#i say its a lowkey tron legacy crossover cause none of the characters are relevant from that or their canon is different here

[100-yardstare]

I've been thinking about my fic "The Real World" that I wrote in 2014, and the AU I had going on. It has so much potential as a concept and I really just want to ramble about it.

For those of you who haven't/don't want to read it, "The Real World" was basically a Wreck-It Ralph and (very lowkey) Tron Legacy crossover where Programs were allowed into our world, hence the title.

Here's some tidbits on what gave me the idea and some extras in 2024:

When I wrote it, I was focusing on isomorphism and the Bolzmann brain, and rolled with the idea of sentience appearing and manifesting in a digital space. Basically the characters in WIR and other game characters are "alive" because, unbeknownst to humans, their programming has resulted in spontaneous consciousness.

They are a type of AI, yes, but they are also "alive" in a sense that they are biological (albeit artificial) entities. I tried to hint at this in my sequence where my main character/insert finds "the code", but the platform expresses an actual DNA sequence that a human or programmer can manipulate.

Since game characters are created and artificial entities, they are of course beholden to their programming (as in what makes their personalities and memories/backstories) but because you could argue they are based on fictional characters in the real world, they have their own autonomy and can make decisions on their behavior.

A friend and I came up with a concept called "Shell Programs". Later in my fic's lore world, people (specifically a corporation, oops) takes the discovery of Program's as entities, and creates artificial "bodies" that a human mind can insert themselves into. Touches on the basis of transhumanism and the ability to swap the real you for another body. Think on the lines of Ghost in the Shell, but instead of being a cyborg you can physically be a Program entity.

I can imagine after the events of my story there is a lot of political and scientific turmoil, good and bad. Maybe on the lines of Blade Runner type stuff.

I really like brainstorming this idea so if you want to chime in or send me an ask I am all ears!