How to write a Level

 Hazard Classes  Level Survival Ratings: A lower rating means the level is safer. ''This guide will detail what levels are and how to write them, with tips on style and mindset. It is encouraged to read the entirety of this guide before writing one.''

''Levels make up the environment of the Backrooms, and often capture our imagination the most with captivating images and ideas. On the Wiki, the M.E.G. has encountered and documented hundreds of them.''

What is a Level?
A level is an extended area of the Backrooms which follows a unifying, consistent theme. Most levels are very large - some are even infinite due to the strange nature of non euclidean space - while others are confined to the size of a handful of rooms or hallways. Levels connect to one another, sometimes abruptly and other times merging subtly as you wander.

They can also connect in strange ways. A doorway on Level 9 may lead to a room on Level 57, for example. The Backrooms are interconnected in a tangle of levels and entries and exits — and sometimes these connections shift and change; moving entries and exits to new locations or blocking them without apparent cause. If you would like to know more about how the levels of the Backrooms manifest in strange ways, read further here.

Some levels are safer than others. Hazards include Entities, radical environments, hostile factions, and some are paranormal where the rules of reality as we know them do not apply. Due to this some levels are considered habitable — able to sustain groups of humans — while others are almost certain death to encounter. These factors of danger have been classified into a simple scale of survivability ranging from 0 to 5, seen to the right. A class 0 rating is a level which is deemed safe - with few or no Entities and little danger. As opposed to a class 5 — the most dangerous class — which are levels deemed acutely and lethally hazardous to travel. There is also a class "Unknown", which is saved for levels that are not fully explored or exhibit strange or supernatural hazards which cannot be explained. Generally, levels given this classification should be treated as cautiously as a class 5 due to the unpredictable nature of their hazards.

We organize our levels into many categories, but we will show the main four. Some levels are written to be purposely elusive to find. Some are levels that are within other levels. Others are just too small to be classified as their own distinct level. It's really up to you to decide how to make your level. The categories are explained below:

- Normal levels
Normal levels connect to each other more often than other level types, and are the easiest to discover. Tonally, they are a mixed bag. They often follow traditional aspects of horror, loneliness, strange familiarity, and liminal emptiness.

- Secret levels
Levels intended to be mysterious and hard to find. These levels typically have different meanings behind face value, and may even be an allegory for a certain experience or emotion. Some of them are dead ends with no further exits or entrances, others open many doors.

- Negative Levels

Negative levels are very unstable and have a minus before the number.

- Sub-Layers
Sub-Layers are divided into Sub-Levels and Rooms.

Sub-Levels are intended to add lore to an already written level. Think of them as spin offs of the level they can be found in, or levels within a level, or a level between two other levels which shares the characteristics of both. Sub-Levels are usually smaller, however more detailed - but not always. All sub layers are listed as positive decimal places - starting at n.1 and going upwards from there. For example, if Level 4 has fourteen Sub-Levels, they would be listed as 4.1, 4.2, 4.3 … 4.13, 4.14, and so forth.

Rooms are locations that are too small to be considered their own Level/Sub-Level. Usually, they are places in an existing level, but that is not always the case. Rooms typically follow the theme of the Levels they appear on. Rooms are not infinite, nor are they very big which is the main reason why these are labeled as Rooms.

There can be multiple Sub-Layers to any level as long as they are different enough to warrant a separate page.

But what's the secret to writing a great level? It's in the mindset and approach. Generally speaking, your level should follow the vibe or “feeling” of the Backrooms. Most levels follow the vague guidelines of being oddly familiar or nostalgic. However some of them break the mold in fresh, new ways - which can make for a memorable read. You can never go wrong trying to capture a feeling of something being slightly off. Something you can tell is strange - but can’t quite place your finger on why. Lastly, if they aren’t regarded in any of these categories, fret not! There’s some levels that don’t match this at all, and are still highly appreciated. Levels like these can expand the lore and shift the identity of the Backrooms in new and exciting ways. Don't be afraid to get your ideas out there and have them peer reviewed!

Survival Difficulty Templates
''Often newcomers to the wiki want to jump instantly into creating a level — usually multiple — with little to no experience within writing for the Backrooms. A lot of time these writers haven't even read a single wiki article.''

It's encouraged to read a lot of articles before you start writing, and avoid writing a level as your first.

If you're ready to Level up (hah), the level specific details are all below.

USE THESE AS DIFFICULTY TEMPLATES, DO NOT TAKE ANYTHING FROM OTHER SOURCES!

You can also create your custom template, I'll give you the sample code. you can choose your own color, but I picked white because I wanted to.