Barely three hours after global launch of the uber cool and wonderfully immersive and hyper realistic virtual game
The game website was updating the number of users currently playing the game. The number had surpassed a billion within half an hour of launch and kept on rising. Various news agencies were updating online, in various social network platforms and livestreams. Over ten thousand villages explored, all varied and beautiful in their way. The architecture was not same, the NPCs looked and sounded different, the tasks given were varied, the maps and monsters were vivid, different but the point which pulled the players on the fence was how the game was played. No spamming a spell while standing in one place. No hacking or jabbing in a same manner and poster.
Many so called experts posted online or in forums explained whatever they saw or felt. Few even dared to put paid posts. Social networking sites of many influencers were filled with edited videos.
As details were spread, people realised that the game had given the player lot of automy from the beginning. Even the basic healing class had more than 20 versions mentioned till now.
There were few complaints too. XP required to level up was not mentioned. It was denoted in percentage. Granted that you can learn how much XP is required based on XP added and percentage increase, this way of representing it rubbed raw for few players. Few money minded people even created few apps to calculate the XP required based on that formula, if these players wanted instant answers.
Another quibbing matter was proficiency in the skills. Currently it appeared as if everyone was using level 0 skills. No one had uploaded about skill being upgraded, increased by a level. Though there might be few who had talent related to leveling of the skills, no one had come forward. There was no mention of how to level up the skills. Is it by using it more times? Is it by maintaining same posture or repeating same gesture exactly? Is it by concentrating on the skill more? Would there by any skill points or proficiency points through which skills had to be leveled up?
A banner appeared on the game webpage. The developers would release real time statistics after...30:00:00 minutes. And the time started counting down. What other statistic detail was there other than numbers of players currently playing? Would the developers provide answers for questions from the interested at this time?
Atharva had no idea how much attention this game had hogged. Even if he did, he didn't have ways to capitalise it. He didn't have dedicated followers nor was he interested in that way. He could talk a world with NPCs but put him in front of people, he would be taciturn. He was a noob, not an expert. Why would anyone watch him or pay to watch him? So it was a good thing that he was not inclined that way.
He was still planning on how to play in the map containing chick monsters. The chicks were more agile. He had to predict the trajectory of their path and make adjustments to drop his Mana balls. But should he try killing monsters first or start gathering materials? Options , options!
In the end, he decided to murder before pillage. The rationale was increase in players number, again. Other than those who were mainly interested in creating engaging content, many players preferred to play in many maps before the death penalty bonus came into the effect. Artha too had similar idea. Gathering could be done later too. He may have to waste some time to wait for map to refresh but dying without knowing could be avoided if he had some rudimentary knowledge of the maps and the mosters. Thanks to his bonus, he didn't need to spend more time gathering too. Wow! An unexpected bonus to look forward to.
After few minutes of watching, he had rough idea of movement patterns of these monsters. Time to see if what he did in the previous map near the end was fluke or he had progressed in playing this game.
Before he could launch an attack, he nearly had heart attack though. A regional announcement was made. "Congratulations for party - Dragon Slayers for killing a field boss first time in the village."
Not just audio announcement, where it sounded as if a grandmaster of a sect was declaring winner of a tournament but with fancy fireworks, congratulating message appeared made of clouds appeared in the sky. The players in the map suddenly turned hyper and verbally engaging. Till now, the firsts of the village was recorded on a stele near the park containing revival fountain. This was the first over the top announcement. Why wouldn't be players interested in this?
The livestreams made the most of it though. They went on like they were on sugar rush and showed the cloud announcement and the fireworks. It was first person experience. Who wouldn't be excited? Heavy and heavenly gifts were showered generously. The snitchs, the information sellers also earned some money after selling the announcement in both audio and video format. An extravaganza for those people out in real world thirsting for the details from the game world. After all, Dragon Slayer was not a simple party or a unknown group of players. They had solid presence in the gaming community. They had first grade guilds in many games and even had few teams in eSports with seeded team members. The players in the village were either thinking of a way to join the guild, seeking shade under the large tree or cursing their luck that their guilds had to complete with such a lofty, hi-fi guild.