TEST DRIVE MEME: OCTOBER

[simpathis]

— TEST DRIVE: OCTOBER —

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 Wednesday, September 24th and Applications open Wednesday, October 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! OR write a prompt where they're the ones being affected by someone else's emotion.

• 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: How good is your character using an elemental core? They're magic-like rocks that have one of the three following elements: fire, air, and water. On their own they're not too bad, but they are quite sensitive to emotions. Be careful or that little handwarmer could suddenly create a small blazing inferno!

• Prompt E: Steampunk technology is a lot more advanced than basic medieval technology, but still inferior to modern day devices. No electricity, no cars—just this strange magitech, steam, and clockwork gear systems. How "tech savvy" is your character now?

• Prompt F: BONUS EVENT BASED PROMPT! You were just minding your own business when suddenly you and another person swap emotions. Were they upset and you were calm? Well now you are upset and they're the one trying to calm you down! For this prompt, you can either just have your character a target for someone else to swap with, or you can already have them experiencing some kind of emotion to be swapped with.

• Prompt G: Make your own! It can even involve bulls and a bucket.

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

A

[foreheadpunch]

Hey.

[Hope you like teenage girls suddenly getting all up in your face, Doctor. Because one Erika Kurumi doesn't feel like respecting your personal space right now.

She's crouching right next to the old grump, glaring.]

What's with you? That was really rude just now, y'know!

[She's not even part of that couple. She's getting indignant on their behalf.]

[attack_eyebrows]

[He doesn't like it. As a matter of fact, he hates it, but at the moment he's a little too engrossed in whatever he's found at the base of this plant to get angry.

Without looking up, he points at Erika and then gestures forward.]

Hands. Now.

[foreheadpunch]

...Hah?

[Not the kind of response she was expecting. It wasn't even in the general vicinity of a response she was expecting.

...Which works in the Doctor's favor, because it means she's too confused to really question him and just kind of holds out her hands.]

Um. Like this?

[attack_eyebrows]

Just like that.

[And with a grunt, the Doctor lifts a larger, mud-clumped old rock out of the flowerbed and... promptly deposits it right into Erika's outstretched hands.]

Hold that for me.

[There's bugs on it.]

[foreheadpunch]

...Huh?

[It takes a moment for Erika to process what just happened. And then she just kind of... looks down at the rock, staring for a moment.

Then she realizes exactly what she's holding.]

Waaah!

[DROPPING THAT ROCK LIKE IT'S HOT, THANK YOU VERY MUCH.]

W-What the heck?! Gross!

[attack_eyebrows]

[The rock hits the ground with a thud and the Doctor looks over at it, rolling his eyes a bit in exasperation.]

Well, I suppose "hold this" is a little complicated as far as basic instructions go. I'll try to choose my words more carefully next time.

[foreheadpunch]

[Oh no, Doctor, you don't get to be the cranky one here.]

Why would I hold something with bugs crawling all over it, huh? What's wrong with you? Geeeeeeez!

It's just fine lying on the ground!

[attack_eyebrows]

[Erika, you are out of your cranky league here.]

Because--

[He stops short, looks down at the rock resting safely an unharmed on the ground then back at Erika and after a moment--]

-- there's no point in explaining, you wouldn't understand. It would be far too much for your tiny brain to contain.

[foreheadpunch]

[...

You are getting dangerously close to having a meltdown on your hands here, Doctor. In fact, the ground by that rock is starting to shake slightly.]

What's that supposed to mean?! What's your problem?! Just because I'm not holding your stupid, icky rock for you, doesn't mean you get to insult me!

[attack_eyebrows]

[Ground shaking. Seismic disturbance, or...? He presses a hand to the ground then looks at Erika. Ah, another emotional effect, is it...? Well, then, let's see how far this can go.]

Why not? It seems to be an accurate enough statement, considering you can't conjure up the coordination to carry an inanimate object for ten seconds. Why would I expect you to be able to comprehend any sort of explanation?

[It's nothing personal, Erika. There's science to be done.]

[foreheadpunch]

I didn't drop it because I couldn't hold it, I dropped it because I didn't want to hold it! Maybe you're the idiot here, if you can't even understand that!

[As she keeps going, the ground shakes more. This looks like it could become a problem. Oh dear.]

...And anyway, why the heck do you think you can order me around like that in the first place? It's rude! Really rude!

[attack_eyebrows]

[He can see it, feel it even, under his hand and feet. The shaking ground, growing more intense with the girl's emotions. Cause and effect are both plain as day but he's still missing the final piece, the key. He still can't identify the link between them.]

Well, you can't very well expect me to be polite when I have some emptyheaded ninny interrupting my work and dropping my samples. If you've no worthwhile contributions to make then go bother somebody else.

[Just a little more....]

[foreheadpunch]

It's not like I even wanted to bother you in the first place! But you were being really rude to those people earlier and someone had to tell you to knock it off!

...And will you stop it with the insults already? You... You big jerk!

[She actually stands up to glare down at him, but... Well, she's tiny, so it doesn't have much of an effect.

You know what does have an effect, though?

The shaking ground bursting open and spraying water everywhere. It's not a big hole, mind, but the resulting water spout is enough to drench the both of them.]

Wah--!

[...Erika blinks. She hadn't actually realized her emotions were affecting anything, clearly. The end result is one drenched, very confused girl. But hey, at least it's distracted her from her anger.]

[attack_eyebrows]

[Ground shaking, sure. Things falling over and/or apart, he'd certainly expected. Maybe even the ground splitting open.

That sudden water spout drenching him though? That's pretty unexpected.]

Well, then, [he stands up with a sigh, shaking out his coat a bit] I suppose I brought that on myself.

[He gives Erika a slight nod.]

This wound up being a little helpful after all. Thank for your assistance.