TEST DRIVE: JUNE

[simpathis]

— TEST DRIVE: JUNE —

Welcome to empatheias' test drive meme. This test drive is to help interested players test their characters in the game's environment. We've included a few prompts that incorporate specific elements of the game, though you'll find all of them have a lot of leeway for players to get as creative as necessary. Before diving in, here are a few things we'd like to remind everyone about the game in general:

• Date reminders. Reserves open Monday, May 25th and Applications open Monday, June 1st.
  
  
• Emotions are key! Empatheias' premise focuses on how anyone's emotions can affect their environment, be it big or small. While not every emotion will cause a reaction, significant ones definitely will. How much effect a character will have will ultimately be up to you, the player. Also, while we're giving a lot of leeway for the test drive, keep in mind that there will be some limits in the actual game.
  
  
• Everyone has an amulet. All characters have a unique amulet that is specialized for them. It will contain all of their emotion drops and it serves as the network device. Remember, communication is telepathic. Otherwise, it works basically the same.
  
  
• Assume the character is already in the game. Because "OMG WHERE AM I IS THIS REAL LIFE" threads aren't going to be very helpful in this test drive! Plus those are going to happen in-game, anyway. So to make things easier, just assume that they've been around at least a week or so. Still learning the ropes, but not a complete "first day" experience.
  
  
• First or third person allowed. Your threads can be in either first or third, but we'd advise being flexible about it. Remember, these threads can also be used in your application for samples! Reminder: We only require one sample and it can be done in either format.
  
  
• IMPORTANT! We have made a change to our sample requirements, so look over the Applications page!

Now with that out of the way, here are some prompts you guys can work from!


PROMPTS

• Prompt A: How about giving the emotions a try? The following emotions will have more effect than usual: hope, despair, fear, and bravery.

• Prompt B: Refer to the Task Board and choose a task your character may be interested in taking up. For this prompt, you could have your character ask for help, already be in the middle of the job, or react to it in some way. Perhaps they were an unfortunate victim or want to create a job countering an existing one. You could even have a prompt making a job request.

• Prompt C: How about giving the amulets a go? Start a telepathic conversation and see how it works. Remember, the amulets are sending out the owner's thoughts so might want to be careful about how the stream of consciousness goes...

• Prompt D: The latest entry in the hot 'Forgefires' series is about to come out, and lines in front of bookstores are blocking the streets! How will you get to your destination when your path is full of frenzied cosplayers who don't dare move lest they lose their spot in line? You might want to be careful, too—some fans are getting into heated arguments about their favorite characters so things might start literally flying if left unchecked!

• Prompt E: Things have been getting a little gloomy lately, so a group of youths have designed the first ever Verens Rock-Paper-Scissors Tournament. Somehow you've won through the lower ranks, and are now a finalist. The state of the city is riding on you (or so they claim), so face your opponent and somehow manage to make this farce exciting enough to lift the moods of the spectators (mostly kids). Just be careful. If you do poorly, you might find a tomato or two thrown at you.

• Prompt F: Welcome to FEAR FACTOR! An exciting new brand of entertainment where contestants participate in various challenges that touch home to the most innate fears humans share. Lying in a pit of creepy crawlies; climb up high, precarious structures; go one-on-one with wild animals—can you handle it? Are you brave enough to go for the 1 million sylv prize? Or will fear cripple you and leave you with nothing!? Only one way to find out! Oh, and one more thing—your emotions will definitely effect everything, so if you're climbing up that rusty, half broken steel tower and it starts shaking, that's probably because you're scared out of your wits. Don't let it crumble!

• Prompt G: Make your own! It could include giant cheese wheels and/or bucket of nails.

For your threads, put the Character Name and the Canon in the subject line to help readily identify them. You're also welcome to use more than one prompt for respondents to choose from. If you have any questions or want to brush up on the game information, refer to the Game Information entry. Otherwise, tag around and have fun!

Comments

[hands4healing]

"That's what I was hoping, but it needs to be fermented for a while. Is there a methane plant? It could ferment there and afterwards, possibly used for fertilizer."

Winry did grow up in a rural community where horses - and sheep and cows - were common.

[shadowsandflame]

Shroud honestly had no idea what the process for actually making fertilizer was. The ins and outs of using it, she had a vague idea, but as a whole it was a bit beyond her expertise. Business, however, was something she knew quite well.

"I'm not sure but there are farms, so it would stand to reason that there should be something like that somewhere. Otherwise, I'm sure you could talk someone into getting one built somehow. there has to be someone in this area's agriculture circles who would be interested in investing in such a thing given the income it could bring in."

[hands4healing]

"I'm new, so I don't know anybody in much of anything, really!" Winry was being honest rather than self-depreciating. She tapped her mechanical pencil on her plans.

"But I guess I could ask around."

[shadowsandflame]

"I'm not all that familiar with the locals myself, really."

Though she wasn't really the sort who had an easy time of socializing anymore. Even back home, it had been better to keep as much distance as possible. She didn't want to learn how hostile the local population could be toward what they might perceive as a threat.

"Even if there's nothing of the sort around, there must be a way of getting that sort of thing started. A source of income is always useful."

[hands4healing]

"Agreed! Having money helps in a lot of ways." Winry thought about it. "Methane plants are kind of out of my knowledge but if there's a library here, I know one can be worked up."

She was an engineer. She knew a lot about designs, just not necessarily about designing an entire plant. She was better at arms and legs and hearts. But it wouldn't make her turn down working on something to help others.

[shadowsandflame]

"It's a bit beyond my field as well, but I wouldn't mind helping with research on it. "

It couldn't be all that much harder than other work she had done, and having something productive to do would keep Shroud's mind off how strange her circumstances had become.

[hands4healing]

"Oh? What do you do? I mean, if you don't mind me asking."

[shadowsandflame]

"I build things."

Mostly things she probably should have never built in the first place, but that was neither here nor there. It was hardly the time or place to get caught up in that.

"I used to work as an archeologist and an engineer."

[hands4healing]

"I'm an engineer, too!" Winry was surprised and pleased to meet another engineer here.

[shadowsandflame]

It surprised Shroud too, especially with how young this girl seemed. But there was a bit of comfort in finding someone in her field of work in such a strange place.

"What sort of things do you work on?"

[hands4healing]

"I'm an automail engineer - I design specific prosthetics that connect directly to the nervous system, so the prosthetics move like human limbs! It can be really incredible to see someone get their life back with the use of a functioning limb!"

[shadowsandflame]

For a few moments, Shroud wasn't able to respond as she tried to wrap her mind around such a thing. A prosthetic that connected directly to the nervous system... Such a thing existed somewhere?

Finally, she manageW to pull herself out of her train of thought. "It sounds like you do very important work. I would love to hear more about it. where I'm from, prosthetics haven't made it that far."

[hands4healing]

"Mm - it's been a couple of generations since they were designed. My family's been building automail for four generations now." She was understandably proud of that fact. "And I'd be happy to tell you more about it!"

[shadowsandflame]

Four generations... Then these prosthetics were older than Shroud herself was, which was a startling fact. What kind of place had this girl come from? This girl's pride a was refreshing though.

"It sounds like you really enjoy the work. I would definitely be interested in hearing more about it."

[hands4healing]

"It's an incredible thing to be a part of. I'd be happy to tell you more." But that wasn't really what she was here for. She needed to figure out something to do with the carts, the horses, and their waste which would work out for the best for everyone.

"After I figure out if I can build a methane plant or otherwise a drying place for the manure."

[shadowsandflame]

"Ah... Right." The job. She had completely forgotten about that over the course of the conversation. "Well, as I said, I'd be willing to help with that. It's not as though I have much else lined up right now."

[hands4healing]

"Great, I really appreciate that!" Winry smiled her delight. "I'm Winry Rockbell."

[shadowsandflame]

"I go by Shroud. It's a pleasure to meet you, Ms. Rockbell."

[hands4healing]

"It's nice to meet you, too, Shroud." She offered a hand but wouldn't be surprised or disappointed if it wasn't taken. Some of her friends back home bowed, after all.

[shadowsandflame]

Having been the head of a company for several years, she was used to the gesture and shook Winry's hand. "I'm glad to run into another engineer here. It's been a long time since I've spoken to someone in the same professional circles."

[hands4healing]

"Back home, I was finishing off my apprenticeship. Getting ready to get my journeyman's license." She didn't know if Shroud's world had the same type of training system that hers did, but Winry wanted to make that clear.

[shadowsandflame]

"Well, I'm sure when you get back, you'll go far with it." She put her hands into the pockets of her coat, "You already seem to be off to a good start."

[hands4healing]

"Thank you, I plan on doing a good job!" There were people counting on her, after all.

[shadowsandflame]

"I'm sure you will. You seem like a very smart girl."

[hands4healing]

A blush. "Thank you, Shroud!"