Digitopia - Modern-day VR Setting [Interest check]

[AndyZ]

I had the idea for this and figured I'd at least toss it down and see if there is interest.  The basic idea is that a company has just developed an immersive VR program.  If you've ever seen things like The Matrix, Sword Art Online, Shadowrun, you get the idea, except that nobody's getting trapped.  (For those unfamiliar, you're playing a video game that taps directly into your brain and makes it feel like you're really in the virtual world.)

Players will either be moderators (working for the company with either coding experience, public relations skills, or what have you) or beta testers (who signed up and were one of the lucky few to get their own testing headset).  I don't expect the game to ever get beyond beta testing even if expectations and plans are made for it.

Given that it's beta, there will be glitches still not worked out, and all glitches will be chosen by the player.  For example, you should be able to choose whatever sex you want, even if the avatar you create isn't human.  (Human/oid avatars have a minimum age of 18, and this will not glitch.)  If a player wants to be stuck in a body that doesn't match their gender identity and/or doesn't match their birth body, by all means.  Moderators will only be able to fix glitches with the OOC permission of the player playing the beta tester, and I'm good with moderators having their own glitches as well if they want.

One of the things that I expect will never glitch is Ghost Mode.  This is an automatic sequence turned on by thought that makes the player completely intangible to all other players and objects.  This is primarily designed for if another player starts getting fresh without consent, allowing the Ghost to call out for a moderator for assistance if the other player continues following them around.  Pain settings are likewise under control of the individual player but max out at "Dentist," and players may either choose to have their avatars respawn if they would have taken enough damage to cause death, just to heal back up, or anything in between.

As of yet, the in-game city looks like a normal city.  When it's running properly, the intent is to have microtransactions to have an in-game allowance, but during beta testing, everyone has an infinite wallet.  Calling up the menu allows for instantaneous purchases, items "in inventory" can be stored digitally.  Why park your car when you can just digitize it down? 

NPCs exist to fill the area to at least some degree, but most of them don't even talk and just wander through the streets.  The intention at a later date is to implement a "Killable NPCs" feature for those who just want to go GTA, but on this beta server, they heal back up instantaneously.  Given that PCs have names over their avatars (with plenty of room to put pronouns), PCs can easily be distinguished from NPCs.

Moderators would be expected to step in to handle problems when a ticket is registered, but would otherwise be allowed to play around when logged in.

To make sure players can meet up and find each other for mutual interests, I intend one thread to be set up as a messenger board.  As an example, you might want to make the madam of a brothel and have a bunch of different avatars for the options available to patrons, so you'd put up a message explaining that with a public message, and then others can contact your character with a desire to make an appointment.

As a final note, there are no real laws beyond civility to other players unless consent is given otherwise.  If one player virtually kills another, the system will check if a consent form was filled out for it beyond informing the moderators who did what.  With no children in Digitopia, there's no need for public decency laws like wearing clothing as you march your human pet down the street.  Problematic testers can either have restrictions or temporary blocks placed on them by a moderator, and a moderator who becomes problematic will be dealt with via harsher penalties.

Anyway, that's the idea.  The more people that show interest, the more areas can be expanded as desired by the players.  For example, maybe the players will want a city in more of a fantasy setting with magic.  If you're interested in the idea, as well as if you have suggestions or things you want to implement, by all means suggest them.

[Yukina]

*plants interest flag*

[Silvered Sutures]

I'd be keen on this. You've definitely got me intrigued.

[AndyZ]

One question has arisen whether avatars should remain humanoid.  My default answer would be no, but I'm glad to hear the feedback from interested parties.  It might even be one of those things where human avatars are kept public but people can do whatever on private servers, and there are plans to make other public servers for sci-fi, fantasy, etc.

[Yukina]

Good to note. :)

[AndyZ]

Good to note. :)

Any feedback/preferences?

[Yukina]

Any feedback/preferences?

I'm mostly just glad to hear about the possible different server types. :)

[AndyZ]

I don’t expect us to have all those servers active unless we get lots of people, though.  It’d be best to keep everyone on one and find out which one would be preferred.

[Silvered Sutures]

Entirely fair, though I still believe this would be a fun story to try out.

[Silvered Sutures]

Would there be any offline time or would the whole RP take place in game?

[AndyZ]

I hadn’t planned for offline time, but if folks wanted to sign off and do stuff, they could.

[Silvered Sutures]

Oh, how about one player having multiple accounts and showing up as different in game characters?

[AndyZ]

Oh, how about one player having multiple accounts and showing up as different in game characters?

I figure you'd have the same account but could absolutely create multiple avatars.

[Silvered Sutures]

I figure you'd have the same account but could absolutely create multiple avatars.

So no "pretending to be someone else" since you'd have the same username?

[AndyZ]

Hmm…I would figure that people could check your profile for the account name but may only check what your avatar name is.

[Silvered Sutures]

Hmm…I would figure that people could check your profile for the account name but may only check what your avatar name is.

"This user's username is visible to friends only"

[AndyZ]

I guess we can go with that if it’s something you really want.

[Silvered Sutures]

Nah, it's fine if not; just a thought that crept into my mind and I had to ask.