It'd really help to have the option upon creation to not have all the extra articles & categories.
I like the idea of having a toggle when I go to create a new world for whether or not I want this feature. Could also be implemented with other option pre built "loadouts" for worlds. Or even allow for custom made templates to get generated upon new world creation! Love this idea!
I support a toggle when creating a new world. The toggle could later be expanded to allow you to choose between various category setups depending on the use case and world size, for example one for gm's, one for writers, etc, with additional option for single planet world or multi-plane universes or something in between.
I think some of the categories just add to the clutter of a world, especially when I'm not using them. Being able to create your own categories instead if you so choose would be great in addition to this.
While the new stuff has definitely helped me out a bit in my world-building and what I can do in my world, I do agree there needs to be an opt-out option as the suggested layout does not always mesh with what I want to create.
Your first world on WA should always come with the help and categories to get you started. But, maybe as an option during new world creation for your 2nd+, and Empty World would be a good option.
If you do not like them - delete them - it will take like 2 minutes.
I agree with having the option to have the starting out stuff be an opt-out option, because they are useful and helpful, but more useful or helpful to people who are new to World Anvil and are learning where things are and how to do stuff.
Don't get me wrong -- I think this was a good idea, to offer these starting points to people who are new to WA, since knowing where to start can be really hard. But my brain is also the sort that can either organize the dishes, or do the dishes, because my brain can often be overwhelmed by too many things being presented to me at once. Perhaps an option in the World Settings, or that appears in the Dashboard when you haven't yet done anything in your new world, that gives you the option of deleting all the guide material and starting categories and things, that you would then have to confirm? ie. "Have you done this before? Would you rather start with a clean slate, and not use our guide material? Click here to delete all the starting categories and articles for a fresh beginning!" Then maybe a page comes up that asks you if you're sure you want to do that, and you have to type YES and then confirm?