Swordland (SAO-inspired, but it makes more sense)
Birdsie
Sharp Talons Cleave The Worthy
- Location
- Poland
Fair enough, but a vast majority do not.
- Location
- California
Apparently they do in the SAO universe, since everyone seems to have usernames along those lines.
Rossum
Not a Cyberman
- Location
- Earth
I once heard about a player on WoW who's username was "i", just a lowercase "i". Apparently it made it much easier to hide behind stuff. The story had a mod demand they change it.
Or we could have a weird name like %Line(Name)=0% that messes with Cardinal tracking us.
Or, sticking with Aldrich, it could be that "Aldrich" is actually the name of an in-game NPC and we actually typed in something like Aldrich% to bypass SAO's name filters. Having an NPC's name makes it somehow easier to hide from Cardinal.
Birdsie
Sharp Talons Cleave The Worthy
- Location
- Poland
Well, that's dumb. Are you seriously telling me Kirito-Jesus-Kun hadn't come across even one guy whose username was "DIG BICK" or something else that's stupid like that?
DevilsAdvocate
Always follow the golden rule.
I am pretty sure that he never did.
Birdsie
Sharp Talons Cleave The Worthy
- Location
- Poland
I'm pushing realism in this Quest, as realistic as this setting could get. Expect people with dumb names and a poor cat whose owner decided it'd be a good idea to affix a NerveGear to its head, forcing it to enter this deathtrap of a video game.
(Because, let's be real: someone, somewhere would get this idea.)
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- Location
- The Void
Me.
Every time I start a videogame that involves a name that is used consistently it always take me atleast half an hour unless I already had one preparedl
- Location
- California
No, but then that's just more evidence that Reki Kawahara knows nothing about MMOs.
You could always just hand wave it away that people just changed their name on mass when they realized they were stuck and didn't want to spend the rest of their lives/die known as xXx_Boobalicious_xXx.
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Ridiculously Average Guy
I'm you, but stronger
- Location
-
Soooo, SAO Abridged then.
He then retracted that statement, due to counter-arguments to the argument that lead to him making that statement, and he claimed being too tired to think properly enough to make a ruling, and put off such decision making till later. And then never made a decision. Based on his statement of True Magic winning, seems like he decided to allow it.
Ultramandalore
Errant Quester
- Location
- just south of Parts Unknown
didn't it say somewhere that when Kayaba trapped everyone in SAO that he changed their usernames to their real names? or was that just in the Abridged series?
- Location
- California
I think that was Abridged. He changed their looks in canon though.
TimEd
Meteor maker
The name thing is easy enough to explain (or explain away). Kayaba might have given a grace period to give others a name change. Oor, the name is still the same, but since everyone there is human (havent seen ai interact with them except Yui), they just introduced themselves differently no mattter the username
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01-001
Birdsie
Sharp Talons Cleave The Worthy
- Location
- Poland
Birdsie Quests™ proudly presents...
Originally, Argus planned for Sword Art Online to take place in a floating castle composed of a hundred floors. Each floor was supposed to be its own, unique climate and lead to the next through a boss battle room. But a user poll that asked otherwise on their website resulted in a change of plans. This was a sign that the game would be one where the developers actually listen to the community. In this age? A rarity.
Listening to 'The White Stripes - Seven Nation Army' you open up the SAO website and look for news. Your preorder package came two days ago, with all bonus DLCs that give you several starting packs of equipment, special abilities, and special tools.
For example, for just $9.99, you purchased an item that plays your theme song whenever you enter a room, whatever that theme song may be. You haven't yet decided on a song, but there are several you're considering. Something earrapey, preferably. Maybe the Soviet Anthem. It'd annoy the hell out of people, which is the intended effect.
(Pick a theme song.)
[] What's it gonna be? (Write-in. Can be changed later.)
You've taken an extensive look through the player guide and then read about the game engine rips that someone posted on the web a few days in the back, all in hopes of finding effective exploits you could use right away.
It appears things will be harder than with games where using scrolls and paintbrushes lets you build an infinite staircase towards the heavens. The game uses the so-called <<Cardinal System>> which is, to simplify things, basically a super-large bank of information with AI functions that automatically seeks out bugs and patches things without developer oversight, and can even program new NPCs, create items, and program events and quests on the fly.
Honestly, when you read about that, you laughed through the entire thing. And then you've seen the beta videos of the Cardinal System making up an array of new NPC characters in an instant, including full voice acting, dynamic personalities, and skins, and the only thing you could have asked was: 'How?' in disbelief as you clutched your temples. The next thing you asked was 'Is this game funded by the fucking Illuminati?'
Regardless, no video game engine is incomprehensible, and no pesky beta tester is all-detecting.
By looking through the player.ent code file with a special program, you've found several curious settings regarding your own character, as the tutorial and character creation were available to everyone with a copy of the game yesterday, but the servers launch today. The lines of code you found interesting were 'nervegearmcwvtransmittershutoff=false' and 'nervegeartransmittershutoff=false.'
But, no. You decided not to mess with them. The name contained the words 'NerveGear' and 'shut off' and the last thing you want to do is mess up and set it so that the game logs you out when your avatar dies. That'd be annoying as hell. You wonder what the short 'mcwv' means, though. You're not a programmer, so you have no idea what it could stand for.
The line that irked you was 'respawntimer=60.' Reading through the file, you found that all numerical values corresponding to time are written in a normal 'second-by-second' system, so the '60' is actually a minute. Why set it for so long, deliberately? You set it to '0' hoping it doesn't break any important values. Later, once you've confirmed it works, you'll post a fix on some forum for other players.
I mean, it's not like they set the respawn timer to sixty because the full death animation takes ten seconds and they don't want you to respawn before the said animation is finished, right? What possible reason could they have to do that?
A look at the clock reveals it's a few minutes before noon. You can hardly wait to play the game, but you have time to spare before the server goes online. What do you do?
(Starter improvements - basically, picking one "alters the timeline," excluding the others.)
[] Ask the beta testers for some starting tips - that way, you can have an even easier start. (Extra knowledge.)
[] Look through the full list of DLCs you purchased - maybe there's something interesting in there? (Extra stuff.)
[] See if your pal, GBR, is online on Steam yet - he has a copy too, and you intended to play together. (Start with a friend.)
VOTE BY LINE.
CHARACTER SHEET UPDATED - note, all of the extra-level rare stuff and level-ups are pay-to-win DLC content. Also, another note, the MC automatically decided to wear the equipment that he deemed best suited and did the same with his statpoints. In the future, you will have more freedom with this, but we're just getting started.
SWORDLAND
SAO-inspired Quest
Chapter 1: A World of Swords
SAO-inspired Quest
Chapter 1: A World of Swords
Originally, Argus planned for Sword Art Online to take place in a floating castle composed of a hundred floors. Each floor was supposed to be its own, unique climate and lead to the next through a boss battle room. But a user poll that asked otherwise on their website resulted in a change of plans. This was a sign that the game would be one where the developers actually listen to the community. In this age? A rarity.
Listening to 'The White Stripes - Seven Nation Army' you open up the SAO website and look for news. Your preorder package came two days ago, with all bonus DLCs that give you several starting packs of equipment, special abilities, and special tools.
For example, for just $9.99, you purchased an item that plays your theme song whenever you enter a room, whatever that theme song may be. You haven't yet decided on a song, but there are several you're considering. Something earrapey, preferably. Maybe the Soviet Anthem. It'd annoy the hell out of people, which is the intended effect.
(Pick a theme song.)
[] What's it gonna be? (Write-in. Can be changed later.)
You've taken an extensive look through the player guide and then read about the game engine rips that someone posted on the web a few days in the back, all in hopes of finding effective exploits you could use right away.
It appears things will be harder than with games where using scrolls and paintbrushes lets you build an infinite staircase towards the heavens. The game uses the so-called <<Cardinal System>> which is, to simplify things, basically a super-large bank of information with AI functions that automatically seeks out bugs and patches things without developer oversight, and can even program new NPCs, create items, and program events and quests on the fly.
Honestly, when you read about that, you laughed through the entire thing. And then you've seen the beta videos of the Cardinal System making up an array of new NPC characters in an instant, including full voice acting, dynamic personalities, and skins, and the only thing you could have asked was: 'How?' in disbelief as you clutched your temples. The next thing you asked was 'Is this game funded by the fucking Illuminati?'
Regardless, no video game engine is incomprehensible, and no pesky beta tester is all-detecting.
By looking through the player.ent code file with a special program, you've found several curious settings regarding your own character, as the tutorial and character creation were available to everyone with a copy of the game yesterday, but the servers launch today. The lines of code you found interesting were 'nervegearmcwvtransmittershutoff=false' and 'nervegeartransmittershutoff=false.'
But, no. You decided not to mess with them. The name contained the words 'NerveGear' and 'shut off' and the last thing you want to do is mess up and set it so that the game logs you out when your avatar dies. That'd be annoying as hell. You wonder what the short 'mcwv' means, though. You're not a programmer, so you have no idea what it could stand for.
The line that irked you was 'respawntimer=60.' Reading through the file, you found that all numerical values corresponding to time are written in a normal 'second-by-second' system, so the '60' is actually a minute. Why set it for so long, deliberately? You set it to '0' hoping it doesn't break any important values. Later, once you've confirmed it works, you'll post a fix on some forum for other players.
I mean, it's not like they set the respawn timer to sixty because the full death animation takes ten seconds and they don't want you to respawn before the said animation is finished, right? What possible reason could they have to do that?
A look at the clock reveals it's a few minutes before noon. You can hardly wait to play the game, but you have time to spare before the server goes online. What do you do?
(Starter improvements - basically, picking one "alters the timeline," excluding the others.)
[] Ask the beta testers for some starting tips - that way, you can have an even easier start. (Extra knowledge.)
[] Look through the full list of DLCs you purchased - maybe there's something interesting in there? (Extra stuff.)
[] See if your pal, GBR, is online on Steam yet - he has a copy too, and you intended to play together. (Start with a friend.)
VOTE BY LINE.
CHARACTER SHEET UPDATED - note, all of the extra-level rare stuff and level-ups are pay-to-win DLC content. Also, another note, the MC automatically decided to wear the equipment that he deemed best suited and did the same with his statpoints. In the future, you will have more freedom with this, but we're just getting started.
Ultramandalore
Errant Quester
- Location
- just south of Parts Unknown
[X] song choice: Let's Fighting Love
[X] See if your pal, GBR, is online on Steam yet - he has a copy too, and you intended to play together. (Start with a friend.)
[X] See if your pal, GBR, is online on Steam yet - he has a copy too, and you intended to play together. (Start with a friend.)
- Location
- California
Kayaba is evil.
Ghostdevil
The Devil of Ghosts
- Location
- United States
He enjoys watching players enter a room and everyone gets ear raped
Fucking asshole!
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Birdsie
Sharp Talons Cleave The Worthy
- Location
- Poland
The Smuggler's equipment pack went for $19.99. And the "Class Starter" equipment went for $14.99 for each class of Fighter, Rogue, and Mage; all sold separately. Then, there's the Junk Food bonus item for $4.99, a starter Health Crystal for $4.99, ten extra starting health potions for $4.99, and a bunch of special tags that can be used to change item names - each one costs $1.99 but you didn't buy any. In addition, there are also paints that let you change an item's color, also for $1.99 but you have to buy each can of such paint separately. There is also the option to change your username for $9.99, or to enable adblocker for $19.99 (the latter of which you did.)
You also bought all three starting level boosts, each one for $9.99, as well as early access to Prestige Classes (at level 10, whereas other players need to get to at least level 20 first,) for $19.99. Lastly, you purchased the 'Epic Wizard Spells' pack for $14.99, which contained the 'Improved Telekinetic Strike,' and 'Chromatic Orb,' but you had to buy 'Prismatic Spray' separately for $9.99
The "good" DLC were three extra storyline questlines available for $49.99, $59,99, and $19.99, but you don't know how good they are yet, so it's hard to judge.
Because you preordered the Deluxe Gold Edition, each DLC was roughly 49 cents cheaper than if you bought them separately, and it all came with four figurines of the game's most difficult bosses, an advanced player handbook, a physical map of Aincrad, a physical copy of the beta tester guide, and an artbook.
Argus also intends to release a 'Bard Equipment Pack,' 'Deadly Wizard Spellpack' and several other DLCs.
You can count how much evil that is yourself. Do not let me take the fun away from you.
This is acceptable.
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