duolingos | beta testing 0.1: tutorial & dungeon

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.

LOADING...
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

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 :(

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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[roland jerks his head, and felix knows he's seen it, no matter how polite he's being about it.

well. now that it's... out in the open, and roland hasn't commented... he just gives up on covering it. they're out of the mingle, at least, so it doesn't matter now?? it's fine.

they march onward until they reach the training hall, which dodo kindly allows them into in the spirit of potential friendship, and felix makes a beeline for the training weapons.]

You said you use a spear. Are you any good with any other weapons?

[Trailing after Felix—Dodo is such a wondrous existence—Roland joins him a little farther down the display where the practice spears are mounted.]

Not in battle, no. But I've experience in hunting with the bow and arrow.

Hmph. [he picks up a training sword, weighing it in his hand, before selecting a different one, doing the same, and retaining it.]

Fine. Let's see what you can do. Spears have an advantage over swords, but that doesn't matter, because I'll beat you anyway.

[as he speaks, he moves towards the center of the room, squaring up to fight, as soon as roland's ready.]

[Roland runs a hand over the practice spears, then takes hold of them one at a time until he comes across the most suitable candidate in weight and size. Joining Felix in the center of the room, he stands a respectable distance away before bowing his head, eyes closed, with the spear clutched against himself. He takes a deep breath, during which he considers his options, then opens his eyes and snaps into position with the spear held at his side and the blunt point directed at Felix.

This unveils his name tag in full, which reads:
ROLAND GLENBROOK
DISGRACED KING

But the letters blur before long as Roland lunges at Felix.]

[ah. so that was the rest of it.

this is the last thought felix has before shutting out everything but the matter at hand: a fight. shooting forward, he engages directly with roland, weapons clashing and clattering together as they swing.

i refuse to type out a full fight thread, so i'm following what jan did and just listing the style. felix is quick! a strong, but mostly fast fighter, and it's clear he's got experience sparring off with lances and spears from the way he anticipates things. felix is constantly on the offensive, pushing attack after attack forward with bursts of strength. he's focused, but not unthinking—and despite his little announcement earlier, not as cocky in battle as he might be.

but he is a little reckless still, in a high-risk-high-reward sort of way.]

[Bless your heart.

Felix is experienced; this much, Roland can glean from the blows they exchange. Roland has his own share of experience—particularly against swordsmen—and aggression with which he meets his opponent, though recent years have instilled more wariness in his stance. Where Felix is reckless, Roland is defensive, which compensates for the difference in their speeds. He sidesteps as needed and leaps forward with deceptively strong thrusts, unyielding in his search for an opening.

Neither of them should be lacking in endurance. All things considered, they're likely to go head-to-head for a while.]

[and so it does: the spar stretches out, minute after minute, until they've both worked up quite a sweat. felix's bangs start sticking to his skin as he grunts through another parry. it's hard to find openings on roland, and in contrast to felix's aggressive offense, roland seems to simply have a kind of patience he lacks.

with a nimble step, felix disengages, and jumps back.]

Not bad.

[it's high praise, considering everything else he's said.

felix has endurance, but he's only human—he can't stop himself panting from the exertion of it all. pushing his hair out of his eyes, he spins the training sword lazily in his hand, stretching the moment out.]

Think you can go another round?

[Roland is persistent, but his body also has its limits. He pulls back, panting. His dominant arm feels hot as he points the spear down in acknowledgment of the break. It takes a moment for him to regain his breath now that he isn't caught up in the heat of a spar, and his words are even breathier than their usual once he's able to give them voice:]

. . . Yes, I think so.

[He swallows. How long has it been since he last exerted himself so? His skirmishes in recent years have been with desperate, untrained bandits. Felix is clearly leagues ahead of them, more like the skilled warriors with whom he's crossed blades in the past. Since Felix was generous enough to give him one, Roland returns the praise in kind.]

You fight well.

Hmph. Not well enough, if you're still standing. I'll knock you down this time.

[to his credit, felix gives enough time and space for roland to gather himself again, before shifting back into a fighting stance—pause—and launching himself anew.

again, i am not typing this out! however, felix is really pushing for any openings this time, and at even the hint of one, trying technique that, if successful, would disarm roland entirely—but leaving himself open in turn. despite its risk, it's all carried out with precision—but the gamble just doesn't pay off.

wreck his ass roland]

[Okay. Roland seizes this long-awaited opportunity to whoop Felix's ass!

That is, he narrowly evades the technique, which surely would've ended the spar right then and there if he were a split second slower. Then he throws himself at the subsequent opening with a shout and a thrust of the practice spear's blunt tip. It strikes true at Felix's chest—with nowhere near enough force to be fatal, but probably enough to bruise or ache for a while.]

[the spear hits home, and felix grunts at the force of it, biting back any pain he might be feeling from the impact. for a moment, he doesn't say anything at all, eyes locked on roland, the silence only punctuated by both of their breathy pants at the effort of the spar. then:]

I almost had you.

[it's a concession, of a sort.]

. . . You did.

[Only then does Roland pull back with a nod, straightening and regulating his breaths. He doesn't contest that at all.]

It could have easily ended in your favor.

[ . . . which means Roland still has a ways to go.]

It will next time.

[felix straightens up, sword hanging slack in his hand now. it's always frustrating, losing. a mark of how far he still has to travel to achieve his ideals. but a win tastes all the sweeter when it's rightly earned. slowly cracking his neck, he takes the moment to file away all of roland's little eccentricities in battle for their next encounter.

and then he has another go at prying his name tag off.]

This damn thing. I'm thirsty enough to go back to that cursed party, but not with this.

[Felix's futile attempt prompts Roland to awkwardly cover his own name tag with a hand, only to lower it after a beat. There's no sense in hiding what he's already exposed. The secret is out—if it ever really was one—and his energy is better off utilized elsewhere.

Although he doesn't step closer, he does return his attention to Felix with an apologetic smile.]

Shall I stand on that side?

[Then he can serve as a visual obstacle, and Felix can quench his thirst. Personally, Roland sees nothing wrong with crying; however, he understands the desire to keep those tears unseen.]

[ultimately he gives up, throwing a hand in the air as he returns his training weapon to the rack.]

It's pointless. I'll just drink from one of the taps in my room.

[he gives roland a thoughtful look, eyes resting briefly on his own nametag, before sliding off to the side.]

What about you? Will you go back?

. . . I believe I will use this time to better acquaint myself with the technology of this world.

[Nobody back at the mingle is going to miss his presence, which is just as well.

He moves to return the practice spear to its proper place, where his gaze lingers. Perhaps he would've been elated to claim this victory in his youth. Now, he finds that he doesn't feel much of anything.]

Hah. Struggling with something? What is it? Your phone? The microwave? Indoor plumbing?

[is this... projection?]

[Spot-on, too. He's struggling with everything. But one of them turns his head for the simple fact that he doesn't recognize it.]

What is a microwave?

A box that heats food.

[wait also]

You can't put metal things in it, though.

I imagine doing so would be dangerous.

[He's picturing a forge. Forges and food don't mix.]

Then does this box serve as an alternative to cooking over a fire?

Hmph. Metal explodes the box, for some reason. Anything else is fine.

[first-hand knowledge...?]

It has a different taste, but it's more efficient. You put food in, select the time to heat it, and it goes. It usually only takes a few minutes.

[Roland is impoverished, not stupid. "For some reason" means Felix probably must have exploded said box before. How frightening.]

That does sound rather efficient . . . though the same can be said of most things here, I'm sure.

I think some things were fine the way they were, but we don't exactly get a choice. [harumph]

I'll let you ask me a question about anything before I go. At this point, I think I can answer it.

. . . Would you care to keep our epithets between us?

[He's kept Felix long enough. If it's something technical, he can learn it in time with a bit of haste. But the matter of their name tags is something else, and one that he wishes to sort out before they part ways.]

Our what? [it takes him a moment—before he glances down.] Oh. That.

[hrgh]

...I don't care. Whatever we were before now doesn't matter, anyway. [he runs a hand through his hair, frowning.] It's just annoying if people start asking questions about it, that's all.

[for example "were you a cute kid"]

beta testing 0.1: tutorial & dungeon

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