History of the Caseyverse: Difference between revisions

Latest revision as of 06:23, 5 September 2024

Tony Bark created the Caseyverse as a coping mechanism for the changing landscape of his online friendships on DeviantArt in 2005. His friends were moving on or losing contact as he struggled to incorporate their characters and fursonas into his creative endeavors meaningfully. The genesis of the Caseyverse was an unfinished short story titled Sunset, conceived in 2010. This narrative introduced Aidan Cheddar, a mouse, and offered a fresh perspective on Zack, a fox, through Aidan's eyes. Zack, originally conceived as Bark's blue fox fursona during his time on DeviantArt in 2005, was initially based on Tails from Sonic the Hedgehog, reflecting Bark's love for classic games, fan characters and fiction. Over time, Zack evolved into the DJ character present in the Caseyverse lore.

Bark's journey into digital art began as a simple endeavor to create a web comic for his brother, which he intended to publish on DeviantArt. However, circumstances shifted when Bark moved, severing ties with his real-life friends and leaving his DeviantArt connections as his primary source of social interaction outside of family. As Sunset never saw publication, the world crafted within its narrative served as the foundation for the Caseyverse.

Bark continued to grapple with the evolving dynamics of his online friendships as they gradually moved on without him, rendering their characters unusable in any meaningful way. This experience instilled a deep-seated fear in Bark, hindering his ability to use characters belonging to others, even within fictional contexts. The Caseyverse was named after Zack, whose surname is "Casey," derived from the reverse acronym of Zc456, Bark's original DeviantArt username. His friends affectionately referred to him as "Z" or "ZC," ultimately inspiring the character's name.

Bark cherished the creative ways his friends utilized and reinterpreted his character, Zack, during their shared time on DeviantArt. While initial fame from gaining a club surrounding Zack brought joy, it was the feeling of love and connection that resonated most profoundly. Recognizing the evolving complexities of copyright in the US, often perceived as more detrimental than beneficial, Bark made the conscious decision to place his characters and fictional world into the public domain. His intention was to prevent others from experiencing the same pain he endured.

Bark's original DeviantArt-era artwork can be found on a dedicated SheezyArt persona, zc456, representing his original username. Utilizing DeviantArt's "v4" color scheme, with which he grew up, all of his artwork is publicly accessible, further solidifying the copyright-free status of the Caseyverse.

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-'''Caseyverse''', or '''Casey Universe''', is a fictional universe created by Tony Bark. It began as a simple question regarding how elements of Bark's story, [[Sunset]], could be utilized to free its protagonist, [[Zack Casey]], from the baggage and copyright constraints posed by past collaborations with friends who had moved on to different forms of communication.
+Tony Bark created the '''Caseyverse''' as a coping mechanism for the changing landscape of his online friendships on DeviantArt in 2005. His friends were moving on or losing contact as he struggled to incorporate their characters and fursonas into his creative endeavors meaningfully. The genesis of the Caseyverse was an unfinished short story titled [[Sunset]], conceived in 2010. This narrative introduced [[Aidan Cheddar]], a mouse, and offered a fresh perspective on [[Zack Casey|Zack]], a fox, through Aidan's eyes. Zack, originally conceived as Bark's blue fox fursona during his time on DeviantArt in 2005, was initially based on Tails from Sonic the Hedgehog, reflecting Bark's love for classic games, fan characters and fiction. Over time, Zack evolved into the DJ character present in the Caseyverse lore.
-Sunset, a light-hearted slice-of-life tale written in the early 2010s, aimed to reintroduce Zack Casey, originally a blue fox character, in a fresh setting. Sunset was shared on Google Docs for feedback before publication and is where these initial questions regarding Bridgeport were asked. It was intended to serve as a foundation for a larger, darker narrative that involved saving the city of [[Bridgeport]]. While Sunset remained unfinished, it introduced key elements that would become integral to the Caseyverse.
+Bark's journey into digital art began as a simple endeavor to create a web comic for his brother, which he intended to publish on DeviantArt. However, circumstances shifted when Bark moved, severing ties with his real-life friends and leaving his DeviantArt connections as his primary source of social interaction outside of family. As Sunset never saw publication, the world crafted within its narrative served as the foundation for the Caseyverse.
-== Evolution ==
+Bark continued to grapple with the evolving dynamics of his online friendships as they gradually moved on without him, rendering their characters unusable in any meaningful way. This experience instilled a deep-seated fear in Bark, hindering his ability to use characters belonging to others, even within fictional contexts. The Caseyverse was named after Zack, whose surname is "Casey," derived from the reverse acronym of Zc456, Bark's original DeviantArt username. His friends affectionately referred to him as "Z" or "ZC," ultimately inspiring the character's name.
-Borrowing from various sources became a recurring theme. In 2020, [[Wikipedia:AI Dungeon|AI Dungeon]] text adventures introduced [[Pawprint Press]], [[FNN]], [[eCity Expo]], and the [[Central Tower]], marking the emergence of key locations within Bridgeport. A few years later, aspects like genetic engineering and [[Gene Clinics]] were incorporated from the video game ''Stellaris''.
-By late 2023, additional elements took shape, including [[Sunset Arms]] apartments, [[456 Bark Street]], and the [[Bridgeport Institute of Technology]] (BIT). This expansion saw a shift in focus to these three locations, with smaller, walkable streets added between larger corridors, mirroring the structure of cities like Tokyo. The change in scope and name of the apartment drew inspiration from Nickelodeon's [[Wikipedia:Hey Arnold!|Hey Arnold!]] Sunset Arms, a recurring starting point in Bark's personal AI Dungeon adventures, became particularly prominent.
+Bark cherished the creative ways his friends utilized and reinterpreted his character, Zack, during their shared time on DeviantArt. While initial fame from gaining a club surrounding Zack brought joy, it was the feeling of love and connection that resonated most profoundly. Recognizing the evolving complexities of copyright in the US, often perceived as more detrimental than beneficial, Bark made the conscious decision to place his characters and fictional world into the public domain. His intention was to prevent others from experiencing the same pain he endured.
-=== Once Upon a Forest ===
+Bark's original DeviantArt-era artwork can be found on a dedicated SheezyArt persona, zc456, representing his original username. Utilizing DeviantArt's "v4" color scheme, with which he grew up, all of his artwork is publicly accessible, further solidifying the copyright-free status of the Caseyverse.
-Though Caseyverse initially centered around Zack Casey, the titular character and fursona, the focus gradually shifted towards Max Casey, a cousin, reflecting evolving tastes. This dynamic, akin to inspirations from Hey Arnold!, allowed Bark to revisit elements of his childhood through a new lens, exploring a brotherly bond with his cousin. The relationship between Max and Zack mirrors their real-life counterparts, and Bark remains indifferent to interpretations of them as brothers or cousins, emphasizing the essence of their connection transcends labels.
-A pivotal turning point occurred when Bark drew inspiration from Once Upon a Forest by transforming Kit Welsh, originally a raccoon, into a badger and establishing him as a teacher at the Bridgeport Institute of Technology. This homage to Cornelius brought a much-needed voice of reason to Caseyverse, grounding the universe and providing a compelling foil to both Max and Zack.
-== Hosting ==
-Initially, Caseyverse lore and past projects were housed across various Wikis, primarily Fandom/Wikia platforms. The name "Caseyverse" emerged organically from a comment made by a friend who envisioned Bark's stories as existing under a single verse, such as the [[Wikipedia:Whoniverse|Whoniverse]]. When self-hosting became viable, newer wikis adopted this moniker. However, technical challenges with alternative wiki software prompted the reluctant use of Notion. Finally, with the support of his boyfriend, a reliable home was established on the Heartlands domain, securing a permanent platform for Caseyverse content.
-== Copyright ==
-Ever since discovering [[Wikipedia:Creative Commons|Creative Commons]] as a teenager, Bark has always been permissive about the usage of his artwork. This permissiveness likely contributed to his early success during his time on DeviantArt.
-Caseyverse initially operated under simple attribution terms for most of its early existence when hosted on [[Wikipedia:Fandom (website)|Fandom]] platform. However, after learning about the complexities of copyright and the extended protection afforded by "Life Plus 70," Bark realized the intricacies involved were not worth the hassle. He subsequently waived all copyrights to his work and the entirety of Caseyverse under CC0, ensuring complete [[Wikipedia:Public domain|public domain]] access.