In 2038 a video game company, composed of people with diverse nationalities known as the Amalgam Corporation, announces in a world-famous video game exclusive trade fair something that will revolutionize not only the gaming industry in the next years to come but also the whole world: A functional virtual reality gear.
They also added that a special game will also be released with it called “Gaia’s Universe”. At first the audience was doubtful about it.The company considered this situation and mentions that there are about 70 virtual gears in their booth and that they can try a trial demo of “Gaia’s Universe” there as well.
People who doubted them were soon overwhelmed by gaining “entrance” to the “world” Amalgam created. It was very much what they could expect from a virtual reality. They can see, feel, hear, smell and of course touch the illusion in front of them. All of the users were soon greeted by a lush green landscape full of flora and fauna and from afar they can see a huge city covered by colossal walls.
Except it isn’t some typical animal kingdom you could meet in real life. Instead of a team of horses, a fox, normal flowers and so on there’s a team of unicorns, a nine-tailed fox, gold-coated flowers and entwining forest trees. Users soon remembered again that this is a “game” Amalgam readied for them. A VRMMORPG game.
After the trial demo was over Amalgam tells them that the end product will be very different and that shouldn’t expect the scenery they saw to be discovered easily since they saw “Legendary” monsters of the game after all. The ones who “played” the game can’t hold their amazement and are excited when it will come out. Amalgam announces that they’ll release their two products together on May 20 of 2041 worldwide, and the cost for the 3-months fee (100$, 99€) and the products (699$, 599€ and I won’t bother anymore with the different currencies. Math is mostly my weakness) are altogether 799 $. As soon as the audience heard it they requested immediately when they could order it online.
Their reaction shows just how much of an impact Amalgam’s two important products have caused despite the high prices. Even with their excitement Amalgam’s executive calmly explained that 6 days inside the game is equivalent to 1 hour in real life and spending and gaining real life money through this game will also be possible.
They also plan that the gears to be playable while in REM-state and also implement an advanced AI capable of expanding their world while playing suited to every fan of fictional works. Probably a world where every kind of fiction, like fantasy, crime, horror, science fiction and etc., meets each other.
Warning from Amalgam includes that the game won’t be very user-friendly and will reward people mostly who take risks and has the skills and ability. First while the gears will have an instruction guide the game’s instructions will have only information about character creation and the mentioned knowledge like penalty for dying in-game is -10% Experience for level and skills, 6 days inside and 1 hour outside, spending and gaining real life currency or being an VRMMORPG.
Last but not least in-game information needs to be learned in the game. The game won’t allow pictures or information videos to be recorded through external sources. Taking a photo or recording a video in-game will only be possible if certain items that have limited uses are bought with a certain currency, which means real life money. The audience can only gawk as everything is somewhat serve on a silver plate to them.
3 years has passed since their announcement to the world about their products. Excitement still fills the ones who are waiting patiently. In three days they will be finally released together: The Amalgam Gear and the game “Gaia’s Universe”. The amount of people who pre-ordered those surpassed the 2.5 million mark. Amalgam also expects the number of people who orders or buys the gear and game from stores will be about 2 million and will grow more.
To advertise themselves they contacted various entertainment media to be interviewed by them in specific places and at May 19 at 3 p.m., one day before the world-wide release. It caught the attention of people who are following Amalgam’s every move intently. This move was considered a wise choice since Amalgam didn’t disclose any information since 3 years ago. The meeting place that took more attention than the others in Asia, Africa, North America and South America is in Europe, Germany. Specifically, it takes place in Düsseldorf.
The representative was somebody, who was very young to be an important person in the company. In front of the cameras with a microphone near her mouth, she introduced herself as Nora Klouthen, 25 years old. What made her more stand out was her figure, beauty and the regal air around her. It just speaks “elite” from itself. After her introduction one of the journalists asked her.
“It’s been 3 years since the demo of your game has been shown in MultiGames Expo. When did Amalgam started their research about virtual reality?” Virtual reality was still considered something unthinkable but that a video game company succeeded in doing so was much more unconceivable.
“Amalgam already started on it 8 years ago. At the start, progress was slow but after years they advanced further as they recruited more people whose profession can be useful when it comes to virtual reality. That is until they hit a wall. When I joined them in their project 4 years ago, they were finally able to complete it.” 4 years ago!!! Meaning, before the demo virtual reality was already possible and to top it off, the young woman was one of the important factors to furthering the development.
“But why the delay of one year!? You would have been able to profit from it immediately!!”, questions another journalist anxiously.
“Well we considered it but we also have pride when it comes to our creations. Between the time of the completion of our virtual gear and MultiGames demo, we were busy looking for any negative factors the device could have for us in the future. You could say we are considering the safety and satisfaction of our future potential customers, if he/she bought our product.”
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“By satisfaction, you mean the game’s quality, right?”
“Of course, we meant the game. For us, as I said we have our pride when it comes to this, we just want that our customers will be satisfied with our end product.” As the one who asked accepted her answer a young strict-looking bespectacled one inquires almost several continuous questions.
“What is the reason for creating the game?”
“We want to share the whole world a wonderful experience and also we thought it would be fun as a game. I mean we are a video game company. We gain profit through anything video game-related.”
”Will the players be monitored by the company?”
“No, it’s impossible to do so since the number of our customers who preordered already surpassed millions. We expect more with the release and it’s an invasion of privacy if we do. We will be monitoring through our supreme AI but information that he/she will regard us will be limited.”
“Supreme AI?”
“Yes, our supreme AI is interconnected to all parts of the world. Actually wherever you are whether you’re in Japan or in Spain all servers are the same.”
“First, which information will the AI relay to you? Second, how will communication work with another individual who doesn’t speak your own language? And third, what kind of goal can players achieve in the game? ”
“To your first question he/she will give us information about the status of some locations and maybe about certain individuals, organizations, events and etc. and to your second question if one from Korea and from England started in the same country in-game they will be able to understand each other since the gear is translating your language through brain waves to the other individual from the other side of the world. The language of where you start in-game is translated by the game to your brain as if you always knew the language of that particular country in-game. Some countries in-game has sometimes 2 or 3 main languages and some countries that have some history sometimes have a similar language that you can understand them a little bit. Though your travel will be hindered if you want to go to another country that doesn’t have the same language that your in-game country has or has a language you didn’t learned yet. Eeek!! I told you too much.”
On her last sentence the questioner smiled at Nora losing her cool by being bombarded too much questions by himself. The crowds are trying to hold their laughter as to not embarrass her. The questioner in question is amused by her situation but not before reminding her of his third question.
“Excuse me but what about my third question?”
“Oh! Right! I forgot! What they can achieve is living their fantasies!
”Living their fantasies…?”
“Yes and we alternatively call between our workers “Gaia’s Universe” as the “World of Dreams”. Sort of like a dream theater. Become the hero or the villain or something along the line. However you like.”
“Interesting. Since the game will be an MMORPG…” before he continues Nora countered him first.
”It’s a VRMMORPG!! VRMMORPG!! Hmph!!” being provoked too much she lost all dignity she could have saved in front of the people.
“Ah! Right, since the game will be a VRMMORPG, is there a story lore, should we expect some elements from various RPGs and is there a level cap and expansions at some time?”
“Yes, there is lore but you need find it out for yourself and some elements of unique RPGs like Player Killing, killing NPCs, cooking in-game ingredients are implemented in the game and won’t inquire any further about it; and No, there won’t be any level cap or any expansions. The time that there would be a limit would be time we close the servers of the game. The expansions will be done if certain conditions are happening in our game. The certain inhabitants of our world, I mean the unique AIs, or the world itself will do the expansion on its own with your direct or indirect influence and also the motto of our game would be
“Meet a new world that has no limits”.
Amaze by her statement the bespectacled one didn’t inquire further anymore.
“Phew…So…Do anybody still have questions?”
Chapter 1-->