After we encountered Gerald and another female player (who i couldn't identify), our two artists got into a deep discussion. The amount of unknown words and scene terms was so high, that after a while, i decided to nicely say my goodbyes and go off on my own.
Right now, I'm sitting ankle-deep in the gentle waves of the lake. The quiet, rhythmic furring of little stones, moved around on the sand by the waves, is relaxing. Debby was right, the water really is cold, the feeling of wetness on my skin, also feels real.
In this Idyllic atmosphere, the thought that I'm actually inside a simulation, feels ... disturbing ... but unavoidable. It's also nothing, that i want to fight against, this would be equal to loosing the sense for reality.
While enjoying the peacefulness, my Eyes are following the small groups of players along the coast of the Lake. Witch, i had to realize, is bigger then i first thought. Two women are joyfully screaming, while they are splashing water at each other. [I hope they don't catch a cold ... wait ... is that even possible here?] I feel how my feed are slowly getting cold too. Even if its not possible for my avatar to get sick from that, it still could reflex psychologically on our physical body. Then, i could start “feeling” sick, because my brain “thinks” that i got cold. [I better not risk it.]
I hastily walk out of the water and put the slipper-like shoes of my avatar back on. The design of the shoes looks improvised, but that doesn't make them uncomfortable.
On my further exploration down the shore, i stumble upon a surprising and obscure scene. On one of the bigger rocks, which are not many around here, there is a man sitting. Or rather he is “crouching” on the highest spot of it to be precise, whitch would be about two meters above ground. The whole time while i was getting closer to him, he didn't move even an inch. He is totally rigid, looking to the horizon. At first, i wasn't even sure if it's one of us, or some crazy Quest-NPC, but his clothes and the rest of his look are to similar to that of the others and my own.
After i finally -with slight discomfort- get closer and think about if i should greet him, or just walk by, he surprisingly turns his head to me. The thing, that was so disturbing about that, was, that during this unhasty movement, he turned just his head, but not the wide opened eyes of him. The slight smile on his face seemed like frozen. In the current twilight, the whole situation appears, like it's out of a low budget horror film.
???: “Greetings, dreamer!”
There is just one person, who would greet me like that ...
Nicolas: “... Tamirat?”
Tamirat: “I am afraid, you are mistaken. Tamirat I am, When I am awake. Now i am ...”
He looks down on his own body.
Tamirat: “... Someone else ... I am dreaming about a stranger, who meets strangers, whom he still knows.”
He said it in a calm way, so it doesn't seem like that circumstance is bothering him.
Nicolas: “Don't worry, this appearance is just borrowed. We will have the chance to adjust our Avatars, before the beta-test beginns. You may look how ever you want, then.”
Tamirat: “Then we will meet again there. Maybe then, we will not be strangers anymore.”
Nicolas: “I'm looking forward to it!”
The short conversation seems to be at an end already and i see off with a phrase, that seams appropriate to the situation:
Nicolas: “I wish you nice dreams!”
It feels weird, when i say something like that. Like, it doesn't belong to me.
Tamirat: “You too, my friend, you too.”
I go past the rock and as i turn around after a view steps, he is already gone. [Where did he go?] I hastily look around in the area, but he is nowhere seen. [I hope he didn't went hunting, or something like that, already …] Games have other rules for that, then reality. He would at least need beginner equipment and not just his hands. That aside, i don't even know, if there are any foes nearby. [I hope not ...]
I wonder, if Tamirat knows anything about on-line games? Or Games at all? [… Unlikely!] But I probably shouldn't judge him hastily on that. I remember how he recently said that the digital world gives new color to his dreams. It's possible, that he already has a lot of experience in VR-games and knows his way around, Maybe even better then me … Thats something i could ask him, next time we see each other.
I get ripped out of my thoughts, as a small shadow suddenly rushes over the pale sand away from me and stops again after half a meter with a plopping sound.
[What ... ?] Even if it didn't really scared me, i still have to fight off the urge to recede from it.
As i look closer, i can make out the contours of a frog. Its clear enough to roughly see what it is, but still to dark to recognize what color it is.
Further ahead are a view people, who are leisurely walking in my direction, but right now, the small slimy creature gets my full attention.
So, there are also critters around here! Is there a way to interact with them, or are they just part of the surrounding? When an interaction is possible, then i should be able to select it ... [Ok, how was that gesture again?] I gradually recover the explanations of Mr. Matsugami from my memory ...
[Here we go] I point my index- and middle finger at the frog. A gesture, that should be recognized by the engine as a selection command. The frog gets a pale-red frame around it. I spread my fingers, witch symbolize, that I'm satisfied with my selection. In the same instant, a small window appears above the creature, that yields its name and health points:
{Green Lake-Frog} {HP: 1/1}
The Name seems rather specific. It leads to the conclusion that there are other kinds, that differs from each other at least in color and habitat. And a health bar means, that it can be killed.
The sudden attention on his person is not appreciated by him and the frog, who is just half a hand big, makes a view repellent jums away from me, but seems to make sure to stay near the water, while doing so. The Window with his Information is following his movements. While watching him, i notice a symbol on the right side of the Info-window, that shows a closed lock. I point at the lock and stretch out my thumb – the command to open, or activate something. The symbol changes to an open lock and the small window stops following the creature. Instead, a mini-health bar appears above the little critter, that continues to follow his movements and a thin, shimmering line connects the two of them. The Window itself can now be placed freely in my view.
Even when the stressed out frog finally jumps in the water, i can still follow his movements by his health bar. [Interesting!]
The small group of three people finally has arrived at me and a friendly, female voice demands my attention.
???: “What are you doing there?”
The Greeting is, aside from friendly, a bit abrupt.
I turn my self to the group.
Nicolas: “I'm trying to get friendly with the locals.”
A man and two women are curiously looking at me. Now, that i see two of the female avatars next to each other, i notice how similar they look. If they wouldn't have different hair color and coiffure, one could think that they are twins, or clones. I hope the NPC's are made with more individuality.
The women to the left, with short black hair, that appeals to be a bit to modern to me and does not fit her clothing at all, is getting curious:
?Black haired?: „What locals?“
Nicolas: „Just a Frog. I tried a view game mechanics on him.“
The other Women, who has long, blond, braided hair, instantly hides behind the black-haired man and starts to whimper tensely:
?Blondie?: „What? There are frogs around here? ...“
She looks hastily around the ground.
?Blondie?: „ ... I don't like frogs!“
Nicolas: „If that calms you: they don't like you either.“
?Blondie?: „Thats not funny, frogs are yucky!“
?Black haired?: „Is there even one here?“
Nicolas: „He just fled from me. Over there!“
They look in the direction, i am pointing to.
?Black haired?: „Hmm, where?“
Nicolas: „He jumped in the water. I guess, i was getting on his nerves.“
?Blondie?: „Waah, lets leave here, before he returns.“
?Black haired?: „You have a frog-phobia, or something?“
?Blondie?: „Hrrmmm …“
The blond women clings to her companions arm and drags him with her. Her behavior seems too childish for her adult appearance. The other women throws a suffering look at me, while seeing off, waving her hand.
?Black haired?: „Well, it seems like we have to go again. See ya!“
Nicolas: "Watch where you're going, you don't want to step on the locals."
I watch them for a view long moments.
[Who where they?] I didn't recognize any of them. At best, i could say who they weren't. [How much of a difference it makes, if someone gets a different face!] And what about that silent agreement to not introduce one selves, even if you are aware, that people don't recognize you? [The next person i meet, i will ask the name of! Or even better: I will just introduce myself.]
Suddenly, the small window, that i placed in the upper-left corner of my view, disappears. I look back at the place, where i last saw the Frog. The health-bar is also not there anymore. Maybe the little one just got out of reach, or the connection gets interrupted if there is no interaction for too long. [Or ...] He may have gotten himself eaten, by something larger ...
A mixed feeling of curiosity and uneasiness comes over me. I stick out my index- and middle finger out again and drive my hand around for a while, while pointing at the surface of the lake. I managed to find a view small fishes and two other frogs, but nothing bigger than that. [But i should refrain from going in to the water for now, Just in case.]
That leads me to a thought, that tingles my curiosity again: [What about the rest of the surrounding?] I turn around to face the forest and begin to search it with my hand. My View slowly starts to clutter with info-windows:
{Gray sparrow} {HP: 1/1}
{Forest Owl} {HP: 5/5}
{Shrew} {HP: 1/1}
{Small Hedgehog} {HP 1/1}
…
It seems, we are not as alone here as i thought.
Next, i turn my hand halve around. An order to switch through pages of a document, or – like in this case – different selection groups. The selectable objects change immediately.
{Ginsel-herb} {HP: 1/1}
{Nose-shroom} {HP 1/1}
{Cross-bearries} {HP 1/1}
{Loop-fern} {HP 1/1}
Herbs seems to be destroyable too, at least they have health points.
I switch through the other selection groups and get trees and stones shown in the area, but with considerably more health points. There are also selection groups, that doesn't show anything. They must be for things, that are not currantly around here. [Maybe buildings, or something like that.] In any case, the reach for the selecting seems to be restricted to about 10-15 meters.
I point with spread fingers at one of the info-windows and put them together. The command to close or deactivate something. The Window disappears. After that, I close the rest of them, one after another.
[Hmmm ... Am i imagining things, or is it getting brighter?] I turn back to the Lake, to get a batter impression. There is in fact a red shimmering over the trees, that begins to cover the area in a mysterious red aura. The same heavy red, as the Dawn at that one day ... A cold shiver runs down my back. [Better not to think about it ...]
I try to shake off the growing uneasiness. [It's not the same forest and it's not the same dawn. And i am also not the same as then.] Despite my affords to stay rationally, pictures, that i don't want to see, start flashing in my head...
???: „Yo, Nicolas!“
Out of instinct, i look at the voice, that calls out to me. About 50 meters away, there is a man standing with a raised hand. I think, it's Collins avatar. I can see him clearly. [Has it gotten brighter again? How long am i standing here?] I greet him back, though i feel a bit light headed, like i just got awoken from a slumber.
Collin: „The others found a path, that leads in to the woods. Wona' tag along?“
Right now, every distraction is welcome to me.
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