#tron worldbuilding

[fights4users]

Encom system reference

For writing, drawing etc. please add to this with more background/set pictures if you can. Legacy was a lot of peoples first introduction and still the lean for most of the fandom so it’s a bit. Harder to find both visual and worldbuilding references for Classic. I want to start doing more references/world building help and this is a small way to start.

It’s so ?? Gorgeous I need more—

[murderbees]

More World Building for Tron, because I get stuck on random details

This time, featuring Energy in general, on the Grid

First, energy is multifunctional within the Grid. It power vehicles and machines, and serves as food and drink for Programs. It's naturally occuring, in the outlands with pools.

Energy is a natural resource, distributed throughout the grid as rain. Unforunately, Raw energy is slightly corrosive. You can drink it and be okay, but long term exposure isn't good for anyone. Think of it like salt water or lemon juice. Sure you'll be fine, but you will get uncomfortable. Since it's also energy, everyone absorbs some through their skin. If you absorb too much, you'll overload your systems and that's also really bad. That's why storms are dangerous, in addition to the electricity and lightning.

Energy has three forms, Raw, Primary, and Secondary. This refers to how processed the energy has been. Raw energy has not been processed. Primary energy has been processed, and is the most common form. Secondary is less common and is used in culinary pursuits or in the military.

Primary energy has either been processed through the city's power plant or through the Grid. In the ground is an aquifer of energy, which is why Tesler tried to drill for energy. Unfortunately, this caused blackouts since the city's energy is pulled from that same aquifer. The power plants regulate energy and moniter its use to ensure everyone has what they need, and that the aquifer remains healthy. If you take too much, there won't be enough left to support the city. The plants also plan excursions to the outlands to find energy pools to harvest. It's all about balance.

Each building has it's own energy well, but they're used as secondary energy sources. It more efficient for everyone if the power plant manages energy. The energy is distributed throughout the area by aqueducts connected to all buildings.

Primary energy can be drunken but it's really strong. Most programs prefer it diluted. Primary energy is used mainly for infrastructure and vehicles.

Secondary energy ranges from liquids to solids. It can be thinner, thicker, jelly-like, or even crystalline. It's used in both culinary arts and industrial and military functions.

Culinary energy tends to focus on drinks, with some jellies and solids. They make syrups and bases, sodas, many different kinds of energy drink for programs to consume. If you drink it every day, why not make it interesting? Some programs even have the capability to process the energy into jelly-like or crystal-like structures. These aren't very common, since they're more like gimmicks or candy. Not necessary, but novel and fun. Once turned into jelly or crystal, the energy cannot be turned back.

Industrial energy tends to be thicker, using a concentrated energy to run heavy machinery. There are many engineers experimenting to make more efficient energy forms. Crystal energy is sometimes used, but it's very rare.

Except if you're in the military. The military takes crystal energy and makes it into bombs. Yup, bombs. Crystal energy pellets are essentially bullets, and larger crystals get turned into grenades and bombs. Anything that uses crystal energy has a change to just explode.

[fights4users]

The sounds of Tron-

Something that is often looked over is the fact that Tron not only has a connection with early computing but with early gaming as well. Not just because one of the characters makes games and runs a arcade, video games are absolutely integral to the world. In fact they make up a good portion of how the system looks and functions!

For example most of the transport, ships, and weapons we see come from video games, mainly Flynn’s but extends into encoms catalog. In the vernacular it’s common to mention it as well “video game warriors” “Gonna make you play video games” “video game simulation” etc. but you didn’t need me to tell you this.

The way video games impacted and shaped the digital world of Tron absolutely plays a hand in how seamless it translates into the two tie in Arcade cabinets. Though heavy on the grid bugs they’re beautifully decorated and similar to the games as we see them on screen/would translate in real life. The music stings come straight from Wendy Carlos’s work for the film, to the extent the game contains the entirety of Anthem. [Listen]

Sound cue’s and combat-

Part of what makes the sound and style of the game so accurate to the movie is the sound design. Like in old games there is a sound for everything. Every movement has its own sound, it sounds silly as things in real life also have noise but if you’ve ever played any retro game you know what I’m talking about.

One of the best examples of this is when Flynn is tossed into the cell and stumbles around, there’s a metallic echo to his footsteps. In combat it’s the same thing —very distinct sounds to go with every action. A lot of what older games are is pattern recognition- both visual and audio, certain music loops or sound cues help you get better at the game. Another good example is Tron casting his disc, blocking throws etc- if you know what a disc sounds like you can better dodge etc. I also like how they have almost a ceramic sound when Ram plays with his.

Nothing is more video game than De-resolution itself! The death cry and slowly breaking into bits before getting reabsorbed. You can hear the noise off screen and know what happened, game over.

Apart from video game comparisons I do have such a genuine love for the sound design of the film and how much it fleshes out the world. The blips and bloops of energy flowing through the system. The sounds of a working computer. There’s a dial up esc noise when Flynn is beamed in and judging by the guards reactions it’s not different from a how a regular program would enter/travel between systems. Programs get to make funky little computer noises in my heart 💕(another inhuman attribute I think they deserve, they’re like us in so many ways but then… aren’t.)

I know it’s probably just because it’s older recording equipment but occasionally programs will get a grainy feedback/radio style grain to their voice. I’d like to think it’s intentional- especially considering Legacy does this too (going so far for it to be what some sound like all the time)

The way sound is utilized in the movie is a incredibly underrated aspect of what makes the movie so good.

[fights4users]

User does not mean maker

User and maker are often thought to mean the same thing within the fandom and in the world itself however this is not always the case.

Our main character’s users just so happen to be their makers in this case because they’re integral parts of the main system. They’re not to be “used” by anyone commercially. Tron is a security program while Yori works in design and fabrication (permanent memory, updates etc). Neither of them are on the commercial everyday use computers. It makes sense for their users to be who made them- as they’re probably the only ones to access them when things are running smoothly.

Ram and Crom however aren’t the same, working for insurance firms and a savings and loan respectively. Crom’s user is “Mr.Henderson” a regional manager while we don’t know Ram’s but it’s probably a lawyer or office worker but not Roy. They’re much more commercial use non system based programs… they’re designed to be in regular access to all sorts of users not just one.

All humans are Users but not all users are Makers, I’d say in technical terms it’s more fitting to say Programs reflect makers but still address them as users.

I’m sure someone who has a actual knowledge in programing and computing could explain this in a far neater fashion.

[fights4users]

I like how it feels like someone sat down and went “we made legacy literally too ‘dark and edgy’. We need to show them color actually exists in the grid” so they add more color to Uprising and it’s just white.

Well that and more circuitry color variation/specification. I am going to actually watch uprising, I’m working on it.

[fights4users]

Thinking of design again

I made a post before that I still standby that the Encom system is more contemporary 80s design meets a computer where as the grid is “cybercore” and I still stand by that, but this is me pushing a little further and looking at actual design. One of the best things I can recommend when it comes to writing/drawing inspiration for spaces in the digital world is Pinterest. He’s some examples

Encom-

A computer meets 80s contemporary and shapes!!! The Encom system is a lot more abstract than the grid , it’s much more it’s own world than a full reflection of the users. Shapes! Shapes! Shapes! Another aspect I absolutely adore is that it also leans hard into looking like aspects of a computers insides from wire to circuit boards. I can see conversation pits all the rage in the system instead of regular “normal” shaped chairs etc

Grid-

It’s the subway station, airport terminal to Encom’s space age hotel. A lot more late 80s, early 90s influence in how things are designed. Despite the system being mostly abstracts it’s actually the grid that’s much more liminal, it has furniture and mass to everything a very user vibe but also… not enough, huge spaces but not enough in them to feel right- everything looks uncomfortable even though you can tell what it is. Tron isn’t a “Cyberpunk” but I think people tend to call it that as a lot of legacy’s visuals are more generic and not distinctly computer?

[fights4users]

More assorted system headcanons

I’ve been doing a lot of individual post ones lately, slightly larger than these but not enough for an essay. I haven’t really had big post ideas lately but these are fun and I like to use them in writing (and anyone can for anything I put out btw)

Here’s some more after this one [ Sleep | drink ]

Encom system has (or used not to) no currency system, it’s more efficient to just let everyone about their way to do what they need to do. It keeps everything productive and less complicated… that was until paywalls went up. When the company got more greedy and secure things went a bit sour. Now you have to pay to travel to certain domains and it’s a hastle. Some know how to jump or get around paywalls others have a card from their users that gives them permission (basically a in world translation for paying to access a site)

However the Grid had currency from the start both as users were intended to eventually come in and they needed something to do with so long without purpose, they have their entirely own system that’s mainly made up but they ahear to. Clu doesn’t regulate it- mainly because it keeps the masses busy

Encom still utilizes physical buttons, keyboards and switches alongside some touch screen- while The grid is purely touch or holo screen (mainly for aesthetic, that’s the way most of it was built)

Another way to recuperate energy would be to plug in/charge sort of like a phone. Computers themselves are constantly plugged in and most of the time programs get energy simply through functioning but this is a more direct way, that also helps to skip a sleep cycle which takes much longer.

Similar to all programs using it/it’s interchangeably with gendered pronouns I can see them having open and undefined relationships. There’s not exactly jealousy as Counterparts are a bond that goes well beyond the way we view relationships, i don’t know if this makes sense

There’s a fate worse than Deresolution or deletion for programs …  obsolescence. You’re not dead but you’re also not running, not being used and you haven’t for a really long time. Existing but not, installed but the users and soon those you know forget you’re still there. Sort of a living-dead situation. (At least being derezzed your energy is recycled back into the system, not just wasted)

Coming from the Encom system Tron mourns buttons and the physicality of everything- it’s his “old man yells at cloud moment”. Whatever the digital version of ‘grandpa’ would be that’s what the betas (teens??) call him. “What was it like when the computer was invented?” *punts child* he’s two years older than the grid itself don’t do this to him

Encom is very abstract in everything, more often than not furniture is more of a low-resolution 3D abstract than a actual chair (if you’ve seen CGI from the. 80s- that) it’s much less representative of our world beyond programs reflecting users. There’s never ending horrors if you step just outside of where you’re supposed to.

Pac-Man is a “Grid eater” as described in the novelization. (Sark 100% put some poor soul in the Pac-Man maze,) types like him can be contained there’s others that are like worms and destroy-all viruses that you better just derezz— however sometimes they’re just sort of lumbering deep beneath out lands not hurting anyone so it’s 🤷‍♀️ Go there at your own risk

[fights4users]

Another sort of silly headcanon- Flynn also introduced Bunny ears to the system

Except Programs have no idea what a bunny is, they just find it particularly hilarious to put up a symbol behind someone before scanning or some other situation.

They’d probably see it more as antennae (in the technological sense like for a TV not on a bug)