My Thesis Project Online
Chapter 2
Intro to the Topic
“Choosing between two equally bad choices, is that also a bad choice?”
“One would have to choose to believe that they were equal in the first place. That is also a bad choice.”
- Random conversation overheard in a lecture hall in the Virtual City of Chronos.
Classes were out, all students are free to do almost anything at that point. Me, I was going to log into VR World for the first time today and felt a small amount of stress.
The standard pod delivered was a long and lightweight with a composite plastic box shape easy enough to put on a bed then resting inside you can login. The lid can be used optionally to keep out more sounds. Full-dive tech has come a long way but real World stimulus was still around in case of hazards in your environment. You had to have some way to know to exit. With how loud the dorms were in the afternoons, nice having that option.
*Deep Breath*
I pulled back the wrapping on the box and started unpacking the thing. Half an hour later it was set up and I could let the thing download the software for my game.
My subscription only gave me an account for one of the hundreds games available on the net. I had no way of knowing if I had picked a good Game, only reason I picked this one was a lot of the people on campus already played it and I had been thinking to check it out.
The Social Implications of VR Worlds was one of the classes I had taken already as an undergrad, as a Sociology Major, my limited knowledge of games often was an issue in the past. Hard to write a paper on something you were supposed to have experienced.
Odd that my interests never went in this direction, even now in college I am a VR Virgin. My parents are going to cry when they find out I got a VR Pod.
Reclining into the VR Pod. I lower the lightweight cover and let the system connect.
Welcome to Datawaves 4703 Space Saving Module. Please enjoy your experience.
Throwing you away now, initial user settings adjusted.
Entering home space.
“WOW, so incredible!” I couldn't believe how incredible VR had become. I had heard, but this, this was, more than I could process.
This text was taken from Royal Road. Help the author by reading the original version there.
“Welcome Dave.” A female hologram stood before me. “Please speak your users name. Or use the visual keyboard to create one. All characters are usable, if you use symbols please set the phonetics for AI's to pronounce your name afterwards.”
“Why did you call me Dave? My name is Paul.” What? Okay it was really Paulus but my parents picked it, no choice in the matter!
“All new male users are called Dave, in homage to Stanley Kubrick's Movie '2001: A Space Odyssey' 1968. All new females users are Eve or Jane depending on how the system recognizes them based on a nonsensical criteria picked by the developers.”
“Shall we use Paul as your User Name?”
“What, no way!” Name, Name, I didn't come prepared for a test this early, darn it. What am I going to choose?
“User would you like to pick a Name?”
“Please use the visual keyboard to enter a User Name, thank you.”
“Sir, are you in need of medical assistance?”
“Huh? No, why do you ask?”
“You have refused to enter a Name after two hours, the AI has determined you to be having difficulties.”
“Arrrrgh, Darn it. I just can't pick a Name. They are important and have meaning, they should reflect the person they label, and I can't just pick one off the top of my head.”
“Would you like to look at a list of common or interesting examples?”
“Sure.”
“Well those are common and those are interesting, who would have thought someone would call themselves ExtremeChickenSlut or _hotbodyv. The second one, I had no idea why that one was even on the list.”
“Can I use Core?”
“User name acceptable: Core. Would you like to continue to your Home Area Tutorial or Avatar Customization?”
“Avatar Please.”(Core)
Loading Male Avatar Customization Interface. Loading Complete.
“Before we start shall we change your Sex? Or load a species or racial templates?”
“No, and No.”(Core)
“Very good, then these sliders will adjust your body, these will change texture and color, and these will add effect or decorations. Voice Mods can be loaded or added in the Mod Drivers section along with other scripts available on the net or from your system. Should you require help on any topic you can get text or video help from that button. If you wish to hide or turn me off just request it vocally.” She smiled a gentle non emotional smile and waited.
My sudden nude form was a bit of a shock to me, and her lack of reaction was a minor comfort. Yea male ego aside, I knew I was going to change it to see what a real monster felt like. For now, I'll just cover it with one hand, so the watching AI won't stimulate it. Would hate for that part to become more erect.
First, changes to my face, and hair, add an extra inch in height. Eyes could do lots of things, but I only change the color and add an orange lightning effect to the area around the pupil. The effect was a minor change and did not cast any glow and was hard to see from too far away.
Just as long as you couldn't tell it was me was good enough, If my life on Earth got ruined might as well have one here I could still enjoy. Just for good measure I'll adjust the skin tone a bit more tan. Make my hair a darker shade past what I had picked already. All set!
“Confirm changes.”(Core)
“Are you sure?”
“Yes?”(Core)
“Warning, current choices may affect movement in the VR world. Do you wish to continue?”
“Oh, oh! I'm such an idiot. Wait one sec.” Yeah that guy was way to big still.
“Ready!”(Core)
“Changes set. Load Game or start Home Area Tutorial?”
“Home Area, Please.”(Core)
“Welcome home Core. Please enjoy your personal room here in the VR space. Settings, computer access, net access, game subscriptions and VR shopping are available.”
I was currently standing in a huge Mansion with a modern furniture, it looked expensive and well done but felt wrong. “Setting?”
“Home setting interface activated.”
“Whoa!” Everything suddenly has grab points and a new window popped up in front of me. An intense World version of Photo Shop or something. Hey a template selection is flashing, what do we have here?
One Space station with a backyard and a tree-house from an Elven forest later. I had the VR space of my dreams. Or at least enough of one for right now.
“Start Game, Genesis Online, please.”(Core)
“You have not set a warp point in your Home, please place it now.”
“Okay. There done.”(Core)
“Would you like to load any social media apps or add blockers before leaving for the first time?”
“No thanks.”(Core)
“Happy gaming, from us here a Datawaves! Should you need the AI at any time while online just ask for Pod AI or Datawaves AI. These can be changed in settings at anytime.”
“Very helpful, thank you.”(Core)
My new VR home faded out and the World around me became nothing. I shivered somewhere inside fearing for my sanity and the thoughts and reactions of my parents.
End Chapter 2