Writing Litrpg writers share with me your wisdom.

[ConcubusBunny]

While working some plot lines for a future game inspired litrpg story, I wanted to try how people will perceive such a system of analysing the game elements.
The system in place only shows info or advances your skill, class and level with how much you understand the world and your power.
For instance, if you were to analyze a herb or a monster, it will show up whatever name and description's knowledge you have read about whether or not you remember it.
For instance, if you were to look at a fire cracker herb that grants you higher body temperatures for cold wethers, if you don't know what it is, the information will be whatever you'll believe it to be. Now this won't stop it from having the same effects, but it will stop you from consuming the unknown substance out of fear of poison.
Same goes for class and skills, you won't be able to learn or do stuff if you haven't practiced it like real life. Even if you see or practice, if you don't know the fundamentals of a certain skill, you won't be very good at it. The same goes for improving on skills or leveling up, those factors depend on your understanding of what improving your power is and become different to others the more they understand and can control power.




I know I'm probably missing a lot, never done or read much litrpg's any advice on how to improve the system will be appreciated.

 

[LilTV1155]

I am not sure I understand what a litrpg genre is?
Is it a story that take place inside a game-like world with system setting?

 

[Zirrboy]

I am not sure I understand what a litrpg genre is?
Is it a story that take place inside a game-like world with system setting?

That's the most popular variant, I believe.
How much is actually game-like and how much is regular fantasy/real world with overlaid classification varies from author to author.
Sometimes it's just names (ranger, wizard, paladin etc.) or having magic as an assortment of named spells while reality remains discrete and soft in transitions.
On the other end you have full-on game menu screens and/or external means of strength gain (leveling, for example).

I know I'm probably missing a lot, never done or read much litrpg's any advice on how to improve the system will be appreciated.

It sounds interesting to me at least and I've yet to see something like that. (Not an avid litrpg reader, so might not say much)

Though the question is what the advantage of this system would be, given that it only tells people what they already know.
Other than creating reason to dump that knowledge, which sounds pretty interruptive.

Does it tell a little more or give hints for you to figure out?

Or is the world actively ruled by game logic, with classes and the likes being an actual thing you choose through said menu?
That could work imo.

Kind of like playing a fromsoft game without a guide. You never know whether the next upgrade will triple your damage, waste the time you spent to get it or even reduce your capabilities.
Even if that comes with the task of balancing the gains of this system for your characters. Even if the main cast strays from the norm, getting a god-slaying build by chance while everyone else remains relatively normal will inevitably be a stretch.

In this case the world would probably be rather heavy on education, though. The more you know about the options available to you, the better your setup becomes. So you'd have "schools" of some sort for almost every practice, with informals being probably those who weren't allowed in, therefor looked down upon.


While this certainly won't be the only way of making something out of it, one option is always to just make it a regular fantasy world instead

 

[ConcubusBunny]

It sounds interesting to me at least and I've yet to see something like that. (Not an avid litrpg reader, so might not say much)

Though the question is what the advantage of this system would be, given that it only tells people what they already know.
Other than creating reason to dump that knowledge, which sounds pretty interruptive.

Does it tell a little more or give hints for you to figure out?

Or is the world actively ruled by game logic, with classes and the likes being an actual thing you choose through said menu?
That could work imo.

Kind of like playing a fromsoft game without a guide. You never know whether the next upgrade will triple your damage, waste the time you spent to get it or even reduce your capabilities.
Even if that comes with the task of balancing the gains of this system for your characters. Even if the main cast strays from the norm, getting a god-slaying build by chance while everyone else remains relatively normal will inevitably be a stretch.

In this case the world would probably be rather heavy on education, though. The more you know about the options available to you, the better your setup becomes. So you'd have "schools" of some sort for almost every practice, with informals being probably those who weren't allowed in, therefor looked down upon.


While this certainly won't be the only way of making something out of it, one option is always to just make it a regular fantasy world instead

I did decide that whatever they know is whatever they get, no hints. There won't be lots of info dump in the world or school's, sort of, the place where they learn skills will training facilities hosted by trained individuals. The people without knowledge of things will only be looked down upon in human societies, the monster's work as a unit and help each other and I'm more focused with the monster's anyways.
As for the build and system setup, there is no guide or options or tree, they just sorta learn from someone with a high class I'd what they want or trial and error.

 

[Zirrboy]

I did decide that whatever they know is whatever they get, no hints. There won't be lots of info dump

Couldn't you do away with the menu screens entirely then?

the world or school's, sort of, the place where they learn skills will training facilities hosted by trained individuals

This is what I was referring to. Though perhaps my wording was a bit misleading

The people without knowledge of things will only be looked down upon in human societies, the monster's work as a unit and help each other and I'm more focused with the monster's anyways.

But wouldn't this also mean that uncooperative/antisocial characters, which seem to be quite prevalent in your previous works, are disliked instead?
Being a team never comes with just positives after all.

 

[greyblob]

While working some plot lines for a future game inspired litrpg story,

I know I'm probably missing a lot, never done or read much litrpg's

mate at least do your homework.
and I have no idea what you're asking for. regarding the system as to how I understood it: it sounds quite pointless. what's the point of getting a prompt that spells out what I already know about something (whether that's correct or not).

 

[ConcubusBunny]

But wouldn't this also mean that uncooperative/antisocial characters, which seem to be quite prevalent in your previous works, are disliked instead?
Being a team never comes with just positives after all.

No, they aren't disliked. Everyones got their own thing to deal with. The monster societies can't force anti-social people to mingle with others, it's if they choose to train or be trained, then they aren't going to force them, although they are benefits from training obviously.
The team aspect will be sorta hard to do with the less social butterflies in this world as they don't feel comfortable with others, they'd come out sometimes not say much or mingle for too long. Being antisocial doesn't exactly mean that you hate people, you just aren't good with them and that should be respected, not looked down upon like you're some freak who can't function right.

mate at least do your homework.
and I have no idea what you're asking for. regarding the system as to how I understood it: it sounds quite pointless. what's the point of getting a prompt that spells out what I already know about something (whether that's correct or not).

Scouting, researching, information manipulation given with what intel you know. The system works as a personal computer only that the programmer is your brain, not a definite understanding of what it is. I did this so that each person's growth isn't the same as the next person's own, or their understanding of power.

 

[Zirrboy]

No, they aren't disliked. Everyones got their own thing to deal with.

the monster's work as a unit and help each other and I'm more focused with the monster's anyways.

Yeah, no, for me those two are mutually exclusive.
If you invest in members of your group you will make sure they repay it in some form, and appearing if you're feeling like it is somewhat counterintuitive to that.

But then again, your story, your call. A bit of unicorn is part of every novel.

 

[greyblob]

Scouting, researching, information manipulation given with what intel you know. The system works as a personal computer only that the programmer is your brain, not a definite understanding of what it is. I did this so that each person's growth isn't the same as the next person's own, or their understanding of power.

I went back and read the post, and I guess that could work? but frankly sounds tiresome and a headache to balance. especially the worldbuilding. it'll be a nightmare. anyways, the most important thing about litrpgs is progression. numbers, stats, levels, skills - it's all numbers going up, which is evidently, progression.

 

[Cipiteca396]

For instance, if you were to analyze a herb or a monster, it will show up whatever name and description's knowledge you have read about whether or not you remember it

I did decide that whatever they know is whatever they get, no hints.

Scouting, researching, information manipulation given with what intel you know. The system works as a personal computer only that the programmer is your brain, not a definite understanding of what it is. I did this so that each person's growth isn't the same as the next person's own, or their understanding of power

There's a huge flaw in this idea. If what the system shows is based on your knowledge, then it would consistently show misinformation, errors, and useless trivia. 'Oh, this moss was supposed to have a red flower, right?' 'What was the name of this stuff again? Depth Bloom? Death Bloom? Something like that, I guess.'

Especially important to note is that any schools or training facilities would be teaching based on this misinformation, causing it to spread. You believe it because it's what you were taught in school or 'learned' in the field, and it mostly works or it's irrelevant to you so there's no way to know it's wrong.

If it doesn't show misinformation, only the truth (first of all, that's a hint... You could literally just sit there guessing the properties of something until it showed up on the status) then why even bother limiting the data to what you know?

How does it even recognize the difference? If the system can look at something and say, 'Oh no, that's wrong.' Where does it get that information? If there's a database that it's pulling information from, then why doesn't it just share that data directly instead of making you guess?

I do like the idea of having something like an encyclopedia that I can draw information from whenever I want. This idea would basically just be like... A notetaking device that writes everything you see in real time. Or an eidetic memory. Hell, you could just make it a 'Memory' or 'Encyclopedia' skill.

Being antisocial doesn't exactly mean that you hate people, you just aren't good with them and that should be respected, not looked down upon like you're some freak who can't function right.

Being antisocial by definition means you interact with people in a way that is aggressively NOT social. Lie, cheat, steal, assault, and have no comprehension of right or wrong. They can actually be quite extraverted and charming, seeking out people to interact with.

Someone who isn't good with being around other people is a loner, shy, anxious, or an introvert. The Loner Protagonist tag on SH specifically says not to confuse it with Anti-Social Protagonist, so be careful when picking your tags.

 

[ConcubusBunny]

There's a huge flaw in this idea. If what the system shows is based on your knowledge, then it would consistently show misinformation, errors, and useless trivia. 'Oh, this moss was supposed to have a red flower, right?' 'What was the name of this stuff again? Depth Bloom? Death Bloom? Something like that, I guess.'

Especially important to note is that any schools or training facilities would be teaching based on this misinformation, causing it to spread. You believe it because it's what you were taught in school or 'learned' in the field, and it mostly works or it's irrelevant to you so there's no way to know it's wrong.

If it doesn't show misinformation, only the truth (first of all, that's a hint... You could literally just sit there guessing the properties of something until it showed up on the status) then why even bother limiting the data to what you know?

How does it even recognize the difference? If the system can look at something and say, 'Oh no, that's wrong.' Where does it get that information? If there's a database that it's pulling information from, then why doesn't it just share that data directly instead of making you guess?

I do like the idea of having something like an encyclopedia that I can draw information from whenever I want. This idea would basically just be like... A notetaking device that writes everything you see in real time. Or an eidetic memory. Hell, you could just make it a 'Memory' or 'Encyclopedia' skill.

Well that's sorta the point you only know what you know if someone taught you that's it. Just like in real life, like stated above it will only show info of what you know and it won't spread misinfo, because that info is what you believe it to be not what it actually just like real life. Let's you look at the properties of a herb and you find that that thing of what you thought you knew is wrong the system will update it and discard the old useless info as your library has evolved.
No it's not a hive mind, like I said you're the programmer, the system can only give info on what you know otherwise how would it gave gotten that info I'm the first place and what's the point of researcher's if all information is always at the ready.

 

[Cipiteca396]

Let's you look at the properties of a herb and you find that that thing of what you thought you knew is wrong the system will update it and discard the old useless info as your library has evolved.

If you can only see the (incorrect) properties of the herb that you know about, how does the system 'update' your incorrect info with correct info? If you have to physically and carefully examine the herb, test its properties with alchemy, or even scarf the thing and see what happens... Most people aren't going to do that. The information will stay incorrect. An entire tribe of people could incorrectly believe that the weird white grass that grows under their tents gives them access to the system, and ritually imbibe it at birth. There would be no reason for the system to say, "Well, actually, that's not how it works..."

it will only show info of what you know and it won't spread misinfo, because that info is what you believe it to be not what it actually just like real life

What you believe is determined by what you're taught, just like in real life.

 

[GodlessEmperor]

While working some plot lines for a future game inspired litrpg story, I wanted to try how people will perceive such a system of analysing the game elements.
The system in place only shows info or advances your skill, class and level with how much you understand the world and your power.
For instance, if you were to analyze a herb or a monster, it will show up whatever name and description's knowledge you have read about whether or not you remember it.
For instance, if you were to look at a fire cracker herb that grants you higher body temperatures for cold wethers, if you don't know what it is, the information will be whatever you'll believe it to be. Now this won't stop it from having the same effects, but it will stop you from consuming the unknown substance out of fear of poison.
Same goes for class and skills, you won't be able to learn or do stuff if you haven't practiced it like real life. Even if you see or practice, if you don't know the fundamentals of a certain skill, you won't be very good at it. The same goes for improving on skills or leveling up, those factors depend on your understanding of what improving your power is and become different to others the more they understand and can control power.




I know I'm probably missing a lot, never done or read much litrpg's any advice on how to improve the system will be appreciated.

I think this system is fine how it is.
Personally, I would write things he doesn't know about as 'unkown'. Example a purple dotted mushroom. The character doesn't know anything about it but it gives off a poisonous impression. In this case the character would guess "must be poison" but the system should say "unknown". It should only say that it's poisonous if someone else told him "yeah that shit's poisonous af".
But really that's just how I'd do it. Becuase, else it'd be no different than a mental note app.