Last time we went over how I world build the galaxy. Now I'm going to move on to the actual planet. This has quite a bit more information than "The Solar System" so I've split it into parts. I foresee about 4 parts but until I write them I have no idea.... so we'll see!
In this section I'll show you how I begin creating my planets history and the geography. Let's get started...
History
This is just an idea, I guess, and I only begin with it because all of the rest of things influence it so I add things as I go a long. At first this section might only be a sentence. Something like "The world began 5.9 billion years ago." but then end up in a paragraph or ten pages. This one is really up to you. If you look up the earth history... wow. You'll find quite a bit of information. Don't worry about getting that detailed. It's unnecessary and in my opinion a waste of time. Just get what you need to know and move on.
My history for my planet is going to start off like this...
Moon 2 has been in orbit of Planet D for about 6.8 billion years. Planet D "caught" the moon when it was just an asteroid. After many years the location of the moon caused it to begin to create an atmosphere which in turn led to the development of life because of the habitable zone where it was located.
I probably could come up with something better but it works for this. I'm not sure if an astroid could actually create an atmosphere but for now that's what happened. If need be I will change it later.
Also notice I'm still using moon and planet D. I haven't made my language yet so for now that's what they are going to be. I forgot to mention in the last post, however, that I do a table with names I need to come up with later.
Geography
Composition
This section is really quite simple. Just find out your planets water and land ratio. Make something up or go into deep thought about this. Don't forget that what you do choose will have an effect on planet life. A planet with 90% water and only 10%land is very different type of life than that of earth and think about all the problems you could come up with on a planet of 90% land and only 10% water.
Moon 2 is going to be about 63% land and 47% water
Map
This is easy enough. Create a map. Paper or digital. Whatever you want. I usually make a digital one and then print it off blank and make the rest of my maps there but because this particular world is only for the blog (well so far!) then I'm going to create all my maps on here.
First create a blank map just the basic outline of the land masses. I use paint but you can use whatever you want. Now copy this three times and then leave one completely blank for maps you'll want/need later. ALWAYS have a blank one.
Then you'll want to have an idea of the sections. I'm not really sure what I would call it but think of it as the lines we know of on the earth like the Equator, the line of cancer, the line of ..... and so on. It's just to give an idea about where they things are located.
I classify these as FACE, LINE, and SECTION. It was the easiest way for me but you can come up with whatever system you want for it. Lines are horizontal and a section is just one of the vertical lines whereas a face is two put together. Normally I would number them but I think you'll get the jist by the picture...
After that I create the countries. Still no names but I usually give numbers and letters. A continent gets a letter and then the countries on it get a number. These also go on my table of naming things.
I would make a one blank copy of these to save as well. JUST in case. You never know what you might need them for. But I've created too many maps and lost them because I edited it without saving a copy. Not good.
Quick note here if you are going to use my example of how to do this and use paint... don't color in your countries unless you have a backup copy. I did what I did above to make it more visually appealing... however if you do so then when you do want it in complete white... say to make the terrain map (below) you'll have to change it back to white then erase they part of the number because it will leave a smudge of color.
The last map you'll create (for now!) is a terrain map. Be as basic or as detailed as you want.
This is another section you will probably come back to so make what you need and move on but don't feel like you can't come back. You probably will.
I usually make quite a bit more maps than those but those are the ones I ALWAYS make.
Biomes
Here, like mentioned before, is another place you'll use a map. Create a biome map of your country (do this both on a blank one and one with country lines. It's usually easier if your using a simple program to do it on the one with the countries and then jsut delete the lines that separate it.)
Here are the earth biomes. Depending on how you want to look at biomes there are more or less but I like that website because I think it's just the right amount. But in case you want more (or less) here are a few more websites
A kids version but has quite a bit of information - http://kids.nceas.ucsb.edu/biomes/Another kid version - http://www.enchantedlearning.com/biomes/ Here are a few more. http://www.worldbiomes.com/ and http://www.ucmp.berkeley.edu/exhibits/biomes/deserts.php
I came up with something like this just using the very basic of biomes.
If you know exactly where you want your story to take place you can make it more extensive. I just did forest but there are temperate and tropical. A grassland can be further divided into Temperate grassland, savanna, or steppe. Deserts can be arid, semi arid, coastal. Maybe your planet has a completely different one. Honestly the possibilities are endless.
And that wraps up Part I of The Planet. Part II will include Climate and Flora (Plants)... possibly Fauna (Animals) as well.
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