It was to be a desert island, the sandy earth underfoot replicating that of classic Western setting. People would get from place to place by horse, which already worked for D&D. Standard weapons would be replaced by bows and crossbows, my adaptation of gunslingers (hand crossbows would be common). The storylines would be Western-themed, and the towns would be the true star. Each one would have a distinct personality, which I thought would lend itself to curious adventurers.
It took a year to get the foundations set and the first two towns made. I was distracted, and I was careful, and I was in no rush. I worked away, getting everything just right. I made charts detailing the professions and home locations and personalities of each townsperson as well as a web of their relationships with other townsfolk. I was going way in detail.
Too much in detail. I was lost in the sauce. I found players and had only a partial map to play with. I hatched a half-brained story, we played for two sessions, and breakups destroyed the group. This Western setting, which I had named Ramsey, went on hold.
Perhaps two years passed. I returned to Ramsey with new urgency--I had a large group of players intrigued by the setting. I completed the other ten towns in the space of a few months. They had less detail--blessedly, no relationship charts--but the maps were complete, and I understand the character of the places.
The campaign was, ultimately, a let-down. My party was a group of antics players who destroyed or insulted everything they interacted with, getting them kicked out of all but one town they visited. I didn't get to experience Ramsey this time, either. Maybe one day. But for now, I can give you a guided tour of what that campaign might look like.