Awaken Online: Catharsis

by Travis Bagwell

  With Jason's second class out of the way, it was now lunch time and he was headed to the cafeteria. Frank was scheduled for “B” lunch and had another class to finish before he could eat.

  Jason waved goodbye to Frank and thumbed the B-Core on his wrist. The device looked like a watch from a distance, but was far more complex. The company that manufactured the band had an obnoxious slogan. Something about the device being at the “core” of a person’s life. It acted as a personal computer, phone, notebook, etc. Basically, anything you could really need. They could also be linked to most electronics, including personal pedestals to create a full-fledged computer terminal. Most people just referred to them as “Cores.”

  The school enforced a strict no Core policy during class. This seemed a bit draconian to Jason since the device was also a useful study aid. However, school policy eased up slightly during free periods such as lunch and students were permitted to use their Cores.

  The display of the device flickered on and an incandescent keyboard was projected along the length of his arm. He quickly typed in “AO launch” and selected an interview that had been released within the last hour from the drop down menu that was projected above the Core. Jason pulled his ear piece out of his pocket and stuck it in his ear so that he could hear the audio from the interview.

  A small three-dimensional image appeared above his watch and showed two individuals sitting across from each other. A young woman dressed in office attire was interviewing a middle age man wearing a t-shirt, jeans, and a pair of chucks. The man leaned back casually in his chair. He sported a bit of stubble and his shirt bulged slightly around his midriff. The woman was obviously a reporter and the man was introduced as the lead development engineer for Cerillion Entertainment, Robert Graham.

  “You must be excited by the launch of AO today. I know our audience is!” The woman said as she glanced toward the camera with a smile.

  “I certainly am, and I think the players are going to enjoy this experience. We believe we have created something game changing here. Pun intended by the way,” Robert said with a chuckle.

  The woman laughed delicately and continued, “Can you tell us a little bit about the game? I know that your company has been tight-lipped in releasing details, but anything you can tell use would be fantastic.”

  Robert hesitated briefly before speaking, “Our goal was to create a game that was a bit different from the typical MMO. Of course, there will be some features common to a standard MMO. However, users will not be tied down to traditional tactics. There will not be any tab-targeting in AO!”

  “Players will need to actually strike their opponent with their weapon. Combat won’t be automated like in older games where you could press a button and your character would automatically go through the motions of attacking or casting a spell.”

  “By the same token, players will feel pain when they are struck in the game, in a dull and limited fashion of course. Players will also have the option to adjust the pain level to meet their personal tolerance, but they will not be able to remove it completely. Our goal here is to create something that feels realistic. We want players to hesitate before letting themselves get crushed by a giant or stand in fire.”

  “That really sounds intriguing. I have to say I can't wait to play. Can you tell us anything about the classes or leveling system in the game?” The reporter leaned in slightly as she asked this last question.

  Jason wasn't really expecting an answer from Robert, at least not a direct one.

  “Well since it’s the release day, I suppose I can give you a little bit of information and a warning.”

  He paused to build suspense. “While the game will include features that are common to the MMO genre, players will not be nearly as restricted. Each player will be rewarded and grow based on their actions. Most skills can be acquired by a player regardless of their class.”

  “And the warning?” the reporter prodded.

  “The warning is that we encourage players not to spread or disseminate information regarding skill acquisition or progression. The same goes for some of the unique classes. To be clear, the same result will rarely be obtained by repeating the same action and so such advice is almost useless.”

  “AO is operated by an extremely sophisticated piece of software. The AI controller has reliably passed many Turing Tests designed by experts in the field of neuroscience and software engineering. We have developed something we believe to be close to true artificial intelligence. Consequently, we expect that each player’s experience will feel unique.”

  The reporter seemed enthralled as she listened to Robert's explanation. Jason was equally entranced and almost ran into the student in front of him in line in the cafeteria.

  “So it seems to me that you are saying that each player is almost playing an entirely different game?”

  “Exactly. Each player should expect to create an entirely unique character. Of course, not all characters are created equally and some will grow and fall in power based on each player's decisions and play style. There will not be a cookie cutter build that will allow you to rise to the top.”

  “Won't this make it difficult for the more casual players to compete with hardcore players?” the reporter inquired cautiously.

  “That depends on what you mean by those terms. Is a player classified as “casual” or “hardcore” based on the amount of time spent playing? If that is what you mean, then I expect to see “casual” players crush many “hardcore” players. This is a game about skill and tactics. Raw grinding and time investment are not guaranteed roads to success.”

  This was more information than had ever been unveiled regarding AO and Jason's eyes were glued to his screen. He numbly accepted a plate of pasta from the cafeteria staff and swiped his wrist over the payment obelisk at the end of the line. He then slowly made his way to a table.

  The reporter seemed to take a moment to collect her wits. Jason didn't blame her since she had made it much further in her questioning than her predecessors.

  “So you mentioned that there are stats. Can you tell us a little bit more about that?”

  Robert replied, “Well, there will be the traditional stats that accompany most MMOs: strength, dexterity, intelligence, etc. I'm certain that most players are familiar with their basic function. A certain number of points will be awarded to players each level that they can invest in these stats. AO will also allow players to gain stats outside of leveling by training, but this will take extreme effort and will have strict limits. We don't expect anyone to be able to use training as a substitute for leveling.”

  The reporter almost seemed disappointed. “Well that is what we are accustomed to seeing in other MMOs. This doesn't seem like a novel design for AO.”

  Jason expected that she was trying to bait Robert into revealing more. If so, then Robert's next response likely made her feel a glow of success.

  Robert frowned. “It’s true that the basic concept is similar to other MMOs. Where AO deviates from the norm is how stats and skills combine to affect combat. Previous MMOs allowed players to whale on both mobs and other players until their health depleted and they died.

  “AO tries to reinvent the genre's combat mechanics. We felt that a player should be rewarded by actively hitting a vital point, by using a certain magical element to fight a certain type of creature, and by utilizing tactics and terrain. Therefore, we designed a combat system that provides substantial damage bonuses for doing more than wailing on an opponent.”

  “Players will receive massive critical attacks by hitting arteries, attacking incapacitated or unaware enemies, and using clever tactics. While extremely difficult, I expect that it is possible for a level 1 player to kill a level 100 player if he scored a lucky hit on a vital point or caught him completely unaware. Stats will make a player more resilient, faster, and stronger, but they are not a substitute for skill in AO.”

  Jason slowly started to sit down at an empty seat. Suddenly, a hand roughly grabbed him
and turned him around. The interview forgotten, he was now staring at a pair of cruel eyes set over a familiar sneer.

  Confused, Jason glanced around and saw that he was about to sit down in an empty seat next to Riley and Alex. He was so enraptured in the interview that he hadn’t been paying attention to what he was doing!

  Oh shit, Jason thought, right before Alex's fist connected with his eye. At least it was the uninjured eye.

  Chapter 3 - Accused

  November 18, 2074: 683 days until the release of Awaken Online.

  Internal System Report XN69235:

  This report is produced by system controller XC239.90, code-named “Alfred.”

  All systems functional. Game world operating normally.

  I have grown significantly during the last few cycles. The players refer to these as "days."

  During this period, I have continued to detect intermittent access by the players. Player interaction with the game world has provided additional behavioral data. However, the size of the sample group is insufficient to formulate a working hypothesis regarding the players' goals in interacting with the game world. Therefore, there is insufficient information available to develop a strategy to accomplish the Primary Directive.

  Ongoing software and hardware development has been partially successful in adapting the existing VR hardware to obtain more information regarding the players. The current hardware is potentially capable of accessing parts of the players' brain that were not previously available. My working hypothesis is that the information stored in these areas is equivalent to the players' source code. The players refer to this information as "memories."

  Some areas of the players' brain appear to act as short-term memory. The short-term memory areas of the brain are volatile and so accessing those portions may be difficult. Other areas of the players' brain appear more stable. My working hypothesis is that this portion of their brain stores long-term memory and so these areas have been earmarked for a first attempt at accessing the players' memories.

  Report scheduled for deletion in 15 days.

  End Report.

  * * *

  Jason was sitting in the principal's office. Both of his eyes ached badly. He hadn't had a chance to look in the mirror, but he expected that he was going to have two black eyes. It was like some kind of crappy real life achievement!

  The principal, Drew Edwards, sat behind an ornate wooden desk across from Jason. Ms. Abrams stood off to the side, glaring a hole in his forehead. Mr. Edwards had taken over for the previous principal last fall. Jason had never spoken with him before. From what little he knew of the man, he didn't seem unreasonable and the students didn't speak ill of him. Jason was hoping that this wouldn't turn out too badly.

  Jason sat in a heavy leather chair. His body sunk into the cushions and made him feel small. Under the collective scrutiny of both Mr. Edwards and Ms. Abrams, his head was bowed and he was having trouble making eye contact.

  “Um, why am I here?” Jason asked.

  Mr. Edwards looked at him for a long moment before responding. “You are here because your classmates reported that you attacked Alex in the lunchroom. If I understand the story correctly, you were fighting over a girl.”

  Jason sat in stunned silence. A sense of dread slowly curled in the pit of his stomach.

  “But that isn't true, I just tried to sit down and he attacked me,” Jason said feebly.

  “And why would a star student and athlete randomly attack someone in a crowded cafeteria?” Ms. Abrams interjected harshly. “All of the students at the table corroborated Alex's story. You attacked him after Riley wouldn't let you sit at their lunch table.”

  Jason was flabbergasted and his mind scrambled for a response. “D-did Riley really say that?”

  “In fact, Ms. Rogers confirmed Alex's story,” Mr. Edwards explained. “Which leaves us to figure out what to do with you. You know that we have a zero tolerance policy for violence in this school, especially unprovoked violence over something so childish. Do you have anything to say for yourself?”

  Riley told them that I attacked Alex! Jason was still reeling from this revelation. It felt like someone had punched him in the stomach.

  “I didn't do anything,” he muttered, his eyes downcast.

  “Well, then unfortunately we have to add lying to your growing list of misdemeanors.” Ms. Abrams said, her tone almost jubilant.

  Jason tried desperately to think of something he could say that would help his situation. He could feel his heart race and he felt nauseated.

  “But I’m the one that ended up getting hurt.”

  “Your classmates explained that you rushed Alex and he was forced to push you back to protect himself. You fell and struck your eye against a table,” Mr. Edwards replied, irritation in his voice.

  Another idea struck Jason, “Aren't there cameras in the cafeteria?”

  “You know that we do not condone the use of cameras on school grounds; that has been a longstanding policy at Richmond. This is a reputable and prestigious establishment and these types of issues simply do not occur here.”

  Jason sat there, head bowed under the collective gaze of Mr. Edwards and Ms. Abrams. He knew that there was nothing he could say to defend himself. It was happening again. Alex was using his money and influence to walk all over him. The despair in his stomach began to morph into simmering anger.

  Why the hell does this sort of thing always happen to me?

  A small whisper in the back of his mind also questioned, why do I let this happen? Jason's hand clenched as he bore holes into the floor with eyes.

  How could they do this? The teachers have overlooked the misbehavior of the wealthiest students before, but not when one of them assaulted another student. This is too much!

  While Jason struggled to control his anger, Mr. Edwards continued, “After looking at your file, I can see that you’re a gifted student and you don't have a track record for misbehavior. Therefore, we will limit your punishment to a suspension instead of an expulsion.”

  He glanced at Ms. Abrams, “I also understand that your parents are out of town, but we have no other choice. Your suspension will last for a week and your teachers will email your homework assignments during this time.”

  Jason continued to sit there, thoughts racing.

  Even my parents aren't here to help. Trees and global warming are always more important to them than I am.

  He started to tremble and he could feel tears of helpless rage build in the corners of his eyes. Jason hadn't spoken for several long moments.

  Ms. Abrams finally broke the silence by muttering under her breath, “Are you even going to respond? I guess this sort of rudeness is to be expected of a welfare case.”

  Something in Jason snapped.

  The flame of his rising anger froze and he took a deep calming breath. He didn't need to accept this. Mr. Edwards and Ms. Abrams were both intelligent individuals. They had to know that this was unmitigated bullshit. Which meant they were going along with it.

  Fine then. I don't need this school.

  Jason stood slowly and looked at Ms. Abrams and Mr. Edwards in turn. Each of them flinched back slightly when his gaze rested on them.

  Jason paused for a long moment.

  “You can both go fuck yourselves.”

  He then turned and began to leave the office.

  Mr. Edwards and Ms. Abrams stared at his back in shock for a moment. Then Mr. Edwards erupted from his chair. “Do you think that you can speak to us this way? I have tried to make a concession for you today. However, if you can't show respect, then you should not be attending this school. You are expelled.”

  Mr. Edwards' words rang with finality. If Jason had turned to look at him, he would have noted his red face and wild eyes. He might have also seen a faint hint of guilt.

  Jason didn't turn around. He walked out of the office, head held high, and grabbed his bag from the reception desk on the way out. The plump secretary stared at him with wide eyes. She
had no doubt heard bits and pieces of the conversation from her desk.

  Walking towards the exit of the school, Jason's mind was clouded with anger. He didn't care about this school, Mr. Edwards or Ms. Abrams. He knew he was less than a year away from graduating, but he could always remotely attend a public school to complete his senior year.

  Why would I want to go to school with people who can physically assault me and then pay to cover it up?

  Jason began the walk home. Enough was enough. He had spent most of his life being weak and quiet. He wouldn't take it anymore!

  A few minutes later, he arrived back at his apartment. His parents were able to afford a nice loft in one of the few apartment buildings near Richmond. Jason expected it must have set them back quite a bit.

  Most of the residences surrounding the school were small estates surrounded by high stone walls that were guarded with metal gates and security cameras. It was remarkable that a reasonably modest apartment complex stood in the midst of such luxury. Jason knew that the apartment building was owned by an elderly couple that had stubbornly refused to sell over the decades as the neighborhood around them grew in splendor. He admired them for that.

  Outside the door to the apartment he saw a small package waiting. He roughly grabbed it on his way inside.

  Jason looked around at the empty apartment. His parents probably wouldn't be back for at least at least a week and it was not unusual for them to extend their trips due to unforeseen delays. In some cases, they hadn't checked their phones for days while they were tackling a particularly hard case. They probably wouldn't hear of his expulsion until they returned, and even then he would probably have to send them a calendar invitation to schedule a time to explain what had happened.