⬣//GROWING WILDLY OUT OF CONTROL.

[cccorp]

>>Gathering // >>Waiting // >>Can't Return // >>It's Real

⬣//STERILE WHITE WALLS

September 23rd—conference day. In the hours preceding the meeting, beta testers are supplied with information on how to access the virtual conference room and offered a set of conduct guidelines. Testers are urged to read them thoroughly and instructed to sign their name on the bottom of the page to confirm that they’ve read and understand the following guidelines:

1. All questions will be addressed. Do not interrupt speakers or other beta testers when they are asking questions or having their questions answered.

2. Conduct yourself professionally and appropriately. Do not curse, shout, or otherwise engage in disruptive behavior. Violators will be muted and their speaking privileges revoked.

3. No eating or drinking. Keep your virtual space clean and free of debris.

4. Remain seated. Excessive movement or inappropriate behavior will result in restriction of your avatar’s movements.

5. PvP is disabled in the conference room. Weapons cannot be drawn and your Fragment inventory is unavailable during the duration of the conference.

Players are generously allowed one hour to filter in and find their seats, review the guidelines, and discuss the questions they’ve prepared with their fellow beta testers.

⬣//THE LOW RUMBLE OF DISTANT THUNDER

One hour comes and goes. The room remains occupied only by the beta participants, CyberConnect Corporation’s flashy logo spinning idly on the conference room’s 80 inch display. Restlessness begins to settle in, idle chatter turning to frustration as one hour becomes two. Still, no one from the Corporation shows.

The conference room remains devoid of purpose, some forty-odd people sitting alone in a sterile conference room, a locked room, should anyone grow so restless they try to leave. Any attempts made to break doors and windows will fail.

The door is locked, as are the windows, the world beyond their stark white blinds a slurry of purple and black. Thunder crackles in that dark, endless void. Even if you could leave, where would you go?

⬣//TORRENTIAL RAINS

It’s painfully evident after three hours of silence that no one from CyberConnect is showing up to the conference, but you knew that already, didn’t you? This mandatory meeting was fishy from the start, some would argue, while others may yet hold out hope.

That ends the instant anyone tries to log out and leave. Everyone who attempts to leave will be met with the same error Shoka was some weeks ago, but this time, the error is permanent. This time, there is no connection between mind and body anymore, and any attempt to “reach” your real self will fail.

You feel no one on the other end. You no longer feel the weight of your headset on your head or the keyboard beneath your fingertips. All your worldly aches and pains have drifted away only to find you here in your new reality, every sensation so real that Fragment no longer feels like just a game. Fragment is reality.

Three hours pass from the start of the conference. The boring white walls and rickety office chairs shudder and shake and give way to the Mac Anu everyone knows. You’re back where you started, more or less. What you do from here is up to you.

⬣//LOST TO THE TUMULT AND BEDLAM

Some menus remain online. Players retain the ability to send and receive friend and party requests, access their inventories, spells, and weapons, and so on, but a few notable items are missing.

Players can no longer toggle their pain sensors on and off. Every blow you take is one you’re forced to suffer through, and what’s more, your health no longer automatically regenerates when idle. You’d better keep a stash of potions or a pocket healer handy.

While you’re at it, try not to die. The sharp-eyed among the group may notice that the respawn information nestled in the menus is no longer accessible to them. The respawn counter now reads as a series of zeros instead of the typical 20 minutes. Now is probably not the best time to continue testing Fragment’s death mechanics, but nothing’s stopping you from trying. No one’s going to save you, either.

Good luck, players. The real test has begun.

>>Navigation

Comments

[legendofthelion]

[Preparing - A]

[Of course, once the reality sinks in the only thing they can do is... adapt. That's fine, that's something Dehya can do. So over the next few days she's buying potions and offering assistance at the chaos gate for area runs.]

I know we all need equipment, but don't go into anything dangerous alone, okay? We don't know what all's changed, so we should assume everything is more dangerous than before.

[Especially those at a lower level.]

[Preparing - B]

[Besides the actual gaming, there's the other reality to everything being more real: they need to take care of themselves. Adequate rest, food... hydration.

Dehya's sitting down in the open, writing down as much as she knows about what can be found where in every root town. GP costs, materials...

She grumbles.] Ugh, should have done something like this sooner.

[But here she is! Making it now. She should definitely cross-check with other players. Maybe post it up on the forums.

Anyone who stops by, she offers a wave.] Hey, how are you holding up?

[Coping - Mac Anu]

[And at least one evening she's found at some bar in Mac Anu, face pressed into the table working on her second beer.

Her response, when she hears someone approach, is a pitiful groan.]

[Wildcard]

((If you want to plot for anything else! My comment is here.))

Coping - Mac Anu;

[alchemicalbirth]

I suppose you seem to have had more than your fair share of drinks.

[ Stated very calmly and matter-of-factly. ]

[legendofthelion]

I'll take another if you're offering. [She waves her hand with a limp wrist, not lifting her head.] Actually, even if you're not, I have after another. I can afford ten anothers!

[alchemicalbirth]

Yes and maybe fall down while you're at it as well.

[ ... ]

I will let the bartender know you're finished for tonight.

[ Though, letting such indulgences continue would be one way to figure out if someone could keel over from acute alcohol intoxication in-game. ]

[legendofthelion]

[Finally she looks up, just to give Albedo an expression of offense.]

Two beers isn't even enough to get tipsy! [She's just full of despair. Existential despair, which maybe also does not mix well with alcohol.]

[alchemicalbirth]

If you recall, these bodies aren't even our own, even if they, in some cases, may bear similarities to our original ones. Even so, tolerance isn't always a sign you are able to evade potential risks to your health from a certain amount of alcohol consumption.

[ Albedo seems unaffected by a facial expression of offense directed towards him, for better or worse. ]

Hence, two entire bottles of beer sound like enough.

[ Looking at the bartender, he boldly and quietly makes sure to emphasize to indicate she has had 'enough'. Mental state does indeed play a part in it. Either way, they are firmly in these bodies right now...Albedo seems to be taking this seriously. ]

coping

[wowcool]

[Ah. Hm. Someone is...having a time, it seems.]

[He's going to reach out to tap her on the shoulder. Tap, tap, tap.]

Are you alright?

[legendofthelion]

Are any of us, really? [She tilts her head just enough to peek up at Anaido.] I can't even say I'm not hurt physically because I don't even know.

[wowcool]

....I suppose there's a thought.

What if you weren't, though? I suppose it's just...all mental and emotional damage, then.

[legendofthelion]

Yeah, who knew getting trapped in a video game was so stressful. [Anyone would find it stressful, especially with no indication it's ever going to end.] Guess we're just gonna live here now, maybe become NPCs ourselves...

[wowcool]

I wouldn't mind that, but...


[acchem]

Not for everyone else, of course. That would be horrible.

prep, b

[dissimulative]

[ Oria spots Dehya and lightly runs over to her. ]

Hey, FlameMane! I'm doing alright. What are you doing?

[ He tries to peek over... ]

[legendofthelion]

[Her smile in return is wan. She tilts the paper so he can see.] Just trying to get some lists together. An the inventory and costs in the shops, important gathering spots... you know, so we're not all having to try and find things the moment we need them.

[dissimulative]

Oh! Can I help you out? I've been doing a lot of profession stuff ever since it came out, so I learned how to make your runs more efficient depending on what you're looking for! Though, some of it is still with a little luck, since the neutral monsters seem to be random...

[ Oria isn't as meticulous as some of the researchers in this game, but he's kept track of the more important things for his own sake. ]

What's your profession level?

[legendofthelion]

Er, well, I haven't really started doing the crafting stuff yet. [She rubs the back of her head.] I kinda thought I'd have more time before getting around to it. But this would be useful for most people, right?

[dissimulative]

Food is useful no matter what level! And gatherers are always appreciated no matter what level. I have all the jobs, but it would definitely take a load off if someone could gather level 1 stuff too so that I have time to gather higher level materials.

[ Then he lists several dungeons that are good for efficiency with gathering materials for certain items so that you don't have to run too many just to craft one kind of item... ]

prep a

[insinning]

[ But...solo dungeon runs...

Pausing at the gate as he looks up at Dehya sheepishly]

Um. Of course. I wasn't going to go far into one...

[legendofthelion]

Sorry, but I think we should all be extra careful. Why don't I go with you again?

[insinning]

[Cannot say no ]

Ah--sure. The company would be nice.

[legendofthelion]

[You can't escape, Emil.]

Great. [Party request, sent.] Which one are you doing?

[insinning]

[accepting...

people are so forceful in this game]

I was just going to randomise it.

prep a

[deto]

[ level 1 deto tilts his head at her. ]

Well... are level 1 dungeons considered something dangerous now, too?

[legendofthelion]

Well... you're also level 1. [It's always possible to just suck.] Wait--you're still level 1! Have you been playing the beta at all since it opened?

[deto]

[ well uh ]

It was exam season for me.

[legendofthelion]

... And you logged in for the conference because they threatened to kick you from the beta if you didn't. [She sighs. Obviously it would have been better if he let himself get kicked out, but hindsight.] Well, since we don't know that dying now isn't going to be a lot more permanent I think it's better to be careful. Are you okay with the controls?