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 What is this game? An adventure game that released about a year ago, Gamedec is a Polish adventure game based on a short story collection by Marcin Przybyłek, which sadly doesn’t seem to be available in English. You play as the eponymous Gamedec, an internet detective in the far-off future of the 22nd century, who makes their living by solving MMO crimes. It’s not particularly good. But it is ambitious, and that’s worth a look if nothing else. Why are you LPing this game? Just for the hell of it. Also, it’s not that long, so hopefully I’ll actually finish this one. Updates Every 2-3 days, or whenever I can spare the time. Audience Participation Delaying the LP for every little choice would be impractical, but there are a couple of notable Big Decisions down the line that are probably worth a vote, so we’ll see once we get to those. Table of contents 01 - Meet Video James 02 - A talk with Timmy 03 - Pervertland 04 - Here comes the DARK AVENGER 05 - Down with the clown 06 - Hard times in Harvest Time 07 - The absence of birds 08 - I want a drink you digital prick 09 - Showdown at Sunset 10 - The Fall, part 1 11 - The Fall, part 2 Inadequately fucked around with this message at 03:06 on Oct 13, 2022 |
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Sep 7, 2022 09:57
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 Meet our eponymous Gamedec, Video James. Video James was born in Low City (the only options are ‘Low City’ and ‘High City’), but with hard work and dedication, rose up to the dizzying heights of…Mid City. Points for not tying pronouns to any specific body type, even if the game doesn’t always do the best job of tracking that. ‘Values’ doesn’t do a whole lot, we’ll see what it does fairly shortly.  We open with Video James in a reflective and expository mood.  [I didn't remember why I had become a Gamedec.]- Recall Career [I solved numerous cases, so people started to believe I was credible. And credibility was crucial in my line of work. Pretty much everything can be falsified, but you can't fake credibility. Games, besides being my workplace, also became my second home. Did I ever play for fun? Yes, sometimes I did.]- Look around [I was surrounded by the real world, that is, realium. I could hear Warsaw City humming outside the window. I lived in Towerstone in Wola.]Yes, the real world is called ‘realium’ and the internet is called ‘virtualium’. The worldbuilding will not improve as the game goes on. [It was the end of the 22nd Century and the people were crazy happy. Kidding. Some were, some weren't. Which group did I belong to?] [I wasn't sure.]- Start your day [It was time to check if there were any new jobs.]Before we do that, let’s have a look around our fancy Mid City apartment.  [Warsaw City. My polis.]- Look out the window [Walkways, squares, space and chasms. That's what modern cities look like.] [The middle layer - Mid City. Despite dense developments, you could still see the sun and pieces of the sky. As well as the long way down.]- I don't feel good here. Video James is a man of the street, born and bred. [It was all too cramped and too loud. I wished I lived somewhere higher, where you could see the sky, or below, near the Undercity abyss.] [This is where the rich meet the poor, and the light meets darkness. This is the layer of the city where...you can be pretty much whoever you want.] We have our first Profession related choice, so now's a good time to get into that.  Depending on how we act in conversations/observations, we can gain personality points, which we can then spend on Professions. The game has their own terms for them, but by and large you gain red points by being aggressive and impatient, yellow for charming/sleazing up people, blue for being calm and cautious, and green for being generally nice and caring. And yes, it's never shown which choices will grant you what stat point, so you'll have to rely on your own intuition for that.  Our starting stat spread from taking Self-Direction as a value lets us unlock Infotainer immediately - looks like our boy Video James is a bit of a budding influencer. There are four profession trees, each focusing on one trait: Green - Scalpel -> Sensory Surgeon -> Molecular Scripter/Brainfixer Yellow - Infotainer -> Sensory Celebrity -> Vox Populi/Mindfluencer Red - Sleeves -> Cheater -> Gangway Hound/Reeducator Blue - Glazier -> Programmer -> Supervisor/Cracker The trees are not mutually exclusive, and we'll be picking up many occupations over the course of this playthrough.  We also have access to a glossary of the various cyberpunky terms in the game, generally 'explained' via tedious in-universe cyber-encyclopedia entries/cyber-lectures etc. For the most part I'll be skipping these unless anything particularly interesting shows up or is requested - most of the terms are pretty easy to figure out via context anyway. Anyway, back to this drone. We can't send it away just yet, so we might as well contemplate life while staring at an obnoxious advertisement. [I had a few things I needed to think over...] [You can't really contemplate without a drink in your hand. Luckily, the servobot knew exactly what I needed.](Servobot whirrs over) [I greeted my robotic friend. It was waiting for instructions as usual.]-Coffee -Tea -Whisky -Vodka  [Infotainer] [Food and drink manufacturers regularly supplied me with high quality products for my servobot. All I had to do was mention their brand on my social media every so often.]Looks like being an influencer is starting to pay off for ol' James. [I decided to think some stuff over and get to work.]- Sensory Worlds [Thousands of games and millions of players mean plenty of cases for gamedecs. Hatred, greed and deviousness are especially common online. Two topics had been especially popular in the media recently - digital love and whether it's better to live online or in realium.]- Games or realium - Digital Love [I took a sip...Game fans say they let them fulfill their dreams and that they don't have to obey the rules of nature, "which are a bitch." They can choose their gender, looks, go on adventures... Opponents call it escaping and claim that 'you can only get tough in realium'.] ["Realium presents real challenges." But you can make good money online too, and it's no less complicated than in realium.]Well, we did become an internet detective, so presumably we've already made up our mind on the matter. - Decide that you prefer games - Decide that you prefer reality [Sensory worlds are kingdoms in themselves. There are plenty of affairs, people and nuances, so I'm not surprised that some people call them home. Experiencing something in a game is no different from experiencing it in realium. It's just a different and more interesting level of reality.]- Recent events [Some had been talking about the Pygmalion technology developed by Blue Whales Interactive. It upgraded AI to the level of the human psyche. Recent gossip - a man named Ken Zhou, a young Goodabads star, screwd up in the last game, and his Black Angels lost.]- Pygmalion Technology - Ken Zhou [BWI claimed they could create human beings. Obviously, for a hell of a price. Such..."humans" are called diginets. A diginet has a synthetic brain - a rendan - but no body. It lives online unless you buy it a mobrium. There were demonstrators at the company's location against this technology. The protestors claimed that diginets were unnatural.]- Decide that the protestors are wrong -Decide that the protestors are right Video James likes to think of himself as a forward-thinking man of the future. [A company introducing such risky tech must have tested it in thousands of ways. Otherwise, it wouldn't have put its reputation on the line. The protestors were a bunch of ignorant people afraid of progress. I wasn't going to waste time on them.] [It was time to get to work.] We don't get very far before we're interrupted by a phone call. [Someone was sensing me. It turned out to be a man called Geoffrey Haggis. I didn't know him. Nevertheless, I answered.] Oh, you're there! Please come see me. Blue Whales Interactive Tower, level 255, south entrance. I'll tell you everything when you're here.- Negotiate a down payment - Ask about the details - Agree Hold on, let's have a little respect for each other's time. I don't know anything about the case, and I'm not sure whether a certain amount - I get it, you want a down payment. I'm transferring it right now. I hope it's enough. Yes? Great. I'm waiting. [He disconnected.]Incidentally, we got that phone call because we spent a little too long faffing about and staring out the window instead of checking our mail.  Before we move on, let's check out the rest of our fancy apartment. - Couch [A virtual couch. Not the newest model, but I can still rely on it. At least, I think I can. A poet would call it a 'gateway to the sensory worlds'. To me, it was just a tool of my trade.]In the world of Gamedec, apparently all notable video games are VRMMOs you log into via your couch. - Look at the helmet [It was starting to fall apart. I needed to replace it. Dammit, such important gear wouldn't come cheap. I couldn't afford it at the moment. I needed a few jobs first, or one big job that paid well.]- Check fluid level [Fluid levels were low. I still had a few tanks left, but it's always good to have reserves.]- Order infusion fluid [Done. The delivery drone would be here in a few hours.]I don’t think that actually does anything, but it’s good to be prepared. - Check couch log [July 17, 2199, 3.30 pm. My last session took...The couch displayed an error message recommending to reset it to default settings. The model's reliablity had become questionable.] [The glory days of this thing are well behind it. A gamedec should spare no expense on things like this. It's time to think about getting a new one.]We could report the defect if we were a Glazier, but for now we'll have to leave it alone. - Computer [My computer. It controlled the couch, communicated with household appliances, let me send messages, and did...everything else. It was old and could use an upgrade, but it still worked well enough to be reliable.]- Net [A new case... I wondered if anything would surface on the Net.]- Look up Haggis [Who was Geoffrey Haggis? The director of the programming department at Blue Whales Interactive...] [Infotainer] [Gossip: disgustingly rich, art collector, has suffered repeated burglary attempts, in conflict with his wife Eleonora and son Frederick.] [He was supposed to have recently installed a safe in his office, which was opened with music. I wondered how much of that was true.]- Look up Blue Whales Interactive [Blue Whales Interactive, or BWI. The leader in the field of AI. Their flagship product - the dating game, Paradise Beach. A little less known but still popular was the game Knight's Code, a clan battle game based on medieval Japan. They made luxury helmets. And, ladies and gentlemen, they could make...human beings. Their Pygmalion-upgraded AIs mimicked human psyches.] [Infotainer] [Fame had its price. I had hundreds of emails to ignore. I'd have my bot reply to my most dedicated fans.]Apparently fame can’t be converted into cash quite so easily, but we are only a level one influencer at the moment. [There were also a few emails from clients I had helped. Those needed replies.]- Reply to emails. [First message. Senator Stone was grateful for working out what his daughter was doing in Ghoul Hearts.]- Reply kindly - Offer a discount for the next contract - Offer some advice Probably not the best idea, but I really want to see what advice Video James, budding influencer and internet detective, has to offer on raising a child. [The senator couldn't handle his children. I gave him some advice. He could use it.]Unfortunately we don't actually get to see it, but we do gain a red point for it. [I got through the other emails quickly. Some were invitations to events, some were spam. I replied.]- Check contracts [I already had one contract, but it wouldn't hurt to check. Maybe there would be another one.] [Infotainer] [Friends would tip me off when they heard that someone, particularly a celebrity, had a problem to solve...Nothing at the moment though.] [So the contract from Haggis was the best thing I could give my attention to.]- Games There's only one option here: [I earned in several games but was recently focused on one - Void Stars. Still in development, even though it had already been released. It was supposed to be bigger than all previous space simulations, though that was hard to imagine.] [I'd already bought a few ships. I just couldn't help myself. They were drat expensive, but what the hell. I loved looking at my fleet.] We could check these out, but I'll spare you the trouble of hearing about pretend starships. Spoiler - this game never becomes relevant. - Bliss [The control panel for the apartment's AI - a fine piece of software that didn't treat fridge contents as its first priority.] [You can also talk to it. It's name is Bliss. That's the default name, and I never bothered to change it.]- Activate the system A logo with two whales appeared on the panel.   You are activating Bliss for the first time! First, configure the software to your liking. [I cursed. Something had reset my settings. Probably another failure in the tower or a surge upstairs. I had to reconfigure everything again.]- Casual conversation A holographic figure appeared in the air  The default look for our AI assistant is a naked blue waifu. Quelle surprise. Hi...Wait, what do you mean? Don't you remember me? Why does everything break all the time nowadays...We still have the locked out option to analyze the system, but since we can't do that all we can do is leave for now. - Holovision   Today is Monday, July 17th. My name is Carla Kolumna, and this is the news! Ken Zhou, the young star of Goodabads, loses the game miserably! Zhou blames everything on glitches in the game! Could this be the end of the youngster's career?Here's a fun game for the audience: guess exactly what kind of esports game Goodabads is. I'd be surprised if anyone gets close. We have a Codex entry for it already, but we’ll learn a little more about it over the course of the game.  Well, that's enough standing around delivering exposition, Video James has a job to do. Solid doors protected me and my apartment...or maybe they protected Warsaw City from me.After that terrible attempt at a one-liner, we transition straight to Haggis’s office.  Alfred walks off, leaving us alone.  What kind of detective would we be if we didn't do the bare minimum of snooping around? [The computer on the desk was not secured. The empty workplace exuded corporate solitude. The nameplate on the desk read 'Junior Customer Support Specialist - Idris Ikari".]- [Infotainer] Assess the chair [An ergonomic chair adapted to the size and measurements of its user. It was configured by someone small, most likely a woman.]I'm not sure how or why we needed to use our influencer powers to figure that out. - Look at the monitors [The screensaver slideshow alternated between landscapes beyond the ABBs and the towers of Warsaw City. Breaking the sequence, an image of two women embracing appeared on one of the monitors. One of them had blue hair.]- Log in [I barely touched the screen and gained access to the desktop. It wasn't locked. There was an open BWI presentation and an unfinished hand of solitaire.]- Browse the presentation - Finish the hand of solitaire - [I saw 3D blue whales flying through the clouds - the company logo. The animated slides presented the financial results for the last quarter. I copied the presentation to take a look later.]It shows up in our Codex. tl;dr: most of their profit is from Paradise Beach, Knight's Code, a fancy gamer helmet, and the Pygmalion technology. We'll leave the hand of solitaire for now. Video James is a man on a mission.  The man took a deep breath and let the air out through his nose with a loud wheeze. [Past Choices] He took a good look at me. You're here? Good.If we had stayed to finish that hand of solitaire, we'd get yelled at for being late. - Take initiative - Introduce yourself - Discuss the job Hello, my name is... I know who you are. I'm Director Haggis. Something's wrong with my son - he won't get off the couch and...well, you'll see for yourself. It's been over four days. He entered some game with his friend, Timmy. I've tried talking to Timmy, but he's clammed up. His condition makes me worry even more. My son is on the couch in the next room. Let's go there now. Haggis's son was wearing an expensive, brand-name suit and a state-of-the-art helmet covered part of his face. The couch's side panel warned that he'd exceeded the online time limit. I couldn't help noticing that the genital area of his gaming suit was bulging.- Touch his hand [I took his hand - it was trembling slightly but had a normal temperature. That happens in games that generate lots of adrenaline. His fingertips were covered in sweat...No, not sweat. I rubbed the sticky substance between my fingers and sniffed. Berries and chewing gum.]- Examine his face [I leaned over and looked under the helmet's visor. There weren't any signs of an extended online stay. Expensive supplements did the trick. I noticed a healing bruise on his jaw under his ear. There was some discoloration - the signs of Scarstop overuse. I had no idea what could have caused them.]Haggis clears his throat impatiently. I welcome your conclusions when you're ready.- Check if he's faking [I grabbed his shoulders and shook him a few times. No muscle tension. He wasn't faking. The quiet sound of the suit's massaging devices grew louder as the supporters brought his body back to the optimal position.]- Examine the suit [The suit was equipped with advanced anti-bedsore software. It resembled the skin of a slithering snake.]- [Infotainer] Check the brand [The suit was the same brand as the couch - "RoyalMat". Top of the line. Blue Whales Interactive didn't own it though. I ran my fingers over the suit's surface. The synthetic fibers emitted more heat in the places where they needed to work harder.] Any conclusions? I'm starting to lose my patience.- Share your observations - - Please note that these are initial observations. It looks like your son is fine. He's just playing something...exciting. He's been logged in for over four days, but there are no signs of adverse effects from the session. This is some excellent equipment. Doing a hard extraction by taking the helmet off is a huge risk, and logging out remotely- It's impossible, I know. Like it is in most systems. Can you at least tell where he's logged into? Unfortunately, I wasn't able to determine that. I need to find out which game Fredo logged into and then take appropriate steps. I understand. Fredo entered with his friend Timmy - a spineless pushover. He's in my office, maybe he knows something. But hurry - he'll be picked up soon.He looked at me, then at his son, and sighed. All right, get to work.We can go back to examining Fredo now that he's stopped bothering us. - Look at the helmet - Check the screen [The visor screen had no info on Fredo's virtual location - an intentional safeguard. The helmet didn't have an observer port either. There was no way to see what he was playing. Full discretion.]- Check the helmet number [To get a look at the number, I had to lift the boy's head. I gently grabbed his head and tried to turn it a little. Fredo moaned.] Careful! You're hurting him!- Continue - Explain - Give up I know what I'm doing. He'll be fine. Do you think I'm blind? You're hurting him! Leave him the gently caress alone or I'll throw you out myself!We give up on this course of inquiry. Doesn't seem like it'd help, anyway. - Check the couch [The "Royalmat - discretion and comfort" couch reeked of luxury and unattainability. The system masked the player's login information.]I imagine it reeks of quite a bit more than that after four days. - Check the couch's panel [The small screen displayed Fredo's vital signs: pulse, muscle tension, and brain activity. Despite the high-end hardware, the kid was sweating and using a lot more nutrifluid than he should've been. His body was exhausted.]That's all we can do about Fredo for now. Let's talk to his dad again. He looked at me with disgust, as if to let me know that I was wasting his time. - Ask about access to the couches Who has access to the room with the couches? My guests and I, but no one except Fredo uses them when I'm away.He looked at the couch the woman was using. At least, that's what I thought. Oh, right. We should probably get to her. -Woman's Couch [There was a rather provocatively dressed twenty-something-year-old woman on the couch. Warnings flashed from the device's panel.]- Check the couch's panel [She'd exceeded the safety limits for logged-in time. Over four days without a suit! She must've taken a gamepill or her bladder wouldn't have held out.] [She started revitalization but something interrupted the process. Even though she couldn't control her body, I thought she could hear me.]There's absolutely no indication of this, I think Video James just fantasizes a lot about women listening to him. [Her helmet had an external monitoring port. I could connect to it and see what happened.]- Take a closer look at the woman [She must've been planning a short session since she didn't put on a suit.] [Gathered info] [She looked like one of the women I had seen on the computer screen in the hall.] Is that your assistant? She's just a random lowlife. Leave her alone and get back to my son!Haggis's face swelled up with anger. I’m beginning to think Haggis might not be a very good person. Incidentally, everyone’s face only has one expression in this game, which certainly saves me time taking screenshots. - Explain - Hold your ground - Give in She may have some crucial information. Alright, just hurry up.- Ask Haggis about her Who is she? [Relations] I don't know. Timmy was babbling something about her being in the game with them.- Make contact Hey, lady! Can you hear me? She didn't answer and she didn't move. Either she wouldn't talk or couldn't. I was betting on the latter. Is...is the same thing happening to Fredo? I don't know yet.- Connect to the helmet Haggis noticed what I was doing. [Relations] The observer's port.He nodded. I see you're prepared. When I connected to her helmet the image was transmitted to my lenses. Hello, I'm a gamedec. I was hired by Mr. Haggis. I connected to your helmet. You can talk, and I'll hear you on my walktel. According to the login, your name is Starlett. Is that right? - Question her I want to ask you a few questions. If it helps you get me out of here!- Ask what happened What happened? How did you get here? I don't know. I don't even know where 'here' is. I was in the game with the guys when someone attacked me. Who attacked you? In what game? Was Fredo Haggis there? I'm confused and exhausted. I can't...someone definitely attacked me. I blacked out.- Ask about Idris [Gathered info] Do you know Idris? I saw your picture on her computer.She looked at me in surprise. Yes, she's my girlfriend. Did you come here to see her or the guys? Can we not talk about it right now? Get me out of here and I'll tell you everything.- Ask about her condition How are you feeling? I can't move or feel anything. I can only talk. And this emptiness! I'm going crazy here. Your revitalization was interrupted. I've never seen anything like it before, so I don't know how to help you yet.Alright, enough talk, let's try to get her out of here. She’ll probably be more receptive to conversation in the real world. Let me try and help you. That's a weight off my shoulders.- Analyze the problem [Interrupted revitalization is rare. I could've just pulled off her helmet, but that might have ended badly. There was a safer solution.] [Revitalization is like waking someone up. The senses are activated in a specific order. Hearing is usually first - Starlett's was already active. Revitalization stages are displayed on the progress bar, but I couldn't recall the right order. I only remembered that vision was definitely last.] Okay, Starlett. I think I know how to wake you. Ominous red flashes begin showing up. [My deck detected the girl's helmet being bombarded with exabytes of data. Someone wanted to overload it and terminate our connection.] Starlett, someone is trying to stop us from talking or probe me. drat it! What are you going to do? [The attack was intensifying. I didn't have much time.]This next part is a rather tricky puzzle. We have the option to do all the following actions in any order we like, but if we make the wrong choice or do any of them out of order, it’ll fail. - Observe the attack signal [My connection was being overloaded with streams of incoming data. The walktel wasn't able to interpret it.] [One thing was certain - the attack was getting stronger by the second.]- Activate the firewall [I'll activate some barriers to block the signal, but it's only a matter of time before they crack.] [It was possible to use jamming barriers to slow the attack, or some weaker reflection barriers to track the attack's source.]- Use jamming barriers to slow the attack - Use reflection barriers to trace the attack [I activated the barriers, but I didn't know how long they would hold.] Starlett, I put up some barriers. I bought us some time. Great. It's about time we got out of here.- Revitalize Starlett We don't have much time - I'm going to try to get you out of here. Finally!-Awaken her by stimulating her senses. The correct order was key. The revitalization bar had stopped on 'stimulating proprioception'. It seemed right to start with that.Unfortunately, Video James dropped out of medical school to focus on his budding streaming career, otherwise he’d have known the correct order instead of having to guess. Starlett, I'm going to try finishing your revitalization. I'm going to need to touch your body. Is that okay? Do whatever is necessary.- Move Starlett's arm [I felt around for Starlett's arm in realium, raised it, and moved it around.] [The revitalization bar moved forward. "Proprioception complete." A good start, but the screen didn't display the next stage.]- Stimulate the sense of balance [I decided to stimulate her inner ear - her sense of balance.]- Rock Starlett - Raise Starlett's head [I gently raised the girl's head.] Oh, something's happening! I feel dizzy. That means your inner ear has been stimulated. I can stimulate another sense.- Stimulate the sense of smell. [It was time for the sense of smell - I knew it was connected with taste. I hesitated...]- Blow in her face - Give her a piece of mint gum [I dug into my pocket for a pack of mint gum, took out a piece, and carefully slid it under Starlett's helmet.] Hey, I smelled something strange, and now I have a weird taste in my mouth. That means we're on the right track. - Stimulate the sense of touch [I took Starlett's hand and squeezed it.] I can feel your hand! Finally! Now comes vision. [The hacker broke through - we only had time for one action.]- Unfasten Starlett's helmet I'm about to take your helmet off. It should stimulate your vision and motor functions. [I gently slid the helmet off her head.] Finally! Thank you! [Those words didn't come through the walktel but directly from her lips.]Fortunately, Video James is very lucky, and definitely not subconsciously channeling information from a parallel universe. I was just about to terminate the connection when I saw a message. "GO HOME AND GO TO SLEEP - IT'S FOR YOUR OWN GOOD. DON'T GET INVOLVED." [The attack ended and I got disconnected.] I'll do what I can, Mr. Haggis.With Starlett out of immediate danger, we can question her in more detail now. How are you feeling? I was without a suit for too long. I'm still a bit shaky, but my back is cooling and my stomach is warming up. You pulled me back from that...void. Thank you.The girl glanced at Haggis. You probably want to ask me some questions before I leave.- Ask about Fredo's condition Fredo can't seem to log out of the game. Do you know why? No. The boys were fine, and then I blacked out. I guess someone hacked me.- Ask where they logged into Do you remember which world you and the boys entered? I took them to Twisted and Perverted. If only I had known how it would turn out...Well, there’s our first case. We have to rescue some rich rear end in a top hat’s son from Pervertland. The glamourous life of an internet detective, everyone. - Let her leave That's all. Thank you. You should get some rest. I've overstayed my welcome. Drop by Yeti's Coming in Low City sometime and I'll buy you a drink. Oh, Mr Haggis?The man looked at Starlett with disgust. What do you want? Who do I bill for the escort service? You or the company?He wanted to say something but just stood there holding his breath with his mouth tightly shut. With that, Starlett leaves the office. We can talk to Mr. Haggis again, but he has nothing to say.  Anyway, now that we have some evidence, we can start forming some conclusions. This is our Deduction screen, where we can review the evidence we've discovered.  We don't have a lot of evidence for now, but it's still enough to unlock one of the possible conclusions as an option. As long as we have one conclusion available, we can select it, but once we’ve committed to a deduction there’s no backing out of it, even if you find contradictory evidence down the line. Generally, the plot won’t progress past a certain point until we’ve committed to a deduction. And yes, we can choose option 1 at any time, in which case we just bugger off and go home – the game even warns us about it, but does nothing else to prevent us from picking it. Anyway, we have a solid lead now, but it never hurts to go in fully prepared, so we'll do a bit more snooping around next update before we make a decision. Inadequately fucked around with this message at 11:17 on Sep 7, 2022 |
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Sep 7, 2022 09:57
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A short update today since I want the game world to have its introductory update to itself, probably tomorrow. We have a solid lead, but not a lot of evidence, and we still have a witness to interview.  Our first interrogation. The meter above the conversation options is a general good cop/bad cop meter - being nice and charming and letting the suspect talk about stuff they like shifts the bar to the right, while being rude and standoffish and forcing them to talk about topics they dislike shifts it to the left. Neither of those are outright bad - shifting the bar to either extreme unlocks progressively more and more secrets from them, as they come to trust us/get agitated enough to spill. A half-hearted approach, however, gets us nowhere. Questioning is best left to the police. I'm here to help Mr. Haggis's son, so let's just talk, all right? Okay. I wanna h-help too.He nodded vigorously. Tell me what happened. It was Fredo's sixteenth birthday, and we...we were inside an a-adult game.He turned red and stared intently at his shoes.  -Ask about Fredo Your friend...-Get him to talk about Fredo Tell me something about Fredo. Anything you want. He's my b-buddy. Same school. Once, this kid Alex c-called me names, so Fredo flushed his walktel down the toilet.He smiled at the memory. Then, he altered the holophotos in the school g-gallery to give Alex a pig's snouth that oozed this dis...disgusting mucus. Fredo's brilliant. Okay, I...I believe you want to help. It was F-Fredo's birthday. Did I mention that? So we logged into...Paradise Beach. It's a place where...Adults...get together there. You can read all about it in the d-description.He turned red like my grandma's geraniums. He seems to like talking about Fredo, so let's keep going. -Ask about enemies Has anyone been threatening Fredo? Did he have any enemies? No way! Everyone likes him, admires him. He's the best in graphics and has awesome skins and "Fast Fury" scores. He bought the best 15k speeder, and...-Point out the bullshit -Listen to the story [I was amazed as Timmy recounted Fredo's achievements. The kid burned through money, offending anyone in his way, yet was always able to avoid any consequences. Timmy seemed to revel in his friend's insolence. He obviously believed that arrogance and poor manners were 'cool'.]I don’t think Youtube Star and Internet Detective Video James is in a position to lecture anyone about ‘cool’. I believe you. R-really, I do! And I want to h-help. It's just that I...can't quite remember! I d-don't know what actually ha...happened. [He had trouble putting sentences together and remembering events. It wasn't just shock. Something had really disturbed his nervous system.] Your nervous system is overloaded, but it will regenerate. It will pass. Breathe.-Ask about the virtualium  -Ask what they were doing in the virtualium What were you doing inside the game? Well, what you n-normally do in an adult game...-[Infotainer] Try flattery You guys probably turned all the girls' heads, eh? Girls like you, admit it. They love such soft features. Come on, what were you doing?Video James is a terrible liar, but fortunately Timmy is equally terrible at reading people. He straightened and tried to puff out his chest. There...there were these cool enpecs. We've flattered him enough to unlock the first secret. ‘Enpecs’ are NPCs, by the way. You seem alright...I'll tell you what Fredo looks like in the game. He b-bought us both skins, and mine was almost as cool as his! Old man Haggis doesn't know. We used an agent and covered our track so no one would f-find out we were going into an adults-only world.-Ask about Starlett [Gathered Info] What can you tell me about Starlett? She...she's a stripper. She knew the game well, so Fredo hired her as a guide. She was very...brave.He started to pick at his suit collar. -Ask why she was brave She was brave? What did she do? She was dancing so...flirtatiously. And t-teasing us. She was so...direct!He was embarrassed just thinking about the girl. She knew little of that world but was brave enough to guide us. And she was so...provocative. Thankfully, mainly toward Fredo. She barely spoke to me.I have a feeling rarely getting spoken to is a fixture in Timmy's life. He seemed to be gaining courage. W-what do you need to do to become a g-gamedec?-Lie and tell him it's difficult -Tell him he's got a shot at it -Admit it's easy Video James does not have a very high opinion of his job. So you want to be a gamedec, Timmy? I'm sure you could handle it.He smiled with disbelief. -Talk about Timmy What games do you like, Timmy? Whatever Fredo p-plays. Space sims like Dream Space or Dying Stars. Shooters, too. Crying Guns is our f-favourite.He loosened up. He liked to talk about games. He was no longer terrified and just waited for the next question. Why is Fredo still inside the game? I...I don't know. He liked it there and w-wanted to stay for as long as possible. Maybe...maybe he's having fun? [Did Fredo lose track of time? It would have to have been an amazing session to disregard the danger of exceeding the permitted play time.] We didn't know...'cause...w-we always buy the most expensive tech and win...And everyone envies us. N-no risk, you know? This was supposed to be like that. Y-you know how it is, don't you?We do. Sure wish we didn't, though. -Confirm -Take him down a peg Sure, everyone likes to show off now and then.He nodded vigorously. I think he liked me. -Ask about Paradise Beach [Gathered Info] Why did you choose Paradise Beach? Well, t-to have some fun... We're pretty close to unlocking that last secret, just need to butter him up a bit more. -Help him choose his words People normally log into Paradise Beach to pick someone up, flirt a bit, or go to bed with someone. Is that what you were looking for?He started daydreaming. Yeah! Fredo says that you n-need to have an instinct, and we have it! We were, we were...godlike! Because we...we...always know how to handle...girls. [He had no idea how to handle girls or gamedecs. I knew he was lying.] I trust you, I'll tell you the truth. Just don't tell Mr. Haggis! We went into...Twisted and Perverted. A world where people, uh, hurt each other for pleasure. It's horrible, and Fredo - he's still there! Please, f-find him! Hurry!So about that...well, we'll get into that next update. Thank you, Timmy. You've been a great help.At this point our conversation options are exhausted - we can't talk to Timmy anymore.  Let's check out the rest of the office. -Sticky Stain [The floor was sticky in that spot.]-Sniff [Berries and chewing gum... a barely noticeable trace of liquor.] [Infotainer] It was 'Blue Mistress' - champagne often mistaken for something more expensive. Haggis didn't seem like a fan of such drinks.-Take a closer look [The stain was light blue.]-Taste it [I ran my fingers across the stain and brought my fingertips to my tongue. Sour. The ethanol was long gone.]Video James is very dedicated to forensic science, but not so much to proper analysis or hygiene. [Relations] [I caught Timmy's surprised look. He cleared his throat and looked away.] I was running an investigation. All details mattered.-Panda [The animal looked as if it was frozen in time.]-Take a closer look [Submerged in a transparent resin substance, the panda seemed alive. I noticed a panel with a single red button at the base of the display.] The panda separates into three chunks. -Take a closer look [The split blocks revealed the creature's intestines. There was still some digested food left. It seemed like the organs moved slightly in a barely visible contraction...or maybe it was just the light.] [It was time to move away from that...decoration.]I’m not sure if the panda is there for any reason other than to show off obscene decadence. Maybe if we passed the occupation checks on the upcoming objects, we could have learned more from it.  [There was no chance of a flaw in the design, not in a building like this. It looked like a hatch.] [Gathered info] It had to be the sound-activated safe that Haggis had installed.-Try to open it [The safe was sound-activated. Such devices typically reacted to their owner's voice, but could also be tuned to something else.]Nothing more we can do about that for now.  Thank you. I hope you can help Fredo. Bye Timmy. Hang tough.Alfred and Timmy leave. I guess that's all we're getting out of him. -Infolia -Read [The article was about Pygmalion, the flagship BWI product. It allowed you to create living human psyches. I copied the rest to the Codex. I'd get back to it when I had more time.]It mostly just restates the same thing as the 'finance report' we collected earlier. -[Infotainer] Information about me [Infotainer] [I searched for information about myself. After all, I had once done a recording about artificial intelligence...] [Not a word.]-Computer A stream of stock market quotations appeared on the screen. The hardware was high-end - like everything else in these rooms.  -Panda Incorrect password. Upon a second failed attempt, the terminal will be locked for 48 hours.Oh well, let's leave it alone, best not to piss our employer off.  Anyway, we have enough evidence to lock in our decision.  This unlocks a new path, but we'll need more data before we have a clue about where to proceed.  Mr Haggis, I've made my decision. [Gathered info] Fredo might be inside the adults-only world Twisted and Perverted. You know, the one combining sex and violence. I should look for him there.Haggis sighed. That's what I was afraid of. Do your thing. The access fee for that virtualium will be taken care of. All expenses are on me.Before we hop in, let's do some investigative work on that couch. [The casing was slightly loose.]- Leave We really need to pick up some skills beyond having a silver tongue. Anyway, we're out of options, so let's hop into the darkest pit of depravity the web has to offer. Next update.
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Sep 9, 2022 08:00
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As we enter the world of Twisted and Perverted, a kaleidoscopic whirlwind of colors and sounds surrounds us, a phantasmagorical wonderland of pleasure and pain and pure sensation far beyond the capacity of a mere human mind to comprehend. The sheer sensory assault of simply existing here rends our very soul to dust. We may never be the same again.  Just kidding, it’s a crappy city street. That's our in-game HUD for our current world. It doesn't do much, but it does tell us that we have a perfect K/D ratio of 0/0, and also we have a gun. Above us, there’s a bulletin board that lets us download a copy of the rules into our codex.  tl;dr: - No minors - Anyone who doesn't opt out will be recorded at all times - You can only log out at certain 'refuge' points - Please practice proper RP, gunning down randos in the street is NOT what this game is about  We also have an advertising blurb in our codex. Note that last paragraph at the bottom - just about every other sensation is implemented, except for pain. Firstly, that seems like the opposite of a selling point to anyone who would actually be interested in this game. Secondly, that’s going to make a couple of upcoming plot points a lot wilder.  We cross the street and immediately get into an altercation. Dude, leave me alone!The man was talking to the tall guy in a dark coat, but he glanced at me as if asking for help.  You cheating bastard! And who's that? Your bodyguard? Hey! Help me out! Dude's a psycho! Shut up! And you, chief...He looked at me, drawing his weapon. Stay out of this.-Stop him -Kill Ken -Kill Zed -Let him die Maybe there's a way to talk our way out of this one? Take it easy, gentlemen! We can surely reach some kind of agreement. What is there to talk about?! That drat- [Zed sniffed the smoke from the gun barrel. He had the smile of a madman.]-Reason with him -Kill Zed You know, that hardly seemed like proper RP. We should probably talk to him about that. Relax, buddy. Let's not make any rash decisions. Tell me, what... Ow.  When we get back to the same location, both Zed and Ken are gone, though Ken is still around. If we had chosen not to intervene - or took too long to do so - Ken would have gone on a tirade and eventually shot Zed, before standing around steaming mad. We do have someone else to talk to, though.   You seem like the only normal person in this whole circus, and I have a sensitive problem... VERY sensitive. I'll just say it. I'm looking for my wife.-Leave -Investigate -Hear him out -Make a joke Tell me more. This is how it is. I've been standing here for an hour and can't find Rhonda anywhere. At the same time, I just know she's cheating on me.Turns out just standing around hoping for answers is not an effective investigation tactic. Who knew? - Say he's not looking right - Cut to the chase Let me tell you a little secret. If you want to find someone, you need to GO look for them. Go is the key word. Now let's cut to the chase. I'm a gamedec, and I need specific information.See, even Video James knows that. A gamedec? I've lucked out! I was told that she plays here often and has quite the results. Ugh.-Mention your rate I'm a gamedec. Get it? I don't work for free. drat...I'm a little short on money right now. But maybe we can come to some other arrangement, eh?-Ask for his proposal I know Harvest Time very well. There's a gap in the code. I can tell you how you can exploit it. I'll take it.I personally wouldn't have, but apparently Video James disagrees. Phew, I knew we would find some common ground! So, will you help me? All right, I'll look for her. Really?! Thank you! There are some good people left in the world.- Ask him about himself Who are you, anyway? A loser! Can't you tell?- Ask about him being a loser A loser? I rarely hear someone being so critical of themselves.Says the man who thinks so little of his job that he thinks even Timmy could do it. What am I supposed to be like? My wife's running off to that...He desperately searched for the missing word. He finally gave up and sighed. You know where she's running off to!-Comfort him Hey, it happens. It's not the end of the world. No? No?! Just wait. I was tipped off that she hangs out here, doing awful things...So, I started looking for the location - it's some kind of exclusive level. I spent all my savings to get here, to this Sodom and Gomorrah...My own money.-Ask if the game is expensive It costs that much to get in here? It's pretty expensive, and I didn't get here right away because I'm a loser! The tipster wanted money, but I, a great designer, didn't want to pay. I started looking around alone. I told myself - Bob, you've been making games for years. You can't let yourself be fooled by dirty tricks.-Shrug -Listen Buddy, the paywall took me for a ride. I ended up in some premium events, and, like the loser I am, I had to go back to the tipster and pay. That's how I got here. Broke.Sounds like you just got ripped off, my dude. - Ask about his work So, you make games? I'd never touch an abomination like this one! But it doesn't matter. I was fired. Why did they fire you? Long story. I was working on harvest systems for Harvest Time, and they gave me an AI assistant. I trained it, taught it, adjusted it...and then they finally let me go. Too bad they didn't tell me earlier. I wouldn't have spent all that money on looking for my wife.- Ask about his wife - Ask about her handle Do you know the handle she uses? There was something in the anonymous letter. Uh, "Horny" or something....that's not a lot to go on. -Mention her skin Do you know the skin your wife is wearing? SKIN? On top of everything, she's wearing people's SKIN?! I meant a skin. You know, a gaming avatar. It's like - Oh, I know what a skin is. I thought you were talking about another fetish - humans skinned alive. I have no idea what she looks like here.-Mention her preferences Does your wife have any special sexual preferences? Any fetishes? The letter said 'she's into some strange things' and 'likes to push the limits'. How can you 'push the limits' in a world like this?I'm not sure I want to find out either, but a job's a job. It also said, "Everything with everything with everyone and everything." Ugh...I don't even want to think about it. Listen, I'm looking for someone. Maybe - Anything to do with Rhonda? God, I don't even want to think about it!Well, we can't rule it out, but we also can't say for certain. No, a different case. But I agreed to help you, so maybe you could help me? Yeah, all right...I'll try.-Ask about Fredo's skin I'm looking for a young man with access to money, okay? Did you see anyone in an expensive skin? Something top-of-the-line? A while ago, I saw two guys and a woman. One kept looking around, but the other seemed to like it here. The first had a cool skin. They called him Flapdoodle. I...damnit! I can't focus! what could she be doing now?-Answer professionally -Scold him -Say nothing -Comfort him An investigation needs time and intelligence. Trust me.Might as well solve this sidequest before we question him any further, we're not going to get much out of him like this.  Up the street, three old men are huddling around near a burning barrel and having a conversation.   We value hospitality. Come, have a drink with us.He offered me a bottle smelling of strong liquor. -Drink -Refuse Not this time. I came here to talk.The drink is spiked with a cheat code. If we drink it, it briefly paralyzes us and exposes our personal data, which Panisantor downloads before telling us to be more careful and releasing us. -[Low City] Comment on the tattoos Your tattoos depict relics from the Undercity. Are you a scavenger? They're drawn from holophotos of the objects I brought back. A commemoration of my greatest finds. I'm too old now. But Ramona, my granddaughter, can poach even better loot. She takes after me, little devil.He spoke with obvious pride. -Ask about his age You have an old avatar. Is this some sort of fetish? The skin is a statement! In my time, you could sneer at lots of groups - immigrants, the ugly, or anyone fornicating with the wrong people. Nowadays, everyone's accepted except for us! The old are eliminated! They're supposed to grow young again or disappear in Low City to die out of sight. Horrid ageism. That's why I plan to flash my wrinkles at everyone! IF they don't like it, screw them! Figuratively. And literally, I hope.-Say you're looking for Fredo I'm looking for a new player. He logged in about two days ago. He had a horrendously expensive skin. I saw two kids log in together. One joined the trolls for a while and wandered around T&P like a stench around Low City. It was a pleasure hunting them. You have to play nice in other virtualia. Trolls are players too, supposedly. Here, I can lurk with a brick and ambus them from behind.-[Infotainer] Ask who they were You seem to be a frequent visitor here. I'm sure you know everyone. Who are these trolls? They're not our trolls! It's a gang cruising from world to world, bugging people. You raise kids like they're made of glass and... Do you even know what glass is? Anyway, they can't cope with realium or virtualia. They wandr aimlessly, five seconds in every world. I miss them, I could use a hunt.He's done talking, so we move on to the next one.  [He stilled when I came near. His sleepy gaze noticed me and he sprung into a more upright position.] Wanna fight?!-Don't fight I didn't come here to engage you in combat. I have a business- Too bad...everyone wants to do business! They order, buy, pay... Nobody wants to fight. Not even rob me! You're discriminating against the old!-Ask what he's selling What do you have for sale? [He eyed me suspiciously and waited as if he expected to hear a secret password.]-Improvise one Hmm...show me your wares? You must have mistaken this game for another.-Move on to the investigation I'm looking for a kid in an expensive skin. Logged in with a friend. Their behavior probably stood out. Their behavior stood out...That's putting it mildly. The brats caused mayhem and vanished. That's all I know.That's KTA exhausted, one left.   [His face wrinkled into a warm smile as soon as he met my gaze.] Hey there, good looking! I'm Trepanator.His calm eyes held a hypnotizing joy. Given the nature of this game, I'm not sure whether that's supposed to be metaphorical or literal. [Low City] [He extended his hand to me the way people used to in the old days. Only the oldest Low City inhabitants remembered the custom.] [I shook his hand.]According to a quick Google search, the handshake dates back to prehistoric times. I’m not sure about a century would be long enough for the custom to be near completely forgotten. -Mention his avatar Interesting choice of avatar. Extremely unusual. I know. It stands out for its refined simplicity. But I gather that's not what you had in mind. Go ahead, be nosy all you want. You wouldn't be the first person to shamelessly pry.His smile was disarmingly honest. Or he was an exceptional actor. Your avatar looks very natural. Most of the players use the opportunity to beautify themselves. You mean to ask why I chose to look like a fossil? You don't have to coddle me.He stared at me from under his bushy eyebrows and smiled. For me that'd be a compliment. I paid a small fortune for the avatar.He laughed heartily upon seeing my confusion. -Say it's an interesting choice - Say it's an interesting fetish - Ask about the price. You had the means to become anyone you wanted and you chose an old man with liver spots and a broken nose. Not all that glitters is gold, good-looking. Although I do appreciate the way you look here. I have features here you've never dreamed of. My blood tastes like strawberries! I've always liked them.He pondered something thoughtfully. So far I've only seen one player here with an avatar of this class. Why did you choose such an avatar? It offers me a semblance of what it's like in the real world. A normal life, you know? It's an estimate of how I'd look if I had the chance to grow old. You didn't have the chance to grow old? What do you mean? I died. And I was reborn. I'm free from pain, exhaustion, and all the humdrum problems of everyday existence.  How do you earn money if you can only function in virtualia? I manufacture cheats, the old type. Nobody else is doing it anymore so they're selling like crazy. They're all secured from external examination. They'll just self-delete, so they're practically untraceable. 99.999% success rate. There was only one case in my entire career when someone traced me. How come someone traced you? She was an even bigger fossil than I was. Used a DDOS on my emergency access gate to the virus. So naturally, I wasn't prepared for that. What year were they from? 2040? That method has been obsolete for decades.-Ask about his death How did you die? I'm almost embarrassed to say...My overconfidence killed me. I was young and stupid and I overestimated my own skills. A lot. I wanted to join the Painers, the famous gaming team. I broke into Happy Hunting Grounds to show off and dazzle them with my skill. I used and untested cheat. By the time they reached my flat, necrosis had already set in. Panisantor was gracious enough to pay to have my brain saved.-Comment on his happiness Despite all that, you seem quite content. It's just...I've been a gaming nomad all my life. I have a second chance thanks to the boys. They made the rendan transfer possible for me, even though I was an insignificant brat back then. Now my brain rests in a safe. I do dream of seeing realium again sometimes. I miss some places. But I can't afford a mobrium. How long has your body been dead? My avatar shows my correct age. I died before my voice changed. … [I didn't know what to say.] It wasn't so bad. Puberty in Twisted & Perverted has its perks. I could show you a thing or two.-I know enough -Say no way Not to boast, but if anyone was to do the teaching, it would probably be me.He flashed a cunning smile. I think we should check which one of us is right. Preferably in a cozy, secluded place with no interruptions.Yeah, that's enough of this topic. -Ask about Panisantor's granddaughter I hear Panisantor's afraid of his own granddaughter. Yep! He's hiding because she forbade him from playing here. She's not gentle. At times even I feel...let's call it a nervous respect for her. She's right. His heart's not what it used to be and he could drop dead of excitement, which is easy to come by. You know that, right? Or should I show you? Could you tell me more about her? What can I tell you? She's a slick chick. Never got to know her closely. KillThemAll might have more to say about her.-Ask about Fredo I'm looking for a kid. He might have attracted attention with the way he behaved. Have you seen anything unusual? Stop looking for kids and pay attention to elders. Experience and skill are more important when having fun.He winked at me. Fine, there was one guy like that. Had a fitting handle - Tugay Bey. Made some noise at the entrance to the level through the subway. Wasn't worth my time. Can you tell me more about him? I keep telling you, that's the wrong person to take an interest in. You're in Twisted and Perverted. Go on, experiment a bit.-Stick to the investigation -Maybe after the case I have a job to do - rescuing the kid. Let me see...He must be someone important, because he had someone hovering over him the whole time. What else? He entered with a friend. The latter had a funny name, too. Flapdoodle, that's what it was.That's all we get from him, but as we turn to leave - [Relations] How about you come back here after you find your kid? I could show you around the virtualium. You want to show this game world to me? That or a different one. I've spent my life in virtualia. I know a lot about them. I'd gladly show a couple of places to a cutie like you.-Refuse -Make a date Sure, what the hell. We can always livestream it for content down the line. I always wanted to learn how zoenets see the world. Relaxing after the case in some pleasant virtualium sounds good.He seemed happy with my reply. Hurry up, then. I'm not growing old but that doesn't mean I want to wait for eternity.That's all we get out of the old men for now, so time to head downwards.  Excuse me? Her eyes were cold and completely sober.  Only two kinds of people log in here. First, there are those who know what they want. They seek pleasure in exploring their fantasies. They are ready for it. -Ask if she's Bob's wife You look like someone I'm searching for. Are you married to Bob Zappa? No. When I saw that pathetic man lurking here today, I understood why his wife decided to spend her days here.Ouch. She’s not wrong, though. -Ask about sex You said you helped people explore their sexual fantasies. Sometimes. I am good at it, but I doubt you are a partner suitable for me to play with. [Her arrogant gaze appraised me.]-Ask who is -[Infotainer] Check who was -Chat her up [I checked who she played with recently. I went through the game's marketing stream with a facial recognition algorithm set to the skin she was wearing. On each of the holophotos she was with someone different. Only one showed her with someone wearing a skin less than extravagant. Ramon. She bossed him around.] [I spotted her last date.] Who is Tugay Bey? Oh, I never kiss and tell. Especially to scruffy-looking strangers.Rude. It does raise a question, though – are we actually using our regular body as an avatar in this game or not? We appear to be, but that could just be an abstraction. I don’t think the game ever makes it clear. -Ask about her helping people You mentioned you help people find meaning. Here?I couldn't hide the irony. Why? Because meaning is only where you see it, gamedec? It is in places like this that meaning may be needed most. Our clan gives people access to truths about life they so desperately need. Your mind is closed more than a BWI vault, so you might have problems understanding. -Say you're looking for Fredo I'm looking for a player. A new one. And I am searching for attractive ones. Seems as though none of us will get what we want in this conversation. [I left without another word. We had nothing to talk about.] Nothing more on this side of the street but a fancy red car, which we can look at but doesn't tell us much.  We cross the street and immediately find ourselves in a conversation. I think so... I'm glad, handsome. I think we should continue this conversation somewhere more private.-Interject -Listen Give me your deets. We'll meet somewhere in realium and talk further. Or closer. He smiled roguishly. That sounds like a good idea.A unicorn appears out of thin air.  What the hell is that? A talking horse? Oh, I beg your pardon! I'm a unicorn. Ignore him. Focus on me, handsome. A unicorn that knows magic tricks! Do you want to see? You're not going to leave us alone, are you? Not until you watch the trick! Come on, choose a card!-Say you want to look at the trick -Observe Okay, let's see the trick. Great! As he speaks, a flash of purple smoke engulfs the three of them and they all vanish. Guess we're not getting anything out of Ramon for the moment.  Above Ramon, we find Ken still brooding. I'll ask you one question. Think carefully before you answer...Are you a drat troll?-Deny -Say you're a gamedec -[Low City] Say that you're from Low city -Confirm I'm a regular Low City dweller. Like you.He smiles wryly. I thought I got rid of the manners of the lower walkways, and yet... You just found yourself a friend!-Ask Ken about himself So in general, who the hell are you? Give me something to think about.He exhaled loudly through his nose. So you don't know me, huh? A few hours ago, I was 'a rising Goodabads star.' There was an important match, my way to a great career, but it went to poo poo because of a few trolls.-Ask about the match What's the deal with this match? I was about to score. Then some trolls appeared with a strange structure. I froze, lost my seal. So I rage quit. Probably ruined my career. Now I want revenge. I'm looking for them now.All that stuff about Ken Zhou at the start of the game? It happened a few hours ago. Ken has been on a virtual tear since then, scouring the net for trolls in order to…frankly I’m not sure what his plan is here. -Ask about his career You're in e-sports? I play Goodabads. I'm pretty good - immune to pain. This match was loving important, with sponsors watching. And I blew it. loving trolls. So as I mentioned earlier, we got a Codex entry on Goodabads at the start of the game, which does very little on clarifying what Goodabads is. We’ll learn more about it over the course of the game, but there’s really only two things we can definitively say about it: -It’s a football-like game(?) where at least one objective is to get some kind of seal from one point to another -The players play under excruciating amounts of pain, with higher levels being some sort of score multiplier. It’s hard to tell what the game is actually like or how the game is played because the second point is the only thing people will ever talk about whenever it comes up. They don’t talk about cool maneuvers, or particularly interesting tactics, or notable feats of athleticism or skill. All they talk about is ‘yeah, it was real impressive when That Guy cranked up the pain to ‘dipped in boiling acid’, but did you see how Our Guy cranked theirs up to ‘eyeballs broiled in lava’?’ This is, by all accounts, one of the most popular esports of the 22nd century. Ken’s particular skill is not any sort of finesse or mastery of the game – it’s his near-inhuman capacity for pain tolerance. As a reminder, there’s no pain implemented in Twisted and Perverted, the game about sex, murder, and sexy murder, but the most popular esports game in the world is literally built around it. -Ask about the trolls But how were the trolls involved? I saw them, grinning and malicious. I tracked them here to a dead end. Zed is my only lead. Investors must be furious. Leaving mid-match, what was I thinking? I logged out in the middle of the game. So embarrassing.He didn’t stew over this for a while or anything. He got trolled, messed up the match, and literally logged out mid-match to go on a virtual troll hunt without delay. -Ask about Bob Zappa's wife I need to find this one guy's wife. I see you're a person of many talents. A gamedec, a matchmaker...what else are you hiding? You a culinary prodigy? Maybe you collect beads?Half the people we meet seem to recognize us as a gamedec right away. In this universe that’s probably explained by Video James constantly livestreaming his cases, but it’s more questionable in other cases. Maybe we’re just wearing a badge that says ‘HELLO I AM A GAMEDEC’ but never think to mention it. He was looking at me with a cheeky smile. Sorry, just messing with you. Did this client of yours provide any details?Well, we really don't have a lot to go on, but... -Mention her skin -Mention her handle -Mention her preferences Zappa said they call her 'horny'. I'm not sure if he meant that as a handle, or... Yeah, chief, probably everyone is in here. Wait, Zappa is looking for her? What do you know! There is such a woman. Her handle is 'Hor Ney'. I saw her a few times, north of the subway entrance, I believe. Good detective work, right?…well, that was easier than expected. - Ask about Fredo I'm looking for a kid. In realium he's a son of a wealthy businessman. His name is Fredo Haggis. My cheats are not good enough to see a player's real name. What nick did he use? I don't know yet. But I'll find out. We have the option to ask him to be our sidekick, but we'll hold off on that for now.  Heading up, we see two women talking in front of the Subway.  I have a question for you. - [Infotainer] Flirt I overheard you talking about skins, and damnit, you've piqued my interest. You have sublime taste. It's a rare thing here. Vifon skins - amazing! And only for the chosen - most can't tell the difference. They think flashing a tit or cracking a whip is enough to make people go crazy. Appearance isn't everything. The skins have customizable blood - you can choose how it tastes. Have you ever seen anyone with such a skin? Yeah, but I've never tasted one. It's probably only a matter of time. A kid named Tugay Bey was intoxicated, so he'll be easy to get to.- Mention Bob Zappa's wife [Gathered info] I'm looking for a certain woman. Everyone knows her here. They call her...horny. Horny? They're almost all - Oh, you mean Hor Ney! Honey, I doubt she'll be interested in you. She's out of your league.I still can’t believe this is the actual solution to this ‘puzzle’. -[Infotainer] Ask where she hangs out -Ask where she hangs out Babe, get your facts straight first! Ignore the skin, look deeper! Let me know where I can find her, and we can verify 'my league'. Wow, you're so sensitive. She's a complete wacko! I doubt you'd want to hang out with her. Such psychos aren't worth your time. She usually hangs around the alleys with shady guys. Let it go. It's a completely different story. Unless you're into stuff bordering on the dark web.- Ask about Fredo I'm looking for a kid who was around here with a friend. They may have been acting strangely - it was their first time. I don't know what they looked like, but they probably had top-of-the-line skins. The kid's friend might have been a little frightened. Know anything about them? Oh, that guy - Maybe we do, maybe we don't. Who are you, anyway?- Lie about being a relative - [Infotainer] Get creative - Say you're a gamedec I'm a gamedec. I'm conducting an investigation. So what do you want with him?- Say he did something bad - Say he's in danger I need to find him as quickly as possible. He's in danger. Like everyone in this game, you silly person. Real danger. Should we care? Sure, two kids with dumb handles were hanging out - Tugay Bey and Flapdoodle. The first made quite a commotion. Should've been beaten up for it. Dicks like that always get away with everything.- Ask about the Hon Clan They were having a speech-bubble conversation about it earlier, but we missed it. I heard you say something about some clan...what clan were you talking about? The Hon Clan in Knight's Code, sweetheart. Have you ever wondered about the point of human existence? [The woman sounded like an informercial.] Have you ever wondered if there is a higher power in charge of everything? Is reality really as we see it? [I couldn't get drawn into sectarian babble.] Of course, every intelligent person starts to look for something deeper at some point in life.-Ask how they ended up in the clan How did you end up in this organization? The Hon clan only accepts prominent people. Nothing more, nothing less.We’ll find out later that this is a lie (although I’m sure you could have already guessed that). Anyway, that’s it for this update. So far we’ve met: -several people recruiting for their cult/MMO guild/pyramid scheme -an unemployed game dev complaining about his wife -some grumpy old men griping about how good the kids these days have it -a washed-up esports star hunting trolls on the internet because he has nothing else to live for Just like a real MMO. There’s still some people left to talk to, but we’ll be meeting them next update.
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Sep 10, 2022 10:55
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 Before we head upwards, we see Ramon log back in and walk back to the corner, so let's go talk to them. Have you seen...It's you! You're working with the unicorn guy! You've wasted so much of my time! I'd been working this guy for four hours when you came. He got spooked and ran off! Umbra's going to flip out!-[Infotainer] Make him talk I'm a gamedec. Best in the business. Answer my questions and I'll owe you one. It's a privilege not many have enjoyed.He laughed in my face. You mean I answer your questions and you'll owe me? That's some bullshit right there.- Ask about Fredo I'm looking for- Do I look like a help desk to you? I don't think so. I'm busy with my own problems and I have zero time to deal with yours. There's this player situation I need to take care of. I meant to do it after meeting my quota, but the loving horse ruined everything!-Help with the "player situation" I can help you with the 'player situation'. This will save you some time and you... Can give you the information you need? Deal. I need you to find somebody for me. The job's easy. I even have a locator. Who is this man? He's somebody who doesn't listen to what's being said to him. I need to straighten him out for good.- Say you should talk - Say you understand I understand. Give me the locator. Great. Find him and bring him to me. If he tries to fight, just kill him. But listen. Try to be gentle. We now have a locator around us. If we follow the arrow it points to...  Are you sure you won't have a drink with us? Not this time. I came to talk. I meant to tell you...-Say you want to show him a unicorn -Say you're taking him to Ramon -Shoot him I saw a troll wearing a unicorn skin. He set off purple explosions and acted like an idiot. Want to see? I wondered what those loud blasts were...Let's go! I love hunting trolls. [The veteran immediately took to the idea of hitting someone.]We head over to the corner and...  Look who's talking! You lied when you told me you wouldn't log in here anymore. [The veteran forgot about me. All his attention was on Ramon.] And you promised me you'd be a good granddaughter. It seems we were both less than honest. [He seemed to enjoy the banter.] Grandpa, you can't play so much! It's dangerous for you, even more so with the gear you're using. At your age- Don't teach a troll how to swear. I was playing with bad gear while you were still logging into cartoons. Precisely my point! The longer you do, the more dangerous it gets. And your body isn't able to withstand so much anymore! And yours is? Barely older than a toddler and...He fell silent upon seeing his granddaughter's reaction. [At the mention of his body, Ramon reflexively grabbed his own arm. He avoided Panisantor's gaze.] I was just looking out for you. Should I not care? Fine! Don't be mad, kid. I'm glad you care. The veteran’s voice was suddenly soft and gentle. [Past choices] I'll log out now if you promise to visit me in realium tomorrow! We aren't done bickering.He smiled provokingly, and Ramon smiled back. Panisantor then walks away towards the subway entrance, and logs off. We can now talk to Ramon again.  -Ask what he's doing here You talk about quotas, about working people...what exactly do you do around here? I tell the truth to those who are ready to hear it. How do you know someone is ready? It's simple. I start by saying that we've all sensed there must be something more. That this world couldn't have been created by accident. I talk and observe their reactions. If they listen attentively, I tell them the truth.-Ask about the 'truth' What is the truth that you tell? Fewer and fewer people die, but more and more can't see the point of living any longer. You'd expect gods to show up more often. You don't think the world came to exist by itself, that it's a coincidence? With the right attitude, purity, and ritual, it's possible to communicate with gods.-Ask about the rituals What rituals are there? Purity is key. Don't look at me like that! I mean spiritual, not physical. Fasting and meditation...I don't know, I could only do it once.-Ask about those who aren't ready You tell the truth to those who are ready to hear it. What about those who aren't? I assess their bank balance and if they're worth it, I bullshit them. Don't look so offended. We need to make money somehow. You can't even imagine the extent of human stupidity. They won't accept the truth, but they'll pay for a luck buff. Just in case.-Say he's a true believer It's not a scam for you. You're really dedicated to this idea. You don't know how it is. It's survival of the fittest in Low City. The clan is the first place I've had a chance. It gives me hope.-Ask what grandpa would say Panisantor doesn't mind that you're in a clan? He wouldn't dare tell me what to do with my life! [He pretended to protest, but his face lit up at the mention of his grandpa.] Grandpa is getting older. He keeps saying he can't afford a BLB and that I should expect him to be gone soon. He sees the clan as helpful.-Say this is no world for religion You talk about truth, about purity...Twisted and Perverted is not exactly the best virtualium for these things. Purity should be taught to the sullied. It's them who need it. We're present in many worlds, but most players log in here because they're looking for something. They're open to the unfamiliar and rolling in money. We pay for skins and subs because it pays off. We have so many recruits and donations that Lord bought a theater. We've lost it now, but it was a big deal.That's all we can get out of Ramon for now. We can ask if Ramon is Bob's wife, but we’ve pretty much already confirmed that’s not the case.  We still have a couple more areas to check out, but let's check out the area above the subway first.   ...else. [She addressed the last sentence to me, winking encouragingly.]-Show interest -Refuse -Say nothing I'd rather not get into whatever you two are doing. Oh come on! It won't hurt a bit! She smiled at me suggestively. It's adorable and all, Rhonda, but...how do I put it? The butterflies in my magical tummy seem a tiny bit inappropriate. I'm sorry my friends, farewell!The unicorn disappears. Thank goodness. Hmph. It seems my friend didn't like you either. I think we'll have to say our goodbyes.-Ask about the horse -Ask about sex -Ask about Rhonda Let's...stay far away from those first two topics. [Gathered info] So your name is Rhonda? How do you - oh, you heard the unicorn addressing me. I would prefer you to call me by my handle. Seriously, I'll take care of you later, but for now let me spend some time with the horse.-Mention the husband Sorry for doing this to you, ma'am. Oh! I almost forgot. When Bob Zappa asks, "Why is my Rhonda doing this to me?!", what should I tell him? Oh, for crying out loud. I guess we do need to talk.-Ask about her I'd like to know some more about you. What can you tell me about yourself? What's there to tell? We're in 'Twisted' and I'm also trying to be a bit 'Perverted'.-Mention her husband's case Your husband wants me to confirm you're here. Consider it confirmed - Rhonda Zappa spends plenty of time in a disgusting virtualium for deviants! Do you have any idea how he'll react? It'll never end! Listen, I have a counteroffer for you. Tell him it's not true. Convince him he's wrong and I'll owe you....well, since they're clearly not talking to each other at the moment, no harm playing both sides of the field for now. -Agree -Refuse -Say you'll think about it Sure, I'll get him out of your hair. Wow! Thanks, you have no idea how much it means to me.Back to Bob we go.  -Tell the truth -Lie and say that his wife is not playing T&P [Gathered info] Buddy...your wife's playing T&P. Oh, god! Everything's going to hell! Could you...could you tell me what she's doing here?-Say she's playing -Say she's cheating -Say it doesn't matter She's playing the game. T&P is unusual, but it's still a game. You're a designer, you should understand. Maybe you're right. Maybe we can work it out somehow. [Relations] Okay, listen. If you ever need help in Harvest Time, say the password 'mycorrhiza' to the bartender and I'll sense you.-Ask about strange behavior Was anyone here acting strange? Taking into consideration the behavioural standards of T&P. People were yelling 'Flapdoodle, you idiot!' and 'Don't be mean, Tugay Bey!' I heard a shot, and people gathered. I didn't go - I just care about Rhonda. -Confirm it's done I've talked to Mr. Zappa. And? How did it go? I did what you asked. He won't be looking for you in T&P. Great! I'll have a serious talk with him sometime later. Looks like I owe you.-Mention your investigation I'm looking for a kid who really shouldn't be here. A rich, troubled boy. He probably came with a friend. Wait, there were two guys who made a mess here not so long ago. One had the handle 'Tugay Bey'. Quite bossy and rude to the other one. He had one of the priciest skins in the game. The 'we probably won't sell any of those, but if one sells, we're set for a long time' ones. There's still one...person we have yet to talk to. Despite disappearing earlier, he comes back whenever you re-enter the area. I'm no horse! He involuntarily started chewing the end of my coat, just as a horse would. What I am is a unicorn! And what unicorns do is bring magic and a glimmer of happiness to life! [That was the silliest skin I'd ever seen. Especially considering the wearer hadn't fully learned to operate the extra two legs and a tail.]He threw his head back and shook his tail. Come here! I'll show you a magic trick!Sure, what the hell. -Watch the trick [The last thing I needed was more magic in my life, but the horse seemed eager to show me the trick.] All right, let's see it.He bucked, tripping over his leg and just barely maintaining balance. Oh yes! Pick a card! [He offered a deck of cards with his teeth, the cards becoming more soaked in spit by the second.] Mmm?-Pick the right card -Pick the middle card -Pick the left card It doesn't really matter which card we pick. I pick this one. Great...Splendid! Now, focus on your card. Keep it close. [His face showed an expression more akin to a cunning fox than a horse.] We're engulfed in a cloud of purple smoke, immediately dying and respawning at the subway.  You don't look dead. Do you want to see a trick?-Ask about the skin I've seen a great many things, but...why this skin? That's not a skin, I'm a real unicorn! I prance around the world, have adventures, and bring magic and joy to people. Want to rub my horn?-Remind him that he's human -Rub the horn You're human, don't you remember? [I tried to speak softly. If he meant it, then he was in a bad spot.] You mean to tell me I'm not a real unicorn? Well, maybe you're not a real boy!He neighed, outraged. Maybe it was different once, but now I have the magical horn and I'll always prance with joy.He was sure of his magical horse identity. -Ask about the code that turns you into a horse Can you show me the script that was run when you became a unicorn? What script? What? I was always a unicorn. I emerged from the fantasies and good intentions of children! Pity. Because, you know, if I had a piece of code like that, maybe I could be a unicorn, or give it to someone who wanted to become one. The only thing that's better than one unicorn is two unicorns! He agreed wholeheartedly and gave me a card with the code - a joker. We now have the option to turn him back into a human, but only if we're a Sensory Surgeon. Apparently wearing a non-humanoid form for a significant amount of time causes brain damage, which probably explains why everyone’s avatar is so…restrained, even in Pervertland. -Say you're looking for Fredo I'm looking for a new player sporting an expensive skin. I saw two! Two is better than one! Tugay Bey was rudely yelling at Flapdoodle, who was behaving. Tugay Bey sure wasn't a rainbow friend. Did I help? Did I? I always help my rainbow friends. Let's find the one in the hat and prance on toward a new adventure! See you around. [He neighed goodbye.] That's everyone talked to, and that's about all I can get out of them for now. We need to make a deduction to proceed.  This one isn't too hard.  I haven't been mentioning it every time, but we've earned quite a few stat points over the last few conversations. Most have been yellow, since we've been focusing on charming up people. Blue points seem hard to get - you get them mostly by showing restraint (i.e. backing off whenever you have an opportunity to push further), sticking to the rules, and generally being a buzzkill. It goes against both the player's instinct to see everything and the snoopy nature of a detective.   We pick up Sleeves, and level up our influencer skills.  Now that we've made our deductions, we can proceed with further questioning about 'Tugay Bey'. Not everyone has something to say, so let's just do a quick round of the ones which do. I asked him about Rhonda, but he told me to go gently caress myself because he had a date with some chick in some 'remote location.' Or something like that. And that would be all. Tugay...Yeah, I did here something. Apparently he wanted to find a secluded place for him and his girl. There is an alley here, a dead end. Supposedly, strange things happen in there. I think he was going to some secluded place with his lady. I'm not sure where. I've been quite busy, as you know. But there is this alley in the southern part of the area. People go there when they want to experience something without prying eyes. Yeah, we saw him groping some random chick. I don't know what he saw in her. They were looking for a place, if you know what I mean.We've also unlocked another line of questioning for Mia. Would your clan notice a player wearing a very expensive skin? Sure, but money isn't everything. The clan doesn't just take - it mainly gives. Nice turn of words, sister. We welcome all lost souls. What does your clan offer to those lost souls? The truth, sweetheart. What truth? About reality, about life...About the meaning of existence. About the fact that nothing is as it seems. About gods. About the fact that life is more than just gaming, sleeping, making GBS threads and buying. It's not just another technofaith. The Hon Clan walks the path of discovery. We discover reality without the limits imposed by the mind and community. Well, we haven't filled out all the evidence, but the answer seems pretty definite from what we have. Making the alley deduction unlocks some more investigative dialogue: Not my area, and I'm not sure anyone is debugging there right now. But ask the old guys. They probably see whoever goes in and out of there. That alley? No, we don't play there. But there's one guy who always hangs out there. His name is Trepanator. Ugh, he gives me the chills. Ask him. A bugged alley, chief? The one in the south? Haven't checked it out yet, but people are talking. If it's as broken as they say, then you'll want to start with a developer stack. It should be hidden there. Come on - I'm hiding here so no one can get to me, and you're asking me about back streets? As far as I know, there is one guy - Trepanator. A scary dude. He often hangs around there, ask him. What? An Alley? No, I'm more stationary these days. My friend, Trepanator, visits it from time to time. Ask him. -[Sleeves] Mention his shady business Hold on. You have your business. I have mine. I don't want to presume anything about yours, but I really need something. Experience tells me it's prudent to begin the search by asking this level's big shot. I don't know what happened, but a bunch of admins occupied the alley yesterday. If I were you, I'd look for a developer stack. There's bound to be one in there. If something went wrong, the cause would be recorded there.The other two approaches get us stat points, but no new information. The game evens out that way - using occupations whenever you can tends to be the 'best' solution, but alternative options, while suboptimal, tend to be more stat-lucrative, allowing you to unlock occupations quicker.  Let's visit this alley. We could access it earlier, but we had no reason to investigate then.  There's a trash can here. All that's inside is a mine. All we can do with the mine is blow ourselves up with it. -[Deduction] Look for the developer stack [Developers often leave access points to their tools in characteristic and easy-to-find scenery objects. This can might have been one of them. I decided to check the code.] [The code's comments said Janek hated creating garbage and there were 617 unique trash can models in the game. But nothing about the stack.] -The aestheticizing of reality [...how people need beauty, the kind they create. Realium and virtualia are becoming more attractive due to anonymous activity, often AI. People want to create something to express themselves, to stress that the individual means something among twenty billion people.] [Graffiti did exactly that in the lower layers of the polis. "I am." "I exist." "I mean something.]That gets us a green point. 'Indifference' gets us red, 'vandalism' gets us blue, and 'art' gets us yellow. [Graffiti usually means something else as well in virtualia: "This place is different."]-Inspect [The graffiti didn't look like it was made by AI. The stains and sloppy curves were proof that it was made by a human.]-Look for the developer stack [Graffiti was sometimes created by game devs. It pointed to a nearby developer stack. I turned on my deck and started looking for a familiar Chi-Tong sequence.] [I finally discovered signs of the tool. I removed the line responsible for transparency and saw the access panel.] [Low City][...a cart used by early-century food services. Some Low City eateries still used them. The horizontal windows flashed and protruded slightly where I held my hand. The stack was on.]-Show operation history [I moved my fingers along the window edges and selected recent operations. Just two results. The login screen and a local scan.]-Show local scan [There was a scan that was stopped. The report covered the list of errors that blocked it. There were tons of defects at this level, many big enough to cause glitches, but the program had applied a filter to make them invisible. I turned off the filter.] It's hard to see, but this makes a flickering blue glow appear below us. -Show login screen [Admin TPA-06M was still logged into the device and was probably somewhere nearby.]-Show logged-in user [I needed to display the admin.] The blue holographic figure is trapped in a loop, just walking back and forth across the alley. -Check developer tools [I touched the right window. It required additional authorization.] The blue holographic figure is still strolling around. We can't interact with them.  We actually have enough points to unlock the third influencer tier, but for now we'll pick up Scalpel first. This early in the game, more choices are locked behind lower-tier occupations than higher-tier ones.  -Consider it logically [A manifestation of the code, like all other in-game creations. But this code was flawed, so it looked like a strange spatial distortion.] [I felt a vibrating pain inside my head. Initially distant, it drilled deeper with every second.]-Examine [My deck recognized some object in the center of the glitch. It was a dagger. It flashed and its level of transparency changed.]-Touch the glitch [I moved my hand closer. It seemed cold and sharp. When it cut through my skin, my head exploded with a torrent of sounds. A pulse shot through my veins, burning like molten lead. It whirled inside my stomach and shot out toward other errors in the alley.] [It ended. The glitches faded and I was whole again. I learned the locations of the system's weak points but had trouble remembering them.] This causes a bevy of glitch spots to show up on the path. We need to touch the ones that lit up when we examined the glitch - wrong ones reset our progress. The glitch spots are very close together and it's hard to spot all of them unless you're standing at the right angle, but fortunately we have unlimited tries and can try touching the glitch to get the right ones to show up again.  Touching all three materializes the hologram. The admin whispered something, mechanically entering commands in windows I couldn't see. ...again, don't panic, open the window, enter... Why can I speak and hear myself?She saw me and froze, hands shaking like she was delirious.  -Ask if she's okay Are you okay?She fumbled as she tried to quickly touch her thumb with successive fingers. She did it twice. Her middle finger froze while contracting. Been better. I probably still need some time before I can fully regain my motor skills, but...generally? I'm good.She thought for a moment and shuddered. Definitely better than in that crap hole.-Ask what happened What happened here? I wish I knew. It was just another call, and then we fell into some damned trap... Tell me about the call. The subway gates reported that minors were trying to log in. Two people. Jeremiasz took the harder cases, and I came here and fell into this damned loop. The loop - what do you think about it? I've never seen anything like it. It looked like code from at least a few different companies. Just like...No, that's dumb.- Give up - Insist - [Infotainer] Tell her to cheer up Come on. In my first podcasts, I always used to say, "Foolishness is my specialty! Like and subscribe!" That didn't get me too many followers. What I mean is that you can tell me anything. I won't judge you. Listen. The loop shouldn't work - this code is screwed up. And don't think I'm crazy, but I think I saw a...jester. With a jester hat. -[Infotainer] Tell your story Wait, you mean THAT Jester? I was creating a report about him. Best creepypasta in the network's history! [I assumed a theatrical position and lowered my voice.] Have you heard the ballad of Jester? The player damned by the network and corporations after getting stuck in- I heard a different version of this story. Want to hear it? Tell me about it. All right. Ages ago, we created the Internet. Then the urban monitoring systems, social media and full virtualia. We scanned brains, created diginets. People. And most of this knowledge is online. Programs communicate and watch. They don't assign meaning, aren't self-aware...-Cut to the chase -Listen -Say it's nonsense Been going on for years. They're observing and gathering data without understanding. Mindless learning. Random links are increasing, starting to form something. Some complex, multidimensional structures like those in our brains. We didn't understand them, but we knew that consciousness might emerge. Not like ours. Not based on millions of years of evolutionary brain structure, but on dynamic connections to hundreds of virtualia.Okay, we can cut to the chase now. Get to the point. I don't have time for stories. It's a curiosity. A ghost in the network. But it's just a stupid tale for young hackers, right?-Answer rationally -Answer with faith -Say it's nonsense -Answer agnostically The code used in virtualia created worlds similar to realium. Brahma copied realium. We can't dismiss the possibility of an anomaly.We get a codex entry for 'Brahma'. It's a simulation of the real world that zoenets live in. I don’t think it ever comes up as a plot point in the game. Well then, that's it for confabulations out of thin air...Now, if you'll excuse me, I have a job to do.She entered a few commands in a window I couldn't see and disappeared.  Now that the glitch is gone, the dagger is exposed too. [There were words engraved on the blade. 'We seek refuge...' or 'We need refuge...' and something else.]-Take a closer look [I picked up the weapon and carefully examined it. The blade was serrated and had an inscription. 'We seek refuge in the shade of its branches.' Not quite suitable for the vulgar atmosphere of T&P.] [There was a tree symbol shining on the dagger's head. The sign of the clan...]-Take [It dematerialized and disappeared.]So much for evidence. I actually missed this entire branch of events the first time I played - didn't notice the graffiti could be interacted with, missed the whole dev stack thing. I'm quite glad we got to see it this time - partly because of the plot-relevant conversation, but mostly because we learned Video James canonically has a creepypasta podcast.  Only one thing left to investigate here. -Take a closer look [I carefully inspected the stain. Hoofprints? There were no animals in T&P. But there were trolls...]-Taste it [I rubbed the dried-up gore with my fingertips, brought my hand to my lips, and tasted the collected secretion with the tip of my tongue. I tasted nothing besides the skin of my own budget avatar. There was no way this was the boy's blood - they had expensive skins.]Video James is still committed to good analysis and terrible hygiene, even in the virtual world. -Take a closer look [I carefully inspected the stain. Hoofprints? There were no animals in T&P. But there were trolls...] I found hoofprints in the alley. There's no chance anyone but you could have left them. What were you doing there? Tick sent me. I mean, the king of trolls. Unicorns always listen to trolls, especially ticks. [He spoke oddly. Being a unicorn didn't serve him well.] Someone sent you down an alley. You went and took something small. I saw the prints. I had to find the glitches and the girl. I only found a card with the glitch code. The king was fixated on the code and vanished. Maybe he'll return. At this point, we can't move forward unless we make a deduction. Either one works for progress, but since someone mentioned they wanted to see the trolls, let's go for that one. [Deduction] I'm looking for the trolls that roam this level of the game. I was a troll. Now I'm a unicorn. The trolls left with Tick through the portal behind the generator. That's where your colorful adventure begins! The portal's between the three old guys and the entrance, behind the generator. [He didn't share much valuable info.]-[Infotainer] Mention a magical creature My friend! Maybe the adventure started right here with you? In every good story, there's a magical creature waiting to reveal a tiny part of the mystery. Oh, I'll reveal something! Here's a magical encoded card. Use it next to the generator and your journey will follow the glittery trail!He took out a spit-covered king of spades. After a quick scan, I found a code on it. With this card, you can summon the king. Just call out: 'Oh king, enough chatter, open the gate through space and matter! Don't be a quitter, come wearing glitter!' [He spoke as if singing to power generators was the most ordinary thing in the world. Well, seems it was to him.] We can now interact with this generator. We could before, but couldn't do anything with it. If we didn’t manage to persuade the unicorn to hand over the card, there’s an alternate way of progressing by scavenging a ‘cheat code’ from the tire area to summon the trolls, but I’ve never gotten it to work myself. -Use the King of Spades [Gathered info] [I grabbed the card I got from the unicorn and recollected the words of the Unicorn's Magic Nursery Rhyme.]-Perform it theatrically -Perform it mechanically -Perform it quickly [I waved my arms and sang as if it were the performance of a lifetime. Pity there was no audience - I did so much better than the unicorn.] A portal opens up in the air and a dumpster materializes, being pushed by two people...  ...before disappearing into thin air. We now have a new objective to 'Talk to the Troll King'. This would be a good place to end the update, but let’s have a bit of extra fun first.  Sure thing, chief. Anything that'll keep me from thinking about my career. Meet the mighty troll king and his entourage. To the one person who was expecting literal trolls: sorry, but get used to disappointment.  Chief...Ken leaned in with a whisper loud enough to be heard across the street. -Listen -Shush him That's the noob who hosed up my match. Let me handle this. I have a plan!This is going to be terrible. I can't wait to watch. -Shush him -Agree -Tell him to wait Do what you must.Ken smiled casually, pushed up his glasses, straightened his shoulders, and put on a threatening look - in his opinion, at least. We meet again, troll.He spoke through clenched teeth, and then revealed his gun holster.  [The King raised his hand, finger pointing to the sky, ordering him to wait. He then looked for something in the recesses of the junk throne.]-Take initiative -Observe -Rebuke Ken This time I'm not prey. I came here as a hunter. Your trolling ends here and now. [The man finally pulled a can of beer from between the burned tires and opened it with a loud hiss.] Here comes the DARK AVENGER, the last fair man. I am VENGEANCE.He paused, losing composure. Then watched, completely disoriented, as the troll greedily drank up the beer.  lol. lmao. So much for the dark avenger. What can I do for ya?He addressed the question to me, pulling another can of beer from behind his back. Alright, we’ve had our fun. Time to make some actual progress on this case, next update.
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Sep 14, 2022 17:47
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Warning: some skeevy stuff in this update. Nothing too explicit, but, well, this entire quest has revolved around a kid being trapped in Pervertland. Not that anyone cared, but Ken is fine. Presumably, getting so thoroughly owned cooled him off a bit. Not that he was ever really going to accomplish anything, given that the entirety of his plan seemed to be 'shoot them' - in a world where pain is nonexistent and death is an instant respawn.  Anyway, time to talk to the Troll King. -Ask who he is Who are you, by the way? You wretched worm, forgotten by the might of Perun! How do you dare not knowing King Tick? I mean, how dare you! The freest of spirits! An outlaw! King of all trolls! Banned in almost - no! Literally in 72 worlds! You got that?-Investigate I'm looking for a kid - Fredo Haggis. He - I know where he is, and I can even help you get there. But first, you need to complete a quest.-Ask if there's another solution Look, I don't have time to play fetch quests. Maybe we can sort this out differently, huh? Why? Fetch quests are perfect for a king like me. They're cheap, straightforward, and can last for a long time. Like me. In the bedroom. What were we saying? So as you can tell, there's a few ways to get through this interaction. We actually have one of those alternate ways available to us right now - as a level 2 influencer, we're a big enough name that doing a puff piece on him is enough to get him to hand over the info we need. But let's do the fetch quest for the hell of it.  For the sake of brevity, let's just summarize the quest: - Find the red car - Bring the left mirror of the car to Herman - Bring the license plate of the car to Herman - Get a special nail from KillThemAll (He doesn't like it, but we remind him he owes us a favor for helping Panisantor out) - Nail the license plate to the spot where the mirror used to be  -Say you appreciate the trolling 'Asphalt seeds', huh? Okay, I admit - that's funny. And you got me, pranked a gamedec. Now, I have to get back to work.He burst out laughing and clapped his hands. It was fun, wasn't it? You've earned my trust. Maybe even a little bit of respect. Perun tells me that you deserve the support of Tick! Where's the kid? Fredo is in the theater. But we can't let you go in there like a plain noob, no, no...You passed King Tick's test with dignity! We trolled you beautifully. That's why I'll give you something special. There are elevators in the alley behind the theater. Use them and you'll give whoever holds the kid a gift fit for a troll!Incidentally, attempting to kill him just results in him teleporting the bullet back at us, but when we respawn he appreciates the chutzpah.  Anyway, we can use the elevator in this alley now. Well, one of us can, Ken's not coming along.  Entering the theater via the walkway, we see...Fredo repeatedly stabbing a woman on a large bed, and a little man in a jester costume wandering around the stage.  The jester will very noticeably pause under the walkway ropes as he walks, allowing you to get the jump on him fairly easily. Of course, he notices us while we slide down and teleports away, but that's better than nothing.  [It seemed that both were climaxing. That's what gets you the most points. That and a melee kill. Everything would have been fine if the ending were normal. The woman should have disappeared, but this was some kind of loop.] [He stabbed her. The woman lost. He stabbed her again, she lost...]-Examine [I scanned their vital signs. From what I could tell back by the couch, Fredo was holding up, but the woman...wasn't doing so well. Dying inside the game wasn't painful, but it was unpleasant. A nauseating feeling of the blade stabbing the body, and the presumably endless orgasm. The loop must have been weakening her. If this went on for much longer, it might not end well for her.]-Log the woman out [This could have painful consequences, but it was better than doing nothing. Hold on, lady...or dude. I really wasn't sure.]We can try forcefully logging Fredo out, but we get some pretty major hints that it's not going to be that easy, and warnings that it'll probably result in some pretty serious damage even if it works. As we log the woman out, both of them disappear, and...   The woman has been logged out. So predictable. Either way, look...Fredo is completely stripped of his avatar skin. This is his own realium self. Carnal. Sweaty. Fredo's a minor. He's killing a woman inside an adult game.-Keep calm What do you want? Everything you see here is recorded from every possible angle, and if Haggis doesn't do what I'm asking...the footage with the boy's full name will be published all over the Net. It will be titled 'Like Father, Like Son'.-Ask what he wants from Haggis What do you want from Haggis?He knows exactly what I want and it's not about money. He's got to do what I tell him. No more, no less. What do you want from me? Just tell him to listen to orders and wait for further instructions. What if I refuse? You don't want to say no to me. Not unless you like jokes and value the truth. If so, then feel free to refuse. [If I log out now, my session will be disrupted.]- Agree and log out -Refuse I don't appreciate being forced to do things. Let me see what it is you've prepared here first. A gallant knight without his horse...I've made some modifications. I hope you like a good show. We're teleported to the front of the theater. Incidentally, if we just walked into the front door, we'd have been trapped in that conversation with the jester, without a chance to log the woman out. Not that it seems to have done much, given that the jester appears to have reset that too. Attempting to enter the stage just results in being teleported back to the theater entrance again.  The only thing we can interact with is this stranger. Yes, yes, you're right. We shouldn't have let the kid do that.He looked down at me and bit his lip. What are you doing? Who are you talking to? What're you saying?! You know how companies work. It's the son of the director! Day in, day out...Those cabins...stop interrupting. You're making it a big deal. You didn't answer my question. Okay, maybe we should have done something about it. But it was just two times, and he was clever. He did it online, in Paradise Beach, so...I figured it out, but why are you nagging? Others knew, too. Firing someone for a hot photo in an era where everyone edits images?! Haggis vouched for him! [The guest was gesturing and talking to somebody. I couldn't hear what the other person was saying.] gently caress, alright, so you know. What are you going to do about it? Intimidate me with your little bells on your little hat? Are you gonna blackmail me? Burn my feet? What are you doing? Is that a cheat?! What the fu-We're teleported to the front of the theater again.  We're immediately drawn into conversation with the stranger as soon as we enter. The conversation plays out the exact same way as the last one. We're stuck in a time loop, you get the idea. Any attempts to say or do anything that we didn't do the last round fails. This time, instead of being immediately teleported at the end of it...  -Ask how you are talking How are we talking? Just a second ago... I can do a lot. You see, I'm an archi- but let's not get ahead of the facts! So, what now? Will you log out and tell Haggis to do as I say?-Say no I won't be your errand boy.We're teleported to the front of the theater again.  This time, we get some new options. -Check if he's conscious [He kept repeating the same sequences of words and gestures, but his eyes...Yes! He wasn't looking at his invisible companion, he was looking at me! The 'spell' he was under didn't control his eyes! Could I use eye control?]-Try eye control [I tried moving my eyes a few times. Yes, I was able to move them and my programs were responding.]-Run the 'Guardian Angel' program [I issued a command and separated myself from my body.]As an experienced gamedec, of course we have a selection of useful programs that we can call upon in times of emergency. No, we never get to see them or find out what they are. That would prevent us from pulling new ones out of our rear end whenever the plot calls for it.  We're now a virtual ghost, and can interact with other things around the theater. -My skin [My skin. It felt strange to see it like this. Even more strange seeing it repeat the same actions again and again.]-Analyze [Showtime. I wouldn't see anything unless it was something simple...Found it. Looked like a replay code. There was even a note from the designer.] [Right. The game was supposed to have a replay feature, but it hadn't been implemented. So it wasn't a cheat surrounding me, it was unused game code. That's why the admins and security algorithms weren't reacting.]-Cat [I wondered why there was a cat in such a game. To set the mood?] [A typical enpec. Well, not typical, but just as lifeless as everything around it. Caught in a loop.] [Relations] Boss, I'll be watching you, staying vigilant in case there's trouble. I'm keeping my finger on the pulse.Even though we invited him on a lark, Ken seems to be at least taking this sidekick thing seriously. Maybe he’s just happy to be a team player again. [Damnit, I couldn't say anything. I needed to focus and send him the answers mentally.] Ken, can you hear me? I'm sending my thoughts to you. I can hear you. You've figured out mental control. I'm impressed. I think I'm stuck inside a loop. It's probably an external cheat, not an exploit. From what I know, there are no normal loops in T&P, but I could be wrong. Alright Ken, thank you for your interest. I'll try to work something out. I'll do some work too. I'll let you know if I figure something out. Back to looking around. This particular guy tends to stand still, then glitch spasmodically all over the place. [According to the analyzer, he couldn't see a thing nor was he aware of what was going on. Time topped for him. But that didn't make sense. Every few seconds, he looked at me. I could tell he was conscious. It seemed as if someone was trying to conceal the cheat's true nature.]-Stage [They were making love - or whatever it was - on a rather unusual bed. A waterbed. You only see them in games these days. The sheets moved rhythmically, forward and backward. A loop.]That's all we can do for now. We have to make some deductions to progress.    This set isn't very difficult. Answering them all leads to a new path...  We don't have a lot of options, but it's as good a shot as anything.  wheeeee After we spawn enough cats, the scene overloads, and...  We're teleported to the stage, where we can finally free Fredo from the loop.  The kid seemed to be in a trance. He kept rhythmically opening his mouth and making spasmodic motions, as if he were still thrusting and killing. He was tring to stop his digital body from moving, but there was nothing he could do.  H...H...agh...God...Make it stop...I can't...I can't stop it... Breathe. It will help you control the spasms. I'll take you outside. It's all over now.As we try to leave the theater through the main doors...  ...To just walk out of here? I was counting on this being more interesting. [He had paralyzed me. I couldn't move a muscle.] All you had to do was log out and tell Haggis what you were supposed to. But people need drama and to play the hero. Alright chief, I have a plan. Let me know when you're ready.- Be passive - Say no -Give the signal [I couldn't say anything, but he must've known the old gamer code. One blink. One click. "Yes."] All right, knight. Allow me to show you a couple of things.  A speeding car teleports into the theater, crashing full-speed into the Jester. Credit where credit’s due, that was a nice save. With the jester dealt with for the moment, we exit the theater and...  You again? What a cliche. Give me the child - you can't take care of it. I'll wait for you somewhere near the end of the rooftops. This game is all about killing and it has a lot of tools for taking someone's life. We now have to find Fredo. This isn't particularly hard if we're just gunning for the objective - there's not that much room to run around, and the timer is generous. The only 'obstacle', if you can call it that, are holograms which play out various scenes from the life of the Haggis family – a couple of which you will in fact have to go out of your way to find.  Idris Stone? You called me. That's me. I have a problem. Someone altered my photo to make it look like I'm...doing something bad. How can I prove it's not true? If it was done by a pro, you can't. The most important thing these days is credibility, Ms. Stone. Help me! Plea- I'm a gamedec, not a photo editing expert. I need some details. I...I can't. Then I'm sorry. Good luck. God...What am I supposed to do?  You're drinking again. I can't remember a time when you weren't drinking. But it's your health and your business. And you were probably screwing some model. Probably. Problems at work? I had to authorize the dismissal of a good employee. That's logical. Good employees are a threat to your position, no? You don't understand. That's also logical. I'm just a former Miss Universe, the wife of Director Haggis. You. Really. Don't. Understand. Then I shall leave you with your wise thoughts, Teddy. [walks away] Bitch. Fredo, you son of a bitch...you son of a whore! Is there anyone there? Hello?  You called, sir? Alfred, was Fredo here today? At the company, yes, but here? I don't know. Feel that couch. Warm? Yes, sir. This one as well. The logs of both have been deleted. Mine reeks of women's perfume, and I found a hair on it. Look. Fredo's hair is not this long. That would mean that a woman and another person were using your couches. But why? The only one with access here besides me is Fredo... I shall look for Master Frederick.You have enough time to watch about two of the above scenes in their entirety before the timer starts getting a little tight. In any case, once you near the end of the path...  Indeed. You are present. Although you most likely do not understand the word 'presence'... [Past choices] I don't have any more digital tricks up my sleeve. And I'm a little tired from all this. You win. The kid looks battered, but he'll live. He's at your disposal. And I, the avenger of wronged women, will go back to my clients and tell them that the world won't learn of their misery. What do you mean? Just like you, I'm a contractor. Starlett hired me - you met her in Haggis's office. She was looking for justice for her girlfriend. The secretary of Director Haggis, who was blackmailed and taken advantage of - she wasn't the only one. There was another woman taken advantage of by this son of a...If not for me, there likely would have been even more. You see, our boy Fredo is quite the rogue, rascal and scoundrel. No, wait - he's a son of a bitch and a juvenile scumbag. Let me have him. Let me finish what I started.-Ask more about what Fredo did What did Fredo do? He sexually abused the women working for his father. Clever boy, eh?-Ask about Jester's plan What were you planning? I wanted to make a movie entitled 'Like Father, like Son" and post it online. I could use a few more scenes. See for yourself! I think you mentioned it before. You said that it was all to make Haggis obey. Yes? Perhaps. I'm getting confused with all the...There can be more than one cause for human action, gamedec.- Leave Fredo to Jester - Log out with Fredo It's a tempting offer, but I'm not particularly inclined to take the clown that traps people in time loops at face value. Also, only one of these paths results in getting paid. And frankly, I'm sure there's more than enough material in that film already, and no shortage of future opportunities to gather even more. I realize the significance of the accusations, but I came here for a specific reason. I'm taking the boy. You heard me out. I will not stand in your way. Tell Haggis whatever you want about what happened here, but remind him that it's his own fault. I wish you the best in this and future lives.The jester teleports away. Hey Fredo, you all right? We need to log off. Yeah, I guess so. But sir, in this game you can only do it from an asylum... Not when you're a gamedec. I'll fix it for you and see you on the other side. W-w-wait a second, s-s-something's happening... You're alive? He's not well, but he'll make it. Mr. Gamedec, please wait in the office. Of course. Th...thank you.Haggis looked at his son for a while. He seemed both angry and sad. You called, sir? Clear my schedule for the rest of the week. Get the pneumobile ready and call Dr. Chrzaszcz for an urgent house call at the apartment. Let's go home. The doctor will examine you. We have the money to fix you. I'll get you back to normal. Go to the car - I'll be right there.Haggis extended his hand to the kid, who automatically took a step back. Instead, he looked at me. Goodbye. Thank you, again.Alfred and Fredo leave. Your effectiveness is impressive. But I still have a few more questions. I want to understand what happened there. Why wasn't Fredo able to get out of the game?-[Sensory Celebrity] Answer dramatically Twisted and Perverted. A game where you kill for sexual pleasure. That's where I found your son and the hacker who captured him. Tough guy. He wore a jester skin to look more menacing. He caught the kid in a loop. Fredo kept repeating the same actions and couldn't break free. But you were finally able to get him out. Continue.-Tell him about the hacker The hacker had a jester skin. He didn't look threatening, but had quite the arsenal. He could modify the game almost without limit. He trapped the admins. And my son.He said nothing more for a while. -Ask point-blank if he knows Jester Jester seemed to know you well, but you didn't mention him when you hired me. Do you know him? I don't trust you enough to share my list of acquaintances. I suggest we steer clear of this matter. Gamedec, tell me more about what happened there.-Tell him about the scene in the theater There was this...theater. With a stage and a bed. Fredo was having sex with a woman, stabbing her with a dagger in a loop, likely for hours.Haggis turned pale. My Fredo... Everything was recorded. The recording was supposed to be called "Like Father, Like Son." It was to be used as blackmail.Haggis was moved by my story. He looked at me with respect. He struggled to control his emotions as he wiped his face. I need to know what impact this situation will have on...Fredo's psyche.-[Scalpel] Express your opinion He may have trauma for the rest of his life, or his mind might metabolize it all without a trace. Perhaps he'll even grow thanks to this. It depends on the parameters of his nervous system. Inhibition, resistance, the thickness of the myelin sheaths, and development potential. You're talking like our doctor. I'll tell him your opinion. Anything else I should know? About what happened in the game?-Tell him about what happened on the roof Fredo was the prisoner of the hacker dressed like a jester. I freed him from the loop in the theater, where he was stuck inside a horrific scene... That's not all. The hacker moved us up to the theater roof and I had to take part in a disgusting game with your son's life at stake.The game was 'move along a short and fairly linear path'. Then again, I suppose it never pays to admit that your job was fairly trivial to your employer. I was ultimately able to pass the test. Then the hacker released Fredo. I truly don't know why. He seemed omnipotent. What was it all for? What was the point of trapping Fredo?-Tell him about the 'avenger' The hacker claims he's avenging the wrongs suffered by the women who work for you. He calls himself an avenger, says that's the reason why he was hired. Avenger? That's absurd! That's the stupidest thing I've ever heard. You were tricked, gamedec. You got lost in your opponent's smokescreen. Excuse me - the pneumobile is parked at platform 12. Your son is waiting. All right, I’m coming. Well, gamedec, I’m satisfied with your work. Anything else?We still have the option to press him further on the topic of the Jester or on the sexual assault, but frankly I just want to spend as little time as possible talking to him. If he gives us an exit from this conversation I’ll take it. So what about my pay? You'll get it, don't worry. Just like we agreed. Let's go. Well, that will be all. Goodbye.As we leave the office...  He didn't wait for my response, smiled to himself, and left. He took the elevator, and I started to make my way back home. Well, that was our first case over with. Not the most glamorous of cases, but on the plus side we’ll see much less of the Haggis family going forward, and no more of Pervertland. Surely there can’t be anywhere to go but up, right?
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Sep 17, 2022 19:32
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 -Recall a dream [I was covered in sweat. A moment earlier I had been lying on the floor in Geoffrey Haggis's office, paralyzed. Jester was there, and so was the panda. Fredo, Haggis, even Timmy...they were laughing at me. I thought I was going to get hurt, even die...but I couldn't do anything. I was helpless and vulnerable.] [There was no time for slacking. I needed to restore power to my apartment. Luckily, Bliss had a separate source of power. Home inspections are where majordomos really shine. -[Glazier] Check the system [BWI had been developing AI modeled after the human psyche for quite some time. Even the holographic visualizations looked like brains. Everything seemed fine, but it shouldn't have. If there was a surge or failure in the tower, it should've left a sign but there was nothing. The software truly looked like I was activating it for the very first time. It made no sense.]-Check the electrical grid [The system didn't find any defects in the apartment. The fault was on the provider's end, which in this case were the tower generators.] Oh, our holo-waifu is working again. That's nice. Could you contact the electricity provider and report a problem? Of course...problem reported. I've been assured that everything has now been restored to working order. By the way - you got a new contract. Before we can even check that out, we're directed to watch a not-so-breaking news report. The creation of diginets by BWI is still a very controversial topic. The company's spokesperson strongly denies the gossip saying that psychoscans have been performed without the consent of the psyches' owners. The spokesperson stresses that any attempts to discredit the company will not go unanswered. This has been Warsaw City News, your source for up-to-date domestic and international news all day long.Let's check our computer.  -Open the email from Rhonda Zappa [You lying piece of poo poo, it's a shame you neglected to tell me that you'd ratted me out to Bob. Because of your loving twisted ethics, my marriage is hanging by a thread. I hope you're pleased with yourself.] [I hope to never see you again - in this life or any other.]-Open the email from Bob Zappa [My life got completely upended. I'm unable to look at my wife after all this. We'll probably split up.] [I regret ever meeting you. How do you gamedec types sleep at night?]Haha, whoops. Well, their marriage was probably headed for the rocks even without our intervention anyway. -Check contracts Mr Gamedec. Got a problem. The transfer's gone through. Find me in Harvest Time. Once you're there, I'll toss a clue your way. Let's hope this new job is better than the last one. Before we hop in, we should probably do some research first. -Check the official Harvest Time website "Harvest Time is a Free-To-Play farm game with an outdoor adventure! What are you waiting for? Get horses, cows, pumpkins, strawberries..." [Strawberries? In the Wild West?]Oh, I have a bad feeling about this. -Check the Harvest Time forum [Every detail matters in a gamedec's work. I looked at the 'Tips' section, 'strawberries' thread...] "Folks, put barrels of ice near strawberries. They'll grow like crazy! Mind, though - only Premium players have access to barrels!" [Next. 'Community', 'Cheaters'.] "You know those players in orange? You think they're cheaters, or just loving lucky?" [Nothing like a pleasant community of farmers. I've seen enough.]-Look up the Hon Clan "The clan values vigilance above all. Being in the moment keeps one's intuition and senses alert for signs. This is the only way we can reach the truth, fellow clan members." [Typical marketing copy. I looked for a contrasting opinion. Page six, ninth result...] "They preach equality, saying that 'the truth will set us free'...Bull! It was all about getting suckers to pay!" [That was enough. If the number of results was anything to go by, this topic was a bottomless pit.]Well, not much more prep work we can do. Might as well hop in.  As we enter, the tutorial informs us that our HUD above us tracks the following statistics: - our current level - our cash - the number of treasure boxes on hand - whether we own a gun  Name's Handy Joe, I'm a help bot (but don't go telling anyone) and I'll answer all your questions. As long as you give me a 'Yeehaw!'-Let out a 'Yeehaw' -Don't 'Yeehaw' after all -[Sleeves] Stare the bot down I'm not saying 'Yeehaw'. You don't know what you're missing, pardner! It's so liberating! Anyway, what can I do for ya?-Ask about the game rules What's the general premise of Harvest Time? I didn't hear a 'yeehaw', cowboy. Friend. You're testing my patience. Oh! That Wild West temper sure is hot! Anyway, here's your answer, maverick Harvest Time is a Free-To-Play game! Improve your farm, work the field, breed animals, and get coins and unique treasures from crates! The crates are in fact lootboxes, but you didn't hear that from me! As a newbie, you get a trial farm that you can improve up to level 10! Yeehaw! Once the trial period is over, you can buy a premium account! That's where the fun starts! Yeehaw!-Ask about public farms How do public farms work? They don't work past level 10! They're still grrreat fun though! Yeehaw! I can set you up with a locator that'll get you there. Want one? No, thank you. Public farms are in a charming little vallye outside of town, northwest of here. It smells of basswood, chamomile, jasmine and lilac!-Ask about premium membership How do I get a premium account? Ah, someone's looking to go pro! Yeehaw! A premium account carries a monthly subscription fee. I'll send you the form now. There ya go! [I saw a stylish form made to look like paper. I reminded myself that I was here to do a job, not to have fun. I spotted a few phrases hinting that it would be hard to get out of this subscription. I didn't want to get it unless I had to.]-What are lootboxes So what's the deal with these lootboxes? They're crates that pop up during pumpkin harvest! You plant, you harvest, and bam! Treasure! You can get items or coins from them! Items will spruce up your farm, while coins will speed up its growth! Yeehaw! So exhilarating! I'm tickled pink!-Ask about places of interest Are there any sights of interest around here? Nah, cowboy, this game's boring as beans. Yeehaw! Got ya, eh? Explore all the sights and smells and feel alive! Visit your farm! Once you hit level 15, you can go to the saloon! At level 20, you get access to the Guild House! Pretty neat, ain't it?We can ask for directions to any of the notable features, but we'll find them soon enough just wandering around. Map's not that big. -Ask about Stanley I'm looking for a guy named Stanley. Know where I can find him? Oh, searching, tracking, fascinating. Alas! I can't give you this information! You're not on this honest farmer's friend list. Tough luck! Take a gander at them notice boards! Folks write all sorts of things on them! So if you're looking for something, maybe look there? You'll find one right there, next to the broken stagecoach! Yeehaw! That's enough chit-chat for now, Joe. Grand! Holler if ya need me! I'll answer all your questions, except the one about the meaning of life, of course! Yeehaw! Before you ride off into the sunset, meet our lovely game guide! Here's Wild Poppy!  So, you'll have the chance to taste a rancher's life! Your uncle dreamed you would become the best farmer ever!-React enthusiastically -Roll your eyes That's amazing news! I've got land! I'm going to be a farmer! I can't believe it! Yeehaw! Exactly! Do you want to go to your farm now to start the adventure of a lifetime?-Teleport -Don't teleport No, thank you. I will be waiting with anticipation for your arrival! On your ranch! Poppy teleports away. We can check out that board mentioned now. "Our work could be fancier, on the board you'll find your answer! The loot we farm is always dank, check the board by the bank!" [The writing on the board looked like what you'd see in a game of paper chase. This had to be a clue. I realized I should look for the next one.] [I had found another clue! But the nursery rhymes and misspellings...It all seemed so puerile. Who wrote this?]Let's just speed through the boards... - "Bang-bang, we're robbin' a bank! The gravedigger has your boon, or it may just be by the saloon." - "If a catfissh is your friend, make a splashh from end to end, cross the market like a muwle and look for anything that's kewl. - "Like an eagle through the air, fly to places no men dare. Yullow flowers will put you on track, and I'll see you in...a shack." - "I'm all out of rhymes, jump down a well, you're in for some good times." - "Jump in the wel, don't be such a geek. You'll find something curious that you seek." - "Tripping, sowing and picking. Looting makes your head start tweaking. Cloimb the ladder straight to heaven, just to krash before eleven!"   If we try to enter the saloon or guild house, we get blocked by an energy barrier and the game yells at us for being underleveled.  Might as well advance the plot. There's two ways we can reach the next area, and as mentioned above, one of them is the well. [A village well. That was how we used to get water. I gave it a closer look. Someone had carved an inscription in the middle of the casing - "Do a flip into the water. S." A message from Stanley? I didn't know what could come from jumping down a well in Harvest Time.]-Jump into the well [Risk was part of my job. I jumped into the well.]  -Game Code [The area looked like a fragment of some old seasonal event. These kind of attractions were designed to extract money from players. The location was surrounded by a barrier closing off the playable area. It should be inaccessible, but the code wasn't perfect.]-[Glazier] Analyze the code [The game code showed some leftovers from the Pumpkins and Ghosts event. The main prize for completing the event was a ghost skin.]-Check player activity [The activity log showed that other than me, there was a player with a freemium account logged in here... It was Farmer Stanley - my client!]As we walk along the path, a stranger emerges to meet us.  Hello? Sir? [I had seen this model before. It was one of this game's basic avatars, just in orange tones. The player picked a default name - 'Farmer Stanley'. Was it a lack of imagination, laziness, or cautiousness?] -[Sensory Celebrity] Impress Stanley Maybe you've heard of me. I'm not just a gamedec, I'm also a sensory worlds personality. Professionalism, Class, Modesty. These are my avatars. Wooow! Lemme take a screenshot with you! Cool! People from the guild will be so jealous!He looked around nervously. For a moment he gazed at the door of a nearby shrine. He faltered ever so slightly, but regained his balance and pinned his eyes on me. You seem tense, what's wrong? Oh, nothing. Sorry, I thought I... heard something. So what should we talk about?-Have him tell you about himself Can you tell me a bit about yourself? I'd like to know who I'm working for. Umm...I'd rather not talk about myself too much. You know, it's a matter of security. And trust.-[Infotainer] Earn his trust -[Scalpel] Earn his trust -[Sleeves] Force trust -Don't push him I'm a gamedec and a doctor. You can trust me. Okay, but I don't know what to say. I like games, but now I only play Harvest Time. My boss is a pain in the rear end, so I work hard to bring in money. Once, the Enigmatic Sphere dropped from a lootbox. Ultra. My friends say I'm lucky with my rolls. And I like a girl from the organization, but I don't talk to her cause I'm too shy. Gamedec, I want to make sure that this dough - I mean this money, is enough? [The advance was enough. The pay rate was low but acceptable.]-Play the money issue down -Say it's enough -Suggest a bigger amount -[Sleeves] Demand more Let's leave it. It's not the most important thing right now. Phew, that's good.Stanley sighed. He looked tired. -Ask about Stanley's organization Tell me about your organization. Organization is a stretch. More of a group. It's called 'Orange Dream' because we wear orange. We farm on public farms. We play on free accounts, so we don't have access to the Guild House. But we do have some small perks. We've got our outfits, voice chat...but we don't talk anyway.Stanley sighed deeply. Oh man, I didn't realize there would be so much talkin'. Sit down, please. [I didn't feel tired, but I sat to be polite.]-Ask about the lootboxes Those lootboxes you mentioned - can you make money on them? Ha! If the gods of RNG smile on you, you can roll some rad items and throw 'em on RMAHs for real dough! [Stanley's lingo was a mix of Low City dialect and gaming jargon. What he meant was artifacts from lootboxes could be sold in legal auctions.] Can I tell you now why...why we hired you? Okay, tell me, Why do you need a gamedec? We need help. Me and my friends from the group. We get disconnected a lot. Especially lately. [Weird. It was a job for IT, not a gamedec.] You get disconnected from the game? It could be software. Or hardware. Or the connection. No, that's not it. All those things are good. For sure. We just get kicked out of the game and all the progress gets piss- thrown away. [Forced logouts were rare and usually caused by software issues - either in the game or in the computer controlling the player's couch. The cause would be displayed in the logs, and the player had access to that data.]-Ask for logs from his computer The computer your couch is hooked up to must have reported the cause of those logouts. Did you keep those logs? Can you share them with me? Um...I don't know how. I don't really know much about it. [The technical knowledge of players was often limited to turning on the equipment and launching the game.] You know what, I could come over and check what you play on, take a look at the software... Uh, that's not possible. Please, gamedec, find another way, OK?Stanley froze suddenly. He looked still as a frame. -Ask if he's okay Stanley? Are you okay?I checked the game log. He was still logged in. He hadn't been disconnected. Ugh, there's a small problem. My boss noticed I'm not where I'm supposed to...to be. He's looking for me.-Ask about the boss Who's your boss? He's an rear end in a top hat. He's just an...an rear end in a top hat. I'll get in trouble if he catches me here. I'll be brief.-[Scalpel] Diagnose his condition [Tachypnea, issues with balance and speech, distraction. These could be symptoms of exhaustion, but also side effects of pharmaceuticals.]Stanley took off his hat and wiped his forehead as if he were sweating, even though the game didn't include it. He smiled apologetically. Ugh, I don't know what time it is but I'm dead on my feet. I can see you're not doing so well. Tell me how you feel. Well, pretty bad lately. Work's getting harder. I've got a headache, my arms and legs are sore. Almost everything hurts. It's fu- it's bad.-[Scalpel] Ask about the other's condition Do any others from the Orange Folk have similar symptoms? Yeah. Almost everyone complains they're tired. And mu...muddled. All that getting in and out of the game makes it hard to remember what day it is, what happened, and so on... [Harvest Time didn't simulate physical effort. It could have been caused by some specific location, or something in realium was tiring Stanley.] Oh fu...gently caress! The boss is going to check on me in realium! I need to go! Others from the Orange Folk will help. They're on public farms. Oh, you can exit the graveyard through the shrine. Let's meet here later, when you know something, OK?Stanley left the game and disappeared from the active player's list.  The only other thing of note in this area is this grave. [If the candles burned completely, some enpec would have to come here regularly to replace them. That's why in cheaper games candles are eternal.]Nothing else to do but return to town. As we exit through the shrine door, we're accosted by Poppy. Video James! That has to be a terrible oversight! You haven't even been to your farm once! Don't worry, though! That's why I'm here! So, shall we?-Teleport -Don't teleport gently caress it, let's teleport there, it'll save some travel time.  You'll see, soon this place will bustle with activity. But to make it happen, we need to start at the beginning. The pumpkins in your fields are ready for picking! Just tap them, and a gold coin will appear! Collect the coins by tapping them. You know, with your finger, as you do with hovering windows! You can also just walk through the coins!Let's do that some other time, investigating comes first.  The orange folk are hard at work at their public farms, in the fields just outside. Their fields are sealed off by an energy barrier, though. -Take a closer look at the gate. [The gates required me to have a digital key. I knew I could try to generate a matching program, but it was a long procedure. There was also the option of breaking it with the 'gamedec's Battering Ram', but I risked drawing attention to myself.]-Generate a keycode to the gates [It was a lengthy process.] [I waited...] [It took a while...] [I suddenly felt a cold breeze and heard a quiet, feminine laugh. The gate disappeared, and so did the others. It was strange. The code hadn't generated yet.]Huh, we have a guardian angel on our side. We should probably look into that some other time.  She glanced at me, half awake.  Tell me, please. What's going on with us? Is it s-serious? I'm working on it. I need to ask you a couple of questions. Go ahead, but I don't have much time. I need to work.-Why she plays this game Why do you play this game? I don't think it's for entertainment. It's my...job. We even have a supervisor. He keeps an eye on our group. Who's your supervisor? And what do you mean that he 'keeps an eye on you'? His name is Acke. He makes sure we meet our daily targets. We can't talk to anyone or even go to the town. It's just sowing and reaping. And then these h-health problems...started to appear. Acke says that it happens sometimes and that we just need to...to wait it out. It's so...so hot. I'm not sure how long I'm going to last. [She said she was hot, but the weather was perfect. On a couch somewhere, her body should also have been kept at an optimal temperature.]-Ask about the Orange Folk's problem Stanley asked me to find out what your problem is. He mentioned something about you getting disconnected. Yeah, it happens when we're really...tired. But I'm not sure that's the source of the problem. The disconnects have become more frequent. I got dis...connected a couple of times myself. I woke up in this cold, scary, empty space. Like a v-virtual void you can't escape from. [Gathered info] [It sounded like the void Starlett got stuck in at Haggis's office. I managed to save her by stimulating her senses. I wasn't sure if I could do anything for the Orange Folk without physical contact.]-Ask about her health problems You don't look well. Can you tell me about your health problems? I get dizzy and faint...it's like I'm not sleeping at all. We're all really, really...tired, even though our supervisors make sure our...online sessions don't last longer than...than four days.She looked as if she was losing touch with reality. Please...I still have w-work to do.She runs off and gets back to harvesting pumpkins. Let's talk to some other people.  I'm a gamedec. I want to find a solution for your probl- I can't speak with you. I know that some people get disconnected. If you can do something about it, you'll have my gratitude.He runs off. We can talk to him again, but he won't give us much more than that.  Some others are similarly unhelpful.  I'm a gamedec. Stanley said you could help me. Oh, it's you! Fantastic! Hold on. I'm looting. I guess you brought me luck. That will make up half of my day's work. We can talk.-Ask about the Orange Folk What can you say about others from your organization? Heh, they're not as good as me. Well...maybe except for Jack. But he's like a machine. Hardly ever leaves the game. He's completely off now, and you can't get through to him. He lives in la-la land, because time runs differently for him. Oh, there's a treasure chest! Let's see what's inside! Oh, man, it's... Stanley said you get disconnected a lot. Has it happened to you? Not much. Almost never. Only when I'm really tired. But I take the right mix, and everything's fine. What kind of mix is that? Telomin, vitatel, strobo 5, protein, and vitamin and mineral supplements. And something for reinforcement. I can't remember the name. Another box! And inside...an Empty Crate For Attracting Named Insects! Ornate! For Potato Beetles!-Ask about loot boxes I'm new to this game. Tell me more about the loot boxes. Better ask Handy Joe, the bot by the station. He'll explain it better. You basically grow your crops, wait a little, click and sometimes a box pops out. There are goodies inside. [From what he said, those boxes dropped very fast. Suspiciously fast.] Do you use any cheats? Um...I've got my method, but I can't tell you what it is. [Relations] Tell me the secret! No, I can't...I can't talk about it. Man, you really do bring me luck! My treasure is...a Carmine Twofold Draped Mantilla with a 5-Star Renown Bonus during the Farmer Fiesta! That's quite a lot! Could you give me a hand? I need to take my loot to the fence in town. If you could help me, I would owe you one. A big one. All right, Guy. I'll help you. I need you to deliver this loot to the fence. Talk to the stall keeper. Fruity Betty, I mean. All clear? Why won't you go there yourself? I could, but time is money, friend. And I'm even losing it right now! Sorry, but that's the truth - I could be looting right now. I need you to remember that my time is valuable, too. I don't work for free. Sure, sure! What do you need? Gold coins? A weapon?-Gold coins -A weapon -Some information in return -You'll think about it I'll want some information in return. All right. Where can I find the fence? In the town on the hill. Black Rook used to do it, but Fruity Betty took over his business. Got it. I'll deliver your loot.That's all we'll get out of him till we clear this sidequest. Moving on.  [His avatar's name was Sundance Jack. It was one of the default names suggested by the game.] Hey, Jack. I'm a gamedec. I'm handling your case.He didn't respond. -Examine his packets [I opened my deck and checked his activity. The data transfer was massive! This player was really busy! If you see someone who doesn't seem to be doing anything, and their data packets are still going wild, then you know something is off...]We can't do anything about him unless we're a level 2 programmer or better, though. Only one farmer left to talk to.  -[Sensory Celebrity] Impress Sally When I was younger, I loved playing Havest. Sun-scorched Earth, the neighing of horses, the smell of cows...ah, the memories! Oh no. ...::!!!0M6!!!! |1k35 4r3 F|0w1n6 0MF6!!!::... [Sally used a chat box instead of a voice communicator. Plus, she was using a program that swapped a number of characters for others.]-[Infotainer] Analyze the translation key [Peppered with flourishes, the 'cipher' was typical of young schoolchildren.]-[Low City] Suggest a change in dialect Honey, I don't much care for that mumbo-jumbo. How about we have a serious rap like true Low City homies?The girl rolled her eyes. ...::!!!800000R1N6!!!::...-Ask about the Orange Folk's problems I've heard the Orange Folk have got some problems. They're getting disconnected. Do you know anything about it? ...::U 45k m3 4nD 1 45k U!XD p30pL3 k33p p4551n6 0u+ L4+3Ly 4nD 4LL +h3 Pr06r355 6035 +0 w45+3!>:[[[::... ...::+h3n w3 h4v3 +0 m4k3 uP f0r 1+ 4nD w0rK +w1c3 45 h4rD......+h4+5 wHy 1m 4LL......h0pp3d-uP!!!XD::... [I had to analyze the chat to figure out what she wanted to tell me.] You're talking about fainting, accidents and losing progress. You're getting hopped-up to work faster.She nodded. -Ask about her behavior You're behaving...a little odd. Your movements, I mean. How long have you been like this? ...::h0w L0n6??!! dUUUd3 1t f33L5 L1k3 f0r3v3r 1m 500000 w002y!!!!::... ...::w3r3 t4k1n6 50m3+h1n6 c4u53 +h3 8055 54y5 w3 n33d 1+::... I see. You're saying you're muddled from the medications you get.She nodded vigorously. -Ask if she needs help Do you need any help? ...::Y34H, 5uR3, h3Lp 15 4Lw4y5 w3Lc0m3...w1+h +h3 cR0p5 |0|!::... ...::y0u n33d w0rK - 5uR3 +h1n6 - 1+5 jU5+ 50 3xH4u5+1n6::... Oh, you're exhausted from working on the farm non-stop. She clapped and jumped happily. She pulled out a leather-bound notebook and handed it to me. It was a chat-decoding program. I checked and installed it. [Relations] LOL, I can see you're struggling a bit. It'll be easier this way. You're cool, you know? That's nice of you to say. How about I ask you a few more questions then? Okey-dokey. Shoot.-Ask why she plays Why do you play Harvest Time? You gotta play 'cause you gotta eat. Gotta make a living. Everyone as to work. Well, except that bitch, but she's not my friend anymore. Is Harvest Time your job? I could do worse. Couldn't I? Sure I could.-Ask how she's doing in the game How's it going? I can see you're working hard and... Well, you gotta push. You gotta play. There must be progress. It's been going faster lately as we've got more speeders. Speeders make everything grow and drop faster, but you get tired for some reason. Can you tell me more about those speeders? It's sort of a boost. Makes plants grow faster. And boxes drop faster. I mean, it doesn't happen faster. The world around you just slows down. Oops! I wasn't supposed to talk about it! To anyone! So hush! Promise you won't say a word! I promise! Thanks. Luv ya.-Ask who she is in realium What's your name in realium? Samantha. My folks came up with 'Borgia'. Can you imagine? I don't think that's even a name! I was a laughingstock! So I got the gently caress away. You ran away from home? You bet I did! If you're stuck with hosed-up parents, what else can you do? And don't try to push me about it, or I'll put you on my ignore list. That's all, Sally.We can in fact try to push her about it, but she will proceed to ignore us, and even though we've exhausted all other topics for now it's probably better to keep her on our good side. As we head up the hill...   Damnit! Third time this week! [Something was wrong. She should have immediately logged out. I knew she could fall into a coma if her gear didn't start devitalization.]-Extract her data -Have her do an emergency log out -Don't intervene [I turned on my deck and activated devitalization. I had no idea why her computer hadn't done that already, as it's standard procedure for unconscious players. I managed to log her out safely, but the system didn't allow me to save the game.] What have you done? What have you done, man?! Please, tell me that you saved her progress!-Say that you saved her -Ask why it's so important I saved her life. Saving her progress in a game about weeding seedbeds was the last thing on my- loving hell! You have no idea what you've done!The cowbow in shiny boots spat out the blade of grass he was chewing. Stop whining and get back to work. And you! Stop hanging around here. You're casting your shadow on the seedbeds, and it stops the plants from growing. Now I'll have to work like a horse just to catch up on the progress you didn't save!-Say that her health is more important -Explain what you did -Reply ironically Her couch was supposed to log her out, but it didn't. Her suit was overheating. I didn't want to risk it. Would you? That's your department, isn't it? I have my own job and I stick to it! We work fairly here! If somebody finds more, they give back to the less fortunate! Or save it for later. And when one of us faints, we have to finish their work! No rest for the wicked!-Offer to help All right, listen. I'll help you. It can't be that complicated, right? Thanks. No, it's quite s-simple, actually. You sow, wait for the thing to grow, harvest it, and hope a loot box drops. You'll figure it out. Get three loot boxes, but don't open them. Take them to the town, give them to Fruity Betty, and say it's from Orange Dream. Got it? Alright, I'll help you. Thanks. I'll get back to work then.Ugh, we’re going to have to actually interact with the game’s mechanics, aren’t we.  Only one person left to talk to - the man patrolling the area around the farm. Quite a sunny day, isn't it? You just want to stretch your legs and have a...nap on the grass, don't you, friend?-[Sensory Celebrity] Present yourself Howdy, partner? Don't you recognize me? Have a closer look.I put on my special advertisement smile. You're quite astute! Indeed, these are no regular players. They're in all work and all play therapy. They are *exploited*, understood? 'Drepty Tiger! Comfortable, reliable and old fashioned! Only for the quick-footed!' So nice to meet a celebrity inside a game! Props, bro!I'll be the first to admit I didn't understand that exchange one bit, but he seems to have opened up to us. [Sensory Celebrity] Suggest interviewing him Have you ever wondered what it's like being a celebrity on the Net? I could interview you and post it on my channel. Really? I'm not sure I have anything interesting to say.-Have him tell you about his job What kind of work do you do? Well, I watch the cattle - as all true cowboys do, haha! Looks to me like the farmers you're supervising aren't regular players. Am I right? What an intuition! They're in therapy. It's a work-and-fun kind of rehab. They abused pharmacological substances if you know what I mean. They're...junkies. Poor, addicted junkies. That's the sad truth. All right, one more question, and then I need to get back to work.-Ask who he is in realium Tell me, Acke, who are you in realium? I'm a regular guy in his late twenties. My friend and I are trying to save some money. We live low in Warsaw City, and we'd like to move up. Acke raised his head and basked in the digital sun for a moment. All right, that's it. You can get back to work. May the sun always shine on you. Thanks, partner! Have a nice day!He goes back to patrolling.  I think it’s pretty clear what’s going on at this point. At least there’s no question that we’re working towards the right thing this time, even if it’s not exactly the problem we were hired to solve. Unfortunately, we don’t yet have a way to stop it, so we’ll have to work on that next update.
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Sep 20, 2022 09:18
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 Our first order of business: farming lootboxes to help the Orange Folk out. The process is pretty much what you'd expect: click on an empty pumpkin patch to start growing, wait out a timer, and click on it again once it's done to harvest a coin.  After a bunch of scripted tutorials, lootboxes are eventually unlocked and we harvest three for the Orange Folk. We need to talk to Fruity Betty, so we might as well make a round of the people in the town square we haven’t talked to.  Fruity Betty is in the market at the center of the town square. The stall keeper waved at me in a friendly manner and gestured towards her wares. Howdy! Isn't it a beautiful day? The only thing that could make it better is some shopping!-Sell Guy's loot Hi Betty, I have a couple of items for sale. I'll take it all and pay you immediately!-Transfer part of the money to your account -Transfer everything to your account -Transfer everything to the Orange Folk's account I want you to wire the whole sum to the Orange Folk's account. Sure thing, sweetheart. They've just received the money. Thank you, Betty. [Relations] The pleasure's all mine! From now on, you're one of my regulars and a friend, sweetheart!-Support the Orange Folk I'd like to support the Orange Folk by selling a couple of lootboxes and transferring the profits to their account. Is that possible? Of course, sweetheart. I'll take it all. The money will be transferred to your account in a couple of days, after the auction. Excellent. Thanks for the help, Betty. The pleasure's all mine!-Ask about the Orange Folk Could you tell me anything about the Orange Folk? They're good clients - resourceful and exceptionally effective. They bring me wares, I sell them and transfer the money to their account. On the other hand, if you asked me my personal opinion, it wouldn't be as favorable. Why? What do you really think of them? I spoke to Acke, that handsome fella. He told me everything. They're drug addicts. The game is their virtual rehab and Acke is their supervisor.-Ask about the fruit I see that you have a lot of goodies! Does it all come from your farm? I haven't grown anything myself in a while. I buy it all off other players or from the game's warehouse, which is available only to merchants. Can you make a living off selling crops in a game based on farming? Why would anyone buy stuff from you when they can grow it themselves? You can't grow everything from the start, and my fruit will get you seeds that'll develop your ranch faster. Just try them. They're delicious. Besides, I have access to the RMAH auctions. That's where I sell rare items from lootboxes. That's where the real money is.She has nothing more to say on this or any topic. We can buy rare fruit from her, but let's not touch this game's mechanics any more than is absolutely necessary.  Next to her is Fruity Hilda. -Ask about Stanley I'm looking for a player named Stanley. Do you know him? Sorry, no. I've just logged into the game. You should ask Betty, she knows this place better. You know, I overheard that some players address her in a particular way. They lean over and say "Show me your wares" very emphatically. I think it's some kind of password.Why does everyone in this game use the very first thing that comes to their minds for…well, just about everything? -Ask what she sells What do you sell? Nothing at the moment. My trade channel is closed. I'm getting ready to take on the Town Profession of a Merchant. Currently, I'm practicing slogans.-Ask about the orange farmers Do you know anything about the orange farmers? Only that they trade stuff with Betty. She might know more. She's a talker.That's all we get out of her. Let's try that 'password' with Betty. "Show me your wares."Betty winked at me knowingly. I have a firearm for 5000 coins. Interested? Thanks, but I can't afford it.We have no particular need for it right now, but we'll keep that in mind.  Rusty Ed sits to the left side of the market. Long beard, dust on his shoulders. He looked like he'd been gathering that dust for a decade. -Say hello Hello. I'm a gamedec and - And I'm the guildmaster of Rusty Ed's Guild. Ha! Just a fun fact! You want to ask an old-timer about farming tricks? Go ahead! Rusty Ed has a lot of stories up his sleeve!-Ask about the guild Are you the guildmaster of Rusty Ed's Guild? I am. It's a guild open to all players of adequate level. Hehehe. What level do I need to be at? In order to join Rusty Ed's Guild, you need to listen to three Daily Stories. Ha!-Ask him for a story Tell me a story. I've got three stories today. The topics are - a legendary artifact, how I became sheriff, and old game systems! Which do you want to hear?-Sheriff You used to be the sheriff here? Tell me about it. Where do I start? You know, we're not all up and about in here. We're not waving our arms around. Our bodies lie still on couches. Mine at my place, yours at your place. And sometimes it's all about speed here. Especially with duels. But I mean your neuronal speed, not bodily. If you want to be sheriff, you must beat the previous one. You must be faster. More precise. This guy was good. Everyone could see it. But I noticed something - he would enter the game for up to three hours. Maybe four. It was always like that. But once he lingered, playing poker. It was...six hours? Seven? And guess what - the guy was staggering! Dropping off! I noticed his fragile brain - quick, but easily fatigued! It was his vulnerability. Next time I played him myself. I kept letting him win. Then I challenged him to a Sunset Duel after he had spent 12 hours here. He couldn't turn it down - that's the rule. He was good, but I could see in his eyes that he had already lost. His eyelids were twitching from the adrenaline rush!-[Scalpel] Set him straight It's not adrenaline. Human eyelids are innervated by two motor nerves: autonomous and autonomic. Part of the sympathetic nervous system. When you're tired the latter turns off and your eyelids droop, even though you consciously try to raise them. He was just exhausted.He completely ignored me. So he wouldn't give up without a fight. He knew that would insult me. Don't get me wrong, he was a good guy. He knew I'd discovered his weakness. Maybe if he had money he could've paid to get his neurons enhanced. Maybe that's what the poker was for? I never saw him in here again. Maybe he had a breakdown? Was he fed up with his quick fatigue? That bothered me a bit. Anyway, I was sheriff here for a full month before I lost a duel. But I've never forgotten that guy. He had a nice vintage nick...KillThemAll.-[Infotainer] Say you know him KillThemAll? I know him! I've met him many times! I even invited him to my show once. Really? Hot drat! Well, I'm glad he's still holding up. All right. I suspect you want to ask me a question now? Go ahead.-Ask what he does in the game What are you doing here, gramps? Ah, so there are still curious people in the world. I mean people that possess the virtue of curiosity. I'll tell you. I look at those young players and I can see they don't know a thing. And you know what they do about it? I guess nothing. Exactly. They don't ask the elders, they don't look for the so-called know-how. They think they know it all. I've played this game for years. I've achieved everything. I know everything. And no one asks me a goddamn thing. I see them growing carrots and I know they'd grow faster with a barrel of ice beside them. But does anyone ask? No. You know why? You tell me, Ed. The Dunning-Kruger effect - rookies overrate their knowledge, mentors undersell theirs. But the world is changing too. Especially this game. It all used to be more true to life, more difficult. And those scallywag youngsters would get the bum's rush...But I digress. And I bet you there's something you want to talk to me about, isn't there? -Ask about the Orange Folk Do you know anything about the orange farmers? Yeah, I've seen them, I've heard them. They act like bots. Or like idiots or enpecs. They play using freemium accounts and they talk weird. There's no point mingling with them.Ed yawned. Forgive an old man. I've talked myself out, I need a nap.He goes to sleep. We can’t wake him up for the moment, so no getting into the guild house for now.  Pretzel, my precious, want some more hay? Morning, can I ask... Can't you see I'm talking to Pretzel?!-[Infotainer] Chat her up That's one beautiful horse! Look at that lean profile! That swanlike neck! Those ears pointing perfectly forward! You know your horses! I'd be happy to continue this conversation once I'm done talking to him.-Ask about the Orange Folk Do you know anything about the Orange Folk? Don't know them, don't talk to them. Fruity Betty says they're drug addicts. I think she's right. They sure act like they're on drugs.She hesitated, as if wanting to add something, or realizing that she'd said too much. You had more to say about the Orange Folk, right? Oh, it was nothing. I just feel sorry for them. They're all playing on freemium accounts and don't have access to horses. It's sad. I see...-Talk about horses They say you know a lot about horses. I'm considered an expert around here! I'm a decent rider too! Horse secrets are a hobby of mine, you could say! For instance, who else knows that a hungry horse stamps its hoof three times. I know it - from the game! Games are great educational systems! [Did this girl actually believe what she was saying? It was nothing but nonsense.] Horses don't behave like this in realium. Some designer had the idea to have the animals communicate their hunger like this.The girl made a rude gesture with her hand. This game is my reality, get it? So I'm in the right. Bye Millie, I'll see you around. Good morning! Nice day, isn't it? System message: Yeehaw! You're attempting to interact with the Town Profession: Gravedigger. It is currently held by an inactive player. Player //Gravedigger Hank// is unavailable. Do you wish to report them for inactivity?-Report them -Don't report them We’re a detective, not a snitch. No, there's no need. System message: No report. We wish you a successful harvest! Yeehaw! By the way, the game has voice acting. It’s not much – generally just ‘Hello there’ or something equivalent whenever you talk to someone notable. I mention that mostly to say that every time you talk to this bot, he very loudly and slowly yells ‘I’M. OUT. OF. loving. ORDER.’ and it amuses me every time. Anyway, moving on. -Check the bot [The bot had been hacked well. Any attempt to access its code would require a lot of work and was unlikely to go unnoticed.]-Withdraw money Can I withdraw some money from you? You know, a loan, a line of credit...I don't know how these things work in here.The bot responded in a thundering voice. I'M OUT OF loving ORDER! ALL HAIL THE BLACK ROOK! CHECKMATE, MOTHERFUCKERS! [It was a neat hack, the work of a pro.]If we were a Cheater, we could counter-hack it, but we’re not. We really need to save up points for that one, it’s a pretty handy shortcut for a lot of things down the line.  That’s everyone we can talk to in the town, but there’s one location we have yet to visit.  Hi, Professor Locke. No birds around. Hello. Why...did you say that? That's my name. I mean, my last name. Locke. And I'm a professor. Ornithologist. A virtual one. I observe the fowl of Harvest Time. I haven't been here long, but you're right - no birds here. Fascinating, isn't it? No birds during the day, no birds at night! I've confirmed it after weeks of observation!-Ask about the lack of birds Do you know why there aren't any birds in Harvest Time? A splendid question! Nobody knows. I wrote about it on message boards, asked the admins, but there seems to be no clear answer. Some say it's a bug the devs don't want to fix. Others say they deleted them on purpose in order to get smoother animations. Simulating bird behavior was too resource-consuming? It doesn't make sense, right? It's the end of the 22nd century. It's unthinkable.-Ask about the Orange Folk Do you know anything about the so-called Orange Folk? Any information could help. Well, in that case, you're in the right place! I know almost everything there is to know about them. Really? I'm all ears then. Let's start with the robin, one of my favorite species with orange plumage. They were introduced to the game with the European Emigrants update, which was quite a surprise for me. I'm sorry to interrupt, but I was talking about the farmers from the Orange Dream Guild. Oh, them. In that case I can't help you.-Ask about bird-watching I just want to make sure - even though there aren't any birds in the game, you're watching them? Yes. I have documented one hundred and one species. More and more disappeared with every subsequent patch. Poor birdies. I see you're interested in birds. Would you like to watch them with me? I would, but I don't have binoculars. Patience and a keen eye. That's all an aspiring ornithologist needs. It's a drat sight better than growing pumpkins, anyway. He does, however, allow us to borrow the binoculars, whereupon we can share the joys of watching the complete and total absence of birds.   We can also check out a couple of other areas, but there's nothing of note going on at the moment. That's everyone we can talk to for the moment. If you recall, the messages on the board mentioned an alternate route to the graveyard, so let’s try that one this time.   As we head up the path, we meet...   I'm the sheriff in this town. Not many players know about this place, especially newcomers...What brings you here? As you can see, he starts off with a default rating of slightly unfriendly/suspicious towards us. We'll need to put in some work if our aim is swinging him over to our side. Or we could piss him off, but so far schmoozing up everyone has largely worked in our favor, so let’s stick with that for now. What do you want? I'm doing Stanley a favor. He's a friend of mine. He asked me to talk to you on his behalf. If you don't mind, of course. But before I do, allow me to proceed with the formalities...He straightened up and cleared his throat. As the sheriff of High Rock, I'd like to officially welcome you to our community. I'm here to help beginners and uphold the law...The game's rules, that is. Welcome, rancher.-Greet the sheriff -Don't greet him [I reached out my hand. The sheriff looked me in the eyes, smiled, and shook my hand.] Not only will I answer all your questions, but you'll receive something else...a Welcome Package and a pouch of coins for your farm! Cool, ain't it? Let's go down to the saloon and talk over a drink! What do you say?-Agree -Ask about the Welcome Package -Disagree What's in the Welcome Package? 'Boosts' to speed up farming, vanity items for your farm, things like that. But not here. This graveyard isn't the proper environment for it. Let's go. I might have a job for you that will get you something more than gold coins...gamedec.As we head to the saloon, the sheriff stops to chat with a few people along the path.   The sheriff typed a few commands into the game's interface. I saw that I now had access to the saloon. Be my guest.-Express admiration -Ask if it's cheating -Enter the saloon Not a bad trick. Oh, it's one of the privileges of being sheriff. I can grant access to the saloon to whoever I want. I'll have whiskey. Bottoms up, then. To the meeting. I'm telling you, friend, this stuff may be digital, but it tastes like the genuine article. It's phenomenal. Where would you like to begin?-Ask about Stanley First thing, you offered to do Stanley a favor when we were in the graveyard. Stanley was waiting for you, but he had to log out of the game. You can talk to me if you want. Why did he log out of the game? He wasn't feeling well. It happens sometimes. You had information for him on some issue concerning the Orange Folk. Is that correct?-Tell him the truth -Inquire about the Orange Folk -Give him false information Hmm, yes. I've arrived at certain conclusions. I'll get right to it, seeing as Stanley's already clued you in. [I didn't want to tell him the truth, but I had to tread lightly with the lies so he wouldn't get wise to them.] I was called here to investigate a case involving...-False admins -Sick cows -Crop circles False admins. It's a rather delicate matter. A group of players gained access to developer stacks. I have to find out who they are.The sheriff's eyes went wide. drat, that really is serious! And? What did you make of it? What do they use that access for?-Deleting farms from other people's accounts -Collecting personal data -Duplicating rare items They use it to duplicate rare items and auction them off. For real cash.The man was nodding enthusiastically. drat, this could disrupt the game's economy. This could cost the Orange Folk. [It seemed like the Sheriff was buying my little story.] For now, I've nothing more to add. Do you think the players you're looking for are still in the game?-Agree -Deny -Shrug Hard to say. I believe that a player named the Outlaw is responsible for the Orange Folk's problems. [Outlaw seemed like a peculiar name to choose.] I've suspected for a while that they're a fraud duplicating rare items. These kinds of machinations not only hurt the game's economy, but can also cause malfunctions of the game's systems. If you agree to work with me, I'll tell you my plan to catch the Outlaw. You'd play a central role in it.-Ask about your pay Just one thing. I don't work for free. There's real money in it for you. After the job is done, that is. [Gamedecs were generally paid upon completion of the job.]-Accept the job -Refuse and say goodbye You convinced me, sheriff. I'll work for you.He offered what I usually charged for searching for someone in virtualia. I nodded, then realized he hadn't told me what the job actually was. [We shook hands. You never signed contracts in my line of work.] Alright, let's cut to the chase. First of all, I need you to confirm the Outlaw's location. When you do that, find out whether they work alone or have accomplices. Then we'll meet and draw up a detailed plan.-Ask about the Outlaw What do we know about the Outlaw? I'm sure this player uses many different accounts and characters. Recently they've been known as the Outlaw. They were in some shady business with Black Rook - a known hacker and fraud who had been permabanned from the game. Rook did a lot of nasty stuff. He once hacked our banker, Mr Adams, and gave him an insulting name. The next update should finally fix it.-Ask what he's going to do What are you going to do in the meantime, Sheriff? I'm going to collect evidence against the Outlaw and inform the admins about our plans. I also have some...real-life obligations.-Ask what he expects of you What is it exactly that you want me to do? Confirm whether or not that thug is still in their hideout, the Guild House. A sheriff can't belong to guilds or enter their houses. Dumb, I know, but rules are rules. Just find out if the Outlaw works alone or not.-Ask if you can get a badge Could you give me a deputy star?The sheriff burst out laughing. I don't have one on me, but if you care about it so much, I can try to get one for you. That's all for now. I'll get to work. Wait for me in the saloon after you've found all the answers. I'll be there at nightfall and we'll think up a plan. Oh, hold on, let me give you the Welcome Package. Ahem..."Welcome to Harvest Time. Please accept this humble gift." Yeehaw! You've received three mystery gifts! I can't wait to open them for you! Come to the ranch! Thanks, sheriff. That's a nice gesture. The pleasure's all mine, friend. [I still had an obligation to Stanley. I had to understand the Orange Folk's problem.] See you later, sheriff. We'll meet at nightfall, gamedec.He tapped the brim of his hat and left the game. As the sheriff leaves...  [The woman must have been listening to our conversation. She wanted to meet me outside the saloon.] [The woman looked noble and serious, though she kept looking around as though she was afraid of something. When she noticed me, her face took on an imperious look.] You're a gamedec, aren't you? Yes, I'm working on a certain case here. I accidentally overheard your conversation with the sheriff and I think that I might have a simple, but lucrative, job for you. I'd like you to provide me with intel about the sheriff - who he is, what he does, how many zeros he has in his bank account, and so on. Anything you can tell me about his life in realium would be helpful. Can I count on your help?-Ask why she needs this information Why do you need this information? I'm considering entering into a financial arrangement with this person. I'd like to make sure he's solvent and trustworthy. That's all.-Accept the job All right. I'll vet him. Wonderful. Once you acquire the information, please come to the Guild House. I'll be waiting for you there. Tell Rusty Ed that you work for me. He'll invite you to the guild. [I suddenly felt the air move, as if someone had walked right past me. But nobody was there. I resumed the conversation with Lea-Anne.] I'm terribly sorry. I got a bit distracted for a moment. Yes, I noticed. Well, that will be all. Unless you have more questions.-[Sensory Celebrity] Have her say something about herself Can you tell me something about yourself? I sense that you're a strong and interesting person. I'm sure I'm not wrong.She blushed. Oh, stop it! I'm not that interesting. I'm just a regular Harvest Time player. Well, all right, I am a big fan. It's been a while since I last played, I was pretty busy in realium. I finally managed to come back, but to be honest I'm here on business.-Ask what she does in the game What do you do in Harvest Time?The woman burst out laughing. What haven't I been doing! I used to run a prosperous farm, I was on top of the leaderboards. Now, I'm mostly here for the people. This community is one of a kind. Sadly, you can't trust everyone, which is why I asked you for help.-Ask what she knows about the sheriff Do you know anything about the sheriff? I heard that he's very respected here. Everyone speaks very highly of him. What's your opinion?-Nod in agreement -Say that you don't trust him -Refuse to answer My instinct tells me not to trust him. Right? I felt so myself. I'm glad I met you.That's all we get out of her for now. She turns and walks into the Guild house.  Talking to the sheriff and Lea-Anne has unlocked our next set of deductions - find data on all three of the subjects we're being tasked with looking into.  As we check out the cows, we get a reminder that we're still being stalked by some kind of invisible creature.   On our way to make the rounds again, we meet a couple of familiar faces.  It will only take a moment! Unless you're like Ben Bo. Don't be like Ben Bo.-Ask what the questions are for What's the point of this interrogation? We're collecting data. You'll learn more over the course of it.-Answer the questions OK, go ahead. Here we go. Question One: How long have you been playing Harvest Time?-Lie -Tell the truth Not long. Less than a day. Question Two: Have you ever been to the graveyard on the hill?-Lie, say you haven't -Tell the truth No, I've never heard of it. I need to learn more about it. All right, here's question number three - have you heard about the Tree of Knowing?-Say that you haven't -Say yes -Don't answer -Stop the survey I saw a very large tree in Deep Past World once. I think it was a sequoia. Is that what you mean? Sadly, no.The girl struggled to conceal her embarrassment. Another question. Focus - Have you ever experienced flashbacks that weren't yours?-Answer ironically -Say that you haven't -Say yes That usually happens when I forget to take my meds. Oh, you're a bundle of laughs! Do you ever feel like someone is telling you what to say? As if they've taken over your mind and will?-Say no -Say no -Deny -Stop the survey [I felt a wave of intense anxiety. A part of me flipped out upon hearing the question and made me say...] No, not at all! Hey, easy, we're just talking, okay? It should go smoothly now. Give me any number that comes to your mind.-Say the number 314 -Say 314 -Say 314 -Choose 314 Three hundred and fourteen. Wait...What? What kind of question is that? What are you trying to drag me into?! Take it easy, don't freak out, it's cool. Uh...yeah, thanks, that's all. Your turn - is there anything you want to ask us?-Ask why they are interested in the Tree of Knowing Why are you asking about the Tree of Knowing? We're collecting info for our clan. It's a top secret mission, you know, so we can't tell you too much. Actually, we don't know much either! Haha! If you learn anything make sure to let us know! Totally! Come back with some solid info on the Tree and you won't regret it! The Hon clan knows how to return a favor!-Ask about the number 314 What was behind that question about a number? Does 314 mean anything? Maybe it does, maybe it doesn't. We're not quite sure. But we're checking it out! Actually, it's not the first time we've gotten a response like that from an interviewee-Maya shot her a look and Mia clammed up. But the fact that you reacted quite oddly to that number may mean something.-Ask about the Clan So, how's your clan doing? What was the name? It starts with a 'H', right? Oh man, the Hon Clan! The best org in the world, with the most profound message, concept and narrative - it's a riot, dude! Make sure to drop in to Knight's Code. That's where our headquarters are! Jeez, it's so amazing, like everything starts making sense!-Talk about the investigation -Ask about the Sheriff -Ask about the Outlaw -Ask about Lea-Anne Do you know a played called 'The Outlaw?' Yes. I mean, no. I mean, we've never met any Outlaw but people say there is this guy, an outcast... I've heard he pissed off the sheriff himself and now he's looking to bail out to another level. They also say he's covered by Rusty Ed and it's the only reason why the sheriff hasn't nailed him yet. I hope we helped at least a little bit.They proceed to stroll off. We can try talking to them again, but they won't tell us anything new. “Find data on the Tree of Knowledge” is now added to our sidequests, along with figuring out that digital ghost that’s stalking us. And of course, we still need to gather more info on our mysterious triumvirate. Looks like we’re going to have our hands full, come the next update. Inadequately fucked around with this message at 01:47 on Sep 28, 2022 |
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Sep 27, 2022 17:48
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I was going to get into this discussion later, but since it's been brought up, for the most part my disillusionment with the game stems from how it ends up, rather than how it starts out. I certainly don't think the game's entirely irredeemable - if it was, I wouldn't be showing it off. It's largely a matter of unfulfilled potential. The main issue with the first case is that it hinges around an impossible promise they'd never be able to fully commit to ("let's throw the player into the sleaziest, most twisted and hosed-up place on the Net"), but in broad strokes the central premise of "kid who thinks he's hot poo poo gets swept up into something way over his head" is still a decent core for the first case. There's also the issue, as people have pointed out, that both sides involved in the central conflict are such terrible people that by the end of it you mostly just want to wash your hands of the whole affair - not necessarily a bad thing if that's the tone you're going for, but it certainly doesn't endear the game to most people. A minor change I'd probably make on that front would be to have Timmy as the one who contacted you in a panic, with Geoffrey Haggis as the disapproving figure who insists on being the Big Man that wants to settle this affair all by himself. That way, when Fredo is rescued we get a reminder that there are people who (even if it's for somewhat misguided reasons) actually care for Fredo for who he is, rather than "hooray, we returned Fredo to...his clearly abusive father  "We haven't finished the second case yet, but for the most part I think it's pretty solid. Might have one too many cheap shots at Farmville and other mobile games of that ilk for my liking, but by and large this case could probably be run largely unchanged in any successful incarnation of this game. The third case, however, is where the metaplot starts to factor more and more heavily into the game's storyline, largely to its detriment. We'll get more into why that is later, but for the most part the ways in which the game goes downhill are fairly self-evident. Inadequately fucked around with this message at 01:54 on Sep 28, 2022 |
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Sep 28, 2022 01:45
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Getting close to the next page, hopefully this post should bump the update over to a new one.
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Sep 29, 2022 16:28
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We have quite the new list of interrogation topics. Let's start with Handy Joe. Your ambition shames me, cowboy! Dozens of players enter every day! I could start listing their nicks, but that'd take... All right, I get it. Narrow it down to premium players who started playing in the last four days. Now you're talking! Narrowing down...and voila, here's our result! Two players: "Video James" and "Outlaw"! I dare say the former is you.Looks like the Outlaw is either relatively new, or playing on a fairly new account.  Thanks to the sheriff, we can now access the saloon regardless of level. There's not much to interact with here other than the bartender, though. Welcome to the High Rock saloon! Can I get you anything? [I remembered what Bob Zappa from T&P had told me. I had a chance to contact him through the bartender. I just needed to say the password.] "Mycorrhiza".The bartender's eyes flashed green. I heard a familiar 'beep' and the face of my old friend appeared before my eyes. Hey, pal. I'm in a meeting, can't talk right now. I'll sense you when I'm done. This could take a while. Sure thing, later. [I wondered if he remembered what he promised me.]Well, we'll just have to wait for now. Let's see if we can get anything else out of the bartender. -Ask about rumors Tell me about the local rumors. I'm sorry, but I can only serve drinks. I'm an automatic character, not a player. Please don't look so surprised. A player hired me to fill in for them as a Bartender, their town profession. This paid service lets you keep a role, despite being absent. If you're interested in other paid services, please visit the game's website. Now then - can I get you anything?-Order a drink Pour me a drink, would you? You need a premium account in order to buy drinks here. Premium my rear end! I want a drink, you digital prick! I'm sorry, those are the rules.Apparently not.  Up on the roof, we find Birdman still watching the complete absence of birds. Could you tell me anything about the residents of High Rock, Professor? I'm asking about other players, not the birds. Other players? They don't seem to be interested in birdies. What can I say? They're weirdos. Have you heard anything about a player named 'The Outlaw'? What? Lawe's parotia? There's one in the game? Uh, I don't know, but that person- Oh. A person. For a moment I thought you were asking about a beautiful bird-of-paradise. I'm not interested in players. Not at all.In retrospect, not sure what I was expecting there.  We get a new target for his binoculars, though. [Her female outlaw skin looked like a premium item. It was the player Sheriff Billy was after. She was hiding in the Guild House.]Looks like we've got ourselves a solid lead, but we still need to get in there.  On our way down, we get a call from Bob. All right, I managed to get out of that meeting, but I'm on the way to the next one. Tell me what this is all about.-Ask for help with the investigation -Ask for the maximum level -Ask for gold coins I'm conducting an investigation on Harvest Time. I need intel on a certain player. Damnit, this kind of data is usually restricted. I can't help you myself, but I'll ask some friends. Who is this about? Ask about the sheriff, the Outlaw, and Lea-Anne. They're from the High Rock region. Any information would help. Every detail matters here. Sure, I'll ask around. I'll sense you as soon as I find anything. Later! While we're waiting for that, let's go back to the Orange folk and cash in our sidequests. Awesome, thank you!He went back to work. Hey, is that all? Yeah, thanks. We'll be fine now. Unless someone gets disconnected again. Am I going to get a reward from the help? What do you want? A medal carved from a potato? You helped us, and we're grateful.We keep having to chase him down every couple of sentences in this conversation because he immediately returns to work, by the way. Listen, I didn't really have to help you, but I did anyway. I try to help all 'Orange Folk', even those who don't expect me to. Any information could help.Beauford lowered his voice. Not all of us wanted a gamedec snooping around here. Not everyone chipped in. Like me, for example. It's harder for us since one of the girls...sort of...abandoned us. Ran away. Said it was her dream to see some other locations in the game. I don't know. Maybe she did it just to...to spite us. Go now, please! I don't want any more trouble.That's the absolute last thing we can get out of him, but I think we have another lead on The Outlaw now.  Let's see if we can get more out of Guy. You said you wanted some information for the trouble, right? Or did you change your mind?-Accept the coins -Ask for the weapon -Ask for help in the investigation I'm trying to solve your problem, and I'm collecting intel on the person that might be behind all this. Acke spoke to the Sheriff about Kamelia. She's one of us. Stopped farming, made a new character called 'The Outlaw', and moved elsewhere. I don't get why she did it. It's pretty cool on the farm.-Ask about Guy's secret I did what you asked me to. Tell me your secret. Heh, good one! But no, I have to keep it a secret. Is that secret a cheat? A speed boost? Well, you are a pro gamedec, aren't you? Yeah, that's the secret. Everyone in the org uses it. But I'm the most successful. Here's an actual secret for you then: Betty, the fence, took over special items supply from someone else. Just say 'Show me your wares', but don't tell her I told you that.We already knew that, but the help is appreciated anyway.  Hi, I'm still in a meeting, but I went to the bathroom and I'm sensing you from a stall. Cool, huh? You didn't have to tell me that. Anyway, got anything? Well, a friend from customer service dug up some data about these players. I didn't get a proper look at it yet myself, I'll just read it out to you. "Hi Bob, I looked into this Sheriff guy. Suspicious stuff, it seems he's using some kind of cheat. A speed boost or timer manipulator. The sheriff's account is registered to a man called Mr. Lebski, and Lea-Anne's real name is Nanette Ducett. Now listen to this - that guy is a manager in her organization, the Nanette Foundation. I checked their in-game profiles and there's not a single interaction between them. As if they didn't know they both play. Curious, huh?" "My guy from Hacks gained access to the VPress cloud and found a record featuring Mr. Lebski and Nanette. Transcript enclosed. You owe me big time." I owe him, that is. Not you. Anyway, I have to go back to the meeting. Is this any good? What about The Outlaw? Oh, right, almost forgot. It's a new, anonymous account, so we don't have a lot of data on that. If they're not registered within the first week, they get automatically deleted. Thanks, Bob. I owe you one. I'm sure this information will help me. Take care. I'm glad I could return the favor. Take care and good luck!Well, that was an enlightening conversation. We'll keep questioning as many people as we can before we make up our minds, though.  A brief transcript of the conversation between the Sheriff and Nanette is included. Not going to post the whole thing, but a brief summary of the highlights: - The Sheriff pressures Nanette into accepting his takeover of the 'Nanette's Gardens' program in Harvest Time - Nanette isn't fully convinced, but her other charitable endeavors demand her attention - The members of the Nanette's Garden program are explicitly stated to be children - The Sheriff is very insistent on not meeting in person, eventually claiming to be disfigured and ashamed of his appearance  The remaining Orange Folk don't have a lot to say, but Acke does. I understand that you're chasing an outlaw, and you'd like to question my people. That's problematic. You're taking up too much of their time. I don't know if the Sheriff mentioned this, but the Outlaw is Kamelia's new character. She should be working here, on the farm. Well, good luck, and good day to you. Let's try the market now, see if anyone here knows anything. -Ask about the sheriff What do you think about the sheriff, Betty? What everyone in High Rock does. He's a solid and helpful player. I suppose you don't have an opinion yet? You're still new around here.-Express doubt -Don't respond -Admit the sheriff is alright [It was better not to share my thoughts with her. She seemed to like to gossip.]Betty laughed. That's fair, keep your thoughts to yourself, sweetheart. I'm curious though!-Ask about the outlaw I'm looking for information about the Outlaw. I heard that player was here recently. Oh, that new character. Levelled up real quick and holed themselves up somewhere. I'm afraid they might be another fraud. "Another" fraud? Do you think the Outlaw is working with someone? Is there some kind of gang here? Hard to say. We had some trouble with this guy, Black Rook. He peddled illegal items and swindled people. The admins banned him at the sheriff's request. [Funny that she could talk so casually about it, when she was the one who took over his business. I decided not to comment on it.] Hold on sweetheart...She leaned over and whispered conspiratorially. You asked about that player...I know that Black Rook and The Outlaw were doing shady business together. But you didn't hear that from me.-Ask about what she does in realium Could you tell me about what you do in realium? Sure, it's not a secret. I work for the Ministry of Internal Affairs. I organize new holidays. Are you saying that you're at work right now? You're on a couch somewhere in the ministry? That's right, sweetheart. We've got a lot of free time here. Currently, we're working on Neighbor's Day. Neighbor's Day sounds interesting. We're talking realium, not some in-game event, right? Yes! Realium needs holidays and events just as much as games do! This event is supposed to counteract the most common cause of depression in Free Europe - loneliness. People will go out ot parking lots and squares carrying treats, then the hosts will initiate conversation with simple icebreakers.-Criticize the idea -Praise the initiative That's a really good idea. I'd like to get to know my neighbors myself. Really? I think it's idiotic myself, but the officers like the idea and I can play Harvest Time while they waste their time with it.We can talk to Fruity Hilda as well, but being fairly new, she has nothing to say on the topic.  Looks like Hank is back. Also, you can see Mia and Maya are still walking around on their own secret mission. I'm new here. Mind if we talk? Oh, lord. If you have questions about the game, talk to Handy Joe by the entrance. If you're interested in other topics, we can chat.-Ask about his profession You're a gravedigger, not a farmer? How did you get that role in the game? My farm is frozen right now. I need to work a Town Profession for a year to unlock the Town Resident achievement. The gravedigger gig happened to be available. The work is peaceful, it's basically world-building. And no one dies since they removed PVP. When it gets boring, I pop out to realium to buy baby stuff. I can even sleep in-game, but my folks grumble about it. Runny nose, you know. The Town Resident achievement takes some dedication! You have to be in Harvest Time for that long? For a year? If I'm not in-game, players can report my absence. Then the scripts check it and decide if I can continue in this role. Last month, my activity droppe da little because of the divorce. I was moving in with my folks. I got reported and lost the role. Sheriff Billy voiced for me. He's the reason I kept my progress. He's one great man, believe me.-Express doubts about the sheriff -Speak favorably of the sheriff -Change the subject I've heard so many kind words about this gentleman in town. It makes me suspicious. It's intuition, you see. A feeling that behind the facade, there's a monster. That's the lot of good citizens. It's hard to believe they could simply be decent. Folks are always looking for ulterior motives. It's sad. Before we can continue the conversation, we're interrupted. [There were two tools I could use - Intermirror could pierce through the cloak, while Painping launched a painful jamming impulse.]-Use Intermirror -Use Painping   [After a while the shape disappeared. I knew that if I caught this ghost, I'd be able to examine it more closely, maybe even talk to it.] Sorry Hank, thought I saw something... You did look like you'd just seen a ghost! Hah!-Ask about the residents Can you tell me something about the residents of High Rock? No one dies, so I rarely get to speak to them. Besides, I don't like to gossip. I prefer to look at the sky. It's so beautiful. You stand here for days on end. You must see things others miss. Like players who aren't here just to play the game. Just a minute ago, my old friend was pestering me for some stuff and got nothing. I haven't seen her in-game for months and now she shows up as Lea-Anne - I think it was Lea-Anne - and just starts convincing me to - Oh, never mind.-[Infotainer] Encourage him to finish -[Sleeves] Threaten him to finish -Change the subject You know what? I interview a lot of people on camera. I've noticed they don't do well with secrets. A secret eats away at you from the inside, like a worm. It's best to get it out. It makes you feel better. Finish your story. She was looking for whales. Ones with real money. She wanted to find someone to bankroll her business. In realium. She was asking about cheap bank loans. But I'm not Elektrobank staff in here, I'm a gravedigger. And I won't talk about work. I'm on leave. To be honest, she looked desperate.-Ask who he is in realium What do you do in the real world? In realium? I work in Elektrobank. I mean, I'm living with my parents now. I'm on their old couch as we speak. I'm pregnant, so I'm on leave. Congratulations on the pregnancy, Hank. I didn't know you had a uterus. Well, I am a man and I don't have a uterus! I mean Cynthia, my beloved, doesn't consider me manly enough, which is why we got a divorce...I gave her the apartment and she transferred the pregnancy to me. What do you mean by that exactly? Man, dinosaurs walk among us. I am not organically pregnant. My boy is in an exuter. An external uterus. At the White Cloud clinic. He feels my actual movements, hears me like he would in a real uterus. He can sense light if I'm in the sun. It recently got an upgrade - now my little bud can feel virtual movements in sensory worlds! He sees light, hears sounds, all of it! So I'm lounging in Harvest Time, enjoying nature and the fresh air. It's good for the baby!Well, that last bit was interesting. Doesn't really help us with the case, though.  Horsegirl has nothing new to say, so it's down to Rusty Ed, who we need to talk to in order to get into the Guild House anyway.  -Ask to be admitted into the guild Could you admit me to your guild? Lea-Anne said you could sign me up. Yes, I can, if you listen to three of my stories. Hehehe. That's the rule of Rusty Ed's guild!We're not going to be able to weasel our way out of this one, are we. Let's just hope he stays awake this time. -Ask for the old game systems story Have there been any other systems here?The old man closed his eyes and smiled. It used to be a game with ambitions. It was all about portraying something genuine. Physical labor, soil, dirt. Things you don't get in realium. You took your spade, you know, and there were roots in the ground that you had to dig through. There were snails now and then. You grabbed them and either threm them onto your neighbor's field or you killed them. I hate snails.-[Infotainer] Ask about dealing with snails Snails, that sounds media-worthy! Can you tell me more about them? My viewers crave stories about oddities in old games! Ed grinned. I cut the ones I caught in half and placed them around my garden. Other snails came to feed on them. Then I put them in a jar and covered them with salt. They turned to jelly. Jars sold for 100 coins each! Hah, that sure is one way of doing things! Thanks, Ed! So working on a farm was hard, all right. People said they had muscle aches after going back to realium! That was neurotransmission at work! You visualized your garden, then got lost in the work. Digging up dirt, sweating, and then seeing the end product of months of work! It was therapeutic! Then, "upon player request", the devs started making it easier. They removed fatigue, sped up plant growth, got rid of adverse weather. Then they introduced premium accounts, subscriptions, microtransactions, and all that was left of the game was the box. Thanks for the story, Ed.-Ask about the legendary artifact All right. It was about a decade ago. An event was announced that would last all year. A year! It was said that one of the lootboxes would contain a legend of Harvest Time - The Artifact Jewel. I can still remember it. It was a house in the game! House of Happiness! It was covered in flowers! It boosted the joy neurotransmitters of whoever was in it!-[Scalpel] Chime in saying it's dangerous That sort of software can cause an addiction. Did they warn anyone about that? I don't know much about it. But let me tell you one thing - a lot more was allowed in games back then compared to today. So there was this player, Ted Godiva, who sold his apartment, everything he had, to improve his chances. He spent a lot of money on boosts. That's how he got that treasure. The house is still hovering somewhere in the game. In Elysium. He settled here, in Harvest Time. He became a zoenet. He only had enough money to keep his brain alive for a few months...but even while he was dying, he kept smiling. Thank you for the story, Ed. Okay. Now that you've listened to my story, I can answer your questions.-Ask to be admitted into the guild Can you admit me to your guild? Sure. You listened to my stories and I can see you're not a member of any other guild. Just a minute... There! Welcome to Rusty Ed's Guild, make sure to read the terms and conditions. It's just one sentence - "Be nice"! Yeehaw! You are now a member of Rusty Ed's Guild! Thus you get access to the Guild House, where you will find tons of attractions! The Guild House is available from level 15, so get on your farm and level up! Don't worry about the levels. My guild runs on principles from 20 years ago, when there was no such limitation. The house is open to anyone. -Ask about Sheriff Billy Tell me something about the local sheriff. Do you know that Billy guy? He's been nagging me lately, asking me to admit him to the guild. Him and those two loyal cowboys of his. You know, that cowboy Acke and Mad Dog. Although the latter doesn't come here often. But I refuse every time they ask. I don't trust them. But keep that to yourself.Hmm. The Sheriff is working directly with Acke. And didn't he say the guild was off-limits to him due to a game limitation? -Ask about Lea-Anne Ed, what can you tell me about Lea-Anne? I got the impression you knew her. I do, from way back. But I can't tell you because it's not polite to gossip. At all. Fine. I won't push you. Thank you, my friend. Nanette - I mean, Lea Anne, is a new character in the game. She's back after a hiatus. I think she wants to start over. You see, she's a sort of public figure in realium, so she values privacy in sensory worlds.-Ask about the Outlaw Do you know anything about a player called 'The Outlaw'? Do I know anything? I can't tell you that. But are they a member of your guild? The Outlaw is a member of Rusty Ed's Guild. Just like dozens of other players that asked nicely enough. Including you, my friend. Why don't you just have it out with them like civilized players? I don't know who they are and I don't really care. And now, I'd like to take a nap.Ed yawned and snored. [As I was leaving, Ed flinched suddenly, as if he'd felt a prickling sensation. I felt a chill. Just as I expected, my invisible stalker reappeared. I had two more apps I could use to examine this activity, but both were illegal.]-Hunt for the ghost -Give up on the hunt [I could trace the player by performing either a Safety Scan or putting on Gamedec Goggles. The scan was more reliable but risked drawing admin attention. The Goggles were safer, but limited to my field of view.]-Put on Gamedec Goggles -Perform a Safety Scan [It was time for this little birdie to show itself. The goggles pointed me toward the ghost, but I only had a short time. I had to hurry.] We get a locator that points us towards our invisible stalker. We don't have to follow it far. [I had the enemy in the bag - I just had to restrain them. The Freeze app I had in my deck was the best tool for the task.]-Scan the enemy -Restrain the enemy  [There was something familiar about the software. It took me a moment, but I finally recognized it - they were gamedec apps! I was up for a duel.] [My enemy didn't wait for an invitation, and quickly launched the first attack. Web. It was a massive thing. I launched Helmet, which provided me with immediate defense and weakened the attack.] [It seemed my enemy had access to a standard collection of apps, but so did I. I opened a window with offensive and defensive programs. Apps had different speeds and methods of operation. Successful attacks gave you an advantage, while a good defense helped you keep it.] I'm not going to provide a blow-by blow play, but the 'duel' is fairly straightforward. You pick an attack, which the enemy may or may not choose the right defense against, though switching up methods of attack makes them more likely to succeed.  Then the enemy attacks you, and you have to choose a defense. Successful attacks swing the bar to the left, failed defense swings the bar to the right, and perfectly blocked attacks (on either side) don't affect the bar at all. The more traits a chosen defense shares with an attack, the better the defense, with a 1-1 matchup being a perfect block. Sometimes the enemy will use an attack which doesn't show up on your list or tell you its traits, so all you can do is guess and hope you come out on top. After a few rounds of this...  Let's talk.-Have her reveal herself Show yourself! I want to know who I'm talking to. This silhouette is all I can reveal for now. My avatar is somewhere else. I've been following you for a while using a slightly modified Guardian Angel app.-Ask why she's following you Why are you following me? Why, out of sheer detective curiosity. A gamedec in a game like this? It was worth listening to some of your conversations. I know, it's unethical and undignified, pardon me. It's no excuse, but you wouldn't have answered my questions if I had asked them directly.-Ask what she wants What do you want from me? All I want is a friendly chat, one gamedec to another. Sorry for all this sneaking around. Will you accept my apology?-Refuse -Say nothing -Agree Fine. We're cool. Really? Great! Gotta say, I didn't expect that. As a thank-you, allow me to...maybe I'll share some information with you. It might help you with your investigation. Um...but I don't mean to force my solution on you too early. After all, I could be wrong, right? Finish your investigation, and let's meet to discuss our findings. Preferably somewhere private. For example...-"In my bedroom" -"In the saloon" -"In the graveyard" The graveyard? That's right. After you've completed the investigation and finished up your business, meet me where tombstones grow, as a poet would say. Do you remember the way? You need to jump into the well or off the saloon roof. Both methods are fine. I'll see you there. Good luck!The mysterious gamedec vanished into thin air. A moment later, I received a text file in a private message. I scanned and opened it. "Dear friend, I learned a lot from our battle today. As a thank you, please accept the enclosed information. I overheard the sheriff say something about a 'speed boost'. I'm impressed by what you've managed to accomplish and find out so far. I have a lot to learn from you!"Well, one invisible stalker is out of our hair for the moment. Incidentally, it is theoretically possible to win the duel, but it requires the enemy to screw up basically every defense. Still, we acquitted ourselves pretty well for our first hacker duel! Also our last one. This system never shows up again in the game.  On our way to the Guild House, we pass by these two women having a loud and very expository conversation. Do you honestly think it was here? In this graveyard? The ledge it grew on collapsed, that's why there's no trace of it. The Cosmic Tree. Axis Mundi. The Tree of Good and Evil. The Tree of Knowing. This symbol is present in every culture. The Vikings, Australian Tribes, Christian and Slavic myths...it's everywhere. According to these beliefs, there's a spot where time stops along the tree's axis, around it's trunk. It allows you to connect with the past and the future. For the Australian Arrente people, the cosmic axis was a pillar. It transformed unknown space into the 'world', an organized reality.-Interrupt their conversation I'm sorry, could I - One of the women looked at me haughtily, sized me up, and made some gestures in the game's menu. I noticed a message in front of my eyes. "Players Jira and Wala added you to their ignore lists. Have fun playing!"  We get a much longer log of their conversation in our Codex. Most of it is empty theorizing, but the conversation does end on an ominous note: the Tree of Knowing has appeared in many different games, regardless of engine, software or code. What could a skilled hacker do with a Net-wide vulnerability like that?  Anyway, moving on. Now that we can enter the Guild House, we can report to Lea-Anne.  Before we do, though, there's someone else we have to talk to. [Upon seeing me, the girl tossed her book away and made a few hesitant steps towards the exit. She was frightened.] [I stopped. I didn't want to exacerbate the situation. She gave me an appraising look.] The Sheriff sent you, right?-[Sensory Celebrity] Convince her that he did not What? Of course not! He wanted something from me, so I nodded along to get him off my back. What an obnoxious man!The girl's face relaxed. That's good. But I'm still not talking to you.-Say that you want to help Trust me, I'm here to help you. No, I don't believe you.-[Scalpel] Gain her trust Be smart and trust me. I'm a doctor. I help people every day and I want to help you too. A doctor? The last time I saw a doctor, he was cutting my umbilical cord!The girl laughed, but it seemed like I had convinced her to listen to me. Now I had to get her to trust me. -Convince her by being open -Convince her by being subtle Listen. You know that you're no match for the sheriff alone, right?The girl nodded in agreement. -Express concern for her health I can see that you're confused and you're far from being in peak health. Sitting here doing nothing will only make things worse for you. I think you're right.The girl lowered her head. She looked like a dog that used to be beaten, but decided to trust their new owner anyway. -Have her tell you about herself Can you tell me something about yourself? Not much to tell. Although, I did recently give my supervisors the slip. I'm just sorry I didn't get to see that rear end in a top hat Acke's face! My dream is to visit all in-game locations. There's a snag - I can't leave without a ticket for the Midnight Express. It arrives this evening. -Ask about the sheriff Tell me, what do you know about the sheriff? He's a oval office, for one. He has a pair of goons, too. Acke, usually watching us at the farm, and Mad Dog, usually watching the sheriff's rear end. -Ask who she's working with Who are you working with? Actually, no one! I'm alone, all alone! Really, you don't have any partners? I don't, I swear! All right, I'll see you around. Take care. Time to report to at least one of our taskmasters. -Ask about the outlaw Have you heard anything about a player called 'The Outlaw'? That girl upstairs? I don't know her, I think she's new. She's strange. She just sits there and reads books. Have you seen her talk to anyone? Besides you, no. Nobody came to see her.-Report what you discovered about the sheriff About the sheriff...-Lie: He's an Out-ranger -[Infotainer] Lie: he's an infotainer -Lie: He's a doctor -He works for a foundation He works for the Nanette Foundation under the pseudonym Mr. Lebski. He runs Nanette's Gardens, an activation program for poor kids.The woman's eyes and mouth went wide. For a good while, she seemed to have trouble catching her breath. But how?! I'm Nanette! I'm the head of the Foundation! I had no idea that Mr. Lebski was the sheriff. He never said a word!-Inquire about Mr. Lebski Tell me everything you know about Mr. Lebski. I've never seen him in person. We met in the game. He offered to help me with Nanette's Gardens and we struck a deal through Viper. The program was a burden on our budget. Mr. Lebski came up with the idea to auction items from lootboxes that spawn when you grow pumpkins. I actually can't say a bad word about him. He made the Gardens self-sufficient. The kids from the program have decent equipment, supplements, supervisors...although I have to say that I'm not sure about anything anymore. Thank you for your help. Do you have any other questions? If not, I'll be going back to the foundation.-Ask what she does in the game Tell me the truth. What do you really do in Harvest Time? Nothing wrong. I'm looking for a sponsor that could support my foundation. I need money. You see, I'm running a children's cancer hospital. About the Sheriff, well, he seemed rich. That's why he caught my attention.-Ask if she knows anything about the Orange Folk What do you know about the Orange Folk? Nothing except the fact that they work on public farms and everyone thinks they're weirdos. But how is that connected to the case? Oh...if Mr. Lebski is the Sheriff, then these people might be my kids from Nanette's Gardens! Oh my god!Wait. You knew that the kids were involved in a program that sold lootboxes for cash. You knew about the Orange Folk, and it's fairly self-evident that they're being forced to farm lootboxes. You never once stopped to think about how those two things were connected? Thank you for your help. I have to go back to the foundation now. Goodbye.She immediately logs out.    Well, we've talked to just about everyone, and I think it's pretty safe to call it now.  Filling up those three deductions leads to a fourth one, for deducing the ultimate culprit. We could ask around a bit more, but I think it's pretty safe to call it. Now the question is, what can we do about that? I guess we'll find out next update.
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Sep 29, 2022 16:28
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Now that we've made up our minds on who we're gunning for, it's time to pay a visit to our invisible stalker. Not the most ideal of backup, but any port in a storm, I suppose. Oh, and we also unlock a new occupation. Cheater is a fairly big time-saver for a lot of things down the line. Since it's in the 'Aggression' tree rather than the 'Programmer' one, I assume Video James has had the tools to accomplish said tasks all along, and unlocking Cheater is just working up the cojones to actually use them.  [This was my third visit to the graveyard. I hoped the information the mysterious gamedec had for me would be worth it.] Video James is apparently getting tired of this routine. I suppose I would be too if killing yourself was the only way to get to a particular location.  We don't have to travel very far before we find our apparition. Welcome, Gamedec. Hi. Do I need to perform a ritual or exorcism to make you reveal yourself? Right. Let me exit Guardian Angel mode...Wait, how do I do that...I think it's here... ...okay, I call bullshit on that. It's been, what, a few days at most since the Fredo incident? Ken's an idiot! There's no way he got good enough at amateur detectivery to match an experienced gamedec in a hacking duel. On the other hand, Video James seemed convinced in his own internal monologue that Timmy could probably do his job fairly easily, so maybe this whole 'gamedec' thing just isn't as hard as I was previously led to believe. Right, we've met. I remember you were chasing some crooks.-Ask what he's doing in Harvest Time What are you doing here anyway? Following the cheaters? Yes and no. Remember those chicks in T&P? Knight's Code members. I took notice because they were talking about the Tree of Knowing. They're here now and they're asking about it. It's important. I've met the local sheriff too and I'm sure he cheats. And I hate cheaters. So I laid low, hidden, and started snooping around. Then you showed up, so I thought we might join forces.-Ask about the Tree You mentioned the Tree of Knowing and said it was 'important'. Why? Do you know something about it? Chief, when the trolls took me down during the game, I caught a glimpse of the Tree. Like the very air had been breached. I'm sure it wasn't a coincidence. I don't know what that poo poo was but it must be connected to what they did to me. I overheard those girls say it's appeared in many places.-Move on to your case You said you had some information concerning my case. Yes. I think there's something fishy going on. The Orange Folk use a cheat that helps them get lootboxes.-Listen -Suggest illegal boosts -Explain that it's a speed boost Yes, it's some sort of speed boost. Yes, but you know, chief, that could be any kind of hack - small-time or heavy artillery. The sheriff, that Billy guy, uses a similar cheat to win duels.-Concur with his theory -Ask if he's got proof -Disagree with Ken's hypothesis It makes sense. Sadly, I don't have any substantial evidence. I'd like to get some. I think the Sheriff controls the work done by the Orange Folk somehow. That Acke guy and Mad Dog are involved in it. It's some kind of slavery, chief.-Agree with Ken -Deny What you're saying makes sense.I guess this conversation is for anyone particularly slow on the uptake, but I sure wish we could actually put forth any of the information we gathered instead of nodding at Ken and going 'yup, tell me about it.' I saw that you closed a deal with Billy and now you're obliged to do the job for him. But...maybe it's a good idea to get him in realium? Find out who he really is? This unlocks a snap deduction, though I'm not really sure why. You'd have to be actively attempting to screw up to go for the Outlaw here. Yes, we need to get him. Awe-loving-some. I've got The Investigator. That program tracks people down in realium, you just need to- Get in physical contact with the avatar of the person you're looking for and hold them for a while I know, I've tried. There's a problem. What's the problem? It's like there's a thin layer of digital air between your hand and another avatar! Maybe that's why it's easier to cheat with a speed boost here? I've searched the code and it seems that barrier caused the birds to vanish. I mean, they're there, but can't be seen! It's that layer of 'air'! I think it's a safeguard against that app. Whether it was done on player request or of their own accord, you can't just 'touch' anyone here! So you can't run the Investigator by just 'touching' someone. I thought it over and I've got an idea...-Listen to Ken's suggestion -Suggest a solution We're clearly not in the pilot seat anymore, so what the hell. Do tell. Can you hook up The Investigator to a bullet and then shoot someone? The bullet would get inside the avatar and stay there long enough... You're thinking like a gamedec, Ken. That's exactly what I was thinking. Sure am glad we didn't bother farming up those 5000 coins. I took a bullet from the gun's cylinder, opened the Investigator window, and linked the program to the bullet and my avatar. Done. drat, chief, watching you work sure is something! Now you need to challenge the sheriff to a Sunset Duel. And shoot that douche. It's getting dark, we should go. I'll assist you as an invisible protective spirit. You can thank me later. I assume I have no say in this? You'll follow me whether I want it or not. I'm involved as hell in this. I want to know how it ends. Maybe I can learn something, maybe I can help.-Have him keep his distance -Have him stay close Oh well, as long as he's committed to being the sidekick he can stick around. I might need an invisible helping hand. Stay close. Great, lead the way, chief.As we leave the graveyard, we're immediately accosted.  Well, that's not good. Let's not waste any time with hows or whys and get right into it.  Yes, 'it's just a game', but most players take this world seriously! It's a home, a place of respite, meditation and honest work! and this person committed fraud! Lots of fraud! The truth about him will soon see the light of day. We are ever closer to the truth! Mad Dog, Acke - you know what to do with him! We have to do something, chief! Stanley's your client, isn't he?-Stop the lynching -Watch the lynching -Have Ken log Stanley out -Challenge the Sheriff to a duel I challenge you to a duel! That's how you say it, right?  [The presence of the Orange Folk gave me comfort. I'm sure all my predecessors had fired the first shot. That's why they lost.]Uh, I'm pretty sure they lost because the exact opposite thing happened. I guess it's supposed to be a statement about restraint and not losing your cool, but that's a terrible way to word it. -[Sensory Celebrity] Gain the crowd's sympathy This is fun, right?I received no reply. The sheriff showed his teeth in a mocking smile, and for a moment, lost his concentration. He restrained himself and focused on me again. -Restrain your movements [The sheriff was said to be the best gunman in High Rock. I couldn't make any unnecessary movements.] [The sheriff slowly lifted the edge of his coat to reveal a holstered revolver. I was breathing calmly. Everything was under control.]-Make eye contact with Ken [I needed the element of surprise. I nodded ever so slightly in Ken's direction.] Looking me straight in the eye, the Sheriff slowly shifted his weight to his other leg. This shot could decide the success of the entire plan. I started feeling nervous. -[Cheater] Examine the Sheriff's movements [Son of a gun. That was an old trick. He had shifted his body's weight for one purpose - he meant to fire a concealed weapon! He wouldn't be able to get the jump on me. All I had to do was wait for him to make his move.]Like a cat bored of toying with its victim, he moved his hand closer to the holster. The stress intensified. I felt how hard my heart was beating. -Watch the Sheriff's shadow [I focused on my opponent's shadow. It mimicked his silhouette, revealing elements not visible from my angle. I didn't notice anything special.] [The sheriff moved his hand near his mouth as if he was about to cough. Instead, he reached for the revolver hidden underneath his armpit. Exactly what I'd been waiting for.] [I fired a shot! The sheriff looked at the wound and logged out momentarily. I was hoping that the Investigator managed to get a read on his location.] Mr. Gamedec, that was amazing! You gave him a proper rear end-whooping! Thank you for saving my li- my dignity. I nodded and winked at Ken. It was a team effort. Actually, since you've beaten the sheriff, shouldn't you - Yeehaw, partner! Congratulations! You've triumphed in a Sunset Duel! According to the rules, you can now assume the mantle of sheriff in the town of High Rock!-Refuse -Accept Great! I'll become the sheriff! The special sheriff skin will be available to collect within three days of your account being verified! Along with the new role, you will receive the Legendary Horn of Plenty Premium Pack!-Accept the Legendary Set -Give the set to the Orange Folk I don't need it. Maybe you guys will find it useful? Wow! Thanks! that's really something! I'll see you on the farm, Sheriff! Yeehaw! Don't let it all go to your head now, Sheriff! All right, let's see if the Investigator attached to the bullet did its job. [I looked at the report. The progress bar stopped at one hundred percent. There was an address below it.] It's one of the mushrooms. Living quarters for the builders of Warsaw City! It's below the Low City level! What a trip! He's probably getting up from the couch now! If he gets up, he'll bolt! We gotta go! Want me to pick you up? I'll be fine. I'll meet you there. As you wish, partner! I'll see you there.Ken logs out. Mr Gamedec, I still wish to talk about...something important. Sure, what's on your mind?The boy froze. He was standing motionless and staring vacantly into the distance. The Orange Folk started disappearing one by one. Kid?! No! Leave me alone! Leave... [All members of the Orange Folk had left the game. It was time to do the same. I had to visit the sheriff in his lair.] [...the volatile smell of fumes from machines clearing old Warsaw...All were trying to penetrate the veil of oblivion to bring back my childhood.] [I couldn't afford a pneumobile and aurocars didn't travel there, so I had to take an aurotaxi. Ken was there waiting for me, standing at a mushroom's closed door. Over a century ago, polis builders had lived there.] Nice to finally meet you in person, eh, chief? I was going to go in alone, but then I saw you get out of the cab. This is the moment, right, chief? We'll get the bad guys and kick their asses! I knew being a gamedec would be more thrilling than Goodabads! gently caress, I feel like a real detective! But you're the one with experience, chief. Lead the way. We go in with guns blazing, right?-Teach him caution -Go in 'guns blazing' Not 'with guns blazing', Ken. We don't know what's inside or how strong the door is. If it's reinforced, all we will do is aler- You're right. Cautiously. With guns blazing. I go in, you cover me!Before I could answer he threw himself against the door. He was strong. He hit it with so much force he smashed the lock to pieces. Get him! The other guy bit the tip of his tongue. He was in the mood for a brawl. An electric knuckle-duster flashed on his clenched fist. Look, Doug, it's that gamedec from Harvest Time I told you about. Kid was right, they did track him down. The gently caress you want?-Calm them down -Let Ken answer Gentlemen, calm down. We only want the kids and the sheriff. You still have all your teeth and unbroken noses, so let's keep it that way. You're free to leave. First, you charge in here breaking down the door, and now it's all loving 'calm down'? Every action has a reaction!Ken winked at me. He was ready to attack. -Keep everyone from fighting -Attack together with Ken Enough talk.-Kill your opponent -Stun your opponent Upper option looking real tempting, but we should probably be a good role model for Ken.  Ken rushes forward and slams his opponent into the ground, while Video James takes a more measured approach and hits Acke with a stunner. [I had to make sure they wouldn't hurt any more children, but I didn't want to kill anyone.] Don't you dare get up, rear end in a top hat!Both of them were unconscious, but Ken had a fire in his eyes. Wait, the sheriff! Chief, you see the sheriff anywhere? I've never seen anything like that! Only games have those wham-bam animations...they had no chance, and they're strong and scary! But they were scared of you...-Interrupt -Keep listening You have to go upstairs! Oh, I'm Stanley, by the way. I mean Tom. I forgot to tell you. I was afraid, but you did fine. You can handle Kid too. You showed them! We knew that you must be good with all those likes under your profile and that you'd find us...-Interrupt -Keep listening I heard his jaw crunch when he got hit! And yesterday, we had no dinner, and they laughed. Well, who's laughing now? Because the investigation had to lead you here, I knew it...-Interrupt -Keep listening Wait, I want to...He wouldn't listen. He was too excited. And I knew I didn't have to say anything cause you'd figure it all out. I mean, you can tell who's bad and good here. They were dirty and hunched over like any villain in a game. If someone looks like that, you know they're bad. I knew you'd figure it out...-Yell at him -Keep listening Aw, we can't interrupt if the choice is going to be phrased like that. That was epic, like the raid event. But it only comes once a year in Harvest Time cause it's too epic to have it more often. And then there are wild horses stampeding to hid the raid. People say wild horses are an omen. But they neigh and stomp. And an omen wouldn't neigh, right? Everyone knows omens don't neigh...Ken lost it. Stanley! What? Where's the sheriff? Oh, upstairs. I think he tried to run away from you. Chief, let's be quick, shall we?Before we do that, let's talk to some of the other children first.  -Ask who she is Who are you, by the way? My name's Kamelia. In the game, I was known as the Outlaw. It's...it's good that we managed to work things out. You've managed to get here. I feel silly for not entirely believing in you.-Ask where the other children are It's awfully empty here. No one's using the couches, or the beds for that matter. Where are the other children? Kid told everyone to log out. He was livid, so most of them hid and are waiting for it to pass. They'll come out when they're no longer afraid.-Ask where the Sheriff is Where's Sheriff Billy? We call him Kid. He's in the office upstairs. I saw him deleting some stuff from his computer. That means he hasn't escaped. Perfect. We'll enter his office. Guns blazing.-Ask about her escape in Harvest Time In Harvest Time you were the only person who stood up to the Sheriff. You tried to run. That took guts. Respect. I was terrified...but I so wanted to see what was in Harvest Time outside our town. They show off these amazing things in each update, and when Kid wouldn't let us...Will I be allowed to see all of Harvest Time now? Of course. You'll be able to sight-see to your heart's content, and you won't have to hide anymore. She smiled. I have to take care of some things now. Please be careful with Kid - the Sheriff. Don't trust him.  [My hand stuck to the lid. I looked inside. Inside were cheap vitamins and supplements. They were all of questionable origin. Was this the only sustenance these children could expect?] [As far as I could tell, there was more virtualia pharmacology than actual food. I left the crates alone.] [No one was using them at that moment. The sheriff had enough time to wake up all the children. Everything was connected with shared wiring. There was probably a single computer overseeing it all.] I guess this is confirmation that Video James does, in fact, use his regular, real-world body as an avatar in every game he visits. I suppose he is a celebrity, so it makes sense to keep up his brand. Silly Sally? Were you the one using that letter and digit code? drat right it's me! It's cool you came. But be careful, outsiders are hosed here. It's dangerous.-Ask about the danger Dangerous? No one comes here cause they want to, like, ever. They have to be brought in by Doug or Acke. One time, a guy in an anti-g harness wandered in here. Doug kicked his rear end so hard he looked like a bad hexel. You've probably dealt with them already, but Kid is upstairs. And I reckon Acke and Doug have nothing on him.-Ask about the sheriff Where's the sheriff? Yo, he's upstairs. I told you. Do adults have, like, zero skill points in listening?-Ask how she's feeling You seemed out of sorts while you were playing. How are you feeling? Once I logged out, I basically fell on my rear end, I was so out of it. But that's, like, normal. Happens to everyone. It's cool now. Alright, enough faffing about. Time to end this. Ken stopped me when I was about to open the door. Chief...I know I may look like a total pro. But I've never caught anyone. In realium, I mean. Nor interrogated anyone. Any tips before we go in? First of all, The Investigator led us here, but we don't know who's behind all this. Let's get the guy who acts as the Sheriff in the game, interrogate him, and find out what's going on.-[Cheater] Tell Ken to watch the sheriff -[Vox Populi] Tell him about manipulation techniques -Tell him to guard the door You need to make him want to confess to what he did. Provoke or push him until he says something he shouldn't. That's very smart, chief. I'll try. I'll leave the talking to you. I will listen and learn. Hands up, motherfucker! Prepare for justice!He realized that was too much. Sorry, chief. I got carried away. [Low City][The Undercity was over a hundred meters below. He couldn't have jumped out of a mushroom window and survived. Unless it was suicide...] It's just some kid. It's good that you're here. I'll go check on your friends.He began to head for the exit. Stop bullshitting. I know you're the sheriff.A proud smile spread across his face. But I almost convinced you, right? I can even get one over a gamedec.-Ask if he feels remorse These kids are suffering. Doesn't your conscience bother you? Why? It all works, after all! And it's making money! More than a good-for-nothing gamedec. Anyone would do the same in my place if they could. Anyone. And the kids can't do it. They need someone to decide things for them. He's proud of it! Of course. Everything was going great until the punks called a gamedec.-Say what you've discovered during the investigation The kids called us because they were miserable. And didn't they tell you they want to play more? Cause usually they do. They have it better in Harvest Time than they would on the streets. We all just want to make some money and escape poverty.-Mention the kids' symptoms The kids complained about strange symptoms - pain, confusion, weakness...do you think it's acceptable? Take a look inside the boxes! They're filled with supplements and all sorts of medicine! They wouldn't be able to work if they were sick! You little poo poo. You're taking advantage of those kids, and you can't even call for a doctor? What, are you gonna pay for that? The foundation doesn't check on us or help us. No earnings, no doctor. That's why we discipline them. But of course, these loving idiots took part of the money and hired a gamedec.-Ask about speed boosts You made the kids use a speed boost cheat. We all use it sometimes. Why do you think nobody can beat the sheriff in a duel? Anyway, the kids slack off, then use the cheat on themselves and their plants to catch up and make money. Well...we all gotta make a living.Ken's face turned red. What did you say? On themselves?! But that...that can accelerate the aging process! Chief, that can cause Adelheim's syndrome! Accelerated aging! The organism works at full power, and it gets worn out. That's messed up! What's the alternative? Starving in Low City? Better to get old a little faster but actually get to live! To survive! Don't you get it?-[Scalpel] Remind him of the destructive effects of the syndrome Adelheim's syndrome can have irreversible effects in children. Growth disorders, endocrine gland disorders...it could be disastrous for them. They can experience lifelong chronic pain. They'll get old much faster, which means they'll live shorter lives. Do you understand? At least they'll be happier. They'll actually have something that's theirs. We don't force anyone to work for us. Low City does.We can also push him about the stimulant and cheat abuse, but I think it's clear what his response is going to be on those. -Ask about the whole operation I see that you believe everything's working perfectly here. How exactly does this thing work? Using slave labor? What, are you going to take all these kids home and take care of them? You and your kind little heart didn't give a gently caress until someone paid you. And they paid you because they're making money. Instead of doing drugs and roaming the walkways without supervision, they're here together, learning how to make money. I'm proud of that.-Mention that kids run away At least one kid felt so bad that she tried to run away. That's right, slave master! If they're so happy, why are they running and hiding? Where are those kiddos, anyway? Use your brain, idiot. The kids can leave anytime they want. The door's open. You'd notice if you had used the handle. And what are they going to do? It's a mushroom. In order to get out, they would have to go down to the Undercity, walk through the ruins to the nearest tower and climb to Low City using a ladder. It's drat dangero- Please, all they need to do is ask. I'll get a cab, and off they go. Yeah, they run away, but only in Harvest Time. They don't want to leave here, they want to stay and keep playing. As long as they're here, they need to follow the rules. If I let them slack, they won't learn discipline, and the program won't profit.We can keep pushing him on the patrolling armed guards, etc, but I think you get the idea on how those conversations are gonna go. Chief, he's not showing any remorse! I feel it in my gut that he's not gonna learn unless we graciously beat the gently caress out of him. This isn't how we wre supposed to serve justice.-Sense the head of the foundation [I took out my walktel, opened a command window, and dialed Nanette's number.] Let's see what the head of this operation has to say about this... Hello there, gamedec. Is this the moment you'd like me to return the favor?-Question her Listen, Nanette. I'm in the mushroom right now. It's one of those hundred-year old structures abandoned by the builders of the polis... I know what mushrooms are. Have you found anything interesting in there? Yeah. The headquarters of Nanette's Gardens. It's a dump. A stinky, creepy slum. What? But how? I rented this nice place...At this point, the 'continue' button breaks on the version I'm recording with, so I can't advance this conversation. I can't be bothered to boot up the Switch version, but it goes pretty much how you'd expect: Nanette goes 'I've been taken for a ride, I'm such a fool, etc.' while the Gamedec tells her to do better. -Decide what to do We've heard what the kid had to say. What do you think, Ken? I'm not sure, chief. We learned in Harvest Time that it's the sheriff who's responsible for the kids' problems. And the sheriff is this punk right here. He's not even trying to hide it. We need to separate the kids from him. Regardless of whatever the gently caress you think, you don't have a choice. If you call the police, these kids will end up in juvie or on walkways. I would say the latter. You're going to leave them alone? In Low City? They'll be much worse off than here.Kid smiled cheekily. Unless, of course, you want to take them in and raise them? No? Well, fine. I know how to take care of them. -Call the police -Let Kid continue taking care of them -Let the Nanette Foundation take care of it Call the foundation. I'm sure Nanette will take care of the children. If she gives them her attention, that is. Right. They'll be taken care of. I was starting to feel like a hero, but then I realized that I don't know anything about kids. Good call. I'll sense them and take care of everything.Ken opened a private window and chose a number. His lips started to move, but I couldn't hear anything. Meanwhile, Kid headed for the exit. Where do you think you're going, punk? You're the one responsible for this whole mess. So what? I'm a minor. You wouldn't do anything to a minor, would you? How about we gently caress him up anyway, chief? Introduce him to the holy, punishing hand of justice? I'm itching to beat the crap out of him.-Trap him in a 'speed boost' -Let him run away -[Sleeves] Shoot the kid -Turn him into the police That Sleeves option is looking real tempting, but we should probably be a good role model while our sidekick's here. Nevertheless, maybe we can indulge in a little bit of karmic justice. Kid, you like using speed boosts and don't give a gently caress that they accelerate aging, right? You won't mind experiencing it yourself, then. We'll trap you in a cheat like that, and the kids will decide when to turn it off. Please, no! They're clueless! It'll kill me! Don't worry, punk. You wanted to be an adult? This will help! If someone takes pity on you and gets you out, you can run a real business, not a shithole like this! Say, I don't know...an old folk's home? Video James and Ken proceed to force Kid into the couch (no matter how much the actual animation here looks like he’s walking into it of his own volition). Eh, he'll probably be fine. Nanette's people will probably break him out once they get here anyway.  As we leave the room, we're surrounded by a gaggle of hopeful kids. Sir...what will happen to us now? Who's going to take care of us now? You won't leave us alone, will you? Nanette will take care of you. Remember her?The kids started talking over one another. Cries of joy mingled with words of astonishment. But can we stay together? Here?! Can we see other games? And not get logged out anymore? What if they separate us and ban us from playing? Kid always told us what to do! Who will tell us now?-[Vox Populi] Convince them it'll be great -Reassure them it'll be alright -Bring the kids to order The fate of all mistreated, degraded and oppressed has always been dear to me. Trust me. You will be a lot better now. You can play together. You'll have more time, and you won't get disconnected anymore. Are you sure? I'm sure. Above all, you will feel better. You'll live in a nice place, play more safely, and have more fun. The boy's face brightened. That's so cool! Thank you, gamedec! Very cool indeed. We did quite well. We should wait for somebody to take over here, and then we need to talk. Let's celebrate our success, analyze our mistakes, and discuss what to do next. War meeting at your place, chief, 8 o'clock sharp! Ken, meet Bliss. She's my majordomo. She's cool, chief! Hi there, translucent! Ken Zhou, a Goodabads player and one of the few players in the world who can play for 15 seconds at the 19th level of pain. He's been the most efficient attacker for the last two seasons. She knows everything about me! Intellectual personality? Great choice, chief!-Offer a drink -Cut to the chase  -Offer whiskey -Offer tea -Offer beer Whiskey? Yeah...we need to rinse our neurons after what happened in that mushroom under Low City. But let's focus on our next investigation. Did you notice I said "our", chief?I don't have much choice in the matter, do I. Did you notice those two trippy girls in T&P? The ones that were chatting people up? They seemed strange, so I talked to them. It turned out they were recruiting people into a clan in a different game. Wait, it gets better. This clan believes in some crazy-rear end stuff. They're also obsessed with the number 314. I think they're a cult. So, you see...He looked at me as though he was waiting for questions. -Find out more about the clan What do you know about this clan? They’re called the Hon Clan. Apparently “Hon” means “book”. It’s in their emblem – a book in front of a tree. They play MMOs, keep talking about meditation, ‘observations’, stuff like that. Even more than about fighting and territories. That said, chief, when they fight, they fight for real. They know how to play. But as soon as those girls realized I had money, they told me I was special and that my spiritual path leads to the clan. Suspicious, huh?I mean, I agree, but that’s not exactly a mystery that needs solving. -Ask why it piqued his interest Why did you take an interest in them? During that game…you know, the one I rage quit, those loving trolls weren’t the only thing I saw in that space rip. There was also a tree. I mean, what the gently caress was that, right? But when I heard that the clan worships a ‘Tree of Knowing’, I figured it might help me understand. I did some research, and it turns out their Tree of Knowing looks exactly like the one I saw. That’s my lead, chief! The lead to finding the fuckers that ruined my career!-Ask about the Tree of Knowing What is the Tree of Knowing? Well, I’m not sure yet, but I’m really interested in finding out. You see, this goddamn Tree is what somebody used to destroy my career. They’re never specific about the Tree. It’s some kind of artifact. Apparently, it only appears once in a while. It’s a big deal for them. They say the Tree gives them truth and inspiration and sends some signal things…kinda seems like they get high a lot. Suspicious, huh?-Ask about the number 314 What’s the deal with them and the number 314? I feel like I’ve heard something about it before. At first I thought it was a reference to the number pi, but there’s more to it, chief. I gotta say, it…gives me the creeps. You know, it’s like…whenever I see this number or even hear about it…something happens. Don’t loving laugh at me… I’m not. Don’t dismiss it. You’re feeling something – that’s a fact. It might be your emotions, but it might be something else too. Worth investigating, right? That’s what I thought! Cause, y’know, chief, I kind of believe there might be something mystical going on here. It’s like, when I see ‘314’, it feels like a sign that was put there especially for me. Like I’m special. Strange, isn’t it? What if the clan knows that I’m interested in them, and they reprogrammed my walktel and lenses? Worth investigating!-Ask if anyone hired him for the investigation Has someone actually hired you for this investigation? Um…not really. I’m working on my own… You do know that gamedecs get hired, discuss their remuneration with the client, and only then begin their investigation, right? This one’s an exception. Well, the second exception – the first was Harvest Time. I hired myself to find out who killed…my career. Someone’s got to find the culprit! Are you in, chief?-Refuse -Agree to help him All right. This might be too difficult for you to handle on your own. Awesome! We’ll be like a Goodabads team but in realium! And in all the other games in the world! Now, enough about this clan, Ken.-Talk about Ken’s esports career What’s it like to be an esports player? As in, a Goodabads player? Well, you need to be a bit of a masochist. When the pain is at 10, it’s like being operated on without anesthesia. At 15, some players start tripping when the endorphins kick in. I can go as far as 19. It’s hard to describe. Heaven? Hell? Both at once? They say Peter ‘Crash’ Kytes can go up to 20 thanks to meditation and some other wizardry. Me, I like to feel everything. It…turns me on.This is not how I expected ‘what’s it like in esports’ to go. You’re insane, Ken. Takes one to know one!-Discuss the latest case You’ve done your first detective case. You should be proud of yourself, Ken. Chief, it was amazing. I feel like the king of the world. I think we should always work together. [Before I could cut in, Ken rushed onwards.] That’s why we’re a team. Together we’re even more awesome than we are separate.-Talk about your work Listen, I see this whole gamedec thing really interests you. Would you like to hear more about the job? Sure, chief. I’m all ears. Well, it has no benefits, really. No pension, no vacation, no sick leave. When there’s work, you make money. When there isn’t…you starve. Sounds wonderful! That’s because you’re young. But sure, have a go at it. Just remember what I told you, because- What seems wonderful at first might turn out to be a completely different kind of wonder. But it’s better to try and find out, I guess. Yeah, something like that. Let’s have a drink. Alright, I get what you’re hinting at. -Offer to let him crash You can stay for the night, Ken. That would be cool! New career, new life! I’m ready for a new level of awesomeness and new experiences! I’m telling you, chief, this might be the first time we’re celebrating a finished case, but there are many more to come! I just know it! Just like I knew, and I mean, really knew, chief, that tonight I’d end up…-“…on this comfy sofa” -“…in bed together with you” -“…emptying the servobot of alcohol” Ken once again finished talking before I could cut in. …on this comfy sofa, emptying the servobot of alcohol!The scene fades to black. Well, that’s our second case dealt with. All things considered, probably an improvement over the first case both writing and accomplishment-wise. There’s no denying that we were on the right side of things this time, and we can walk away from a case with the satisfaction of a job well done. It’ll probably be the last time that happens. It’s all downhill from here, folks.
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Oct 3, 2022 17:25
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 Ken wanted to meet and talk about his case. We hadn't discussed the time and place, though.-Sense Ken [No answer. I wondered if Bliss knew anything.] Outrage at the Nanette Foundation. The founder of the organization, Nanette D., is suspected of forcing children into slave labor. This has been Warsaw City News, your source for up-to-date domestic and international news all day long. [I got a text from Ken.] Hi! No idea why you turned off your walktel. What are you, a stegosaurus? Let's meet at Yeti's Coming tonight. It's low. Really low. The roof of the Undercity. I'll be waiting for you. I came across something interesting, but no point talking about it now since you're not here. See ya. [I didn't know what he meant by saying that my walktel was off. He could've just sensed me, but sent a text instead. It was strange.] Well, no sense waiting around, might as well get to it. And yes, Video James does in fact use that 'Do the doors protect me from the world...or the world from ME?" line every time he leaves his apartment.  Our path appears to be blocked by some kind of murder investigation.  But it is, Corn. The boy was shot by a beacon. With all due respect, sir, these beacons don't make mistakes. Well, this one did. If that's true, do you realize what kind of position this puts us in? Cornelia. This man, this...Ken Zhou was his name? Yes, Ken Zhou. He's dead. Nothing will change that. I understand, Captain. What you need to understand is that closing the case this way will reflect badly on our organization. That's neither your business nor responsibility, Sergeant Delia!The man was interrupted by a voice from his communicator.  Captain, there's a doctor here. His name is Pax and he wants to- What, we don't need that dipshit here. Sergeant Delia, we'll return to this later. I'm coming, Rama. Well, that's quite a bit to take in. First off, Ken's dead.  Guess we'll never know what he wanted to talk to us about.Secondly, the Captain of the investigative team sure seems to be eager to close this case, even against the recommendations of his own team. I don't think 'he's dead, nothing we do matters here, pack it up' is standard investigative procedure. Thirdly, as you can see, we're at the tier of the game where a lot more options locked behind high-end occupations start showing up. This is the case where how you approach things can really vary depending on what you've unlocked, since it's not going to be as easy to farm up the stats for an occupation you're missing. -Ask about Ken You mentioned a name - Ken Zhou. Did you know the deceased? Yes. I'm very sorry. We're investigating the circumstances of his death. If you're a family member, we'll keep you posted.-Express determination -Express sadness -Show no emotion Ken Zhou was my...co-worker. He accompanied me in my last couple of cases. I have to find out what happened to him! I cannot disclose any information to third parties. I'm sorry.-Say that you're a gamedec I'm a gamedec. What do I care...She paused and looked at me for a while. [Past choices] Hey, you're the one who got this kid out. Who was he, the son of some BWI big shot? I've heard good things about you. You can come in.If you pick any of the occupation-based options to threaten or manipulate her into letting you in, she reluctantly complies, but refuses to talk to you after that. Up ahead, we find three people involved in a conversation.   I'm inspecting the MCC beacon. So you need to move your hands like this. Will you remember, Mack? Yeah. It's similar to opening a window. And? How is the inspection going? The beacon's broken. "The beacon looked like a random hook-up after sixteen hours in bed...useless." Is that good, Martin? I could try a different approach with this junk... Leave that to the scriptwriter, my dear. But you're killing it! I'm sorry, but I...I can't... Again with this flying, therapeutic poo poo... Better than your holomovies, rear end in a top hat! All right, let's go, Mack. We'll come back when it calms down.The two of them stroll off.  Down below, we find another group clustered around the corpse.  Fantastic. The last thing I need... Pax, you son of a bitch! Get the f- Get out of here! Calm down, sir. I need to do a scan... Why not decapitate him while you're at it?! You're good at that, aren't you?! Mr. Basilides...it was a long time ago, a stupid mistake. I'll just wait for the medibot to finish the scan and then I'm gone. Scan a corpse? Why the gently caress would you do that?! It's standard procedure. Yeah? Where were your procedures when you were diagnosing Michal, you piece of poo poo?! Where were your medibots then?!The captain proceeds to start punching the medibot. Leave the machine alone, man! You know how much it's worth?! (punching the medibot between every word) I. Don't. loving. Care!After that, everyone just awkwardly strolls off. I suppose I would too if I had to witness that. Now that everyone’s settled into place, let's go through them one at a time, starting with Delia.  -Ask about her name Your name is 'Cornelia Delia'? Quite peculiar. What's it to you, pal? I didn't choose my name. Or my surname. It's from the Rejuvenation Era. I guess it's fine, but I hate 'Cornelia'. It was my grandma's name. Anyway, I don't want to talk about it.-Ask about her unit You flew here with an entire unit. Is there anything I should know about it? I wouldn't call us a 'unit' yet. We still need to work some things out, and I'm not sure we ever will. So far it's a group of mavericks. The drone operator is a spoiled kid in an unbelievably expensive genskin, Captain Basilides struggles with his own demons, and then there's Tankred...-Ask about the Captain's demons What did you mean when you said that 'the captain struggles with his own demons'? Let's keep this between you and me, but...he's been acting really weird. Work used to be the most important thing for him, but now...it's just a hunch, but it seems as though he's struggling between his duty and emotions...no, not exactly that. He seems conflicted between service and family. But I may be wrong - I'm not a telepath. Either way, something's eating him and it's sad.-Inquire about the drone operator's genskin The drone operator is using an expensive genskin? Can Out-Rangers even use those? They can. It's actually safer that way. And yes, it's terribly expensive. I've never seen one like this before. I'll send you an article.We can't actually see the article because our Codex bugs out whenever we try to view it. It doesn't really matter, though. -Ask about Ken's death Ken Zhou's death - what's your hypothesis? Why, did you hear the story the Captain is trying to shove down our throats? That beacon bullshit? Why do you think it's bullshit? Because it doesn't really add up. And even if - I can't stress this enough - EVEN if it did, it would be damned harmful to us. What exactly doesn't add up about it? Well, for one, the beacon's logs are empty! And, of course, the report doesn't even mention this. Okay, what do you think happened? He was shot - that's certain. But not by a beacon. A human did this. The beacon in question is up here. -Check gun registry [I opened up the window that monitored gun functions and started looking through the data. The last shot was registered the week before, aimed at a rat climbing up a nearby tower. The rodent was hit, fell off the wall, and did not return. The beacon's gun hadn't fired once since then.]-Check technical specifications [Long range scanners, high quality cameras and microphones, quantum 'noses' capable of differentiating four trillion smells...and a plasma gun with adjustable power and caliber. In a nutshell, a must-have in every household.]You know, even if it's almost certainly not going to be the solution in this case, there has to be a better solution for pest control than automated plasma guns. -Remove battery [These are very user-friendly devices. I studied the manual engraved on the armor, pressed some sensors, waited for the panel to move aside, and watched as the battery slid into my hands.] [The beacon began an emergency system shutdown. I watched it turn itself off and I walked away.]I'm not sure if that did anything besides mess with the investigation, but can't hurt to try everything. Incidentally, Tankred would yell at us if she was in control, but right now bird is in charge and bird doesn't give a gently caress about anything.  On to Dr. Pax. The cigarette fell to the ground. gently caress!He glared at the soaking wet tobacco as if deliberating whether it was worth picking up. He shrugged and pulled out another cigarette. gently caress all of this.He only noticed me once he lit up and inhaled deeply. He sent me a quizzical glance. -Ask for help in the investigation I have a few questions and I wanted - Pax raised his hand. He took a pack of real-nicotine cigarettes out of his pocket. From another, he recovered a lighter engraved with Asclepius's cane. He lit up lazily, and took the smoke in, tasting it. I'm burning to help. Sadly, my fire is being doused by a certain problem - there's a hideous toad roaming around here, interrupting my work.-[Low City] Show contempt for the out-rangers] Toads, huh? Only thing I remember from their Low City patrols is the contempt they showed to the inhabitants. They pretended to care about us, but only thought of us as 'city dwellers'. Screw them.Pax looked at me with a mix of amusement and pity. He wanted to say something, but a coughing fit interrupted him. Once he had it under control, he took a drag on his cigarette as if nothing had happened. -Ask how he's feeling To tell the truth, you don't look too well. Are you all right?He smiled crudely and inhaled more smoke. I feel excellent for a guy who will soon rendezvous with the reaper. Are you... are you dying? Not at the moment...I'll fire up the engines in about three months, then I'll fly away. Too bad Gaia isn't the destination. He looked at the medibot and exhaled smoke, barely stopping himself from coughing. At least if the diagnosis is correct.He coughed, but kept the smoke in his mouth. The cigarette paper started soaking with red. He grabbed the wet bud and looked at it with disgust. He tossed it into the abyss below us and lit up another. It probably is. So...what's wrong with you? Stem cell cancer. No cure. Believe me - I'm a doctor. Nothing is impossible nowadays. You just need enough money and- A BLB is the only thing that could help me. Can't afford it. Too many debts, and I'm tired. No more of this.-Ask about his conflict with the captain Seems like you and the captain go way back... Yeah. What happened between you two? What's your story?He took a puff and exhaled through the nose. He ruined my career. It started over a year ago. I worked in the Warsaw City Central Hospital. I had a respectable position, second degree specialization. We got a call to the ABB - a bite or a sting. I went there with a team. Landed right by the barrier. An Out-Ranger unit led by Basilides was scrambling. The victim was a civilian - the captain's partner, Michal Sosnowski.He took a long drag, staring into the distance. When he finally exhaled, a pale blue cloud enveloped him. Something bit him on the neck. He went into shock - his airways were closing up. We call it 'firing up the engines'. For your trip to the other side, I mean. The Out-Rangers kept shouting it was a type of gadly, Hypoderma bovis toxica. Typically, all you need in such cases are serum, an anti-shock kit, and water... But something was off. A gadfly's bite leaves a swollen lump with two red patches around it. And there was a lump, but not a lot of redness. And I saw that lump start to blacken. As if necrosis had already started. I'd only ever seen wolf spider bites progress that fast. What puzzled me was that there was only one bite mark, and spiders leave two. I knew I'd have to cut off his head if it'd been a wolf spider, otherwise he'd die. Spiders sometimes lose their pedipalps fending off wasps or other damned things. I concluded it must have been a wolf spider cripple, and made my choice. Pedipalps? What are those? It's the part the son-of-a-bitch stabs its victims with to inject its digestive juices and other poo poo. Each spider has two. He took in a puff and spoke in a whisper. I loaded this Michal guy into the ambulance and he literally lost his head before the captain's eyes. He survived, but Basilides sued me. I checked later and found that Sosnowski has pheromone injections done, to protect against insects...but not against arachnids. The bite mark was destroyed by decapitation, and the blood from his head machine-washed, so there were no solid leads in the investigation. Eventually the court ruled there wasn't enough evidence, so it went cold. But the stench remained. I was let go, and since I wag my tongue a bit too much, I couldn't find any decent jobs elsewhere. So you see, that is 'our story'.He looked at the cigarette butt smoldering between his fingers and tossed it away. I saved his boyfriend. Was it right? I don't know.-Ask about Low City What's it like working at the bottom of the polis? It may sound dramatic, but I'd say...like with a knife to the throat. Shootouts happen here, so I need to patch up gang war victims. There are still lots of valuables down there to fight over. Maybe this man got caught in the crossfire...He sighed, exhaling a cloud of smoke. -Offer assistance I could help you with this 'toad' problem.His shifty eyes looked up at me. Really? Would you do something to make the captain leave? Provoke him to hit you or something? Or find something to discredit him? ...I'll try. Thank you.We haven't committed to anything, but no harm agreeing first. -Ask for access to the medibot I'd like to use your medibot.He squinted and asked without taking the cigarette out of his mouth. And what do you need it for?-Say you're conducting an investigation -[Sleeves] Threaten I'm conducting an investigation. I could use this equipment. And I could use some peace and quiet. I've got a problem with a toad here. Besides, it's 'against protocol'.He laughed. Something gurgled in his throat as he spoke the last word. If we threaten him, he finds it absurd that we could do anything that could scare a terminally ill man and refuses anyway.  Let's see if we can do anything with it anyway.  Short answer is no. We don't really have any idea how to start, and if we mess up, Video James immediately gives up on account of a lack of computing power. If we try again, we get this line: [In order to hack the medibot, I needed access to the city network. Basic Systems Admin credentials would have been nice too.] Moving on, let's talk to the film crew. He kept looking around impatiently, as if looking for something...beautiful? Ugly? Sensational? Inspirational? That, I didn't know. Yes, I'm that famous director. No, I don't have a role for you, though visually you'd fit right in. Only important stuff, please. I'm busy.-Make small talk about art and weather Darkness, rain, the ruins of Warsaw below us...Great setting for a holomovie, right? drat right. Don't have to change anything, really. But it's always been that way. The story. The story matters more than the scenery. Effects, animation, make-up - it's so easy to get that stuff done that the drat AIs could handle it. We have a shortage of stories that don't tickle some vain instinct, but move you to the core. Dialogues. Characters. That's what I'm after.-Ask about the Captain [I decided to try placating him first.] Show business, huh? They say it's a bitch of an industry. He looked at me as if to say 'Tell me about it.' Making a holomovie must be tough, huh? The producer always wants to get their way, competition biting at your heels... They push some 'young talent' on you, some exec's failure of a son...Man, you have to have nerves of steel or connections. Advertising is a better business. If you don't know how to swim with the sharks, you'd better keep out of the water. Yeah, connections are a must. Since we've gotten to know one another, could you help me? There's a shark here - the captain. Got anything on him? Of course! I mean, I did film the guy beating up a medibot. The question is, though, why should I give it to you?-Say Medibots save lives -[Vox Populi] Say you're also a filmmaker -Say the medibot's AI is human-like I'm in the industry, too. I like bringing the truth to the people, regardless of consequences. You might tarnish your name with this recording - I won't care. I remember one time when that thing saved one of my actors...You're right, here's the video.-Ask how long they've been here Have you been here long? Well, a while. Still, should've come sooner - they say some guy fell from the sky. That's what I heard, at least. It's why we're here, actually. Guy falls from the sky, Rangers arrive, Mack and I receive word and come too.-Ask about the Out-Ranger in the mobrium That big green mobrium and the Out-Ranger inside it...Can you tell me something about her? Tankred? Fascinating story, could make for a great holomovie. We're getting ready to film a feature on her. That's why we're here. Problem is, she has therapeutic programs that activate upon feeling strong emotions. Then she becomes hard to talk to. Looked like she was posing for a microcamera. I couldn't see the device, so I couldn't say for sure. Her mechanical face expressed seductive contemplation as she arched and curved her figure. -Ask if she's a robot I don't mean to offend you, but I honestly don't know if I'm talking to a robot or a woman using a mobrium, so could you- Excuse me?! I am human! My brain is sitting in the belly of this beautiful mobrium. But I understand your...confusion. This one's a pershell. They're made to order. It captures my real features. Cool, right?-Ask who she is Who are you, anyway? You don't know me? How embarrassing. Mack Boar, actress and first model to pose in a mobrium. I thought my fame was...Ugh, never mind. I'm getting ready for a role. We'll be reenacting the story of Tankred, one of the greens. I hope I do well.-Ask about the Out-rangers What do you think about the Out-rangers? Interesting question. Until now I thought they were just nature-loving simpletons that hated technology. But get this, the famous troublemaker, Rama Matan of Sydneyland, is one of them! That guy knows how to party! See for yourself! We get a bit of backstory on Matan. He's a spoiled rich kid who's doing a stint in the Out-Rangers as penance for causing a humiliating incident at one of his family's fancy parties. -Ask about Ken's death I'm here because of...that guy's death. Did you see...Do you know anything? No. Martin told me something cool was happening in Low City and that I could do research for my role, so we came. Poor guy was already dead.Well, we didn't get a lot out of those two, but we have some dirt on the Captain in case we need it.  On to the guy investigating Ken's body.  What is it?-Ask about the beacons How do the beacons work, in general? They scan their surroundings looking for new plant and animal species. If a beast comes close, they shoot. These here have a special task. If anything tries to fly or crawl up to the lowest inhabited walkway, beacons have to shoot it down while adhering to all safety measures. People live here. There are two dangerous species around these parts - the toxic fruit bat, a seriously big bastard, and the rattus mordax venenatus rat. The rats got clever and don't try climbing up anymore. The bats are dumber and charge sometimes, so the beacons shoot one down, occasionally. They fire plasma. That's why there isn't much blood. Blood is no good, trust me. It attracts a shitload of trouble outside the ABB, and honestly, it ruins the view here. So, you get it.-Ask about beacon reliability Maybe the beacon misfired. Does that happen? No. They are advanced artificial intelligence, way smarter than humans. A person could make a mistake, but a beacon? No chance. Believe me. I designed them myself.-Ask about reistic systems Do you know anything about reistic systems? They're like the matrix. You know, they surround us - just kidding. Seriously, though, it's complicated and I'm afraid I'll mix it up. Lots of encrypting protocols. I'm not going to teach you to hack. Take this address. It's all written down, but you didn't get it from me.We get a little bit of information on how to hack beacons, but we still need more to successfully hack. -Ask about Ken's death The man lying dead here, Ken Zhou. How do you think he died? I know what it looks like. Bat wings, the Undercity below us...The captain was here first...And took the anti-G harness off him. That's what he claims, at least- I didn't see it. But trust me, it's not the beacon that killed him. It must have been a weird...very weird accident, incident - I don't know, I can't make anything of it. This death must be a damned misunderstanding. And the sight is just...inhuman. It's disgraceful that he's still here on the wet walkway like a bag of human bones.-Ask about anti-G harness Ken had an anti-G harness on? Where is it? They say the Captain took it off and secured it, but I didn't see that happen. It's probably in Beowulf.-Ask about Tankred Can you tell me something about the girl in the large mobrium? Tankred Brut? Ah, the infamous Tankred. She rescued some Rangers on one of the patrols behind the ABB. She paid an awful price, but now she's a legend. She was only put into the mobrium recently. She shouldn't be on duty yet, but firstly, they're making a holomovie about her, and secondly, she wanted to be. She has therapeutic programs installed that sort of...take over communication if she becomes too stressed or relaxed. Supposedly it's to hasten her recovery.-Ask about the body Is there a way I could convince you to let me examine the body? Did you hit your head or something? It's a corpse and I'm an officer on duty. Ever heard of regulations? Want me to face disciplinary action?-Offer a favor -[Vox Populi] Appeal to his empathy -Let it go I saw the way you were looking at the body. A terrible sight, isn't it? See, I knew this man. Imagine how I must be feeling. I need to see what's...left of him....All right. I'll look the other way for a moment.He handed me a pair of super-thin nanogloves. Put these on. You don't want your DNA and fingerprints all over the body. [The guy's face, as if carved from plastic, was pressed against the wet pavement like a strange, silent object. The gaze of his open eyes was angled unnaturally. Nobody's face should lie on the ground like that. The face of a corpse - maybe. Because that's no longer a person.]-Inspect the head [The sideways-facing eyes had lost any expression or gleam. They resembled those of a poorly-designed enpec. The face, pulled taut by the sidewalk, looked to be smiling crudely.]-Check in his mouth [I had an inexplicable hunch, parted his lips, and put two fingers in his mouth. A stiff tongue. Dry saliva. I shuddered. There was nothing else there.]-Search him [I rummaged through his pockets. He had no personal items on him - not even a walktel.]-Check his chest [Scalpel] [There was what looked like a small gunshot exit wound. I pressed on his chest in a few spots, then tapped. Weird. It sounded hollow inside. The sound near the wound should have been flat due to extravasation.]-Check limbs [His arms and legs were splayed awkwardly. It was like he had been doing some weird mid-air stunts before hitting the ground.] [Gently, I lifted his hand. I was stunned. The skin on the inside of his palm was clean. Not even a scratch or a bruise, everything in perfect condition. I checked his other hand - same thing. His skin should have been torn if he fell and froze in this position.] [I rolled up his sleeves. For a moment, I thought I saw something like wounds from...a lightning bolt? That didn't make any sense.]-Flip the body [I grabbed Ken by the shoulders and started to gently turn him over. He was heavy and oddly resistant. One of the holographic wings disappeared into the pavement. His head bobbed and was about to collide with the pavement. I noticed something flashing immediately behind it.] [It lasted a fraction of a second. A semi-transparent sign popped up right above Ken's head from the pavement.] ["Zhou_Arrow_Drknss". "Level: 14." "HP: 0"]-Inspect his back [There was a bloody hole in his coat. And his back too, it seemed.] [I slid my hand under Ken's chest again, feeling the cracks in the pavement under the exit wound. I pulled out a metal object, tore it from the pavement and took a closer look. It was a bullet. Small caliber...and antique. Titanium core. Probably fired from an aged rusty Rex-type rifle. There were lots of them in Low City.] [Not much blood underneath him. Just a few stains that looked like splatter. Suspiciously little, considering it went straight through him.]-Inspect the wings [Translucent bat wings protruded from Ken's clothing. I wondered if it was AR or a hologram. I turned off my glasses, but I could still see them - a holo. To create such an animation, Ken had to have an ilgen, an illusion generator, with him. I couldn't see it anywhere, so I turned to the Out-Ranger.] Do you see these wings? Take a guess, sir. That's why I keep fiddling with him. I can't find the ilgen that generates them. Did he swallow it?Well, that's all we can get out of the body for the moment. Quite a lot of interesting inconsistencies, but we'll get to that later. For now, we can fairly safely rule out the 'beacon' theory - pretty much nothing we've seen that would be consistent with a plasma blast.
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Oct 12, 2022 20:07
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 On to the drone operator. Buddy, you have no idea what kind of shithole I'm in right now...He was talking to someone on the line. His accent was strange. I'm a gamedec. I'd like to ask you-He didn't even grace me with a glance. Instead, he wagged his finger at me not to interrupt. And what's up with Martinez? Well, well...you guys are making bank! Sure, I wanna hang out, but you know how it is. I told you.I'll spare you the rest of his interminable phone conversation and skip to the part where he deigns to acknowledge our presence. Well, I'm all ears. What do you want?This time, he was definitely addressing me. -Ask who he is I know nothing about you. Tell me something. We typically say "What's your story?" Well, it's funny, sad and a bit messed up, but I think that's normal at this age. "At this age"? You don't look old. If I still looked old after the money I've spent, I'd actually be a bit loving pissed. Okay then, I have a rather forward question: How old are you? Ugh! If you don't mind, I'll just smoothly evade that question. What do you actually want?-Ask about Ken's death That man...Ken Zhou...He jumped and shifted his gaze away from the screen I couldn't see. Ken Zhou?! Hold up, buddy! You're telling me we're at the crime scene of Ken loving Zhou?! Sorry, pal, but I literally loved that guy!-Mention his lack of professionalism -Have him define 'loved -Ask about their relationship -Let it go "Literally loved"? Were you guys somehow...involved? Come on! I never even met the guy! But he really was the man! Tough as nails! Too bad. He had a future ahead of him.-Ask for access to the drone I need your drone. "I need"? Typical bullshit. It's all about you, nobody else matters. That's why you're all stuck in this swamp, preoccupied with your pathetic existence. You don't ever stop to think about other people, to ask what someone, who - I might add - is better than you, might need. But no worries, I don't blame you, I'm not judging you. Some people are just born better, others worse. What did you want, exactly? All right. What do you need? A mud bath...A drink, made with comet ice, not the poo poo you people call water...A butler - at least one. But that's nothing. What I really miss is the beauty, the harmony. And here...He looked around and sighed. You get it, unless you've gotten used to life here. You should see Sydneyland sometime - then you'd witness true beauty. ...-Bluff and tell him you'll get him kicked out of the Out-Rangers -Ask politely You have two options: authorize me, or kiss the Out-Rangers goodbye. You don't want Lady Matan to find out how you conduct yourself, do you? Stop messing around, buddy. You ain't got nothing on me. None of you natives can even touch me.-[Sleeves] Threaten to kill his grandma -[Infotainer] Say you'll post it publicly -Mention genskin price Maybe, but I've got followers. A few likes here, a few shares there, and eventually, one of Lady Matan's servants will tell her what they say online, and- Okay, calm down. I'll get you authorized. We now control the drone. We can use it to download data from the cameras scattered around the area. I poked around a bit to see if there was anything else I could do with it, but if there was I didn't see it.  In any case, we scan all the cameras to put together a recording of the original fall.  Ken falls on the ground, wings spread wide. He writhes in pain for a bit, before lying still. Then a mysterious figure walks up to him, shoots him through the chest once with a bullet, and walks off.  Only one person left to talk to. -Show concern Hard day? You know it, pal. I command a bunch of rejects, I've got a film crew here, and then there's also this fucker, Pax. He looked at me as if he had suddenly woken up. Wait a second, who let you in here?-Refer to the regulations -Say nothing I'm a gamedec and I have a right to be here. If you have any doubts, check them against the regulations. Who doesn't love losing control of the situation? A wonderful feeling.-Ask about Ken's death How did Ken die? However terrible it may sound, it seems that an MCC beacon mistook him for some kind of bat and fired at him.-Ask whether he's sabotaging the investigation I'm sorry, Captain, but shouldn't the Out-Rangers try to divert suspicion away from the beacon? What are you implying, son? I think that you're deliberately taking this case in a strange direction. That's a serious accusation. You shouldn't make those without strong proof, and I assume you don't have any, do you? Someone's blackmailing you. That's the only rational explanation.He gave me a harsh look and opened his mouth to say something, but then he stopped, grunted and rubbed his eyes, as if deflated. Oh, by all mutations, I'm so tired... Who's doing it? Why do they want to blame the Out-rangers? Leave it, son. I'm not telling you anything.-Ask about his conflict with Pax You and this doctor seem to hate each other.The man snorted, clenched his fist, and the metal parts of his glove creaked. You think so? Where did you get this from?-Say nothing -Mention their argument -[Infotainer] Mention your sources I heard your argument. Pax and I have a history, and it's not one with a happy ending. I'd rather he left.-Ask about their history What happened? It was a little over a year ago. Our unit was on patrol duty behind the ABB. My husband Michal was with us. There weren't many dangerous species in that area. Well, except for insects - they're everywhere. Michal...He looked down and grunted, then swallowed and straightened up. A gadfly bit his neck. Hypoderma bovis toxica. It got really swollen, so we quickly evacuated. Then, an ambulance arrived, and Pax was in it. He was arrogant and confident. The fool said that it wasn't a gadfly, but a Brazilian wandering spider that lost its loving pedipalp. Despite our protests, Pax ordered decapitation 'to save Michal's life'. He...lost his body because of that moron. Now he's an involuntary zoenet. Keeping his head alive costs a fortune, and we can't afford to regenerate his whole body. It's too expensive. With one decision unsupported by any evidence, this prick turned our life into a nightmare. So...that's our 'history', my friend. No happy ending for me. And since I - we don't see a way out...Well, never mind.-Offer assistance Maybe I could help. You? And how would you do that?-[Scalpel] Say you can come to an understanding with Pax -[Glazier] Mention your technical skills -[Sleeves] Suggest threatening him to leave -Say you're a gamedec I used to dabble in medicine. I think I could find common ground with your 'problem' Interesting...but no, you can't help me.He looked to the side, away from me. By the way, on a completely unrelated note, there's a medibot hanging around. It pisses me off. I would be over the moon if it finally broke down. Huh, no idea why I just said that.I'd rather not get involved in this whole mess any more than I have to, but just offering gets us enough into his good books for him to open up to us. He doesn't really have any new information for us, though. If we lacked drone access or access to the body we could convince him to let us give it a shot, but we've already got all that settled.  Now that we've spoken to everyone, let's poke around a bit. We find an old key lying around on the ground, and an old medibot battery in one of the trash cans.  Speaking of which, back to the doctor. I've obtained some material that will solve your problem. Great! I owe you one, gamedec. Now can I use your medibot? I should ask what you need it for...but truth be told, I don't give a poo poo. There. You're authorized. With that, we gain control of the medibot. It's a little low on power, though.  Before we do anything with it, we charge it up with the MCC beacon battery we removed earlier. Now, we can conduct a proper medical examination on Ken's corpse. -Conduct brain scan [I selected the brain scan option. The medibot turned on something akin to a floodlight casting a faint light and began the procedure.] [I looked at the data. Before he died, Ken had strongly stimulated visual interpretive fields and a distinctive pattern of bridge activity. Only one state could produce this result: Devitalization. Looks like Ken died...while playing.]-Perform bone scan [The device beeped and activated the scanners. Ken's skeleton began to appear in one of the windows. He looked normal. No visible fractures or cracks.]-Take a brain sample [I gave the command. A thin, metallic tentacle slid out of the medibot's arm and up Ken's nose. I heard the quiet, high-pitched whine of a surgical drill. The medibot's tentacle slid out of the dead man's nose, sprayed the tip with disinfectant foam, and tucked it inside the apparatus.] [I looked at the brain sample analysis. The device displayed a long list of complicated messages. At the end was a summary with a particularly odd sentence. "The neurons in the analyzed sampled exhibit symptoms of brain cells subjected to devitalization."]-Conduct blood test [I selected the 'blood test' option from the panel. One of the medibot's arms approached Ken's neck and pricked a vein. I heard the sound of pistons working. The display said the blood had congealed, but it had been drawn and was being analyzed.] [I looked at the analysis readouts. There were no signs of psychoactive substances, be they plex or chemical.]Not much more we can do with the medibot now, so we send it back.  As we make our next circuit around the scene, we check out the Outranger transport, where we find a trophy case inside. -Reach into the trophy case [On the pilot seat I found a familiar box made of steel. A trophy case. Every kid knows what they look like. The window was slightly lowered, so I managed to reach into the cabin and feel the box with my hand. It was closed...with a latch.]-Break the lock -Unlock it [No easier way to open a lock than having the right key. I unlocked it and looked inside. Inside was an anti-G harness. It seemed fne, but when I tried to turn it on, it didn't work. I wondered why.]Hmm, we'll make a note on that for later.  This graffit contains encoded messages that, after repeatedly analysing them, lets us learn enough about Municipal Reistic Systems to re-attempt hacking all the devices that we couldn't earlier. There's no real need for that, though. We shut down the beacon, and already gained legitimate access to the medibot and the drone, so there's no need to hack them.  An advertising drone is floating around the bridge. I am owned by AdvertPolEx. I cannot give subsystem access to unauthorized persons. [Infotainer]...I see that you have a large media audience base. I could enter into an advertising contract with you.-Inquire about the terms of the contract Could you show me the contents of the contract? It's a standard contract, but its exact contents cannot be disclosed to the public. The rules are quite simple. The contractor has twenty-four hours to fulfill the contract. Should the contractor fail to advertise the product specified in the contract to at least four other users, the contractor will be charged with a contractual penalty.-Agree to the contract Okay. Let's sign a contract. Wonderful! The current campaign is for the Brutal99 low-caffeine drink! Do you confirm that you want to take part? Yes. That's great! I grant you access to my resources! Onward together toward advertising success! Now that we have access to this drone, we can alter Tankred's emotional state. First off, let's bombard her with negative emotion to get her back to normal.  Now that Tankred's in her normal state of mind, we can have a conversation with her. -Ask about Ken How do you think Ken died? I don't know, but it wasn't the beacon. The cat may know something. It's got access to a part of my psyche from which I'm currently separated.-Ask for access to the beacon I'd like to take a look at that beacon. Is that okay? MCC beacons are serious gear. Scanners, weapons, AI...you have to be authorized to tinker with them.Nothing else we can discuss with her for now. We go over to the drone again and bombard her with even more negative feedback.  This unlocks her third persona, the cat.  Hello there. My, what wonderful weather we're having. We haven't been introduced yet, have we? I'm Behemoth. And you are?-Ask about Ken's death I was told you know something about Ken's death. Is that right? My friend, you come here for favors without even a drop of booze, or any respect for the rule of 'quid pro quo'. How rude. Nevertheless, I think you're a reasonable person. Someone who could help Tankred - with my assistance. For that, we need the function key from her mobrium. If you were to...stumble upon it and bring it back, I would be grateful. I mean, Tankred would. Of course. Where can I find it? Is it in one of her compartments or something? I'm not sure. You see, I don't have access to that part of her mind. I only know she doesn't have it on her. Must have lost it or something.He licked his paw and looked at me, turning his head. His pupils dilated. In that moment, he reminded me of a small, helpless kitten.  We poke around for a bit for it. The only one that has something to say about it is Vera. -Lie and say Tankred lost it Well, isn't it obvious? I'm after it because she lost it and asked me to help. She's busy with the film crew. She's been out of it lately. Not good. Probably why she gave me the spare. Here, take it and tell her not to lose any more stuff. Back to the cat. -Insert the function key into the port [I inserted the key. The indicators lit up and the cat observed approvingly.] Thank you, kind sir. This will surely help - Tankred will be thrilled with the world I made for her. Oh, right. About that poor fool...He came here, flew around. But he was also in another world. Get it, reistic human? Ken died in-game. Hmm. Maybe we should have asked more questions about what exactly the cat needed that function key for. "Bow to your master, organic filth!" No, no, that doesn't sound right. What about...'You're a cancer! And I am the cure!' Hmm, that's a bit too pompous...The cat noticed me leaning over him and cut off his sentence mid-way, coughing theatrically. Ahem. Sorry, dear friend, it appears to be some kind of digital hairball. Can I speak to Tankred? Oh, I'm afraid that's not possible. Tankred just woke up from her coma and is reuniting with her family. It's quite the touching moment. You see, it turned out that the awful accident in which she lost her body was just a bad dream. Now she can begin a new life. We shouldn't stand in the way of that. Absolutely not.Well then. Probably best not to think too hard about what exactly we just did there.  In any case, we've gathered enough evidence to progress on the case. The 'malfunctioning beacon' explanation is clearly nonsense and while we don't know exactly why the Captain is so intent on pushing it, we can still safely dismiss it.   The 'accident' and 'gunshot' ones are a little harder to dismiss. We witnessed a fall followed by a gunshot on the camera, but it's hard to tell which, if any, was the actual cause of death from that, and a whole lot that doesn't seem to add up even in spite of all that. Still, I'm dismissing them so we can focus on Hypothesis 4...  ...on the one hand, it sounds crazy. On the other hand, we have the word of a talking cat, and if we can’t trust a talking cat, who can we trust?  Filling in all those deductions unlocks a fifth one. We still have a chance to back out, but we're committing to Game Theory here.  As we complete that thought, a new face runs up to us.  Oh, here you are! I've been looking all over for you. Sorry it took so long. Excuse me, where are my manners? Senior specialist, John Naaba, I'm the insurer of the deceased.Hmm. Well, I'm sure you have your reasons for giving an entirely different name from your name tag right there. A fenced-off crime scene is a small area. Where were you that you couldn't find me? Did you know that if we look at our bodies’ molecules, questions like 'where' or 'when' begin to lose their meaning? Interesting, isn't it? Either way, I'm sure you've already found your answers. They may be incomplete, but... Oh, we should probably check Ken's psychoscan, don't you think? It so happens that I have it right here. It was the first thing I did when I got here. I want to give it to you - let's call it a reward. Just sign the so-called "paperwork" and you can go home, OK? [I nodded, and Naaba displayed a window with documents in front of me. I 'stamped' my IN.] Fantastic! Here's your scan - there you go. You can go home now. Same way you got here. Working with you was a true pleasure. Did you find what you were looking for? Perfect, perfect, now be on your way.-Mention that he seems nervous -Return to the apartment Why are you so jumpy? I'm not jumpy, I just want to fly home. As do you, isn't that right? Go on, quickly now.-Observe [I wonder what his deal is.] So what? Are you leaving?-Mention the conversation with Naaba We're still talking, thought I'm being rushed.She looked straight through Naaba and sent me a glance that showed disgust and concern. People do say that gamedecs have many work-related disorders. But hey, no judgement. We all have our struggles.-Inquire [I opened my mouth to speak, but something suddenly tugged at my arm, my legs buckled, the world spun, and I felt a rush of heat in my shoulder.] A mysterious hooded figure emerges from the door of the building, shoots us in the shoulder, and quickly rushes back in. The scene fades to black as we collapse.  [My shoulder was numb and swollen. Someone had applied gel dressing to the spot where my sleeve was ripped.]Man, I sure hope the answer wasn't actually 'he was shot' after all this, it would be embarrassing to have to go back on Game Theory. On the other hand, whatever hit us clearly wasn't lethal. I hope. -Ask what happened What happened? Did you see anything? Not really. It's a gunshot wound. I treated it, but didn't see the shooter. Venon saw somebody run into the bar, but they were far away, so he didn't get a good look. We should've guarded the loving entrance.-Ask about Naaba John Naaba. We were talking when it happened. He might have seen something. Where is he? Sorry, who? The victim's insurance agent. Real uptight. He was hanging around here, remember? You must be in shock after getting shot. There wasn't anyone like that here. I'd remember a stranger hanging around the crime scene.-Search the bar for the shooter I'm going in there to look for the shooter. Just be careful. It may look like a scratch, but the shockwave of a subsonic bullet is no joke. Your deltoid muscle is really swollen. We now have the option to go into the bar. Well, it's certainly been a busy day. We had to deal with Ken's death, spoke to an apparent ghost, and got shot in the shoulder. Life's full of ups and downs. Next time: Brutal99 brings you more hard-hitting Internet Detective action here on the mean streets of Low City. All Brutal Energy, half the caffeine. It's Brutal-licious (tm)! Inadequately fucked around with this message at 03:02 on Oct 13, 2022 |
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Oct 12, 2022 20:08
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Odd Wilson posted:
On the one hand, that's probably at least partially on me. A lot of this game, particularly specific terms, is explained in the Codex, and I'm skipping most of that barring anything plot-relevant because I don't feel like typing that all out. On the other hand, the game could still do a better job of weaving that into the main narrative, and the Codex isn't that great either - the insistence on in-universe explanations means that most of the time you'll have to scroll through vapid talk show hosts talking about the weather or bloviating ad copy about how Scrontonkulus Entertainment is the Couch For You And Me before you get to the actual explanation of e.g. 'what is a genskin'. The game is also based on an existing novel/collection of short stories, so I'm not sure how familiar the target audience is expected to be with the source material. I don't know if it's a particularly popular series in Poland. (Spoilers for upcoming case/s)There's a third, in-universe reason for why the setting is so half-baked, but I'm not sure how much intentionality should be ascribed to that. Up until that point, we're clearly meant to see the setting as a living, breathing, functional world. Inadequately fucked around with this message at 09:56 on Oct 13, 2022 |
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Oct 13, 2022 02:55
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I’ll give it a try when I have the time. It should be theoretically possible, though I have the feeling we’d be railroaded into interacting with him by Case 2 at the very least regardless.
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Oct 16, 2022 11:49
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Been a busy period at work recently, so I haven’t really had the time or energy to do a lot of transcribing, but I finally managed to put an update together. This case is pretty long, so I’ll probably split it up into shorter sections than usual so I don’t tire myself out with each update. Last update, someone shot us in the shoulder and dashed into the bar, so we're going to investigate that. The bar is called 'Yet's Coming', which you might recall we heard about from Scarlett earlier in the game.  As we walk inside, we're immediately accosted by two people. -Pay and tip him [Sleeve] Oh, dude! A tip? That hardly ever happens! Oh, by the way, you have a rip on the shoulder... [Out of the corner of my eye I noticed someone observing my moment of generosity. Unfortunately, I couldn't tell who it was.] I'm in a hurry and I need help. Someone just ran in here wearing a jacket with a red hood. Where did they go? What did they look like? [Sleeve] Ran in, you say? I didn't see anyone. Ken Zhou died on the walkway in front of the bar and... [Sleeve] KEN ZHOU?! No way! And he's dead? You're kidding, right? The guy's amazing! They were going to add holopics of him to cereal packs. drat it...-Say that you knew him -Encourage him to say more -Get back to the investigation We...worked together. He actually told me about that cereal. HE spoke to some investors, they were thinking about other products too. [Sleeve] I always thought he'd do good in toothpaste ads. 'Cause, you know, he smiled a lot? And if you pushed him too hard, he'd burst like a tube. [Troll] Your hero cut himself off from the sleeves as soon as he became famous. He only came back when he found himself out of luck. [Sleeve] But he did get to the top! One of our own! So believe me when I tell you, friend, that all sleeves loved him. All of them. [Troll] Yeah, especially Ramona. Loved him loud and clear. I'm sure he felt very precious when she came down on him yesterday. Good one.The man on the left froze and his glasses flashed with light. [Troll] Oh gently caress, it's on the news. He's dead. And the loving toads say we can't leave the bar now. Goddamnit. The other man looked at me impatiently. [Sleeve] What are you still standing here for? I told you I didn't see anyone come in.-Insist I saw someone enter right before I did. You guard the door and collect entry fees. You must have seen... [Troll] That somebody didn't just enter. They stormed in... [Sleeve] Shut. Your. Mouth. We didn't see anyone. You're not one of us, get it? Nobody's going to tell you anything. Everybody can see everything around here. If you drink, get high, and talk like us - we'll know. If you treat us like poo poo or it turns out you're a loving virtualia-loving troll from Tick - we'll know that too.  We're introduced to the main gimmick of this area. If we're going to get any information on the person who just shot us, or access to them, we're going to have to ingratiate ourselves with one of the two major factions that regularly patronize this bar, the sleeves or the trolls. Incidentally, if you thought we met a lot of notable new faces last update, strap in because we’re about to be introduced to a whole lot more. For fun times, guess how many of them will factor into the conclusion of this case.  As we head in, we spot a familiar face. [The man at the table was KillThemAll. He was snoring. When I nudged him, he just mumbled something and went back to snoring.] Welcome back!The voice was coming from a speaker in the table. The hologram looked exactly like his skin in Twisted & Perverted. You're...a hologram? While you still get to have a body - a very attractive one at that. But what are you doing here? I didn't want KillThemAll to be alone. There were three of us, but only two remain - Panisantor had a stroke. Kill's not taking it well. I knew if he wasn't playing, he'd be at Yet's. Here, the sleeves treat him as one of their own.-Ask about Panisantor So what happened to Panisantor? We thought it was funny when his granddaughter would yell that his heart couldn't take gaming that intense. She was right. Yesterday, he went in-game with a young e-sports player and had a stroke. He's still in the hospital - won't be playing for a while. drat. Do you know who he played with? I broke into his medical records but there was no mention of it. I thought Kill would tell me more, but you see how it is.In my first playthrough, I never completed the sidequest for Ramon in T&P, so Panisantor never logged out there, and if I recall correctly was flat-out dead by the time of this scene. I was wondering if completing that quest would result in him turning up here, but it looks like still nope - though he seems to be alive in this timeline, at least. -Ask about Panisantor's granddaughter You mentioned Panisantor's granddaughter. She might know more about what happened. It's nice of you to care. I was hoping to find her here - she often hangs around with the sleeves. But she's nowhere to be found. If you see her, tell her to come by. I'll send you the surveillance footage so you know what she looks like - there.-Ask about KillThemAll I wanted to talk to KillThemAll but I couldn't wake him. He's always been like this. Unnaturally fast and smart, and then half-asleep from exhaustion. It gets worse as he ages. I remember when he realized he couldn't last a whole match anymore. It was sad to see...I think the shock broke him. I'll wait till he comes to. That's all I can do. It'll take a few hours but I want someone to be there when he wakes up. Do you have an idea how to wake our sleeping beauty? I'd like to talk to him. Before he gave up his life as a pro, he tested stimulants on himself. They kind of worked, but not for long enough to continue his career. But you probably don't have anything like that. What if you give him something to jog his memory of the good old days? He and Panisantor used to play a lot of Happy Hunting Grounds...but you didn't hear that from me.We don't get a full codex entry for Happy Hunting Grounds, but it is mentioned on occasion in other articles. It's a game where all sensory gates are removed - any damage you take, you take in real life. As such, it's actually illegal to access, unlike Twisted & Perverted, which despite its nature is nonetheless still legal. -Ask about the hologram I thought holograms in bars were for displaying games and such. Wouldn't it be easier to sense KillThemAll? As usual, the walktel didn't wake him, so I found him via the cameras and projected myself inches from his face, but he didn't even flinch. Breaking in was easy. These holograms are an aged system from the now-gone strip club. They used to play animations of strippers on these tables. At first I went to the wrong table. I scared a guy so badly he spat all over himself! It was hilarious. Want me to hop to another table and show you?We don't have any use for that now, but it's an option for later. Hold off for now. I'll take a look around and let you know. No problem, handsome. Well, I need to talk to people. I'm off. Hey cutie. We were meant to get a drink, remember?-Not now -Flirt back Eh, why not, might as well socialize. It's our mission here anyway. Of course. Though in your case, it's going to be a virtual drink, right? Yes it will. Just like yours. I won't let you leave this table, else you'll wander off again.-Say you'll imagine a drink People used to play games of imagination - roleplaying. I'll play with you and imagine a sizeable glass in front of me. God, it's so nice to be in the company of an intelligent boy!We spent some time gazing into each other's eyes. It felt like a blissful eternity. [I blinked as if I were waking up from a dream. I remembered why I was there. I shook myself and looked at him apologetically. He understood. I stood, bowed and walked away. I'm sure he didn't take his eyes off me until the smoke enveloped me.]We'll be back to wake up KillThemAll later.  A whole lot of spontaneous conversations break out as we move through the bar. Some are actually interesting, but if I stopped to document all of them we'd be here all day. Most of them are arguments between sleeves and trolls, through which we learn the following: - the sleeves and the trolls don't like each other much - the trolls generally stay upstairs, but they've been getting bolder and taking up more space in the bar recently - the sleeves consider Ken to be one of their own who made it big, the trolls mostly consider him an egoistic douchebag - the sleeves are sad and angry about Ken's death, the trolls are celebrating - a bunch of them are theorizing that Ken killed himself because he was depressed  Anyway, here's the poster in question. [A broken frame revealed the insides of the poster. I knew that system. They stopped using it, because any teenager could modify it.]-Copy it to save as a keepsake of Ken [There were plenty of pictures of Ken online, but it felt nice to have one more. I quietly copied the contents of the ad chip. One of the sleeves was finishing his beer nearby. He gave me a thumbs up.]As you might have guessed, pro-Ken actions earn us Sleeves cred. Now that we've picked a side, we might as well keep going with it.  There's a few non-Ken posters scattered around. We can upload the saved picture of Ken from earlier in their place, which gets the approval of the sleeves.  Okay, I'm transcribing this one because it's pretty fun.  Make up your mind, shithead. Are you ordering or what? I've got other loving customers waiting. Away with you, corporate agent! You bastard! Hands on the table, goddamnit! Want a beer or what?! I see right through you, leech! I won't let you poison me! People! Send help! The humanbot wants to kidnap me! I mean poison! Poison me! I'll show you, fucker... Rick! Whoops. Aye aye, admiral. Sorry, shithead. Please accept my sincere condolences. I mean...apologies.  This is Rick. Rick is the best character in the game. Are you the one that's making GBS threads all over the toilet? Admit it, shithead. Welcome to Yeti's Coming - the best joint in the Gasp tower. Who are you, creature? I'm not carrying any weapons. My name is Video James. I'm a gamedec.His red eyes dimmed for a moment. He must've been searching the web. You really bloody are! What would you like, kind sir? A beer? Maybe something stronger?-Ask who he is Who are you, anyway? Judging by your physique, bartending wasn't your first job, was it? God forbid! I'm a combat robot! Unit YT-loving-C, at your service! The admiral named me Rick, so that's what I want you to call me. I had my balls - I mean battle modules - ripped off and replaced with dispensers two years ago. Gotta say all these shitheads piss me off. So what do you do here, soldier? Tend the bar? Admiral Yet ordered me to pour drinks, but that's only my cover. My real job is surveillance and the admiral's protection. He's not aware. It's a secret mission. I love the admiral. How about you? Do you love him? You must love him, everyone does. I, for example, completely adore him.-Ask about the admiral What can you tell me about your commander?The robot's speakers played sounds of shooting mixed with human voices. -ick, is that you?! Rick?! Where did...Watch out, fire from the right! The admiral will always make it, because I'll always save him. He's safe with me. The merry fairies assigned me to some other loving commander once, but I came back to the admiral. Yet forever.-Ask who ran into the bar I'm looking for someone who ran into the bar a moment ago. Our client's wishes are our command. Let me check our footage...There you are, fucker...Incident no. 203 playing... "Despite their mutations, the mating rituals of toxic bats remained unchanged. The male, living alone for most of the year..." Treason! It's the second time this month! Unauthorized access! You don't do that to Rick! Wait till I get you, shithead!-Order a beer My throat is dry. Why don't you pour me a glass of local brew. The tower beer! Best brew north of Villanou! Coming right up!He pulled a glass out of his body and pourd the beer with his other arm, spilling it on me, the floor, and one other guy in the process. There ya go! By the way, the admiral says only thugs and pricks don't tip. Oh, and shitheads too. Get back to your duties, soldier. Stay alert.I wish I could spend this entire update chatting with Rick, but unfortunately he has a job and so do we, so it's time to move on. By the way, we have the option to 'Fix him' as a Cracker, but why? He's perfect as it is.  Anyway, let's talk to the other guy. I'm not from a corporation. I'm a gamedec. A convenient story for a sssspy! But I keep constant watch over my surroundings! I know you've been assssssking about me. I won't power your AI with my brain! I have a hef and disruption software on my walktel! You can't sssnatch my brain, corporate sssscum!-Say you've come for his brain -Snap him back to reality Well spotted. I'm here to steal your psyche. I have a gravitational hand in my pocket. Tell me what you know, or I'll make use of it! I won't let a corporation scare me! And you...you wouldn't dare do that in public! [I needed to find something to help him think straight, or force him to cooperate.]We'll get back to him later, time for more schmoozing.  [She looked like a troll but had a kind smile and a soft voice. She exuded an aura of honesty.] A gamedec. Are you with Tick's people? Sometimes. But mostly I'm the "HR Lady". The warm image of a corporate AI. People don't like to think a program dictates their careers. Now why don't you do me a favor and spike my employee's drink? Amphetamines would be best, but any drug will do. It's that gloomy guy at the bar - Marten Aidan.Her warm, practiced smile never left her face. What do you want to do this for? And why? Why? I'm bored. Because I can. What for? To fill the void. Someone will troll Marten, it's inevitable. Better me than someone else. See, at work I'm a nanny. I listen to complaints, but the AI makes the decisions, because it sees more and analyzes more quickly, though without understanding. So, I utilize my people skills after hours. It's like a hobby to broaden my horizons. I experiment, observe... And you believe this would help him? No idea. Like I said, I'm expanding my horizons. HE's been like this since BWI's system recommended total sobriety. Goddamn 'here and now'. No brainfix, no entertainment virtualia...so he just sits there. You can't even talk to him.-Ask who ran into the bar That's very...concerning, but I'm here for a different reason. I'm looking for someone who ran into the bar a moment ago. And you think I'll just tell you because I'm kind and helpful? How cute. Typically I get paid to talk to people.-Ask where to find stimulants Where do I get the speed? If you want me to spike his drink, give me the means to do so. Oh, no. Your profession requires you to be independent and improvise. Get it yourself. In this locale, that should be easy. Although...you could also play him some music from his childhood. It'll remind him of his youth, and I'll dig around in his problems.-Ask about her employee The AI must have had good reason to recommend sobriety and realium to your subordinate, don't you think? Yep. He's supposedly addicted to plexes and virtualia. It's the kind of disorder we're about to start normalizing. Like we did with obesity. I don't know if that's true. It's what the machine said. I think jumping into the imaginary is sometimes therapeutic, and the 'here and now' is overrated... Anyway, I mostly want to see how a depressed person reacts to stimulants.She won't give us any more new information until we give her what she wants.  This is the depressed guy in question. We can question him, but he responds to all our questions with silence.  Below him is a slowly-brewing fight. [Troll] Is there a problem? [Sleeves] There is. The downstairs of the bar belongs to us. They charge at each other and tussle for a bit, while the troll drops some taunts about Ken's death. [Troll]You’re a nobody, junkie!-Stop it I pushed myself between the fighters. Calm down! [Sleeves] What is it, you virtua-louse? Can't handle me on your own? You found yourself a bodyguard? [Troll] I could gently caress you up so bad you wouldn't be able to stand up, bitch. And this one here came to protect the weak. That means you, bastard.-Side with sleeves -Side with trolls -Stay neutral I don't think he's weak. I just don't want anyone to get hurt. That includes you. [Troll] And that's why you're siding with this drunk. Maybe they'll buy this bullshit, but not me. You're not the first sleeve that tried to screw me over.-Threaten -Calm them down -[Vox Populi] Address the crowd This bar is your spot, right? Do you want it to be yours alone? Or do you want the greens to come here?! There's a body on the walkway in front of the bar, still warm. Go back to drinking, trolling or whatever it is that you do here. One corpse is enough for today.The fight and onlookers disperse, and taking sides with the sleeves earns us some sleeves cred.  Down below, we see a DJ playing music for the bar. Did you see- I only see music, unless some rear end in a top hat comes over and annoys me. You aren't even dancing. All right - what kind of music do you like?-Music that stimulates the imagination -Music that calms the soul -Music disrupts thinking Music that stimulates the imagination, that is remarkable...He frowned and pretended he didn't hear that. You're a patron at this bar, meaning you can request a song. Just one! I wouldn't be able to stand any more...from an amateur like you. And just so you know, when you're talking to an artist performing their piece, the right response is, "I like your music!"We can request a song for Marten or for KillThemAll, but we'll hold off on that for now.  Above the DJ is a card sharp working his trade, surrounded by a crowd of jeering trolls. By the way, is it just me, or is this guy just a slight variation on Ken’s model?  Get lost, troll. Don't insult us, Slick. We don't know that guy. He's dressed like a musker and has time to bug me...at work. The clothes don't match you guys, but the attitude does. Friend, if you don't want me to treat you like a troll, prove you're not one and get rid of these bums. [I had to kick the trolls out to talk to him, or I needed a stronger argument.]We'll need to redirect the trolls if we want to talk to Slick. We'll be back for him later.  In this quieter corner of the bar, we find some people indulging in distinctly non-alcoholic pleasures. Do you know Ken Zhou? ...Weeeeelllll... Have you noticed anything suspicious or unusual recently? ...Aaaaallll the tiiiiiime, dude... Did you see a person with a red hood running into the bar? ...Weeeeelllll... Moving on. I'm from Low City. I've seen it all, even warts. But yeah, seeing a young-ish woman not hide her wrinkles is surprising. Sometimes I approach girls and imply we're the same age. The looks on their faces - priceless! Anyway, let's get to it. What do you want, and how much?-Ask about Ken Ken Zhou. Did you know him? Pretty somber guy. Didn't drink or use, but had recently started hanging around the bar. He wasn't a troll and never bought from me. So, no. But let's get to the point. While you're here, you should buy something. I can get you to any state of consciousness. Let me guess - forgetfulness and trust? Most of all, I need information. What, are you afraid of drugs?-Say you like all kinds of fun, drugs included -Drugs in moderation -Drugs are bad Don't mind if I do. I don't usually refuse a good time. Most sleeves share your opinion. Can't blame 'em. If I was stuck in realium all the time at the bottom of the polis, I'd go crazy. Anyway, the locals don't talk about drugs that way, and they don't ask for info. You're a spy, right? I'm a gamedec. Gamedec's a very convenient cover-up. It lets you ask questions without raising suspicion. I was joking about selling - I only possess drugs for personal use. Here, a token of our friendship - a stimulant that should help in your investigation. It also stabilizes your mood and gives a bit of cheerful motivation. Have a nice day, officer.She forced a pill into my hand and turned to another client. We don't get any more info from her, but hey, free drugs!  That's everyone we can interact with here, but we do find this strange machine tucked away in the corner. [The fine print warned that the plexes offered were safe as long as the machine underwent regular maintenance. This box looked to have been battered and hacked multiple times, and certainly not serviced. Although, I could have been wrong.]Probably safer to leave it alone for now.  One last person left to talk to - well, the last person who'll talk to us without additional prompting, at least for now. Do you drink...tea?I can't figure out if that's supposed to be an insult or not. [How did he know my favourite type of poison?] Do I have it written across my forehead? Bartender's intuition. What'll it be? For real this time. I'm here for information. I'd like to- I don't deal in information. I have something to quench your thirst, gamepills, and there are couches upstairs. You want it? We have it.-Ask about the bar Can you tell me more about Yeti's Coming? Have you never seen a bar before? We've got booze. Maybe not top-shelf stuff, but the sleeves drink loads and they're still alive, so it can't be that bad. If you like being online, I have couches and gamepills. I installed them for the trolls, but our guys use them too, sometimes. Who are "our guys"? I should have said "locals". "The sleeve people," or sleeves. The salt of Low City. Fixed sleeves, tough guys...didn't you notice them? Still the same bunch. A little drunker than the rest, but also more resourceful in life. What about the trolls? If they prefer virtualia, why do they come to the bar? If you used exploits, cheated in games, and trolled in gneeral, would you want that to be traced to your address or to a public place? They're obnoxious, but they usually stay upstairs. They pay for anonymity. Business is booming. Who else visits this place, other than those two groups? Regulars. Residents of the surrounding towers, meaning those who can't afford the clubs above.-[Vox Populi] Encourage him to say more -Express understanding and change the subject I want to find out why Ken Zhou died. He deserves that much. I need every bit of information, even the things that may seem irrelevant. Hmm. There are the clanspeople, too. They're with the Hon Clan from Knight's Code. Lots of rich people in that organization. Our guys hope they'll be able to make connections and get out of here. Do you doubt that? It's a free country - you can dream all you want. But doing it through clan connections? I can't see that happening.-Ask about Ken Did you know Ken Zhou? Everybody did. He learned how to play here as a kid cause he didn't have a couch at home. He was nice to everyone but destroyed them in-game.The 'game', as you'll recall, is Goodabads, which revolves less around skill and more about inhuman levels of pain tolerance. I'm not sure if tanking higher pain thresholds really counts as 'destroying' people. No wonder he offed himself. He'd been different ever since he returned. Quiet, serious. Hardly talked to anybody except that weirdo Panisantor. [Troll] He was annoying - kept pissing everyone off - so eventually, someone got him. That's that. He couldn't control himself. He'd yell at Tick and the trolls. You could tell he wasn't doing well.-Ask about Rick, the robot There's a combat robot behind the bar. Granted, he's not armed, but he seems...defective. He's delusional, thinks he's on a battlefield. If he wasn't defective, I wouldn't have been able to...take him from the unit. He's just...junk. A souvenir. You served? PMF. Know what that is? Private Military Force. "Crystal Dust". I did it for the money. I was young and stupid. Took me some time to understand that it's the same everywhere. Corporations. Money. Fighting on different levels, but always fighting. Either you accept that or find refuge in binge drinking or playing. I accepted it and came back. I get rich off cowards who can't do the same.-Deny - alcohol isn't always bad -Deny - you like virtualia -Agree I work in virtualia. In sensory worlds, people sometimes just live. They make money. These realities aren't worse than realium.Yet rolled his eyes. Sure. You'll fit right in here.-Ask if Rick is dangerous A confused combat robot around a bunch of drunk people...Aren't you scared he's going to hurt someone? Robots are reliable. Even the defective ones. People are more insidious.He looked at the torn fabric over my wound. Even if he had a gun, Rick would never shoot an unarmed civilian.-Ask who ran into the bar Someone just ran into the bar. Did you see them? Of course. Let me just rat on one of my regulars. Wanna know how I evade taxes too? You evade taxes? I started doing that the same day you began to enjoy loving goats. Now you know the date. Ask me more. [I didn't know where the stereotype that bartenders are easy to talk to came from.] That's all the pieces in play. We’ll put most of them together next update, but we’ll leave off with one final conversation. Do you want to scare someone by switching tables? Ha! I could do that again and come back here before the bar's systems would detect any motion. Who do you want to prank?-Point at the people playing cards -Point at Regular Joe There's a masked man sitting across the bar. It looks like he's hiding from someone.Child-like joy appeared on the old man's face. Hell yeah! I'll pop up and yell "Got you now, fucker!" [He vanished before I was able to respond.] Back to Regular Joe. You're with Way Dao, the company that wants to take over BWI's technologies, aren't you? Don't hurt me! I'll tell you everything! If I end up hurting BWI at the same time, that's even better! I know BWI has a secret project codenamed "Pygmalionus." It's a system - a game, I mean - that - We shouldn't be talking openly! It's not safe! Oh, I know! Instead of BWI, I'll say 'whale'. The gamers will be 'guppies.'. We'll call the whale's game a...'frying pan'. The Hon Clan will be 'sausage', because it seems good but is awful on the inside. Ken Zhou will be 'shish kabob', because he tried to pierce through the intrigue.-Ask about the connection between the clan and BWI -Ask what the sausage has to do with the whale -Ask what the frying pan has to do with the whale Do you think the sausage is connected to the whale? Of course! The sausage's HQ is in Knight's Code. Knights Code is a game - frying pan, I mean - made by the whale! The sausage is secretly controlled by the whale and recruits guppies to the frying pan en masse! The game, or frying pan, is written so that the AI uses the guppies' brains. More guppies means a stronger AI. That way, the whale will dominate the market! The sausage will stop at nothing. It says outright that the guppies are to serve a higher consciousness. We have to stop them!-Ask who entered the bar A person ran into the bar not long ago. I think they were the murderer hired by the whale. Did you see who it was? I knew it was dangerous here! All I noticed among the crowd was lewd clothing and red hair. The whale doesn't even use camouflage anymore. You say you've been watching the situation at the bar? Have you noticed anything suspicious? Everything's suspicious here! The trolls always used to stay upstairs, but now they're all over the bar, like rats fleeing a sinking ship. They're running away from an infected virtualium. They know! Trolls and sleeves fight over living space while Yet and Cam call the shots! These commanders have a deal! I saw one of their secretive talks. They're conspiring to exploit everyone! They must be in the sausage!-Talk about Ken Did I tell you the...-frying pan killed the sausage -whale killed the shish kabob -shish kabob killed the guppy ...the whale murdered the shish kabob? Do you know why? What was he up to recently? I knew it! The sausage was cautious and respectful around the shish kabob. They were scared! we'll be next...he hung around the bar all the time. He was definitely tracking the sausage's recruiters. He learned too much and they offed him.-Snap him back to reality -Fuel his paranoia You are so right, friend. He discovered the corporation's secrets, so they offed him. He used the MCC beacon because they control all devices in the city. You're right, you're so right...he talked to the old guys, and one of them had a stroke. Coincidence? I think not! Ramona eavesdropped on the old man and got rid of both of them! Her, or some other corporate tool. It's all connected!-Ask about BWI Can you tell me more about...-the sausage in the frying pan -the shish kabob in the sausage -the whale outside the frying pan ...the whale outside the frying pan? I don't know much. I started suspecting the whale after it took over the sausage. You know, the sausage had already been active here. The whale poured lots of gold into the sausage, so we gotta watch it. The whale does everything via the sausage. It's a convenient cover-up. No sleeve would ever trust a corporation, yet they work for them like it's nothing. At least one recruiter always hangs around the bar. Even now! [I needed to take a break from all this madness for a while.] Before you leave...Before I escaped from High City and hid here, BWI broke into my apartment and downloaded the data from the whole system. How do I know? Every device was reset to factory settings. If you see something like that, run! It's been fun, handsome! I'll be with KillThemAll if you want to talk some more!Well, that was…enlightening. Not that we can trust much of the ravings of a paranoid conspiracy theorist. We’ll probably have to do more cross-referencing around the bar before we can take even a single word of that at face value, next update.
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Oct 26, 2022 18:29
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 Back to schmoozing. In order to talk to Slick, we have to get rid of the trolls heckling him. We're busy with this chap at the moment. Wait for your turn, chief. Get out of here, guys. Go find someone else to troll. But mister, watching Slick BLUFF AT CARDS is soooo cool. I'm telling you, he's good. Look how gullible they are. Idiots. Can't you find better things to do? Yeah? And what do you think that should be, chief?-Suggest the virtualium -Suggest stimulants Well, playing games! Didn't you come here to go online? I like you! You think like a troll! Good! But games aren't fun for us anymore. Not since that darned e-sports nutcase started giving us a hard time. Poor little us. Ken is dead... But the bad taste remains. So there you have it. We can't play with Tick, we refuse to dance to that crap so all we have left is...Slick. A perfect trolling target.-Ask about Tick Can't you go back to playing with Tick? Herman keeps grumbling about that guy that got under his skin. He's upstairs sulking, and we're sick of it. We'll wait till he calms down.-[Vox Populi] Suggest a better trolling target Do me a favor and leave Slick alone. There's plenty of people in the bar. Why don't you go and get on somebody else's nerves. Hard to find a better target than Slick. Who do you have in mind?-Suggest Regular Joe -Suggest KillThemAll We've gotten what we need out of Joe, so we might as well throw him to the wolves. Sucks to be him, but that's the way the cookie crumbles. There's a man behind the bar who thinks that evil corporations are plotting against him. Sounds good! Those are always fun! Let's go!The trolls walk away, leaving us free to talk to Slick. This gets us a few troll points, tilting the meter to the left. We'll make up for it later. I dealt with your problem, buddy. Slick actually gets a whole codex entry to himself. His gimmick is that he always lies about any topic that involves himself, but otherwise tells the truth to the best of his ability. It's not a particularly good gimmick. -Ask about the hooded person Someone shot me in the street, then ran inside the bar. They wore a jacket with a red hood. Did you see them? Hmm...she just bumped into me on her way in - Cam Grozny. It's funny, I think a piece of an MCC beacon fell from under her coat.-Believe it -Don't believe it Stop spinning tales and tell me. All right, I can't see the entrance from here, and I'm mostly focused on the game anyway. Though I did hear people fighting and cursing somewhere on the stairs, as if someone bumped into somebody running upstairs.-Ask about Ken Did you know Ken Zhou? Everyone here knew him. He is...was...a local god. They truly believed he'd make it. Do you know how many sleeves bet he would win that last game?-Believe it -Don't believe it And they were let down. Do you think anyone would want revenge for that? Are you asking if someone...killed him? Ramona was angry at him, but you don't kill hope. Especially when it's so rare. Low City is like a black hole. It sucks you in. Hardly anyone escapes its gravity. That's why everyone comes to the bar to drink or play. Ken was the exception. He...almost made it out.Probably not the best time to bring up the fact that Video James did, in fact, make it out, if our fancy Mid City apartment is any indication. Also dang, how much does being an Internet Detective pay if a mid-tier gamedec makes more money than one of the top esports stars of the time? -Ask about Ramona Why was Ramona angry with Ken? Ramona is with the Hon Clan. She...meditates more and more, or whatever it is they do. She kept urging me to join, but I didn't want to. Ken ridiculed her once for it. I had to separate them because they started fighting.-Believe it -Don't believe it I don't buy it. Tell me what really made Ramona mad. Ugh. Ramona really is in that clan, but she often complains that they're a bunch of idiots. She believes those truths of theirs, but she's irritated by the 'secrets and prohibitions'. She's always been straightforward. When she got mad that her grandpa was playing with Ken, she went off so hard the whole bar could hear My table was shaking from her voice. [I left him alone with the table and the cards.]We could ask about the possibility of Ken's suicide, but we know for a fact it wasn't that, so why waste any time on that path?  Anyway, speaking of the old men, might as well try out this free drug we got on KTA. He seems like he'd appreciate it. -Spike his beer with a stimulant [I dissolved a stimulant in his beer and shoved the straw under his nose. Then I poked him.]The man drank the beer half-asleep! After a moment, he opened his eyes, yawned, and smacked his lips. I noticed that some sleeves nearby were listening in. Came to learn from the legend? There's already been one young man here before you. An e-sports pro, a bit more handsome than yourself...-Ask about 'the young man before you' The young man before me? Ken knew about our successful past. He even knew I was once the sheriff of Harvest Time...Did I tell you about that game?-Direct the conversation to the investigation -Let him vent I don't think you did. When I ended my career, cause my brain was...getting tired too easily, they thought 'the old man came to work his field' and stuff, but wham-bam - I became the sheriff within an hour. After a week they were too scared to duel me. I'm really exceptionally quick, you know, but...I get tired easily, goddamnit. Nowadays kids play games whether they have things to do or not. Even Ramona plays a lot lately and I doubt she knows why.-Say that you played Harvest Time I visited Harvest Time a while ago, actually. High Rock, to be specific. I think it has a different sheriff... High Rock? My last asylum...My attention span is too short for other games, but gun dueling doesn't take much time...Did I tell you already? Down there, I was still the man. Call it a "legend's" rest home, but I was respected. I cared for that town and put punks in their place. Then this guy took it from me. He wasn't even that good. He just realized I get weak fast and challenged me when I was barely standing up. I know that he beat me when I was half-asleep, but still...something inside me died that day. Something snapped. A player, that's all I've ever been my whole life. I hunted, I played matches, and I was good at it. I don't know how to be anything else now...-Admit you don't know -Say he has to accept that -Suggest the virtualium I don't know what else you could do, sorry. But you're a legend and nothing is going to change that. It's something, isn't it? We could pop into Paradise Beach and whistle at some babes, what do you say?-Ask about Ramona You mentioned Ramona. She... She's Panisantor's granddaughter, but we all raised her together, so she's kinda mine too. I taught her how to sneak up on gulls, you know?-Focus on the investigation -Let him speak freely You taught her to hunt gulls? In Happy Hunting Grounds? Gulls, my dear, are folks that don't know what they want. Virtual castaways. Grazers. Easy prey. Got it? She never liked beating around the bush and could spot a gull from a mile away...or lure one. We staged a 'draft for a deputy sheriff' in Harvest Time once. I logged out so that it seemed like I didn't know anything about it and the girl robbed five applicants! And they thanked her afterward! Now she's gone somewhere...She's probably in the hospital with her grandpa.-Ask about the hooded person Someone ran into the bar not too long ago. Did you see who it was or where they went? I don't recall anything like that happening, though I might have missed it. I'm sort of embarrassed to admit I might've dozed off a little. This wouldn't have happened in Harvest Time. I shoot faster than that...runaway cowboy. You should play with me sometime. I'll show you true reflux...I mean reflex...goddamnit. [When I got up from the table, the man was already falling asleep.]It wasn't really that helpful to the investigation, but we got a big chunk of sleeves points for being nice to KillThemAll and listening to his long, rambling anecdotes without cutting him off. Anyway, we used our one free drug on KTA, so we'll have to snap Marten out of his funk some other way. We request a song from the DJ, then head over to Marten. [The man was staring blankly into space. Tears were running down his cheek.] Oh well, he's not the one we wanted to talk to anyway. -Ask about Marten Your employee...he's crying. Terrible childhood. I almost felt sorry for him when I read his files. I can finally talk to him without the AI being there. He was supposed to face reality sober, so let him face it. Thank you, gamedec.-Ask about Ken Did you know Ken Zhou? Determined, volatile, terrible planning skills. He'd make a great nurse or kindergarten teacher. After training. He's the reason why Tick and I are here and not in virtualia. Did you see most of the trolls sitting in realium? He'd been over it lately, and now...it's unfortunate. Although 'the problem is gone', I don't know if Tick will get his entourage back.I'm not really sure on the timeline of things here. The trolls make it sound like Ken has been harassing them for a long time, but Ken only really started his crusade against them around the time of his first case, and that can't have been that long ago. Plus, he's been busy with investigating the Hon Clan and trying to become an amateur gamedec. It's possible that he was just unintentionally alienating them during his training to be a top e-sports star, and never actually noticed it because he was too full of himself to even care. I wouldn't put it past him. -Ask about Tick's stance towards Ken How did Tick react to Ken? He was mad, of course, but truthfully he was elated to have someone pay so much attention to him. Didn't you notice what a narcissist he is? I think Tick is lonely. He thought he and Ken had a bond of some sort. Once Ken started hanging out with the old man, Herman got jealous. I'd send Tick to therapy, but he'd have to go through some detox first. Flush all the plexes, breathe some fresh air...-Ask who ran into the bar Someone ran into the bar not too long ago. Did you see who it was? I was focusing on analyzing Marten, but let me think. I heard the door shut, and someone threatened to beat the poo poo out of the person running in for pushing through. The sleeves need stress management classes. Anyway, your target is male. Things haven't changed in Low City over the years. People don't start fights with women here. [There was nothing more I needed from her.] We're still a few points short of filling up the meter either way, but there's repeatable actions we can take to gain rep for either side. Dancing with this crowd gets us a few troll points every time we do it. Damned if I know why – perhaps we just dance in a particularly trollful way?  Ordering drinks (and getting sprayed with booze by Rick in the process) gets the approval of the sleeves, probably for being a good sport about Rick.  Once the Sleeves meter is full, we head over to a nearby crowd of Sleeves, who are mostly standing around talking about how awesome we are. You're really giving these trolls hell. Big ups, man. Did you really know Ken? I did. That's why I'm trying to find out how he died. I need information. Can you help me? Hold up. How can we be sure we can trust you? Trolls don't like you, but that doesn't make you one of us. Quit loving around. He's all right. You can see it in his eyes. You want to check his IN or what? It's fine. Chill. Everything will come out in the field test. You want us to treat you like one of our own? Wait till somebody comes in and collect the fee. I'm not stupid. I know you've been watching me. Haven't I already proved that I'm cool? My grandma is cool too, dude, but I wouldn't tell her anything important, cause she'd just blurt it all out to her besties. It's called initiation, my friend. We all go through it. You need to learn about the mores...and we want to see you cross a line.-Agree -Refuse Fine. How do I do it? Are you dumb? You saw Quitter in action. When you came in, he approached you and collected the money. Now you do that to somebody else. We do just that, hanging around the entrance until someone walks in. -Ask for the amount you were asked to pay You need to pay to come inside the bar.I asked for the same fee I was asked to pay. Dude! I've never paid that much in Low City! No way!gently caress, we got totally ripped off earlier, didn't we. -Let it go -[Vox Populi] Convince him -[Low City] You're a local, you know the rules -Insist We're in the lowest layer of the polis. The whole community should help the owner carry the burden of keeping the bar afloat. Ever heard of public space? We all use it, and the bar is no different. Do yourself and others a favor. Maybe thanks to you, the bar won't go bankrupt. Well-loving-said! I'll pay! Hell, I'll add something extra!I opened the transfer window. The man clicked the amount box, entered a figure double that of what I asked for, then confirmed the payment. Welcome to Yeti's Coming.Looks like we have a secondary revenue stream in case this whole 'internet detective' thing doesn't work out.  Back to the sleeves. What do you want to know?-Ask about Ken Do you happen to know what Ken was up to? Before he died, that is. He didn't come here to socialize. He stayed upstairs, so he was probably using the couches. Those contraptions aren't exactly safe. When you lay down on one, you can check which game the previous user was playing. Ken used to play here quite often. He must've been spying on someone, otherwise he wouldn't use this junk. -Ask about Ramona What can you tell me about Ramona? She claims she's still a sleeve, but she's been hanging around with these weirdos for some time. The Hon Clan. It got her grandpa worried and he started spying on her. Online, I mean. When it got out, she yelled at him to stop entering the same games she does. Boy, can she go on a rant. It was quite a performance. She always says what's on her mind, but takes it well when others do that too. She doesn't like sugar-coating or beating around the bush.-Ask who ran into the bar Someone ran into the bar not too long ago. Did you see him? Or her? Sure. Hard not to notice Tick. It's better to have an eye on him. You never know what that guy's gonna do. He ran upstairs. Good. Let him stay where he belongs and keep away from our part of the bar. It reeks of trolls here anyway. Thanks, guys. I need to get back to my investigation now. Here's to you! As we head away from that conversation, someone gets up from their seat and heads over to us. Do you want to know the truth? About what happened? Sure. Only about that? If you pick the fragments that suit you, you won't find the truth. You need to open yourself up to the whole of it.Boy, do I not like the way that was phrased. -Ask about Ken Right now I want to figure out what's been going on with Ken Zhou lately. Can you tell me anything about that? He was very stubborn about getting to the truth. I heard he got very far. Meaning what? This information is available to the clan members. Join us and accept the truth. It will show you Ken's path.-Ask about THE TRUTH All right. What is this truth I need to open myself up to? It is hidden, though visible to those who can see. What's important is the path, the attention to here and now to recognize the signs and ciphers of existence. The truth is hidden, but you're 'the one that sees'? Umm...not yet. What matters is that we're all equal in getting to the truth. Have you never seen things that are hard to explain? People who possess knowledge they don't have a right to possess? Errors not predicted by the system? Our leader says that everyone comes across signs. You just need to be able to notice them.-Respond rationally -Respond ironically -Admit he may be right So you're saying that 'everyone's equal', but you still have a leader? Very logical. Our leader is there to explain everything better and the upper circle consists of people who saw more than the rest. But we all learn from each other. You came here seeking knowledge. You pay attention to details. We do the same. Join us and let us help you.-Ask who ran into the bar Right now, I want to find out who ran into the bar. It wasn't that long ago. I can't see the door from behind the counter, and I haven't noticed any new faces in the club. But it's not an accident that a stranger led you exactly to me. It's a sign and your first step to the truth. Will you dare to go further?You know what, gently caress it, why not. We'll probably need to investigate them from the inside eventually anyway, and an invitation will look better than approaching out of the blue. -Join the Hon Clan You know what? You convinced me. I want to join you. That's a wise decision. You won't regret it. Now give me access to your walktel and we'll discuss the signs you noticed at a joint meeting. You want access to all of my data? The whole feed? Visual and sound? This way we'll be able to find the signs you have missed. The most effective way of learning is based on our own experiences.-Give him access -Refuse -[Vox Populi] Convince him that he doesn't need your data Our silver tongue is getting us out of a lot of jams today. I have a knack for persuasion. Take me in without the data, and I'll bring lots of acolytes to your clan. You'll have all the signs you want. I can't give you access to my walktel. It has the data of my fans. If I betray their trust, nothing good will come of it, you know? Hmm...fine. Provided that you say we recruited them together. I'll send you a message with the time and place of our meeting soon. [The moment I turned around, he started looking for more recruits.] Anyway, now that we've spoken to everyone, it's time for deductions. This one's easy - Ken already told us what he was up to.  This one...the sleeves told us it was Tick, and a couple of people have confirmed he's upstairs, so probably safe to go with that. Doesn't really jive with Regular Joe's testimony, but that guy doesn't have the best grip on reality.  This one...it really could go either way. Ramona probably has the stronger motive (especially since I find it hard to believe Ken could have threatened Tick in any way), but since Tick appears to be the end of the road for now we might as well stick with him.  Completing all three leads to a fourth deduction. We don't really have a lot of information to go on here, but out of the three options presented, we know it wasn't suicide or an accident. (That last one is kind of debatable given our current hypothesis, but someone did shoot him through the heart with clear intent to kill him.)  Now that that's settled, we need to get upstairs. If we were a Cracker we could force our way past the energy barrier, but as it is we'll have to negotiate with Yet. We could have attempted it earlier, but it would fail - the couches are for 'regulars only' and we don't count as one until we've ingratiated ourselves with the trolls or sleeves. That's a very...special area. People are in-game, their bodies on couches, unsupervised. Their belongings are by the couches, too. I'm not going to bother anyone. I'm a gamedec. I'm conducting an investigation and I have to get in there. I want to talk to someone. A gamedec, huh? OK, I'll let you up there if you do me a small favor. It'll prove to the patrons you're trustworthy. Get rid of Cam Grozny. Don't hurt her, just remove her from the premises. Why do you want her gone? She sells drugs and gets half my customers high off them. Not enough? Lately, she's been pushing everything, apparently even some nasty fake L-Pill. She's a treacherous she-troll. She competes with Herman, I mean Tick, for leadership among the trolls. If you remove her, Tick will surely be happy. ...And nobody, or almost nobody, will be mad at me, because you'll be the one that did it.-Agree -Refuse I'll do it. She usually hangs around the toilets. Fitting place for a scumbag.We don't really have a choice - Yet won't give us any alternative ways to get upstairs.  Is this a joke? He and I have a deal. He gives us anonymous couches, and I get the sleeves what Yet legally can't. I didn't say a word when he installed the brainfix years ago. And he wants to kick me out? Fine. If it's a war he wants, he'll loving get it. I don't know what he promised you, but I'll match his offer if you destroy the brainfix. Hmm...And you can get me upstairs? I've done business with Yet long enough to install workarounds in his system. Destroy the brainfix, and I'll get you into hell if you want.Beating up an inanimate machine with no way to fight back does sound a lot easier than our currently assigned task. It's not like we'll have to negotiate with Yet any further after this point.  -[Glazier] Cause a short circuit [I found the service panel and unscrewed the masking plate. The power connectors were easy to find. With a few quick crossed wires, the machine shuddered, whined, and went dead.]Given how poorly maintained it was, people probably won't figure out it was us. Hell, they probably won't even notice till after we're long gone.  You can thank me by granting me access upstairs. Of course. I'll grant you access as soon as you tell me who you're gonna troll, you secret agent. That wasn't our deal. Our deal was that I let you upstairs, not that I wouldn't ask questions. Even so, Yet changes the terms more than I do. So, who is it? [Deduction] I want to speak with Tick. Let's just say I have a couple of things to settle with him. Herman, huh? Fine. People do various things up there, not only play. They're often distracted - you know how gamers are. I'll cut off his access to the bar's systems, one by one. He won't have a clue. That'll let you talk to him freely. The gates will let you in now. Good luck! As we head up the stairs, a surge of electricity rushes out from the leftmost couch, frying the poor bugger inside. Well, that's not good. Something tells me that wasn't a coincidence.  Tick giggled with satisfaction as the shower of sparks faded. He moved his hand as if he were using a private window. He was clearly...unstable. It seemed wise to keep him from getting frustrated. I needed to keep his attention until the Out-Rangers arrived.  We have a very small window to affect his mood. If he gets too annoyed with us at any point, he'll just run off. -Accuse him of shooting at you You just tried to shoot me. I'm not bowing unless it's to put you in handcuffs. Excuse me?! People beg for the chance to join me, you know? But you? Snooping around Ken's case, accusing me! Bow to the king, shitbag!-Refuse -Nod -Tell him to kiss your rear end [I nodded towards him.] You could have tried harder, but that's fine, I guess.He moved his hand, ready to issue another command to his malicious software, but he focused on me instead. Congratulations, maggot, you've got my attention. What's so important that you dare to ruin my royal magnum opus?-Talk about Tick My investigation has led me to you. I want to speak with you. Tell me something I don't know. Everyone wants to speak with Tick!As he talked to me, he kept one hand raised, ready to issue a command in an invisible window. I'm always doing something cool! You're saying that Ken is losing interest in me?! Oh well, that's his loss! The trolls don't want to play with me? They can see how couches burn, then! You're killing people. It's not my fault they don't have any safeguards. These helmets constantly cause discharges, suits get overheated and tear their muscles...it looks loving awesome, doesn't it?-Say that's crazy -Say that's cruel -Say that's phenomenal You're right. It's all very spectacular. Everyone admires you now. You got what you wanted. You don't need to kill anyone else.The man smiled proudly. I don't need to do anything. But I'm the king because I always go through with my ideas, even the most daring ones. I'm glad that you appreciate how epic this all is!His gestures intensified. At least he stopped paying atention to the invisible window. I don't think you understand me... I do. The real reason you're doing this is that...-Say Ken spoiled his fun -Say Ken lost interest in him -Say the trolls stopped playing You're angry at Ken. He used to follow you around all the time, but then he lost interest in you. I was hoping he'd come back...He made a nervous gesture and tapped something in an invisible window. Shut up and behold!He froze, waiting for something to happen...but nothing did. Someone logged me out of the system, drat it! Never mind! I'll reconnect in a second! Nobody can stop the king! I knew he'd come back. I fascinated him. He actually tried to troll the king of trolls, can you believe that? He was copying me! I tried to sneak up on him yesterday, but he immediately saw me. That's how sensitive he was to my presence! And he still called me king! Though he wasn't really making any sense. You say that you knew him. Do you even know what he was doing?!-Say he's been spying on the Hon Clan -Say he was just sitting at the bar -Say he's been trolling Tick's group -Say he joined the Hon Clan He was spying on the Hon Clan in Knight's Code. He didn't trust them, but he said 'they could be right'. Unbelievable! He'd rather think about loving 'reincarnation' than play with me!Tick nervously declined a call with a hand gesture. Never mind. None of it makes sense! Enough chit-chat! Pay attention. This. Is. Going. To. Be. Epic!He quickly waved and tapped an invisible window.  Tick was smiling triumphantly. I love the smell of burning flesh in the morning! Nobody can ignore the king! Or give him orders! Why did he have to die? I don't get it. It's so stupid.-Accuse Ramona of killing Ken -Accuse him of killing Ken -Say that Ken's death was an accident What do you mean you don't get it? You're the one that killed him! That's bullshit! He was already dead when I arrived! I shot a corpse - it made no difference. The little man said it had to be done. "The little man"? A funny little person in a red hat, dressed like a clown. I trusted him. I don't know why. I don't know, really! Now everyone's gonna think I...Hey, you're here too, even though I grazed your shoulder. It was supposed to scare you off. Like hell it did...He saw something displayed by his lenses and shuddered. He's sensing me again. I'll answer once I know how to troll him for that lie. Ugh, why am I even talking to you?! I'm the king! Common folk don't get a say here!Two people started contorting and convulsing. Their helmets must have been hacked. The King does what he wants! Don't loving forget that! Do you even know how Ken died? [Deduction] You shot him down? Wrong, moron. I fired at him, but I didn't shoot him down! But you can't die from getting shot in a game! All games have safeguards! How is it possible that he...died there? You don't get it. Snot-nosed suckers like you can't comprehend my genius. But they can watch! Hands up! Move a loving finger and you're toast, bastard!Tick looked at me vacantly. Someone played a trick on Tick...They put me in an impossible situation...but the king never gives up! You'll be next, gamedec!The bodies on the couches were convulsing and grunting.   A squadron of Out-Rangers rush up from both sides of the stairs, and shoot Tick in the back of his head. One of the Out-Rangers fired, and a red splotch appeared on Tick's forehead. His eyes were still open, but they looked frozen. The man's body slumped to the floor in a hideous manner, as if it were a faulty machine. What a loving mess...and now we have to secure everything. Why don't you head back home? We'll be in touch. Don't talk to the press. We can poke around in this upstairs area for a bit more, but there's nothing of note left to interact with up here. So, this section was actually significantly different from my first playthrough, in a way I was actually pretty surprised by. In my first playthrough, all the clues that pointed to Tick instead pointed to Ramona, and she was the one waiting upstairs for me. The interaction plays out in a fairly similar manner, with Ramona blowing up the couches while warning us not to get close, though she's in a blind panic rather than Tick's drunken nihilistic ego trip. The main points are fairly similar - she was convinced to kill Ken by the Hon Clan because he was getting too close, but he was already dead when she shot him, though she doesn't expect anyone to believe that, and she only shot us to warn us away from the investigation. If you successfully stall her for long enough, when cornered by the Out-rangers she hops into a couch and electrifies it to fry herself rather than surrender, instead of getting shot. I'm not sure what the actual turning point is - I tried reloading a pre-deduction save and picking Ramona-centric answers, but it was still Tick waiting upstairs. My guess is depends on whether you save Panisantor in the first quest or not, since it's a major point of contention in her confrontation. It makes logical sense - with Panisantor outright dead in that timeline, Ramona would be even more dependent on the Hon Clan, leaving her more open to manipulation and exploitation. Frankly, I think that timeline makes far more sense than the one we got - Tick's motivations are half-baked and Ramona feels like she has a more personal stake in the matter. In any case, regardless of who we just confronted, a whole lot of people died for basically no reason and we're no closer to the true mystery of Ken's death than we were before. Really, everyone would have been much better off if we'd just ignored this whole detour. We're down to our last lead, and it's a sketchy program given to us by a ghost. Let's hope it ends up better than...whatever the hell that just was.
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Oct 28, 2022 18:29
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Last time, a whole lot of people died and while we can't really say it was our fault, it probably wouldn't have happened if we hadn't been there either. Still, nothing to do but to move forward. [A sudden feeling of relief took over me, only to give way to a feeling of deep, bitter loss. My relationship with Ken had been...heating up.]-Admit that you'll miss Ken -Admit you feel bad -Accept that life is unpredictable [Our relationship was brief but intense. Everything happened so fast. I couldn't wrap my head around it. I still wanted to sense him.]I get the sudden shock of someone close to you dying, but I feel like Video James is reading a lot more into that relationship than is probably warranted. In retrospect, it's probably a good thing that relationship got cut off before things got really awkward between them. [I couldn't leave it that way. I had a psychoscan. I just needed to generate a V-Ghost and question it.] Quick aside, but we finally build up enough points to unlock 'Cracker'. It's probably the second most useful occupation for getting around any technological limitations, aside from Cheater.  While we’re at it, here's our current occupation tree. We've gotten a fair bit of use out of Vox Populi and the Infotainer branch in general so far, followed closely by Cheater and the Glazier branch in general. There haven't been as many Scalpel-related options we've been missing out on, except for several opportunities for Brainfixer in the last couple of sections. Green points seem hard to get, though, even in my last playthrough where I tried to focus on that branch, and it's compounded by being a fairly limited skillset in application.  Anyway, time to talk to Ken's unquiet shade. -Take a closer look at Ken's image [I looked at the translucent face hovering in the air. It was the face he himself remembered or imagined. Better-looking than in reality. The system used to perform the scan must have been very basic. The face had few details and looked like it was carved with a very thick chisel.]-Make Bliss get information for you [That V-Ghost was a husk of a man. I didn't want to talk to him. Perhaps Bliss could automatically extract information.] Bliss, find out what Ken did in Low City and what he learned in the course of his investigation. All cultures have their rituals of parting with the dead. There's a reason for that. I think you should talk to him. It's a relatively poor scan. Indexing its memories would destroy it. Do you want me to do that and give you a recap? How poor is it? Scanning human psyches requires advanced tools that record memory traces along with the intensity of each memory and links between them. In this case, the scan was made by a device designed for other purposes. The V-Ghost is defective. This psyche was scanned with a simple machine. Very simple. It almost looks as if someone intentionally overlooked some of the memories. Rich kids make better scans using obicoins. Someone must have been in a hurry or wanted to hide something.-Talk to the V-Ghost ...You're right. I'll talk to him. I waved my hands over his eyes to start an interaction. Ken nodded slowly.  Video James... Ken. Good to see you again.He looked around. We returned to your place. Good. It's safe here. I can't remember how I got here...never mind. I think the Hon Clan saw through me. If I'm here, they'll probably keep an eye on you too.-Ask about his investigation You sensed me yesterday. You wanted to meet me at Yet's Coming. Why? Yesterday? I feel like it was a couple of hours ago. Time flies when you're investigating. I wanted to examine the Hon Clan's stronghold and thought I might need some protection. I trust you, Chief. I was afraid they'd see through me. But apparently, I'm smarter than them. Next time we'll get in there together and find out everything.-Ask about the Hon Clan Why the Hon Clan Stronghold? What's so important in there? You know how my career was ruined by a tree in the glitch, right? So, it usually pops up in the Hon Clan's stronghold. Coincidence? It's a drat cryptic clan. Rumor has it their leader can "foresee the future". I'd say it's drat easy to "foresee" something you cause yourself. That son of a gun changes the course of history. He ruins people's lives to get rich. They call him Lord Enlightened or The Prophet. That jerk ruined my career, so I'm going to find out how he did it, get evidence, and reveal everything.-Ask how the clan is cryptic -Ask how the clan ruined his career -Ask how the clan changes the course of history You said the clan leader changed the course of history. Can you tell me what you mean exactly? They made a fortune betting on my game. I've heard there were also some 'unexplained' things in realium that the clan leader could foresee. I guess they hack obicoins and glasses to create illusions and earn money. They say 'something bad will happen' and then make it happen. Commercial Scan. Software: Basic version. Memory Record recursion: Level 1. Data depth limit reached. [I had a pitifully basic version of a psychoscan. That would probably make things harder for me. The record would only include the most recent and intense memories. All the rest went down the drain.]-Ask about the Tree You said the Tree ruined your career? What do the trolls have to do with that? Haven't I said it before? I saw them and the Tree. I was paralyzed during the match. No one else was affected by the glitch. Only me. Now I think the trolls showed up a fraction of a second later, like vultures at a crime scene. It's the one who controls the Tree that matters. It's probably not the trolls.-Ask what he was afraid of You called for help. Why did you think something could happen to you? I asked anonymous questions online about the Hon Clan and started getting invitations to their recruitment process. When I was at your place, someone reset Ralf, my majordomo. Probably to cover up the traces of a break-in. It might have all been a coincidence, but I think they noticed me. I didn't want to wait. That would give them more time to prepare.-Ask what he did after recording the message. I didn't hear you sensing, so you left a message. Can you remember what you did after that? Of course. Why wouldn't I remember? You didn't accept the call. I entered Yeti's Coming on my own, and from there, I entered the game. What happened next? I chose the handle 'Arrow of Darkness'. I searched the location, sniffed around, and found out that they sometimes go inside that Tree. The one that ruined my game. They go inside it! They say it's the 'sacred Tree of Knowing'. I waited, left my stuff in the chest, and entered that Tree of theirs. Commercial Scan. Software: Basic version. Memory Record recursion: Level 1. Data depth limit reached.-Tell him he's dead Ken...you're a V-Ghost. A psychoscan of the real Ken Zhou. Ken is dead - he was killed in Low City. That's impossible! But...is that why I'm here as a hologram? Commercial Scan. Software: Basic version. Memory Record recursion: Level 1. Data depth limit reached. Video James...I was counting on you. Had we gone there together, I'd probably still be alive. Why didn't you help me?Jeez, way to guilt trip us, Ken. I guess I'd probably be pretty pissed about it too if I was murdered. I'm sorry. I'm so sorry, Ken.I did my best to avoid looking him in the eye. I was convinced you'd listen to my message and come running. At least I wouldn't have had to die alone. I remember...the touch of a cold walkway on my cheek. A man...shouldn't lie like that, with his face against the ground. Forgive me.He said nothing. Bliss, place him in a safe virtualium. Done.  Only one place left to go.  Welcome to Knight's Code! A land where warring samurai clans clash against each other to determine the fate of the world! Where wondrous creatures fill the skies, and magic, friendship and camaraderie abound! We'll be experiencing approximately none of that during our time here.  It is, at the very least, very pretty to look at.  We stand among the best clans of Knight's Code...But our clan is more than that! It is the answer you've been searching for! Victory takes seed in a warrior's mind! Prove that you can win. Take part in the recruitment. Seek out our disciples. Show them that you care about winning! Recruitment starts now. Good luck! What business brings you here, warrior?-Ask how to join the clan -Say you've been recruited by the clan -Ask to be granted entrance into the Stronghold We've technically already been recruited by that guy in the bar, so if we pick that second option, they'll happily let us through. But for the sake of content, let's go through the 'regular' initiation process. What do I need to do to take part in the Hon Clan's recruitment? I am glad you asked. Seek out our disciples, the alchemist and the sage, and complete the tasks they give you. In exchange for your commitment, you will be rewarded with a Poteto Gomuin, a sigil that proves your service to the clan. Only those who bring me two Gomuins and pay the clan event fee can enter the Stronghold, where your true trial period begins. Looks like we're not the only prospective recruits. [Ogien Walki] Then what do you want to do? Start leveling up a new character from scratch? It will take you weeks!He noticed me listening. [Upyours314] Hail, stranger. What do you make of the challenges that the recruits of the Hon Clan must contend with? [Ogien] Forgive my friend, his ornate style is meant to mask his handle that's just...wrong. How are the alchemy and true knowledge quests going?We can ask them for advice on them here, but said quests aren't especially difficult to figure out. -Ask if they need help I've seen much harsher recruitment rules before. Need help? [Ogien] Thank you for offering, but we're already done and have the Gomuins to prove our service to the clan. Now, all we need to do is organize our knowledge so that we're able to correctly answer questions about the Tree of Knowing and the clan.-Ask about the Hon Clan I don't know much about the Hon Clan. [Upyours314] Indeed, members of this eminent clan guard their secrets well. [Ogien] Especially given that they were still virtually unknown a few months ago. Now they're powerful, climbing the ranks like mad, and recruiting.-Ask about the Tree of Knowing Can you share your knowledge of the Tree of Knowing with me? [Upyours314] A mysterious and frightening phenomenon. It is spoken of only in legends, with facts in short supply. We've scoured the realm for them. [Ogien] Well, it is meant to be a reward for the clan's best members, but I hope never to receive it. You must've heard tales of sages who had the honor of communing with the Tree...but do you know anyone who went inside it and then returned? It must get harder, because after all this, there's still the trial period at the Stronghold. And the actual clan members are all badasses. I'm just waiting for my friends, and then we're going in.-Ask what she knows about the clan Why do you want to join this clan? It's one of the best organizations in the game, and they're climbing the ranks the fastest. Sounds good to me. I'm trying to max out my stats and optimize my playing. Although, there are these weird rumors going around about some 'signs' and some 'Tree of Knowing', but it's probably some method of training. They don't talk about it outside so that no one gets ahead of them.-Ask how she got the Gomuins How did you get the Gomuins? There are two masters at opposing ends of the map. Each of them gives you a quest, and the reward for completing it is a token. Simple. Two masters, two tokens. How did you get a third one? Buddy, you get that we're supposed to compete, right? We're not so friendly that I'd reveal all my secrets to you. Plus, my future organization has no place for bumpkins who can't work out stuff on their own.-Point out she's not role-playing The people I've met here make it a point to stay in character. You're talking about Knight's Code as if it's in a game... Everyone here is nuts for role-playing. A game is a game. And I can do some pretending if it helps me become the best in the clan.Boy, do I wish I could select this option. Oh well, it's really not that hard to get in on our own merits.  You may have noticed a cat in some of the previous screenshots. We can interact with it. -[Cheater] Take control of the cat's skin [I turned on the deck and found the app for taking control of skins. I launched the app after placing the creature in its range. Before I became the animal, the program told me that it would be switching my motility to quadrupedal and warned me of possible dizziness...] [...which I did experience, and then saw the world through the eyes of a frog. I mean, cat. What was in my mouth? I mean, stuck in my teeth?! Hummingbird feathers. I spat them out.] We're a cat now!  If we try to sneak into the clan in cat form, this happens: [Upyours314] Do you think that if I draw my sword slowly, it won't run away? Don't give me that look - you know the game's recipes. Bagging a cat will count as meat for raids. We must be of service to the clan. [Ogien] You're right. We must be of service, and there don't seem to be any mystical signs around. Plus, it's free XP.They drew their weapons. -Run [I dashed for the bushes. When I lost sight of them, I returned to my skin. I could defend myself as a human.]I'll show off the cat method of getting in later as a bonus. For now, let's get back to earning our way in.  On our way over to meet the master on the left, we stop to admire a tree. I don't know if it's the tree, but it is a pretty nice tree nonetheless.  Recruit nineteen, hmm... Come again? ... [Maybe it was just my imagination? I'd never heard of talking trees in Knight Code.]-Encourage -Provoke -Ask if it is the Tree of Knowing Are you the Tree of Knowing?The tree giggled. I am a disciple of the clan. You'd know if you saw the Tree of Knowing. It is huge and beautiful, like any other. It is literally one-of-a-kind. There isn't a single graphic asset like it in Knight's Code or any other world. We looked. But I shouldn't be talking to you. Mistress Umbra will be here soon, and she'll see that I didn't learn anything.-Ask why he is a tree How did you become a tree? ...I did something I shouldn't have. I meant no harm to anyone. I only bent the rules slightly. But now I see the error of my ways. Mistress Umbra agreed not to banish me from the clan. Instead, she locked me in a tree, allowing me to reflect on my actions.-Ask about Mistress Umbra You spoke of Umbra... Mistress Umbra. If she heard you omit her title when uttering her name, she'd lock you in an item, too! And she'd be right to do so! You should always address clan members with their titles, which they earned through displays of commitment and wisdom. Inside the Stronghold and outside of it, in the realm of Knight's Code and all others, we always address one another with respect. "Mistress" Umbra proceeds to walk up to us. Yes, Mistress Umbra. Because he provoked me, you see...I mean, I let myself be provoked. The fault is mine. How am I to help you see the truth if you do not wish to help yourself? I'm sorry. I want to learn the truth. I wish to be worthy of entering the Tree. Please help me, Mistress. I will give you one more chance. And you, recruit, should be helping others improve, not making it more difficult. -Apologize -Say you know each other -Criticize the practice of turning people into items You trapped him inside a tree. It's a rather cruel punishment for breaking the rules. Disciple Moth is free to leave and return to his avatar at any moment, but he knows that the clan's rules help him improve and observe more. The clan teaches one to see the truth, and learning it would be impossible if good and bad actions carried the same consequences. If you're here to learn, go back to recruitment. If not, leave. As Clan Mistress of the Guard, I'll know if you keep breaking the rules.Umbra leaves, and the tree refuses to respond to any further attempts at conversation. Well. The Clan can trap the minds of people in inanimate objects and apparently uses this ability with great relish. That's not concerning at all!  We can also stop to admire this stream. There's no trapped water sprite genuflecting on the flow of life or anything. It's just a stream.  Anyway, on to the first task. -Ask about the mystical place You said this place is mystical? Friend! This is the only location in the world with multiple recorded appearances of the Tree of Knowing! It appears here regularly! And it has already been seen in all kinds of games - beautiful and mundane, luxurious and simple! Some say that it only appears somewhere for a moment and never returns to the same place! So, you see? It's a mystical place!-Be of service to the clan What can I do to aid the Hon Clan's efforts? I make healing potions for the clan, and I need ingredients. Bring me five ginseng roots.I was going to make some snarky comment, but all things considered, this is probably a decent selection filter. Anyone smart enough to go 'I'm not doing a pointless fetch quest, gently caress off' is not someone you want as an underling in your cult.  Anyway, ginseng roots aren't hard to find, the're scattered all over the map. Here are five ginseng roots. Splendid! Here's a Poteto Gomuin, the official sign of service to the clan. Every clan disciple will honor it.She handed me an octagonal coin made of steel. It was heavy and cool to the touch. It had a symbol of a lush tree embossed on it. Do you know why you were given such a simple, repetitive task?Unfortunately, my theory from earlier isn't among the possible options. -Say that the clan requires sacrifice -Say it's a typical RPG quest -Say you don't know Clan members must contribute resources to the treasury, and devoting time to simple tasks teaches humility. Indeed. Each clan must keep its treasury full. Without recruit's labor, our coffers would be empty, and that would weaken the Stronghold. The Hon Clan requires more sacrifices than other clans. We teach full commitment. It is necessary to achieve happiness in life. Those afraid to commit forget who they are. They're unhappy - merely consumers. One has to learn to stay in the moment and commit.Incidentally, if we pick 'it's a typical RPG quest', she pretends to act confused about the concept of an RPG while Video James fruitlessly tries to explain the concept of an 'MMO', before finally warning him to stay in character and falling silent.  On to the next task. The other guy is waiting at the other end of the map, where we first spawned in. You're happy? The Hon Clan helps people find the best path in life. I am happy when I can help someone in that endeavor. You are taking part in recruitment. Do you wish to carry out a task for the clan? What can I do for the clan? Only the best can join us. Only you can decide who you are. If you want to grow, you must work and excel in commitment and vigilance. Only those who see what others cannot may join our ranks. They seek the truth instead of averting their eyes from it. Go, observe - seek signs, phenomena difficult to explain. They may guide you to the truth. I will ask you what you make of them when you return. How will I know what I'm seeing is a sign? You are looking for things that have no right to occur. Things that people try not to notice. They manifest rarely, but there are more of them near the Tree. They're not glitches, or at least not only glitches. They're signs. What are they signs of, exactly? If we knew, they wouldn't be difficult to notice or understand. To some, they appear to be memories or a message from something...or someone other than ourselves. Others say they're a sign of collective consciousness, using thoughts to pierce the very nature of things. We seek the ultimate answers. We bring together those who can see them. We teach them how to search for truth, for searching is the way.I must admit, this is a significantly more culty task than the latter.  We don't have to waste too much time with this one, since there's not all that much to interact with. The answer is this stream we looked at earlier. After contemplating it a bit, this shows up. [A strange face distorted by whirlpools was looking up at me from the stream. The face was a mask of burden and suffering. Its eyes looked towards the glade near the stream. He shut his eyes as if meaning to...fall asleep? Connect to a network? Then the swirling stream dissolved the image.] We go back and hand in our homework. It's a sign! Other memebers of the clan have made similar reports. Can you describe him? I've never seen him myself. He was a swarthy man around my age. He looked different than me, yet I still felt a strong bond with him. Yes, others have said the same. Bond? Bond? Maybe I should tie myself to a stone near the stream? We were told not to read signs literally. He pointed at the place of the Tree's sightings. This is great news! We'll see it again soon, I'm sure. Take this sigil. You have served the clan.That's two for two, we can cash them in now.  Well done!He accepted the steel coins. The clan values action, as well as the intent behind it. Are you somewhat familiar with our philosophy?Before we progress any further, we'll have to make at least one of the following deductions.  "What is the Hon Clan" is at the very least a simple enough question to answer. I don't know if they'll like that answer, though.  I don't know if 'mystical phenomenon' is the right word, but it's the closest thing we're offered. There's clearly more going on than a simple in-game error in Knight's Code, and I don't think the clan has good enough control over it to actively make use of it. -Talk about clan rules -Talk about the Tree of Knowing I understand that the Tree of Knowing is the symbol of the clan's philosophy. What do you think this tree is? [Deduction] The Tree seems to be...a mystical phenomenon. I didn't manage to discover what it is, but I would like to learn more. None of us truly know what it is. Facing our own ignorance and imperfection is crucial for clan members. It's good you began to explore this mystery. Hon Clan Warriors seek the truth. Welcome! Enter the Stronghold! Your trial period begins now. As we head up the bridge, an enpec guide appears to give us a tour. If they're not available, I'll always be there. Come on, I'll show you around! The Stronghold is full of resources waiting for recruits. Bring all collected iron, crystals or timber here, to the Forge Mistress. She puts them in warehouses, the small structures to the south. For every set of resources, the Forge Mistress will give you a Gomuin. Warehouses are part of the Forge. In the Forge, you can craft items using collected resources. Use them for the clan's benefit! Recipes for forging items will pop up before your eyes on different occasions. Any you discover will be found in a book lying on the pedestal by the Forge. This is where Mistress Eternal Cocoon works. She's the clan's main Shield. Most games call them 'tanks', but we don't use that word. I'm sure she'll have some tasks for you. By completing them, you do the clan a service. Across the bridge is Master Rock Borer. He deals with the Tree of Knowing's signals. You can also see the bell measuring our time there. Up here, there's a Vault with precious spoils and items. Every disciple can store their belongings there and not worry about their safety. The vault is tended to by Master Goldwielder. I'm sure he'll have some tasks for you as well.You may be sensing a theme here, and it’s not one I like. I'm only showing you the most important things. Is there anything that interests you further?-Cautiously ask about Ken -Ask about those who have entered the Tree of Knowing -Ask about the clan's opponents My friend talked me into entering this game. He was a member of Hon, but I don't see him anywhere. There are notes about all clan members in Lord's house, but we protect privacy. You can't go in there. Try asking around. All right, let's go to the main square now. See that man with a halo over his head? That's Lord Enlightened. He's just left his house. Next to him is Mistress Umbra, his right hand. Now, quiet. Lord is about to speak.  You can see it through your commitment. The clan can help you with that. We are living in a sea of possibilities. But without an important goal, possibilities are nothing, and nothing will satisfy you. The Demiurge in the Tree of Knowing shows the way to enlightenment. The Tree is His tool and our chance for enlightenment. Join the Demiurge's army. It's our duty to protect the Tree from those who want to use it for their own interests. As members of the Hon Clan, you pledge to self-improve and protect the Tree until the end of the world. Repeat the vows.-Mutter something -Repeat with the others [I didn't want to chant that I was a blunt weapon that needed to be forged. Nor some crap about the world ending. I tried to mutter in time with the others, but as vaguely as possible.] Congrats, recruits. You may begin your trial period in the clan. Prove your trustworthiness, and you may stay for good. Life in the Stronghold is divided into cycles. Each cycle numbers ten bells. In each cycle, you need to produce at least one Poteto Gomuin. After ten bells, the cycle ends, and you must return here to hand your Poteto Gomuin to Tributary. Then another cycle begins. The trial period lasts seven cycles. Earn your Poteto Gomuin, contribute to the clan, and after ten bells, return here. Good luck.We'll be getting into what exactly that entails next update. Sure hope you haven't had your fill of pointless fetch quests.  As a bonus, let's try the cat path. This time, we make a deduction about the Tree of Knowledge before heading in.  [They were looking for mystical signs. I decided to give them one. I used my paw to draw the number 314 in the sand. It happened to be part of my would-be killer's handle.] [Ogien] 314! Did you see that? It's a mystical number. It's a sign, right? [Upyours314] Cats definitely shouldn't be able to write. Especially mysterious numbers. I think we should report this to Beetle. They run off, leaving us free to sneak into the compound. We walk pass the guards with no comment, but as we step on the bridge...  [I couldn't move or say anything. He was blocking my skin.] People's urge to break the rules is interesting. It doesn't make sense. Why enter a game if you don't want to play it? You put so much effort into it...Why force the door if it's easier to use the handle? I won't throw you out. The Hon Clan needs people with that kind of commitment. Keep playing, but behave as befits a recruit.He then forcibly transforms us back into a human, the tour guide walks up to meet us, and the segment after that plays out as usual. Next update - Exploring the Stronghold! Solving mysteries! Running pointless errands! Actually, mostly just that last one.
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Nov 1, 2022 11:10
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| # ¿ May 10, 2024 21:58 |
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I assure you, I was intensely disappointed the cat path did not result in an entire alternate branch of the stronghold infiltration where you spend the entire time doing Tactical Catspionage Action. Would have definitely been more interesting than what we got.
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Nov 2, 2022 02:38
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