Network
HERE IS HOW THE NETWORK WORKS.
Ya'll got smartphones. They gave you decent ones upon arrival because holy shit new people must insert safely. We're going to simplify things because keeping track of 10 million ways to communicate is gonna be waaaay too much.
You've got the usual public network--or well, let's just assume that they have a public group that's just for the newcomers.
You can private chat message a group or a single person. You can send pictures, videos, etc. Bandwidth is cheap. These phones can be broken, but your stuff is backed up automatically on a secure cloud server, and you can always get things replaced. And you can access from multiple devices!
Actually, why not make it an application that everyone uses that's new. It's secure, got set up by the government and one of the big companies to try to butter people up. But they can't even get access to your messages if they wanted to! Encryption is key. Hehe. Key. Get it? Wait, no you don't. You don't do PKI stuff. I'm sorry. I'm sorry.
Ya'll got smartphones. They gave you decent ones upon arrival because holy shit new people must insert safely. We're going to simplify things because keeping track of 10 million ways to communicate is gonna be waaaay too much.
You've got the usual public network--or well, let's just assume that they have a public group that's just for the newcomers.
You can private chat message a group or a single person. You can send pictures, videos, etc. Bandwidth is cheap. These phones can be broken, but your stuff is backed up automatically on a secure cloud server, and you can always get things replaced. And you can access from multiple devices!
Actually, why not make it an application that everyone uses that's new. It's secure, got set up by the government and one of the big companies to try to butter people up. But they can't even get access to your messages if they wanted to! Encryption is key. Hehe. Key. Get it? Wait, no you don't. You don't do PKI stuff. I'm sorry. I'm sorry.
Entry tags:
Employment Opportunities
Sure you get a base apartment and food because no one wants you to starve, but it's pretty bare bones. Your phone is a pretty old model. It works, but not well. At least you get a nice place to live because you're new to the whole social order of things. And healthcare is free.
So you're gonna have to make some money.
Schools, Universities, labs, healthcare, working on the industrial side (don't worry, they'll fix any genetic abnormalities that pop up if you work there!), mining (don't worry, there's lots of safety equipment--and you can keep some of the fancier stuff you find!), engineering work, general businesses, maker lab, restaurants, retail (quick marts, upscale, midscale, walmart), pharmacies, etc. EVERYTHING.
Also a general idea of what eat thing brings in.
Rent is pretty cheap but you're expected to spend that money back into the community!
So you're gonna have to make some money.
Schools, Universities, labs, healthcare, working on the industrial side (don't worry, they'll fix any genetic abnormalities that pop up if you work there!), mining (don't worry, there's lots of safety equipment--and you can keep some of the fancier stuff you find!), engineering work, general businesses, maker lab, restaurants, retail (quick marts, upscale, midscale, walmart), pharmacies, etc. EVERYTHING.
Also a general idea of what eat thing brings in.
Rent is pretty cheap but you're expected to spend that money back into the community!
Entry tags:
Businesses
Here's a list of important businesses... which may or may not have employment opportunities.
The employment opportunities will be in their own section because there's just going to be a wide range of them.
Business Name: NEWS1
Business Location:
Business Type: Media Website, News
Brief Description: The first broadcaster to get up and running. 24 News network. Also does weather and exploration segments when new worlds start to form. The staff is helping filter in information if people call it in. Free and funded by the government.
Business Name: 2REAL
Business Location:
Business Type: Media Website, Reality TV
Brief Description: This was the second website to go live. God help us all. Reality TV shows, mostly. Some documentaries. The long form game shows tpo awful for even GAME6 to take take. Available by subscription, no subsidy.
Business Name: HISTO3
Business Location:
Business Type: Media Website,
Brief Description: Not just the history channel, but the educational channel as well. They were allowed an extra letter in their name because of the pun. It was a dark time. Free.
Business Name: KIDS4
Business Location:
Business Type: Media Website, Children's
Brief Description: The 4th broadcaster to get up and running. The kids' network of shows. Contains old shows, new shows, original shows, and pretty much everything under the sun. Free.
Business Name: SCI5
Business Location:
Business Type: Media Website, Science Fiction & Fantasy
Brief Description: The committee who named the networks were especially fond of puns. This hosts old classic sci-fi and new sci-fi. It also has wrestling. Science Fiction wrestling. With robots. Low subscription cost.
Business Name: GAME6
Business Location:
Business Type: Media Website, Game Shows
Brief Description: It's the games network. Family Feud, Japanese Game Shows, and their version of Eurovision. Somehow, this one didn't end up as a pun. Which is kinda funny, because this is also the comedy network. Low subscription cost.
Business Name: DRAM8
Business Location:
Business Type: Media Website, Dramas, Mystery, Action, Sitcoms, "Real Life"
Brief Description: Skipping 7 because it's considered a bad number by those of Chinese descent, this network holds all the everyday dramas and those of years previous. Also holds all the action flicks, mystery shows, and other "mundane" every day shows. Also sitcoms. Available by subscription, no subsidy, but has weekend binge seasons from time to time.
Business Name: FINE9
Business Location:
Business Type: Media Network, Celebrities & Movies
Brief Description: This is what happens when you have a ship full of nerds name the networks they watch. This network covers everything famous people are doing and also plays their movies. Also has Throwback Thursdays and independent film festivals. Free.
Business Name: COOK10
Business Location:
Business Type: Media Website, Food and Home/Garden
Brief Description: Pronounced Cookin', this network is all of the usual cooking shows. It also has the home and garden shows, including home improvement and house hunter style shows. Because they realized they had to stick those somewhere after they had already named it. Oops. Available by subscription, no subsidy.
Business Name: InkTank
Business Location:
Business Type: Animation Studio
Brief Description: The only surviving of the two animation studios, InkTank is responsible for most of the children's entertainment. It has both a core team and small teams that come to do their own individual projects.
Ones to be made later:
MAIN GROCERY CHAIN 1
TWO CHAIN FANCY ORGANIC GROCERY
CHAIN OF KARATE PLACES
MAKERSPACE
STARTUP INCUBATOR
FOOD BAKERY DEFINITELY.
International plaza food place.
Couples Cottage (this is a lie. It isn't a cottage jfc)
Star Hotels (chain)
The River Convention Center
Hour Eyes
Hour Home Furnishings
Glass Bobbles
Vintage & Found
Hour Mechanics (So many people make silly hourglass puns I'm sorry)
Ziggy's McFish & Chips
Jasmine Spa - Asian Spa, specializing in Korean spa stuff as well as onsen
Starbucks - You had to see that coming
McDonalds - Yeah, that too.
Suggest businesses here:
The employment opportunities will be in their own section because there's just going to be a wide range of them.
Business Name: NEWS1
Business Location:
Business Type: Media Website, News
Brief Description: The first broadcaster to get up and running. 24 News network. Also does weather and exploration segments when new worlds start to form. The staff is helping filter in information if people call it in. Free and funded by the government.
Business Name: 2REAL
Business Location:
Business Type: Media Website, Reality TV
Brief Description: This was the second website to go live. God help us all. Reality TV shows, mostly. Some documentaries. The long form game shows tpo awful for even GAME6 to take take. Available by subscription, no subsidy.
Business Name: HISTO3
Business Location:
Business Type: Media Website,
Brief Description: Not just the history channel, but the educational channel as well. They were allowed an extra letter in their name because of the pun. It was a dark time. Free.
Business Name: KIDS4
Business Location:
Business Type: Media Website, Children's
Brief Description: The 4th broadcaster to get up and running. The kids' network of shows. Contains old shows, new shows, original shows, and pretty much everything under the sun. Free.
Business Name: SCI5
Business Location:
Business Type: Media Website, Science Fiction & Fantasy
Brief Description: The committee who named the networks were especially fond of puns. This hosts old classic sci-fi and new sci-fi. It also has wrestling. Science Fiction wrestling. With robots. Low subscription cost.
Business Name: GAME6
Business Location:
Business Type: Media Website, Game Shows
Brief Description: It's the games network. Family Feud, Japanese Game Shows, and their version of Eurovision. Somehow, this one didn't end up as a pun. Which is kinda funny, because this is also the comedy network. Low subscription cost.
Business Name: DRAM8
Business Location:
Business Type: Media Website, Dramas, Mystery, Action, Sitcoms, "Real Life"
Brief Description: Skipping 7 because it's considered a bad number by those of Chinese descent, this network holds all the everyday dramas and those of years previous. Also holds all the action flicks, mystery shows, and other "mundane" every day shows. Also sitcoms. Available by subscription, no subsidy, but has weekend binge seasons from time to time.
Business Name: FINE9
Business Location:
Business Type: Media Network, Celebrities & Movies
Brief Description: This is what happens when you have a ship full of nerds name the networks they watch. This network covers everything famous people are doing and also plays their movies. Also has Throwback Thursdays and independent film festivals. Free.
Business Name: COOK10
Business Location:
Business Type: Media Website, Food and Home/Garden
Brief Description: Pronounced Cookin', this network is all of the usual cooking shows. It also has the home and garden shows, including home improvement and house hunter style shows. Because they realized they had to stick those somewhere after they had already named it. Oops. Available by subscription, no subsidy.
Business Name: InkTank
Business Location:
Business Type: Animation Studio
Brief Description: The only surviving of the two animation studios, InkTank is responsible for most of the children's entertainment. It has both a core team and small teams that come to do their own individual projects.
Ones to be made later:
MAIN GROCERY CHAIN 1
TWO CHAIN FANCY ORGANIC GROCERY
CHAIN OF KARATE PLACES
MAKERSPACE
STARTUP INCUBATOR
FOOD BAKERY DEFINITELY.
International plaza food place.
Couples Cottage (this is a lie. It isn't a cottage jfc)
Star Hotels (chain)
The River Convention Center
Hour Eyes
Hour Home Furnishings
Glass Bobbles
Vintage & Found
Hour Mechanics (So many people make silly hourglass puns I'm sorry)
Ziggy's McFish & Chips
Jasmine Spa - Asian Spa, specializing in Korean spa stuff as well as onsen
Starbucks - You had to see that coming
McDonalds - Yeah, that too.
Suggest businesses here:
Northern Disc Map

Map based on this city prototype.
General Area: The Northern Disc is where everything but large scale production happens. Everything from retail, schools, homes, innovation, and offices reside here. It's mostly covered by forests (light green), with the northern half tropical, and the lower half temperate. The inner hexagon (dark green) has forests (spread out), a zoo spread out in the northwest, a desert area in the northeast, a beach in the southeast, an amusement part in the southwest, and a desert in the northeast. The Southwest is the only portion that experiences snow.
Standard Amenities for all buildings*: regional malls & general retail, restaurants, gyms, schooling/daycare up to American 8th grade, post office, groceries, convenience stores, doctor/dental/specialist/optometrist offices, emergency room, housing, movie theater, live show theater, police office, fire station, emergency transit, transit hub, building government offices, library, hotels, some farms, small gardens, helipads, trees, lounge spaces, small spas, etc; enough to be somewhat self-sufficient, company satellite offices
*Exception is the Seoul Skyfarm. See its listing for specific amenities. Otherwise, all buildings have a minimum of at LEAST these amenities, and any amenities listed are additional.
NOTES TO SELF:
Someplace for an aquarium, biggest mall, biggest art gallery, etc.
-UPDATE FOR TAITLIN'S TOWER
-WHERE ARE THE PETS. WE NEED PETS. Also need the animal shelter?
-What did I just forget
-Animals were collected from various worlds that grew. :3
[0000 block LW] Living Water
Inspiration
Reservoir Floors: B1-B4
Retail Floors: 1-5
Office/School/Business Floors: 5-19
Resident Floors: 20-35?
Additional Amenities: Main hospital, high schools (1 public, multiple private), colleges/universities, vocational schools, multiple live show, jail, many art galleries, museums, multiple movie and live theaters, opera house, large ornamental garden, seat of all government, largest regional library
Description:
This is the main cultural center for the Upper Disc, and for the entire game: it contains schools, universities, government offices, religious institutions, start-up incubators, MakerSpaces, and shops that support them. A few residences exist for teachers, scientists, religious leaders, and politicians. It's surrounded by forests and quite beautiful. It has addresses in the single digits to set it apart as the center of society on the upper disc. The high schools and colleges are located here. There always seems to be some sort of festival or fair going on one or more terraces.
[1000 block MTS] The Montpellier Tree Skyscraper
Inspiration, 35 right, 39 left
Retail Floors: 24R-29R, 17L-26L, 36L-39L
Office/Business Floors: 16R-23R,29R-35R, 11L-16L,33L-35L
Resident Floors: 1R-15R, 1L-10L, 27L-30L
Additional Amenities: local history museum, science museum, art galleries, biggest startup incubator, largest MakerSpace, tech companies galore, boutique shops, many high end retailers, only adult store
Description:
A normal skyscraper with plenty of outdoor space. This skyscraper incidentally ended up with the largest concentration of software and product design companies. It also hosts the largest startup incubator (which has office space for small, brand new companies for cheap), and the largest MakerSpace (a place with tools and equipment to prototype/make nearly everything) in all of the Home Disc. The adult store's description is here
[2000 block MCS] The M-City Skyscraper
Inspiration
Retail Floors: 1-9
Office/Business Floors: 10-36 (2 of 3 stacks)
Resident Floors: 10-36 (1 of 3 stacks), 37-63 (2 of 2 stacks)
Additional Amenities: conference center + large hotel 1st/2nd floors, western style spa, highest concentration of design firms (clothing, interior design, final product design), high end restaurants, movie studios, highest end mall, design schools, lots of crazy experimental shops/venues/restaurants/services
Description: Think Hollywood. A lot of rich people live hear, and it shows. This place is a bit of a gated community. The very high end residences (some of them pent houses) stacked on top of the other buildings are locked down so only residents can get in. Many company executive offices are located here, and this is where they call the shots for the various satellite offices.
[3000 block THS] The Houston Skyscraper
Inspiration - DESTROYED, UNINHABITABLE
Retail Floors: XX-XX
Office/Business Floors: XX-XX
Resident Floors: XX-XXX
Additional Amenities: (Now former) jail, (now former) animation studio, (now former) major sports venues
Description: It's been left almost as it has fallen, other than areas where survivors were located. Guards are posted to stop looters. There are rumors that some of the missing inmates are hiding in the structure.
[4000 block TJS] The Jakarta Skyscraper - Tatlin's Tower
Inspiration
Retail Floors: 1-2 (groceries/retail only, some small offices), 50-63
Office/Business Floors: 20-29
Resident Floors: 9-19, 31-49
Forest Floors: 1-8, 30
Additional Amenities: Animation studio, farming (livestock, insects, fish, vegetables/fruit/plants), indoor grassland, small farmers market, aquarium, insect specific cuisine, large multi-level parks; no large offices/businesses
Description: Has about 9,000 people with a capacity of 9,256. 2,314 units.
[5000 block TSS] The Seoul Skyfarm
Inspiration
Retail Floors: 1-4 (skinny)
Office/Business Floors: 4-10 (skinny)
Resident Floors: 11-37
Amenities: small amount of retail, a handful of restaurants, gym, single school/daycare up to American 8th grade, post office, grocery, convenience store, one large doctor/dental/specialist/optometrist office, farming, daily farmers market, emergency room, housing, live show theater, police office, fire station, emergency transit, transit hub, small movie theatre, private and public gardens (mostly farm, some ornamental), 2nd largest regional library, 1 hotel, BIGGEST KOREAN SPA EVER
Description:
Mostly farm, but there are apartments and businesses to support them. People live here to escape the rat race and live in the "slow lane". The majority of Pulse's food comes from the farms here. Many of the farms are small scale family farms, but there are a few large scale operations.
[6000 block ZMF] The Ziggy McFishlips Skyscraper
Inspiration 35 floors
Retail Floors: 1-3
Office/Business Floors: 2-10, 13, 18, 25
Resident Floors: 2-35
Additional Amenities: Multiple pools, farming, lots of indoor forests, large scale nature preserves, vertical river, river rafting/tubing, anothe large scale spa, artists/crafters galore (potters, painters, quilters, scrapbookers, EVERYONE that's using less high tech art stuff), large art center
Description: "Someone had the brilliant idea to host a contest for naming this building. It went about as well as you'd expect." - Zee
The vertical river meanders through the structure, slowly traveling from one open area/nature preserve to another. Some areas allow white water rafting or tubing with specialized elevators so people don't plunge to their deaths.
Entry tags:
RING WORLDS
HERE THERE BE LOTS OF INFO ABOUT RINGWORLD MECHANICS.
There are still many competing hypotheses about the full mechanics of how the ringworlds form, but none of them explain everything in enough detail to become a theory. In other words, "we have no idea how the f$&% it works". It just does. And it's weird.
What is know about the ringworlds is that they're created by the use of the hourglass's sand. When all the sand runs out of the top, it the glass begins to rotate and separates from the two discs on either side. Now free, the sand shoots out and grabs nearby asteroids in the belt, using their raw materials to form worlds--although even then, the raw materials don't seem to add up to the whole. These worlds are small but fully realized ecosystems, dramatically appearing overnight and slowly growing over the course of their lifetimes. Each world's lifetime is finite, and their lifetimes vary. When their lifetime is up, the sand deconstructs the world, creating a small sphere covered in rock that shoots off into parts unknown. There's been limited observations of the process, as the sand clouds the skies and prevents observations throughout the electromagnetic spectrum.
It seems that some of these worlds take cues from the inhabitants, with many of the landscapes familiar and reminiscent of their homeworld, Earth. Sometimes, however, they are completely foreign, and no one quite knows why. All that they know is that the worlds seem to be something that they need, usually just as they need it.
The ringworlds are basically like the very upper crust of a planet, complete with mineral veins and caves running through them. Mining is thus far simpler than on Earth, as the deepest of the veins are exposed to the air. It's incredibly convenient.
**MORE LATER
There are still many competing hypotheses about the full mechanics of how the ringworlds form, but none of them explain everything in enough detail to become a theory. In other words, "we have no idea how the f$&% it works". It just does. And it's weird.
What is know about the ringworlds is that they're created by the use of the hourglass's sand. When all the sand runs out of the top, it the glass begins to rotate and separates from the two discs on either side. Now free, the sand shoots out and grabs nearby asteroids in the belt, using their raw materials to form worlds--although even then, the raw materials don't seem to add up to the whole. These worlds are small but fully realized ecosystems, dramatically appearing overnight and slowly growing over the course of their lifetimes. Each world's lifetime is finite, and their lifetimes vary. When their lifetime is up, the sand deconstructs the world, creating a small sphere covered in rock that shoots off into parts unknown. There's been limited observations of the process, as the sand clouds the skies and prevents observations throughout the electromagnetic spectrum.
It seems that some of these worlds take cues from the inhabitants, with many of the landscapes familiar and reminiscent of their homeworld, Earth. Sometimes, however, they are completely foreign, and no one quite knows why. All that they know is that the worlds seem to be something that they need, usually just as they need it.
The ringworlds are basically like the very upper crust of a planet, complete with mineral veins and caves running through them. Mining is thus far simpler than on Earth, as the deepest of the veins are exposed to the air. It's incredibly convenient.
**MORE LATER
Hourglass Information
[PRETTY PICTURE OF HOURGLASS]
The hourglass was the salvation of the [GROUP]. When they arrived to an asteroid belt instead of a world, it was the hourglass that built them what they needed to survive. Some claim they can 'hear' the hourglass. All can feel its warmth. Some have gone so far as to worship it.
When people travel through the transit system between the discs and approaching the hourglass's center, they can feel... something. It's not just reaching the center of gravity, reaching equilibrium, but like coming home. There's a platform built around the center of the hourglass for a reason: not only to have someplace for people to sit if they fall off the sides of the discs, but because it produces the sort of calm that cannot be replicated. It's only temporary, but still wonderful.
Wow, I really need to rewrite this. BUT BASICALLY IT IS REALLY RELAXING. Also we are on an incline so there's a day/night cycle. Or maybe the people made something to do the cycle around the disc? WHO KNOWS.
The Sands of Space-Time are what draw in the asteroids around them and use their material to build the worlds that the residents explore. It responds to their needs and wishes, co-creating a new existence with them. How long it lasts is variable, but usually it is not shorter than it needs to be. The changes are made in the night, as everyone sleeps.
When people die before their time, before their bodies expire due to age, the Sand comes in the night to "fix" their bodies and restore them. The first few times this happened, it was pretty freaky, but the residents got used to not needing to say goodbye to friends too soon. It is because of this that murder is an almost non-existent crime--if your victim sees you, you can be sure that they will be telling the police what you did in a week's time. The only way to successfully kill someone is to not be seen or be unidentifiable.
Recently, the residents have found that the Hourglass can repair itself. However, anyone that dies while it is still not fully healed will not come back from the dead. Thus, during the recent asteroid strike, the residents have learned for the first time in a generation what tragedy is. They are scared and afraid, spooked now that they are reminded of their own mortality.
That is where the newcomers come in--to help rebuild their future and bring back hope.
-MAYBE SAND ALLOWS PEOPLE TO DO STUFF? LIKE WHAT? WHO KNOWS? BITS CAN ESCAPE AND COLLECT.
-Sand changes color
-sand ignores gravity to fall instead of being stuck in middle
-also what is the sand made out of
The hourglass was the salvation of the [GROUP]. When they arrived to an asteroid belt instead of a world, it was the hourglass that built them what they needed to survive. Some claim they can 'hear' the hourglass. All can feel its warmth. Some have gone so far as to worship it.
When people travel through the transit system between the discs and approaching the hourglass's center, they can feel... something. It's not just reaching the center of gravity, reaching equilibrium, but like coming home. There's a platform built around the center of the hourglass for a reason: not only to have someplace for people to sit if they fall off the sides of the discs, but because it produces the sort of calm that cannot be replicated. It's only temporary, but still wonderful.
Wow, I really need to rewrite this. BUT BASICALLY IT IS REALLY RELAXING. Also we are on an incline so there's a day/night cycle. Or maybe the people made something to do the cycle around the disc? WHO KNOWS.
The Sands of Space-Time are what draw in the asteroids around them and use their material to build the worlds that the residents explore. It responds to their needs and wishes, co-creating a new existence with them. How long it lasts is variable, but usually it is not shorter than it needs to be. The changes are made in the night, as everyone sleeps.
When people die before their time, before their bodies expire due to age, the Sand comes in the night to "fix" their bodies and restore them. The first few times this happened, it was pretty freaky, but the residents got used to not needing to say goodbye to friends too soon. It is because of this that murder is an almost non-existent crime--if your victim sees you, you can be sure that they will be telling the police what you did in a week's time. The only way to successfully kill someone is to not be seen or be unidentifiable.
Recently, the residents have found that the Hourglass can repair itself. However, anyone that dies while it is still not fully healed will not come back from the dead. Thus, during the recent asteroid strike, the residents have learned for the first time in a generation what tragedy is. They are scared and afraid, spooked now that they are reminded of their own mortality.
That is where the newcomers come in--to help rebuild their future and bring back hope.
-MAYBE SAND ALLOWS PEOPLE TO DO STUFF? LIKE WHAT? WHO KNOWS? BITS CAN ESCAPE AND COLLECT.
-Sand changes color
-sand ignores gravity to fall instead of being stuck in middle
-also what is the sand made out of