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How Does One Write A Good Level?

Perhaps you're here for the answer to this exact question.

1. A Revolutionary Concept

As some general guidelines, each level should capture a certain feeling of the Backrooms, whether it be familiarity, nostalgia, fear, suspense, or surrealism. Such emotions are important to the experience and immersion of the Backrooms levels themselves. If you base your level off a real-life reference, such as a warehouse or a hospital, check for originality. The level should contain some abnormality or strangeness that distinguishes your level from a normal Frontrooms experience.

Make your level uncanny, but don't overdo it. Shoehorning "infinite size" will not make a level any more intriguing. In general, something in the levels should disobey established laws of reality — something should function differently. Make sure your levels are not predictable, especially if you are considering a log. A seemingly-safe level with occasional power outages can easily fall into this trap. You can predict that the level becomes much more dangerous in complete darkness; there will likely be entities appearing and intimidating wanderers with creepy noises. Try to avoid this "entities appear only in the dark" cliché whenever possible. It'll make your writing stand out from the rest of the crowd.

Avoid extremities —

Read your draft over and ask yourself these questions:

  • Does it invoke familiarity, nostalgia, fear, suspense, or surrealism?
  • Can you identify why this level feels off-putting? What makes this a Backrooms level and not just a Frontrooms location?
  • Is the concept original and unique? Refrain from generic dark hallways and empty outside areas.
  • Is it cliché or predictable? Can one guess the rest of the events based on the first few descriptors?
  • Can you describe it enough to produce a visual image in readers' heads, but preserve the vagueness to keep readers guessing?
  • How dangerous should the level be?
  • Last of all, does your concept fit the Backrooms? Does it revolve around mystery, horror, or liminality?

For example

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