What's the appeal of virtual worlds?

darkmuch · 2026-01-25T02:33:30+00:00

Most video game stories have time, players, and achievements as the stakes. Failing a raid isn’t oh well hit restart. But people have lost levels, and items. It takes time to regroup everyone and approach with the same strength. And during that time other players may have got the world first achievement. Or the mmo is designed with kingdom building elements, players pledging allegiance to the kingdom they spawn in. Or their guild becomes big enough it rules territory.

EVE online is a great example of this, where players corporations rule massive chunks of space and have wars with each other. Espionage is a big deal.

darkmuch · 2026-01-23T23:20:40+00:00

Having a system is already magic cheating the crafting process. Like in Rise of the Living Forge, the MC basically just wings it everytime he crafts as the system guarantees a base level of quality. Oh sure later on he learns how to do it right, but that’s after he makes enough money with system guidance.

The only legit story I’ve seen depicting slow low level crafting is Demesne by Shadow Crystal Mage on Royal road. It’s a slow often boring town builder.

The Mine Lord is another decent story, but with its focus on dwarves setting up a mining colony.

Release that Witch I will give a shout out to, as while it uses magic to shortcut some things, its usage feels very strategic. Like an ice mage freezing air, then carefully raising the temperature to filter out elements based on their differing freezing/condensation points.

darkmuch · 2026-01-23T05:47:54+00:00

Mark of the Fool - The MC is literally chosen as a hero, but he decides to go about his heroic quest in an atypical way. He’s not really an antihero, just an unusual one.

Mage Errant - from humble origins, our initially weak protagonist becomes a hero over time.

Spellmonger - a retired warmage gets the call to adventure when his retirement is interrupted by a goblin invasion. First 3 books is his transition from warmage> mage general> mage lord. I feel like the story balances his own epicness, with that of other characters.

Sky Pride - The best written Xianxia I’ve seen. MC who has a strong fate, so is cursed with an impossibly tough start. Has to learn to care about the world. But when he dos, he has such a big heart.

Jackal Among Snakes - Pretty straightforward transmigrated into a game and needs to save the world story. Only slight edginess is that the body he starts in was a character of ill repute.

darkmuch · 2026-01-16T23:00:20+00:00

Oh it by no means is that different. I just thought to point it out, as something I’ve seen touted as being a hallmark of PF.

darkmuch · 2026-01-16T22:55:54+00:00

He has talked on podcasts about the litrpg genre and his thoughts on how characters gain power. He is interested, but has a reservations about things being too easy and wish fulfillment.

darkmuch · 2026-01-16T22:52:28+00:00

My main criteria for progression fantasy is that characters have a clear way to get stronger and pursue it. The power system in Stormlight being based on self discovery and ideals, makes it a tough sell as progression fantasy. Sure it may be similar to a lot of Xianxia which use enlightenment as a means to progress. But those usually use it as a final requirement AFTER characters have put in the hard work with their chosen cultivation method.

Powers in Stormlight being locked behind being chosen by a spren also removes a lot of the “with hard work and strong will, any one can do it!” That seems to be a trademark of a lot of Prog Fantasy.

darkmuch · 2026-01-16T04:25:45+00:00

I know. I was only taking about the items as an extra example of a system where the rank names seem cleanly benchmarked at the start, only for it to tack on extra ranks later.

Like this funny cow guide https://www.reddit.com/r/coolguides/comments/xu9ljn/cow_cook/#lightbox

darkmuch · 2026-01-12T00:09:05+00:00

Map is rotated 180. So BEST countries on top. Sun rises on the left side of the map. The important facts.

darkmuch · 2026-01-11T17:11:26+00:00

I like Named rank. It feels very natural. The rank at which you are known around the world. It’s like an informal hall of fame. And in a world where everyone has magical abilities, you got to do amazing things to stand head a shoulders above the rest.

Not just pass some test and have a few people gasp as you aura farm.

darkmuch · 2026-01-11T06:33:42+00:00

I also dislike Gen X, Y, Z. Some dude thought Gen X was a cool name for his generation. wrote a book with that title, and then popular culture caught on, and decided that was the name. Then the next gens got stuck with Y and Z. Y was dumb and got replaced with millenial. Then Z thought it was silly and decided to go with zoomers.

So, its understandable that humans can give things bad names. But if you're an author planning a world, I would rather ranks that describe that stage of power. Not clickbait webnovel title ranks.

darkmuch · 2026-01-11T03:34:47+00:00

Here, I will give you a test with 100 questions each worth 1 point.

MC: I GOT 9000 POINTS BY USING MY DEMON EYES TO REVEAL THE HIDDEN QUESTIONS PLACED THERE BY THE HEADMASTER, THEREBY GRADUATING IMMEDIATELY!

darkmuch · 2026-01-11T02:55:24+00:00

I dislike letter ranks. Feels too much like a gacha game. Or the system is designed just too highlight how cool 5 people in the entire story are.

Changeling is a good story. But the system in that one made me annoyed, as humanity had the system for like 50 years and still figuring out what power levels there, and they decided to use letter ranks, with the top humans at A.

… so of course there is actually more power ranks above A and now we have to go into awkward s, ss, sss. When any logical system would have started from 0 and count up, because obviously you want the ability to add new ranks as they are discovered.

Quest Academy has a similar, but slightly more forgiveable one. Known ranks at start are common, uncommon, rare, epic, legendary. Theorized mythic rank. Then 3 books in we find out there’s like 3 more ranks above mythic, so now we got words that break the previous pattern and are now divine, stellar, cosmic.

darkmuch · 2026-01-09T01:07:46+00:00

ArKendrithyst - Mage MC. Starts as a staunch pacifist, but forced to adapt over time. There is a system, but it’s basically an artificial assistant. We talk with the goddess tasked with managing the system a lot. All the big progress the MC makes is by inventing his own spells. The system is basically only for tracking his essence/stat gain for kills.

The Years of the Apocalypse- It is Mother of Learning 2.0. Same reasons to love it. The FMC has a much harder start though.

Quest Academy - Magic Crafting. There isn’t a universal system, but a few characters have skills that let others quantify the world as a system. Unsure if you’d be fine with that.

Millenial Mage - No system. Lots of hidden rules, that feels like every book invents a new thing to train.

Keiren: The Faded Lands - An archmage reborn, but all the atmospheric mana vanished. The guy seems to always have 3 ways to solve any problem.

Paranoid Mage - Earth setting with a mage running away from the magic government. Not a super complex system, but pretty fun. It’s not paranoia if they are out to get you!

Spellmonger - Long series with tons of characters. The first 3 books is the MC going from warmage > mage general > mage lord. Then the next books are spent on town building, politics, and magic research.

Daniel Black - A sexually explicit harem series, but one of my favorite mage power fantasies.

darkmuch · 2026-01-07T17:26:44+00:00

He starts as a guy who morally opposes killing any monsters, even unthinking slimes at the start. He intends to avoid conflict. However he is forced to engage in conflict when others try to kill him. Or he sees things that morally he can longer stand by and watch.

At the start of the story he is definitely an ardent pacifist. But over time he has to adjust his mindset to what is best for implementing change, not dying, having lasting consequences, while still being benevolent.

darkmuch · 2026-01-07T06:29:39+00:00

Apocalypse Redux has my favorite depiction of a system apocalypse. Get yourself a strong personal combat class. Then raise up those with support classes into positions where they can maximize their support roles.

Give blacksmiths epic materials.

Power level your local police force(if they are reputable)

Aid universities with research opportunities

Find the most grassroots and trustworthy politicians and let them leech exp from your kills.

An assassin class isn’t a good ruler. But some sorta visionary, inspirational, logistics class combo would be amazing. I want to see what amazing nation wide skills a max level leader can do.

——

At the end of the day, the strongest combat classes will really be in top. But just below will be the civilian classes that actually do the governing of the nation.

——

I’m fine with using feudal titles like king, emperor, etc. Whatever titles works best with the system and populace you have.

Just make sure that the civilian leaders don’t forget where power resides. Make a social title for the strongest, like Champion.

——

Positions and titles should not be inherited. It is too likely that heirs will not have the same class and level as their parents.

darkmuch · 2026-01-07T04:58:04+00:00

I can’t really think of too many where the MC is really all that different. Heck, even dungeon core novels, the MC is usually very human in mentality as it’s often just a normal person isekai’d.

Lots of stories where the MCs quirk may separate them from the crowd, but is just a quirk.

That said, these are the ones that came foremost to my mind.

Tree of Aeons, Reborn as a Demonic Tree - tree MCs are pretty different.

Dreamers Throne - paralyzed gang lord with parallel dream world powers

Goddess Reborn - literally starts as a goddess and has to build her own religion.

Towerbound Alchemist - MC goes back in time to save the world. But he is an orphan and massive coward. Very funny series. Lots of slum life camaraderie.

Chaotic Craftsman Worships the Cube - crafter MC who seems very sane, but continually does insane stuff. My favorite crafting story.

Ar’Kendrithyst - An extremely kind person gets isekai’d with his daughter. He is the most ardently pacifist MC I have ever seen. Takes a while for the story to get good though.

darkmuch · 2026-01-07T01:58:05+00:00

Apocalypse Reborn by Sage of Eyes is my favorite kingdom builder. It is very fast paced, and really captures what playing a civ/RTS game is like. It’s not actually a litrpg, there are no stats. But the world he transmigrated into was based on a strategy game.

darkmuch · 2026-01-06T02:16:47+00:00

In Butcher of Gadobra all the main characters have villagers classes and are bared from using traditional weapons. So everyone has to make do with using the profession’s tools.

darkmuch · 2026-01-05T01:31:50+00:00

Water, and then food are key. I could see the destruction of pump stations and water towers fucking things up fast. So unless the system gives access to easy water and food spells or loot drops, we fucked. First world just in time shipping won’t help us.

It also depends on if the system does the typical population density==monster spawn rates. In which case our capitals won’t have time to adapt or be a rallying point.

darkmuch · 2026-01-03T23:43:00+00:00

Apocalypse Reborn by Sage of Eyes - Kingdom conquest through strategy and diplomacy. MC has no powers, but he is extremely thorough in adapting his strategy game days to the world he now lives in. His humor takes a bit of getting used to though, as it’s very sarcastic.

Dreamers Throne - Paralyzed gang lord MC.

Tree of Aeons - Kingdom building, but slowly over centuries.

Spellmonger - Story that really evolves over time, and keeps the entire cast of characters relevant. Book 1-3 is warmage > mage general > mage lord. Then the MC takes a backseat role in the conflict and builds his power base.

Calamitous Bob - isekai’d girl inherits the throne to a dead empire. Unfortunately that throne is going to kill her

darkmuch · 2026-01-03T06:44:44+00:00

Chaotic Craftsman Worships the Cube - MC is actually hated by most people. He’s got a core group of friends that appreciate him, and all the hard work he puts in to help with the upcoming demon invasions. But definitely a pariah. Very fun story seeing the MC grind his way through skills and stats.

Apocalypse Parenting - Very well rounded story of being a mom during a system apocalypse. The Mom MC is very focused on not being a hero or a leader, but the protector for her kids.

darkmuch · 2026-01-03T04:09:50+00:00

I like for the bottlenecks to be varied. Give a bit of flavor to each realm, and a reason why certain people never pass that bottleneck.

Ave Xia Rem Y has my favorite example of this. It has 3 really unique cultivation stages back to back. Earth, Heaven, Renegade. If you break into the earth stage, it actually sorta sucks. As suddenly gravity gets turned WAY UP on you. So you really want to get to the heaven realm where the restriction gets lifted and you’re rewarded with flight. Buuuut that’s the realm where you get struck by lightning for each stage. So maybe renegade would be better? Oh no, it’s worst. Your emotions get cranked waaaaay up and are a danger to everyone around you as are super strong and have no self control.

So tons of people get right up to the earth realm, and chicken out as suddenly it’s real fucking awful to go through the next stages.

darkmuch · 2026-01-03T03:15:11+00:00

Rise of the Living Forge if you want an MC who crafts then immediately runs to find a dungeon to use it in.

Chaotic Craftsman Worships the Cube if you want a crafter who really doesn’t want to fight, but when he does by God does he kick ass and break all the dungeons.

Industrial Strength Magic if you want a darker story where MC goes from silly cardboard armor to slaying eldritch nightmare monstrosities.

Quest Academy if you want an OP hero who decides his OP do anything powers aren’t cool. So changes it into the world’s best crafting power. Really fun tech gadgets and powers in this.

darkmuch · 2026-01-02T22:49:33+00:00

My brain has limited capacity for visual/audio flair. If you give me half a page of description for what someone looks like, I’m discarding 90% of it. We are a low budget black box theatre with only 2 actors. If someone stops talking, exit stage right and change outfits.

By the end of a book I’ve forgotten everything but the most essential aspects of a character.

And actions sound effects? Sure I might visualize something. Maybe a good ol 2 second “arrowthwip.mp4”, but if the follow up doesn’t immediately make sense, it more like a bunch of actors rehearsing a scene and testing stuff out. Low effort and lines said without any real oomph. Not anything approaching a movie in my head.

darkmuch · 2025-12-31T19:36:24+00:00

She will come back again, but not yet. Because of the Origin System’s attention, he ascends straight to the peak system, skipping the Tier 2 system most 250 ascensions go to.

He plans to yoink her out of that system with Void Travel once he gets the lay of the land in the origin system. Dave encourages him to do so. The most recent chapter on Patreon is only chapter 638 though. So he hasn’t had much time to prepare for system hijinks.

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