One problem with many "cross dimension campaigns" is the entire "infinite universes" theory. In DnD, and many other multi-universe games, it is assumed there are infinite Earths, fantasy worlds, sci-fi worlds, and every other period of time multiplied by infinity number of worlds out there. For every Earth, there are infinite Earths; and for every moment of time, there are infinite moments of time across infinite worlds.
It's a mess of a campaign structure once cross-dimensional travelers start opening gates, meeting people from different dimensions, and transferring technology and powers. SBRPG was written to handle this type of play, as yours truly ran a game like this. It is a fun and engaging concept, but one that can spiral out of control and feel like a mess. It is literally he "infinite buffet" of RPG settings, and it can give someone just a bad a stomachache trying to make it all work together.
Time for an alternate solution! Let's limit the number of alternate worlds drastically, to say just five. How do you explain that? The answer is, you don't. If light breaks apart into a finite number of colors, than time breaks down into a finite set of universes. This is like playing SBRPG with a set number of parallel sandboxes on different worlds. Each sandbox has factions, ripples, and everything else; and the possibility exists for cross-sandbox factions and ripples. Let's lay out a sample Pentaverse to play in, and also break up power systems to be unique in each.
World #1: Arcanium. Let's make this a pretty standard fantasy world, with knights, dragons, lost civilizations, and secret magics of yore. We can base this off an alternate Earth, perhaps a Panganea type arrangement of continents, or even Earth itself where the lands we know today are infested by monsters and creatures of wicked chaos, and the only safe lands are giant Atlantis type islands in the oceans. We can use standard arcane and divine power systems in this world, based upon the normal magic and power of the gods style sources.
World #2: Noir. Let's base this on a 1920's to 1950's film noir style world, where totalitarian empires overseas world on fantastic world-destroying weapons, and heroic gumshoes and practitioners of the mystic arts save the world with bare fists and brainpower. If we can base the fantastic powers here on psionics, like the mind altering powers of Xandu the Magician or The Shadow, we are in for a good time.
World #3: Modern Earth. Today's world, with no power systems, just technology and a healthy disbelief in the fantastical.
World #4: Genetic Earth 2120. For fun, let's make a genetically altered superhero world in the future, sort of like The Avengers meets Blade Runner. We will use superpowers in this world, flavored with genetic manipulation type powers, and evil mutant masterminds using their powers to take over the world.
World #5: Terror Space. Earth was destroyed by creatures from beyond, and the scattered star travelers of colonies and planets beyond struggle to understand the ancient terrors from beyond the stars. We can make this world like Cthulhu meets Prometheus, with plenty of alien species and laser pistols. Have fun with it, or make your own.
With our five worlds, we can now establish ground rules for travel between them, like through short-lasting gates, by astral travel, or high-energy machines capable of dimension travel. Treat dimension travel like a white elephant out of the book, and you will be sure it is not abused. Keeping players from creating "gate central station" will eliminate a lot of headaches, and force dimension hopping players to establish safe bases of operation in each universe.
Now the tricky part is establishing why all this dimension traveling is going on, and who knows how to do it? Maybe the players start out in one world, and discover a now-destroyed government project to hop dimensions. It's possible a villainous super-powered group from one of the worlds gets the ball rolling, and players are scooped up into the fight. In most cases, it is good to start the players out in the real world, and slowly uncover the secrets as play goes on.
Don't forget to throw players for a loop once in a while, like stranding them in one world for who-knows-how-long, attacks by other dimensional hopping factions, or any number of other crazy schemes. With the number of visitable worlds limited, each one becomes more important, and the only source of a certain power, like magic items in the fantasy world, or superpower devices on future Earth. Limiting an once-unlimited campaign now opens up new possibilities for fun, and gets players thinking, "Where could I find that?"
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