Genometrics

Genometrics, incorrectly written as Genomatrix in some of the graphics in Ciel nosurge: Ushinawareta Hoshi e Sasagu Uta, and written as ge-no-me-to-ri-ku-su (ge-no-me-to-ri-ku-su) in Emotional Song Pact, is the name given to the Soulspaces that each living being in Ra Ciela has. While they have a similar behavior to the Cosmospheres possessed by the Reyvateils in the Ar tonelico series, they shouldn't be confused with each other.

Definition[]

Broadly speaking, a Genometrics is the Soulspace each individual being has: the group of H-Waves that gives shape to their minds and souls. However, this isn't true in the strict sense of the word, as the Genometrics is actually the entirety of the H-Wave realm shared by the inhabitants of Ra Ciela, with the Soulspace of every single individual being more like small subcompartments of it, separated by each being's own Qualia, similarly to the relationship shared between the non-Origin Reyvateils and β-6D. And unlike the Cosmospheres, Genometrics are part of the natural world, so they aren't lodged in any sort of storage devices or depend on technology in any way beyond allowing Diving into them.

Characteristics[]

Given the above, all Genometrics are part of a larger H-Wave domain, which allows people to contact each other through their Genometrics if they have established a Chain, as well as to Dive into Soulspaces that are mixes of the minds of the people involved. This was precisely what was done in the time Ciel nosurge's events take place: all people who were capable of Synchronizing with a Genom could contact each other through them, thanks to the capacity Genoms have of acknowledging and being able to move between Genometrics as they do in the real word. It was also the only way in which people could communicate with the Genoms: as Genoms aren't capable of speech, they can only talk to their partners through the Genometrics. Likewise, the Genometrics itself is the medium through which both partners could get to know each other better, which would allow them to increase their synchronization rate and increase their proficiency at using the Material Pallet, and this in turn would allow them to craft more powerful Song Magic.

Another usage that was given to the Genometrics was as a communications network similar to Earth's Internet, which was started shortly after the invention of the G2Trons, but didn't get popularized until Tenmon created the Cielnotrons and they became an essential part of the people's daily life. In this case, the Genometrics served as the medium through which telephone calls, instant messaging and e-mail were sent back and forth, as everyone could contact each other as long as the Tron Network was operational and they had each other's addresses in it. However, it's unclear if the Tron Network used the general Genometrics to which all beings are connected or if it instead used the REON-OS's consciousness to transmit said data, the former being due to the fact that said transmissions could also be sent from and to the Genoms.

Composition[]

As typical of the Soulspaces, every Genometrics is divided into shallow and deep layers (low and high frequency bands), with the former showing only the person's outlying personality and the latter storing their deepest memories, feelings and true self. Therefore, Diving into one requires a large deal of trust between both partners to be successful. This becomes even more complicated when Diving into a Chained Genometrics, as the friend the partners are Diving into must also trust them greatly in order to allow them in, as well as the ones Diving into the Genometrics not having a change of heart from the events they witness in it about their friend. However, it must be noted that the owner of a Genometrics won't remember any of the events that took place inside it once they wake up from the Dive, and the same goes for the Chain partner, yet they will have a vague idea about why their feelings changed after the Dive is completed.

All Genometrics have a common place called the Hymmnofort, which is the point where every Dive comes to an end once the problem that particular layer or Chain deals with has been solved. Once this happens, the Hymmnofort is surrounded by a wave of light called the Embrace Role, and when it appears, both partners or both Chain parts must go to the Hymmnofort, and place their hands over the locked door in it. Once they do, the door will be unlocked and they will be free to open it, completing that layer, increasing the maturity of their souls (represented by the Dive Level) and also gaining a new Song Magic.

It must be noted that Dives are as risky as doing so inside a Cosmosphere, as the people involved could end up dead or with permanent mental damage if the Diver isn't careful. Therefore, keeping a cool head and thinking carefully the actions to take are highly desirable in the Divers.

Also, unlike the Cosmospheres, the Divers may repeat the events taking place in the Genometrics as much as they wish in order to try out the outcomes that come from taking different choices, which will allow them to obtain different Genometrica Crystals or proceed through the Genometrics's events in a slightly different way. However, some choices will lead to an event akin to a Critical Down, with the consequent expulsion from the Genometrics, so they must be careful.

Uses[]

Regardless of time and place, the Genometrics have always had the same underlying use: allowing one's relationship with a partner to deepen, and trigger powerful emotions for the crafting of Song Magic. In the times of Ciel nosurge, this was done through Synchronization with a Genom, as entering the Genometrics was a simple matter of going to sleep while being Synchronized to a Genom, which would put the Diver into a state akin to lucid sleeping. Similarly, they could focus on inviting the Genom into their minds, which would also allow for a short Dive that was used merely for communication between Genoms and their partners.

On the other hand, the users of the Cielnotrons instead went to a Bios Shop, Dived into the REON-OS's own Genometrics using the pods in them and followed a series of instructions to craft an original Song Magic based on the several possible preprogrammed TxBIOS libraries stored in the ClassDrive. Needless to say, if the user didn't have to appropriate number of DNA chains for it, they wouldn't be allowed to use that particular TxBIOS, which was done for security reasons due to the higher level TxBIOS allowing the user to control even Tenmon's most important facilities. Likewise, the user had to register their H-Waves and DNA with Tenmon, as otherwise the REON-OS would reject them and the Cielnotron would have next to no functions available.

By the time Ar nosurge: Ode to an Unborn Star takes place, however, all of this changed somewhat: Genoms went extinct and the Trons became lost technology, so the Bios Shops changed to become places where Weaver and Vanguard couples went to craft Song Magic by Diving into the Weaver's mind or that of the friends she Chained with, while the Sharls Dived into their own Genometrics not only to improve their Song Magic, but also to improve the qualities of their own souls. Additionally, when certain emotions are stirred during a Dive, the partners might gain Feelings Gems, which will turn into Genometrica Crystals upon returning to reality. As these crystals contain strong feelings that allow the people to gain power from them, they are used for Installs in the act known as the Purification Ceremony, which can only be done at certain places and only if both partners agree to perform it due to is intimate nature.

Genometrics[]

In Ciel nosurge: Ushinawareta Hoshi e Sasagu Uta, the Genometrics are all shown as a silver space filled with rotating polygons of changing sizes and a large DNA double-helix rotating in the center regardless of the character Dived into. Additionally, all visits to it are done as part of the memories the player recovers for Ion, so they aren't under the player's control and they don't get to freely visit these minds.

However, one important detail that is revealed right at the beginning of the Terminate Pack is that Ion's World is actually her own Genometrics: her shallowest level, which could be considered as Level 0, is used as an imaginary jail into which Nelico keeps Ion imprisoned without her knowledge to have her produce Sharls while her body sings Class::CIEL_NOSURGE; in a catatonic state. So in short, the player has been Diving into Ion's Genometrics from the start of the game without knowing it, while the Dream World is actually a slightly deeper layer of it.

On the other hand, the player is in full control of the Genometrics Dives in Ar nosurge: Ode to an Unborn Star, and aside of visiting the Genometrics of their respective partners, Delta and Earthes can also visit the Genometrics of the partners they have Chained with. All of the Genometrics are unlocked through story progression. The Genometrics that can be Dived into are listed below:

Cass & Delta Side[]

Cass (First Layer)
Sarly (First Layer)
Nay
Kanon
Nero
Sarly (Second Layer)
Zill
Cass (Second Layer)
Shirotaka (DLC)

Ion & Earthes Side[]

Kanon (First Layer)
Nay (First Layer)
Ion (First Layer)
Kanon (First Layer)
Nelico
Renall
Nay (Second Layer)
Ion (Second Layer)
Shirotaka (DLC)