Returning to his room later that afternoon, Michael grabbed some late lunch and put on the deep-dive headset.
He didn't realize it before, but this thing was amazingly useful, even if its full potential had yet to be excavated.
Take movies, for example. In the present day and age, except for a very small number of people working in this field, most of today's movies are A.I. generated. For people mentally exhausted after a day's or week's worth of toiling, they returned home, threw on this thing, and entered the virtual world.
There, users could input vocal commands for the type of movie they would like to see, and an A.I. would generate a blockbuster for them in a matter of minutes.
If that still wasn't enough to amaze, the possibility of watching a movie from the perspective of certain characters, the 'god-mode' view where the watcher had two screens - one showing a 3D map of where the action is taking place and a second 3rd person view following the action - as well as many other stranger models applicable for a multitude of personal requirements, made the movie industry something Michael couldn't touch even with his transmigrator experience.
Yes, he could recreate some classics, but the impact they would have would be minimal, and the costs for doing so would outweigh the gains since most people in this world are interested in growth rather than entertainment.
As for the R-18-type movies he experienced with a deep-dive gear... *Cough* *Cough*, let's just say that the future was absolutely delightful.
Connecting to the Secret Realm Editor interface, Michael arrived in a small virtual office. There were only two large blue screens in this room.
One was the 'Shop' interface, while the other was the 'Project' screen.
The first one held all the virtual resources needed to help create a Secret Realm, as well as 1,000 spirit stones worth of resources allocated to him by the Bright Moon sect.
The second, as its name implied, was the program used to create the project he wanted.
Infusing a strand of Qi in each one of the two huge screens, Michael 'logged in' and waited for his credentials to be recognized.
[Authorized! Welcome, entry-level Programmer Michael Lewis. Would you like to start editing your project?](?)
The pleasant and mellow voice of the A.I. entered his ears, drawing a bitter smile on his face. It seems that information 'gathering' was still heavily practiced in this parallel world since this voice was that of an... *Cough* actress he had previously experienced.
"Yes. How can I call you?"
[Please to meet you, Michael. You can call me Mildred. Would you like to buy the Virtual Project pack?](Mildred)
"What is the cost?"
[100 spirit stones. It includes the virtual resources needed to create the framework of your project, as well as a bandwidth assigned for a Tier 1 Secret Realm.](Mildred)
There were four steps in creating a Secret Realm.
The first step was called the 'Project.' It implied creating a virtual framework of the world you wanted to bring into existence.
If a suitable parallel had to be drawn, it was akin to 3D printing a human body, with only its skeleton and skin covering it while its insides were empty.
The second step was 'Concept.' If the project created only the rough framework, the concept added substance to the virtual world, fleshing out the smaller details and attempting to make it as accurate as possible.
It would be similar to adding the organs, nerves, tendons, and everything else needed to make the 3D-printed human body a 100% replica of the real thing.
However, no matter how perfect of a replica it was, at best, it would still be a puppet sharing the same inner workings as a human.
There was still something lacking.
That's where the third step came into play. The 'Intent.' This represented the mind or soul of the entire project. For every character created in your Secret Realm, you could infuse it with its own personality and traits. For every region of your world, you could give it a backstory.
But that wasn't sufficient. Having some history made it, at best, a movie. Using Qi to invoke Heavenly Laws, the Programmer would inscribe his Intent into his work, bringing it to life.
If the end result resonated with the world, the project would be successful, and the virtual world would be created.
'It's akin to playing god in a sandbox game. However, after infusing your Intent and properly connecting it to the concept you have for this Secret Realm, a resonance would form. As long as it didn't clash with the Heavenly Laws, the project would be successful.'
He still wasn't exactly sure what these Heavenly Laws were, but they acted as a control system that prevented the world from collapsing.
It might sound ridiculous, but it was only thanks to this system that the Green Sanctuary survived thus far.
The actual Secret Realms were created by these Heavenly Laws with the Intent of quarantining the invaders and giving the natives of this world a chance to defeat them.
Another example would be the laws used to strengthen the planet so that stronger Nihility experts wouldn't raze mountains and drain seas every time they fought.
It might sound exaggerated, but at Nascent Soul, one was already capable of leveling mountains with their strongest spells. There were videos he found online about Ensoulment-level cultivators sparing, and the shockwaves were enough to send Golden Core newbies to the afterlife.
Back to the topic, the final and fourth step was the 'Restrictions.' If the Heavenly Laws successfully approve your project, congratulations! You can now draw Qi from the world and imbue it into the users, reaching the standard of a Tier 1 Programmer.
However, that doesn't mean that your virtual creations can display the might of an Ascended cultivator while you are a shitty 4th-level Qi Gathering noob.
Therefore, the restrictions.
When the project is successfully approved, you can select restrictions and decide how your virtual world scales.
It was difficult to explain, but it was similar to Earth in a way. For example, humans were restricted by gravity, therefore they couldn't fly by themselves without external assistance.
However, they could still jump. So, the job of the Programmer was to set the limits of what a cultivator was capable of in his Secret Realm so as not to interfere with the natural order of things.
If the Programmer failed to do so or aimed too high in the process, the Secret Realm would lose the recognition of the Heavenly Laws and, with it, the capability to draw Qi into the users' bodies.
That meant the project would become nothing more than a failed Secret Realm people could use for entertainment purposes.
Taking a deep breath, Michael reorganized the knowledge he had gathered in the past five months and answered the A.I.
"Authorized."
[Purchase complete. Would you like to start editing?](Mildred)
"Yes."
The second blue screen shone brightly for a moment, then changed to a dark void. The first step was to create the framework, or rather, the virtual world.
For this, Michael burned many brain cells over the past 140+ days. In truth, he wouldn't be limited to recreating only games from his past life but also movies and series.
It wasn't that difficult to turn famous franchises such as Lord of The Rings, Harry Potter, Pirates of the Caribbean, or even anime series into Secret Realms.
He WAS limited by the bandwidth and the resources he was allotted.
Do you want to recreate the expansive world of Skyrim? Good for you! However, you do need a Tier 4 bandwidth for that to happen. As for the costs, it's on a promotional discount! Only 99,999 spirit stones, dear customer!
On the off chance you somehow DO have the ridiculous amount of spirit stones as a Tier 1 Programmer and want to try it, then congratulations again! It would only take you around 100 years of continuously transmitting and inscribing your Intent into the project for it to take shape, even if your spirit roots are Perfect grade.
For the higher level projects, a similarly high-level Qi was needed. Based on Michael's estimations, he wouldn't be able to recreate the world of a movie unless he somehow becomes a Tier 5 or higher Programmer and his cultivation base similarly reaches Nascent Soul.
Shaking away the distracting thoughts, he gave his first vocal command.
"Create a medium-sized island. Its form should be square. Report the bandwidth used based on the approximate amount needed after completing the first stage."
[Generating... 15% of the bandwidth used.](Mildred)
Looking at the large square of land, probably the size of Cyprus, Michael grinned. The first stage, or the 'Project' phase, was the simplest.
By giving some simple vocal commands, the A.I. does everything, and you only need to correct the range based on how similar it is to your imagination.
Ensuring the virtual rendition is as close as possible to what the Programmer imagined is imperative. If there are large discrepancies, they will later affect the Intent or the third stage, leading to a further loss in transmission.
[Please advise the actual size of the island.](Mildred)
"Set it as 10,000 square kilometers."
[Understood. Calibrating...](Mildred)
The view on the Editor interface changed as if it suddenly zoomed in closer to the square island.
[To better simulate the laws of reality, please specify the depth of the terrain and the height of the skies.](Mildred)
"Set it to the minimum needed for it to be realistic."
[Calibrating... Setting the depth of the ground to one kilometer and the size of the skies to five kilometers.](Mildred)
"Report bandwidth use."
[An increase of 7% has been added. Total bandwidth needed based on current circumstances, 22% of the allocated resources for a Tier 1 Secret Realm.](Mildred)
Michael was already getting a slight migraine. This was before he generated the flora, fauna, and the 'people.'
That was the real bandwidth eater.
"Set an invisible dome that encompasses the island. Set the reminder to add the restriction of being unable to leave the island after entry later in the fourth stage unless otherwise stated."
[Please specify the size of the dome and what it should cover. Note added.](Mildred)
"Hmm... the players shouldn't be foolish enough to dig one kilometer deep, nor should they be able to fly high enough to leave the constraints of the island. Set it around the edges, 100 meters tall."
[Generating... an extra 5% of bandwidth would be used.](Mildred)
"Too much... decrease the size of the barrier to 25 meters."
[Calibrating... 2% bandwidth necessary. Estimated total, 24%.](Mildred)
"Good. Generate the terrain. Half will be a lush forest, while the other will be a sparse savannah. Add the flora accordingly. Ignore the fauna for now. Oh! Also, add a river in the middle to separate the two biomes."
[Generating...](Mildred)
A large shit-eating grin was sported on Michael's face. While he couldn't pirate the big games and movies, that didn't mean he was utterly helpless.
After pondering for more than two months after finding out the final portion of the training course would be a practical test, he decided to recreate an M.O.B.A. game.
Most of his considerations regarding the mentally fatigued cultivator population led him to this result. Why not something more lighthearted, such as exploration or adventure games?
Because the bandwidth necessary increased considerably, and he lacked the funds to purchase more. The second issue stemmed from the nature of the natives of this world. The desire to fight was too ingrained in their DNA, so even if the mature population was exhausted after fighting off the demon invasion for eight years, the younger mob was thirsty for battle, even if they couldn't participate on the frontlines.
This was easily proven by the fact that the most successful Secret Realms on the market replicated previous invasions.
After analyzing the demographics, the 12 to 25 range preferred Secret Realms that involved fights. The more brutal, the better!
That's why, with his limited resources and capability, Michael decided to recreate an M.O.B.A. game after fine-tuning it to cultivation standard.
The two options to choose between were League of Legends and DOTA.
Unfortunately, League was too simplistic in nature, and it might not appeal to cultivators who had experienced other Secret Realms. It might be a bias he had due to playing more DOTA than LOL, but Michael decided on DOTA after weighing both options for over a month prior to the practical exam.
Approaching the Editor's screen, he drew three lines on the familiar-looking island and conveyed his intentions to the A.I.
"Following the lines I drew, create three paths traversing from one side to the other of the island. The middle path should be straight, as shown, while the other two curve them to increase the distance the players have to travel."
[Generating...](Mildred)
"Oh, right! Leave some space designed as bases on the southwestern and northeastern sides of the island... yes, that looks good enough. Next, generate some walls following this arch trajectory to encase these two bases. Something simple would do for now. Also, create some basic gates leading to each one of the three paths. Replicate this for the northeastern base as well."
[Calibrating...](Mildred)
Seeing the result, his smile threatened to reach his ears.
'Shitty potential or not, I won't embarrass myself as a transmigrator!'