Making Lore
by @DXCTYPE
Alright, let’s be honest, at least one of you guys reading this has trouble coming up with lore. (And I did, once.) So this topic will destroy that wall between you and good lore.
I know there are two other topics on this, but I think:
Dishonest Opinion: They’re alright, but missed a few facts.
Honest Opinion: They’re short, undetailed, and one of them is unfinished. (Very sorry if I’m rude)
Okay, enough talking, let’s get to the good part.
Coming up with ideas:
This might be one of the most challenging parts of making good lore, but this is easier than you think.
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A.I.
I know, very unethical, but it can be useful. A.I. is very good at making anything (except art), even lore! On a school Chromebook and ChatGPT is blocked? Use Grammarly’s A.I.! It’s not the best A.I. in the world, but it’s good enough for me. Usually, A.I. likes to use fancy & big words, so I recommend you rewrite what the A.I. gives you. -
Inspiration
You can get inspiration from other GKC maps, and even other real games! Ex. Brawl Stars, FNAF, LOZ (Legend of Zelda), Genshin Impact, etc.
You can also get lore from real-life incidents! Ex. Titanic, Ocean Gate implosion, etc.
Another place is books! Ex. Harry Potter, Fahrenheit 451, etc.
Drafting
This part might be the easiest part… Just write down your lore! But remember, make it look clean! This will make it much easier to implement the lore in the future.
Draft editing
First, ask yourself “How do I want my lore to sound? Scary? Happy? Sad?”
Note: I am a good story-writer, so you can trust me on this part.
Scary
If you want a scary tone, cut off sentences and add statics (if possible). Also, use a lot of imagery. Constantly describe your setting and use negative connotations. Ex. The dark and gloomy house.
Howl
Crypts
Cackle
Levitation
Cobweb
Tombstone
Grave
Chill
Graveyard
Chill
Zombies
Monster
Coffin
Bloodsucker
Dreadulness
Tomb
Corpse
Skeleton
Cemetery
Cadaver
Spine-chilling
Wolf
Pumpkin
Disguise
Goblin
Fangs
Burial
Dreadfulness
Specter
Poltergeist
Scream
Nightmare
Ghoul
Darkness
Creep
Shadow
Possession
Wraith
Fear
Phantom
Omen
Supernatural
Eerie
Harrow
Fright
Apparition
Murder
Horrify
Petrify
Shriek
Sinister
Abomination
Panic
Mist
Cursed
Menace
Chains
Gore
Catacomb
Gruesome
Moonlight
Chase
Changeling
Words by @CringeKarlScott
Happy
Use passive voice and simple words, and try to use positive connotations.
Words:
Laughter, happiness, love, happy, laughed, laugh, laughing, excellent, laughs, joy, successful, win, rainbow, smile, won, pleasure, smiled, rainbows, winning, celebration, enjoyed, healthy, music, celebrating, congratulations, weekend, celebrate, comedy, jokes, rich, victory, Christmas, free, friendship, fun, holidays, loved, loves, loving, beach, kissing, sunshine, delicious, friends, funny, outstanding, paradise, sweetest, vacation, butterflies, freedom, flower, great, sunlight, sweetheart, sweetness, award, chocolate, hahahaha, heaven, peace, splendid, success, enjoying, kissed, attraction, celebrated, hero, hugs, positive, sun, birthday, blessed, fantastic, winner, delight, beauty, butterfly,entertainment, funniest, honesty, sky, smiles, succeed, wonderful, glorious, kisses, promotion, family, gift, humor, romantic, cupcakes, festival, hahahahaha, honour, relax, weekends, angel, b-day, bonus, brilliant, diamonds, holiday, lucky, mother, super, amazing, angels, enjoy, friend, friendly, mother’s, profit, finest, bday, champion, grandmother, haha, kiss, kitten, miracle, sweet, blessings, bright, cutest, entertaining, excited, excitement, joke, millionaire, prize, succeeded, successfully, winners, shines, awesome, genius, achievement, cake, cheers, exciting, goodness, hug, income, party, puppy, smiling, song, succeeding, tasty, victories, achieved, billion, cakes, easier, flowers, gifts, gold, merry, families, handsome, lovers, affection, candy, cute, diamond, earnings, interesting, peacefully, praise, relaxing, roses, Saturdays, faithful, heavens, cherish, comfort, congrats, cupcake, earn, extraordinary, glory, hilarious, moonlight, optimistic, peaceful, romance, feast, attractive, glad, grandma, internet, pleasant, profits, smart.
Words by @THEHACKER120
Sad
Very sorry, but I’m can’t write good with a sad tone, but I can give some tips:
Sad Imagery
Negative Connotations
Words:
unhappy
heartbroken
depressed
miserable
sorry
bad
melancholy
upset
worried
sorrowful
disappointed
mournful
uneasy
hopeless
saddened
troubled
dejected
gloomy
heartsick
doleful
melancholic
forlorn
crestfallen
depressing
glum
disconsolate
inconsolable
woebegone
joyless
despondent
downcast
wretched
woeful
brokenhearted
distressed
blue
suicidal
droopy
hangdog
downhearted
discouraged
heavyhearted
down
low-spirited
heartsore
down in the mouth
low
tearful
grieving
despairing
aggrieved
cast down
somber
bleak
regretful
sunk
dispirited
disheartened
weeping
morbid
desolate
unquiet
anguished
lugubrious
plaintive
sombre
dolorous
morose
lachrymose
rueful
dark
grey
cheerless
dismal
agonized
wailing
sullen
dreary
gray
elegiac
comfortless
funereal
drear
black
murky
darkening
saturnine
elegiacal
Words by @CringeKarlScott
Tips:
Add lots of ellipses (…) But don’t overdo it!
Add things like “If only…” “But I can’t…” “I’m not good at …” for a more hopeless sort of feel
Use sad words like the ones in the replies above
Add a lot of crying/sniffling/lying in bed/feeling like they have no purpose/hopelessness
End with a “Will I be able to…” or “I’ll probably fail…” To add some doubt (also can be used throughout the story, not just at the end)
If at the end your character goes out and does something, lead into it with “I’ll probably fail, but I have to try” or “It’s not going to work, but I need to do this for ___”
If your character decides to do nothing at the end, lead into it with “I know for a fact I’ll fail, so there’s no point in doing this.” or “It’s never going to happen. I’m not doing this.”
Lots of lying in bed
Isolation from other people in their life
More time on screens/alone
Deterioration of health/cleanliness (if it’s that bad)
Nothing much happening for a bit
Hard to do their job/go to school
Hard to do daily activities
(Also negative connotations and sad imagery)
I’ve got a lot of experience writing/living sad stories…
Plus I read 2-3 levels above my grade level
(probably more but I don’t know the actual number)
Tips by @I_Like_Props
Heroic
Add lots of adventures and surprises
Add plot twists and unexpected turns
Add a starting point (character is at a low point, family member died, breakup, etc.)
Add quotes like “This is my destiny…” or “I’m the only one that can…”
Add someone the main character needs to save/rescue/help
An alternative to that is to add a part where the Main character has to rescue themselves
Include a backstory (something that made them need to go on this journey)
Make sure the objective of the quest is set and clear
Add an actual reason to go on the quest
Add a quest
Add challenges along the way (Fighting, traps, villains, etc.)
Add a wise mentor to guide the hero
Add supporting sub-main characters to accompany the hero
(Maybe) Add some magical elements
Use books like Percy Jackson, Wings of Fire, and Harry Potter as inspiration
Use words like:
bold
courageous
daring
epic
fearless
gallant
grand
gutsy
noble
valiant
destiny
quest
journey
prophecy
reincarnation
awaken
awakened
selfless
protagonist
villain
hero
champion
fighter
fighting
fight
Design
Sometimes, it’s not just about text, it’s about visuals! Use props to add some lore, too!
Common mistakes/reminders
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Directly writing the lore in the game:
It would be best if you didn’t start implementing the lore instantly. I recommend drafting it in a Google Document or something like that. -
Too complex or too simple:
If you want to stump your fellow Gimkitters, go ahead and make it as complex as you want, but never, ever, make your lore too simple. Your Gimkitters will expect a bit more lore, so they will overthink everything. -
I know this is very tempting, but don’t include links to other websites, QR codes, etc. in your game. I wish you could do this. You will be permanently banned for this.
Good ideas to hide/use your lore
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Use a morse code translater
Translate text to morse to stump your lore-diggers! -
Challenges/Side-Quests
Make challenges or side-quests for your player to complete to find lore! -
Child’s Paper (Taken from Garten of BanBan)
Scatter paper around the map and have a note on them. Use a font that’s similar to a child’s handwriting.
And that’s about it! You can now implement your lore! Sorry, but I can’t help you implement it. If you need any help writing lore, you can ask me!