Persistent Worlds?

Very cool idea!

I'm willing to offer my world-building services to this idea.

"Welcome to the multiverse, a place where infinite possibilities are strewn across a grand string of parallel realities. Worlds here consist of those where unnoticeable changes are present, to where history has progressed differently, to even where the laws of nature were changed drastically. Each of these universes are an infinity unto themselves, connected by interdimensional forces that allow for travel between the innumerable timelines that exist.

What binds together each of these distinct worlds is the existence of interdimensional travel, which comes in a variety of shapes and forms. Magical gateways, psychic "jumpers", alien artifacts, or even human ingenuity; these tools are but a few of the variety of means for each reality's inhabitants to explore the multiverse...and their inhabitants. ;D"

Just a little taste of what can be offered.

When you guys come to a consensus, let me know so I can see about making that sub-forum for you all. Seriously, it can be done.

I like MM's idea, no offense to anyone else.

It has the advantage of being not quite explainable, nor necessarily locked to a specific time or place or technology. It just kind of is.

The "walking from world to world" idea is sort of explored in the two-book "Pandora's Star" series by Peter F. Hamilton. And I'm sure there have been others. The idea of a way-station dimension with access to other worlds was postulated at least as early as C.S. Lewis in "The Magician's Nephew." It's been used many times since then, of course, but I think the ancient surroundings encompassing infinite variety was used to great effect in Neil Gaiman's "Sandman" series, most specifically the Inn of the World's End, in the collection "World's End" (#8 by my books).

So I think it would work pretty well for us, too. And it's just a convenience, anyway.

I love all this! I need to read in detail so I can contribute, but a question. Would this be something where we can think up worlds and write them, but ICly they already exist? Or do our IC selves think of the world, and it comes to be? Are we simply planeswalkers, or are we creators of pocket dimensions?

Or am I off-base altogether? I admit I skimmed, for the moment.

Guys I am willing to help with this in anyway that I can, so just let me know if you need anything, becuase my creative jucies are flowing for a project like this ;P

There are a few ideas from me about multi-verse traveling.
One would be borrowed from the Golden Compass Trilogy, with windows to other dimensions randomly scattered about that could he found by complete chance and stumbled through. Also could be a tool with which to open/close these windows, such as like the Subtle Knife portrayed within the series, a dagger that can cut through anything like butter with a hot knife, even can cut through space-dimensional connections.

Another would be somewhat like Stargate, with portals placed from place to place, and only those who know how to use them/ are given clearance to use them can.

The thing I see about those are locked into a given premise, a mechanic. And once you have a specific method, it becomes incumbent upon creative people to muck up that method as best they can, to push the limits, twist it, bend it, see if they can break it. Because that's what people do with a dramatic hook.

Again, though, my favorite method is Pandora Star method, also similar to the Amber method, where you're wandering your own city/village/hive/whatever, and you lose your way for a moment, and then you turn a corner and woah, you're in a completely different place. And if you lose your way again there, you're either in a new place or you find your way back home. You don't feel the transition, it's like when you go in your building and you get off on the wrong floor and everything is different. And theoretically anyone can do it from anywhere. But most people don't. Those that do, that discover the knack of willing it to happen, that learn how to control it, control where they go and when, they can be guides.

The Pandora Star books have people crossing from world to world, transitioning seamlessly. This idea would have a waystation, a mysterious ancient city that acts as a central crossing, a traveler's rest stop, where you can re-equip or get maps for your destination, or what have you. When you head for the borders of the city, you never reach them, because before you get there, you always find yourself somewhere else, somewhere in the real world. That just seems more mysterious and adaptable, more story oriented and flexible to more different kinds of stories than a subtle knife or a stargate. You have a specific method, you're going to have people controlling it, and then we get into what structures there are, what permissions, what authorities, and that seems far too complicated. It just strikes me better that it should be something anyone can do, by accident or intention, and that frees us up a great deal.

I may be finding some free time here and there coming up; I can write up a preliminary sketch of my ideas if folks think it'll be intriguing to see. I have some thoughts on the general structure, but once we agree on that, some folks can try their hands at populating it with unique locations and businesses.

I would ask that we have someone who acts as an editor, to make sure all the pieces fit. The checks-and-balances part of me thinks this editor should not be a writing contributor themselves, but should have the authority to reject formal submissions or ask for rewrites of particular areas or elements so that they fit the general theme... once we agree on what that theme is. I know I am as susceptible as anyone to thinking my stuff is all hot shit, and I also know I can go overboard frequently enough. So that's why I suggest an editor.

I agree with what ever he said [ points to the one above her]

no seriously I think MM's idea makes the most sense

but on the subject of editor .. I also think MM would be the best choice for editor.
but I think he already opted out of that. or did he.

So I would nominate:
DarkAngel76
ZombiesGalore
Nihilistic_Impact

however the first two are already moderators and there probably already busy with out giving them even more work.
so that would put Nihilistic_Impact as my top pick right after MM

Ok. Looks like you guys are starting to make some headway here. Slowly, but surely. hee. Anyway, have you all come up with how you'd like this Persistent Worlds subforum to be run? I see more ideas floating about, which is great. So, just come up with a rough idea of how you all see it working and we can come up with rules and what not to enforce that things run smoothly and the way you all envision it. Actually............

hehe... Talked about it with Vek and he's supportive of the idea. Soooo... if you firm things up, start thinking of a moderation team (we're thinking anywhere from 1 - 3 sectional mods), come up with a name for the forum along with some basic rules... this will indeed be made. And as soon as all of that is figured out by you guys. So, the sooner you all figure it out, the sooner you'll have a pretty new forum to play in.

My nominations for sectional mods:
BlackWingAngel (since he came up with the idea)
Nihilistic_Impact
Mister Master

Just a note, any persistent world I create would have set limits as I've had more then my fill of rp without such restraints. I'm also a firm believer that limits breed creativity and I bend more towards the fantastical and strategical.

I have told a few people of a rather grandiose idea I hope to implement where the characters are Hegemons that desire to conquer the world I set up.

One thing you guys might want to consider regarding this concept then is that those of you playing in the forum that will eventually be created is to make a thread of 'world setup'. One where the creator can give as much or as little detail regarding their world to included. This can include factual details, general setting, limitations, whatever is wanted by the creator. That way when others 'jump' into the setting and/or RP involving the setting, they know what's allowed and what isn't, etc.

I sort of envision that you'll need a character profile thread and a world setup thread ontop of your RPs and rules, etc. Am I wrong in this assumption?? Again, this is for you guys. I'm just trying to help get things firmed up so that you have a place to play sooner than later.

Also..... don't forget to nominate people for mods! Or speak up and say if you'd be willing to mod.

I wouldn't know the first thing about modding, honestly. But it's a pleasure to be considered, either way.

We've brought up an interesting thought: the individual worlds. I would have thought that different worlds could be created by the RPs as necessary. But people posting descriptions of their created worlds for other people to use, that's an interesting thought.

Me, I'm more interested in the interstitial, the non-world that people go through to GET to those other worlds. But there's room for both.

I wrote something up. Just a draft, but I'll explain the premises I started with, and I'll open to discussion of how and why things got to be. It can be as much writing instruction/discussion on world-building as trying to work out a consistent initial premise for a shared world idea.

I'll start a new thread, and I figure it'll take four or five posts if I do each in sections. I'd rather do that than put it all in one big glurge of a single post.

I'll start setting it up right now.

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Crap, I forgot about how the software cobbles posts together. Quick, someone post a page break in the new thread! lol

Id be willing to volunteer as a mod for the Persistent Worlds. I am active enough to maintain 12-13 Roleplays at a time AND still satisfy all of them, so why not try this on for size?

*pokes his head in then is suddenly bombarded by awesome*

Wow, guys! I love everyone's support behind this idea! Never thought it would gain THIS much attention... :3