Locations

The Three Zone System

Battle Fantasia's primary grid location is the mighty and much-abused city of Tokyo. As the main RP hub it is far and away more detailed than the other two hubs (the Prism Flower, which links to all the magical worlds; and the Earth, which contains broad rooms like "Europe"). A lot of thought, therefore, has been put into the design of the Tokyo grid, and it is organized into a three-zone system for easy navigation and clearer communication of theme.

The three-zone system is designed to help new players learn the grid very quickly, and help old players navigate it with minimum memorization. Simply put, it is this: three zones, each containing one of the three schools BF is built around. The zones are based off of real-world geographical and cultural boundaries, and each has a different theme to it that matches the school. Most importantly, every room in Tokyo is in one of the three zones. Rather than navigate a grid, you navigate a tree. All you really need to remember is which zone a room is in, and if you can't, well, there are only three; you can go look.

You'll probably notice that the various districts within Tokyo are given nicknames. Rather than "Shinjuku," it's "Shinjuku Capital Ward." This is designed to help further minimize the need for memorization by giving some information about the area for the majority of players who are unfamiliar with Tokyo's wards and other municipalities. Where possible, these nicknames are actually used by locals in some form (Akihabara Electric Town, for instance).

Finally, here are the three zones. Note that while the cultural divisions talked about here are true to real-life Tokyo, like all stereotypes they are generalizations that do not always hold true.

Yamanote – Wealth and Style

Contains the Ohtori campus. The most significant cultural divide in Tokyo is between the Yamanote and Shitamachi areas, with the dividing line roughly located at the Imperial Palace. Focusing on the former for now, Yamanote ("near the mountain") is associated with wealth, sophistication, Western values, and style, but also with cynical coldness and immorality. The stereotypes associated with Yamanote match the noble, yet intrigue-ridden Ohtori quite well.

• Sample sub-zones: Ohtori Academy, Southern Cross Island, Shibuya Shopping Ward, Shinjuku Capital Ward, Mitakihara General Hospital, Tokyo Tower, Haneda Airport.

Shitamachi – Street Life and Tradition

Contains the Juuban Public School campuses. Shitamachi ("low city") is the stereotypical opposite of Yamanote: poorer and uncultured, with an associated accent, but its people are considered to be honest, outgoing, hard-working, and possessed of traditional Japanese values. The average, working-class people of Tokyo live and work in Shitamachi, and so it matches Juuban ideally in this regard.

• Sample sub-zones: Juuban Public Schools, Akihabara Electric Town, Ueno Museum District, Keiyo Industrial Zone, Game Center Crown.

Tama – Peace and Natural Mystery

Contains the Infinity Institute campus. Though all of the 23 Special Wards that make up the core of Tokyo can be divided between Yamanote and Shitamachi, 5 million of the 13 million people that live in Tokyo are yet unaccounted for, meaning that there is a third area of similar scale. To the west of inner Tokyo, a large collection of Tokyo municipalities are assembled. This area is still highly populated, but much less developed, making it perfect for themes which are quite distinctive in their lack of inner Tokyo-like urban development, and those which would be significantly harmed by being placed amidst skyscrapers. While obviously there is no zone of real-life Tokyo devoted to the practice of magic, this area does contain several sacred mountains, ancient virgin forests, shrines, and other areas of mystical portent, making it a good site for the mystical Infinity school. Although in reality the Tama Area is an official region (also known as Western Tokyo), on Battle Fantasia it also includes rooms that may not be properly part of Tama, but are relatively rural compared to the rest of Tokyo.

• Sample sub-zones: Infinity Institute, Nishitama Park District, Chofu Suburban District, Amusement Park, Steamy Hot Springs.

Where Should I Scene?

The grid's a big place. Even though the Zone System should make navigating it painless and easy, it would still take a lot of time to go through, read all the room descriptions, and figure out what's available when you and your RP partners are ready to scene. For this reason, we've created a list of all the rooms on the grid arranged not by zone, but by theme. Some will be listed more than once, as they fall into multiple categories, and you shouldn't view the categories as restrictions on what you can do in a given room, but this should help make sure you can make the most out of the grid. Need a place to eat out, study, or fight? Check out the list!

Zone Key:

Shitamachi Low City Zone

Tama Outer City Zone

Yamanote High City Zone

Earth Zone

Prism Flower Zone

(JPS) = Juuban Public School, (II) = Infinity Institute, (OA) = Ohtori Academy

Athletics

• Ajinomoto Stadium - A large, suburban multi-use stadium equipped for many different sports. Unlikely to be used for school clubs, but suitable for championships.
• Gymnasium and Fields (JPS) - Juuban has particularly good athletic facilities for a public school.
• Pool (JPS) - An Olympic pool, much-desired by neighboring public school clubs.
• Tama River - Many different open-air sports fields line the banks of this long river, suitable for practice and competition alike.
• Snow Rain Ice Rink - For ice sports.
• Ski Course Kubota - For skiing, hiking, and climbing.

Battle

• Duel Arena (OA) - Requires a Duelist's ring to access.
• Rainbow Bridge - Linking Yamanote and Shitamachi, and lit up all manner of colors at night, this is a dramatic place for a fight.
• Keiyou Industrial Zone - A relatively low potential for civilian injury and a high quantity of fun heavy machinery.
• Nishitama Park District - Privacy and a lot of space.
• Oceans - Even better for limiting collateral damage, if one can fly or at least reach an island.
• Tomoeda Theme Park - The rides make for fun obstacles, and they close up entirely at night.
• Dimensional Space - Includes Cephiro, Mundus Magicus, Mid-Childa, Outer Space, and TSAB Headquarters. Worlds and locations in Dimensional Space are often places of high adventure.
• Asakusa Traditional District - For every festival parade, there is an equal and opposite chase scene.
• Snow Rain Ice Rink - Lack of friction makes for a fun battle.

Evil

• Dark Realms - The various evil dimensions, diverse in nature.
• Dark Kingdom - Beryl's evil dimension, barren and twisted.
• Suspicious Laboratory (II) - The Dark Realms have a mysterious connection to various research labs around the world, including Infinity's.
• Corporate Skyscraper - Home to the worst scum of the multiverse, as well as youma.
• Dark Burger - Somehow no one guesses this place is evil.
• North Pole - The entrance to the Dark Kingdom lies below the surface, and the surface itself is inhospitable to humans but often comfy for monsters.
• Outer Space - Many threats come from the numberless stars.
• Rorschach Bar - Not intrinsically evil, but discreet enough to tolerate it.
• Mitakihara General Hospital - Hospitals are filled with hope, suffering, and high-tech equipment.
• Basement (JPS) - Maybe some of the ghost stories are more than just rumors?
• Desolate Mansion - A foreboding dwelling popular with villains.

Food

• Club Rooms (JPS) - Home to the Cooking Club and Home Ec classes.
• Dark Burger - Fast food chain.
• Convenience Store - Found nearly everywhere you look in Tokyo, 'konbini' are a great place to get snacks, manga, or tickets to a concert.
• Linden Baum Diner - Western-style nostalgia diner.
• Midori-ya Bakery - A classy bakery and cafe.
• Paris - If time and money are no object, there's no better place to eat.
• Rooftop (JPS) - The best place to eat lunch at Juuban.
• Starbooks Coffee (II) - Overpriced coffee chain.
• Chofu Suburban District - The Jindaji Temple here is surrounded by a traditional Japanese market, with many food stands.
• Sensouji Temple - The road leading up to Sensouji is a bazaar of souvenirs and fried treats that lasts multiple blocks.
• Taiyou Ramen Stand - Cheap, hot, and quick. Opens in the afternoon, but remains open all night.

Magic

• Prism Flower - Every room in this whole Zone is a fantastic place for magic. Many of the worlds here are called Magical Worlds for a reason.
• Gold Crown Town (II) - A fairy tale town inside Infinity, where magic is commonplace and animals speak.
• Library Island (II) - One of the finest collections of magical tomes in Japan.
• World Tree Plaza - A massive virgin tree of great power, and a rook in many an arcane game.
• Sensouji Temple - The largest Buddhist temple in the city.
• Hikawa Shrine - An old Shinto shrine suffused with natural spiritual energy.
• The Moon - The ruins of the great Silver Millenium lie waiting.
• China - Chinese mysticism is widely famed in Japan.
• Tokyo Tower - Magic, mostly dangerous magic, is drawn to Tokyo Tower with disturbing regularity.
• Chapel (OA) - Western spirituality has power as well.
• Chairman's Tower (OA) - One of the most mysterious places on the magic-ridden Southern Cross Island.
• School of Magic (II) - Infinity's magical academy, training young mages in the Western arcane tradition.

Nature

• Tama Outer City - This zone is home to much mountainous, wooded natural beauty, and most of the entries in this Nature section are within it.
• Nishitama Park District - The least populous, but largest section of Tama, filled with rich forest suitable for camping, hiking, climbing, and much more.
• Tama River - Canoeing, bouldering, fishing, nature walks, birdwatching, camping.
• Steamy Hot Springs - Hot springs are one of nature's finest gifts, and this Japanese-style inn has many.
• Jindai Botanical Gardens - This scenic, Western-style garden in Chofu Suburban District is like a zoo for flowers.
• Tokyo Bay - It's a little polluted, but the sea air is luscious.
• Uminari Seaside Park - A scenic park with a penguin slide and a great view of the water amidst its paved garden.
• Oceans - Most of nature is underwater, percentage-wise.
• Japan - Because it is so mountainous, much of Japan is virtually untouched by man, and leaving the city is a great way to see nature.
• North Pole - Really cold nature.
• Hokkaido Snowy Island - Not as cold nature. Filled with wildlife, great for boating and hikes.
• Abandoned Church - An overgrown old church in the woods.
• Garden (OA) - Ohtori's large glass conservatory has many rare and exotic plants, and is surrounded by a garden. Ohtori's whole campus has many gardens, in fact.
• Chofu Suburban District - The Jindai Botanical Gardens offer a more Japanese garden experience.

Performance

• Theatre (JPS) - This school auditorium welcomes many a budding performer.
• Ajinomoto Stadium - In addition to sports events, Ajinomoto hosts large concerts.
• Tomoeda Theme Park - The Candy House has a large stage, generally used for family-friendly performances.
• Pino Karaoke Lounge - Not all performances have to be before a big crowd... or in-tune...
• Tokyo Tower - Has a modestly sized stage venue for smaller performances.
• Shinjuku Capital Ward - The music culture is booming in Shinjuku's bars, many of which gives small performances or offer open mics.
• Searrs Symphony Hall - A classy venue for high culture.

Recreation

• Game Center Crown - Not only is the arcade here top-notch, there's also a restaurant above it.
• Pino Karaoke Lounge - Karaoke is a popular social activity in Japan.
• Tomoeda Theme Park - Tokyo's largest theme park, with dizzying coasters and delicious food.
• Highway - Driving at night with the sea air whipping through your hair, convertible optional.
• Steamy Hot Springs - Great for relaxation.
• Akihabara Electric Town - A nerd mecca with computer and gaming gear in open markets, as well as maid cafes, arcades, and subculture shops.
• Rorschach Bar - Being a grown-up is hard. Alcohol is easy.
• Uminari Seaside Park - Great for a walk on nice days.
• Verone Aquarium - Watch the fish float around in a calm, blue-tinted world.
• Computer Lab (II) - Can you say "LAN party with Infinity's supercomputers"?
• Ajinomoto Stadium - Take me out to the ball-game~! You can also see concerts.
• Shinjuku Capital Ward - Some of the most lively bar culture in Tokyo, with plenty of shopping nearby.
• Dormitories - Visiting/having friends over at the Infinity or Ohtori dorms. Both are quite fancy, too.
• Snow Rain Ice Rink - Famous for its romantic atmosphere, but fun for friends too. Attached to Awayuki Shopping Mall.

Research

• Classrooms - All three schools have classrooms, of course. Pay attention during your lessons and you might not need to research!
• Library Island (II) - One of the few libraries where you can openly research magic, with a dizzying and dangerous array of subbasement levels.
• Library (OA) - Famous for its rare first editions and sheer size. Home to mysterious locked stacks.
• TSAB Headquarters - Digital archives on many different worlds and dimensions.
• Computer Lab (II) - If an original text by Nostradamus found in Library Island doesn't help, just google it. Extremely powerful computers with diverse specialties are found here.
• Science Lab (JPS) - Budding teen scientists can find out a lot with a few beakers and test tubes.
• Suspicious Laboratory (II) - A better-equipped lab. Kind of suspicious.
• Ueno Museum District - Museums aren't just for tourism; you can find many rare pieces of the past, and strange scientific curiosities, that might help get you some answers.
• Europe - The Old World of the West has a lot of wisdom to offer, especially if it involves Western magic.
• Chofu Suburban District - Less terrestrial research might draw on the resources of JAXA, the Japanese counterpart to NASA, which is located here.
• Mitakihara General Hospital - One of the largest hospitals in the world, with plenty of funding and equipment for medical research.

Shopping

• Shibuya Shopping Ward - One of the top three fashion hubs in the world is right inside Tokyo. It would be a shame to miss out on shopping in this hip ward.
• Jewelry OSA-P - Fine, classy jewelry and accessories.
• Harajuku Trendy District - The very shrine of Tokyo youth, Harajuku is a bubblegum-pink mecca for fashionistas and trendsetters.
• Fairy Drop - Fashion with a youthful flavor, found in Harajuku.
• Tokyo Tower - Straddles a building with many shops, and is surrounded by commerce due to its popularity as a tourist destination.
• Akihabara Electric Town - There's no better place to buy cameras, computer gear, or video games, and otaku culture reigns here.
• Yotsuba Clover Town - A Tama community centered around a street closed off for pedestrians lined with small businesses and cute shops of all kinds, including...
• Piffle Princess Toy Store - A charming toy store and a place of innocent joy.
• Ajinomoto Stadium - When not in use, Ajinomoto is often converted into an open-air flea market.
• Awayuki Shopping Mall - Tokyo has a few Western-style malls, which trade the prestige and focus on service for convenience and the appeal of wide open space.
• Asakusa Traditional District - The city blocks in front of Sensouji Temple are packed with dense stalls selling fair-style food and souvenirs, and the district as a whole has a well-developed market culture, perfect for browsing.
• Easter Department Store - For when you want to be treated like a dignitary.

Tourism/Class Trips

• Tokyo Tower - Perhaps the best-known tourist location in Tokyo, not only for foreigners, but also for class trips.
• Paris - Paris is so good you might die from its goodness if you visit.
• Japan - There are too many places in Japan that might interest a Tokyo-dweller to mention, but Kyoto is nearby, lovely, and full of history.
• Asia - China, India, Thailand, Vietnam, Singapore, Hong Kong...
• Europe - Germany, England, Belgium, Spain, France, Poland... maybe not Poland.
• United States of America - Be careful, you might get shot.
• Ueno Museum District - Science, history, culture, astronomy, even a zoo.
• Museum of Western Art - A particularly large and pleasant museum devoted to Western art.
• Tokyo Bay - Just seeing the bay can be well worth a trip. The Rainbow Bridge is popular at night.
• Planetarium (OA) - Ohtori has a small but lavish planetarium to lull and amaze you.
• Verone Aquarium - Come see one of the few whale sharks in captivity, and all sorts of strange sea creatures.
• Haneda Airport - Many journeys begin here.
• Hokkaido Snowy Island - A very popular place to escape the heat of a Tokyo summer, or enjoy winter to its fullest.

Okinawa Sunny Island - Sun, sand and sea! A great place for a tropical vacation.

For more information, please see: Theme