preworld

PreWorld is a term used in multiple disciplines to denote a state, model, or stage that precedes the emergence or instantiation of a recognizable world. In philosophical and modal discussions, the preWorld refers to the set of conditions or propositions that must be in play before a possible world can be realized, and it is used to address questions of necessity, possibility, and grounding.

In computer science, especially within simulation, game development, and virtual reality, a preWorld describes the initialization phase or the raw data state from which a virtual world is generated. This may include seed values, environmental parameters, resource inventories, and architectural rules that determine subsequent world structure. In procedural generation, the preWorld state is the configuration used to generate terrain, textures, and entities, meaning that modifying preWorld parameters can yield different worlds even with the same algorithms.

In cultural or speculative-fiction contexts, preWorld can denote a backstory or origin-state preceding the events of a universe or narrative, often employed as a device to illuminate genesis or underpin worldbuilding.

See also: initialization, sandbox, procedural generation, worldbuilding, simulation, modal logic.