FAQ

FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions


Basics to lore:

What are The Backrooms?

In universe, The Backrooms are an alternate dimension outside of the boundaries of baseline reality, which people can accidentally find themselves in through 'noclipping' out of it. Out of universe, The Backrooms is a site where people can write and share stories about the titular Backrooms.

What is noclipping/no-clipping?

Noclipping, which is a term normally used in video game speedrunning to refer to clipping outside of the boundaries of the game, is a means of getting from place to place in The Backrooms. People enter The Backrooms via noclipping out of reality, which usually occurs via tripping, accidental collisions, and other occurrences of this nature. Wanderers of The Backrooms can also utilize noclipping to travel between levels. Some writers portray noclipping as something that anyone can master with a little practice, but many write at as something that is extremely difficult or even impossible to do at will.

What are levels?

Levels are the building blocks of The Backrooms —think of them as different locations in a giant country. Levels can be many things: buildings, fields, natural structures, abstract landscapes; name it and it's probably a level somewhere.

What are entities?

If levels are the locations, entities are the creatures native to them. Some are out for blood, others are out for cuddles, and some are more human than we could ever hope to be.

What are objects?

Objects are… well, objects. Whether they're borne of The Backrooms themselves or made by man, they are utilized en masse for nutrition, protection, or offense in many different ways. They won't necessarily be your standard, run-of-the-mill tool, however.

What are sub-layers, and what's the difference between a sub-level and a room?

Sub-layers are areas within a level that depart significantly from its typical characteristics, but not enough to make them levels of their own. They are divided into two: sub-levels and rooms. For the most part, the former may be infinite and functionally act as independent levels (while remaining heavily associated with their "parent" level), whilst the latter are specific regions with defined boundaries within the parent level.

When will you open Cluster 2?

Cluster II (Levels from 1000 to 1999) will be added when we fill up Cluster I (0-999). Currently, we're about a third into completing it. There will also be a contest for Level 1000. Also, you should keep in mind that clusters are purely for categorization purposes — there are no particular differences between them.

Is there an exit to The Backrooms?

Exiting The Backrooms is a touchy subject. Some works are written with the intent that there is no known way to exit them, while some imply that there is the possibility of doing so. It is completely allowed to add an exit to your own work, but you should ensure the concept is treated with care when writing.

Real life

Where did The Backrooms originate from?

The Backrooms originated from a post on 4chan's /x/ board and saw widespread usage as an internet phenomena back in 2019. A Backrooms wiki was created on the fandom platform soon after, and the Wikidot site was founded later in April of 2020.

There are other Backrooms wikis online. What of them?

No Backrooms site is the 'true' Backrooms site. There are many different interpretations of the concept online, and many different wikis with their own lore and writing hosted by them. Ultimately, it is up to you to decide which one you utilize — The Backrooms Wikidot is simply one of the many in the sea of Backrooms projects.

What external material can I use?

You can use any content (images, audio…) that is licensed under CC BY-SA 3.0 and similar licenses (such as CC-BY and CC0) by default. Keep in mind that AI generators are not allowed for use1. Content under licenses which are not compatible cannot be used even if you have the explicit permission of the author. If you need help with figuring out something's license, contacting an author of a work, or just generally wrapping your head about licenses and how they work, check out the site's creative commons policy or contact a staff member.

Is there a Backrooms video game?

There are many Backrooms video games out there, all of which show different interpretations of The Backrooms. Whilst some reference the writing of this site, none of them are officially affiliated with it in any capacity.

I believe someone has broken the rules. What should I do?

You can report the incident directly to staff and it will be looked at ASAP, and if you want to remain anonymous whilst doing so, you can use the anonymous reports system. It goes without saying that unless your situation truly requires staff attention, you should not contact staff and take potentially useful time from more serious cases. Doubting if something abides by the rules of the site and bringing it to staff is ok, but you are expected to differentiate between that and stuff that doesn't require attention based on your own judgement. For information about what counts as rule-breaking behaviour, please refer to the site rules.

Are The Backrooms real?

No.

General misconceptions:

Is this site a database for an in-universe group?

Whilst it is generally accepted by some to be the case, the site which hosts the stories from around The Backrooms is not necessarily the database of any group or person. Of course, the majority of articles are written from the point of view of the M.E.G., but this is not always the case, as can be seen in many different articles which are written from different points of view.

Are components enforced, and can I make my own component?

For reference, components are bits of code available for use in objects, levels, entities, etc, which are available for various reasons, most commonly danger and safety. Most articles use components such as the SD class component or IETS, but these are optional, and they are not enforced in any way. If you wish to do so, you may create components of your own for widespread use, though you can't enforce the usage of those either.

Some pages don't coincide with each other. Why?

The site does not operate by a singular canonical interpretation of The Backrooms, rather, people are encouraged to come up with their own takes on what The Backrooms is. This means that pages are bound to clash with each other due to a multitude of reasons. Common examples of this include the same large group operating differently from article to article, one article being connected to another despite the other article stating that they are not in fact connected, and the way a character is brought to life through different tales.

Can I edit an already existing article?

It depends on the magnitude of your edit. Minor spelling, grammar, and punctuation errors (which are objective and not subjective — don't go about fixing oxford commas!) can be fixed freely, but larger things, such as flow or lore, require the permission of the original author of the entry to be done. You are always free to send a message to the author requesting to change something in their article, but you should prepare yourself for rejection in the case that they deny your request.

Writing and critique

How do I post an article on the site?

Posting an article on the site requires that you submit your draft on our forums or in our discord's critique channels. You must then wait for people to critique your draft, and when it is of a sufficient quality, a greenlighter will look at your article and give you a greenlight, letting you post the article on the wiki.

Where can I get a greenlight?

You can either contact greenlighters on discord, or use the forums onsite. You're not forced to use any singular platform — you can choose which one you want to use, or just use both!

Why does my article take so long to get greenlit?

The rush of posting your articles to the site is entirely understandable. However, one must also understand that the people checking your drafts out are, in the end, people who have their own lives. Coupled with the fact that the ratio of active greenlighters to links up for critique is a large gap, this means that your links are bound to take a while to get critiqued. For more information about contacting greenlighters and getting your draft critiqued, check out the greenlight policy.

What tone should I strive for in my writing?

There is no set tone you should strive for in your writing. As long as it's relevant to the site, go wild.

A page I liked/read before/see linked elsewhere was deleted. Why?

Deletions come due to a multitude of reasons. The majority of articles are deleted due to being coldposts or staying below the deletion range (currently, the rating of -1) for more than 48 hours, and in the case of older articles, the latter happens frequently. On other occasions, violations of site policy, staff discussion, or author intervention are also causes for article deletion, but these are rarer. For more information about article deletions, read the deletions guide.

Is there a template for writing articles?

Yes, but it is in no capacity enforced. Entities and levels both have predetermined templates which you can check out here, but they are in no way enforced (or encouraged for that matter — do as you please!). Other articles have multiple different templates used by different people, and those too are also not enforced. You're free to use whichever template you want.

I have an idea, but I'm not so good at writing. Do I have any options?

First and foremost, even if you are not good at writing, greenlighters exist to hone your skills. Don't be afraid to submit a draft. If, however, you are still daunted by this, you are free to submit your idea in the official discord or on the forums in the respective idea channels, with your own stipulations as to what people are allowed to do with the idea, whether they should give you credit or not, etc. If you want involvement for sure, however, don't be afraid to ask someone to collaborate.

Can I use someone else's onsite work in an article?

Yes, though it would be courteous of you to ask before doing so to respect them and their work.

Is there anything I can't write?

Barring the obvious, such as plagiarized work, stuff that goes against site rules, and other stuff of the sort, there isn't really anything you're barred from writing, though do keep in mind that people's reactions can be mixed depending on what you do write. It is worth nothing that culturally/emotionally sensitive and nuanced subjects are discouraged to write lest one is aware of how to do so properly.

Applying for positions

How can I apply to become a staff member?

We're always looking for new staff members! You can apply to become one here, however you should keep in mind that you must be on the Discord server, be at least 16, and be on the wiki for at least 2 months before your first application. Accepted staff members become Junior Staff. You can get promoted to the ranks of Moderator and Admin after quarterly staff evaluations.

How can I apply to become a greenlighter?

Are you interested in becoming a greenlighter? Well, you're in luck! We have a program known as the Greenligher Mentoring Program (GMP for short) that trains ordinary critiquers into becoming full fledged greenlighters. If you're interested in applying, DM a greenlighter or a staff greenlighter 3 links to what you think are your best critiques, and a vote will be held for you.

A greenlighter trainee's responsibilities are to actively critique, act as the filter for articles before they are sent to greenlighters, display responsible behavior due to their status, ask questions in the GMP regarding any confusion, and have their critiques reviewed by a greenlighter mentor before posting. A trainee is required to send at least one full critique every 60 days. Every month, reviews are held to see if the trainee is ready to be a greenlighter.


Article compiled by SariastuffSariastuff with the help of GhostlyGlyphsGhostlyGlyphs, AlmardukAlmarduk, MyrandFoxMyrandFox, and HyliusHylius - not to mention the help given by the rest of the staff team and the community in the gathering of questions for this list. If you believe that a question was missed, should be added, or should be removed, contact a member of staff, and we will review your suggestion.

Unless otherwise stated, the content of this page is licensed under Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 3.0 License