Where were the stats like Constitution and Agility? Or any mind-centered stats like Intelligence?
“As you see, this menu is basic just as its rank suggests. Your height and weight are not used in the calculation. A tall person with the same stats as a shorter person may have less powerful movements because it takes more strength to move longer limbs. Although the tall person may be faster than the short person with the same stats because they have longer legs.”
“What about stats like agility?”
“As you level you will unlock higher levels of detail and numerous tools to help you plan your training. The calculation for things like agility and speed are a mix of your current stats. They are hidden from you. As an example though, for your top speed, both Strength and Dexterity would be a part of the equation. For quickness, Dexterity would be the main stat, but Strength would also affect it, and Endurance may have a negative effect on it because of the differences in the type of muscle fiber used.
“Your HP, or Health Points, represent your body’s health status. Having full points indicates perfect health. How points are lost is more complicated. Depending on the part of the body injured, points will be lost. This is not like most games you are used to. Someone can’t hit you in the arm over and over until you lose all of your HP. After all, you can lose a limb or two and still survive in the real world. Bleeding to death after losing a limb is a very real concern though.
“Your EP, or Endurance Points, work in a similar way to your HP. Your body is constantly working to provide itself energy when it does work. Whether by taking in oxygen when running long distance, or using chemical reactions during short, intense bursts of exercise, your points represent your real life ability to sustain and regain energy.
“Both HP and EP cannot rise as your stats rise. How good of shape you are in, and how well your body recovers or heals will determine how points are lost and gained. Also, there are other factors that can improve your ability to take damage and lessen the points you lose. As an example, as you gain muscle, your mass works as a natural armor, allowing you to take a harder hit and lose less damage. Having a good endurance will affect it by increasing your recovery time.”
Closing out of the Character Status screen, I removed my focus from the Personnel Condition Monitor (health bar), and looked back to my AI guide.
“Very good. You can access the Metaverse Access Hub in two ways. The first is with a verbal command. Say ‘activate Metaverse Access Hub’, or Hub for short.”
I did just that.
A Game Menu popped up in the same parchment style window the Character Status screen had. There was a list of different options.
Metaverse Access Hub
Personnel Condition Monitor
Lore
User Interface
Metaverse
Everything was grayed out currently except for Personnel Condition Monitor and Metaverse. The rest must be things that I would unlock as I progressed. Clicking on Metaverse, a very familiar list of options jumped up from the scroll as a holographic user interface. It was a grid system where I simply had to touch the option I wanted and it would allow access to that part of the Metaverse.
Find a Mentor
Freedom News
Player Channel
It was pretty straightforward, and we were locked out of the majority of the Metaverse as expected. They took no chances with us cheating
Find a Mentor was as it sounded. It was currently grayed out, but there would be mentors available to teach different skills and martial arts.
This aspect of the game had been highly publicized. Hundreds of famous names and faces had been advertised. Every form of martial arts and fighting system would be available.
Freedom News was a link with a number of well-known gaming news celebs who had talk shows and internet channels. They didn’t completely cut us off from the outside world.
Player Channel gave me a portal to read comments by my fans. There was no way to respond to them, sadly. I currently had 260,447 followers. The number had only grown since it became public knowledge I would be a participant in Freedom.
Already there were 72,581 people watching me live! It was no surprise since it was the first day of Freedom. But still, it was a personal record and all I had to do was show up! I knew opening day for Freedom was going to be a big event, but this was beyond all expectations.
Unsheathing my sword, I stood in an open stance, my arms open to fully display what I now wore. After a few moments, the camera angle was exactly where I wanted it and a new 3D selfie was created.
Immediately after my image was posted as my main profile pic, over 2,000 new viewers started watching. A countless number of people were scurrying around online trying to find out all the information they could about Freedom. I had to take advantage of every photo op. It wasn’t exactly communicating with my fans, but it was close.
“The other way of accessing your Access Hub is through hand gestures.”
Bringing her hands together in her lap, like an open book, the AI brought them to her face. This gesture also brought up the hub as she said.
“That is it, Lucius. We are finished except for one final thing. If you get injured while playing you will feel pain. Injury simulation is also at 100% realism with no time limit. If you die in the game, you will feel 100% of the pain associated with that death. There is little doubt you will survive the experience, but there is no guarantee that it won’t harm you psychologically. The study of such trauma, and how people rise above it, is one of the focuses of the Codename: Freedom experiment. You will also drop all of the equipment and money you were carrying and then respawn at the inn in your city of residence. Thank you for participating.”
Wait, what? 100% pain from injuries? Pain simulation wasn’t a new thing, but the most any system could simulate legally was up to 40% for 5 seconds.
My gut tightened like a fist. I wracked my brain to search for any information related to this.
Nothing. They had hidden this aspect on purpose. What was I getting myself into? What other surprises did they have waiting?
I dangled six feet in the air with dozens of mechanical arms surrounding me. Such machinery could tear my body in pieces and now I knew it was designed with a very sadistic ability. To perfectly simulate pain.
A cold sweat broke out on my back and chest. I clenched my fist trying to keep myself from feeling woozy.
My reaction to the news had made me oblivious to a new countdown. When the voice reached zero everything went black.
Chapter 4 – Logging In
June 14, 2387
I have gotten little sleep in the last couple months as Freedom has been in the final stages. Even now, I have to take time out of the precious few hours I have to sleep to write this. I…
I have failed. The criminal element was added to the general population even after I blew the whistle internally. Not only am I still alive, but nothing has been said at all about the report I submitted. Nothing. I don’t know what is worse, being threatened or being ignored. My conscience is clear, but my guilt has been replaced with paranoia.
The person responsible has yet to reveal themselves, but I still feel it’s only right to try and find out who did this. I will try to find a way to help those inside the experiment if things go wrong.
That is all for now.
Dr. Otto Konig, Sr.
Director of Game Development
***
Whistling greeted me as I dealt with a blinding warm light. The high pitch came in a rhythmic tone, from a woodwind instrument playing somewhere below.