Elden Online.
The ultimate VRMMORPG.
A game released to the public on October 25th, 2027.
It was developed by HyperTech Industries.
An innovative tech giant led by visionary game designer and CEO, Dr. Amelia Croft.
The company invested heavily in R&D to make Virtual Reality gaming a reality. The project was spearheaded by a talented team of engineers, programmers, artists, and game designers, who worked tirelessly to bring Elden Online to life.
After years of innovation, they perfected a technology that allowed players to fully immerse themselves in a virtual world through an advanced VR headset.
It was known as the [Neuro-Net].
It used advanced brain-to-machine technology and special neurofeedback systems that let players form a direct connection to the game. Through this link, they could feel everything in real time—seeing, hearing, and even touching things inside the game just like in real life. The neural link made sure there was no delay at all, so every thought and action players had instantly showed up in the game world to make the whole experience completely immersive.
When Elden Online first released it cost $550.99.
But with the influx of VRMMORPGs as of late, the price dropped to $180.99. This wasnʼt due to the game losing significance, however, it was a means to successfully carry out market penetration.
Setting a lower price for the game encouraged more players to purchase it, thus increasing the player base. This approach would be beneficial in the long run as it would create a larger community and potential for ongoing revenue from expansion packs and microtransactions.
There were additional expansion packs and in-game microtransactions available for further customization and enhancements.
The two expansion packs were:
『Realm of Shadows』 cost $90.99.
It introduced a new region filled with dark and mysterious creatures, along with new quests, weapons, and armor. It expanded the game's content and offered a new storyline for players to explore.
『Rise of the Titans』 cost $40.99.
It focused on the ancient race of titans returning to Elden Online. It added new titan-themed dungeons, raids, and boss battles. Additionally, players could unlock a new titan-inspired character class with unique abilities.
The In-Game Microtransactions included: Cosmetics, Mounts, Boosters and Storage Expansions.
Character Cosmetics like costumes, hairstyles, and accessories were used to customize characters' appearance. Prices ranged from $6.99 to $18.99, depending on the item's rarity and exclusivity.
Mounts were fantasy creatures like dragons or mechanical steeds.
Used to traverse the game world with style.
These mounts cost between $8.99 and $28.99.
Boosters provided temporary enhancements to a player's experience, such as increased experience gain, faster movement, or improved loot drops. They could be purchased for prices ranging from $5.99 for a single-use booster to $35.99 for a bundle of multiple boosters.
For players needing additional inventory space, they could buy storage expansion upgrades for their characters. Prices varied depending on the size of the expansion, starting from $12.99 for a small increase.
･･･
October 25th, 2033.
The anniversary of Elden Online.
That night, the highly anticipated game-wide event of Elden Online was about to begin.
The Double-Tier Leveling Event!
Every player was excited.
They prepared to participate and reap the extraordinary rewards offered during this exclusive twenty-four-hour extravaganza.
In a quiet room a new gamer sat next to his high-end computer setup.
Sebastian Crowe.
The room was very dark, and the soft glow from the monitor lit up his face.
[💬 Typing…]
He was chatting with his friends on his phone as he waited calmly for the event to begin.
Sebastian and his friends were just a small level 10 party in Elden Online.
If they wanted things to be easier in the future they had to use the event to their advantage.
By killing monsters and clearing dungeons within 24 hours, they could earn double the reward, a 100% drop rate, a significant in-game currency bonus, and an enhanced EXP boost. This meant better chances of leveling up, potentially allowing them to reach individual levels of 40 and their party's level to 41.
Party level was determined by individual level.
Their party was a party of five.
Each member was at level 9 and the party leader, Evander Fox, was at level 12.
To get their party level their individual levels would be summed up and divided by the total number of party members. So in their case that was 9.6 which approximately gave them a party level of 10.
--- 💬 Group Chat ---
[Liam: HEYOOO ✌️]
[Selena: Hey guys (￣▽￣*)ゞ thought I was late!]
[Liam: Ready for tonight?]
[Selena: I guess? I already finished weekend chores and homework ^-^!]
[Liam: Gimme yours on Monday?]
[Selena: You should really do it yourself (¬_¬")]
[Liam: Sebastian, stop lurking, bro… (ꐦ ಠ皿ಠ )]
[Sebastian: Eh…? I'm not lurking but whatever, where's the party leader?]
[Evander: Here! I was busy, girlfriend problems!]
[Liam: Which one? Heh~]
[Evander: Can't remember her name… ehehe…]
[Selena: Anyways, that makes four. (;一_一)]
[Liam: Then that leaves Bon Bon.]
[Bonnie: I'm on, can we start already?]
[Sebastian: Yeah, it's almost time]
[Evander: Alright guys, I already sent the PDF for our leveling up strategy, I hope you guys went through it, it's really important we stick to it throughout the event. And remember, only 3 breaks, so I hope you guys didn't eat or drink much prior.]
[Liam: Nah, I didn't. I'm all yours, papi 🫡]
[Selena: Liam definitely did, but I didn't]
[Bonnie: I didn't either…]
[Sebastian: I did, but I'll be fine]
[Evander: Alright guys, let's move!]
━ ━ ━ ━
Sebastian exited the app and placed his phone on his computer desk.
"Alright."
The clock on the wall ticked past 10:00 p.m.
The time when the event was set to commence.
He rose from his ergo chair and stretched his tired limbs as he stifled a yawn. His eyes wandered to the bed, where a special headset patiently waited for him.
Sebastian walked over to his bed and picked up the sleek VR headset. It was called the [Neuro-Net] a device that let him connect his mind directly to the massive digital world of Elden Online. He carefully slid it onto his head, making sure it was properly fitted so it aligned with his senses.
After that, he hooked it up to a small system unit, which was connected to a tangle of wires and boosters designed to push his gaming experience to the next level.
He sighed contentedly.
"A full twenty-four hours for the event… I think I'm set. My room door is locked so that guarantees uninterrupted immersion, especially from Julie. I already ate but there's no harm in keeping enough food around incase I get hungry — energy bars, sandwich, canned beans, fish sticks, ice cream… that should be enough. Good thing I won't be needing buckets for piss and a hot dump like Laim, my room has a bathroom. And most importantly tomorrow's Saturday, so I don't need to worry about school…"
With the Neuro-Net securely on his head, Sebastian settled himself comfortably on his bed.
He closed his eyes and felt that familiar tingle.
It was his mind connecting to the neural network.
The neural network was the interconnected system that all brainwaves were wrapped around like a yarn ball which helped connect all minds to the world and share information in real time. It was the most important thing in Elden Online as one wrong move could either kill every player or cause them several brain damage.
But they didn't need to worry because one wrong move was light-years away.
Literally…
A piece of rare extraterrestrial matter was about to change everything.
A white hole tore open in space to unleash a meteor from a distant galaxy.
Now in the milky-way galaxy, the meteor hurtled forward at incredible speed.
This was a Catalyst Comet.
A rare celestial matter with the ability to fuse anything on a higher-dimensional level!
The planet, Earth… was its target.