imaginedthat

Imaginedthat is a collaborative creative project and digital archive that catalogs imagined entities, places, and narratives generated by participants through prompts and storytelling. It emphasizes collective worldbuilding and the sharing of speculative ideas.

Origin and scope: imaginedthat originated as a small online writing and art experiment in the early 2010s among a pool of writers, designers, and game developers. It grew into a web platform that hosts user-submitted entries and preserves a searchable archive of fictional concepts, enabling contributors to explore and remix ideas within a shared space.

Format and workflow: Participants contribute short texts, sketches, or notes in response to prompts. Entries are organized by tags such as character, setting, artifact, or event. An editorial layer curates submissions for coherence and accessibility, and the archive encourages cross-linking and remixing of ideas to build interconnected worlds.

Access and licensing: The project operates with an open-access ethos. Content is cataloged with metadata and, where possible, released under licenses that permit non-commercial sharing and attribution, though licensing varies by contributor and entry.

Impact and reception: imaginedthat has attracted a niche community of writers, artists, and game designers. It has been described as a living, collaborative worldbuilding resource and a source of inspiration for speculative fiction and storytelling games; some critics note challenges related to quality control and governance.

Ongoing development: As of its latest updates, imaginedthat continues to grow through monthly prompts and an expanding open archive, inviting new contributors to add to the collective imagination.