Story research

[Lucius]

So this is the place to look for – and hopefully find! – resources or information to support a plot point, setting or character within your story.

Here one can:

• seek opinion on a wide range of topics; and
• get advice on whether a plot point is feasible in real life.

What this thread is not:

• a place to discuss a fantasy universe; or
• a place to seek feedback on story ideas.

Do some basic research first. This is not the place for generic and impersonal questions – expecting others to do a Google search for you might well lead to LMGTFY.

But from time to time you have to go the extra mile. Sometimes LMGTFY just isn’t enough, and AI can be deceptive.

Make sure your question is specific. The more specific you can be, the more likely you are to receive the answer you need.

Examples

• BAD: Tell me everything about how French people dress.
• BETTER: What kind of clothing would people wear in Paris in the 1920s?
• BEST: My story is set in 1927 in Paris. What kind of clothing would a male upper-class character wear to a nightclub? What would he wear every day? What would he wear to the Opera?

Check that you’ve been clear what information your plot needs. If you’re writing about the Paris criminal underworld, for example, you probably don’t need to know when Notre-Dame was restored in the 19th century.

Be polite. Politeness includes revisiting the thread to review the answers and thanking people for their help.

[RapeU]

Oh, this is actually an excellent solution for a writer's block. Awesome idea.

(edit: didn't realize this was a generic how to use this forum sorry!)

[Lucius]

Oh, this is actually an excellent solution for a writer's block. Awesome idea.

(edit: didn't realize this was a generic how to use this forum sorry!)

That's all right, thank you for your kind words!

[AdmiralPiet]

@Lucius
I wondered if we had a thread for this. Completely forgot about this one.

So I leave the question that is on my mind here: Anyone having a good picture of a venetian galeass from 1571?
Found this one here:
Link

Maybe theres more like that, or at least a few more angles

[Vela Nanashi]

I am not really sure what counts as a good picture, there are some cool looking drawings if you search on google, but I can't tell if they are accurate to history or good

this ship model looks similar

[AdmiralPiet]

@Vela Nanashi I don't really know why I wanted a geleass, since a galley would have sufficed, and they have more pictures anyway.
What i was interested in was the setup of the rowing benches, and from all I can see it seems to be mostly the same system as with the galleys of the time.
So I will look at pictures of the "Real". That ship is a 1:1 reconstruction in Barcelona.

After all, it is a porn story that is not historical, so no one will complain if the description of the galeass is not perfect anyway

[Lucius]

... After all, it is a porn story that is not historical, so no one will complain if the description of the galeass is not perfect anyway

Asses before galleasses!

[AdmiralPiet]

Asses before galleasses!

Should have seen that one coming

But there will be asses, no worries.

[Claire]

@AdmiralPiet Not sure I can help you with a good image. But did you consider looking at video games maybe? The first thing that came to my mind were the Anno strategy games. But maybe there is a video game out there with a nice 3D model you could look at.

[AdmiralPiet]

@AdmiralPiet Not sure I can help you with a good image. But did you consider looking at video games maybe? The first thing that came to my mind were the Anno strategy games. But maybe there is a video game out there with a nice 3D model you could look at.

I did look at a few 3D Models, but most where simplified.
Like I said: the point of interest was the rowing benches and how that works.
A medieval/rennaissance galley works different to the triremes of antiquity.
They had one system where several rowers sit on one bench, but each had his own oar.
But that required skill. So to combat the shortage of skilled oarsmen they changed to one big oar for several men.

Would have been ideal if Animagrafs had a video on it. He deconstructed a 18th century ship-of-the-line, and a 16th century explorer ship beautifully.

But like I said: The systems seem to be quite similar on galleys and galeasses.
Main difference seems to be the higher freeboard which made them much harder to board, and the increased firepower provided by that platform on the foredeck.
And of galleys there is a lot more pictures