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⬣//GROWING WILDLY OUT OF CONTROL.
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.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.
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.
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?
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.
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.
i. brand new you (the mall);
...So, even you have an interest in fashion?
[ He hasn't picked out a proper 'skin' himself, but he's probably checking out some scarves the clothing store has. ]
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[ And then he drops the pose with a quiet laugh as though he finds the very thought funny. It is, though, isn't it? Wasting gold on a grab-bag of who knows what. ]
Although I am more grateful for the salon vouchers.
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Show off...but, it looks like what they have isn't terrible-looking.
I haven't bothered to grab much just yet.
[ Besides the scarves, and even those he may put back. ]
Because of your new haircut? Why'd you choose to go with it?
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[ And he'll reach up to run his fingers through his new hairstyle, comfortably familiar with what he would expect outside the game. ]
Ah, though these are from the GP Shop, not the mall. I needed the mirrors here, though, to get a good look. Oh, what do you think about this one?
[ Poof, new appearance! He changes into something more modern. ]
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[ The funniest part is that Ganymede can't really criticize that because he of his avatar's appearance...
But, as someone who is also in a fashion guild, Fandaniel's question brings along Ganymede's attention from a critical standpoint as he looks him over properly. ]
...To my surprise, the clothing do suit you to a point.
But, as a big helpful tip, I personally think it'd look better if the grey you have over there was more a black? It'll look better, from a fashion standpoint. Plus, it'd go better with your hair color as a bonus.
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[ Fandaniel looks down at the sleeveless knit vest, smoothing it out with his hands. ]
I wonder if we're able to adjust the color of skins like we do armors. If not, I'm afraid the advice will be for naught.
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[ Or right. Black covers all bases; advice he's probably heard given to him by people who fix him up right before theatre production performances. ]
This company does a crappy job at a lot of things, but aesthetics isn't one of them. If they don't have the option, I'd actually be surprised.
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[ Give him a second. It takes a few menus and it'll leave him looking like he's interacting with something invisible in the air but, well, shouldn't that be a sight they're all used to by now?
But it does work. The light grey knit pops over to being black. Ta-daaa. ]
Although, do you think this might not be too much black?
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...Not really.
This really does seem like the type of color that would fit best based upon what else you're wearing and your hair.
[ But only until now has Ganymede been able to confirm it once he's set it up. ]
It isn't like you look like a ridiculous death god stalking through the hallways or something.
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[ Although the "death god" comment earns a huff of laughter. ]
Ah, but no, ridiculous death god is Hien's look. I would never dare to steal it from him.
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And here I thought you just might.
Are vampires more your thing?
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[ he doesn't sparkle, gany-kun, wow ]
I actually prefer purples over blacks, if I must be honest, which fits, ah. What spooky creature? Witches?
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[ There are vampires that don't sparkle!! ]
Witches, wizards...maybe other spellcasters.
...That's why you chose your class, didn't you?
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[ There are other reasons but! ]
'tis true. I have a fondness for spellcasters and magic. It was a toss-up between this and Harvest Cleric, although I suspect we are all regretting not choosing the healing class now.
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[ Really; plus it fits his whole...everything, somehow. ]
Are you regretting it too? I can't say that I am all that much.
[ Harvest Cleric's are definitely pertinent to have, but Ganymede doesn't think he could be a purely healing support class. He needs to be able to cut a bitch hard enough in a pinch. ]
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[ Honestly, is he? More healers would have been nice but— ]
I suppose not. I am very pleased with my class. It suits me quite well, after all. [ Shooting spells errywhere, pew pew pew. ] Besides, how many people would want me healing them?
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[ Ganymede doesn't sugercoat it. Fandaniel does have a reputation; he knows it, they both know it, and so does everyone else.
Though...he is also not surprised to hear the other doesn't regret class choice. That said— ]
But, at that point, I'd think no one would actually refuse, even if they feel like it, or really wanted to.
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[ Not that he actually has many foes that act terribly foe-like. For has awful as he is at times, everyone keeps insisting that care. It's terrible. ]
I doubt I would be bothering to PK them at this point, however, so they would be able to worry far less.
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[ ........hopefully. Sometimes emotions might screw that over a bit too. But as far as Ganymede is concerned, all of their goals are the same.
And a simple fact is that people don't want others to die. Fanny Danny included. ]
...You know, in retrospect, I guess it isn't really too surprising that people might worry a bit less where you're concerned.
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[ This man is a troll, not a serial killer, c'mon. ]