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duocaeli mods ([personal profile] gamedevs) wrote in [community profile] duolingos2023-01-13 11:40 am

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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solecsudo: (redraw - ?)

[personal profile] solecsudo 2023-01-14 12:49 am (UTC)(link)
[ringo your pattern recognition........ i wrote "our" first which is also probably accurate. what's my pattern recognition like? no idea. anyway for better or for worse, sion is, as canon likes to remind us every volume, a genius so. his pattern recognition is probably good.]

Hm... yes, that looks like it's on the right track.
hexensabbat: (when you’ve spelt things wrong.)

[personal profile] hexensabbat 2023-01-14 01:03 am (UTC)(link)
[yeah mood honestly. Puzzles? Not my strong suit. Why did I make this a prompt.]

Okay... okay, good.

[SO FAR SO GOOD.

There is less and less air in here and Ringo thinks it's very unfair they saw fit to give her functioning lungs.]


Just a little more... I think.
solecsudo: (manga - balcony)

[personal profile] solecsudo 2023-01-14 01:06 am (UTC)(link)
Mm-hmm...

[




sion is a hypocrite because he himself is not going to say anything when he's starting to feel light-headed. it's fine. he just focuses on solving the puzzle.]


We should be okay...
hexensabbat: (to try for a baby)

[personal profile] hexensabbat 2023-01-14 01:11 am (UTC)(link)
[.................. humans.

If she's starting to feel light-headed, then he especially must be, right? He looks young. Younger than her body, anyway, which means--



Well, anyway. She locks in the last bit of the puzzle.]


Okay, that... should do it! All locked in.

[With his help, it's correct--and all of the valves open, alongside the exit.

SWEET AIR.]


... Whewww! Way too close.
solecsudo: (manga - cancellation)

[personal profile] solecsudo 2023-01-14 01:13 am (UTC)(link)
[...

he lets out a sigh of relief when the valves open, as well as trying to take in a discreet breath of air.]


Well done, miss. Dying via locked room was never quite how I pictured my fate...
hexensabbat: (the spellchecker)

[personal profile] hexensabbat 2023-01-14 01:26 am (UTC)(link)
I try not to picture that sort of fate at all.

[It's fine! Surely! This is all fine.]

You doing okay? Not too light-headed?
solecsudo: (manga - polite)

[personal profile] solecsudo 2023-01-14 01:34 am (UTC)(link)
[there's a flicker of a grimace because ugh the remnants of oxygen deprivation suck, before he flashes ringo a smile.]

No need to worry about me, I'm fine.
hexensabbat: (Added new emote: the eye roll)

[personal profile] hexensabbat 2023-01-14 01:37 am (UTC)(link)
When you put it like that, I feel like I should worry even more...

[Said casually and simply.]
solecsudo: (manga - headtilt)

[personal profile] solecsudo 2023-01-14 01:42 am (UTC)(link)
I don't know what you mean by that.
hexensabbat: (that fanart to your mom)

[personal profile] hexensabbat 2023-01-14 02:00 am (UTC)(link)
It means I know a lot of people who like to overestimate themselves, or downplay how bad something is.
solecsudo: (novel - cast)

[personal profile] solecsudo 2023-01-14 02:01 am (UTC)(link)
Haha, your concern is appreciated, miss. But really, don't worry about it.
hexensabbat: (pregnant Sims can no longer brawl)

[personal profile] hexensabbat 2023-01-14 02:05 am (UTC)(link)
Hmmm... if you say so.

[shrug!]

Anyway, it's Ringo. I guess we were kind of pressed for time buuuut... we can introduce ourselves now to make up for it.
solecsudo: (manga - safe journey)

[personal profile] solecsudo 2023-01-14 02:14 am (UTC)(link)
[with a polite bow of his head]

It's nice to meet you, Miss Ringo, and thank you for your assistance with the puzzle. My name is Sion.

[no last name, just in case. can't be too careful when you're royalty stuck elsewhere on your own.]
hexensabbat: (fired peter.)

[personal profile] hexensabbat 2023-01-14 02:18 am (UTC)(link)
Oh, wow, "Miss"... haven't heard that one before.

[It's cute and weird... she's not mad about it though.]

Thanks for your help too. We got through it together, after all.

Wanna see what's through the exit?
solecsudo: (redraw - ?)

[personal profile] solecsudo 2023-01-14 02:22 am (UTC)(link)
[a tilt of his head]

Is it inappropriate?

[feels discourteous to just call people by their name with no honorifics...]

But yes, let's.
hexensabbat: (due to band affiliation)

[personal profile] hexensabbat 2023-01-14 02:29 am (UTC)(link)
[Time to walk onwards!!]

Huh? Oh, no, not at all. If anything, it's just more polite than I'm used to. I don't mind it, though.
solecsudo: (manga - headtilt)

[personal profile] solecsudo 2023-01-14 03:01 am (UTC)(link)
I see. It's common where I'm from...

[... or rather, it's common because he's generally surrounded by nobility, so a certain degree of etiquette is expected. he doesn't say that part, however.]
hexensabbat: (Weave added a spell checker)

[personal profile] hexensabbat 2023-01-14 03:08 am (UTC)(link)
Maybe I just hang around rude people!

[it's funny because she does.]

That just makes it even more refreshing, though.
solecsudo: (manga - rejected)

[personal profile] solecsudo 2023-01-14 03:15 am (UTC)(link)
[he can't say anything about hanging around rude people considering how tsun some of his friends get towards him]

Haha, I'll keep it up, then.
hexensabbat: (Added new emote: the eye roll)

[personal profile] hexensabbat 2023-01-14 03:36 am (UTC)(link)
[She looks amused at his answer (what a charming kid), before she looks forward aaaand...!!

double-checks


okay yeah they're on the boss fight now. When the giant chicken slams in, Ringo pauses.]


... huh?
solecsudo: (manga - ?)

[personal profile] solecsudo 2023-01-14 03:46 am (UTC)(link)







I'm not sure what I was expecting.
hexensabbat: (appropriate levels)

[personal profile] hexensabbat 2023-01-14 03:47 am (UTC)(link)
I was expecting something way more threatening than this.

[DON'T JINX IT, RINGO.]
solecsudo: (redraw - god i hate keywords)

[personal profile] solecsudo 2023-01-14 03:53 am (UTC)(link)
[what's there to worry about it's not like it has a super mode where its difficulty level spikes or anything..............]

... Don't judge a book by its cover yet, perhaps? We'll see.
hexensabbat: (to go siege something)

[personal profile] hexensabbat 2023-01-14 04:33 am (UTC)(link)
I mean, I guess it'd be convenient if it really is this simple...

[She'll "draw" her sword (ie make it form from the diamond pattern around her leg in the most extra way possible), taking a ready stance.]

Are you combat-ready?
solecsudo: (redraw - sword1)

[personal profile] solecsudo 2023-01-14 05:08 am (UTC)(link)
[wtf why does everyone get fancy moves and he just has to withdraw his sword from its sheath like a normie]

Ready.

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