1996
The Echo Machine was created in by a reclusive but incredibly intelligent american inventor known as Walter James. Walter lived in a large house that he had inherited from his parents after they deceased. Walter was both unmarried and childless, giving him plenty of time and space to create his machine. Originally, Walter had been an accountant, but soon the project consumed his life and he quit his job. He loved working with the machine and could only think of all the positive ways it could be used.
However, shortly after he created the machine, Walter began to have doubts. Echo required human experimentation and all sorts of things could go wrong. As soon as this one doubt entered his mind, more followed suit. Imagine all the horrifying ways that this technology could be used! Walter decided to wait a little longer until revealing his success to the public.
He stopped telling people about the machine, and whenever anyone asked about the project he had been working on, he avoided using details. If anyone pushed too far, he just claimed it was still a work in progress. Walter even considered destroying the machine, but he had grown too attached too it. He had invested so much time into creating The Echo Machine, and it seemed unreasonable to destroy it because of a few doubts. Eventually, Walter’s brother started noticing that the machine that Walter had obsessed about before had become practically nonexistent.
After several years, Walter’s brother talked with his wife, who secretly worked for the CIA. Soon after, she became suspicious and decided to investigate. She easily snuck into Walter’s house and discovered the machine. She also found all of Walter’s paperwork, which explained The Echo Machine’s functionality and purpose. It didn’t take her long to report her findings to the CIA.

2001
Walter James is arrested and quickly thrown into prison. He is found guilty of tax evasion and fraud. All of his belongs are confiscated by the government, including The Echo Machine. A year later, the United States government begins experimentation with the machine…

2018
Information about The Echo Machine is leaked to the general population. This is followed by a number of conspiracy theories and general illuminatism. Once the people realize that the Echo Machine actually exists, people begin to believe that it should be usable by the public. Many politicians push its release

2023
The Echo machine is released. It has been expanded and built upon over the past twenty years to become larger than a twelve football fields. There is a building created for it called the “Echo Room” which is actually almost a thousand different rooms with places where people operate, study, test, and are even hooked up to the Echo Machine.

2026
The Echo Game is created. In addition, multiple different medical disease are found to be curable by the Machine, including Alzheimer’s. This is when the machine becomes more than some interesting device. For some, it even becomes a way of life

2039
The actual time RP takes place, during the 13th annual Echo Game!

The Echo Machine has a monstrously large generator with multiple monitors and over 500 thousand feet of electrical cords attached to it. There are multiple helmets attached to each cord that transmit electrical pulses to the brains of the person who has the helmet on. These are used to create simulations for the individual hooked up to the machine. One simulation generally requires 1-8 people operating on it at all times. People can stay hooked up into the machine for very long periods of time; the brain is basically asleep so no rest is needed, and nutrients are supplied through injections.

The Echo Game is a complex game which involves placing multiple people within one simulation. The simulation is a copy of real world, down to every leaf, pebble, and blade of grass. The players compete against each other in this environment, however, everything manmade is subject to change.

How to win:
-At the end of the twelve month season, people vote to decide who was the “most successful”. That person is the champion
-Be the last player alive. Players who die within the first ten months are typically eliminated from the competition.
-BE CREATIVE!!! There are multiple ways to be “successful.” Want to lead a country? Why not multiple countries! Want to be an economic powerhouse? Go ahead and try! Want to kill everyone? Good luck!

Death within the simulation:
-Death during the simulation does NOT result in real life death. However, it puts many in a short, one week coma.
-Killing all of your opponents is a strategy that has been used in the past, however, there are several flaws. In more recent games, crime plays a factor. Killing someone not only has repercussions within the simulation, and can also affect a voter’s decision. Killing someone late in the game just to avoid suffering consequences can result in the dead person not even being eliminated (that’s why many players killed within the last two months are able to be voted for during the final elections).

Originally, the simulation was just a bunch of people fighting for survival by eating bugs, rabbits, and berries in the woods for a year. This changed with the different “versions” of the game. You all will be playing version 13

Version 2.0: Added small villages and civilizations. It was originally impossible to speak with the human people and very difficult to communicate with them at all. Also added currency.

Version 3.0: Added teleporting stones. These are small little globes about the size of an apple. They can be used to teleport anywhere in the world. However, they sometimes glitch and aren’t perfect. They also have cool downs and can’t be used during combat. Don’t go crazy with these. (e.g. Bob teleports to Germany and kills Simon and takes all of his money and then goes back to safe place.)

Version 4.0: Added more advanced technologies that were up to date, however they were used about as frequently as the medieval/ stone age tools used before hand. Different places had different technologies, even up to your current update.

Version 5.0: Added cities, culture, and thirty different languages. Also made it possible for there to be multiple forms of currency in one game.

Version 6.0: Added five different types of government. Different countries may have different governments in Echo then they do in real life.

-Monarchies
-Democracies and Republics (presidential/ parliamentary)
-Anarchy (Everyone’s favorite)
-Aristocracy (you got the paper, you go the power)
-Temocracy (military leaders)

Version 7.0: Added other species (Dragons, monsters, and bears, oh boy!)

Version 8.0: Added pop culture “celebrities” and references. Includes ones that are alive right now, ones that aren’t alive right now, and ones that don’t even exist (e.g. The Incredible Hulk.)

Version 9.0: Added magic, “Special Books”, and items. Special Books teach you a skills (magic, a language, etc.) and valuable information.

Version 10.0: Added futuristic technology.

Version 11.0: Added several more species and languages. Species include:

-Dwarves
-Elves
-Orcs
-Goblins
-Gnomes
-Trolls
-Fairies
-Detattlers (can remove body parts, put them back on).
And more :D

Version 12.0: Added three more forms of government:

-Duelocracies- In these societies, dueling conquers all. You win a duel against someone, you gain their titles, family, their life (considering they remain alive), belongings, and money. The rulers are the best duelers. In most Duelocracies, the challenged individual determines the rules of the duel.
-Dictatorships- Basically harsher monarchies. Rulers tend to be less liked by the people and are always hereditary.
-Communism- Some are more successful than others. Not all of Echo’s communist areas are like USSR and China.

Version 13.0: You’ll see… :D

In the beginning of the game, players are placed in a room with multiple backpacks within them. Each person selects a backpack, and then is teleported to a place on the map at random. The backpacks contain a wide variety of items, and can affect one’s success during the game.