At The Beginning
As the bright colors faded away they left an aftercolor effect on my vision, if I focused hard enough I could just barely see the vibrant streaks living an afterimage in black and white. I blinked my eyes as they adjusted to the light much faster than the average person. As I process this I realize just how groundbreaking the NerveGear system truly is as the reason I adjust to the light so quickly is because of my slightly larger than normal pupils which allows me to in real life adjust from light to dark and vice versa with just a couple blinks…and the NerveGear reads even that. I am simply astonished and that is only a small fraction of what the Nerve Gear is truly capable of.
Alright well there has to be limits unless NG is using beyond military grade super computers there has to be a limit to the data quantity. As I think this to myself I start to look around and when I really focused in on a specific point, like a blade of grass or limbs on a tree I could see it! It is exactly as I predicted the engine, Cardinal was it?, is simply not capable of rendering data with the same efficiency as our own minds can, so the game has a bit of a focus system in order to save data, while you look over vast terrain, fields and structure the world seems so vast but the resolution was not that high, but if you focus in on a specific point the object becomes almost vividly realistic just enough to be noticed by those that are paying attention. *shakes my head*
Alright you are in a videogame, don’t get too excited, even though wow everything looks so real! *Shakes head again resolving to stay focused*
Ok you read the starter manual, the print one that was extremely detailed, so first menu diagnostics check. *Pinches two finger together and pulls my hand in a downward motion and like a scene out of one of those scifi animes there appeared the menu signified by a rather pleasant if loud bell tone. *Goes through each of the menu’s making sure I was fully equipped had my first two skills, Piercing, and Precision selected, potions at the top of the items list and any other housekeeping stuff.
Finally, I looked around, it seemed that most people are already out to start playing the game and who can blame them this game is incredible! I run out towards the fields opposite where everyone else went not intentionally just reflexively. To call myself a solo player would be unfair, it is not like I intentionally strive to play by myself, I am just severely shy and quite a bit naïve so I tend to avoid groups of people accomplishing everything I can on my own. I strike out into the fields polygons coming together with a hum to form….boars! hmm well at least they start us off easy as I move in to practice my standard combat moveset on the boar, slashing, blocking, evading, parrying, counterslashing, over and over till finally it bursts in a cloud of polygons and a window pops up before me with loot and exp gained and then I move on to the next boar and so on and so forth till the sun starts heading in the evening direction. I take a brief breather sitting down on a pile of stones,
There has got to be a faster way I mean the combat system is smooth alright but there is no power in the swing, it’s almost as if *Ding*.
I literally hear the menu tone go off in my head as I recall the title of the game, Sword Art Online! Duh, Sword Skills *shakes my head in embarrassment glad no one could see the utter look on my face as I stand up determined and approach another boar this time faces in its direction and focusing on it but not moving as I draw my sword bending and twisting slightly drawing the sword parallel to my body as I focus…suddenly I hear a power up sound my blade glows electric blue and I am accelerated forward not as if I was pulled but as if my body knew where to go and how to maximize on maximum traction and operated at max efficiency the landscape briefly blurs past….suddenly I am not moving, there is a window open in front of me as the rush dissipates my body and muscles still feeling like they were on fire as a side effect. I remember hearing the dying bleat of the boar and the crashing sounds of its polygons exploding into data and then….the game changed.
16 Player Levels Later...
“Bulls Run, it has been awhile since I have been around so many people…” I say to myself as I walk into town towards the nearest tavern.
“Well I still need a place to sleep and some food and drink would be good too.” I walk into the tavern doing my best to appear unnoticeable as I walk up to the NPC Tavern Keep.
“Two Spring Waters please and one of those biscuits and a room for the night would be much appreciated.” It takes only a moment before the requested items are on the counter as the Tavern Keep replies in a cheery bright voice
“Here you go sir, enjoy your stay.” “thank you” I say politely the expression not necessary for an NPC most would say, but I can’t help myself. Finally, I start to cast my eyes around the tavern examining and studying my surrounding and the people around me with a critical eye...