My Thesis Project Online
Chapter 4
So I am not a Fighter Just a Player
“Loving you is an emotional hazard, could you at least put the electric fence around the CPU on low so it doesn't kill any of the pets?”
- Otaku's wife, complaint number 1206734
You are dead! Would you like to revive in town?
You are dead! Revive in town?
You are dead! Revive?
Revive?
“INFERNAL LIZARD! I will KILL you a THOUSAND TIMES OVER! Once I figure out how...” The yell was heard throughout the local area.
*Long deep calming breath*
“AI? Do you know why I can't kill that gecko?”(Core)
“In most cases where a player fails to defeat a monster, there is a few primary causes. One, the player has insufficient level, stats, skills or items. Two, there is a lack of additional player or NPC support. Three the monster is not actually able to be killed as a system will not allow it.”(AI)
“And in this case?”(Core)
“.”
“Well?”(Core)
“The player lacks in fundamental skills and experience.”(AI)
“What kind of skills or experiences?”(Core)
“All of them.”(AI)
“?”
“Anyway to get them?”(Core)
“There are several online guides and resources we can recommend for you to read. Although for the level of performance you showed, we recommend finding alternate sources of enjoyment in game. Would you perhaps like to trying crafting?”(AI)
“Crafting? Well I could, but mom and dad wouldn't even let me use the plastic hammer from a preschoolers toy.”(Core)
“Chef class?”(AI)
“They have microwaves here?”(Core)
“Call on me again if you have any questions Core, please enjoy your game.”(AI)
“Okay thanks!” Now then since that gecko seems to be some kind of Legendary Unkillable Monster I should go see what else there is here. “I mean, How could they put in a level three monster no one is able to kill?”
Good thing the barrel in town that stores the tutorial iron dagger has unlimited uses, seems every time I die my weapon disappears and I possibly lose a piece of clothing. This is the fourth dagger I had to get today. I put the new one into my belt. Still, if I don't find a way to make any money, I'll be stuck looking like a new player forever. Lots of people were headed to the main square, might as well go and see If there is anything going on.
“Raid went like clock work, so boring again...”
“The little shit ran off with my...”
“Good goods for sale, a really good price, buy your equipment here! Get it while the gettings good.”
“Looking for one more. Level 80 dungeon near here!”
“Someone is always listening, shouldn't talk in local chat you know.”
“Get your in game gol-”
“Friggen gold sellers go die!”
If you stumble upon this narrative on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen from Royal Road. Please report it.
“Teaching skills 1g each skill book!”
“Someone tried to troll me out at...”
“Recruiting harvesters, bring your own tools, local keep needs you!!!”
“Hey you! Yes you, interested in joining the Church of the All Father. No donations needed, here read this.”
“Thanks”(Core)
You too can receive the All Fathers blessing. Just pass a copy of this flier to ten of your friends and good luck will come your way!
Someone actual took the time to create a chain letter to pass out inside the game? What the heck, aren't these like illegal on the net now? Was this what they meant by 'many things are possible in game'?
I sat down on the edge of the fountain in the square and thought for a while. My goal was to get a Masters in Sociology, what if I could get that here?
The first proposal I submitted in school was 'The Effects of Culture on Primitive Social Groups'. Why that you ask? Honestly it was an inspiration I had one night at an undergrad party. The lyrics I was listening to while drunk and fully blitzed on the ambient smoke in the air set off the idea. She was singing 'Rock'n to the stone age beat' and the image of a bunch of cavemen singing, eating and being stupid appeared before my very eyes. It was like a sign from the heavens that I should study the effects of culture on them. My roommate later told me I was an idiot for such a topic as grad work, but it stuck with me ever since as the best idea ever.
I looked around, no primitive social groups here, where would be the best place to find one?
“Here you can have this back, by the way. Can you tell me where I can find a low culture group to study?”(Core)
“Huh?”(Guy with chain letter fliers)
“A group of primitives with low culture?”(Core)
“You mean like NPC mobs or sumthin?”(Guy with fliers)
“Sure.”(Core)
“There were some goblins out west of town I guess.”(Guy with fliers)
“Thanks.”(Core)
So which way is west? I turned around a few times.
“AI which way is west?”(Core)
“That way.”(AI)
“Thank you.” I sang and ran off to find my Thesis topic subjects.
A goblin has killed you this time! Would you like to revive in town?
Note to self, goblins can attack on sight and flip you off before running to get help.
I went back to the barrel to get a new dagger, just in case.
This time, I'll sneak into the area they are in and watch them first. I walked out the East gate, realized I went the wrong way and headed back to the West gate.
Five Minutes later I was spying on the goblin pair that had killed me the last time. 'They certainly seem primitive, course language skills, low quality weapons, cloths covering their privates, for the most part they seemed the perfect subjects for my Thesis.' Still, I had the nagging feeling they were a lot like a rock band I had seen clips of perform on stage with only socks on.
You have gained some experience in skill [Observe Enemy]
That was a scout skill talked about in the tutorial right?
“AI, skill information for Observe Enemy please.”(Core)
[Observe Enemy] Gives you information on the abilities, traits and challenge level of an opponent. Higher levels of the skill will give better accurate, more detailed and additional information.
*Thud!*
A goblin has killed you, again! Revive in town?
Note to self: speaking to AI can be heard in the forest. Best not to use at a normal tone when trying to hide from Thesis subjects.
So at least we headed out the correct city gate this time. Oops forgot to get a new dagger, oh well.
At least finding the place is getting easier. The mini map has two gravestones near each other there. I sneak up to the bush I was hidden in before. And watch them again for a while.
...zzzZZZ
*Pow*
Killed again! Revive in town?
Think I will take the hint and get some sleep it is a little before 2:00 in the morning after all. I might skip class today not like I am going to be able to graduate at this point. On a side note, good to know that even in VR, I snore.
Welcome to Datawaves 4703 Space Saving Module. Please enjoy your experience.
Throwing you away now, user returned.
Entering home space.
Inside the VR pod, I roll over on my side. Not like it was any less comfortable than my bed. “Pod Off”
“Good night Dave.”
“Good night Stanley.”
End Chapter 4