Imagining Full Immersive Video Games
Author Notes: This is a story introduction of what I called the “Digipad”, an Immersive Virtual Reality that involves the “teleportation” of a user into the compatible video game. Rather than a full description on its system and facets, I created an alternate universe with it integrated to give it a fun twist.
If Mark didn’t already know he was late, he would’ve assumed the constant vibrating from his pocket was a phone call, and not spam messages from the group chat. He didn’t bother checking. Mark was well aware he was late. He doesn’t have to take out his phone to see the consecutive aggressive texts on his screen.
‘where are you?!?!?’ ‘didnt we agree at 7pm???’
‘lolol T.Y. keeps spamming his skills in annoyance’
By the time his mind goes through every possible snarky remark his friends can give him, Mark is already at his front door haphazardly slapping his hand onto the entrance scanner. Waiting for the scan to complete is the only break his burning lungs get until a small click is heard. Mark bursts through the door only to lazily greet his Mom and brother, to which they roll their eyes, a knowing gesture to what he’s doing and where he is going to be for the rest of the night.
Before even taking off his backpack after entering his room, Mark turns on his computer and Digitube. While waiting for the final identifying hand scan, Mark casually sends an ‘omw’ with his phone on the other hand, hoping to appease the hysterics of his friends.
’10 mins later and we get an ‘omw’ well damn mark thought u loved us more than to just send an omw’
‘boy if u dont get here in 5 mins im not carrying ur ass in this mf raid’
‘T.Y has not stopped spamming’
After hearing the confirmation beep and the low hum of the Digitube, he throws his phone on the bed, changes into his home clothes, and brushes his teeth. Mark knows they’re going to be ending late considering the raid they had organized. It is the final part of the three-part endgame raid,”NeoZone” in Gigantics, one of the newest fantasy MMORPG involving the slaying of large beasts in order to protect the main city of Salva Morr. Mark had spent more hours than he would like to admit on crafting and perfecting his gear set, making him one of the most desirable Sages (as he likes to tell himself) with top tier healing outputs.
By the time Mark is done with his nightly routine, the soft yellow light of the Digipad’s two panels transitions from a soft yellow to a vibrant green, signaling its loading completion. For something as groundbreaking as the Digipad, its physical module is hardly intrusive in Mark’s already messy room. One panel on the ground, and one opposite on the ceiling, with a touch screen protruding for interface. Its seamless design is leagues better than the outdated Sci-Fi movies, a cryo-chamber-like tube that can induce claustrophobia just by looking at it.
Mark quickly taps Gigantics and steps onto the Digipad, the cold yet familiar feeling sparking his excitement for his quest tonight. He exhales, and closes his eyes. What once was the low hum of the idle system, now turns into almost an angelic hymn, with the full-digitization being signaled by the several white-glowing particles engulfing Mark’s still figure.
___________________________________________________________________
Before he can even move his own body, Mark feels a blunt force against his stomach.
“Why are you late?!” T.Y. huffs and folds his arm after stabbing his lance into the ground. If it weren’t for the fact that T.Y. was wearing a full suit of dark sleek armor, eyepatch, and stylish white hair, Mark would’ve thought it was cute. It kinda was. Almost.
Mark gets up and dusts off his back and butt, with the help of one of his friends, Jeno.
“What was that for?! I’m here now aren’t I? I’m like only thirty minutes late!” He defends as he pats Jeno’s back as a thank you.
Amidst the bickering, Yuta confidently struts into Mark’s view, behind the still glaring T.Y. He sheaths his dual blades and tackles T.Y’s with a one-arm side hug, only to tease the late-comer “If it was ‘only thirty minutes’, how come I was able to complete a story quest and only have you just arrive, huh?”
Mark rolls his eyes and reads the holographic pop-up quest tracker for “NeoZone Part 3”, quickly scrolling through the contents, requirements, and objectives of the new raid. He pays no mind to any of the details, explaining to his friends that he has already spent his school day reading up every detail and strategy of the raid. Karma got right back at him for using school time for video games, because the detention and extra remedial lesson he got after school made him late to his big night.
T.Y. shrugs off Yuta’s arm, getting ready to go to the Gathering Hub only to realize the red bar above Mark’s head.
“Mark, you idiot, did you run here? Did you not eat, or at least drink water!? Your Physmet says you’re only at thirty-two percent.” T.Y. nags as he taps his wrist where his Digiwatch would be to open his inventory to select a Portal to trade to Mark.
“We were going to walk and talk strat on our way to the gathering hub, but now we cannot waste even two percent or else we gotta wait another day.” T.Y goes through the motions of the trade with Mark, with Mark receiving the scolding like a kicked puppy.
The Physmet was short for Physical Meter. It was a blessing and a curse. It was one of the first failsafes to the Digipad that evaluated your physical parameters at digitization. If you were not in good physical condition, it equaled a lower percentage, and once that percentage hit zero, the system will eject you. It was a good way of monitoring physical health and combating the ability to be digitized for what could be forever. In Mark’s case, the full raid takes thirty percent of your Physmet.
___________________________________________________________________
After entering the Gathering Hub and receiving scolding and teasing from the rest of their friends, the group finally starts the raid. It being Mark’s first time, he is leader of the party, and smiles proudly at seeing in the top left corner of his vision, health bars, applied buffs, and names of his raid group. Whines about more waiting is heard, because Mark has to experience the cutscenes. For first-timers to quests, it always plays to provide plot immersion. Actions in cutscenes are controlled by the game, to induce no pressure on the gamer. A scary, but helpful function to effortlessly place the player at the starting sequence of the quest.
The end of the cutscene lands Mark in the same waiting room of the cave where part two ended. However, there is an additional NPC, going by the name, Hyuck. Part two ended with the last section of the underground lab on a faraway island being buried in rocks. In the new cutscene, you stumble upon Hyuck running as, strangely, one of the only other living inhabitants, other than the other sentient robots of the lab chasing him. Finding a safe room amongst the “lab”yrinth (Yuta takes credit for that one), Hyuck explains the situation.
NPC Hyuck, a teen, probably around Mark’s age, has a dirtied, white jumpsuit on, contrasting from his tanned skin. He has noticeably soft features, despite the scratch and bruises decorating his face.
“My father has scheduled a self-destruction to take place in about an hour. It is enough time for his data to transfer to his new system. You have to acquire the data as well as open the doors to the control room, both located on opposite ends of the lab.” Hyuck explains. Seemingly shook by the events that just transpired.
Mark would have usually zoned out, letting the NPC play out its script while he re-organizes his inventory, but something about Hyuck has Mark entranced. He feels, if he weren’t an NPC, he would fit right in with his group. A sense of protection sparks in Mark, and while he never cared about the story otherwise, he now has every reason to unleash his best skills upon the final boss.
