Welcome to Full Immersion | Welcome to Earth 2

The real-world platform Earth2.io imagines a virtual replica of Earth where users can buy, sell, and trade digital land. Glass Stars builds on this idea, imagining E2 as a fully immersive virtual environment that has grown into a second Earth—accessible through pods, AR smart contact lenses, or bionic eyes.

How E2 Works in Glass Stars

1. The Pods: The most immersive way to access E2 is through high-tech pods that connect users directly to the virtual environment. These pods provide complete sensory immersion—users feel, see, and interact as though they’re physically present in the idealized landscapes of E2.
2. Pods are a luxury for the wealthy, particularly those in the mids, highlighting the socioeconomic disparities of the Spiral.
3. AR Smart Lenses and Bionic Eyes: For those who can’t afford pods, smart soft AR contact lenses or bionic eyes allow partial access to E2. While not as immersive as pods, these devices overlay the real world with augmented elements of E2, enabling users to participate in virtual experiences while still engaging with their physical surroundings. The bionic eyes are particularly popular among cyborgs and transhumanists in the Upper Mids and Topside, symbolizing the integration of humanity and technology.

A Vision of Escapism and Evolution

E2 is more than just a digital playground. For many in the Spiral, it represents hope, salvation, and an escape from despair. Lily Rhodes, the brilliant but conflicted protagonist of Glass Stars, originally designed E2 to cope with her own pain—the trauma of her mother’s assassination and her struggles with schizophrenia. Over time, E2 became a revolutionary force, offering humanity a chance to rebuild itself virtually after the destruction of the Second Civil War.

An Idealized Earth

E2 is a utopian vision of what Earth could have been. Free from pollution, conflict, and inequality, it provides users with the opportunity to experience:

• Pristine, unspoiled environments.
• Virtual societies where they can create and control their own destinies.
• Connections with loved ones through avatars, even across vast physical distances.

For some, E2 is a lifeline, offering purpose and community in a world where the physical environment has become increasingly hostile. For others, it’s a dangerous crutch—a way to avoid confronting the harsh realities of the Spiral.

Immersive AR in the Audience Experience

In Glass Stars, the integration of AR technology isn’t limited to the story’s characters. Viewers themselves are invited to experience E2 and the Spiral through cutting-edge augmented reality.

Key AR Features:

1. E2 Portal: The companion app serves as a portal to E2, allowing viewers to explore its virtual landscapes in their own homes. By pointing their devices or wearing AR glasses, audiences can view idyllic E2 environments overlaid onto their surroundings, creating a seamless blend of the real and the virtual.
2. Roleplay as a Spiral Citizen: Through AR, viewers can create their own virtual avatars, choosing to inhabit the role of a mid-level citizen, a rebel from the Deep, or even a beta tester for E2. These avatars can interact with holographic transmissions from Glass Stars’ characters, deepening the sense of immersion.
3. Simulated E2 Experiences: Mini-games and interactive challenges within the app let viewers experience what it’s like to live in E2. These experiences provide insight into both the utopian promises and ethical dilemmas of the virtual environment.

The Audience Shapes the Spiral and E2

Glass Stars is unique in that it allows its audience to influence the fate of its world. Through the companion app and AR features, viewers make critical decisions that shape both E2 and the Spiral.

Shaping E2:

• Viewers participate in simulated “civic forums” within the app, voting on policies for E2. These decisions influence how the virtual world evolves over the course of the series. Will E2 remain a utopia, or will the audience’s choices introduce cracks in its perfect facade?

Influencing Characters:

• Supporting characters react to audience-driven changes in E2, creating a dynamic narrative. For example:A young activist in the Deep might rise to prominence if viewers vote to open E2 access to all Spiral residents.Conversely, a loyalist in the mids might turn against Lily if viewers choose policies that prioritize stability over inclusivity.

Breaking the Sci-Fi Mold with AR and Ethics

Where most sci-fi franchises focus on spectacle, Glass Stars dives into the ethical and emotional implications of its futuristic technologies. By drawing on real-world inspirations like Earth2.io and blending them with an immersive AR experience, the series:

• Challenges viewers to question their own relationship with technology and escapism.
• Empowers them to engage with the story on a deeply personal level.
• Encourages thoughtful discussions about transhumanism, equality, and the responsibilities of innovation.

In Glass Stars, E2 isn’t just a plot device—it’s a mirror reflecting humanity’s potential and flaws. And by allowing the audience to shape its evolution, the series ensures that every viewer becomes an integral part of the story.

Welcome to E2.

The Spiral is waiting for you.