eleven of adventure gaming's top designers come together to share their insights into building worlds that gamers will never forget. Learn the secrets of designing a pantheon, creating a setting that provokes conflict, determining which historical details are necessary, and so much more

THE A-ZS OF WORLDBUILDING: BUILDING A FICTIONAL WORLD FROM SCRATCH

Worldbuilding is the ultimate act of creation for speculative fiction writers, but how exactly do you worldbuild? You ask 'what if' and use each answer as a springboard to more questions and answers about your fictional world

Worldbuilding PODCASTS

PLAYER ONE READY

Podcast to build a world as community