worldscape

Worldscape is a term used in various disciplines to describe the macro-scale arrangement of a world’s physical, social, and cultural features. It can refer to the real Earth viewed at planetary scale, or to the imagined universe of fiction, games, or simulations. The concept emphasizes the integrated, systems-level view of a world rather than individual elements.

A worldscape includes geography, climate and ecosystems, resource distribution, infrastructure, technology, economic networks, political structures, and cultural practices. It focuses on how these components interact, producing emergent properties such as resilience, vulnerability, or inequality. Perspectives may be ecological, geopolitical, or socio-cultural.

Uses: In worldbuilding, authors and game designers construct a worldscape to support narrative plausibility and gameplay. In geographic and environmental research, analysts model worldscapes to study globalization, climate impacts, and urbanization at large scales. In digital media, worldscapes underlie virtual environments and simulations, enabling coherent contexts for user action and exploration.

Relationship to related terms: The word contrasts with landscape, which often conveys local scenery, whereas worldscape connotes a broader, more integrated system. It shares affinities with concepts such as world systems, planetary thinking, and global studies, though its emphasis is on the comprehensive arrangement of interdependent components rather than processes alone.