Forum:Open Universe Wiki

I have an idea for a new wiki, and I'd like to get some feedback. The new wiki would revolve around a fictional universe (in which humans and Earth could still exist, even in our present state), and would catalog a potentially infinite supply of fictional aliens, planets, technology, events, characters, etc.

The key difference with this wiki is that it would be comprised entirely of original content (no creatures from Star Trek, Star Wars, etc.), and originality would be encouraged. It could act as a forum for amateur science-fiction (and even regular fiction) writers to hone their skills, share ideas, and contribute to fiction that anyone could read for free.

Some questions:
 * Does such a wiki already exist?
 * If not, and it were created, are there legal safeguards in place in the GPL system that could dissuade other writers/Hollywood/whoever from stealing these ideas?
 * Does such a concept sound feasible to others?
 * What problems do you, the reader of this idea, foresee (aside from copyright and content management)?

Regards, Careax 05:15, 4 April 2007 (UTC)


 * Perhaps you could try the idea at the Novelas Wiki. ~Dantman(talk) tricks Apr 4, 2007 @ 06:44 (UTC)


 * Thanks Dantman, I knew I'd seen a wiki related to fiction somewhere, but couldn't remember where it was. But the Open Universe wiki idea I had is a little different - or at least it's evolved in my mind in a slightly different direction since I posted this basic idea yesterday.


 * Rather than be a place for fictional novels, etc., I'm thinking Open Universe would act more as a framework or foundation for a collection of related novels, novellas, etc. Where as the Novelas wiki is a place in which anyone can post actual fiction, the Open Universe wiki would be the encyclopedia of a growing fictional (sci-fi-based) universe, with external links to where those novels are hosted. It could even work in tandem with the Novelas wiki: the framework for a collective sci-fi universe being stored in Open Universe, and the actual fictional works based on that universe being stored in the Novellas wiki.


 * Hopefully that make sense. Thoughts? Careax 12:55, 4 April 2007 (UTC)


 * I just found the "ConWorlds" section on the Novellas Wiki. That might be a good place to outline such a universe, rather than creating it's own separate wiki. Although I foresee a few problems: a) I was literally planning Open Universe to be limitless, whereas ConWorlds on the Novellas Wiki seem to be mainly focused around one specific world or locale; b) maintenance of interlinks on a Novellas ConWorld is a bit of a hassle, as one would have to reference them as something like'OpenUniverse/whatever'; c) I think promotion of such a fictional universe would be easier if it had its own wiki.
 * Careax 13:57, 4 April 2007 (UTC)