-30.5 Big edit in which I elaborated on the actions and emotions of the characters (hope I succeded) trying to take Teas' advise into account. I hope I haven't created several grammatical sins while doing so, sorry if I did and please help me single them out. Thanks and enjoy~
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The colour drained from my face, leaving me to look pale as a ghost. I didn't even need to make the calculations. Instantly, I realised I could never afford Second Life.
I would never play Second Life with Alice.
'Tch...' My expression grew furios. 'Of course. All that buildup and then this. What a load of -.’
Both commentators also seemed set aback by the CEO's announcement. Jerry somehow still managed to keep his composure, remaining calm and rational. Able to ask just the right questions.
"Wow Mr. Miyamoto. That is not a small sum. Don't you think this sort of price will scare away the players? And why exactly is it that the game is so expensive? Sure, the price range of VR-games often ranges in between a few hundred and a thousand, but ten-thousand? That's a bit much isn't it?"
The Japanese businessman just smiled. He obviously wasn’t worried at all, otherwise why would he had just openly announced the price of the game like this. In fact, it seemed as if Jerry had played right into his hands.
“Thank you for asking Mr. Jerry." He said, his frozen eyes revealing, just for a second, his cold and calculating nature, which until now had been hidden behind that smiling facade of his. "Of course there is a reason for Second Lifes price. First of all, no ordinary VR-capsule can handle this game. It’s simply to advanced, which is why we have to upgrade each and every buyers capsule.
This upgrade is not a small one and comes with a lot of special features, too, such as the enhanced Deep-Dive mode. This will allow players a prolonged immersion period of up to one week.”
The smile on his face grew wider as both commentators faces revealed a shocked expression. Yet, the CEO simply cupped his hands as he stood up and continued his explanation as if he hadn't noticed anything at all.
“That is not everything, though. We have already sold our games engine to several companies, we had to actually and you can probably all understand that even a major company like us has suffered from a twenty year hiatus. All our attention was focused on Second Life after all and we never released another game in these past years. Anyways, what I wanted to say was, with our new engine out there, we will see a ton of games with similar requirements in the future. So expect this upgrade to be a necessity. I am afraid you won’t get around upgrading your capsule sooner or later. But, don’t worry everyone. This may sound worse than it actually is, of course we have thought this far ahead and came up with solutions. After all what would we gain by limiting our own player base.”
As he had been talking, Mr. Miyamoto had walked up to the big screen in the back of the studio, the camera following him at a steady pace.
Up until now the screen had only shown the same ten in-game shots seen earlier in the trailer. But now the CEO raised his hands, calling up an enormous holographic projection, green, yet still transparent and shaped like the half of a giant halo.
This weird screen surrounded the entire front of his upper body and was filled to the brim with different frames, pulsating circles, words and up and all sorts of controls.
As he started to explain different concepts, his hands moved across his screen as if in trance. Different pictures and notes appeared on the big screen behind him and everything he said was again listed there, shortened and only containing the utmost important information. While keeping everything simple and easy to look at.
As it turned out, Second Life would bring back a system very popular in the virgin days of Virtual Reality, the so called ‘True Value’ feature.
The idea was that in-game currency and real currency was to be exchangeable.
Back in the old days, when the first games with this feature had appeared. This had worked out very well for the first few years after launch. But then newer games appeared and players left to start anew in the better, improved game, taking all their in-game money with them. Thus instantly leaving several game companies bankrupted.
Ever since no one had dared to add such a feature into their games again and everyone just stuck to the old and proven one-way transfer, allowing players to gain power by spending real money on their accounts, although even this was highly frowned upon.
Mr. Miyamoto mentioned all this in his speech and even explained the reason as to why those unfortunate events occurred.
He reasoned that those games had messed up their math and mechanics. They had doomed themselves with an unlimited influx of gold by having money be a random acquirable drop from enemies and quests. Not to mention that NPC trading in those games had not been properly shifted to work with the True Value feature. Of course players could get filthy rich if every NPC in the world could be traded with and without any reasonable exchange limits attached to them. Mainly criticizing that there was no ‘true’ economy within those games world.
"This will not be possible within Second Life." He said, speaking louder than before. "There is a proper economy within Second Life and it is stable and equal in function as to our own worlds. The NPCs within Second Life aren't mere programs, there to guide you to the next quest. They aren't there solely to give you a sense of purpose, but to give life to this world. These 'people' as I will call them, have their own life, their own income and of course worries to deal with…and whether or not you can make a living in this world solely depends on you and your skill"
As he preached this, he pointed at the camera, as if to emphasis whom he was speaking to.
He went on, his tone not receding as his chest swelling up in pride after each sentence.
He promised, there would absolutely be no possibility for a gold inflation and the exchange ratio would be fair. And, as if to prove his point, Mr. Miyamoto went on to mention some of the big names backing him and his project.
Several big shot companies had already acquired positions within the virtual world of Second Life and would provide the players with virtual versions of their products.
Not to mention all the banks represented within Second Life and who had already established their headquarters. With that mentioned it was clear that Second Life was to be taken seriously.
“So, as you can see, there is no need to worry. And don't be disappointed either. The possibilities of making a fortune within the game are still there. Just don’t expect it to be as easy as you may remember from other games. Also, let it be said that we do not take kindly to exploits, though I would be interested in seeing people try. I stay by my words, there is absolutely no way Second Life will fail.”
‘That guy is ballsy.’ I thought, still only quietly watching the scene unfold before me. ‘If he doesn’t watch his tongue he will see his game taken down faster than he can spell sushi… He wouldn’t be the first rich man to be hacked down his high horse.’
The CEO on the other hand, just kept going and going.
“Also, for the not so well off minority of the world interested in playing, there is the possibility to acquire work within Second Life as well. As said, we are backed by a multitude of companies and they are currently in dire need of helpers who can handle work for them within the games world. Excuse me if I am wrong, but the ordinary contract should feature an agreement of eight work hours a day, while including ten hours of free access to Second Life a week, the pay you will have to work out with said companies themselves. Of course you would be able to start working with a character of your choice and are even be able to keep that character without losing any of your acquired stats and skills, once the contract has ended. Now doesn’t that sound like a fair deal?”
The show ended soon thereafter. Leaving me to just sit there in silence, deeply lost within my own thoughts.
It still seemed impossible to afford, but getting a small loan, then paying off the game in monthly rates could work…
‘If I were to be lucky, but that would be way to risky. The work contract is also a possibility, but let’s be real, I’ve never managed to hold a job for more than three months, this is most likely even riskier than taking a loan… ‘
In the meanwhile Alice was freaking out, she was unable to contain her excitement and seemed not the least bit worried about the games price. Floating around the room and yelling stuff like ‘Amazing’ and ‘Awesome’, she appeared already sure we were going to get the game. Completely oblivious to the thoughts currently bothering me.
And it took her a while to notice, too.
She was slow to take up on my mood, but as Alice finally figured out that something was wrong, she just penetrated me with questioning stares, making me feel as if daggers were slowly dipped into my head.
“Hey Sascha, why are you so silent? Wasn’t that freaking awesome? I can’t wait to play that game with you, right? So stop sulking and get hyped with me already.”
I sighed out loudly.
'This will be annoying…'
Taking a deep breath and looking her in the eyes, I said. “No. Absolutely impossible.”
What followed was silence. Then her scream.
“Wait what?"
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It was her turn to widen her eyes in shock and her stare turned into a look of utter confusion. She seemed wholeheartedly unable to comprehend what I had just said.
Without her face clearing up she slowly floated towards me, still levitating half a meter above my head.
"Sascha, what’s wrong with you? Do you have a fever? How can you possibly not want to play a game like that? Why wouldn’t you want to play with me?”
Oh man, this conversation was bound to give me a headache. Alice misunderstood this whole thing.
Standing up and emphasized my words I made Alice halt in her tracks.
“Listen carefully now Alice. I know, you really like that game, though I can’t really understand why. I like it too, believe me. That just now looked amazing. Better than anything I have ever seen. But there is just no, absolutely no way I can possibly afford that.”
While rubbing my forehead I had tried hard to calm myself and spoke in a composed and reasonable fashion. Not wanting my voice to quiver and give away how bummed out I really was. In the end there was just no helping it, I was piss-poor and freaking useless.
Seeing that game and realizing that I would not be able to play it… It made me feel miserable. Made me once again see what a failure I actually was.
'What a fine game addict I am, not even able to pay for my games anymore.'
Inside my head I was laughing at myself.
Making my decision once and for all I looked at Alice again, then dropped down into my chair.
"Just forget it. It’s not possible"
I had expected her to get mad. I had expected Alice to get all childish and mean, teasing me for being poor. But she simply starred at me, looking somewhat dumbfounded.
Something was off…
“What are you talking about Sascha? Don’t you still have that emergency stash you once told me about? I mean this is kind of an emergency, isn’t it? You… don’t you go all melodramatic on me… you big doofus. Of course we are getting that game! Tell me we are!”
I looked at her, then at the pile of clothes in the corner of my room, then back at her.
“Alice, I must have mentioned that like six years ago or something… and we used up all that money to afford the Virtual Reality capsule. I ain’t lying you know. Sorry, but that’s how it is.”
“Oh… is that so? I... err... kind of forgot…"
I was flabbergasted.
Not once in my life had I ever seen Alice cry. I wasn't even aware this was possible. And yet here she was, crying… right in front of me. Tears slowly streamed down her cheeks… One after the other.
"But there must be something we can do, right?” She said, starting to sob. “There is isn’t there? Come on Sascha, I know you’re freaking smart, think of something!”
I simply stared at her. Unable to bring myself to tell her off again and not comprehending what was going on.
How could this be? An AI being this... emotional? Sure, Alice was not at all like any other AI, none which I had ever encountered at least. Sure, she was happy, laughed, was playful, funny... and she messed with me all the time, but, wasn't she...
I stopped my thought process. My eyes widened.
Never would I have thought that I would one day catch myself thinking those words.
‘Since when did I…? How…? Why…?’
In that short second, for the first time in my life, I had thought of Alice as nothing else but a mass of code… a program made to appear human.
I snapped into awareness again, my eyes focused on her and I slowly stood up, trying to reach out for her. But my fingers just phased through her…
"Wh- what is wrong? Why are you..." I came to a halt as she moved away from me. A weird expression growing on her tear-dreanched face.
I looked at her, unsure how to continue. Unable to bring myself to ask her for the reason behind her tears. Scared my thoughts might have shown on my face.
"A- Alice. You know I hate Virtual Reality games, if it were cheaper yeah sure, we could give it a shot, but ten-thousand? I am sorry, I can’t… we'll just have fun the same way we always have, okay? We don’t need-"
Alices eyes narrowed. Without saying another word she whirled around and resolved her holographic form.
Leaving me standing there all alone.
Sure, I hadn't exactly given her the answer she wanted, but... what was that?
I really didn’t get why Alice had just gotten mad at me.
For a while I just stood there. Fighting my own tears from welling up, as suddenly my former thoughts came back to memory again.
‘Did she realize what I thought?’
I didn’t get any rest that night. No matter how much I kept thinking about what had happened between me and Alice and no matter how hard I tried to find a solution. There was just no way for me to simply get my hands on a load of money and even if, I doubted that that would resolve what had just happened.
‘If my thoughts really were just displayed on my face… Just how can I make her forgive me?’
In the end I got frustrated as nothing came to mind. I felt helpless and clueless and before I knew it I was back to wasting time playing games.
I awoke in the late afternoon. Alice would usually get annoyed at me when I wouldn't wake up early… but for some reason she wasn’t nagging me about it today.
Looking around the room I was confused. Where was Alice?
“Hey Alice, what’s wrong? Are you still mad?”
No answer…
“Alice? What’s wrong?”
I walked over to my computer and knocked against it.
“Yo Alice, I am really sorry if I was being stupid yesterday. Please come out. “
It stayed silent.
I really started to worry now… this was not good…
‘Just what the heck is wrong with her?’
She wouldn’t speak to me for the rest of the day and the day after that. Before I knew it an entire weak had passed and I was long past the point of simply freaking out.
No matter what I did, how much I begged, apologized and even cried, there was no sign of her.
In the end I grabbed some of my old computer equipment and actually started using my pc manually.
Yet, even after hours upon hours of searching through every single folder and looking through all my existing files thrice, I still couldn’t find a trace of Alices data. It was as if she had never existed to begin with.
It was at that point that I cracked…
I gradually stopped eating. I stopped sleeping and before I knew it I found myself just sitting there, in front of my screen, twenty-four hours a day doing nothing.
Just… waiting… for a signal? A message? No, just something, some sort of sign telling me that Alice was still out there, somewhere.
Occasionally I would fall asleep, waking up later not knowing what time or even day it was.
Until one day when I simply couldn’t stand it anymore.
I couldn’t believe that Alice would have just up and left me, not for something puny like what had happened.
We have had far worse fall outs in the past and she had never stayed mad at me for more than a week.
Also, even though a digital entity such as her was free to come and go as she pleased, moving through the constant flow of data of the internet at a whims notice, she had never before just left without at least leaving a note.
There simply was no way Alice would abandon me… so where was she now? What was she up to that wouldn't allow her to at least send me a message?
Looking back at that day from a later date, I would be unable to tell you why I did what I did next. But for some reason it seemed to be the first thing to come to my mind at that time.
I was sick of feeling helpless, sick of feeling alone and sick of feeling like… some sponge that had absorbed all the toxic waste in the world.
That day, almost a month after Alice had disappeared, I stepped into my VR-capsule, loaded my old copy of ‘Lands of Arcania Online’ and spend all day slaughtering mobs without objective or reason.
It had been like… six or five years ago that Alice and I had enjoyed the game together and there I was, again… only this time alone.
By the time I had calmed down, I found myself surrounded by corpses of dozens upon dozens of monsters. Fighting in-game for hours actually had helped me to escape the emotional pit I had chained myself in. And definitely had worked wonders for getting all that pent up frustration out of my system.
Anyways, as I was about to leave the game and actually do something constructive for once, I noticed a flashing mail icon in the upper right of my vision.
Returning to my capsules Hub instantly and checking my mails, I had to use all the willpower I could muster to control myself.
There, repeatedly blinking was a single message labeled ‘HELP’, written in caps and the senders name reading ‘Alicia’.
At first I was confused by the name, then I stopped caring and simply cried tears of joy. This was her, Alice was alive and well, somewhere out there. I actually had received a message from he, she hadn’t left me.
But then the realization dawned upon me that she wasn't actually okay, she was in trouble and looking at the date of the message...
My heart dropped all the way down into my pants and I felt myself breaking out in cold sweat.
The message was two weeks old already.
Without further ado I opened it...