TEST DRIVE MEME: JULY

[simpathis]

— TEST DRIVE: JULY —

Welcome to empatheias' first ever 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 Friday, July 18th and Applications open Friday, July 25th. Game will begin Friday, August 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!

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


PROMPTS

• Prompt A: Create any scenario that could cause your character to display some kind of emotion, be it big or small, and write out how it changes the immediate area. Are there literal sparkles everywhere because they're so happy? Or is the ground starting to twist and warp due to their anger or frustration? Things exploding? Rain clouds? Since this is a test drive, don't worry about any limitations on effects—just write whatever comes to mind!

• Prompt B: The following are generic task board prompts that characters could have taken up as a job.

1. You have to collect X number of materials. Find a partner to make it easier!
   
2. There's a hostile creature attacking some of the neighboring farms. If you got a weapon, they could definitely use your help!
   
3. How about helping around the town? Delivering something, helping patch up a sign, cleaning out some of those rusted gears—the locals would definitely warm up to everyone.
   
4. Make up your own task/quest!

• 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: With the influx of people suddenly appearing, the locals are a bit on edge. So rather than having your character’s emotions affecting the environment, someone else's is affecting them! Maybe they were just passing by and someone had an emotional outbreak of sorts. Now they have to figure out how to deal with the aftermath—or will their own emotions make it worse? Needless to say, NPC godmodding granted 100%.

• Prompt E: Make your own! It can even involve booze and/or cats.

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

[thatcatfrom101]

[Roy's finally letting his neutral, "cool" look let up a little, a smirk slowly creeping to his face.]

If your family was this brand of "violent and insane" I'd wonder how you're alive.

[At that last comment, Roy forces a chuckle. If he weren't trying to uphold a certain appearance, he'd probably point out that it's nowhere near as nice as it sounds. That it was lonely, and given that he spent 19 years of his life living underground, completely unfamiliar and terrifying most of the time.

But instead he keeps the smirk.]

Ya know, aside from gettin' attacked by mutants and crazy people, it's kinda awesome. Dogmeat here's all the company I need.

[And sometimes when the loneliness is too much, the giant yellow super mutant he occasionally brings with him when he decides to swallow his pride. Or Charon; even though the guy doesn't say more than a word at a time, it's better than nothing.]

You interested in travelin' alone?

[gimmickpuppets]

[ Pressing a hand against the wall again, IV takes in what Roy tells him and offers a bit of a shrug in return, his smirk fading as he thinks on it. ]

The thought's crossed my mind a few times. [ Though, he laughs unexpectedly, just a quiet chuckle, and he shakes his head. ] Even when I was a kid, I would try to run away from home with no one but my dog with me. What an idiot, right?

[ He sighs and gives Dogmeat a final scratch behind his ears, and he pushes himself to a stand, not bothering to step away from Roy in the least, and sliding his hand up the wall with him as he goes. ]

Either way, there are crazy people no matter where you go, no matter what family you come from. Some would say I'm crazy, but I think they're full of shit. I've just got a lot going on in my head, you know? [ He taps his temple with his free hand. ] A lot of shit to sort out up here. Plus getting away from my family... well, it's no different than how I was treated back then or even now. I'd just be doing them the favor of taking that first step.

[ Despite the lighter mood he'd tried to keep, it's clear it's darkened and he's dealing with too many emotions at once - the loneliness, the anger and hate and jealousy and sadness and it's stupid, there's no reason to let them even affect him when they aren't even fucking here, and IV squeezes his eyes shut to try to ignore it, to ignore the way he's affecting the environment with his negativity.

He can't go scaring Dogmeat, now can he? ]

Whatever. They aren't even here.

[thatcatfrom101]

[Roy would be a little more excited (okay maybe he still kinda is) at IV's close proximity as he stands up if it weren't for what he's saying. Roy's eyes are narrowed as if he's looking on in suspicion, though in truth he's listening carefully to every word, taking it in. Wanting to leave home was a familiar sentiment. A very familiar sentiment. Of course now he'd give anything to go back, but he remembered what it was like to want to run away.

Once he realizes he's giving IV an intense stare, and that the younger man is diving head first into a shitty mood again, he shakes himself from his little strange reverie. The dog doesn't seem to be picking up on it quite yet, as he's sniffing around the area as he often does when he has nothing else to do.]

Ya know-[He almost says leaving sometimes is worse than staying behind, traveling alone isn't what's cracked up to be, or some bullshit words of comfort like that. But then he catches himself and silently wonders what the fuck he was thinking. He doesn't even know the guy.]--you should smirk more. Suits ya better.

[gimmickpuppets]

[ Honestly, IV actually expects Roy to start spouting bullshit, and he's completely ready to snap and argue - it's what he does best, his father could surely attest to that and insult him in the worst way, all in the same breath. But instead, Roy says that and IV looks up, looking him straight in the eye (he realizes they're the exact same height and it puts all sorts of... interesting ideas in his head, but they're better ignored for now).

And as if complying to some kind of order, IV smirks. He's thrown off enough that it's easy to forget what he'd been pissed off about, and he idly wonders just how long he'll be here with this Roy, because unlike his fans back home, he's pretty sure he could stand being in this guy's general vicinity on a regular basis. ]

So what is it, you're saying I'm pretty then?

[ IV huffs out a laugh and leans in closer, keeping that cocky grin right on his face. It's a total 180 of his mood, but he figures that's what Roy was aiming for anyway and... well. IV's pretty glad about it too. No one's been able to really 'handle' him before, not without pissing him off even more. Appealing to his ego, though... Feed the lion what it wants, and it can purr like a housecat. ]

Just don't ask me for an autograph or you're just asking to be ignored.

[thatcatfrom101]

[Normally Roy's all for egging people on, pissing them off. But it was the familiarity of what IV was saying that had Roy wanting to turn that mood around. That, and he really did like it when others smirked deviously at him. It's a sickness.

Roy cants his head to the side, completely okay with IV leaning closer.]

Pretty don't really do ya justice, babe. ["Pretty" was all well and good, but he'd say IV has something a step above.] Don't worry, an autograph ain't exactly on my mind right now.

[Unless that's code for something. Then maybe.]

[gimmickpuppets]

[ If it were possible for IV's smirk to grow wider, it would have. See, there were a few key things about Roy that made IV actually consider his options, aside from what just happened not even a minute prior. The easiest one was that he didn't throw himself at IV right away - there were a few signals, but they didn't include Roy stripping himself down at the sight of him. (IV may have been a little desperate, but he sure didn't want to bother with someone moreso than he was.) ]

Then what is on your mind? Anything else, I can probably do for you.

[ Though, IV pauses and glances around, then lets out a heavy sigh as he pushes himself away from the wall and holds out his hand to gesture for Roy to follow him. ]

Well. I guess we should discuss this more in private. I don't feel like pissing off any of the locals just yet, do you? Follow me.

[ If this were any other time? He'd be all for doing it in public. And maybe he shouldn't have let the loneliness get to him so soon, but he isn't home. He isn't anywhere he knows, he's fucking alone and confused, and needy for the attention - company, no matter the form, is familar. He's a big boy, he can handle himself. ]

[ FADE TO BLACK I GUESS THIS IS NOT WHAT I EXPECTED DAMN. ]