Today on the podcast, I’m joined by my old friend and former BioWare colleague, Brent Knowles. We chat all about the art and magic of world-building, drawing from Brent’s several decades of experience as a game designer and writer. Brent shares his creative journey, from drawing fantasy maps on grocery shop paper bags as a child to working on iconic titles like Baldur’s Gate 2, Neverwinter Nights, and Dragon Age. We also dive into his recent tabletop work, discussing his Norse-inspired D&D campaign, Raiders of the Serpent Sea , and how a family holiday to Iceland heavily influenced its design.
Key Highlights & Takeaways
The BioWare Days: We look back at Brent’s time working on the Neverwinter Nights expansions , especially the creative freedom his team had whilst developing Hordes of the Underdark.
A Mapmaker’s Origins: Brent explains how spending time at off-season logging camps with his grandfather sparked his imagination , leading him to draw maps of the woods and invent fantasy creatures.
Icelandic Inspiration: How the deep history, sagas, and natural landscapes of Iceland directly inspired his Viking-esque tabletop world.
Embracing “Mistakes”: Why collaborating with artists and embracing their misinterpretations or mistakes often results in far cooler monsters and organic lore than originally planned.
What Breaks Immersion: Brent discusses his biggest bugbears in game design, like when a video game’s narrative completely contradicts its gameplay mechanics —such as finding a +1 warhammer right next to characters who are complaining about being poor.
Advice for Game Masters: Why it’s crucial for DMs to talk to their players to build a shared experience , ensuring it becomes our campaign rather than just the DM’s strict storyline.
