Welcome to Thousand Roads! You're welcome to view discussions or read our stories without registering, but you'll need an account to join in our events, interact with other members, or post one of your own fics. Why not become a member of our community? We'd love to have you!
For the video game characters, being part of the video games IS their job. They exist to entertain the Players, people from the real world who interact with the game worlds. The D-Pad Dimension is a place usually visited when "off the clock", so to speak, or for side jobs.
The D-Pad Dimension has a multitude of facilities designed for entertainment. Its connection to the internet means anything accessed through that can be used for fun. The characters are able to consume plenty of non-video game media this way.
The sky in the D-Pad Dimension is mostly black. The only real celestial body is the aforementioned giant floating glowing D-Pad, the true nature of which is unknown. Many have tried to investigate it, to no avail.
24. What places are still unexplored in your world?
New portals to new video game worlds are opened all the time. However, they tend to become known pretty quickly. However some game worlds become lost due to certain events (eg a free to play online game shutting down), leaving their inhabitants stranded and often desperate to find them again... or at least find a new home.
25. What do people carry with them on a daily basis in your world?
Some kind of personal memento of home is common. Also Bits to pay for this and that. And, related to the first, everyone carries at least one copy of an instruction manual or video tutorial for their home game.
More artistically inclined characters will create art of each other's worlds, or the D-Pad Dimension itself. Fanart created by Players in the real world is often exhibited, and is held with special regard due to the status of the Players. Having fanart, fanfic, etc. of yourself out in the real word is considered a massive honor... as long as it's affectionate anyway.
The characters tend to bring vehicles and mountable animals from their home worlds to move around. Some can also do things like fly or teleport. The rest just walk or take vehicles or mounts designated as public transit.
28. What is the cycle of life and death in your world?
The video game characters don't really die per se. If they are killed they usually just respawn in their home worlds. Even characters with so-called "permadeath" eventually respawn for new runs. This leads to the characters having a pretty skewed view of mortality compared to the real world.
29. How do people communicate with each other in your world?
The integration of the Internet enables communication whenever and however the characters want. Communication devices from all of the worlds are widespread and are used to keep in touch for any need. Some work is sometimes required to make the communication devices compatible with each other however.
I was never able to truly pinpoint who was "important" in this world. They were all part of the great video game landscape. So I talked to a few of the inhabitants to get to better know them.
This is Rails Z Rat. He is the mascot of a forgotten platformer series of the same name trying to find a new purpose in life. Not that he'd tell you through his veneer of snark and 90s attitude.
This is the Shatterwraith, the villain of a horror game. He cuts an intimidating presence! However I can sense he's not so bad...
This is Hellsteel. He is one third human, one third demon, one third robot, and all edgy. He wasn't the most friendly person to talk to but it was almost comical.
And finally this is Sebastian Venextos. He's a sorcerer with a great amount of talent... but constantly has to live in the shadow of his overbearing dragon dad and goes to the D Pad Dimension as an escape.
But that's all for the D-Pad Dimension! As to where I go next... Who knows? The multiverse is the limit!
------------------
Umbra here and ...Yeah I actually don't know what I'm doing next after this. I've actually gone and run out of worlds. There's one idea I could potentially use but I'm not sure I want to invest in it just yet, we'll see. For now... into the Artfight mines.
Hello! Umbra here! I'm not done with this Worldbuilding June thing yet. This time I have something special - a non-Pokemon fan universe. This time it's based on Super Mario Bros. because I was inspired by the RPGs and more recently the movies. I've prepped some initial notes but will be expanding upon them here, so the World Wanderer will handle that next time.
2. What’s the Geography of your world?
Hello, it's the World Wanderer again! I have found a universe inhabited by the famous Super Mario and his friends!
The geography of the planet is fairly Earth-like, as I saw in an odyssey our hero Mario took. However it is still decidedly un-Earth-shaped in places - such as Isle Delphino, which is oddly dolphin-shaped!
There are a stunning array of sapient species in this world, inhabiting various places. Listing them all here would be a lot, but famous ones include Toads, Koopas, Goombas, Bools, and others. Interestingly, humans tend to be in the minority and descended from those brought from other worlds, with exceptions like New Donk City and Diamond City.
Long ago, the various Kingdoms of the world were built out of early civilizations. Two powerhouses of those kingdoms emerged in particular - The Mushroom Kingdom and the Koopa Kingdom. They were among those Kingdoms that were constantly at war.
However, things changed when a plumber from another world named Mario (while he didn't know it, he'd already been there as a baby, but that is a story for another time) wound up in the Metro Kingdom and trounced an invading member of the monkey-like species known as Kongs. He would go on to fight for the Mushroom Kingdom, and change the balance of the world forever.
Alright, here we go! I'm going to describe the world of the TCG Gameboy games as represented in my multi-book series, TCG2: Doduo Adventures !
1. Tell us about your world, what’s it about?
It takes the settings in both the original AND the sequel Pokemon TCG game for Gameboy Color! This is a world where everything important revolves around playing the Pokemon TCG. In theory, these worlds are part of the main Pokemon world, but my series treats them as stand-alone! It also ties the Pokemon NEO romhack to the series. 😉
2. What’s the Geography of your world?
It is comprised of three islands. The rest of their world is ocean. Here are some maps! One of TCG Island and one of GR Island. There is also one more island, Neo Island which is geographically identical to TCG Island!
3. Who lives in your world?
All the duelists from the original games and original characters too! Each character has their own unique personality beyond the scope of the original game! (My fic focuses on a core cast of characters to keep things from being overwhelming and characters are introduced a little at a time as the series progresses. There are many other people who live in their world too but the fic focuses on the duelists. It's similar to the anime having new characters but I all characters at least appear more than once!)
Characters here are also repeated for Neo Island but using their Japanese names!
Characters from the second game are listed below even though it has their Japanese names (I go by names in the English translation instead!)
4. What’s its history? (How did it come to be?)
Their recorded history began about 1,100 years ago. Carbon dating on rocks indicates their world is far older than that and it stands to reason humans were around far longer than 1,100 years. Ever since their history began, they have always had the Pokemon TCG in it's completed form (which includes all the cards from the first and second Gameboy games)
Neo Island also features the Pokemon TCG but they only use their own set of cards. On Neo Island, they duel with the Neo sets. On TCG Island and GR Island they use all the others.
Neo Island appeared in the ocean about 600 years ago and has been there ever since.
5. What sorts of civilizations and architecture fill your world?
TCG Island is a post-modern society with architecture similar to that of the Pokemon mainline games. The Science Club has indestructible floors that predate recorded history.
GR Island resembles a modern kingdom with architecture similar to the Pokemon mainline games. It also has a few ancient buildings that predate recorded history.
7. How does the economy work in your world? What sorts of currencies do they use?
There is money. Cards are more valuable than one would expect and can be sold or purchased. They have a society running on cash with digital payment just like our modern world. Their whole world uses the same kind of money. Even Neo Island.
8. How is your world run? Who’s in power?
TCG Island is run by their benevolent AI, The Oracle.
GR Island is ruled by King Villicci.
Neo Island is ruled by Mister Eye who is also the corporate CEO of Eyetech Inc.
9. What are the religions and cosmology of your world?
Most citizens of TCG Island are atheists or agnostics but a large portion of the population used to worship Ho-Oh. Ho-Ohism died out recently but had been on the decline for hundreds of years.
GR Island is a blend of those and the worship of the Colorless card type. There are also rumors of Lugia worship.
Neo Island almost exclusively worships Lugia.
10. What holidays & traditions are observed in your world?
They don't have any holidays and don't know what those are, but if there is ever a TCG tournament, everything shuts down that needs to so all the duelists can participate. They still have vacation time and PTO, though.
They also have marriage which works similar to our own world but the two being married have a Pokemon TCG duel against each other and who ever wins is the one to lean in to kiss the other at the end.
Newbies at the Pokemon TCG play at tables. Intermediate players play on the floor. The vast majority of duelists use the floor most of the time. Truly advanced players play at tables. But during tournaments, everyone uses tables.
11. What’s language like in your world?
Everyone in the world speaks the same language(Is essentially English). TCG Island has urban accents (or a lack of an accent), GR Island has a more rural accent, and Neo Island has an accent that TCG Island and GR Island both describe as foreign.
12. What creatures inhabit your world?
Many (but not all) of the regular animals that inhabit our own world, humans, and Doduo. There are legends that Ho-Oh, Lugia, and Mew exist too but there is no scientific proof.
13. What plants cover your world?
Many (but not all) of the regular plants that inhabit our own world plus some that don't but nothing unusual.
14. What do people eat in your world?
The same kinds of food our world has. TCG Island mostly has American food(not literal American food. That's just how I'm describing it.). GR Island has European food(again, just how I'm describing it) and Neo Island has Japanese-style food.
15. What technology is used in your world?
All the technology our current world has, but much of it is advanced beyond our current technology levels. Their technology is still far from that of the Pokemon mainline games. Some examples of things they have are quantum computers (old technology for them) and anti-gravity technology. Their phones also have far longer battery lives. They also have nuclear fusion (not fission) on a worldwide basis but it is purely for providing power.
16. What magic exists in your world?
Magic, if it can be called such, is the ability for Doduo's to form a bond with a human. If such a bond is formed and the human plays a duel and uses a Doduo in their deck, their bonded Doduo will take physical damage from the attacks of the opponents cards if a Doduo is in play and is taking damage. Essentially Doduo gets hit in the duel by a flamethrower for 50 damage and KO's your Dodou? Your bonded Doudo just looked like it took a flamethrower attack. It's feathers are charred and smoking and your bonded Doudo just fainted. But don't worry, it will get back up in a few minutes once it regenerates. Bonded Doduo don't hold onto damage very long and they all enjoy pain. Just don't tickle them. They really hate that. Tickling is like real pain to them.
There is also rumors of some flying ancient magic palace with technology far beyond what their society is capable of making, but no one has seen it for over 100 years. Former owner must have forgotten where they parked it or something.
17. What’s medicine and healthcare like in your world?
On TCG Island, it's free for all TCG Island citizens. No restrictions on anything including cosmetic surgery. Their healthcare is also more advanced than our own.
On GR Island, it works kind of like it does in the USA. Not as advanced or good as TCG Island.
Neo Island has healthcare even greater than TCG Island, but it is reserves exclusively for the government and elite of their society. Everyone else there is usually forced to rely on back-ally doctors and crime syndicates for it.
18. What are the fashion norms in your world?
See pictures of characters in previous question above.
Anything that corresponds to Japanese clothing would be something Neo Island would have. More modern clothes tend to be TCG Island. More rural clothes tend to be GR Island.
19. How are wars fought in your world?
They don't have any wars. They don't even really have weapons in the traditional sense. They never invented guns either. Neo Island invented high powered lasers, though. They have disputes settled by outcomes of Pokemon TCG duels.
20. What sorts of weapons & armor are used in your world?
Again, they don't have much in the ways of weapons, but they do have martial arts. Armor is almost non-existent.
No islands have nuclear weapons or missiles either.
21. What do people do for fun in your world?
Everything modern society does except with a special intense emphasis on playing the Pokemon TCG.
22. What do people do for work in your world?
Everything people do in the normal world except the best jobs that everyone wants are the ones working for card clubs.
23. What’s the sky like in your world?
The same as Earth. There is even a moon that's functionally the same.
24. What places are still unexplored in your world?
The depths of the vast ocean. The outer reaches of space.
25. What do people carry with them on a daily basis in your world?
Their phones, wallets, and Pokemon cards/decks if they have any.
27. How do people get around in your world?
If by air, it's exclusively by blimp or drone. They never invented planes or helicopters.
If by ground, it's car, train, light-rail, bus, subway, or hyperloop on TCG Island or Neo Island. GR Island was too poor to afford to build a hyperloop.
By sea they have shipping boats, submarines, and probably pleasure cruises.
28. Who’s important in your world?
The political rulers of each island.(already mentioned above)
Bill, CEO of Bill Inc. (the largest mega-corporation in their world. Provides a wide variety of goods and services.)
Doctor Wem. Former college instructor in competitive play for the Pokemon TCG. Rumored to be the strongest Pokemon TCG duelist in the world. Taught the TCG Island Champion advanced play. Whereabouts rumored to be on Neo Island.
The TCG Champion of each island:
TCG Island Champion: Mister Gentleman (The protagonist of my fic series. No that is not his name. No one knows what his name is. Has anyone ever asked him for his name? Does he even have a name? How is he able to function in society without a name? No one seems to notice or care.) 28 years old. Was well-off from card duel winnings until people collectively stopped dueling him for some reason. (It was because he was too good at the game!)
GR Island Champion: King Villicci (probably 45 years old or something)
Neo Island Champion: Park. 10 years old.
To a lessor extent, the Club Masters (of TCG and Neo Islands) or Fortress Leaders (for GR Island). The board of directors on Neo Island that serve under their leader.
29. How do people communicate with each other in your world?
Same ways they do in our world.
30. What’s the weather like in your world?
Very similar to our world.
And there you have it! Questions or comments are welcome. 🫡
