Tempting Tapestry

Summary:

Come on, you know you want to touch it.

Tempting Tapestry

SaphiraRyuuka 07 Jan 2020 00:28

Item#: SCP-XXXX

Object Class: Safe

Special Containment Procedures: SCP-XXXX must be contained in a 2.5’X3.5’ reinforced wooden and glass frame at all times. Absolutely no physical contact with SCP-XXXX is permitted outside of its Containment Unit. In the instance SCP-XXXX is removed from Containment for transport, personnel of Level 3 clearance or higher must wear reinforced welding gloves at all times during contact with the item. Failure to due so may result in immediate termination.

Description: SCP-XXXX is a Tapestry made from colorful yarn and soft fabric with 2’X3’ dimensions. It has a relatively ordinary appearance, with the exception of the image changing depending on whoever is looking at it. The image reflects whatever the gazer’s most enticing attraction is, giving those who look upon it the overwhelming urge to touch it. Upon physical contact however, the subject is forcefully drawn into SCP-XXXX’s fibers, condemning them to a personal Hell of their own making.

Discovery: SCP-XXXX was created by a young woman during a [REDACTED] festival, during which an estimated [REDACTED] people were present. By the time Foundation personnel arrived to contain SCP-XXXX, the object had already claimed [REDACTED] into its fibers. The Tool used to create SCP-XXXX has been known to create Instances of SCP-XXXX-2, however, due to the object’s small size and ordinary appearance, it has yet to be located and collected by Foundation personnel.

Last edited on 08 Jan 2020 18:46 by SaphiraRyuuka Show more

Re: Tempting Tapestry

Doctor Fullham 07 Jan 2020 00:46

All I can really do is echo Zyn here and restate some things from my response to your previous thread.

1. Slow down a bit.
2. Understand that we are here to help, but there are limits to how far that help can go. We can help you refine ideas, but the ideas have to come from you.
3. Familiarize yourself with the modern wiki and its standards. Things have changed a lot since series 1. If you can, I recommend listening to staff member bluesoul's "SCP Cafe" podcast. He goes pretty in depth on successful SCPs, week by week, and breaks down what works and what doesn't. I've been listening for a few days and it's already given me some great insight for my current works in progress. [I am not saying that he is some sort of arbiter of what works and what does not but he has been around a while and has seen a lot of trends come and go.]
4. Be willing to scrap an idea, but don't default to it. Almost any concept could make a good SCP. It's all about execution.
5. When writing an SCP, think about the following questions:
   1. What is it? What is its form?
   2. What can it do? What are its abilities and vulnerabilities?
   3. How does it work? (This one can often be left vague or completely unanswered, but the question can lead to interesting new ideas.)
   4. Who created it, and why?
   5. How Does the Foundation find out about it?
   6. How do they contain it?

Thinking of the answers to these should help you refine your idea and hopefully spark some potential story threads. But most of all, as Zyn suggested, read a lot of modern SCPs. A good writer is a good reader, on the wiki or otherwise.

Last edited on 07 Jan 2020 04:11 by Doctor Fullham Show more

Re: Tempting Tapestry

SaphiraRyuuka 07 Jan 2020 05:04

I'll keep it in mind, thanks

Re: Tempting Tapestry

Zyn 07 Jan 2020 00:47

The image reflects whatever the gazer’s most enticing attraction is, giving those who look upon it the overwhelming urge to touch it.

What if this "attraction" isn't something that translates well to visual representation, like world peace or someone's lost loved one coming back to life? Also, why do people find the urge to touch this attraction thing, as opposed to being creeped out or just taking a selfie and leaving? (Typically, an SCP object's effect forcing someone to do something tends to come off as a lazy or contrived narrative, since there's more genuine tension if there's a struggle involved, and/or if the people instead act of their own volition rather than just because the author needs them to for the story to work. Consider reading through the further discussion on the narrative issues of compulsion and addiction effects.)

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the subject is forcefully drawn into it’s fibers, condemning them to a personal Hell of their own making.

Keep in mind that as the author, you know the entire story, but the Foundation needs to have discovered what it knows about the SCP object through observation and experimentation. You'll need to convince your reader that someone with no prior knowledge whatsoever of the anomaly managed to somehow figure out (not magically know!) all the information you've got in the article. How would a scientist be able to come to the conclusion that the anomaly involves a "personal hell of their own making" here?

SCP-XXXX was created by a young woman during a [REDACTED] festival, during which an estimated [REDACTED] people were present. By the time Foundation personnel arrived to contain the object, it had already claimed [REDACTED]

General note, there's no need to redact stuff during the conceptual stage, especially if it's not particularly important information. It just looks kind of cheesy (also, remember that the Foundation only uses metric units, so no feet). Just some things to keep in mind, to better ensure reviewers take your writing seriously.

The Tool used to create SCP-XXXX has been known to create Instances of SCP-XXXX-2, however, due to the object’s small size and ordinary appearance, it has yet to be located and collected by Foundation personnel.

How does the Foundation know that the "tool" exists at all? If they've watched it create SCP-XXXX-2s (whatever those are, also, where's the SCP-XXXX-1s?) why didn't they just seize the item then?

Re: Tempting Tapestry

SaphiraRyuuka 07 Jan 2020 00:56

Second ever attempt at making one, don't know what I'm doing.

Re: Tempting Tapestry

Zyn 07 Jan 2020 00:59

Maybe slow down a bit.

Read some high-rated Series V articles and their corresponding discussion threads, to see what the audience wants to see in an article they consider quality. On the flip side, look at deletion records to see what the community tends to downvote (current archive is here: http://www.scp-wiki.net/forum/t-12844836/deletions-62:a-crowded-room-friends-with-tired-eyes).

Also, definitely poke through the Guide Hub and the writing resources there. The walkthroughs in particular can be good starting places for new authors.

Re: Tempting Tapestry

SaphiraRyuuka 07 Jan 2020 01:02

It won't help, I've tried. If you don't like it, just say so.

Re: Tempting Tapestry

Zyn 07 Jan 2020 01:06

It won't help, I've tried.

Which articles have you read, and how did you use what you learned from the audience response to develop your own ideas?

If you don't like it, just say so.

This seems like kind of an immature response? Maybe take a moment to calm down first.

Re: Tempting Tapestry

SaphiraRyuuka 07 Jan 2020 01:09

I'm trying to keep it as vague as I can. Basically whatever you want it to be is what it is. What it looks like is up to you, all you need to do is touch it for its effect to take place

Re: Tempting Tapestry

Zyn 07 Jan 2020 01:13

I'm trying to keep it as vague as I can.

Why? This doesn't improve the interest of the article, especially given how common the trope is in existing works (example list here: https://tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pmwiki.php/Main/YourHeartsDesire)

It also doesn't relate well to the "sucks a person into a personal hell" effect. How are these two effects related narrative-wise? Thematically? Or were they just kind of randomly combined?

Re: Tempting Tapestry

SaphiraRyuuka 07 Jan 2020 01:14

Like I said, Second ever attempt

Re: Tempting Tapestry

Zyn 07 Jan 2020 01:20

Concepts here are reviewed with the same level of quality expectations, regardless of what number attempt the author is on.

Re: Tempting Tapestry

SaphiraRyuuka 07 Jan 2020 02:40

Sorry about my reaction, I just wasn't prepared for your questions. As its a basic concept at the minute, I haven't really had a chance to come up with the answers to them. I just wanted to see if people liked the general concept before I worked on it more.

Re: Tempting Tapestry

Zyn 07 Jan 2020 02:55

Sorry about my reaction, I just wasn't prepared for your questions.

No worries, totally understandable.

As its a basic concept at the minute, I haven't really had a chance to come up with the answers to them. I just wanted to see if people liked the general concept before I worked on it more.

Typically reviewers won't be that interested in just the basics, since they want to see more development before they're comfortable encouraging the author to start drafting. Sort of like making a smoothie—if you just show someone half of the ingredients you plan to use, they're not going to be confident the smoothie will be good.

Re: Tempting Tapestry

SaphiraRyuuka 07 Jan 2020 03:07

I just didn't want to put too much into it, only for it to be shot down. If that makes any sense. I wanted to see if people were interested before I started refining it, "testing the waters" if you will.

Re: Tempting Tapestry

Zyn 07 Jan 2020 03:15

I wanted to see if people were interested before I started refining it, "testing the waters" if you will.

If a reviewer feels like they've seen the basic setup before, worldbuilding and narrative are what makes the difference. If you're sticking to just the basics to gauge interest, you'll need to lead with something pretty unusual or unpredictable. In this case (hence the tvtropes link) you don't quite have that element with the current idea.

Re: Tempting Tapestry

SaphiraRyuuka 07 Jan 2020 03:20

Which is what I'm trying to accomplish, but I thought it was supposed to be vague and informative at the same time. If it needs more, just let me know what would make it more interesting and I'll fix it.

Re: Tempting Tapestry

Zyn 07 Jan 2020 03:24

Which is what I'm trying to accomplish, but I thought it was supposed to be vague and informative at the same time.

Why would the concept premise need to be vague?

If it needs more, just let me know what would make it more interesting and I'll fix it.

Did you answer the questions I asked previously?

Re: Tempting Tapestry

SaphiraRyuuka 07 Jan 2020 03:28

Vague to keep the readers guessing and interested. And I answered as best as I could: it lures people in based on an image that attracts them, like your reaction to an old photo or object you haven't seen in years. Your first reaction more often than not would be to pick it up. If not, it would appear blank, or as a jumbled mix of colors instead of an actual image.

Re: Tempting Tapestry

Zyn 07 Jan 2020 04:36

Vague to keep the readers guessing and interested.

People aren't going to be interested if the vague stuff is too bland.

And I answered as best as I could:

The "it lures people in based on an image that attracts them, like your reaction to an old photo or object you haven't seen in years. Your first reaction more often than not would be to pick it up" answer doesn't make sense since this thing is apparently a tapestry. Do people often just go up to strange tapestries and touch them?

You also didn't answer any of these questions:

• Also, why do people find the urge to touch this attraction thing, as opposed to being creeped out or just taking a selfie and leaving?
• How would a scientist be able to come to the conclusion that the anomaly involves a "personal hell of their own making" here?
• How does the Foundation know that the "tool" exists at all?
• If they've watched it create SCP-XXXX-2s (whatever those are, also, where's the SCP-XXXX-1s?)
• why didn't they just seize the item then?

Last edited on 07 Jan 2020 04:36 by Zyn Show more

Re: Tempting Tapestry

SaphiraRyuuka 07 Jan 2020 04:40

I'm still working on that bit, I'll probably repost it once I figure that out.

Re: Tempting Tapestry

Zyn 07 Jan 2020 04:48

Okay. Remember to continue using this thread, unless it's been inactive for 14 days or longer. Also, note that Doctor Fullham has posted feedback above that you should respond to.

Re: Tempting Tapestry

SaphiraRyuuka 07 Jan 2020 05:05

I see it, thanks for pointing it out