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

[infinitejustice]

They said something about blood-red seas when I first came here. I can't help but wonder if what they're really talking about is molten lava. I don't feel any convection...and we can't be that high up, since the air is still breathable.

[shoutoku_administrator]

Indeed, I've heard that if one flies too far from the Earth, the air becomes too cold and thin to breathe. However, the laws that govern your world and the laws that govern this one may not be the same.

[infinitejustice]

We already know that that's the case just by virtue of the fact that emotions contain physical power here. However, I have no reason to believe that emotions would be making the air up here breathable if it wasn't already.

[shoutoku_administrator]

In the end, I suppose it's not a question of great importance. I cannot prove that we are high, you cannot prove that we are low, and neither answer would bring us closer to solving the problem of this place where we find ourselves.

[infinitejustice]

That may not necessarily be true. Sometimes the pursuit of one objective leads to a valuable, yet unexpected, discovery. For example, if it hadn't been for Chinese scholars pursuing the fabled Elixir of Life, we wouldn't have gunpowder today.

[shoutoku_administrator]

...Hoh. So something useful did eventually come of their research.

Details aside, this is true. If nothing else, ascertaining the distance to the world below may determine whether or not it can safely be reached. I have been tempted to make the journey myself, but I don't know what dangers such a thing might present.

[infinitejustice]

[The first remark gets a look. What was that supposed to mean?]

How would you do it? I'd like to do it myself, but I'm ill-equipped for it as things stand.

[shoutoku_administrator]

[Miko takes a step back, floating in the air just past the edge of the cliff marking the edge of the island.]

I'm afraid I'm not an ordinary human. My study of the eternal Tao permits me certain gifts.

[infinitejustice]

Tao?

[Athrun has heard of Taoism, though he doesn't know much about it. But he does know that it's never given anyone the power to fly in his worlds.]

Taoism exists where I come from, but I've never heard of anyone able to do anything supernatural through their practice of it.

[shoutoku_administrator]

[Miko steps back onto solid ground.]

It could be a well-kept secret. That, or maybe it's not as effective in the world you came from.

[infinitejustice]

It would be hard to keep something like that a secret, especially from the governments as they've been for the past half a century. I think the latter is simply more likely -- or perhaps the laws of physics are simply too dominant where I come from.

[shoutoku_administrator]

[Aha. You've hit a topic Miko is interested in.]

Why do you say that?

The part about the governments, I mean. Have they become more controlling over time?

[infinitejustice]

Yes and no. People are guaranteed many freedoms under most governments. However, the world has become so interconnected that it's nigh impossible to keep anything larger than a personal scale a secret for very long. The government is just one of multiple entities that takes advantage of this fact.