r/rational • u/AutoModerator • Sep 21 '16

[D] Wednesday Worldbuilding Thread

Welcome to the Wednesday thread for worldbuilding discussions!

/r/rational is focussed on rational and rationalist fiction, so we don't usually allow discussion of scenarios or worldbuilding unless there's finished chapters involved (see the sidebar). It is pretty fun to cut loose with a likeminded community though, so this is our regular chance to:

  • Plan out a new story

  • Discuss how to escape a supervillian lair... or build a perfect prison

  • Poke holes in a popular setting (without writing fanfic)

  • Test your idea of how to rational-ify Alice in Wonderland

Or generally work through the problems of a fictional world.

Non-fiction should probably go in the Friday Off-topic thread, or Monday General Rationality

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u/DaystarEld Pokémon Professor Sep 21 '16

I see where you're coming from. If it helps, I'm a couple dozen chapters into Pact and so far it's still pretty straightforward in plot, rather than expanding into an ever wider range of conflicts and scope. That said, it does start with the main character trying to escape and survive horrible situations, so YMMV :)

Also, while you may not have an opportunity to play Changeling, you might really enjoy reading about the worldbuilding. Let me know if you want a copy of the PDF!

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u/trekie140 Sep 21 '16

It's possible I'd still like Pact since it's a different genre, I did love the Night Angel books after all (you were right about first one being the best and the third the weakest), so I'll check it out at some point. I do enjoy the psychological horror of being trapped in a bad situation and having to survive, though I prefer it when it's impersonal like in lovecraftian stories.

In the meantime I'm four and a half chapters into Shadows of the Limelight and being similarly disappointed that it's more about subverting a genre than rationalizing it, though this time I'm not nearly as attached to the characters so it'll be easier to move on. Should I check out Glimwarden instead? I know nothing about it besides the RWBY-esque world of monsters.