I wake up with my face flat on a desk, in a small puddle of drool. Under my head is a map of the world, with the coffee growing regions of the world highlighted. There is a matching pink highlighter in my hand and I raise my head.

My coffee cup is right next to my hand and I can smell the hazelnut blend. Expensive, rich and delicious. I go to take a sip and instead light flashes before me, words on a dark background.

WELCOME PLAYER

ENTER NAME

The outline of a keyboard appears and I type in:

Tina

Welcome Tina!

NEW GAME

CAMPAIGN

LOAD GAME

OPTIONS

QUIT

I can’t quite believe this. Behind the floating menu screen is the rest of my Coffee Shop Manager Menu and I can’t believe my luck, I’m playing KSK for real! I can even see the initials embedded in my coffee spoon: KOFFEE SHOP KING!

I would be a total wimp not to throw myself head-first into the CAMPAIGN so I select it. Bring it on!

Instantly, the scenery changes as I am at level 1, in the first arena with two other players. Wait, I’m late? To my first game ever? What?! They’re already prepping their coffee vans before the users are loaded. I have to build the menu, my outfit, my aesthetic? I can’t deal with so many choices.

MISSION: SELL 7 COFFEES WITH 3+ GOOD REVIEWS

Oh wow… I can sell 7, I’m sure of it, but 3+ good reviews? The most they can give me is 5, the lowest is 1 - I know it means average, but it means I can’t make any mistakes.

To my left there is a handsome guy with amazing blonde hair who is going for the classic glamour aesthetic. He wears a vest and white, collared shirt. His cups are classic black, his van has a gleaming silver and black, stylish paint job. I think his stats are quite balanced, he’s gone for balance across price, speed, quality and style. I am a little jealous he’s chosen the elegant coffee bean with an outline, it's a good look with his sleek, black van. He’s named it “Marcus’ Classic Coffee'', which is a little intimidating. I can see the appeal for the users, but the girl next him freaks me out even more.

The very pretty girl on the right is taller than me with flaming red hair and a matching red and gold van. She’s gone for speed and quality, so her price will be way high, and there’s not enough points for style. Her logo is a cup, with speed lines around it, like it's moving very fast. She doesn’t need it though- she can clean us all up with her speed stat. She could be churning out red cups in her tight red dress before I even make the first one! I realise I’m staring and she actually snarls at me. Along the side of her van in sassy gold writing: Speedy Sue: Coffee 4U

Great. Two minutes into the game and I have a mortal enemy in Speedy Sue. Goodie.

This tale has been unlawfully lifted from Royal Road; report any instances of this story if found elsewhere.

I open my menu and look at the sliders I have to choose from.

PRICE

SPEED

QUALITY

STYLE

NEW PLAYER BONUS

I see: “New Player Bonus”: and hit it. My quality bar shoots up to max and I take a step back in shock. What? That’s a huge upgrade, it didn’t touch my stats at all!

I’m careful not to show my huge advantage. I carefully slide QUALITY as high as I can without losing too much SPEED and then use my remaining STYLE to choose myself a good look. I don’t want to look intimidating- that won’t get me the most customers. I want to be approachable and comfortable, how will I do it?

FURNITURE

FOOD MENU

COFFEE MENU

DIARY

OPPORTUNITIES

OPTIONS

I got it! Furniture first! We don’t know what the game will simulate, we could be anywhere. There’s no guarantee any seating will auto spawn and I can use that to my advantage. I choose three tall, wooden barrels for leaning on while you stir your coffee, and buy two stools at the counter.

I know Sue is looking straight at me. I can feel her eyes burning with intense hatred at me but I ignore her and go to the COFFEE MENU

HOT

COLD

EXTRA

FROZEN

At this point, I almost froze up. I only have enough credit to choose the drinks- there will be nothing left for snacks! I can’t start the first round with no snacks! Frantically, I open EXTRAS

COOKIES

This is the only option that isn’t grayed out to me, but I haven’t blown my chances yet. I select it and three different cookie jars are added to my list, and there’s just enough credit left for the drinks. I choose all of them because I know I can make every single one.

STYLE is last. I choose a plain black shirt to cover stains, in case there's an in-game penalty for stains and spills and I choose a green paint job for my van. My logo will be a leaf and the last menu before the store opening countdown looms before me.

ENTER COFFEE VAN NAME

Oh no.

Ok now I’m stuck. I don’t have a theme like the others- I just went for what would make ME, Tina, happy. Was that a mistake? My green, unnamed van has a strange outline around it that won’t go away until I name it something.

I look around for inspiration but nothing comes. Out of the corner of my eye, I spot Marcus looking at me, then quickly turning away. Speedy Sue is outright staring at me, oh my god, it's like she wants me to fail. She mouths something with her bright red lipsticked lips and I’m positive it isn’t good.

I turn back to the menu and type in my name.

TINA

That’s it? Is that the best I can do?

TINA’S PLACE

There we go. That’s something. It's not fancy, it's not stylish but it might suit the scenario. You never know.

TINA’S PLACE CONFIRMED

Immediately the world changed around me.

10

The outline of the users began to load and the game began to render more realistically around me. I am standing behind the counter of the van I designed just minutes ago.

9

The scenario was melting into shape and suddenly I could see we were in a sort of giant park with grass, plants, paths and trees, a giant fountain in the middle and a playground. Simulated bird song drifts around me and a portal opens up for the users to appear in.

8

My coffee machine, the stack of cups, my cookie tongs, every object I could possibly need appears in my van.

7

My chosen uniform appears more solidly on me and I see the little stitching appear on my shirt: Tina’s Place, in a sweet, italic font.

6

In the distance, I see a red van and a black one manifesting slowly as the game renders them clear as well.

5

The users are almost clear now- I see different ages and shapes of people. A user pushing a stroller, another with a pet on a leash, another with a briefcase.

4

The real-feel of the game kicks in and I can feel and see everything becoming real for me- the heat of my machine, the sturdiness of the counter to lean on, the dry fabric of the cloth for drying the steam wand.

3

The weather settles into day mode and the sun is at a perfect angle for an afternoon stroll.

2

Sound and smell synchronise completely and I register the scent of my chosen blends around me. I take comfort in the sweet smell of the syrup bottles.

1

The users flex their arms, ready to come out of the portal, stroll around the park and get coffee.

MISSION ONE: GO!