I usually involve the players in the worldgen to an extent, by either collectively putting it together, or creating a setting with a lot of unfilled space they can use to create kingdoms and clans and background fluff. Means everyone's engaged with the setting from the get-go.
Currently writing up a 'proper' setting, I'll give the players a page-long setting introduction, a short paragraph on every race, and a short paragraph on every culture.
I farm in a rural area so spend alot of time bored out of my mind on a tractor. I will devour any materials for the games I'm in. I don't get to play very often and I need my fix. Although I also tend to make a dozen different potential characters anytime anyone suggests a game. And plan settings of my own out in detail despite knowing I'll never have time to run a game in them.
As a GM, I try to only world build in game. Very rarely do I hand anything out to my players to read.
I do have a primer of lore for my setting but its more so I keep my facts straight.
>tilted sideways Europe
Real original OP
A good storyteller is capable of building a world through narrative. Setting notes and a wiki should be purely for the DM. Then, if the players WANT extra fluff, give it - by letting them explore the world in character. They make their own notes if they want.
Work with your players more. If you give a player a blank sheet and say "Make a dude," you can't expect a setting-perfect character, regardless of how much they know. Why? Any number of reasons. Maybe they just want to play a game without being bogged down in 10 miles of fluff. Maybe they interpret the setting differently. Maybe they think the setting sucks, or could use a bit more something their character can offer.
A player's ideas and goals are going to be very different from the DM's. A DM has to accept that and work with the players to provide the most enjoyable experience possible for everyone.
It's Europe, Africa and Asia. Not tilted.
I still don't get what trope the City of Shrines stand for.
Don't think too hard about it. It's just a parody of the map of Golarion.
>1776
I have this one buddy who moved away recently for military reasons and I miss his DMing terribly. He always went all out on worldbuilding down to city populations and lore/legends/history for pretty much every major area/landmark in the setting. Shit was the absolute fucking best. Dude lives in Colorado or some shit now.
A lot. I read everything and I use it for my background and how my character thinks. I also pick a deity that I like or a pantheon and worship it or spit on it if I don't like anything.
If it's bad I try to give some tips if it's alright, and if it's good I try to give some tips too to make it even better. Mainly about laws, societal structure and government since this is what I studied.