All roads lead to Rome

I use the metaphor “All roads lead to Rome” to frame the idea that, even within a non-linear open-world environment, all paths will eventually lead to a predetermined destination we’ve designed for.

The Principles of Orientation and Wayfinding naturally orient explorers like Harper towards our destination.

I use ‘Rome’ as a shorthand to describe this concept of multiple routes leading to an inevitable destination.

In our expansive digital world, ‘Rome’ symbolizes a specific action we, as the World Builders, intend for our explorers to take.

Our waypoints point the way to something meaningful for Harper without ever needing to shoehorn them through an overly engineered linear funnel that can feel like being a pawn captured in an elaborate transactional chess game.

Rather, this metaphor amplifies the ‘Rome’ concept, capturing the organic, almost gravitational pull that directs adventurers like Harper to a shared destination within an enriching journey that feels uniquely theirs.

As the architects and engineers of our digital worlds, we guide our audience to the ‘Gates of Rome’ (GoR) and the magic that lies beyond.

‘Rome’ can be a different destination depending on where Harper is exploring within the digital world. Initially, Rome will almost always be our email list.

For example, visitors inevitably land on my newsletter page. Once there, they face a clear choice: subscribe or exit.

Come closer into my World, or leave if it doesn’t resonate.

I don’t want everyone. The “outer” World serves as a filter — simultaneously pulling closer and pushing away depending on one’s perspective, engagement with the digital world, and alignment between our Ordinating Principles and Heartbeat.

This is a simple idea that’s profoundly powerful.