Advice/Help Has This Ever Happened To You? (Probably Yes)

[WolfStar12]

I’m currently working on an advanced roleplay that I’m really excited for. However, while I believe I can most likely fill out a couple of detailed paragraph for my IC posts, I’m having a bit of writer’s block when it comes to the OOC details and explanation of the world and how it works. I want it to be detailed to show that this is supposed to be an advanced roleplay, but I can’t seem to convey my ideas in a very thorough explanation. Any advice on how I could beef up my writing? Or am I overthinking this?

 

[nerdy tangents]

World building is entirely about answering questions. Whether that’s user questions or your own questions about how the world works.

For the intitial interest check/main thread you really only need basic information readily available.

What is the setting?
What kinda of characters are allowed?
What (if any) technology is there?
What is the basic plot?
(Edited to add) Is there a specific system in place for magic/combat/powers?

After that it is mostly just answering questions as they come up. But if it would help your anxiety you can send me a link to what you have. I do pretty extensive world building for all my role plays so I should be able to point out what things you can flesh out prior to opening.

Jusr keeping in mind that you don’t have to share all the information right off the Bat.

 

[WolfStar12]

nerdy tangents Hello! Thank you for the help and sorry for the late response.
The thing is that I already have all of the worldbuilding down in my mind. The problem is I’m having trouble describing it in words. I know for a lot of advanced threads you need to be very descriptive to get people to join, but I’m not the best when it comes to writing out descriptions. (I’m much better at dialogue.) Even though it’s not finished yet, I do have a draft for my thread so far, so I can show you it if you want. The issue is that, for areas like the descriptions of the rooms, the list of jobs/roles, and the types of patients, I feel like they’re not detailed enough but I don’t know what more to add to them. I can see how they function and look like fully in my mind but I can’t really describe it in words.

 

[nerdy tangents]

Sure you can show me what you have so far in a PM and I can give you some feedback from a readers perspective.

 

[Jannah]

World-building can definitely be tricky and very energy and time extensive. That's one reason why I typically don't do much of it unless it's for my own works of fiction. RP's rarely last long enough to justify building an entire detailed world for. If I go that route then it will be a very basic world that more or less has a lot of the same mechanics and such as the real world.

If you truly want to go the world-building route, though, then communication is key. It's hard to build a consistent world when you and those you're working with have creative differences. If it's the details themselves that you're struggling with then perhaps talk it out with your partner. I'm sure they can help you more accurately flesh things out. RP is a joint effort, after all. Oh, and if you want to describe the world then do not be afraid to use a dictionary and/or thesaurus if you're out of words to use.

 

[WolfStar12]

Jannah Sorry for the late response again! The only problem is that I’m actually making this entire thread by myself, with no additional partner or help. I was planning on releasing this completed sign up thread and then seeing who would join from that. The reason why I’m putting that much effort into it is because advanced RPers rarely join threads that aren’t particularly detailed and I want it to be an advanced thread, but I just can’t entirely express the detailed descriptions in my head into words.

nerdy tangents Sure! I know this isn’t a PM but I thought it might be good to see other’s thoughts too. I’m mainly looking for ways to make the room descriptions and the role descriptions more detailed. Also I might need assistance when writing out the actual summary.

Spoiler: Thread Draft: WIP

Summary will go here

Spoiler: Locations at GreenGlen.

Spoiler: Front Entrance/Lobby.

The first area of the building. On the right is the secretary’s desk, where all employees must sign it and sign out to confirm when they’ve arrived and when they’ve left for work. Employees may often come to the secretary’s desk to request important information and to send and receive emails from coworkers and Higher Ups. On the left is the elevator which leads to the numerous floors of the building. There is also a seating area to wait in case of long lines.

Spoiler: Patient Cells.

These cells are where the patients are held, consisting of four walls with the front one being made of glass. The glass wall also serves as a window and a door. All of the cells are lined up next to each other in a hallway and can only be opened by scientist access cards. The cell is relatively small, with only a bed, a desk and a chair, as well as a phone on the wall used to contact other patients and scientists. Some cells may also contain items the patient may find amusing or stimulating, as well as additional security members to prevent them from escaping. On the back wall there is a door which leads to a water closet, complete with sink.

Spoiler: Locker Rooms.

The locker rooms are large areas for the patients to shower. Unlike most locker rooms, they are not separated by gender, but instead by individual showering rooms that only one person can enter. Special precautions are made to make sure no patient can enter another‘s shower room at the same time. The locker rooms are also in the same area as the employee bathrooms, but they are not the same place.

Spoiler: Cafeteria.

The cafeteria is where both patient and staff go to eat. This is one of the few places patients can interact with one another physically. The room is quite spacious with many large circular tables in the middle for the patients. On the left side of the room is the kitchen where the chefs make the food. The kitchen also contains an open window with a serving line in front of it, so patients are able to be given their food. On the right side is where the staff members sit. Their arrangement is quite similar to the patients, but isolated and higher up to monitor them.

Spoiler: Employee Lounge.

The employee lounge is an off-limits area where the staff of GreenGlen can go during their break periods. A simple room, like many of its kind, there are chairs, tables, counters, and even a refrigerator, water cooler, coffee pot, and vending machines. It is highly advised scientists do not spend copious amounts of time in the room though.

Spoiler: Testing Facilities.

The Testing Facilities are located at the end of the hallway, resembling a large vintage operating theatre. In the center is a large enclosed area, barely illuminated by several fluorescent lights from the ceiling. Above the room are a series of windows leading to a private study the scientists can study their patients from while maintaining a safe distance. Depending on the patient, the main floor will be filled numerous amounts of stimuli to see how the patient and their symptoms react. This may range from obstacle courses to toys to targets, anything that may trigger a reaction from their symptoms.

Spoiler: The Labs.

Similar to the testing facilities, the Labs are large auditoriums with limited lighting but a fair amount of equipment. In the center is an operating table with numerous amounts of medical machinery. The patient is to be strapped onto the table by Hazmats for experimentation. The purpose of the experiment is to see how the patient is affected by a variety of different tests. This may range from electroshock therapy to dissection to lowered oxygen levels.

Spoiler: PA Rooms.

The PA room is a small room used for broadcasting announcements and news to the workers and residents of the laboratory. Occasionally, random scientists are assigned to work the PA system for a day as a part of their daily tasks. Both jobs are required.

Spoiler: The Office.

A computer room with rows of cubicles filled with tables, seats, and monitors. This is where all of GreenGlen’s most valuable information is stored. At the end of the day, scientists are required to upload their findings into their personal computer.

Bunkhouse will go here

Spoiler: Positions in the Facility.

Higher Ups: Non playable. The staff nickname for the shady directors, CEOs, and founders of the laboratory. They are not physically present in the laboratory itself, and instead work in a private government sanctioned building. All findings must be sent directly to the Higher Ups by the scientists at the end of work days for further use. Higher Ups may occasionally email or call staff during work hours, and can even be found inviting scientists to their offices to relay much more personal information.

Hazmats: Non playable. The security force of the lab. They are dressed head to toe in hazmat suits in order to prevent further infection from handling the patients. Their job is to prevent any of said patients from escaping the facilities or otherwise getting out of line, even resorting to physical force when needed to.

Scientists: Playable. The scientists of GreenGlen work to study and contain any persons infected by the virus in order to prevent further contamination as well as to see how it affects its host and its surroundings. Scientists are trained to not associate their patients with their human selves in order to further research. Each scientist may be assigned an individual patient to interview, test, and then study for a whole week.

Additional Staff: Non playable. This includes any other workers at the facility, whether that be sanitation, chefs, or secretaries. They fill in any additional jobs needed at the current time. Despite working in the facility, they are kept far away from any important scientific data, and if any were to obtain such information will result in their immediate termination.

Patients: Playable. Individuals who have contracted the virus and are now being contained, tested, and experimented on. They are permanent residents at GreenGlen, who are not allowed to leave at any time in any way.

Spoiler: Patient Classifications.

Type A: Patients with symptoms that have changed their genetic makeup and thus altered their physical appearance. In some mild cases, this could just be some minor mutations such as excess body hair, horns, wings, increased or reduced number of body parts, but in much more severe cases the patient may no longer resemble anything on this earth, let alone their original human state.

Type B: Patients whose symptoms have increased their biological abilities to an abnormal degree, ranging from a boost in strength and intellect to supernatural or superhuman traits such as the power of flight or underwater breathing. For the cases of conjuring, more serious safety precautions may be required.

Type C: Patients whose symptoms resemble those of both Type A and Type B patients. Although extremely rare, noted Type C patients have been known to be incredibly powerful and dangerous, and thus should be kept under heavy surveillance.

Spoiler: Patient Schedule.

6:00 AM-Wake up

6:05 AM-Shower

6:10 AM-Checkup

9:00 AM-Breakfast

9:50 AM-Testing

3:00 PM-Lunch

3:10 PM-Experimentation

11:00 PM-Dinner

11:10-Break Period

11:20 PM-Lights Out

Spoiler: Facility Rules.

Any broken rules will result in severe punishment.

1. Patients must follow their given schedule. Arriving early, late, or not at all will not be permitted.

2. Scientists are not to interact with patients outside of work hours.

3. Scientists may not share any research with outsiders.

4. Under no circumstances may a patient leave the facility.

5. Patients are not allowed to contract anyone outside the lab.

6. Scientists will refer to patients by number unless told otherwise.

7. All work must be reported to the Higher Ups at the end of the day.

8. If scientists are assigned a specific patient for that week, they must work with that patient and only with that patient.

9. Assault or retaliation against a scientist by a patient will not be tolerated.

10. Do not question the system.

11. When transporting a patient to the facilities, make sure there are no witnesses in the area. To the public eye, GreenGlen does not exist.

12. When in doubt, refer to your employee handbook.

13. Disrespect toward Hazmats will not be tolerated.

14. Patients are not human and will not be treated as such. Scientists should refrain from connecting with them on a deeper emotional level.

15. No roughhousing is permitted.

16. Do not slack off.

17. If a scientist is assigned an additional task, such as doing PA announcements, neglect of said tasks will not be tolerated.

18. Scientists will not bring in additional items to work unless given permission.

19. Patients are not allowed to leave their cells unless permitted by the staff.

20. Additional staff members such as sanitation, janitorial, or other service providers may not hear in on scientist conversations. You are here to do your hired purpose.

21. Type C patients must be given the upmost security.

22. When in doubt, tranquilize the patient before bringing them into the facility.

23. When participating in checkups, testing, and experiments, patients must wait in their cells until everyone else has finished before reporting to the cafeteria.

24. Patients must remain in their cells during break.

25. Patients and employees will eat in separate areas of the cafeteria.

OOC Rules will go here

 

[Jannah]

Jannah Sorry for the late response again! The only problem is that I’m actually making this entire thread by myself, with no additional partner or help. I was planning on releasing this completed sign up thread and then seeing who would join from that. The reason why I’m putting that much effort into it is because advanced RPers rarely join threads that aren’t particularly detailed and I want it to be an advanced thread, but I just can’t entirely express the detailed descriptions in my head into words.

What do you mean by advanced? It can often mean different things to different people.

 

[WolfStar12]

Like each IC post would be like at least a paragraph long. I’d try to go for potentially more, but I know some people might not always have the muse for it.

 

[Jannah]

Like each IC post would be like at least a paragraph long. I’d try to go for potentially more, but I know some people might not always have the muse for it.

Okay. That might not be considered advanced. Advanced to most constitutes anything from multiple paragraphs up to novella style.

 

[WolfStar12]

That’s kind of what I had in mind, multiple paragraphs to novella length, which is why I need advice on how to make my info section a bit longer. I guess I only mentioned the “at least one paragraph” as a failsafe, like if there’s not enough people interested or the members have low muse then I could switch it to a more semi advanced thread. At this point I just don’t want people to write one liner’s or even a couple of sentences.

 

[Jannah]

That’s kind of what I had in mind, multiple paragraphs to novella length, which is why I need advice on how to make my info section a bit longer. I guess I only mentioned the “at least one paragraph” as a failsafe, like if there’s not enough people interested or the members have low muse then I could switch it to a more semi advanced thread. At this point I just don’t want people to write one liner’s or even a couple of sentences.

I'd say one-two paragraphs is definitely more semi-advanced. Perhaps advertise to that crowd instead.

 

[WolfStar12]

I was considering doing that, though moreso because I’m not sure others would have enough muse for it. I’m pretty comfortable right now but I know that sometimes I get low muse. I’ve been wanting to do an advanced thread for a while now, but I guess the main issue is that my strength in writing is dialogue IE the actual roleplaying bits. I have difficulty with description for reasons I do not fully understand and I’ve been having a lot of trouble writing the details featured in the thread draft. I have been joining other people’s threads to solve this problem, but in the end I genuinely love writing original RPs and this has been one I’ve been really looking forward to writing for a long time. Hope this clears this up!

 

[nerdy tangents]

WolfStar12 so I think the only information you need to share is backstory of the facility. What is causing the virus or whatever and why are patients sent there? Also a list of playable character types.

The descriptions of the facility and the daily schedule is something you can reveal later. Either in the roleplay itself (have an NPC give a tour or something) or make a separate thread for the information.

But otherwise it seems fine. Definitely I would say this is more in the detailed than the advanced category.

Advanced tends to be like 1000+ words per post. Detailed is anywhere between 300-500, which is still nice descriptive posts without having to write essays.

 

[Jannah]

WolfStar12 so I think the only information you need to share is backstory of the facility. What is causing the virus or whatever and why are patients sent there? Also a list of playable character types.

The descriptions of the facility and the daily schedule is something you can reveal later. Either in the roleplay itself (have an NPC give a tour or something) or make a separate thread for the information.

But otherwise it seems fine. Definitely I would say this is more in the detailed than the advanced category.

Advanced tends to be like 1000+ words per post. Detailed is anywhere between 300-500, which is still nice descriptive posts without having to write essays.

I used to do a lot of 1000+ word posts, but I just don't have the time or energy for it anymore. RP is a hobby, not a chore.

 

[WolfStar12]

WolfStar12 so I think the only information you need to share is backstory of the facility. What is causing the virus or whatever and why are patients sent there? Also a list of playable character types.

The descriptions of the facility and the daily schedule is something you can reveal later. Either in the roleplay itself (have an NPC give a tour or something) or make a separate thread for the information.

But otherwise it seems fine. Definitely I would say this is more in the detailed than the advanced category.

Advanced tends to be like 1000+ words per post. Detailed is anywhere between 300-500, which is still nice descriptive posts without having to write essays.

Thanks for the feedback! That’s why I had that little “summary will go here” bit. It’s not completely finished but I plan on putting the history and the general gist both IC and OOC. Any advice on putting it more in that “advanced” category? I want to put more detail into but I don’t quite know how.

 

[nerdy tangents]

Thanks for the feedback! That’s why I had that little “summary will go here” bit. It’s not completely finished but I plan on putting the history and the general gist both IC and OOC. Any advice on putting it more in that “advanced” category? I want to put more detail into but I don’t quite know how.

Honestly putting things in tabs. Maybe adding a map? (You might be able to get someone make one for you in the roleplay).

Also just have your players ask their own questions. A lot of adding in lore is answering questions as they come up.