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CyberConnect Corporation ([personal profile] cccorp) wrote in [community profile] altimit2023-08-24 02:17 pm
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⬣//A SINGLE CRACK LETS THE LIGHT IN.

//BRAVELY SAILING INTO THE UNKNOWN

As they say, fortune favors the brave. Five lucky players took part in a Limited Quest: The Mysterious Sky Islands, in which they discovered a brand new Root Town. While the team was largely successful in their efforts to make the mysterious floating town in the sky habitable, not everyone embraced the spirit of teamwork on this journey.

When you gate in to this shiny new Root Town, you'll notice something curious: it has no name. Its name simply displays as "???" in every context menu and there is no signage around the Root Town itself that points to its true name— rather, the name it had before they came along.

Whispers on the wind tell of an evil wizard in flowing white robes who ruthlessly boiled the village elder alive. With him died all of this mysterious Root Town's lore and history, and in its place are tales of the monster who robbed this land of its identity. The elemental sprites that populate this village refuse to speak their name, simply wishing you "good luck, have fun!" as you turn to leave.

While on your journey to check out the island, you'll notice how unstable the bridges are. Unstable might be putting it lightly, because for some unlucky souls, crossing the wrong bridge means plummeting to your death. It seems that whoever was put in charge of constructing these bridges didn't give a damn about structural integrity.

The local sprites are pleading with adventurers to assist them in building better, more stable bridges, but bridging the gap between one island and the next is not a job for a single person. If you have enough of a heart to heed the pleas of the sprites, you'll want to work with your fellow players to get the job done. All the wood, nails, and rope you need to construct better bridges has been helpfully supplied to you by the sprites. You could always sabotage the project too, of course, but what kind of person would you be if you did that?

//BUILDING THE FUTURE

The professions system has been added to fragment. Rejoice, busybodies, for there is much furniture to be built and dubious potions brewed.

In celebration of the new crafting & gathering system, a crafts festival is being held in the Unnamed Root Town. Take care not to plummet to your death while traversing those rickety bridges.

Players are encouraged to set up a booth of their own and trade their unique handcrafted items with their fellow adventurers. In addition to being supplied with enough level 1 and level 2 crafting materials to give the crafting system a spin, the local NPCs are running a contest encouraging people to come up with their own for a chance to have their creations canonized as real crafting recipes.

To submit your own recipe ideas, you need only fill out this handy form:

Recipe name:

Recipe category: Alchemist, Carpenter, Chef, or Jeweler?

Which two items does your recipe call for? Choose two items to combine. Only gatherable items (refer to the professions page) can be used.

Effect: What does this item do, if anything?

Description: A brief description of your lovely new product.


Submit your recipe contest submissions here.

//ONE STEP FORWARD, TWO STEPS BACK

Fragment's beta test has seen its fair share of unusual bugs and unintended features, and with the latest update bringing many new changes, it's inevitable that some things have broken behind the scenes.

If two players happen to log in at the same time, they might find their avatars swapped with one another's. Thankfully, this issue doesn't lead to the unpleasant exchange of deep-seated memories or anything of the sort, but getting used to a body that isn't yours takes time. Thankfully, this particular bug resolves itself when both players log out.

The windy town of Unnamed Root Town is generally quite scenic and pleasant, but there's just one issue. It's far, far windier than it should be. If the rickety bridges don't kill you, the gusts that intermittently blow across the sky islands might knock you off your feet if you don't watch your footing carefully. Thankfully, the crafts festival on the southernmost end of the island hasn't been impacted by the severe winds. Among them is one voice that you don't recognize: a voice that promises a death, gruesome and bloody, in the days to come.

To everyone's relief, the carnival and its notorious hall of mirrors has packed up and left Lumina Cloth, but your past hasn't finished haunting you. The foul winds carry whispers of the past along with them, uttering words and phrases uncomfortably familiar to you. They're the voices of your past, the voices of people you've known, loved, and lost. Covering your ears won't keep the voices out of your ears. Nothing will.

Finally, on the more mundane some of things, professions have a few kinks of their own that need to be worked out. Occasionally, a crafted item won't come out quite right, instead resulting in one of the following "items":

Alchemist: Truth Serum. Become unable to lie for 24 hours.

Blacksmith: Whatever you're enhancing transforms into a denim disaster. Introducing your new "body" armor, "leg" armor, "head" armor, and "arm" armor.

Carpenter: Mirror Mirror. Reflects the person you're most afraid of becoming.

Chef: Durian Delight. A succulent durian pudding that reeks so strongly that its stench can be smelled all across the Root Town or Area you're occupying.

Jeweler: Crystal Ball. Breaks after one use but allows you to read another player's thoughts for five minutes.

//WHAT ARE YOU, AN IDIOT SANDWICH?

With crafting in full swing, a certain admin has been lured out of his hidey hole by the smell of delicious chef-prepared meals. Hien is hungry, and you will feed him.

Chefs are not limited by the recipes they know like some professions are, so players are encouraged to think outside of the box and combine unique ingredients to cook up something truly special.

Taste, however, isn't the only important part of a perfect meal. Chefs looking to impress the big man himself are expected to present their culinary delights to him with pomp and finesse. You need to impress Hien if you want to gain more from this venture than the participation prize of a chef skin.

Those who successfully woo Hien with their delectable dishes will be given an additional prize: a little black pomchi pet to accompany their avatar around Root Towns and Special Areas. Hien will be giving these out at his discretion, so you better suck up to the dogboss in charge if you want a pomchi of your very own. If you catch Hien in a good mood, he may even agree to give you a different breed of dog if you ask nicely.

Feed the local Hien here.


//ZELKOVA’S CORNER

Hello, everyone! Can you believe it's been an entire month since our beta test began? Even though we've already been through a lot together, we've still got three months left! I'm rooting for you all!

As of today, the level cap has increased from 25 to 50. That means new armor and weapons will be available to you! Get out there to different Areas and start leveling up! But don't forget to stop every once in a while and enjoy your surroundings, too. Which reminds me—don't forget to check out the new Recreational Areas! We have a beach and hotsprings for you to enjoy now. I hope everyone continues to have fun exploring!

We've also opened up the GP shop, where you can create your own special armor set for a certain price, along with a few other things. Please check it out!

Oh, and don't forget to use these three new greeting cards I've made! Here they are! Make sure you use them so you can connect with your fellow players! We're all friends here, after all.

trollophoroi: from tylorific (:x)

[personal profile] trollophoroi 2023-08-31 09:46 pm (UTC)(link)
Yes? Of course. They're good because everything in this place is designed that way. You know we aren't actually eating these. The game is just telling us that we are and making us feel like we're enjoying it.

[ Because, sure, they are good, but staring at his face with that stupid smile and that stupid smudge of cream on it... ]

How much longer do I have to put up with this before you agree to switch back?
Edited 2023-08-31 21:47 (UTC)
trollophoroi: credit: <user name=apocalypsios> (015;)

[personal profile] trollophoroi 2023-08-31 09:53 pm (UTC)(link)
[ Wow, well that's suspicious. Fandaniel lets out a quiet laugh at the abrupt party invite but he does accept it. ]

Do you really have something you've been meaning to bring up or are you merely making sure I have less time to go track down Fai and let him take funny screenshots with your body?
tylorific: (fanny: ♡⸜(˶˃ ᵕ ˂˶)⸝♡)

[personal profile] tylorific 2023-08-31 09:54 pm (UTC)(link)
Oh who cares about all of that, if it feels nice you might as well enjoy it!

[ Tylor says it flippantly, enjoying more cream puff. In the middle of licking his finger clean, he blinks at that last part. Then laughs.

Like it's the most obvious thing in the world--
]

Well, all you had to do was ask!
Edited 2023-08-31 21:54 (UTC)
trollophoroi: from tylorific (>:O)

[personal profile] trollophoroi 2023-08-31 10:00 pm (UTC)(link)
[ All he had to do was... ]

But I did—!

[ Fandaniel starts, voice rising to a shout as he finally rips his hand away from Tylor's and turns on him, the half-eaten candy apple raised up as if to strike him with it. He doesn't but. It is up there, frozen as he holds still, replying their entire conversation up until now. He...

He... he didn't. He never asked. Slowly, the apple lowers, and Fandaniel can only feel disgusted with himself.
]

...I never asked. Why did I never ask? [ Grrrr, he turns away, raging, ] Stupid! Stupid, stupid, stupid, why did I forget to simply ask?! You absolute idiot, Amon!
tylorific: (fanny: (^∇^))

[personal profile] tylorific 2023-08-31 10:17 pm (UTC)(link)
[ Tylor lets the hand go without any resistance, same as Fandaniel could've done at any time. He doesn't move to dodge the candied apple before it pauses. His stupid smile doesn't falter either.

While Fandaniel is frozen, Tylor keeps his eyes on him casually. But he also quietly buys another cream puff and starts eating it while he waits.
]

Hey now, it's alright. Don't be so hard on yourself! You're not stupid at all. What better excuse to enjoy your favorite sweet and get a break from it all?

[ A happy little laugh. ]

And I had no idea going on a friend date with you would be this fun! But I do think you're way cuter in your own avatar.
Edited (Hit too soon wheehhehhh) 2023-08-31 22:18 (UTC)
dissimulative: (pic#15305374)

[personal profile] dissimulative 2023-08-31 10:18 pm (UTC)(link)
[ Oria seems dead set on making this happen, but then he pauses. ]

And not you? You're included in this, you know.
Edited 2023-08-31 22:19 (UTC)
userunfriendly: (140)

[personal profile] userunfriendly 2023-08-31 10:20 pm (UTC)(link)
[ He'll leave that to Yael and Hector, thanks??

"I might have waited even longer," would probably have given him a little nervous jolt of happiness if his skin wasn't already buzzing from the fact that he's mostly caffeine now. But he can actually feel himself smiling, which is... new. ]


No. It doesn't matter if I'm there or not. [ And only slightly contradicting this sentiment: ] Someone will take the pager for a night.
trollophoroi: credit: <user name=apocalypsios> (022;)

[personal profile] trollophoroi 2023-08-31 10:23 pm (UTC)(link)
[ Pulled back from the edge but only physically. Mentally, Fandaniel is still reeling from hearing her laughing just ahead of him, playing hide-and-seek, just like they used to. He turns on Owen, not quite registering who it is that's saved him right off the bat. An arm is raised, prepared to strike him, but then he stops.

Recognition at the last moment sparks across his face and the anger drains. It's Owen, only Owen, it's...
]

I suppose... no. No, it isn't.

[ The arm lowers, falling limply back to his side, and then he lets out a laugh. It's bitter, miserable, lacking any of the amused clown energy he often carries about with him. ]

Sorry about that. I seem to have lost my way.
secondthoughts: (☀ 声をあげ泣いた)

[personal profile] secondthoughts 2023-08-31 10:25 pm (UTC)(link)
[ Hector will be mortified once the effect wears off, if it's any consolation. Sleeping around, sure. But professing love to strangers? Not usually in his book. He's not that kind of heartbreaker.

Right now, though, that's not what he's thinking about. A grin bursts across his face at the suggestion. ]


Think for as long as you need to.

[ All he really wants to do is keep kissing Fandaniel.

So he dives in again, pressing his lips to his with more fervor, more hunger this time. He tilts his head, parts his lips, and lets the hand cradling Fandaniel's face drop to rest at his other hip. He pulls him flush against him, and kisses him like he means it. ]
fluorite: dnt (18)

[personal profile] fluorite 2023-08-31 10:28 pm (UTC)(link)
Oh, that would be nice...

[ He stares at the bookshelf, examining it as he runs his fingers along the shelves.

Then, he gives Winter a mischievous look. ]


That isn't what I asked, though.
selfconcept: (pic#16537116)

[personal profile] selfconcept 2023-08-31 10:29 pm (UTC)(link)
[ The pomchi wags its tail a lot when Hani shakes its paw. Affection! Cute barking!!

Hien doesn't have to remind Hani about the food, because he gets to see this little shiba snack. Presentation is 10/10. Excellent. Hien picks one of them up and eats. The food was already sitting in the sauce, which is something Hien doesn't enjoy, but he tries to give it a chance.

...

He eats all four sticks and stays deep in thought for a while. Hani is free to take a seat on the opposite side of the picnic table.
]

You pass.

[ But then he only gives Hani a chef outfit skin. It looks like Hani will have to try to woo Hien a little more with food to get a dog... Good thing they can try again as much as they want until Patch 4.0! ]
fluorite: dnt (41)

[personal profile] fluorite 2023-08-31 10:29 pm (UTC)(link)
[ Give him a moment or two to think about that... Hm. ]

I think it's both, honestly. I like too many styles, so I have a hard time choosing sometimes, especially when I can't afford everything I want.
trollophoroi: from tylorific (O_O)

[personal profile] trollophoroi 2023-08-31 10:36 pm (UTC)(link)
[ Friend date? Friend date?! Fandaniel sputters in his anger and whirls back around on Tylor. This time he does throw the candied apple, but it's at the ground, not at Tylor himself. ]

This wasn't a date of any sort! Friend or otherwise! I was humoring you until I could get my own avatar back! My avatar which is not cute! Or friendly! Or nice in any way!
tylorific: (M&M: life is short)

[personal profile] tylorific 2023-08-31 10:36 pm (UTC)(link)
Well. Of course, me.

( Said too lightly-- )

I think Morgan likes me, after all. And that's what really matters.
userunfriendly: (102)

[personal profile] userunfriendly 2023-08-31 10:38 pm (UTC)(link)
[ It's not like this is a secret. But on the other hand, he doesn't see any benefit to someone connecting his two handles... ]

...Why? I didn't think you played games.

[ This one notwithstanding. Should he drop another bookshelf? On Fai, this time? ]
fluorite: dnt (72)

[personal profile] fluorite 2023-08-31 10:40 pm (UTC)(link)
[ Fai just shrugs, giving Winter a wide grin. ]

I don't, but if you like making games, I still want to hear about it.

[ This is called bonding. ]
tylorific: (fanny: (▰︶︹︺▰))

[personal profile] tylorific 2023-08-31 10:42 pm (UTC)(link)
[ Tylor doesn't even flinch, he's just still vibing with his cream puff. He does spare a sad little glance to the poor candied apple.

He says it genuinely--
]

Oh. Maybe not, but you're even cuter when you're mad.

[ He attempts an angry face. Ruined by the cream still on his face. ]

See?
Edited 2023-08-31 22:45 (UTC)
insinning: (thinking; biting my thumb)

[personal profile] insinning 2023-08-31 10:48 pm (UTC)(link)
[Is Michel's not a hamster thing then]

Mm...I'm not in university. Maybe I'll go one day but...
trollophoroi: credit: <user name=bloodcrazed> (060;)

[personal profile] trollophoroi 2023-08-31 10:51 pm (UTC)(link)
[ Fandaniel will never publicly acknowledge the fact that a groan escapes him, muffled by Hector's lips, when he's pulled flush against the man, chest to chest, hips to hips, and it does prove that, no, he isn't going to get any worthwhile thinking done while Hector is eating up his lips like that. One hand remains planted firmly against that chest of his, the other drifting down to cup a hip...

And while he does let the kiss drag on for a time, his own lips parting against Hector's to pull at the other's lower one, nipping at it. Normally, he'd do that because he'd like to deepen the kiss — and, oh, he does, he really does — but he also realizes if he lets this go much further, he'll be far too riled up to just log off.

A stolen kiss or two is one thing. The rest?
]

Hoh, okay. [ Fandaniel breaks the kiss before it goes that far, taking in a breath of fresh air while giving Hector a push. Away, away, darn thot. ] Hector, I do need to think about going to work soon.

[ Hector's early evening is Fandaniel's early morning, so that's not exactly a lie. ]

As much as I would love to carry on like this, how about... hmm... you plan a little date for us instead, for when I get back?
userunfriendly: (39)

[personal profile] userunfriendly 2023-08-31 10:53 pm (UTC)(link)
[ Sounds dodgy as hell... but after he worries at the thought a little more, he still can't find a real downside, so: ]

I've made a few. I wouldn't particularly say that I like it.
gluttoning: (072)

:)

[personal profile] gluttoning 2023-08-31 10:58 pm (UTC)(link)
[He's smiling when he finally manages to track Hien down.]

There you are.

I've got something for you.

[Honey Sesame chicken wings has been arranged over rice, just enough sauce to coat the breading without soaking it too heavily. Honey from the Bee Commando, Snapping Sesame... and,if Hien moves to try it, there's a bit of a kick from Shocking Snapdragon, finely chopped in a light covering like chili flakes.

He has brought napkins. :)]
tinged: (037)

[personal profile] tinged 2023-08-31 11:17 pm (UTC)(link)
[ a pass, that’s good! not enough to get a pomchi, which is a shame, but hani can always love dogs without owning one. they had done their best with the snack. the judgement, they think, is pretty fair for the simplicity.

hani nods their thanks and, as is polite, bows at the correct angle for such things. ]


I appreciate your time, Hien-kun. [ and to the pomchi: ] And of course, I appreciate your existence the most.

[ quest completed (?) ]
selfconcept: (pic#16675977)

[personal profile] selfconcept 2023-08-31 11:23 pm (UTC)(link)
[ ...

What?

Hien looks at Hani like he just heard something absolutely absurd.
]

... Tabibito.

[ He clears his throat. ]

If you present the same dish to me, but with the sauce separated from the food itself, like in a sauce bowl of its own, I'll give you a dog. The food absorbed too much as it sat in the sauce. That was my only issue with it.
fluorite: dnt (43)

[personal profile] fluorite 2023-08-31 11:26 pm (UTC)(link)
Really? But if you've gone through the trouble to make a few...

[ His brows furrow as he continues examining the bookshelf. Hm. How many books can he fit on this? Should he put it in his own room? ]

Why do you do it?

[ Is making games his real job? ]
insinning: (surprise; a tiny bit disturbed)

[personal profile] insinning 2023-08-31 11:26 pm (UTC)(link)
[ This is terrifying????]

I'm really not--

[ wait]

'Vogel-kun'?