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beta testing 0.1: tutorial & dungeon
beta testing 0.1
BETA NOTE: This log is being used for Duocaeli’s Tutorial & Dungeon Beta Testing. Please note that some game features are limited and will be noted in this format on pages, and an invitation is still required to play. Thank you and have fun!
"On" Tutorial
It’s pitch black. Is the darkness an old friend or a source of anxiety for you? Who’s to say what you were doing before, but right now there’s only one thing before your eyes: an ominous word over a slowly generating bar.
All at once - you’re plunged into color.
> A1. TUTORIAL START
If you’re lucky, the first sights that greet you are lush greenery, dancing street performers, and a grand statue of an elephant with assorted birds nesting nearby. Welcome to Avisle’s Town Square.After a quick once-over, you’ll find that everything that you had on you before arriving is accounted for–so if you were barefoot and in your pajamas, you might not have much–with one notable addition: a glowing crystal in your pocket. The roughly cut gem fits in your palm and is already fastened on a chain for you. Convenient!
Soon after finding it, the crystal will begin to project information in front of you that is remarkably legible, even if you’ve never seen these particular runes before. It reads: New Worldwalker’s Checklist. Below, a series of tick boxes await you. You may need to start asking around or exploring. Seems like you’ve got things to do!
If you’re less fortunate, it seems you’ve landed just a bit outside the maintained grounds of the city itself. Somehow you’ve spawned in the middle of a pack of wolves. Huh! Well. You can see the city not too far from here, so maybe if you’re quick… Time to learn on your feet!
Whenever you do get to safety and complete the same inventory of your person, the crystal will respond to you just the same. Apparently you just decided to play on Hard Mode.
> A2. THE BUSTLING GUILD TOWN
☑️ Join a Guild
Avis Isle is a deeply uncharted place, welcoming explorers and curious adventurers. The Guilds do their best to provide structure for the city proper and for those getting a grasp of their magic; the Interguild Alliance (IGA) oversees the Guild Hub where quests are posted and dungeon crawls are organized. While there are all sorts of Guilds around, there are five main wings for each of the Grand 5.
Why not get to know them better? NPCs will call you over and try to encourage you to join them, some with challenging jeers and others with sincere, kind invitations–don’t you know that the very first guild that you join is free? Choose wisely! The guild’s mascot animal, some type of Avian, sits upon a very nice and color-coded throne in their respective wing awaiting your choice. Once you’ve made your selection, it will croon (or honk) at you, and your membership is complete. While you can’t actually hear the words, you have a feeling you’ve been told something like, “Now get to work, fresh meat!”
—Though if you're dallying, guilds aren't without mischief. A stray bird (though never The Throned Mascot Bird) may suddenly run by, webbed feet slapping on tile, and steal one of your items before ducking into the respective wing of their guild. The same goes for those that try to leave without joining a guild. Theft is a great marketing strategy, right?
> A3. BEGINNER’S QUEST: DUNGEON CRAWL
For all new worldwalkers, there is one quest that you must complete upon joining the server. Some call it fun-datory, some call it hazing. Don’t worry about it! Your crystal will blink at you before providing the details of the quest:
☑️ Dungeon Mission:
Retrieve the Hiccuping Hifloon
Retrieve the Hiccuping Hifloon
Though should there come a moment that you find yourself low on energy, whether it be from simple exhaustion or magic use, your communication crystal will flash. A new understanding will come to you: it is possible to transfer mana to one another via gestures of affection, borrowing from your traveling partner’s own energy. Why don’t you go and try it now? Holding a hand might just make you feel better, and not just emotionally!
> A4. TUTORIAL END
And with that, you’ve wrapped up the Duocaeli tutorial! Congratulations!! That said, while it's understandable to get off-track—if you outright ignore the prompts from your to-do list, you’ll find yourself respawning in front of the goal you need to accomplish! Come on, work with us a little here. Or don’t? You can be trapped in a loop if you really want.
Now you’re free to explore the rest of town. While there are some land masses in the distance, out past the wolves, it seems they're not quite open to you at the moment. Attempts to wander closer will lead to you getting turned right back around, and some glitchy text coming from your Communication Crystal that reads SERVER TRAFFIC.
If you poke around the options on your Communication Crystal, or just spend long enough logged on confused, you will eventually find it prompting you through the steps of Logging Out. Seems like there’s more still that awaits you.
"OFF" Tutorial
> B1. HOME SWEET HOME
When you awaken in the OFF world, the pressure on the front of your face is a little more apparent. Taking off the digital visor is easy—and it can turn compact right in your hand! Getting it to snap back into your cell phone just right might be a pain, thank goodness it’s durable—oh right, did we mention you have a cell phone? Whether you’re familiar with the device or not, it’s right there in your palm, the same color as your Duocaeli crystal. A closer examination of your clothes will also reveal that while your threads are familiar, they’re not exactly what you had in Duocaeli. Ever heard of a department store? They’re a little more like what you’d find there! Finally, your phone will suddenly beep and provide you with a new checklist, starting with:☑️ Locate Domus Hosus Room
Seems like the first one is to find your room… But as you take a closer look around you, you might finally notice it—the way that the tiles on the floor seem to be shuddering in excitement at your awakening, the opening and closing of windows and cabinets to get your attention and say hi. Not only is the house alive, it seems to be happy to see you! Make your request—maybe a passing soul tells you that the house likes to be called Dodo, rather than the formal Domus Hosus—and see if it can be answered! Dodo so wants you to be comfortable here.
…and perhaps be a little mischievous? As you try to find your room, designated by your name on a plaque, you might be in for a surprise. Maybe the stairs suddenly turn into a slide, prompting you to tumble into another person. Perhaps the doors flicker and switch at the last second, prompting you to find an unfamiliar neighbor instead of your own lodgings. Is this what they call… a meet cute?
> B2. SURVIVE THE INTERNET
☑️ Post on DUONET
You have some questions, right? Don’t worry, whether for the inquisitive mind or the petty complaint, there’s always the internet! Through your cell phone, you’ll be prompted and guided through the steps of posting on DUONET, which is available to your fellow Worldwalkers. Don’t forget there’s also an Anonymous function, though it’s not without its own hiccups!
> B3. HELLO, MY NAME IS
At some point in your exploration, you’ll be interrupted by a neat little beep beep! On the screen of your phone:
☑️ Go to Dodo's Welcome Mingle
Or It'll Be Sad It Worked Really Hard On It :(
Or It'll Be Sad It Worked Really Hard On It :(
O-Oh. No reason not to drop in for a little while at least, right? Heading down to the Lobby of the Dodo House will reveal that it's been spruced up for all the new arrivals—sweet little string lights and dinky party streamers probably look a little silly against the grand art nouveau architecture, but don't you see how the lights surge happily at your arrival? It's the thought that counts!
All arrivals to the party will also find themselves with a name tag that lists one fact about them, regardless of whether it's a closely guarded secret or an actual fun fact! Those are impossible to think of when you're put on the spot—isn't it nice to have one thought of for you?
> B4. THE GOOD FORTUNE CITY
Once you're done partying, you and your newfound friends are free to hit the town. There are an unusual amount of signs that read CLOSED FOR PRIDE PARADE PREP, but you'll at least find that the local convenience stores and basic modern amenities are open.
Perhaps you should focus on the way other people here treat you so familiarly, as though you’ve been here all your life. Maybe some of it is jogging your memory, maybe not. Regardless, it seems that, for now, you’re here to stay. The question is how, or whether, you’ll make the best of it.
OOC Notes
During Beta Testing, we'd like to remind players that we're accepting any and all feedback that could help us improve the game before official start!
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duocaeli duologs duolingosTaken / Applications / Hiatus & Drops
FULL NAVIGATION
do u want bear i can gift u bear
I see... They are called "tsukumogami" where I'm from. Object spirits. Do you have other sorts, then? Not necessarily those that come from objects, but perhaps ones that come from humans?
IN THE LOBBY?
[What a mouthful, yet an intriguing one.]
When we speak of spirits, we refer to the hearts of living beings.
:3c
[At least that's a concept he's also familiar with. Thanks, theology!]
Does the spirit only exist when it is within the heart of a living being, then?
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. . . I cannot say. I'm only familiar with the spirit in abstract metaphors.
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A place like this must be quite a bit to adjust to, in that case.
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[The word he's grasping for is modern. The adjustment has been massive, but there's nothing to be done than to experiment and try. The mere idea of being in another world is downright bizarre; it helps that others appear to share his predicament.]
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I do not believe so... But I would hazard that this is roughly equivalent to the 2000s or so in the place that I'm from. If you have any questions, I might be able to help answer them.
[That's a very loose "might".]
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[He procures the cell phone from a jacket pocket. He's managed to complete a couple tasks on it, but, after what he put Riku through, a little more in the way of explanation can't hurt.]
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I have never had one for myself, but I know what it is, yes. A cellphone, primarily used for communication. You can use it to call someone, in which case you may speak with them like we are speaking now. I believe you can also send "texts", which are like letters, but short and immediately received by the other party.
[Ah, being able to explain things like a ye olde because you are a ye olde.]
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In any case, Roland appreciates the pellucid explanation, unbelievable as the advancement of technology is. But seeing is believing, and he's already utilized a few of the phone's functions.]
How incredible . . . Are such feats made possible by the spirits?
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But oh... That's honestly such a cute misunderstanding to him in the sense that it's also very familiar, and he can't help but smile faintly before shaking his head.]
If it is the same as it was in my world, then no. These are the creations of people, through the use of technology. It is the same sort of thing that powers the lights and the cars in the city.
[Which isn't totally accurate but eh, close enough for a sword explaining things to a boomer.]
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This talk of worlds is truly jarring. Yet how else can he explain any of this? He hasn't the breadth of imagination to conjure up a dream this vast. It makes him question everything he knows, hence:]
The lights of Norzelia are powered by lumistones. Does your world share this source?
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I have never heard of such a thing before. [Shaking his head... Honestly it goes for both Norzelia and also lumistones.] The primary source that powers technology and lights in the modern time would be electricity, if I am recalling correctly.
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Electricity?
[He echoes the word with some awkwardness in the enunciation.]
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[He lives in a weird time bubble, his experience is funky at best.]
That is a job for a scientist, perhaps. [So close and yet so far.]
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[Roland isn't in a rush to know. Should he happen across a scholar sometime soon, he'll ask then. More importantly, he's grateful for Matsui's generosity.]
If I may . . . whence do you come?
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[But he'll dip his head a little in a "you're welcome" sort of gesture, anyway. THAT SAID:]
My name is Matsui Gou, and I'm from Japan. [Which his nametag already says, but he's probably forgotten he's wearing it for the fiftieth time, anyway.] Ah - that is the country's name. Is it familiar to you?
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The only countries I know of are those nested in the continent of Norzelia. I'm afraid anything beyond its borders is unfamiliar to me.
[Even on the off chance that their worlds are one and the same, he wouldn't know.]
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[And despite how cavalier he sounds, it really is a freaky experience.]
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[Some he's spoken to have left such an impression. If not for them and his experiences today, he wouldn't have been able to fathom the very concept.]
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Then again, in a situation like this... how much does secrecy actually matter...]
...Roughly speaking, I suppose you could say so. Though even for me, something like this is extremely out of the ordinary.
[To say the least.]
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I can hardly begin to imagine how it was possible. I recall looking up at the sky . . . and then I was surrounded by a pack of wolves, witness to magic I hadn't seen before.
[Walking across the lobby would take more time and energy from his end. He glances down at himself. He can't even recognize who this is supposed to be.]
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[The bear that i aki forcibly threw into this setting. It's still out there somewhere, bearing away, eating the honey it stole from a runaway cart... Anyway, the vibes are definitely very (annoyed) when he considers their stupid predicaments upon arrival. Hateful!!]
But as far as transitions are considered, I suppose it could have been worse... [He sounds reluctant to say that even though he knows it's true...] --Were you able to make it out of there without too much trouble?
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He nods.]
I was assisted by another worldwalker. The wolves weren't especially strong, but they were many.
[He assumes it was the same for Matsui, seeing as they're both standing here.]
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Anyway, he's just nodding, so same hat! Presumably.]
Yes... It took more effort than I would have expected to ensure that we escaped safely. Even then, the execution left a lot to be desired.
[WHOSE FAULT WAS THAT.]
At the very least, it seems like the dangers are limited to that world.
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