In the end, I ended up going with a classic T-shirt, Zelda: Ocarina of Time. At the end of the day, no one can argue that Zelda is always a solid chance in any given situation. Don’t know what game to play? Zelda. Conflicted about which character to dress up as for a convention? Zelda or Link. Have to bring you’re A-game to a gaming convention? Zelda. It felt like I was going to impress, or at least I felt that looking in the mirror.
No one ever described me as fashionable, but between my everyday Blundstone boots, jeans, and T-shirt I knew that I was, at the very least, immune to critique. With a final glance to appreciate my shirt, I headed on out the door to meet up with Iris.
“Zelda? I guess it at least deserves a B,” Iris stated with a smirk while glancing at my shirt.
“Hey,” I mocked, feigning hurt while grasping at my heart.
“Okay, okay, drama king. Settle down, why don’t ya?” Iris retorted with a similar level of mockery.
Returning my voice to a level of normal, “Ready to head inside?”
“Ya, let’s do it,” stated while grabbing onto the hook of my arm that I offered to her.
We entered the convention hall at the same time, and it was near magical. I do not know if you have ever been to Denver’s convention hall, but it is massive. Heading down the stairs the entire floor was filled with hundreds, or maybe even thousands, of fellow gamers. Walking through tables full of computers, upcoming game flyers, and tiny souvenirs such as paper weights shaped as swords. The sound was also overwhelming as game trailers and playthroughs blasted through their various speakers.
“Wow,” we both said at the same time.
“This is impressive, no doubt about it,” I said with clear amazement leaking through into my words.
“Let’s go check out the Riverlight table,” Iris asserted while already dragging me forward towards the largest table at the convention down at the bottom of the stairs.
“Why would we go there? They certainly have nothing new coming out this year if they haven’t produced anything in the last five years?”
“Exactly, haven’t you been reading the new articles?”
“I saw some of them today, something about them going bankrupt?”
“Bankrupt and the rumors about a new release. Supposedly, the last five years have been dedicated to building their upcoming game, or at least that is the rumor.”
“Could you imagine what would take them so long to produce?”
“Honestly, it has to be something we would have considered science fiction five years ago. Although, since they market is predicting them to fall under, they are probably feeling pressure to release whatever they have been working on sooner than later,” Iris said with a certain gleam of excitement entering her eyes underneath her curly red hair.
“It would have to be,” I affirmed. It got me thinking about what it could possibly have taken so long and cost such a significant amount of money to cause the company to go nearly bankrupt. The company owned so many significant games that they could have survived off those percentages for decades, or that is just my suspicion. Whatever caused the company such financial distress must be a rather large deal.
Right before we got to the table, I heard someone behind me scream, “Z!” I turned around, as not many people go by that moniker. Through the sea of heads behind us that were walking in both directions and others who immersed into the individual tables was an almost seven-foot-tall, blond giant heading our direction.
“Shane,” I murmured. Not because I was not excited, but mostly because I did not need Sir Six Pack and Mr. Tall intruding on my date. “What brings you around these parts?” I asked a little louder.
“You know me, cannot help myself but see the potential competition,” Shane said with his slightly off-centered smile while grabbing onto my shoulder and pulling me into a side hug. You know because we are super masculine.
“Who might this be?” he asks me with that same goofy smile on his face.
“I am Zephaniah’s date, Iris,” she stated while grabbing awkwardly onto the hand that was sticking out from my side that was begging for relief from Shane’s hug. I am not going to lie, her saying it made me feel even warmer than the blood that was rushing into my head due to the previously mentioned hug.
“Nice to meet you, Madam, I am Sir Shane, but Shane is fine,” he stated, letting go of me, and gracing us with a low bow. Not going to lie, since I haven’t touched my toes since grade school, I was impressed.
“And I you, Sir Shane,” Iris responded, obviously playing around, as indicated by that same smirk playing along her face. At this, I turned Iris around and began to lead her back towards the Rinc table.
“Okay enough, enough, Shane we are about –”
“Oh, hold your horses' cowboy, maybe some more proper introductions are in order?” Shane asked, still only looking at Iris.
“Naturally, I stated,” using my professional tone to avoid any unintended tones to slip out. “Shane this is Iris, that barista I told you about—”
“Oh, you talked about me, have you?” Iris said, now looking directly at me.
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“Well, you know, of course,” I continued, a bit startled by my slip of the tongue. “Iris, this is Shane, an old buddy from school and current game designer and part-time white-hat hacker. Now, with introductions out of the way, could we all continue onto the table? I believe that the spokesperson is making some announcement?”
“Lead the way good sire,” Shane announced, clapping me on the shoulder. I told myself it was not sore from his rough handling of that aforementioned hug. And with that, I grabbed onto Iris’ hand, and we headed over to the table.
At the table there was a steady commotion as other attendees began to filter from the tables around and drift towards the table. The cause of the commotion appeared to be someone setting up a mic on the table near the spokesperson for Rinc. I kept hearing random snippets of conversation from all around me, “you think it’s about that rumor” and “I heard it is going to be the greatest game ever invented” accurately sum up the topics of these conversations. No matter the topic the people of the convention were interested as was evident with the dozens of individuals now craning their necks above peoples’ heads to get a view of the show.
“I do not know why, but I am having butterflies right now,” Iris murmured into my ear and the excitement I saw within her eye became even more pronounced. She began to jump up and down on the heels of her foot as her tiny body was unequipped to contain her levels of excitement.
“It better be what I think it is,” Shane mumbled to me, but due to his ridiculous, and honestly idiotic height, it felt more like he just breathed onto my head.
“Wait, what do you think it is?” I asked looking up towards my oldest friend.
At this all Shane could do was smile down at me because the spokesperson from the largest and strongest gaming company began to speak into the mic.
“Hello everyone, and welcome to the Riverlight Incorporated table. We appreciate all of your continued support in us and our mission over these long years. Today, here across the globe, we are coming to announce the arrival of our first game in almost half a decade, “at this he swept his hand back and towards the massive television that appeared behind him. Across the screen appeared the word: Fabula.
“Fabula is unlike any world imagined before, but, as first appearances, it appears like many others. Due to this we, at Riverlight, have decided to embrace the traditional tales found in the magical and fantastical by naming our new world, and game, Fabula. Unlike many other games, from which we have been given much inspiration, the individual parts of Fabula might appear familiar, but how will experience them will be unlike anything else.”
“Okay, so it took them five years to create another… what? Skyrim, Witcher, Breath of the Wild?” Shane mumbled to himself while crossing his arms. Clearly, Shane was not impressed by the game that has supposedly almost bankrupted the company.
“Shhhhh,” I hissed in his direction, doing the standard finger over the lips. However, I used my imagination and improvised with my middle finger. Yep, I am hilarious.
As the screen behind the Riverlight gentleman began to zoom into the fantasy-inspired world, the crowd began to groan. However, despite the repetitiveness of another fantasy-inspired, Middle Ages game, the scenes on the screen were breathtaking. If I am being honest, they appeared as if they were actual videos of the beautiful lands of Namibia, Iceland, and more. I would have sworn that I was seeing the deserts of Egypt, the mountains of Switzerland, the architecture of Europe, and more iconic displays of nature. At this point, the moans began to dissipate amongst the crowd.
“I see that I have caught your interest. I can promise you that everything you are seeing are areas within our game. Not only does Fabula have some of the best graphics and designs are known to man, but, once again, the experience is unlike any other. Thanks to some amazing advances in technology, you will not be experiencing this world through screens, but with your very own senses.”
At this point, the mood of the crowd was a rollercoaster from excitement to disappointment again and again. While the crowd was hesitant, I already knew that I needed to know what this game was because it was simply fact that a company with the resources of Riverlight was not overselling their capabilities, most likely. As I thought about this, I also could feel Iris literally vibrating with her exciting energies.
The speaker could tell the crowd was on the edge and his eyes sparkled with the knowledge that he knew he had every single one of us. “As well, the world of Fabula will be entirely free with the purchase of the necessary equipment to enter the game world.” At this, he swiveled his head back towards the screen where a chair appeared. Sorry, that was an understatement, this was the most elegant, beautiful chair I had ever seen. Like would I sell my own kin to purchase this chair? No, but I would hesitate.
“By purchasing this chair and with it the technology to enter Fabula, the game is for everyone. I hope that you are all excited to take part in our next journey together because I know that I am.” With those final remarks, the spokesperson sat down and was awaiting the shock of the crowd to recede and for the questions to arrive. As the muttering began in the crowd, the numbers 07.31 appeared on the screen.
“What does he mean free?” Shane asked Iris and me.
“That is your only question? How about, what does he mean by experience it with your senses or what the deal is with this chair?” Iris asked Shane.
“All good questions and we are not going to discover the information between the three of us, lets us go as him ourselves,” I stated as I began to elbow the crowd out of the way towards the Rinc employee, hoping that Iris and Shane would follow.
“Hello sir, my name is Zeph, and I was wondering if you could answer a couple of questions for me and my friends?” I asked, arriving at the table where the employee sat.
“Of course, but no need for such pleasantries, you can call me Joshua. I hope you enjoyed the presentation,” remarked Joshua, along with a glint appearing in his eye, as if he held secret knowledge.
“First off,” Iris began, shoving me behind her, “what do you mean by your senses and this chair’s technology?”
“Ahh, you caught that,” he said while beaming at Iris with the pride of a father in his face. Simply this, through technology installed within the chair you are able to access the world of Fabula as if you are really there. “
“Like, you mean, like virtual simulation?” I asked, my brain barely keeping up with my thoughts.
“Rather exactly like that, using the information collected from traveling the globe, numerous volunteers, and assistance through some breakthrough artificial intelligence technology, we have created a fully functional simulation. Within Fabula you’ll feel the wind in your hair and the water on your skin,” Joshua claimed with the expression of utter bliss on his face.
“Fine, but how that does even work?” Iris cut in.
“Unfortunately, I am not at liberty to say, as we are still several months out from release this technology is all very sensitive. However, I can say with extreme pride that it is extremely safe. I hope you all can preorder your chairs soon,” Joshua stated in a final manner and leaned towards another future Fabula player who was coming close to the table.
“What the—,” I began.
“Hell was that?” Shane finished.
“I do not know, but I am damn sure wanting to find out more, let’s get out of here,” Iris stated as she moved away from the table.
Then as I began to walk away, I heard from the Rinc table, “Nice to meet you, Z.” At that, I spun around and looked directly at Joshua through a gap in the crowd, who was grinning and waving at me. However, I didn’t get a word out before the gap in the crowd pulled close and Iris had pulled me away.