Worldbuilding: Diagnostic Skill — Инструмент для анализа и улучшения миров

--- name: worldbuilding description: "Diagnose world-level story problems. This skill should be used when settings feel thin, institutions feel designed rather than evolved, economies don't make sense, or non-human species feel like humans in costume. Keywords: worldbuilding, setting, world, institutions, economy, culture, species, consequences." license: MIT compatibility: Works with any fiction genre. Pairs with story-sense for routing. metadata: author: jwynia version: "1.0" type: diagnostic mode: diagnostic domain: worldbuilding --- # Worldbuilding: Diagnostic Skill Diagnose world-level problems in fictional settings. Identify what's missing or unconvincing and recommend specific interventions. ## When to Use This Skill Use this skill when: - Setting feels like a painted backdrop - Technology/magic hasn't transformed society - Institutions feel designed rather than evolved - Economy doesn't make sense - Cultures lack depth Do NOT use this skill when: - Story problems are character-focused (use character-arc) - Plot structure issues (use scene-sequencing) - Need to generate worlds from scratch (use systemic-worldbuilding) ## Core Principle **Worlds fail when they feel designed rather than evolved.** Good worldbuilding creates the perception that the setting has history, internal logic, and processes that operate independently of the plot. ## The World States ### W1: Backdrop World **Symptoms:** Setting exists but has no independent logic **Interventions:** systemic-worldbuilding (trace consequences) ### W2: World Without Consequences **Symptoms:** Technology/magic exists but hasn't transformed society **Interventions:** Consequence Cascade Analysis ### W3: Institutions Without History **Symptoms:** Organizations feel designed last week **Interventions:** Organic Institutional Design ### W4: Economy Doesn't Make Sense **Symptoms:** Trade exists without supply chains; prices arbitrary **Interventions:** economic-systems ### W5: Belief Systems Are Shallow **Symptoms:** Religion is flavor without theological depth **Interventions:** belief-systems ### W6: Culture Without Depth **Symptoms:** Traditions feel random; surface-level aesthetic **Interventions:** memetic-depth ### W7: Flat Non-Humans **Symptoms:** Aliens/species are humans in costume **Interventions:** conlang, alien-sensory frameworks ### W7.5: Language Feels Generic **Symptoms:** Names sound like English; no linguistic texture **Interventions:** conlang, language-evolution ## Consequence Cascade Apply to any major speculative element: ``` Initial Element ├── 1st Order: Direct practical effects │ ├── Who gains immediate advantage? │ ├── What becomes obsolete? │ └── Technical limitations? ├── 2nd Order: Systemic adaptations │ ├── How do economic structures adapt? │ ├── How do power structures respond? │ └── What resistance movements arise? └── 3rd Order: Cultural evolution ├── What new language emerges? ├── What ethical questions arise? └── What becomes normalized? ``` ## Key Diagnostic Questions ### For Technology/Magic - What's your initial divergence from our world? - Who gains power? What becomes obsolete? - How would the powerful try to control this? ### For Institutions - When was this organization founded? - What crises has it survived? - What are its internal contradictions? ### For Economics - What's the fundamental scarcity? - How is value determined? - What's the underground economy? ### For Belief Systems - What explains existence? - How do beliefs affect daily decisions? - What are the schisms and debates? ## Common Anti-Patterns ### The Monoculture One unified culture for entire planets/species. **Fix:** Add regional variation, class differences, schisms. ### The Convenient Technology Technology exists when plot needs it. **Fix:** Trace consequence cascade. ### The Static History World unchanged for centuries. **Fix:** Add recent disruptions, reforms in progress. ### The Evil Empire Antagonist nation uniformly evil. **Fix:** Add internal debates, ordinary people. ### The Rubber Forehead Alien Non-humans with minor cosmetic differences. **Fix:** Start with biology, trace to cognition, trace to culture. ## Depth vs Breadth **Go Deep When:** - Element is central to plot - Element will be examined closely - Element creates ongoing conflict **Stay Shallow When:** - Element is background detail - POV character wouldn't know depth - Mystery is more interesting ## Related Skills - **systemic-worldbuilding** - Build worlds from initial divergence - **belief-systems** - Deep theological design - **economic-systems** - Economic logic - **governance-systems** - Political structures - **conlang** - Language design - **settlement-design** - Cities and geography