Dev tools · September 10, 2023
World Engine – Build Worlds Like Brandon Sanderson
Hey HN, After hours of re-watching Brandon’s creative writing BYU lectures[1], we converted his ideas into a framework to rapidly iterate and build sci-fi fantasy worlds. The app is divided into 3 sections: - World: To create a unique magic system intertwined with distinct physical and cultural phenomena - Characters: To create character arcs and give them unique traits that evolve over time - Plot: To weave a series of events in this world following the character arc We are newbie devs, any suggestions on the app improvements and usability would be great! The idea is to capture the essence…
World Engine – Build Worlds Like Brandon Sanderson launched on September 10, 2023 with 40 votes, #1,318 of 4,228 launches that month and more than 90% of that year's launches. The site was still online in September 2026, 3 years on.
In plain words
World Engine is an application for building science fiction and fantasy worlds based on Brandon Sanderson's creative writing framework. It organizes worldbuilding into three sections: World for creating magic systems and cultural phenomena, Characters for developing arcs and evolving traits, and Plot for sequencing events that follow character development. The tool is designed for writers and authors who want to rapidly iterate on interconnected fictional worlds, combining magical systems with character and narrative progression.
written from the facts on this page · September 2026
From the sources
Prototype and create your own sci-fi fantasy worlds
In the maker’s words, at launch
Hey HN, After hours of re-watching Brandon’s creative writing BYU lectures[1], we converted his ideas into a framework to rapidly iterate and build sci-fi fantasy worlds. The app is divided into 3 sections: - World: To create a unique magic system intertwined with distinct physical and cultural phenomena…
Does a similar job
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Hi HN, I'm Kai Wang, one of the creators of Yuanzai World. We built a simulation engine (currently on iOS & Android) that allows the community to create and share text adventures populated by multiple LLM-based agents. Unlike standard chatbots, our focus is on community co-creation—users define the worldviews, and our agents (with persistent memory and social relationships) bring them to life. The cool part: We implemented a system we call "World-Line Divergence" (inspired by visual novels like Steins;Gate). Usually, AI RPGs feel random or infinite loop. We built a state machine that tracks…
Worlds Beyond2023 · worldsbeyondnft.com · ▲79A social creator platform & true sandbox style creator tools
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Source: Show HN post ↗ · launch text quoted in part
