A Bit worried that the Nightmare Fuel tabs being destroyed

I've read a few tabs saying the following

" In order for Nightmare Fuel tabs to survive, a new writing style is going to be used, nicknamed Example Lobotomy. Basic rules: Just list facts as they are. Don't just say "character X" or "the X scene" (such zero context examples will be zapped). Spoiler policy to be determined on a case-by-case basis. Italics to be applied to works' names only and not to give emphasis on what tropers say. "X scared me" is already implied by the mere addition of that example by the troper. "

I personally fear that the Nightmare Fuel tab will end up the same as the troper tales tab, though with less justification as I feel this tab helps explain audience reactions just like the others. It would also make no sense that Horror-Media Pages [such as, for example, H.P. Lovecraft's writings] would have nightmare fuel tabs removed, when that's the main point of the work. and furthermore, I personally wish later in life to become a writer and run my own media company, not going to explain it too much, but while I don't plan on exactly writing horror, I plan on my works definetly having horror elements and it would help to study how other works scared people on here.

So yea, Apologies for being [ironically] scared that the nightmare fuel tab might go away, but I feel it's a very important part of TV Tropes.

Nightmare Fuel is a useless and annoying part of TV Tropes. "Work scared me" is not in any way related to our business of documenting the use of tropes, and it can lead to the impression that our site is populated by people with the mental fortitude of three-year old children. That said, we aren't going to arbitrarily remove it unless it can't be kept from turning into another iteration of Troper Tales.

Thus, all examples must:

• Cite the specific work and scene.
• Explain what, specifically was scary.
• Not be written in first person. We know you were scared, otherwise why did you add the example?

No general examples: "Work X is scary". No links out to YouTube videos.

edited 27th Jan '17 2:21:38 PM by Fighteer

OP: Look at the ZC Es on South Park's page and you'll probably ask yourself "...what's scary about 'X saying Y'?"

Fighteer, you could technically argue that for most subpages that aren't the main page.

"Work made me laugh" is not in any way related to our business of documenting the use of tropes, and it can lead to the impression that our site is populated by people with the mental fortitude of three-year old children.

"Work made me Cry" is not in any way related to our business of documenting the use of tropes, and it can lead to the impression that our site is populated by people with the mental fortitude of three-year old children.

"Work made me make a kinda dumb theory" not in any way related to our business of documenting the use of tropes, and it can lead to the impression that our site is populated by people with the mental fortitude of three-year old children.

ya get my point, though I'm glad you understand we shouldn't just remove it. that being said, what would cause it to become another "Troper Tales"?

Well, yes. We allow all such pages on sufferance.

I do have to say, it's borderline distressing how prone people are to screaming Nightmare Fuel. One that struck me recently is an entry for a character wearing black eye shadow, so that if she blinks, she apparently looks like she has no eyes. If that's Nightmare Fuel then... yeesh.

Yeah, I sometimes read the nightmare fuel pages for their unintended comedic value.

Fridge Horror is also sometimes prone to this. "Like, if I really obsess about X, it can be terrifying" Some of them really grasp at straw too. Though they tend to be less numerous than Nightmare Fuel..

edited 30th Jan '17 1:02:34 PM by Ghilz

That's kind of why I stopped reading those pages. Some examples were because a villain smiled. And that's it. Less Nightmare Fuel and more "it wasn't a completely positive experience".

Also the many examples that were just describing any conflictual situation. "The villains were shooting at the heroes! They missed, but imagine if they didn't; they could have hurt them. Even worse, the heroes might have died from their wounds."

Okay, some prime examples

From

• Super Mario Galaxy

• Nightmare Fuel/Kirby

There's a king who does nothing. If that's not the scariest thing you've ever seen, I don't know what is.

• The Legend of Zelda: A Link to the Past (Easily one of the worst page out there. I recommend reading it for a laugh)

Oh yes. Good AI in videogame. Truly the stuff of nightmares. I bet the troper who wrote this still goes to the psychiatrist to get the PTSD they suffered from seeing a Koopa fall off a cliff in Mario 1 treated.

90% of the entries can't make the difference between "Drama" and "Horror". "The Villain grabs the mcguffin!"

Nightmare Fuel/Saurian is amazing coz the game isn't even out yet yet it basically has an entry for basically every dinosaur that's not just a herbivore.

edited 30th Jan '17 3:46:58 PM by Ghilz

What a mess. It is looking like the sort of mess that has gotten various sections chopped because they simply failed to work.

Really the Nightmare Fuel looks like it needs some more stringent standards and a good general clean out.

x2: The Nightmare Fuel's Mario index is worse than that; ranging from people panicking about what could have when Bowser is being evil, hacking the game files for unused content, an few enemies (which might be legit), Mario dying + graphics = "This shit is scary.", and how creepy the scenarios are.

Please!

There's guards everywhere in this game O_O

Uhhhhhhh...Who writes this stuff? For crying out loud, it's The Legend of Z! Of course there will be enemies everywhere you go! But Ocarina of Time's Shadow Temple, on the other hand...

Man, I do not think this is the direction the OP thought this thread would go.

I was inspired by Fighteer's it can lead to the impression that our site is populated by people with the mental fortitude of three-year old children

Coz yeah, I think even three year olds would look at most Nightmare Fuel and go "Really?"

edited 31st Jan '17 11:33:30 AM by Ghilz

Well, it was about what threatened the Nightmare Fuel pages' existance, and people shoehoring anything that's even remotely creepy in any way possible, rather than something that inspires actual nightmares or makes you turn on the light when you sleep, is certainly something that's wrong with the pages and might get them deleted.

Well if folks want to keep them we quite obviously need some sort of plan to clean them up and control what content goes into them. If we leave them as is they will obviously continue to deteoriate to the point it would be better to just axe them altogether. As it is I am half tempted to say we need to have them cut. Maybe cut the existing pages and start over with a clean slate with rules and limits in place to guide what material goes on the pages.

edited 31st Jan '17 4:38:29 PM by TuefelHundenIV

Part of the problem is that much like Complete Monster and Darker and Edgier, fans seem to see NF as a sort of badge of honor for their favorite works, thus the shoehorns.

I agree, worst answer can be let's do nothing. I see no reason (other than the amount of work of course) for not doing a general clean-up. Problem is the definition is already very subjective. If someone is scare of clowns then is going to put Ronald Mc Donalds appearence in Mac and Me there.

Maybe a guidline is in order, but how to define it in the first place is complex. It also should be notice that the type of work may vary, I guess a show for toddlers is going to have a different definition of scary than the Hellraiser franchise.

edited 1st Feb '17 12:23:01 AM by Luppercus

Do you guys have an idea how much work it would be to clean up the Nightmare Fuel pages to some arbitary standard? It'd be a lot. And not very worthwhile.

So whats your suggestion? Do nothing? Cut them? Just saying.

The last time we cleaned them in a concentrated effort was 2012.

I find it rather amusingly ironic that a protest against a completely nonexistent plan to remove Nightmare Fuel caused us to seriously consider removing it. Unless that was the OP's intent, via Briar Patching. We may never know.

If it's not some sort of reverse psychology, I think it's telling that someone who likes the Nightmare Fuel pages sees they are such a mess and assume there must be a plan to clean them up :-P