rasteroi

Rasteroi is a term that appears in a small range of fictional, artistic, and speculative contexts rather than in mainstream academic or technical discourse. Because it lacks a single, widely accepted definition, its meaning varies depending on the source.

Etymology and sense in usage

The coinage likely draws on the word raster, a term used in computing and printing to describe a grid of pixels or lines. The suffix -oi is a common scholarly or fictional plural ending in Greek, suggesting a designation for a people or group. This combination creates an implied link between a social group and grid-based or raster imagery, though this linkage is not standardized across references.

In fiction and world-building

In speculative fiction, rasteroi are sometimes depicted as a society organized around grid-like principles: city layouts using precise square or hexagonal blocks, architecture that emphasizes tessellation, and cultural practices centered on mapping, measurement, and data visualization. Such portrayals emphasize discipline, order, and a close relationship with information technologies or mathematical aesthetics.

In art, design, and gaming contexts

Within digital art and game design communities, rasteroi has been used as a stylistic or thematic label for works that evoke pixel grids, retro computer aesthetics, or the processes of rasterization. The term may describe mood, visual language, or conceptual themes rather than a concrete, replicable system.

See also: Rasterization, Pixel art, Tessellation. Notes: there is no canonical definition, and interpretations differ among authors and creators.