I always imagined it was 7 pocket dimensions- in fact, I've brought it up in here before. It explains the Sonic factory and the weird rainbow void the characters run through after each zone, and also explains lore wise why the Gaias didn't show up- the planet wasn't broken, just grossly distorted.
Excuse me if my post goes increasingly off-topic, but, when you talk about IDW I get lost because I haven't touched it, and I'm fearing the tidbits of potential game canon that could come from it. Before explaining why I'm saying this, I'll make my on-topic request first: can anyone give me all the details of what's that Warp Topaz you're talking about? Anything Phantom Ruby related present in the comics would be welcome too, but the new gem is what matters to me. Now I'll explain where comes my fear: before I knew about Mania or at least about the Phantom Ruby, I put together some fanon lore based on the classic games for what what would be my fangame projects (which right now seem less unlikely to release than anything Penders does, but I digress). That lore included new mystic gems which miraculously the Phantom Ruby fitted, as I already had a ruby set related to the mind, so bullet dodged even if names where diferent. Now you talk me about a topaz that warps space in the comics (have I gotten it right?) and I shudder because I have topazes around and jewels that affect space, but they're not one and the same and I keep the jewel set approach while the new official gems seem to come alone and have nothing of the kind of lore the master emerald had (the one that could be considered "the single emerald"). The big deal for me with this, however, is my fanon stuff inspired my current project, which isn't related to Sonic brand and has commercial purposes, but includes a tabletop RPG which I'm trying to make fully compatible with (classic) Sonic mythos so anyone could make homebrew material for a Sonic campaign, something that won't work if my lore is incompatible with the official one (okay, I said "classic", but most modern lore would be valid too if we do things like pretending the time stones were involved in '06 instead of giving the chaos emeralds their power). That's my drama essentially because, at this rate, IDW comics may become a source of canon some day.
Why not just... read the comic? What you seem to know about the warp topaz is really all you're gonna get without actually reading the book- and even then, the book doesn't explain much- it's a "warp topaz". Pretty self explanatory, and that's really all there is to know. Also, forgive me if I'm misunderstanding, but trying to create new commercial media based on classic Sonic lore doesn't sound like the best idea to me. You'd need to get it pretty far divorced from the source, or else you'll have Sonic fans pointing it out all over social media which could lead to some not very good things. Again, like I said, maybe I misunderstood you, but the vibe I'm getting from this is "I want to use Sonic lore to make my own commercial media, but I can't be bothered to actually read up on the things I'm unsure about, so I'll just have people tell me whether or not I can pass this off as an original work". I dunno... I read your post and just kinda... winced. :/ Care to elaborate?
Before answering you, I know it wasn't your intention but the way you've said that has irritated me a bit and you'll notice it down there (I wrote this line the last, in fact). if I wanted to spend time and money reading comics, I would have done it already. I'ts easier to ask a short question than reading a plethora of comics that I don't want to read or own. Sorry if it surprises you. Anyway, if that's all what they have explained about it, question is already answered and I know all I need to for the moment at least. I shouldn't go further with the offtopic part here but I'll say it's hard to explain enough and not spoil things, so I understand it's not clear enough. For a quick example, if you take OGL and make a Sonic campaign for your friends, your not using an unlicensed Sonic product. If I make something like OGL with some base lore in addition to the ruleset it already has, which doesn't contradict Sonic lore and even allows to expand it, you could do the same with my project but starting with a more suitable framework. Think about Sonic clones like Freedom Planet: similar engine, but no licensing issues. Hope this helps.
Sonic lore can and will change at any time, so trying to base an actual project of some kind around it (or being “compatible” with it) is kind of a fool’s errand, especially if you’re serious about really releasing it.
I know, I know. My project is only similar on the classic and mystical sides of Sonic, though, so adding stuff like the deadly six or some virtual reality doesn't affect me. What I'm doing could also compatible with a Phantasy Star background, for example, and those games, very different from Sonic ones, tend to change their setting from game to game (well, the modern ones). I feel guilty for derailing the topic.
Basically you're working on an RPG that is intended to be applicable toward various series. Back on topic, assuming the Phantom Ruby plot is done with for now, do we expect much continuity nods from the upcoming Sonic Frontier, or do we expect a soft reboot that'll just blank on it?
Sonic Generations and Sonic Mania are nothing but continuity cavalcades, but there are some continuity nods. Sonic Unleashed has an NPC talk about Shadow and there's the Soleanna Hotel. Sonic Colours has Miles Electric and Robotnik combining two different prior plans (chaining up small planets, a la Sonic the Hedgehog CD, and shooting the Earth with a cannon, a la Sonic Adventure 2). Sonic Lost World has the Death Egg Robot come back, or at the very least a mech resembling the classic Robotnik look, etc. There's small nods here and there, though the side games seem more happy to go full out with the references, like that famous Silver and Sonic quote in Team Sonic Racing calling back to Sonic the Hedgehog (2006).
So Cucky, that little bird-chicken-thing who was imprisioned by Eggman inside the capsules in the classic games, is now called Clucky. (14:12)
