I have had this story idea/headworld thing for a long time, and I have been writing a story with it but...It's really boring to write alone. So I am interested in anyone that wants to 1x1 Rp in this world, or possibly do a small group Rp of it!

This Interest Check has been moved to Advanced Group Rp and the new topic can be found here: http://www.roleplayerguild.com/topics/94641-project-viruul-virtual-reality-fantasy-world/ooc

Basic Premise
Viruul is the next generation of virtual reality gaming, making the giant leap from VR headsets to a full mental experience. Project Viruul is set in a massive, living, simulated world with a generic medieval fantasy setting to start with. Beta testers are being brought in from all walks of life, from hardcore gamers to those with almost no gaming experience at all. The game is in beta testing for a week and they sent invitations out to at least several hundred people. I'm not sure, but enough that 30% of all people in-game are Players. They were told they'd be provided room and board at the facility.

Game Mechanics
Viruul is essentially a full life simulation that feels completely real. There are not only sights and sounds as many games have, but also scent, feelings, and tastes. It's nearly impossible to tell it's a game aside from the obvious features like player re-spawning. There is no UI, no name tags, no virtual inventory, no health bars, nothing that breaks immersion.

Non-Player Characters
Non-Player Characters are all individuals with their own lives, experiences, memories, personalities, thoughts, the whole package. They were born and raised in the world of Viruul and do not consider it a 'game'. They are aware that Players are from a different world and are 'playing a game' or so they think. Non Player Characters are not immortal and suffer permanent death, as such they value their lives highly(unless they really don't care for personal reasons). Their world does not revolve around the Player's experience. As far as they're concerned, Viruul is their world and Players are just visitors.

There's no definite way to tell the difference between a player and an NPC besides actually admitting to one or the other, or dying and re-spawning or not re-spawning.

Being a Player
Players create their characters with the basic line-up of fantasy races like human, elf, dwarf, and giant. (It is possible to create a character that is not the same gender as the player.)
Other races are possible, but only available through in-game means such as infection, magical effects, and rarely GM intervention.

Players enter the world in one of several Starter Towns, with simple linen clothes, where they receive free equipment including a basic weapon of their choice, and a pack with some food, a map, a small cooking pot, and striking stones. There are also simple lessons in how to use their weapon of choice, how to build and start a fire, and how to cook.
Of course, all of this is completely optional and can be completely ignored by players who'd rather make their own way.

Another thing is that the complex simulation of life in Viruul also applies to the Players and NPCs, and all biological effects will effect them. Hunger, thirst, sickness, the need to go to the bathroom, menstruation and pregnancy in females, etc. It's all there.

Currency
The main currency of Viruul is Gold, Silver, and Copper coins. One Hundred of a kind equals one of a higher value(unless it's gold coins, then it is at it's highest value form). A gold coin is extremely valuable to a commoner, and could feed them and their family for a year. Silver is moderately valuable and more common, and the typical adventurer or mercenary usually wouldn't be carrying around more than fifty silver. Copper is pocket change.

Death
Death is permanent for NPCs, but for the player it's a very complex experience.
When a player dies, they leave their body and all their stuff behind aside from a small amount of the money they already had, if any. They will respawn with this small amount of money to pay healers and get back on their feet.





The Main Conflict
There is one main huge issue with Viruul that every Player eventually finds out about.

There is no way to log out.

Players are stuck in the game from the time they log in, to supposedly when they die of natural causes or old age. No one is sure.
Most players struggle with feelings of whether the game is actually real or not.

The Main Goal
The overall goal of all players is to find a way out of the game. There are many theories and rumors of various methods of exiting the game that can be investigated.
However, some Players eventually come to accept there is no logging out, and choose to focus on their new life more.

Player's Effect on World Development
The world is based on generic fantasy, but Players can potential influence the development of the world. For example, knowledgeable players might figure out a way to bring electricity, or combustion engines to the the world. But some NPCs might not like Players bringing these new foreign things into their world. It is questionable whether this is the GMs trying to keep the world from developing in that way, or if it's actually the NPC's personal feelings.


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So! This is all I can write so far as I have to go, but I'm going to keep developing this. Please let me know if you have any questions about anything or if anything wasn't touched on that should've been.
I'd also appreciate tips on Organizing all this information, because if you didn't notice already, I'm very scatter-minded.

As someone Rping this, you'd have the choice of being a Player or an NPC so I included the mechanics and global mindset of both.

This is a interest check so checking if ya'll are interested~!

More to come!

Actually, this sounds really interesting. You've clearly put a lot of thought into it!

Potentially interested. It sounds like it's basically SAO and other "trapped in MMO" anime, but without real death--however, the idea of death causing such intense feedback that it can mentally break people, producing these "Wretches," kind of reminds me of Dark Souls and the Hollowing process--players try to clear the game, only to die over and over and over, re-living the shock of death again and again, until finally they break and go mad. Have you thought of using that aspect of it to turn the setting a bit darker and replace the permanent death aspect that most MMO-Trap stories use? It'd be a good way to excuse the complaint that "main characters obviously can't die" but at the same time there is still tension and stakes that make players want to avoid death at all costs.

Another question I have is about the origin of the game. In SAO (you'll probably be sick to death of hearing that used as a reference, but it's what more folks will probably be familiar with, or else .hack//) there's a bit of buildup beforehand as to how all these people actually became trapped in the game, how it was legitimately marketed but then the sudden reveal of the trap caused widespread panic both in and outside the game world. You mention that the game is being Beta Tested--did whatever huge shady corporation developed it send out thousands of invites, or are there only a few Players in the world compared to all the NPCs? How has information about this been kept from the outside world--why haven't the police, or the parents, or doctors or anyone else ripped out the wires or whatever is connecting the players to the game? How are their real bodies being kept alive?

I could go for either 1x1 or a small-group setting, whichever you end up deciding on.

this really is interesting, but sounds more like a group rp then just a 1x1. If you do decide to make it a group rp, i'd definitely be interested.

Potentially interested. It sounds like it's basically SAO and other "trapped in MMO" anime, but without real death--however, the idea of death causing such intense feedback that it can mentally break people, producing these "Wretches," kind of reminds me of Dark Souls and the Hollowing process--players try to clear the game, only to die over and over and over, re-living the shock of death again and again, until finally they break and go mad. Have you thought of using that aspect of it to turn the setting a bit darker and replace the permanent death aspect that most MMO-Trap stories use? It'd be a good way to excuse the complaint that "main characters obviously can't die" but at the same time there is still tension and stakes that make players want to avoid death at all costs.

Another question I have is about the origin of the game. In SAO (you'll probably be sick to death of hearing that used as a reference, but it's what more folks will probably be familiar with, or else .hack//) there's a bit of buildup beforehand as to how all these people actually became trapped in the game, how it was legitimately marketed but then the sudden reveal of the trap caused widespread panic both in and outside the game world. You mention that the game is being Beta Tested--did whatever huge shady corporation developed it send out thousands of invites, or are there only a few Players in the world compared to all the NPCs? How has information about this been kept from the outside world--why haven't the police, or the parents, or doctors or anyone else ripped out the wires or whatever is connecting the players to the game? How are their real bodies being kept alive?

I could go for either 1x1 or a small-group setting, whichever you end up deciding on.

If this is similar to SAO or .hack// then it is a coincidence, and not based on them in any way. It is a lot like The Matrix only the players aren't being used as human batteries!

For the effects of Death and the Wretches, a lot of thought went into making sure that dying on purpose wasn't really an option for getting out of things like dealing with being hurt, or trying to get somewhere fast. As well as the first few experiences of death, too much death can also rattle someone's mind pretty hard like you mentioned, driving them insane.
A big part of someone not wanting to die, especially if they're with a group, is that they'll respawn somewhere random. There's no instant messaging or anything else of that nature, so finding each-other again is extremely difficult. And also there's the guilt of not having been more helpful to their group in a dangerous situation.

The game is in beta testing for a week and they sent invitations out to at least several hundred people. I'm not sure, but enough that 30% of all people in-game are Players. They were told they'd be provided room and board at the facility.

About the Real World while the game is going on, this is very Meta information. The players entering the game will not know any of this!


I will add this information to the original post!

As for how the player's bodies are being kept alive, it is with care. The organisation running this game is not horrible, they're truly focused on developing a groundbreaking good game!
I suppose technically feeding tubes and such.

The game works more mentally than physically. I should probably change the original info to better clarify that.

this really is interesting, but sounds more like a group rp then just a 1x1. If you do decide to make it a group rp, i'd definitely be interested.

I have been thinking ever since I posted this that it is really much more of a group idea. Is there any way to move this...? Eheh...

you might be able to ask for it to be moved, but I think your best bet is to just start a new thread.

This Interest Check has been moved to Advanced Group Rp and the new topic can be found here: http://www.roleplayerguild.com/topics/94641-project-viruul-virtual-reality-fantasy-world/ooc