History of the Caseyverse: Difference between revisions

Revision as of 05:48, 5 September 2024

Caseyverse is a fictional universe centered around the island nation of Nethington, created by Tony Bark. Its origins trace back to Bark's experiences on DeviantArt, where he initially developed his character Zack, a blue fox fursona based on Tails from Sonic the Hedgehog.

The genesis of Caseyverse lies in an unfinished short story titled "Sunset," intended to introduce Aidan Cheddar, a mouse character, and reintroduce Zack through Aidan's perspective. This story was conceived during Bark's time on DeviantArt, where he cultivated a community of friends who engaged with his artwork and characters. However, as years passed, Bark experienced the loss of contact with some of these friends, leading to a sense of isolation.

"Sunset" never saw publication, but the world it birthed served as the foundational bedrock for Caseyverse. As Bark navigated the emotional complexities of losing touch with his online community, he continued to develop the fictional world, gradually shaping it into what is now known as Caseyverse. The name itself stems from Zack's last name, "Casey," which is a reverse acronym of Zc456, Bark's original DeviantArt username. His friends affectionately referred to him as "Z" or "ZC," inspiring the character's surname.

Bark deeply valued the creative interpretations and contributions his DeviantArt friends made to his characters and fursona. While initial recognition brought joy, it was ultimately the feeling of love and connection within this online community that resonated most profoundly with Bark.

The evolving landscape of copyright in the United States influenced Bark's decision to place Caseyverse into the public domain. Witnessing the potential for harm within copyright law, he sought to ensure that others wouldn't face similar challenges to his own.

Bark's original artwork from the DeviantArt era can be found on a dedicated SheezyArt persona under the username "zc456," reflecting his initial online identity. All artwork is presented in the public domain, further solidifying Caseyverse's open-access status.

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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.
+'''Caseyverse''' is a fictional universe centered around the island nation of [[Nethington]], created by Tony Bark. Its origins trace back to Bark's experiences on [[Wiki:DeviantArt|DeviantArt]], where he initially developed his character [[Zack Casey|Zack]], a blue fox fursona based on Tails from Sonic the Hedgehog.
-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.
+The genesis of Caseyverse lies in an unfinished short story titled "[[Sunset]]," intended to introduce Aidan Cheddar, a mouse character, and reintroduce Zack through Aidan's perspective. This story was conceived during Bark's time on DeviantArt, where he cultivated a community of friends who engaged with his artwork and characters. However, as years passed, Bark experienced the loss of contact with some of these friends, leading to a sense of isolation.
-== Evolution ==
+"Sunset" never saw publication, but the world it birthed served as the foundational bedrock for Caseyverse. As Bark navigated the emotional complexities of losing touch with his online community, he continued to develop the fictional world, gradually shaping it into what is now known as Caseyverse. The name itself stems from Zack's last name, "Casey," which is a reverse acronym of Zc456, Bark's original DeviantArt username. His friends affectionately referred to him as "Z" or "ZC," inspiring the character's surname.
-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''.
-Since 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 deeply valued the creative interpretations and contributions his DeviantArt friends made to his characters and fursona. While initial recognition brought joy, it was ultimately the feeling of love and connection within this online community that resonated most profoundly with Bark.
-=== Once Upon a Forest ===
+The evolving landscape of copyright in the United States influenced Bark's decision to place Caseyverse into the public domain. Witnessing the potential for harm within copyright law, he sought to ensure that others wouldn't face similar challenges to his own.
-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 [[Wikipedia:Once Upon a Forest|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.
+Bark's original artwork from the DeviantArt era can be found on a dedicated SheezyArt persona under the username "zc456," reflecting his initial online identity. All artwork is presented in the public domain, further solidifying Caseyverse's open-access status.
-== 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.