Been watching SAO since it came out a few weeks ago and I really like it!
It reminds me a lot of .Hack but then again it definitely isn't the same. I'd probably join a smaller group that was interested in advancement and work right behind the lead group if not in it. Could also just go a different direction and make the best of the new world, heh who knows.
Issue 24 PPM Calculator // The Great Makeover: The Vindicators
Whattya mean I "can't" log out? If I have to I physically disconnect my internet connection, reboot my computer an uninstall the stupid game. Screw them I "can't" log out.
Unless there is a time differential, then you're going to die anyways. You'll have about 3 days real time to beat the game since that's about the length of time that a human can go without drinking before dying. Are the players hooked up to an outside apparatus to support functions like IV hydration or a catheter? If not, it'll be...messy...on the other side without either a serious time differential or a game that is easy to beat.
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And then you die because as far as the game is concerned, you just removed the VR gear. But points for effort anyway.
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Originally Posted by Forbin_Project
Whattya mean I "can't" log out? If I have to I physically disconnect my internet connection, reboot my computer an uninstall the stupid game. Screw them I "can't" log out.
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"You don't lose levels. You don't have equipment to wear out, repair, or lose, or that anyone can steal from you. About the only thing lighter than debt they could do is have an NPC walk by, point and laugh before you can go to the hospital or base." -Memphis_Bill
We will honor the past, and fight to the last, it will be a good way to die...
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By not getting involved in the first place.
| So how do you think you would react in this situation? |
Current Blog Post: "Why I am an Atheist..."
"And I say now these kittens, they do not get trained/As we did in the days when Victoria reigned!" -- T. S. Eliot, "Gus, the Theatre Cat"
Damn...
Someone beat me to starting a discussion on this.
Got to admit that the premise is very .hack-ish. Considering it's based on a light-novel series (surprise, surprise...), it seems kinda interesting.
Of course, the TVTropes link should be mentioned.
As to the OP's questions: It's real time. From one point in the Manga, it's been nearly 2 years since everything started. And the 'Front Lines' are only 3/4 of the way through...
As to Dark One's comments, it's hinted to in the Manga that those who are 'playing' will be found by the various governments and taken to places where their physical bodies will be kept alive. Also keep in mind that the VR system has a back up battery on the off chance of a power failure.
I've liked what I seen so far. Episode 3 is questionable, but it has it's moments.
Now there's an interesting, if worrysome thought about the madness the VR System/SAO's creator: Are you so demented that you'd create a VR Environment and kidnap 10K people just to see how it turns out? I mean, roughly 2.5% of the player base was dead with in the first day. 20% with in the first month. I mean, you'd think that there would have to be some kind of governmental intervention some how?
Should be interesting to see how much get's animated.
Thank you for the time...
@Travlr (Main) / @Tymers Realm (Test) 
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If I'm going to the effort of deleting the game from my system I don't think I'm concerned about my character "dying" as far as the games concerned. I'll have beaten the game because it won't be getting anymore of my "money". |
Originally Posted by DarkGob
And then you die because as far as the game is concerned, you just removed the VR gear. But points for effort anyway.
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The only way the game wins is by keeping me interested enough to give it money. 
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The game system connects to the mind so without the proper passwords, then there is no way to stop the game on your end. Any way to delete the game would require external effort and probably has safeguards to prevent or hinder tampering. The essence of the problem is that there are 10,000 players that are trapped in a game with no way to get out as far as the players know.|
Originally Posted by Forbin_Project
If I'm going to the effort of deleting the game from my system I don't think I'm concerned about my character "dying" as far as the games concerned. I'll have beaten the game because it won't be getting anymore of my "money".
The only way the game wins is by keeping me interested enough to give it money. |
An amusing moment in the anime was when the dev made every avatar look like the player. So the classic male playing as a female to get good loot for free from other players turns into a male. Resulting in an awkward situation.
The first step in being sane is to admit that you are insane.
intresting watch..thanks afew of my normal weekily watchs have stopped was searching for something decent
it reminded me of Accel World kids fight in a VR for points
if i was in that game id hope to be a beta player.....i would be awesome though and prob solo heh
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Wouldn't be surprised...|
Originally Posted by morbious
intresting watch..thanks afew of my normal weekily watchs have stopped was searching for something decent
it reminded me of Accel World kids fight in a VR for points |
Both were written by the same person. Mentioned on the Tropes page, there's supposedly a SAO/Accel crossover. :::shrugs::: Go figure...
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| if i was in that game id hope to be a beta player.....i would be awesome though and prob solo heh |
I guess my biggest issue so far with eps. 3 & 4 is something that really isn't explained clearly. Granted, I'm not familar with more Open-world PVP-centric MMOs, but isn't the ability to see at least the player level of others available? In both eps. 3 & 4, Kirito's active level is significantly higher than those he was with and/or facing. Especially in the Titan's Head ambush in ep. 4. You would think if he's that much higher, in relation to the ambushers (figure a 30 level difference, or so), it would be idiotic to attack him. Even in a large pack.
Otherwise, I've found SAO interesting.
Thank you for the time...
@Travlr (Main) / @Tymers Realm (Test)
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Yep, when your brain is gone, you can't make money and therefore can't spend money on the game.|
Originally Posted by Forbin_Project
If I'm going to the effort of deleting the game from my system I don't think I'm concerned about my character "dying" as far as the games concerned. I'll have beaten the game because it won't be getting anymore of my "money".
The only way the game wins is by keeping me interested enough to give it money. |
Good work, you really showed em!
But yeah, don't really wanna read/watch this. Seen the concept way too many times for it to interest me anymore.
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It's not your character dying that you should be worried about:|
Originally Posted by Forbin_Project
If I'm going to the effort of deleting the game from my system I don't think I'm concerned about my character "dying" as far as the games concerned.
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Originally Posted by starphoenix
Dying in the game or removing the VR gear results in your brain being destroyed.
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Usually, its staying in the game that does that.|
Originally Posted by starphoenix
There is this anime/manga called Sword Arts Online where a beta tester plays this virtual reality MMORPG about 10 years in the future. He teams up with someone to show them the ropes and they try to logout, but can't. The main dev appears stating that the only way to exit the game is to beat the game. Dying in the game or removing the VR gear results in your brain being destroyed.
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Since there is no interaction with the outside world, then there is no way to know if your teammate that was killed is alive and free or dead in the real world. PKing takes on a new meaning. Instead of just getting XP, some fine loot, and causing people some minor grief, you are a potential murderer. There is also the issue that time might be going at a completely different rate. Two years in the game might be only 10 minutes in real life. So how do you think you would react in this situation? |
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In one little corner of the universe, there's nothing more irritating than a misfile...
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I give up, how do you let a sub lapse when a game's in beta testing?
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Originally Posted by Arcanaville
Usually, its staying in the game that does that.
Let my subscription lapse. |
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I'll let you know as soon as I figure out how it might be possible to convince me to stick my head in a microwave controlled by a video game company while involuntary virtual reality is pumped into my brain from Japan.|
Originally Posted by eth_Nargy
I give up, how do you let a sub lapse when a game's in beta testing?
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Honestly Sword Art Online sounds like the best case scenario there.
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Quote:
I get the feeling that none of the beta testers knew of the "can't logout feature of the game"|
Originally Posted by Arcanaville
I'll let you know as soon as I figure out how it might be possible to convince me to stick my head in a microwave controlled by a video game company while involuntary virtual reality is pumped into my brain from Japan.
Honestly Sword Art Online sounds like the best case scenario there. |
And being a beta testing thing, I can imagine many gamers going "sign me up!" logging in and then goign WTF?! When trying to log out.
Now, you just have the GMs word on if you try to pull off the VR gear (which sounds like it's a possibility) you'll die, but then you have just the GMs word that if you die in game, you'll die in RL.
So, since one figures you can't logout the GM could possibly be telling the truth on what happens if you just pull the gear off.
They've obviously just kidnapped you, and now you have an uncertainy.
So the best option is to play the game.
You risk death by pulling the gear off. And sitting there in one spot won't get you anywhere.
But the question is. Why go about PKing? Do you pick a fraction when logging in? And do you have to take on the other fraction to win?
If you don't, then no PKing seems like the right answer. Gather the troops and begin the leveling.
Of course you'd be bound to find some trolls even in a life and death instance like that. Inwhich case you either try to beat but only to the point of being knocked out. If that isn't an option and no talk can reason it out...self defense.
BrandX Future Staff Fighter
The BrandX Collection
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Virtual Reality.|
Originally Posted by BrandX
I get the feeling that none of the beta testers knew of the "can't logout feature of the game"
And being a beta testing thing, I can imagine many gamers going "sign me up!" logging in and then goign WTF?! When trying to log out. |
Pumped directly into your brain.
From Japan.
You could argue the microwave brain fryer is the least dangerous part of this game.
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In one little corner of the universe, there's nothing more irritating than a misfile...
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Quote:
Heh. Yes. But I was trying to stay within the scope of the question.|
Originally Posted by Arcanaville
Virtual Reality.
Pumped directly into your brain. From Japan. You could argue the microwave brain fryer is the least dangerous part of this game. |
One could just pull off the VR gear once this is found out and risk it. So the question is, do you do that or play the game? If you play the game, how do you play it?
Saying you just pull the gear off and risk it is a perfectly valid choice.
BrandX Future Staff Fighter
The BrandX Collection
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The problem with questions like this is that they present real life as an extremely simple set of choices, when in reality you're never presented with such simple and direct choices. I don't believe in the no-win scenario. When presented with a choice to either exit the game and die, or stay in the game and kill, I will inevitably take the third option: frack with the game designer until he wishes the power would go out in my house.|
Originally Posted by BrandX
Heh. Yes. But I was trying to stay within the scope of the question.
One could just pull off the VR gear once this is found out and risk it. So the question is, do you do that or play the game? If you play the game, how do you play it? Saying you just pull the gear off and risk it is a perfectly valid choice. |
Basically, I would take the Garibaldi option:
[Guide to Defense] [Scrapper Secondaries Comparison] [Archetype Popularity Analysis]
In one little corner of the universe, there's nothing more irritating than a misfile...
(Please support the best webcomic about a cosmic universal realignment by impaired angelic interference resulting in identity crisis angst. Or I release the pigmy water thieves.)
Quote:
Actually SAO players couldn't.|
Originally Posted by BrandX
Heh. Yes. But I was trying to stay within the scope of the question.
One could just pull off the VR gear once this is found out and risk it. So the question is, do you do that or play the game? If you play the game, how do you play it? Saying you just pull the gear off and risk it is a perfectly valid choice. |
As mentioned in ep 1 by Kirito, the VR gear supersedes the players physical neural input and translates it into actions in the Virtual World. So in the Real World, you're just laying/sitting/whatever with the VR helmet on your head and seemingly asleep. If someone in the RW removes the helmet off of you, the helmet's microwave-like stuff overloads and fires your brain like an egg, killing you.
As to letting the sub expire and whatnot, I would figure the game could be like Guild Wars: Pay once, and you can login/out all you like (If it wasn't for the fact that the Creator has a God Complex and trapped the players in his Virtual World...)
Thank you for the time...
@Travlr (Main) / @Tymers Realm (Test)
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I'd watch that show.
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Originally Posted by Arcanaville
The problem with questions like this is that they present real life as an extremely simple set of choices, when in reality you're never presented with such simple and direct choices. I don't believe in the no-win scenario. When presented with a choice to either exit the game and die, or stay in the game and kill, I will inevitably take the third option: frack with the game designer until he wishes the power would go out in my house.
Basically, I would take the Garibaldi option: |
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dittto here :P
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Originally Posted by Venture
By not getting involved in the first place.
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VIG0S: 1356 badges in counting
Something for ppl to use
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But it's virtual reality! VIRTUAL! REALITY!|
Originally Posted by Blackleviathan
dittto here :P
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That's like the apex of any and all video gaming and where I've dreamed the hobby eventually reaches at some point. There's bound to be people to actually seem even more excited about the possibilities and sign up to test it considering how many people will graciously hop on betas for anything with the term 'video game' in it.
That said, I probably would actually do the same and not get involved in the first place. Personally, I don't really do betas that often. This is one of those things I've literally put into the 'look and listen' bin as I'd want to assure it's safe before participating.
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Go read The Unincorporated Man.
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Originally Posted by Leo_G
But it's virtual reality! VIRTUAL! REALITY!
That's like the apex of any and all video gaming and where I've dreamed the hobby eventually reaches at some point. There's bound to be people to actually seem even more excited about the possibilities and sign up to test it considering how many people will graciously hop on betas for anything with the term 'video game' in it. That said, I probably would actually do the same and not get involved in the first place. Personally, I don't really do betas that often. This is one of those things I've literally put into the 'look and listen' bin as I'd want to assure it's safe before participating. |
There is this anime/manga called Sword Arts Online where a beta tester plays this virtual reality MMORPG about 10 years in the future. He teams up with someone to show them the ropes and they try to logout, but can't. The main dev appears stating that the only way to exit the game is to beat the game. Dying in the game or removing the VR gear results in your brain being destroyed.
Since there is no interaction with the outside world, then there is no way to know if your teammate that was killed is alive and free or dead in the real world. PKing takes on a new meaning. Instead of just getting XP, some fine loot, and causing people some minor grief, you are a potential murderer. There is also the issue that time might be going at a completely different rate. Two years in the game might be only 10 minutes in real life.
So how do you think you would react in this situation?
Personally, I would probably stay in the beginning town for a few weeks or months, then go crazy and decide to go on a journey to elsewhere. If I die in the game, then I will know the truth about the game. Either I am dead and the game is no longer a concern or I am alive and I can put most of the game behind me. Either way I would be free.
The first step in being sane is to admit that you are insane.