Through the door, Bob now found himself in a tremendous park in what seemed like the middle of a massive city. It spanned a great length, and Bob felt it was similar in size to Central Park in New York. He could hear the intense bustle of the city, the cars, the people, all the various chittering and chattering, and it made him feel oddly at home. As he gazed around, he found a large fountain nearby, but what surprised him the most was the size and number of buildings that surrounded the park. They were incredibly large, larger than any he’d ever seen, and they were built with such a futuristic architectural style. It was impressive.
“You look super lost,” an excited voice behind Bob exclaimed. He turned around and noticed a small man in a bright blue and black spandex suit populated by a variety of differently sized stars. “Are you new?”
“Uh…yes. Yes, I am,” Bob admitted.
“Well, welcome to Aegis City!” the spandex-clad man exclaimed. “My name is Starshift and I like to welcome newbies whenever I can.”
“Wow. That’s nice of you,” Bob admitted.
“No problem, just doing what I can for a fellow hero!” His face quickly changed. “You are going to be a hero, right?” he asked awkwardly.
“Oh,” Bob started, “of course, that’s the plan. I guess I remember the prompts mentioning supervillains.”
“Yes, depending on how you play the game, you can progress as either a hero or villain. Those are the main play points, at least.”
“Play points…” Bob repeated with confusion written on his face.
“Have you ever played an online game like this?” Starshift inquired.
“No,” Bob admitted. “My son bought this game for me as a birthday gift.”
“Well, happy birthday!” Starshift exclaimed. “Would you like me to show you the ropes?”
“That would be very much appreciated, thank you.” Bob smiled. Starshift pointed around brightly. “You’re currently in one of the main hubs of the city, Infinity Park,” he began. “This is a neutral zone or what you may call a safe zone. No PvP here, or Player Versus Player; it’s a great area for newbies.”
“So players can fight each other?” Bob inquired.
“Yes, it’s your typical PvP where heroes and villains fight each other in areas outside the neutral zones.”
“That’s good to know,” Bob said.
“Yeah, and frankly you won’t really have to worry about dealing with villains for a while anyway.”
“So how do I get started?” Bob inquired, ready to begin his adventure.
“That’s a great question,” Starshift said. “You see over there?” Bob looked and noticed the large government-esque building in the distance. “That’s City Hall. If you’re going to lead the life of a superhero then you’re going to want to register there.”
“Great. Thanks,” Bob said.
“Here.” Starshift tapped a small band on his wrist and his menu popped up. “I’ll send you a friend request. This way you can contact me anywhere you are.” He made a few more selections and a prompt appeared in front of Bob.
Starshift has sent you a friend request.
Accept?
Yes
No
Bob selected “Yes” and noticed Starshift’s name pop up on his new friends list. Next to his name it showed his location and whether he was online or offline. A new, smaller prompt appeared suddenly.
Achievement Unlocked!
Friendly: Register Someone on your Friends List.
Reward: 10 XP and Title: Friendly
“Thanks,” Bob said and shook Starshift’s hand. Bob tapped the small X button at the top of the prompt to close it.
“See you later.” Starshift saluted, then disappeared in a magical flare of blue and black light. Bob stood there in amazement at his new friend’s sudden evaporation. Looking past where Starshift had been, Bob began to make his way to the City Hall building. Gaping at his surroundings, Bob actually saw a few people flying in the sky above him. Wow, he thought.
The inside of City Hall was vast and marble-clad, bustling with people and superheroes alike. Gazing around Bob spotted the receptionist and figured she would know how to help him.
“Are you a new hero?” the receptionist asked as Bob approached. She was dressed in a smart-looking suit, with her blonde hair tied in a tight ponytail.
“Yes, I am,” Bob declared.
“Great.” She pulled a paper out of her desk and stated, “Luckily, registering as a hero is free and allows you access to a variety of quests.”
“That sounds good,” Bob said. “What do I have to do?”
“Just fill out this document.” She handed him the sheet of paper. As Bob grabbed the document a prompt appeared in front of him.
Quest Alert!
Register as a Hero: Part 1
You’ve started your journey as one of the righteous and just. Fill out the paperwork to proceed.
Reward: 10 XP
Bob quickly scrawled his information on the paper and handed it back to the young woman.
“Alright, Superhero…Titan,” she said as she read his avatar’s name on the document. “As a hero, you’ll be protected by certain liabilities and an array of insurance coverages that are taken care of by the city,” she continued. “For example, if you damage a building, injure someone or do anything that could hold you personally liable, being a registered hero will protect you from any legal wrongdoing.”
“That makes sense,” Bob admitted. He hadn’t even considered anything of the sort, but he was glad it was something he wouldn’t have to worry about.
“Since you’re a new hero, your first costume will be done for free by one of our tailors.” A new prompt appeared.
Quest Update!
Register as a Hero: Part 2
This book's true home is on another platform. Check it out there for the real experience.
You’ve filled out the proper documentation! Now continue to get your costume. Follow the receptionist's directions to continue.
Reward: 10 XP and Costume Slot #1
Bob hadn’t even realized that he would be getting his own costume! “Please proceed down the hall to the right and you’ll find one of the tailor rooms down on the left. There they will be able to help you with your costume.” Bob thanked the woman and proceeded the way he had been directed.
Bob found himself amazed at his surroundings. Everything seemed so real that he legitimately couldn’t tell the difference between the other players and the non-players. The environment was so incredible and realistic, he didn’t really feel like he was in a game.
Bob finally found his way to a series of rooms labeled “Tailor.” Seeing no other receptionist, Bob randomly opened one of the doors to find himself in a completely white room.
“Well, hello!” a bright young woman exclaimed. Bob turned to see the woman coming from a back room. She wore a long lab coat over a tight gray dress that screamed “professional.” “My name is Anna and I’ll be your tailor today.” Anna sat herself behind a desk in the corner and tapped a button on her computer, which in turn raised a small dais in the center of the room. “Please step up there, if you would.” Her brown eyes smiled behind her glasses.
“Sure.” Though a bit confused, Bob complied with the woman's request and stepped up onto the dais. A small arm with a scanner at the end descended from the ceiling and stared menacingly at Bob.
“This arm will scan your body so we can accurately design a costume.” She smiled in a way that almost suggested she enjoyed Bob’s apparent discomfort. Bob watched as the arm emitted a bright blue light and scanned him. “Alright, great,” Anna said as the arm finished scanning him. “Please come and sit down.” Bob stepped off the dais and sat across from the woman.
“Now we will begin designing your suit,” Anna said. “Hero name…Titan? That’s a unique name,” she told him. “Strength, huh? I can work with that.” She tapped a few things into her computer and mumbled to herself a bit. “Let’s look back at the platform.” Bob turned and saw a mannequin materialize on the platform. “So why ‘Titan?’” She accentuated the name with her fingers.
“Well, two main reasons, I guess,” Bob began. “A Titan is a powerful or important person. This is a new chapter in my life that I want to embrace.” Anna nodded in understanding. “Titans in Greek mythology were giants and were the pre-Olympian gods. The word also means ‘great strength.’ In a sense, I’d like to be the ‘great strength’ that protects people.” Bob hated how cheesy it sounded, but it was true that he had thought of that when coming up with the name.
“Well, I can definitely work with something like that,” Anna declared excitedly. “Let’s see here…” She began tapping and clicking away at her computer. Suddenly, a spandex suit materialized on the mannequin. It screamed superhero. The top of the suit was a dark teal, with a large white T that covered most of the torso. The bottom half was a darker gray, with flared boots reflecting the dark teal from the torso. The gloves matched the flared style but were white like the T. The face was only covered by a small black mask around the eyes. He liked it.
“Wow…that’s really impressive,” Bob admitted.
“I do good work,” Anna replied haughtily, chuckling at Bob. “Will this work?” Bob got up and slowly approached the mannequin.
“Hmm…” Bob stuck his hand under his chin, analyzing what stood in front of him. “I really like the design, but I want a splash of another color in here somewhere.”
“What color?” Anna inquired. Bob thought about it for a moment.
“Could we try red? It was my wife’s favorite color.” Bob asked. Anna nodded in reply and tapped a couple more buttons on her computer.
“How about this?” Anna motioned again toward the mannequin. Nothing had really changed, except the T had become embossed, and the shadow side of the emblem had become a dark red. Bob stood a moment and took it all in. He really liked it.
“I think it’s perfect,” Bob declared confidently.
“Wonderful,” Anna said as Bob sat back down in the chair. “The material is designed specifically with your ability in mind. It’s extremely durable, so it can take a beating without deteriorating. It’s also very flexible and will adjust with your body as you improve your skills,” she advised matter-of-factly.
“Right.” Bob had not thought about the beatings aspect, but he understood fights to be a normal part of being a superhero. A new prompt suddenly appeared in front of Bob.
Quest Update!
Register as a Hero: Part 3
You are now the proud owner of your Hero costume! Follow the tailor’s directions to continue.
Rewards: 20 XP + Smart Band
“I’m going to be loading this information for you to access once you receive your Smart Band,” Anna began as Bob accepted the new quest. “From here, exit out this door, turn right and follow the hall until you find the Tech Department. Your Smart Band is waiting for you there.” She motioned to a new door next to where the two were seated.
“Thank you,” Bob said as he made his way to the door.
“No problem. Have fun.” Anna smiled and returned to the back room from which she had originally come. Bob left the room and looked for the Tech Department. He found a sign that directed him to where he needed to go.
Within a few moments, Bob found himself in a large room filled with all sorts of science-types. Lab coats and goggles filled his vision, but he was surprised to find that this room was filled with heroes as well.
“Can I help you?” Bob turned around to see an older gentleman decked out in a long lab coat. His scalp glistened under his wispy hair.
“Uh, yes. I’m here to pick up my…Smart Band?” Bob said without confidence.
“A new hero,” the lab-coated man said as he sized Bob up. “Well, you’ve come to the right place. Come with me.” The man turned on his heel and walked to a nearby desk. Bob quickly followed. “Hero name?” the man inquired abruptly.
“Titan,” Bob replied. The gentleman gave a quizzical look but tapped a few things into his computer.
“Found you. Let’s load you up.” The man grabbed what Bob assumed was a Smart Band and plugged it into the computer. After a moment of awkward silence, the man handed the small piece of equipment to Bob.
“What do I do with it?” Bob asked the man.
“Put it on your wrist first.”
“Right,” Bob said as he slipped the device over his wrist. In the next instant, several new things filled his field of vision. He saw two colored bars on his top right, as well as a longer bar on the bottom of his view. “What is this?”
“It’s your HUD, otherwise known as a Heads-Up Display. This will help you on your journey as a hero,” the lab coat stated plainly. A new prompt appeared in front of Bob.
Quest Update!
Register as a Hero: Part 4
The process of registering as a Hero is almost complete! Equip your costume to finish.
Rewards: 50 XP + 50 Prestige
With the completion of the previous portion of the quest, Bob noticed the bar at the bottom of his HUD filling slightly. Must be my experience bar, Bob thought to himself.
“How do I equip my costume?” Bob asked the man.
“Ah, good question,” the man replied, more excited. “You’re going to tap your Smart Band and you’ll see the menu pop up. Scroll on the band to select other options.” Bob followed his directions and the man continued. “Under ‘Character’ you’ll find ‘Costumes.’ That’s where you’ll select to equip your costume. Give it a try.” The man nodded toward Bob’s wrist.
Bob looked at the small item on his wrist and followed the instructions the man had given him. Upon opening the menu he saw several options but figured he could explore them after completing the quest. Excited to actually wear his costume, Bob selected the “Equip” option underneath the first Costume Slot.
Several things happened at once. First, his costume began materializing from his Smart Band, quickly enveloping his body. Second, his HUD changed, and more options became visible. The two colored bars at the top right became more apparent and were now labeled. The green bar on top was now labeled “Hit Points,” with the bottom blue one labeled “Power.” Above the experience bar on the bottom now sat the numerical notation 50/100, which Bob surmised was the remaining amount needed. Along with those changes, there were several other changes to the HUD, though Bob was unsure what they were for aside from the compass that sat right above the experience bar.
Third and finally, with his costume being equipped Bob received the experience from completing his quest, which brought the experience to 100/100. This signaled a double prompt to appear.
Quest Complete!
Register as a Hero
Success! You have completed this quest and finished your registration procedures! Good luck as you continue your journey!
Rewards: 50 XP + 50 Prestige
Achievement Unlocked!
Newbie: You’ve gained your first level!
Congratulations!
Award: 10 XP and Title: Newbie
As the level change processed, Bob's body emitted an intense light signaling the change in level.
“Looks like you’ve gotten the hang of it now,” the gentleman said, snapping Bob back into the Tech Department.
“Ah, yes. Thank you for your help.” Bob shook the man’s hand. “How do I get back to the foyer?” After listening to the man’s instructions, Bob finally managed to find himself back outside facing the park he had started in. It had gotten dark, yet the park and surrounding areas were still lit by the numerous street lights and light pollution from the city itself. It was still a magnificent sight to behold, and it filled him with excitement.
Deciding he’d had enough fun for one day, Bob called up his menu and logged out, feeling he’d had a fairly successful first day.