Questions tagged [discussion]

The question you're asking is designed to solicit opinions or best-practices on a particular topic, with the goal of reaching community consensus.

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Inactive Sandbox 2017-18

In order to make the Sandbox easier to use, a new Sandbox question will be posted when the old one becomes too full. This Sandbox has been retired. You can check here for the full list of past and ...
DaaaahWhoosh's user avatar
54 votes
44 answers
8k views

Inactive Sandbox 2014-2017

This sandbox got a little full, so we've created some more. You should still link to this one as we will update it whenever a new one is created. Current Sandbox: Sandbox for proposed Questions ...
ArtOfCode's user avatar
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16 votes
17 answers
2k views

Catalog of Question Types

In an effort to start building consensus after asking: Enough is enough. NOBODY can obey rules that are only in someone's head, I'd like to start with what I hope will become a canonical catalog ...
JBH's user avatar
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37 votes
5 answers
7k views

Inactive Sandbox 2019-2022

This version of the Sandbox is now Inactive. The next Sandbox is: Sandbox for proposed Questions Questions still active on January 1, 2023 will be automatically marked abandoned and closed.
JBH's user avatar
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36 votes
12 answers
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A proposal to finalize the "are real world questions on-topic" debate

If you would like to discuss this or explain disagreements, or want clarification please feel free to join this chatroom. The moderators have discussed the recent re-invigoration of the on or off ...
James's user avatar
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62 votes
1 answer
29k views

Anatomically Correct Series

This Query is part of the Worldbuilding Resources Article. As you all know there is a series of questions that have been asked to create fictional creatures in a realistic evolutionary way. And below ...
TrEs-2b's user avatar
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40 votes
35 answers
2k views

What should be the subjects of our fortnightly topic challenges?

Worldbuilding is beginning its fortnightly topic challenges. In that trichoplax wrote As this question is already being used for answers on how to approach this, would it be clearer to have a ...
HDE 226868's user avatar
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31 votes
4 answers
3k views

Why is my question "Too Story Based" and how do I get it opened?

See also: When should I close a question as "Too Story Based"? Asking about plot elements such as the actions of characters, rather than about the world in which your story takes place, is ...
Tim B's user avatar
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24 votes
5 answers
7k views

Inactive Sandbox 2018

This sandbox is inactive. Please visit the next Sandbox for Proposed Questions In order to make the Sandbox easier to use, a new Sandbox question will be posted when the old one becomes too full. ...
Bellerophon's user avatar
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53 votes
3 answers
2k views

How to deal with "Please develop my High Concept" questions?

"Hello Community... I have a great idea for my Worldbuilding. Assume Earth and history as we know it, but in my world, Hitler died from whooping cough as a baby. What is my world like after this ...
MichaelK's user avatar
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14 votes
3 answers
557 views

Idea Refinement: Clarification and Examples of VTC Reasons for New Users

This page was written before the late 2019 changes to close-voting. However, much of the information is still relevant. -JBH The Welcome to Worldbuilding.SE! page for new users is up and running. My ...
JBH's user avatar
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29 votes
2 answers
2k views

What's wrong with "idea generation" questions?

We now have a dedicated "Idea Generation" close vote/flag reason!! What does it mean? What is the problem with "idea generation" questions?
Shokhet's user avatar
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43 votes
12 answers
1k views

Is Worldbuilding a What If Site?

A few months back, my participation on this site dropped heavily for various reasons, most of them real life commitments. Now I've come back, and there's something I've noticed. When I left, the site ...
ArtOfCode's user avatar
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26 votes
4 answers
551 views

Should our default position be that answers should be science-/logic-based, rather than magic-based?

We are seeing some questions which receive answers that deal with magic. There isn't anything wrong in building worlds where magic exists, but there are two main issues that I can see: Magic systems ...
user's user avatar
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39 votes
0 answers
2k views

How to write the perfect question

Writing good questions can be difficult. To help you, the community came up with ten yes or no questions that will guide you and help you prevent common errors. Follow the links for more information ...
T3 H40's user avatar
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29 votes
3 answers
3k views

We have a blog!

As you may have seen, over the past couple of weeks, Worldbuilding has been building not a world, but a blog. The setup of that blog is now complete! You can come and visit us now. We've got a ...
ArtOfCode's user avatar
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23 votes
5 answers
566 views

Is a "real world" question off topic?

I recently came across this: How do I know if my moon is full? It's been closed as off topic by several high reputation users as not being about worldbuilding. It clearly is though, it's information ...
Tim B's user avatar
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15 votes
2 answers
718 views

Magic is primarily opinion-based by definition, so what does a POB VTC mean?

Considering the closure of Is magical rapid premature aging painful? And relating to this meta question and this meta question. Magic is Primarily Opinion-Based (POB) by definition. Without some ...
JBH's user avatar
  • 117k
27 votes
6 answers
1k views

Worldbuilding Scope - Risk Factors

TL;DR: This question is the foundation stone of an attempt to more thoroughly define the scope of Worldbuilding by defining "Risk Factors" that make something Out Of Scope. The discussion of ...
22 votes
1 answer
1k views

Welcome to Worldbuilding.SE!

Thanks for joining Worldbuilding.SE! We look forward to stepping foot on your world and enjoying another world of wonder and excitement! Our site is a wonderful place for creative and imaginative ...
JBH's user avatar
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12 votes
5 answers
1k views

Policy Clarification: Asking about commercial or third-party worlds

We have an unwritten rule that questions about commercial worlds (e.g. Star Wars, Star Trek, Babylon 5, etc.) should be asked on the Science Fiction & Fantasy stack. Or we might have one. That's ...
JBH's user avatar
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19 votes
0 answers
323 views

Case Study Series

As discussed in chat and based on Tim B's recent post , I'd like us to have a series of case studies, where various users of the site post their five top-rated questions (or any five questions of ...
DaaaahWhoosh's user avatar
15 votes
4 answers
464 views

When is "that's not possible" an appropriate answer?

Every once in a while, we do get questions where "that's not possible" is a valid answer to the question as asked (with perhaps further clarification in comments). Sometimes the question gives ...
user's user avatar
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50 votes
1 answer
12k views

Creating a realistic world Series

There are a series of questions that go through the process of creating a realistic world step-by-step. This is a series of questions that tries to break down the process of creating a world from ...
clem steredenn's user avatar
19 votes
1 answer
843 views

Fortnightly topic challenge #1: Space

Yesterday I wrote up a post asking if people would like weekly - now fortnightly topic challenges. The answer from the community was a resounding yes. So today will be the first one. As per some of ...
HDE 226868's user avatar
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17 votes
3 answers
356 views

If we can't burn the "reality check" tag, can we rename it?

Conclusion: The tag wikis have been updated and the new reality-check tag made a synonym of science-based. Users can conveniently find links to the modified tags here: Please review the updated tag ...
JBH's user avatar
  • 117k
14 votes
1 answer
471 views

Fortnightly topic challenge #2: Flora

Previously I wrote up a post asking if people would like weekly - now fortnightly topic challenges. The answer from the community was a resounding yes. So today will be the second one. As per some of ...
HDE 226868's user avatar
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7 votes
5 answers
315 views

Does [hard-science] imply [science-based] imply [reality-check]?

A July 2022 renovation of the reality-check tag and others has changed the context of this question. It is now obsolete. Please see the following question and the link under "Conclusion." If ...
user's user avatar
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6 votes
1 answer
399 views

What is the Worldbuilding site about?

I just now stumbled upon this site while looking up "could Kaiju exist?" and I would be interested to know what type of questions to ask on here.
yeetmaster69's user avatar
104 votes
11 answers
2k views

Worldbuilding Site Design

I'm Kurtis, a product designer at Stack Exchange. First off, congratulations on your recent site graduation! Graduation and Your Site Design Graduation comes with a few perks. We have already begun ...
Kurtis Beavers's user avatar
22 votes
10 answers
697 views

Can there be done more to assure users that closing questions is not a Bad Thing?

Inspired by rage quitting user after they posted this meta question: How can i prevent a raging moderator from blocking my questions? Every closed question hurts. It hurts you double when you are ...
Pavel Janicek's user avatar
20 votes
1 answer
719 views

Are software recommendation questions on topic?

There are lots of various software packages out there that assist in the creation of a world, from keeping track of details, characters and plots to map creation tools. Are questions asking for ...
Styphon's user avatar
  • 3,405
12 votes
15 answers
642 views

Checklist for the perfect post - Idea refinement

The post is now created, using the top 10 questions as of the 25th of may '16. But you can still feel free to add your helpful questions for interested users (make sure to use the template below). ...
T3 H40's user avatar
  • 1,438
9 votes
2 answers
517 views

Fortnightly topic challenge #3: Creature Design

Today begins our Third topic challenge! Topic: creature-design Dates: 9 March - 22 March Proposed by: We've only had a handful of creature-design questions, but they've been a joy to ask, ...
James's user avatar
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8 votes
3 answers
333 views

The problem with opinion based questions

I've seen a few questions, including my own, being closed for being 'too opinion based'. My question is, what's wrong with that? I think that in the SE philosophy opinion based questions are bad ...
Dotan's user avatar
  • 3,129
92 votes
2 answers
18k views

New blog post: With My Conlang, I Would Not Fail (previous: Salvage - Part 2 of Landed)

Welcome to the newest post on Universe Factory, the blog of the Worldbuilding community: With My Conlang, I Would Not Fail, by Sean F. Larson In all the talking and back and forth talk, my principal ...
Monica Cellio's user avatar
61 votes
1 answer
3k views

Reminder to close-voters

While conducting a normal review of the Reopen Review Queue, I was presented with this recent question. While I agree with the too-broad close reason, I was dismayed to notice that no comments had ...
Frostfyre's user avatar
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14 votes
6 answers
770 views

Should questions about painfully killing people be welcomed on this site?

Specific question in discussion: gruesome execution by slow dissolution in low-concentration acid solution But lets talk more generic: Questions of how to kill a person, or set of people are ...
Pavel Janicek's user avatar
12 votes
2 answers
320 views

Are answers solely referencing novels/movies/etc. okay?

In my time on Worldbuilding, I've seen loads of answers along the lines of I remember reading a book with a similar scenario: [Insert book name here] by [Insert author name here]. In it, [long plot ...
HDE 226868's user avatar
  • 99.8k
10 votes
1 answer
172 views

Should we rename Idea Generation?

Based on this question. I don't really like "Idea Generation" as a reason to close. It seems like too much of a subtle reason to me, since really this entire site is about ideas. Even the ...
Dan Smolinske's user avatar
8 votes
1 answer
511 views

Fortnightly topic challenge #4: Magic

Today begins our fourth topic challenge! Topic: magic Dates: 23 March - 5 April Proposed by: When I joined Worldbuilding, I told myself that I would only answer science-based questions. I'd ...
James's user avatar
  • 32.8k
7 votes
16 answers
2k views

Sandbox for proposed Questions

The Sandbox works best if you sort posts by "active" (click here to do so). Welcome to the Sandbox! This "Sandbox" is a place where Worldbuilding.SE users can get feedback on ...
JBH's user avatar
  • 117k
83 votes
1 answer
961 views

Congratulations, Worldbuilding is graduating!

It's a big day. You've been cleared for graduation by the Stack Exchange Community Team! Worldbuilding met our threshold for graduation-worthy sites and after a review, the Community Team determined ...
Grace Note's user avatar
  • 101
33 votes
5 answers
847 views

Real Life cannot be an overriding limitation on any question unless specifically requested

I have finally found the perfect question to kick-start this discussion concerning what I believe is a growing undesirable behavior on Worldbuilding How can the Sea of Japan be drained? The OP wasn'...
JBH's user avatar
  • 117k
26 votes
5 answers
2k views

The many memes of Worldbuilding

This was inspired by The Many Memes of Meta and The many memes of scifi.stackexchange. This is something I thought of a couple months ago, but decided to wait to actually propose. I'll quote the post ...
HDE 226868's user avatar
  • 99.8k
17 votes
5 answers
401 views

Worldbuilding Blog - Phase 1 and 2: Raising the idea and definition

Disclaimer: Blogs are on hold for the moment and this thread will likely not lead directly to us having our own blog. Instead, this post is supposed to test the water. I think Worldbuilding is a good ...
overactor's user avatar
  • 5,585
11 votes
3 answers
273 views

Sandbox cleanup

So I was sifting through the question sandbox...would it be totally inappropriate to remove items that haven't seen any activity for maybe...30 days? Talking about questions that have not been ...
James's user avatar
  • 32.8k
10 votes
6 answers
406 views

How should we deal with inherently open-ended fishing-for-ideas questions?

We've had a number of questions lately that, in my opinion, skirt the rules. They're not specific (per the new Help Center, THANKS! for that BTW). Examples are: Anti-Psychic Countermeasures What ...
JBH's user avatar
  • 117k
9 votes
2 answers
441 views

Create Custom Help Center Articles

We need to prepare for our site to enter public beta, and one of the things we need to do is define what goes in the help center and the tour. This is one of The 7 Essential Meta Questions of Every ...
9 votes
2 answers
263 views

Fortnightly topic challenge #5 : City Design

Now begins our fifth topic challenge! Topic: city-design Dates: 6 April - 19 April Proposed by: I've enjoyed these questions. I can see these sort of questions being asked: -Given x ...
Vincent's user avatar
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