Shemaru
You sit in the car, excitment growing with every mile. This is it. The day you had been waiting for. You pound your knees eagerly, unable to control your elation. Nothing could stop what you'd soon experience.
Asian Amusements had just opened its newest attraction to the general public, beta testing had ended yesterday. Everything was ready to go. A new virtually generated world, where nothing was real and anything could happen without a risk. A virtual plane created from the combination of a million computers, where warfare was not only allowed but encouraged.
You are going to enter the Shemaru Plane, a place of wonderment and magic. There will be 16 competitors from various parts of the globe, all wanting to win today's battle. The sixteen players will be split into two teams of eight that will duke it out in the virtual world.
Your chauffer opens the door of the car and you step out. You hadn't realized just how big an event this was. People had gathered around the amusement park, ready to greet the contestants before they are jacked into the virtual world.
Of course, as you step into Asian Amusements, it is just as crowded. But everyone knows that these physical rides have now been made obsolete by Shemaru Plane. You breeze past the post-modern thrill rides, the enormous slides, Ferris wheels, the stupid little kid rides.
The Shemaru Plane is all that matters. You go straight for it, and bypass the last of the old rides. you show the guard your executive pass and enter.
Inside are a collection of about a dozen people, it seems you are one of the later to arrive. Many look agitated, but a feeling of excitement is certainly the prevailing one. Soon the sixteen would be split, jacked in, and the game would begin.
You take a look at the contestants. Most are about your age, older teenagers, but two men about the age of 25 are also participating. All of these men are rich, you know, it cost your parents $500,000 to give you a pass. But it didn't matter. This was worth it, this would be the greatest event of your young life.
After the final three file in, a tall man with a white badge reads a list of names, checking that each person who should be there was present. As every name was met with an affirmative sound, it's time to be assigned teams. The man splits the 16 contestants randomly, but making sure that they look equally sized. You scan your members: most are strong looking, and you got one of the two adults on your team.
The man who took attendence cleared his throat. "You all know why you're here. You've paid us to be the first people to try the Shemaru Plane. Our computers will scan your DNA and take over a million pictures of your body to create an exact match in the game. Everything about you will be the same: your features, your strength, your ability to think. The goal of this competition will be to eliminate the other team, essentially you must do the equivalent of killing them. When someone has suffered a wound that would kill them in real life they shall be removed from the playing field. When the one team has been eliminated the game shall immediately cease and you shall all return. If for some reason you need to leave the playing field, simply find return to your starting spot.
"All members shall be equipped with a sword and an electronic map at the beginning of the game. There are many other weapons and armor hidden through the game, and also some power-ups and such, for you to find and use. As no food is provided, players shall need to find their own. But not to worry! There is an abundance of food in the Shemaru Plane. Any questions?"
Everyone is silent. The tension has come to a peak.
"Then if you will please step into the capsule."
All sixteen players step into their respective capsule. You hear escaping gas, and the voice of the man "Good luck..."
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
You stand up in the Shemaru Plane. Dusting yourself off, you watch your team members stand up as well. They seem just as disoriented as you (you had just appeared on a new world after all).
You take a look at your new surroundings. Both the sun and the two enormous moons of the Shemaru Plane shine brightly; the developers kept both moons in all day for a "cool" factor. You are nestled in a homely looking forest. And look at those trees! If you hadn't known what was going on, you'd never have guessed you're in a virtual world.
The about twenty-five year old speaks. "Hello, my name is Janis Sallow. I was one of the beta testers, and I've been put on your team to make sure everything goes smoothly."
Some of the boys on your team scowl, this experience was supposed to be pure. With someone that has knowledge of the terrain on the teams it wouldn't be true.
Janis notices the expressions. "Ah, but not to worry! Believe me, my prescense is necessary. Shemaru Plane is about as big as Rhode Island. You'll need my guidance. Otherwise you'll never find the other team! But I won't make many decisions. Just if it's necessary."
Janis turns to you. "Well, why don't you answer our first need? We need food and it'd help to get some better equipment, we'll probably lose a battle if all we've got is swords. But then again, if you guys want to end this thing quick...we could go engage the other army relatively soon. There are faster ways to get through the Shemaru Plane than just walking (another thing you wouldn't know without me, by the way). So, what'll it be? The other army or a search for supplies and food?"
Asian Amusements had just opened its newest attraction to the general public, beta testing had ended yesterday. Everything was ready to go. A new virtually generated world, where nothing was real and anything could happen without a risk. A virtual plane created from the combination of a million computers, where warfare was not only allowed but encouraged.
You are going to enter the Shemaru Plane, a place of wonderment and magic. There will be 16 competitors from various parts of the globe, all wanting to win today's battle. The sixteen players will be split into two teams of eight that will duke it out in the virtual world.
Your chauffer opens the door of the car and you step out. You hadn't realized just how big an event this was. People had gathered around the amusement park, ready to greet the contestants before they are jacked into the virtual world.
Of course, as you step into Asian Amusements, it is just as crowded. But everyone knows that these physical rides have now been made obsolete by Shemaru Plane. You breeze past the post-modern thrill rides, the enormous slides, Ferris wheels, the stupid little kid rides.
The Shemaru Plane is all that matters. You go straight for it, and bypass the last of the old rides. you show the guard your executive pass and enter.
Inside are a collection of about a dozen people, it seems you are one of the later to arrive. Many look agitated, but a feeling of excitement is certainly the prevailing one. Soon the sixteen would be split, jacked in, and the game would begin.
You take a look at the contestants. Most are about your age, older teenagers, but two men about the age of 25 are also participating. All of these men are rich, you know, it cost your parents $500,000 to give you a pass. But it didn't matter. This was worth it, this would be the greatest event of your young life.
After the final three file in, a tall man with a white badge reads a list of names, checking that each person who should be there was present. As every name was met with an affirmative sound, it's time to be assigned teams. The man splits the 16 contestants randomly, but making sure that they look equally sized. You scan your members: most are strong looking, and you got one of the two adults on your team.
The man who took attendence cleared his throat. "You all know why you're here. You've paid us to be the first people to try the Shemaru Plane. Our computers will scan your DNA and take over a million pictures of your body to create an exact match in the game. Everything about you will be the same: your features, your strength, your ability to think. The goal of this competition will be to eliminate the other team, essentially you must do the equivalent of killing them. When someone has suffered a wound that would kill them in real life they shall be removed from the playing field. When the one team has been eliminated the game shall immediately cease and you shall all return. If for some reason you need to leave the playing field, simply find return to your starting spot.
"All members shall be equipped with a sword and an electronic map at the beginning of the game. There are many other weapons and armor hidden through the game, and also some power-ups and such, for you to find and use. As no food is provided, players shall need to find their own. But not to worry! There is an abundance of food in the Shemaru Plane. Any questions?"
Everyone is silent. The tension has come to a peak.
"Then if you will please step into the capsule."
All sixteen players step into their respective capsule. You hear escaping gas, and the voice of the man "Good luck..."
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
You stand up in the Shemaru Plane. Dusting yourself off, you watch your team members stand up as well. They seem just as disoriented as you (you had just appeared on a new world after all).
You take a look at your new surroundings. Both the sun and the two enormous moons of the Shemaru Plane shine brightly; the developers kept both moons in all day for a "cool" factor. You are nestled in a homely looking forest. And look at those trees! If you hadn't known what was going on, you'd never have guessed you're in a virtual world.
The about twenty-five year old speaks. "Hello, my name is Janis Sallow. I was one of the beta testers, and I've been put on your team to make sure everything goes smoothly."
Some of the boys on your team scowl, this experience was supposed to be pure. With someone that has knowledge of the terrain on the teams it wouldn't be true.
Janis notices the expressions. "Ah, but not to worry! Believe me, my prescense is necessary. Shemaru Plane is about as big as Rhode Island. You'll need my guidance. Otherwise you'll never find the other team! But I won't make many decisions. Just if it's necessary."
Janis turns to you. "Well, why don't you answer our first need? We need food and it'd help to get some better equipment, we'll probably lose a battle if all we've got is swords. But then again, if you guys want to end this thing quick...we could go engage the other army relatively soon. There are faster ways to get through the Shemaru Plane than just walking (another thing you wouldn't know without me, by the way). So, what'll it be? The other army or a search for supplies and food?"