Another new entry. This one is not creepy in and of itself, which might be a mistake. Tell me what you think and any ideas you have on giving it a new wrinkle. It also seems to be traditional for me to post and then edit way down, so say if you think it's too long or has unnecessary parts.
On initial reading, I like it. I like that the Foundation is using them for psychological experiments in particular. This is an SCP where the creepy part isn't the item itself, but the Foundation's reaction to/treatment of it. I'll need to do a closer reading later on when I've more time, but I think this one's pretty good.
Now I'm curious why the foundation isn't doing similar testing with scp-756.
Try to mention something about scale, physics, and the Square-Cube law and you're golden. I'd add it myself, but I'm too busy having a life.
I like it, and I think this is one that deserves a staff-contribution log.
I like this one.
Wonder if those tiny people have set up a Foundation of their own in response to all those weird things that keep happening to them?
and I was JUST in the middle of writing a "miniaturized thing w/ people living in it" SCP :(
guess I'll just have to upvote this one.
some mention of where/how this thing was recovered might be nice
I was at first thrown by all the experiment addendums being [ACCESS DENIED], but the headings really tell all you need to know about the kind of mean nasty things the Foundation has been doing to these little people
I actually didn't think much about how it was recovered, other than the obvious assumption: somebody spent a lot of time on a railroad model and somehow imbued it with a little extra realism. Since I didn't have an origin beyond that, and I think you pretty much infer that from reading the article, I didn't include it in the entry. If you have some sort of idea about backstory I'd be glad to hear it.
That was the impression I got as well, so you're good there. I had a sort of fanciful thought that perhaps it had been found in the attic of a man who'd gone missing after being charged with tax evasion, the suggestion being that he somehow escaped into his own creation. Maybe it's better to keep things mysterious, though.
The main unanswered question that probably should be addressed, though: what happens to people/animals that are removed from the diorama? Do they remain animate? Can the perceive the larger world? The description suggests briefly that inhabitants have been dissected for study, but has the Foundation tried using them for anything else? (We already have a dude who makes living figures that are used for espionage, though, so perhaps you shouldn't take this in that direction)
One of my drafts went into that in more detail, as well as adding on a few properties that didn't make the final cut. Specifically, anything living that is removed from the diorama dies pretty quickly. Unknown reasons. That still holds true. Inanimate objects function normally, e.g. a car removed and studied would still be fully functional (but a little low on trunk space).
In my other draft, though, I had it that any 1:87 scale model placed on the diorama instantly animates and becomes, for all intents and purposes, a part of the artifact. So if you put down another model car, or train, or animal, or even person, they would suddenly become detailed and functional/alive and be able to interact with the artifact's inhabitants. I thought it was a neat idea until I realized
1-A little too cute.
2-It wasn't directly related to the theme of the entry, which is emphasizing the Foundation's actions
3-Rather than being creepy it was just cool or interesting
4-I was really tempted to have the researchers make and introduce a mini-682, and that's just not a good plan
5-It reminded me of the Indian in the Cupboard
And once again the sliding scale of quality versus 682 references is proven, this time for the better. As the quality of an article increases, the likelihood of a 682 reference decreases.
I like this one.
Also, going to have to add something about it to the things Dr. Bright is not allowed to do.
Admin, SCP Wiki
Done.
No playing Godzilla with the inhabitants, Brighty :) .
Especially not with the suit from XxXenophile.
Still think those [ACCESS DENIED] testing logs would be a great place to link to a log people can contribute to.
I have no problem with that, so anyone who wants to contribute an experimental log is free to give it a whack. Because I wrote the article, though, would it be ok if I had a little editorial control over logs that get added? I don't mind collaborating at all, but I am a little cautious about completely throwing open the gates.
If that strikes everyone as too controlling than it's not hugely important, just my personal neurosis.
Nope, it's cool. Honestly, test logs are considered an extension of an article, and so the original writer has some control over it.
Admin, SCP Wiki
I think that cross-testing with SCP-786 might be interesting. Sure, you can't use it to precisely go from 587-scale to normal scale (786 does 12:1 or 1:12, and 1:87 is not a multiple of 12), but it could still have some useful results. A normal-sized person goes through, they would be more easily able to observe the town (as long as they don't actually touch the model). An object from 587 is enlarged, it could make it easier to research the mini stuff. Or better yet, extend a phone line from 587 through 786, and communication might be possible.
Oh, and another thing for the list of what Bright can't do:
"Cross-experimentation between SCP-786 and SCP-587 is not to be used to re-enact a 'David and Goliath' scenario with the inhabitants of 587."
This is cool. I think the ammendum is worded a bit confusingly (the last sentence cuts off at "Recording equipment") but other than that, sweet. And I'd love to see the folks down below form a miniature foundation of their own, said mini-foundation then realizes what's going on and mass confusion ensues.
Also, it must make at least one researcher on the Foundation wonder if WE aren't, in fact, the anomolous mini-models, with all the anomalous things in our universe as "accidents" and "tests" resulting from something MUCH BIGGER wondering how that little model planetoid in the planetarium is supporting microscopic (to them) entities.
Brilliant. I was going to say a turtles all the way up and down comment.