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Hello, fellow writers! Got any question that you can't find answer from Google or Wikipedia, but you don't think it needs a separate thread for? You came to the right place!

Don't be shy, and just ask away. The nice folks here, writers and non-writers, experts and non-experts, will do their best to help you.

The folder below contains links for special interest threads, mostly at OTC, but also from Yack Fest and Troper Coven.

    Special Interest Threads 

Also take a look at Useful Notes on various topics. They can be pretty useful.

Now, bring on the questions, baby!

edited 11th Apr '18 6:31:51 PM by dRoy

Swordofknowledge Spreading literacy with book and blade from I like it here... Since: Aug, 2012 Relationship Status: [TOP SECRET]
Spreading literacy with book and blade
#30426: Apr 9th 2025 at 6:46:25 AM

[up] @ TMH-Sir-Iron-Vomit:

Yes, perhaps a year or perhaps even a year and five months might do it. I just didn't want it to seem to unrealistic or worse that the character in question didn't care about her husband and son (it's very much the opposite really). Especially since there isn't much mind-tampering in play apart from the illusion itself.

Fear is a tyrant and a despot, more terrible than the rack, more potent than the snake. — Edgar Walllace
Nukeli Since: Aug, 2018
#30427: Apr 9th 2025 at 9:54:54 AM

@Sword (prev page)

There is impersonation involved.

~*bleh*~
Swordofknowledge Spreading literacy with book and blade from I like it here... Since: Aug, 2012 Relationship Status: [TOP SECRET]
Spreading literacy with book and blade
#30428: Apr 9th 2025 at 10:04:02 AM

[up] @ Nukeli:

Oh, then in that case it changes things. I still think that there should be at least some other "tell" besides a subtle change in hair highlights, but if there is infiltration/impersonation involved, then you can afford to take certain liberties.

I don't know if you follow DC Comics, but there was a very shocking moment in one of the events where an evil alternate universe Batman blended in with people by pretending to be Bruce Wayne, and literally no one (not even the readers) were the wiser until he dropped the act and started going crazy.

If you are going for something like that scenario, then subtle hair differences would be a bit of a Genius Bonus for those who see it and immediately get suspicious.

Edited by Swordofknowledge on Apr 9th 2025 at 10:04:24 AM

Fear is a tyrant and a despot, more terrible than the rack, more potent than the snake. — Edgar Walllace
LoneCourier0 The Wandering Geek from A Diverse Land (Unitroper) Relationship Status: How YOU doin'?
The Wandering Geek
#30429: Apr 10th 2025 at 1:16:56 AM

Would this quote fit well with the themes of my story or too on the nose? Namely, it's an alien overlord making a snide comment about human tribalism and how it makes people reject simple solutions.

"Of all species, I never thought you humans would be the most suicidal of them all."

"Cynicism is not realistic and tough. It's unrealistic and kind of cowardly because it means you don't have to try."
Swordofknowledge Spreading literacy with book and blade from I like it here... Since: Aug, 2012 Relationship Status: [TOP SECRET]
Spreading literacy with book and blade
#30430: Apr 10th 2025 at 4:46:24 AM

[up] @ Lone Courier 0:

Eh, not really, at least not to me. It certainly is no worse than other examples in fiction I've seen where a distinctly not human entity makes a note about humanity's very real flaws being a weakness that they disdain...which is of course a way for the writer(s) to point out how we need to work on ourselves.

Fear is a tyrant and a despot, more terrible than the rack, more potent than the snake. — Edgar Walllace
LoneCourier0 The Wandering Geek from A Diverse Land (Unitroper) Relationship Status: How YOU doin'?
The Wandering Geek
#30431: Apr 10th 2025 at 4:47:38 AM

So, what could be an alternative?

"Cynicism is not realistic and tough. It's unrealistic and kind of cowardly because it means you don't have to try."
Swordofknowledge Spreading literacy with book and blade from I like it here... Since: Aug, 2012 Relationship Status: [TOP SECRET]
Spreading literacy with book and blade
#30432: Apr 10th 2025 at 4:51:06 AM

[up] @ Lone Courier 0:

So, what could be an alternative?

No, I was saying the quote was fine as it is. I meant that it was very similar to other things said in fiction where the writer is trying to use a nonhuman being's disdain for humanity as an Aesop about our flaws and how destructive they are.

Fear is a tyrant and a despot, more terrible than the rack, more potent than the snake. — Edgar Walllace
LoneCourier0 The Wandering Geek from A Diverse Land (Unitroper) Relationship Status: How YOU doin'?
The Wandering Geek
#30433: Apr 10th 2025 at 4:58:31 AM

Right.

But in this case, you would know that the alien saying it is coming from a species who has similar flaws to that of humanity, symbolizing that for every time a higher power tried to play the moral high ground, they still are bound to have weak points that undermine what they claim.

"Cynicism is not realistic and tough. It's unrealistic and kind of cowardly because it means you don't have to try."
Swordofknowledge Spreading literacy with book and blade from I like it here... Since: Aug, 2012 Relationship Status: [TOP SECRET]
Spreading literacy with book and blade
#30434: Apr 10th 2025 at 5:11:25 AM

[up] @ Lone Courier 0:

But in this case, you would know that the alien saying it is coming from a species who has similar flaws to that of humanity, symbolizing that for every time a higher power tried to play the moral high ground, they still are bound to have weak points

So, I don't know much about your story, but I find this point to be a little ironic, actually. I assume—-since you used the term "overlord"—-that this character is part of the invading alien empire that seeks to subjugate humanity as it has done to countless other races, and is quite fascist/Nazi-like in their thinking?

If so, then ironically the quote about tribalism and the disdain for it kind of...does seem pretty apt. Again, I obviously don't know anything about your story aside from what you've shared, but I'd imagine this alien race would have had to overcome their own tribalism and infighting and become some sort of one world order before setting off to conquer the stars.

Now I'm not going to defend an imperialistic group that is obviously a stand in for all sorts of Real Life nastiness, but from an objective perspective I have to say that coming together for a single goal, is hugely admirable and something humanity has almost never done before with a few exceptions.

So...the overlord kind of has a point?

Anyway, that's just my meta/outside viewpoint. Going back to the story itself, the quote still works, since in context it just shows how hypocritical the alien is for criticizing human tribalism...especially if their group preyed upon humanity's division to insert itself so deeply into Earth.

Fear is a tyrant and a despot, more terrible than the rack, more potent than the snake. — Edgar Walllace
Swordofknowledge Spreading literacy with book and blade from I like it here... Since: Aug, 2012 Relationship Status: [TOP SECRET]
Spreading literacy with book and blade
#30435: Apr 10th 2025 at 6:06:21 AM

Does anyone have an idea of how to visually represent hundreds of millions of linked/infected minds and bodies throughout time and space?

During the Whole Episode Flashback to the origin of werewolves, there is a scene that flashes through the centuries after the first werewolf orders his children and grandchildren to kill him. It shows the progression of the curse, as spiritual parasite behind it ensnares new hosts when new werewolves are born or when humans are infected and turned.

I'm trying to think of a way to "visually" represent this (air quotes since it is a written medium). Would a vine slowly growing and sprouting new flowers work? Or something else entirely? Right now, I'm kind of stuck on that and while plant/tree metaphors are kind of my thing I don't know if it is appropriate in this case.

Edited by Swordofknowledge on Apr 10th 2025 at 7:34:35 AM

Fear is a tyrant and a despot, more terrible than the rack, more potent than the snake. — Edgar Walllace
Trainbarrel The Story Supporter from The Star Ocean Since: Jun, 2023 Relationship Status: You cannot grasp the true form
The Story Supporter
#30436: Apr 10th 2025 at 7:05:55 AM

[up] Did you know there is a forest in our world that is in fact just one single tree that cloned itself and every single one of those clones are connected by the roots beneath the ground?

So why not make it look like a root-pattern of a growing forest instead?

Edited by Trainbarrel on Apr 10th 2025 at 4:06:02 PM

"If there's problems, there's simple solutions."
Swordofknowledge Spreading literacy with book and blade from I like it here... Since: Aug, 2012 Relationship Status: [TOP SECRET]
Spreading literacy with book and blade
#30437: Apr 10th 2025 at 7:34:09 AM

[up] @ Trainbarrel:

I had vaguely heard of that "forest" and being completely shocked at how such a thing could exist.

That is a good metaphor, and I like it better than the vine, since trees are both far more formidable and "powerful" than mere flowers (like the werewolves they represent) and also there's the whole "forest" thing which is where wolves mostly make their homes...

Fear is a tyrant and a despot, more terrible than the rack, more potent than the snake. — Edgar Walllace
Nukeli Since: Aug, 2018
#30438: Apr 12th 2025 at 3:03:40 AM

Ideas for other forms of government in my scifi story? This is xenofiction about aliens who live in citystates. Monarchy wouldn't work because of their reproduction.

Systems i have this far:

  • Ruled by an elected council, whose leader is the head of state (The First Minister, "The First" for short). Like a prime minister, but without a president or a monarch above them.note 
  • Ruled by an elected head of state with more power and direct control than The First (Governor, as in they're the one who governs), though there are other lower elected positions. A system where an elected head of state rules directly and with greater power than The Firsts.
  • Ruled by an elected council, but also has a symbolic/ceremonial elected head of state with no real power (Declarer?), kind of like modern monarchies or presidents in parliamentary republics.

~*bleh*~
Florien The They who said it from statistically, slightly right behind you. Since: Aug, 2019
The They who said it
#30439: Apr 12th 2025 at 1:47:35 PM

City state governments often were ruled by a bunch of very short-term magistrates either appointed by lot from some accepted pool, or elected, with no particular specific leader for foreign relations (or sometimes multiple!) or sometimes they relied on a pool of former magistrates to advise and effectively dictate foreign policy.

Of course, kingship doesn't require hereditary government, many notable monarchies were not strictly hereditary, they were appointed by informal acclamation or formal electors, sometimes with specific eligibility requirements and sometimes not.

Kaiseror Since: Jul, 2016
#30440: Apr 12th 2025 at 2:55:20 PM

I'm curious if a primarily city-state based government would be possible for an industrial level of technology.

Florien The They who said it from statistically, slightly right behind you. Since: Aug, 2019
The They who said it
#30441: Apr 13th 2025 at 2:04:27 AM

Yes but also probably no.

City-states (or at least very small and/or weak states) are probably required for industrialization to happen, (industrialization seems to be a very very contingent thing that also requires specific geography and just good circumstance. After all, getting stuck as farmers or stuck as hunter-gatherers is a very real possibility, as we know because it happened repeatedly throughout history) but also large states are probably required too, for various complex reasons.

However a primarily city-state based international system is one of those things that doesn't have much stability. Eventually a dominant member emerges and breaks the system, if an outsider doesn't figure out being a state and do it first, and if everyone else is a city-state (or something like the greek poleis, in which they didn't necessarily have the one big central city but never were particularly large) in the bits of land city-states are possible, then very quickly they're going to have to start being a state, or stop being independent. (We can see this happen particularly with all the city-states of what is now southern France during the Roman Conquest of Transalpine Gaul.)

Ayumi-chan 3rd happiest man in Connecticut from Iacon City (Experienced Trainee) Relationship Status: I like big bots and I can not lie
3rd happiest man in Connecticut
#30442: Apr 13th 2025 at 4:25:16 AM

What's the difference of a reactive and proactive character? Please provide examples so I can get a good idea.

She/Her | Currently cleaning: N/A
ArsThaumaturgis Since: Nov, 2011 Relationship Status: I've been dreaming of True Love's Kiss
#30443: Apr 13th 2025 at 5:13:36 AM

I stand to be corrected, but I would say that a "reactive character" is one that responds to events after they happen, while a "proactive character" is one that anticipates events and then acts to prevent/mitigate/enable them as appropriate.

So, for a hypothetical example, let's say that we have a story in which the Big Bad Evil Guy (BBEG) is after five magical orbs.

A reactive character might await news of which orb the BBEG has just snatched, and then ride out to reclaim it.

A proactive character might try to figure out which orb the BBEG will go after next, and then ride out to lay an ambush for the BBEG's forces before they reach it.

My Games and Asset Packs
WarJay77 It's NaNo, Bay-beeee! (8,356/50,000) from My Writing Cave (Troper Knight) Relationship Status: Armed with the Power of Love
It's NaNo, Bay-beeee! (8,356/50,000)
#30444: Apr 13th 2025 at 10:05:49 PM

Also, villains are usually proactive while heroes are reactive; this is because in a lot of stories, the villain is after something specific and the hero needs to stop them from achieving it. A proactive hero can easily slide into being an anti-hero if they go too far in trying to pre-emptively prevent problems from happening. (Granted, a proactive hero can obviously work if the story is about something they want, aside from preserving the peace and stopping evil; this is just a general thing)

Working on: Author Appeal | Sandbox | Troper Wall
Swordofknowledge Spreading literacy with book and blade from I like it here... Since: Aug, 2012 Relationship Status: [TOP SECRET]
Spreading literacy with book and blade
#30445: Apr 14th 2025 at 6:22:56 AM

I'm curious if the plan of one of my villains makes zero sense when compared to another who has a similar ambition.

One member of my story's Big Bad Ensemble has plans to use the main character's Story-Breaker Power as a potent weapon in his plan to dominate the vampires and humans of the world. In other words, his end goal a world similar to the Daybreakers movie, in which vampires rule the Earth and humans are bred and farmed as blood sources and servants. Of course, with him ruling over both vampires and humans as an emperor of sorts. Diabolical and evil but understandable.

Here is where the question arises.

There is another lesser vampire villain (well, more like an entire faction) who wishes to likewise utilize the main character's powers in a similar manner. However, this group has zero intention of dominating humans; their only concern is exerting power and control over all the vampires of Earth, while continuing to maintain The Masquerade that has existed for untold centuries.

What I'm wondering is if this secondary villain's motives make sense, because they could truly reach for the stars like the first guy, yet they insist on keeping hidden in the shadows—literally. All in all, I feel like it risks creating a sort of "Dollar Store" version of the more powerful and involved villain I mentioned above.

Does this work?

Edited by Swordofknowledge on Apr 14th 2025 at 6:31:52 AM

Fear is a tyrant and a despot, more terrible than the rack, more potent than the snake. — Edgar Walllace
Trainbarrel The Story Supporter from The Star Ocean Since: Jun, 2023 Relationship Status: You cannot grasp the true form
The Story Supporter
#30446: Apr 14th 2025 at 11:25:47 AM

[up] It's a contrast of motivations and nothing wrong with it as far as I can see.

Two villains having the same idea but different end-games with it?

That's how crimes usually plays out around the globe. Multiple people having the same bad idea, just wanting different things from it when acting up on that idea.

"If there's problems, there's simple solutions."
Swordofknowledge Spreading literacy with book and blade from I like it here... Since: Aug, 2012 Relationship Status: [TOP SECRET]
Spreading literacy with book and blade
#30447: Apr 15th 2025 at 5:40:21 AM

[up] @ Trainbarrel:

You make a good point about multiple evil elements having the same plan but different ways of doing things. I guess I was worried about creating what seems to be a lesser version of the same threat, even if the people behind them have vastly different backgrounds and ideologies.

Fear is a tyrant and a despot, more terrible than the rack, more potent than the snake. — Edgar Walllace
BlakeIsHere That isn't a phone, Abe... from The Local Luigi's Since: Mar, 2022 Relationship Status: In denial
That isn't a phone, Abe...
#30448: Apr 16th 2025 at 10:42:06 AM

So, considering that the time portal in Menai City was open for at least a year before it was shut down, surely Zhanna and Joachim weren't the only ones to pass through it. There were others, but we don't know who they are.

They are most likely similar to Zhanna and Joachim, both from the past (Zhanna is from 18th-century Russia, and Joachim is from Imperial Germany) and are from military families with aristocratic origins. But I need to decide who they are, but they aren't as prominent villains as Zhanna and Joachim. What do you think of this? Any changes or additions I should make to this?

Hi, I'm a guy who loves a bunch of random stuff.
ArsThaumaturgis Since: Nov, 2011 Relationship Status: I've been dreaming of True Love's Kiss
#30449: Apr 17th 2025 at 3:41:10 AM

[up] As the questions stands, there isn't enough information to give a meaningful answer, I fear. You haven't really provided much context in your question.

Having some additional minor villains could work, if your story has space for them, or it could overstuff the cast if your story doesn't. They could add variety, or provide a means for the major villains to effect their plans—or they could distract from the main plot. And so on.

Likewise, you ask after changes or additions... but without knowing your story, or how these new villains will fit into it, it's hard to really answer that.

(Is this for a story that you've mentioned before somewhere, that might give context to your question...? I looked over the last few pages of the thread, but I didn't see a post from you...)

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Swordofknowledge Spreading literacy with book and blade from I like it here... Since: Aug, 2012 Relationship Status: [TOP SECRET]
Spreading literacy with book and blade
#30450: Apr 17th 2025 at 8:33:33 AM

I'm kind of wondering about the "feasibility" of a particular idea. It doesn't need to be exactly realistic but I'm wondering if I could avoid pure Rule of Cool when implementing it.

For a long time, I've toyed with the idea of the vampires of my story (well, at least one faction of them) using armor/gear that augments or at least compliments their physical abilities when fighting against the werewolves, to the point that it's basically standard issue when going up against them.

I guess what I want to know is, is the idea of armor/exosuits that boost a person's speed and/or physical strength possible? Again, it doesn't have to be completely reality-based, and I would certainly take liberties, but I wanted to know if it's completely out of the question for something like that to exist.

Fear is a tyrant and a despot, more terrible than the rack, more potent than the snake. — Edgar Walllace

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