Byzantine

[Moved] Project Viruul - Virtual Reality Fantasy World

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

Project Viruul - Virtual Reality Fantasy World

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 is moved from 1x1 interest check forum because it makes more sense as a group Rp.

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.

Skills, Levels, and Classes
Viruul is a freestyle game that all depends on the Player's personal skills, choices, and preferences. It is a lot like real life in that one must actually practice, develop strategy, and grow stronger from actually doing things themselves. There are no levels, stats, or experience points, just the personal experience of the player.

Magic
Magic is only recently being rediscovered by players with arcane affinities from the few NPCs who have kept the study of it alive since it's decline in popularity since ancient times. Magic is an ambient energy that can be harnessed and manipulated in many different ways, and each culture of the land develop their own ways of handling it. All people are capable of magic, but it can be a difficult subject to understand. As such, usually only those that make a focused effort tend to learn it.
(Really what you can do with magic is up to ya'll, I haven't figured that part out yet!)

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.

Re-Spawning

After a time, they will re-spawn at a Healer's House or Hospital. I haven't decided if it should be the closest one or a random one. They will retain all wounds they had except the one that killed them.
For example, a player has a broken leg, got stabbed in the gut, and finally got stabbed in the heart. The stab to the heart killed them, so when they re-spawn, they will still have the broken leg, the stab to the gut, but not the stab to the heart.
It is entirely possible for them to die again from the stab to the gut after they re-spawn, in which the 'random healer's house' mechanic would make more sense. It is in the Healer's best interest to save the player because they'd be paid for their services.

Mental Impact

Death is a huge hit to a Player's mental state the first few times. Because everything feels so real, the Player's mind treats it as real. Dying can be severely traumatic to the mind, but it depends on who's experiencing it and how ready they were for it. The first time is understandably the harshest.
In the most extreme cases, the Player's brain will shut down in a way, turning the Player into a living shell of a person often called "Addled Wretch"s. Addled Wretches will just sit there and won't do anything complex that they aren't directly guided to do. They can still eat and drink if given food or drink, and will sleep when they need to. They could be trained to do basic tasks.
Addled Wretches aren't completely lost, and can be rehabilitated in various ways from having a compassionate person helping them, to being in fatal danger, or coming out of it on their own as their brain figures out they are actually still alive.

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.

Super-duper Meta Info

This is probably super unrealistic, but time is going a whole lot faster in-game than it is in Real Life. I'm not sure on the exact ratio, but an entire lifetime can be lived in the game in a week. The makers of the game figure out some way of speeding up brain function to do this or something. Don't expect an explaination, I'll just say "Science" and smoke-bomb outta there.
So the players get very worried when months and years pass by, but they can't tell time speed has changed at all.
The GMs timed all player's entry into the game in a staggered way so everyone's not shoved in at once. Waves of players entering the game months or years apart actually only waited a little while in RL.

More Meta information, there's no way of exiting the game early aside from glitching yourself out way too badly, or GM intervention if you're screwing up the game too much. Once a player exits the game, there is absolutely no getting back in until the whole 'session' is done for everyone.

----------------

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!

Men vs. Women Race to 1000

-278

You're (Both) New to This Aren't You?

Narissa shuffled into the classroom with blue foam slippers, fuzzy leopard print pajama bottoms, and a black and white wind-breaker zipped right up to the top. It was supposed to be Spring, but the weather seemed to be going through it's rebellious punk phase. She nursed a large cup of iced coffee from the small cafe in the student union. The class was only half full so far. Dark bags hung under her eyes from more than one night of not getting enough sleep, but that was not uncommon among many of the students showing up later to the class. However, some students were clearly morning people. Smiling, laughing, chatting with friends, clear alert eyes. 'Fuckers...' She grumbled in her thoughts.

She made her way to a few familiar faces in the middle of the rows, sat down, and pulled out a couple pencils and a pen from her jacket pocket. She sat back her chair, leaning it back on two legs until it's back rested on the desk behind it. This was a comfortable position to take a nap, and that's exactly what she planned to try. Sleep had been extremely difficult for her lately; Her dreams were so vivid they gave her headaches. Even as she shut her eyes, she couldn't help imagining a bird's eye view of the classroom. She relaxed into vaguely watching what her imagination or subconscious was deciding to give her, not really paying too much attention to anyone or what they were doing. However, the teacher started passing out papers in her dream, and the stack was passed from student to student along each row until it arrived at the form with leopard print pants laying back in her chair. The guy attempting to give it to the girl tapped her knee with the stack.

Narissa jumped slightly as something hit her knee, the chair lurching forward back onto all it's legs. Her vision was flooded with bright light for a few seconds before things focused and she was able to pick out details again. The guy next to her held the stack of papers out for her, an expression of sympathy on his face for the girl, who obviously needed one, just trying to get a small nap in. She took the stack and passed it along, and kept one of the stapled packets for herself. Any thought of what just happened slipped away as she started leafing through the pack of papers, each page draining the life straight out of her with the amount of questions each one held. The teacher started going through instructions for during and after the exam was done, when the classroom door opened quietly, and closed with a bang as pretty much all the doors on the campus did.

'Ughhh skinny jeans, how does anyone like something that tight...' She groaned in her mind as soon as she saw the poor late girl standing there. But that's where her interest ended, replaced by a mention of the last episode of Lucifer from her class acquaintances she sat with.

"Hey didn't I say before it was cause of her? I was fucking right," She jumped into the conversation, pulling her chair forward as the late girl scooted along the row. Her bag brushed the back of Narissa's head and pulled a lock of the long reddish brown hairs out of place. She grimaced a moment, smoothed it back down, then pulled the whole mane over her shoulder on second thought.

"...And remember, this counts for fifty percent of your grade, so take your time and don't bullshit your answers. 'Salad' is not an acceptable answer, Mr. Dodson," The teacher finished up his instructional lecture, and drew a chuckle from the students. "You have two hours. You may begin."

Hello!

A few, but not enough to take up every waking minute of my day, so I need more :D

Feel free to shoot me a PM and we can whip up something awesome!

Hello!

I like casual to advanced roleplays, and tend to stick to original characters but sometimes like using existing worlds from things like Elder Scrolls or The Witcher. I tend toward Fantasy, Action, and maybe sci-fi, and like to stick to Past-Present time eras. I'm not so great with advanced technology or super futuristic or space settings.
My favorite combination of those is Fantasy in the "Real World"! Which is maybe the same thing as 'modern fantasy' like you said.

Hello!

Thank you very much @Rirri!

What kind of Rp are you most interested in doing?

Hello!

Welcome Rirri! Welcome to the guild!

You'll find lots of work here saving us from boredom! :D

[Moved] Project Viruul - Virtual Reality Fantasy World

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.

@Zeroth

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!

Super-duper Meta Info

This is probably super unrealistic, but time is going a whole lot faster in-game than it is in Real Life. I'm not sure on the exact ratio, but an entire lifetime can be lived in the game in a week. The makers of the game figure out some way of speeding up brain function to do this or something. Don't expect an explaination, I'll just say "Science" and smoke-bomb outta there.
So the players get very worried when months and years pass by, but they can't tell time speed has changed at all.
The GMs timed all player's entry into the game in a staggered way so everyone's not shoved in at once. Waves of players entering the game months or years apart actually only waited a little while in RL.

More Meta information, there's no way of exiting the game early aside from glitching yourself out way too badly, or GM intervention if you're screwing up the game too much. Once a player exits the game, there is absolutely no getting back in until the whole 'session' is done for everyone.

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.

@onenote

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...

[Moved] Project Viruul - Virtual Reality Fantasy World

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.

Re-Spawning

After a time, they will re-spawn at a Healer's House or Hospital. I haven't decided if it should be the closest one or a random one. They will retain all wounds they had except the one that killed them.
For example, a player has a broken leg, got stabbed in the gut, and finally got stabbed in the heart. The stab to the heart killed them, so when they re-spawn, they will still have the broken leg, the stab to the gut, but not the stab to the heart.
It is entirely possible for them to die again from the stab to the gut after they re-spawn, in which the 'random healer's house' mechanic would make more sense. It is in the Healer's best interest to save the player because they'd be paid for their services.

Mental Impact

Death is a huge hit to a Player's mental state the first few times. Because everything feels so real, the Player's mind treats it as real. Dying can be severely traumatic to the mind, but it depends on who's experiencing it and how ready they were for it. The first time is understandably the harshest.
In the most extreme cases, the Player's brain will shut down in a way, turning the Player into a living shell of a person often called "Addled Wretch"s. Addled Wretches will just sit there and won't do anything complex that they aren't directly guided to do. They can still eat and drink if given food or drink, and will sleep when they need to. They could be trained to do basic tasks.
Addled Wretches aren't completely lost, and can be rehabilitated in various ways from having a compassionate person helping them, to being in fatal danger, or coming out of it on their own as their brain figures out they are actually still alive.

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.

Super-duper Meta Info

This is probably super unrealistic, but time is going a whole lot faster in-game than it is in Real Life. I'm not sure on the exact ratio, but an entire lifetime can be lived in the game in a week. The makers of the game figure out some way of speeding up brain function to do this or something. Don't expect an explaination, I'll just say "Science" and smoke-bomb outta there.
So the players get very worried when months and years pass by, but they can't tell time speed has changed at all.
The GMs timed all player's entry into the game in a staggered way so everyone's not shoved in at once. Waves of players entering the game months or years apart actually only waited a little while in RL.

More Meta information, there's no way of exiting the game early aside from glitching yourself out way too badly, or GM intervention if you're screwing up the game too much. Once a player exits the game, there is absolutely no getting back in until the whole 'session' is done for everyone.

----------------

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!