[ Chapter XI (11): "C-CHANGES" ]
[ "Hmm?" ] Taking off his headset, Arthur didn't even turn to pause the game he is on, as his Lego Batman character gets beaten up by thugs repeatedly, causing his stods to empty the more he gets killed. Turning his chair around, he is much more focused on the Mission Reward presented to him.
To be more precise, on both the new skill he received, the second skill he ever acquired since he got here, in this mess. And then at the Sub Level for For Honor, or whatever that means. So, in curiosity, he pulled up the description of it by dragging his finger at the text; first for the skill.
[ ONLINE ADVERTISEMENT LVL. 1 ]
[ DESCRIPTION: AN ABILITY EXCLUSIVE TO THE DEVELOPER CLASS, THIS ALLOWS THE PLAYER TO SOME EXTENT, INFLUENCE AND ADVERTISE HIS OWN WORLD. EQUAL EXCHANGE OF CREDITS IS NECESSARY TO USE THIS POWER ]
[ "In short... it's nothing." ] It is nothing, to Arthur that is, because he could use this aspect of the System even before he acquired a formal skill of it. He did use it on the first round and second round of Players, which seems to be effective, as he did acquired the Flash on the first run, then SHAZAM on the second.
It costed him about 500 to 1,000 Credits in doing so for each round. So he could at the very least say, that even without acquiring the skill formally, he could still use it, effectively at that-so... But I guess, acquiring a new supernatural skill is better than not acquiring anything at all, so that's that, at least he didn't have to bleed for this unlike his first skill.
So with a sight and a huff, he tries to hid the disappointment in his face, as he then turns to the other reward he acquired. At the Sub Level Slot, for For Honor that is, hopefully it does what it sounds... If not, then it'll be useless for him, or for UTOPIA as a whole. And thankfully sure enough, it seems right.
[ SUB LEVEL (FOR HONOR) SLOT ]
[ DESCRIPTION: A SUBSPACE OR LEVEL CONNECTED TO THE MAIN GAME, CAN BE ACCESSABLE TO SELECTED INDIVIDUALS CHOSEN BY THE PLAYER (MAXIMUM OF 3). WILL AUTOMATICALLY UPGRADE THE MORE GAMES IS PLAYED INSIDE ]
[ "This is... actually not that bad." ] He reads the description repeatedly, as he spins in his chair. Really reading into it, as he then imagines what kind of technology it is, or how he could use it.
After some time of spinning, and going around his room using his chair, he finally put one-to-one with another, as he finally knew what to do with this... And to say that it is useful, would be an understatement, as this could be his lifeline. [ "I got it!" ]
He played For Honor extensively on his computer. He watched For Honor for some quite a while before he transmigrated into this void. He knows what uses this Sub Level could give him. As it was done in the original pc game after all— multiplayer.
In fairness, due to him not having a pc back in his original Earth, he wasn't able to play For Honor's campaign or even multiplayer, but he knows there's one somewhere. In this new universe also, he wasn't able to play multiplayer, he could, but there would be no one to fight against, not even bots.
So frustrated, that aspect of the computer confused him the most. Jackie chan confused meme here. But now, he could use that knowledge and create an area of some sorts, wherein Players could fight to their heart's content, and perhaps even create customized Champion NPCs.
In thinking about that, he quickly became excited, pulling down his almighty teleporter, as he then searches for the For Honor Game, and just as he suspected, there is another slot below that, slightly moved to the side, saying the words, [ FOR HONOR (SUB LEVEL) ]
He clicked it, and immediately in doing so, a bright light appeared all-around him, lasting for about a few seconds, as it then swallow him. Like a sonar, with it then spitting him out somewhere else, in a white void of space, akin to that of the original For Honor Game he created, once he doesn't start yet a Campaign.
He programed it that way, he couldn't think of any other way, especially because to do this, or do to that, one need to at the very least check some boxes that the System has to do that. Like for example, in an For Honor Game, he couldn't make it a farming game with it classified as endless war and fighting-type of game.
He couldn't even add futuristic aspects, just like some which the Warhammer 40,000 Universe has. Ones that he noticed in the System Shop, still pin to this day in that said shop, hoping to be useful some day. As, his powers, his Developer powers are limited.
The fact that he was able to edit it and create a Campaign aspect of the game, was already enough. As those restrictions heavily restricted him, and the lack of Credits was also something... Thankfully after some time passes, he now has a steady Player base, and Plants that gives him steady amount of Credits...
It's just that, he couldn't fully call them as Players, as at the moment, they are more like bums hanging around inside his Lobby, all 100 except 1, having the ability to enter his so-so called Game. What a great life.
He hopes, that through creating this Sub Level, he could at the very least grab some more Players, a total amount of 3 from the Lobby, and make them work just like the Flash did before he now starts farming, working and chatting in the Lobby.
He remembers that guy, he should really enjoy his time, as in an hour and a half, he'll be put back into work. Completing Missions for him, so that he could grow his character, and also for Arthur to gain more supernatural abilities without working and dying in the Campaigns. A win-win.
At the same time, Barry Allen who's chilling, seated on the grass, planting and chatting with his new Plants could feel shiver run down his spine... Glancing around, he wasn't able to see anything out of sorts, so he ignored it, continuing in watering his newly acquired Plant friends.
Whistling to himself, Arthur used his magic, as he then floats about in the air. The blank canvas of the floor under him changing form in the blink of an eye, as it then changes into dirt. The surroundings which felt like infinitiy, compressed, as sunlight from afar entered it.
He wants to make this Sub Level have multiple battlefield, wherein arenas primarily dominated by one Faction— either by the Knights, Vikings, or Samurais. He chose to go with his favorite Faction, as he then pulls out his editor.
Flying about in the air, he created a cirular arena, pretty spacious, well, enough to fit in ten thousand or-so individuals around it. Similar to that of an gladiator pit, but larger. After some time, he then places sand above the dirt, then added obstacles and traps.
After doing that, he tries edit the seats of the people. Which is elevated and is higher, so that the NPCs wouldn't be dragged into the fight, and for the Champions and Players to not escape and notice that this isn't actually a complete world, unlike the mainline For Honor Game.
He was about to do that, but was stopped by the System. [ INSUFFICIENT AMOUNT OF CREDIT ], telling him-so that he is broke as all hell... So not knowing what to do, he just floats there, looking at his work. [ "Wow... this looks like crap." ]
He couldn't lie, as seeing the half-baked surroundings annoyed him slightly. But nonetheless, he flies about in the air, already using the Credits which are slowly filling his wallet. Which is pitiful due to the fact, that the Plants at the moment are just babies in comparison to the original 100.
Still, due to their sheer amount, which is x5 that of the original, they still give him clear amount of Credits. Enough so, that he could edit and create NPCs on the stand, as he creates them, giving them apperances, clothes, and features. Don't think dirty, they don't have private parts, as they are just mere codes.
He did that, then copied and pasted it. Making this NPCs dumber than the normal Dynamic NPCs that the For Honor Game has, wherein they could grow and learn as time goes, experience love, experience pain, experience life to some extent. This Gladiator Arena NPCs on the other hand, they have loose screws.
Only knowing to cheer, to spit slurs, to jump, to wave, to runaround, talk to another, bet on who'll win, drink, eat bread, or so whatsoever in-between that. And to ignore the clearly blank space outside of the arena, which is only white hell... [ "I can't believe this... I'm appearing more-and-more like a Game Developer as the more I go." ]
Originally, he didn't want to be a Game Developer. He actually wanted to enter Cyber Security and such, or have a chill life as a policeman. But yet, fate has her own ways of dealing things, and now he is here... Apparently akin to that of God, able to create life, able to create whatever he wants with a snap of his finger; with equal amount of Credits in exchange.
...
After some time, how long? He doesn't even know himself. He has finally created about 2,000 or-so NPCs, which is mainly copy and paste of one another, with personalities and appearances somewhat deviating from one another. As so their occupations.
There are rich ones, poor ones, blue on- he isn't Dr. Who so doesn't ask for a rap. Anyways, he created era appropriate NPCs, mostly farmers, servants, commoners, noblemen and Knights. Of course, he also needed to make adjustment on the arena, so he did, painstakingly so.
Now it looks like a hushpug of whatever the hell a person thinks a gladiator arena is... Filled with nobleman and other such individuals cheering... On an empty battled, [ "Bit' er' ear!" ] Some even screaming at nothing, seemingly excited.
Arthur guesses that this is good enough, but at the moment, he turned all of them off. As they all then paused mid-action. He looks down at them and could see spit, wine, and even an NPC about to trip; all paused, seemingly in a mannequin challenge or something along those lines.
He shaked his head in seeing this, as he then pulls imaginary blue strings that only he could see, talking to the System, as he then codes binary, which then reflects on the surroundings, with it subtly changing as the more he continues his work... Until finally, after some thousands or-so Credits was burnt, after some time...
Arthur finally felt satisfied enough to let go, finishing his work, as he then created clouds in the air. Which would change in quantity and amount depending on the time. [ "Finally... done!" ]
As he then floats down into the stand, right beside a static NPC, seating on the empty chair as he does so. Curious, he then went and grab the man's drink, ale from what he remembered coding it as. Taking off the man's hands, he then began to take a sip...
Curious on what it would taste like, but as expected, it didn't taste like anything at all. Not shitty, not great, not bad... Just nothing, he could swear drinking something, but he couldn't feel it filling his stomach, or the taste rubbing off of his senses. As it is nothing but codes... He drank a code.
Moving on forward, Arthur then pulled out another window, this one containing the the list of Players, which is now officially 100... About 9/10th of that being present, as some of the Original Players aren't on yet, due to the Gaming Limit he codded.
After some time, he pinned about 3 Players which in his eyes would most enjoy the game he created. All young looking, with one even being a literal kid— Billy Batson, confirmed by him to be the superhero named SHAZAM, or soon-to-be, he doesn't know yet as he hadn't made contact to confirm. Pinning them 3, he then went and code for himself basic NPC Champions which either belongs to the Knights, Vikings, or Samurais, each with distinct style of combat, based on who Arthur fought...
Then after some time, he gave the soon-to-be Players, or contenders some choices. As he gave them basic Knights, Vikings, or Samurai equipments, their choices, and also an edit to their Avatars, as to make it 6-7ft tall if they we're to enter the arena at the very least. That, or they be in an disadvantage, which is unfair.
He then eyed the picture of Billy Batson, the kid, not due to him swinging that way. But instead due to him wanting to see the kid fight in his arena... As the first player in it. He wanted to use Barry at first, but the kid had enough, and he needs to complete Missions for him inside the mainline For Honor, so he was out of the option. [ "I guess... a test run is at order." ]
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[ 06/07/2025 ]
[ 06/08/2025 ]