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uploadedmeme2018-08-18 12:01 am
uploadedmods) wrote in uploadedmeme2018-08-18 12:01 am
Entry tags:
Test Drive
TEST DRIVE 001
-TDM threads can be considered game canon if players involved agree & if it suits any roles you may decide to choose for the current plot.
-Any reserving player that does not submit an app by Saturday morning will be subject to challenging applicants.
-Participation in the Test Drive is worth a flat 10 points per month rather than per thread, and you must have a minimum of 5 comments in that month to qualify for it.
-This TDM is good for the duration of the Mist setting. A new TDM will go up before the next setting.
The NETWORK for this setting is a voice-only walkie talkie system that can be used to communicate between all locations. The default channel will be open to all walkie talkies, but characters can change to an unused channel for private conversation.
of note: There seems to be something strange about these walkie talkies, in that there is no static. The quality is disturbingly crystal clear, like the person you're speaking to is right next to you instead of miles away.
CONTENT WARNING: Some prompts contain gore, character death, and substance abuse.
Applications will open Saturday, September 15 until Saturday, September 22
The lights above you are a blindingly, pristine white. The walls around you curve up into the ceiling like the inside of an MRI machine. Your hands, feet, and midsection are strapped to a clinical table, and minutes seem to tick by, with no clear course for escape presenting itself to you.
The curved white space above you flickers with color, and a perfect square like a television screen expands before your eyes. It pans over what appears to be a town, something small and simply populated.
“Hello, and welcome to your first setting,” a neutrally cadenced feminine sounding voice begins, riding the line between human and machine. As she speaks, captions of the text type themselves in neat and perfect Arial font. “The location is loosely based off Bridgton, Maine, United States of America, Earth. The year is 2007. You have been selected to participate. Obedience ensures an enjoyable and immersive experience for our audience. If you have been granted a role, instructions will follow. Do not talk about the role. Do not attempt disobedience. If you have not been granted a role, your objective for this round is simple: survive.”
After that, the shackles may release promptly and allow your character to roam free. Or perhaps not — perhaps they've been given a role to play, and if so, further instructions will play out upon the screen. Once suitably briefed, characters will be released to their own devices. Beware the mist.
learn from the mistakes of others
A pair of unperturbed mall inhabitants decide to chance the mist. They're the first of a handful to trickle out the front doors, and they seem to get by just fine. About a minute ticks by, and they disappear completely into the dense fog that presses in from every direction. It's so anticlimactic that for a moment it almost seems stupid to feel uncomfortable by the sight of it.
Until precisely one half of a body is hurled abruptly and with great force from an indeterminate point in the obscurity. It's not a top half or a bottom half; no, it's a cleanly sliced left half, head to toe as though a neat line were cut down the middle. It slams into the transparent glass doors and crumples before them, still and obviously unmoving, slowly leaking.
After a few seconds, a dark tendril of something reaches out, curls around the jutting left ankle, and drags it with painstaking slowness back into the fog.
At least the rest of them probably made it, right?
Right?
Hopefully you weren't one of the others to follow their lead. If you were, that dark shape seems to be closing in awfully quick.
eff this, let's bounce
A pair of car keys can be found discarded or perhaps dropped in their owners' haste. Braving the mist when it's at its lightest and pressing the key fob will cause a car to beep politely, flashing lights to indicate its location in the fog. Take anyone willing to go with you and pile in. Try to get the hell out of dodge!
An excellent idea....
Within five miles of the car's journey the battery will die and the engine will stall. Consider yourselves effectively stranded and with no one but yourselves to blame. Perhaps help will come if you wait long enough? Hours, surely no more than a few days... Maybe you should consider braving the fog to get back? Five miles can feel like a hundred in conditions like these.
Either way, it seems like you're trapped in the car for about as long as R. Kelly got trapped in the closet during that one unfortunate CD.
radio chatter
Characters in the library and the church will be able to communicate via walkie talkie radio chatter immediately! Characters in the mall will not have this ability until later in the month, so any network style threads with a mall character will take place during Week Two of the October plot or later, after most people have already been fully introduced to the setting and given time to adapt.
Employee of the Month (Multiple)
Some characters will be printed wearing a designated kiosk uniform, their name sloppily stickered in slightly crooked letters onto a Dippin' Dots badge, or whatever store they may happen to be assigned to. The cool voice that introduces them to the mist will carry on to tell them that they'll be playing employee # _____ in this month's immersive experience. Their motivations and objectives are simple: go to work.
Except the role seems to be bugged, because they can never not go to work. If they leave the five or six foot radius of their designated post they'll begin to experience consequences, which worsen in severity based on distance and duration. The role doesn't end at mall closing, it doesn't end on Saturdays, it simply doesn't end. Hopefully next month's code push will have a bug fix; we apologize for the inconvenience.
(If choosing to keep these threads as game canon, the role will wear off within the first in-game week)
Aggravated Assault
Congratulations, participant! You will be playing the role of a CONVICTED FELON having recently been released on parole. Your motivation for this month's immersive experience is frustration. Having undergone hard time, you'll find that we have increased your aggression and temper characteristics, and lowered your inhibitions. Your objective is to find and begin an altercation with Snuff the Rooster, who will be playing the role of the person who turned you in, NARK. Your altercation must take place in a public space with witnesses, and may not stop until Snuff the Rooster is unconscious, evicted from the mall, or someone intervenes.
Thank you for your participation!
Consequences for not completing the objective in this role can be moderate to severe.
Snuff the Rooster
Congratulations, participant! You will be playing the role of NARK. Formerly a close friend and ally of CONVICTED FELON from Aggravated Assault, you were quick to roll on them during police questioning in exchange for your freedom. Your motivation is to turn over a new leaf, and get your shit together. Your objective is to survive the altercation.
Thank you for your participation!
The Lovers (Duo Role)
Congratulations, participant! You will be playing one half of a partnership role! Please seek out (character 2). Your motivation this round is love, and the need to protect your partner from threats both inside and outside of the mall. Your objectives is to greet your lover with a kiss and place them above all others. Do not act like strangers.
Consequences for not completing the objective in this role or failing to present a convincing couple can be mild to moderate.
Pathological
Congratulations, participant! You will be playing a background character in our current setting. Your motivation is to tell lies; at least one third of what you say must be unarguably untrue. Your objective is to keep these lies from being discovered as false.
Consequences for not complying with this role can vary from mild to severe, with the compulsion to tell larger and larger lies growing as time goes on.
Scared Speechless
Congratulations, participant! You will be playing a background character in our current setting. You may choose one person, stranger or otherwise. This is the only person you may communicate with, either verbally or through writing.
Consequences for not complying with this role are severe.
potency error
Someone seems to have miscalculated the relative strength of intoxicants; all inhibition-altering substances seem to have been cranked up to eleven. One shot has the strength of three, though the taste seems to stay exactly the same. One or two drinks will quickly creep up on you. One of the joints found discarded in the bathroom trashcans will easily green you out. God forbid you've got anything stronger.
greatest movie of all time
Settling in to the relatively nice theater found at the far end of the mall is a decent way to make the time go by. The projectors are automated, and there are six different theaters that show flicks at scheduled times.
Except that every single one of them is showing Spider-Man 3. Every single one, every single showing, no matter what is advertised, becomes Spider-Man 3. That's how you know this is a horror game. Hope you didn't wander in by mistake because the doors will shut behind you and leave you to watch the entire showing. Please keep your feet off of the seats.
please replace toner cartridge
It seems there was an error in printing someone this first time around; everything came through but the visuals somehow. Your character is flesh and blood, fully formed, wearing tangible clothes even, but are completely invisible. Donning additional clothing causes it to clip out and then promptly disappear. Taking clothes off will cause them to reappear. Hopefully this gets fixed in the next lite patch.
(If choosing to keep these threads as game canon, the glitch will wear off within the first in-game week)
no subject
...
Wait.
But lying to Takasugi would prove the easiest way to fill his role. There is no way he could let this guy weasel away when he finally could be useful instead of just some annoying screentime gobbler.
So he quickly steps forward.]
Nah, nah. Remember when I taught you what hole you needed to be looking for? Or maybe when you couldn't draw a map to save your life? Now look where you are. You're welcome, y'know. So go grab me some sake.
[And he's grabbing at Takasugi again. He noticed that the other had stared for longer than he had in years. A moment of weakness? He was going to tap into his natural opportunist soul and attempt some sort of breach.]
no subject
Responses flood into his mind, but that's where they stop. Flicker and die, an old flame no longer strong enough to maintain. Everything's been burnt through, even the ash beneath consumed.
What flares up in its place is the memory of his fists cracking against Gintoki's skull.
They never had finished-
When Gintoki reaches for him, Takasugi pivots. Grabs the man's wrist to peel him away while drawing his filet knife and lunging forward with it - all one motion. With no hesitation, he's aimed for the man's eye.
No matter the connection, he pauses in his onslaught to hiss,] What do you say we settle our draw, Gintoki?
no subject
It causes the man to hiss, and he's quick to hop backward to avoid a secondary strike. His stance widens to support himself and he reaches up to adjust his glasses. Blood dribbles down from the fresh cut, staining the jacket he had just intended to be borrow. Tch.]
Draw? Don't remember being the one eatin' dirt at the end there.
[This wasn't the time. God, for a Richie Rich, you sure suck at reading the atmosphere, huh?] So how 'bout a 'Fuck you,' instead?
no subject
Distance between them, the impetus is on Takasugi to continue the fight.
He doesn't mind a burden like that.] Fine by me-
[Gintoki hadn't ended up face down in his own blood, but he'd also been saved by the man who was. It's embarrassing for the both of them. Takasugi scans Gintoki quickly, looking for a weapon - that he doesn't see one doesn't mean the man isn't armed.
But it's enough information for now. He lunges forward, leading with the knife but looking to grapple with whatever counter Gintoki offers.]
no subject
He had to play a game of defense until he could find a weapon for himself.
Leave it to this asshole to go rooting through all the secret compartments in the area to find a weapon. Gintoki was busy doing the side-quests, okay?! Trifling with those was the best part of the game...!
The albino quickly retreats into the liquor store he'd attempted to coerce the other into, hoping to find something a little more substantial to defend himself with...
Or.
Maybe the other would just get annoyed and decide the pursuit wasn't worth it.
Really, either one would be a blessing at this stage.]
no subject
fun isn't the right word.
Words aren't necessary at all; he twists in the air, landing on his feet. Not cleanly enough to sprint after his foe immediately, but he's quick to be on the man's heels.
Into the liquor store, drawing the knife from his boot on the way.
He hadn't gone anywhere SECRET! There's a big store full of knives, idiot!Hopefully Gintoki's found something good, because Takasugi continues his assault, throwing the thick, black blade right at the man's back as a lead-in to another attempt to pierce him through the shoulder.
Old habits.]
no subject
No matter the response, Gintoki stops to take the knife from his shoulder. Once he's armed - he grabs the neck of a long wine bottle, smashing it against the sale counter in order to create a second weapon.]
Don't you got bigger things to worry about right now, you bastard?
no subject
Bottles crash at his feet, littering the floor with glass and sticky liquor.
What a waste. That's finite, you dumbass.
Yet there Gintoki goes, wasting more. If you're willing to crack the bottle, why pandhandle for someone to buy you a drink.]
Aa?
Like what? I'm not going to play any of their roles. [For the moment, their fight has stalled, but there's no telling if or when it will resume. Takasugi's weapon remains raised, though yet again, he's at a disadvantage in distance.]
no subject
He'll mourn wasting booze later, for now he's just pissed about the stinging in his shoulder blade.]
Ah, you didn't get assigned a role, huh? Guess that's what happens when you aren't the fan-fave. Must be a bummer. [They both know you don't care about that... but Gintoki is grasping at the chance to maybe talk the rest of this out.] I'm talkin' about that smoke outside and the monsters crawlin' around in it.
no subject
But sharing drinks again? He doesn't entertain it as a possibility.
Fourth wall breaking receives a dull stare, he just waits that bullshit out. The monsters, however-] I thought you'd just end up smashing through them.
[Not that he assumes Gintoki has any sort of plan, but that's usually what ends up happening.]
no subject
...
But he's bad company himself, so maybe they're just destined to annoy the snot out of one another.
The other's response has Gintoki lowering his guard just a bit. He re-adjusts his grip on his weapons and straightens his stance.]
I don't got plans to throw myself into the jaws of the unknown. [He is more of a functioning idiot rather than an absolute buffoon, thanks.] So I'm more interested in keeping watch around this place. See if I can't knock some sense into someone before they end up becoming some fresh sashimi out there, y'know?
no subject
It's better they don't drink together, or someone might really get stabbed.
Gintoki already got stabbed???Takasugi mirrors Gintoki's shift, twisting the blade in his hand before lowering it all together. The fervor to their fight has waned - he's more interested in stepping out of the concoction of liquor at his feet than continuing.]
If you're planning on staying out of it, fine. [But like hell Takasugi believes Gintoki can actually only watch.] I don't want you getting in my way.
no subject
Takasugi lowers his blade, but Gintoki is careful not to count his blessings just yet. The last thing he needed was to show any sign of relief and have this opportunist get the jump on him.]
Get in your way? What, you lookin to fit the bill of some minced meat or what? I'm not lookin' to fix your kind of stupid. [He says, but they both know he'll inevitably get tangled up in it one way or another. Just like they both know he won't be able to sit idle forever. But that doesn't need to be said, does it?]
no subject
You know how this is going to end.
Someone's going to end up cut to pieces. [Takasugi doesn't intend to be the body strewn in bits across a mall parking lot. He'd rather see blackened, rotting Amanto takoyaki smeared across the asphalt.
An endeavor he'll pursue alone without a second thought.
Gintoki can get involved, or continue to play pretend. It makes no difference to him.]
no subject
Um. Yeah. He almost did! Remember that?! Cause that was all Takasugi's fault. Find a better way to greet a childhood friend, damn it! Someday his arm is just going to fall out of that shoulder at the rate people keep honing in on it.]
I just got more important things to do than go charging into some monster's dirty hole. There's plenty of shit to protect around here, but if you're really itchin' to lose your head then I hope you at least get a clean gash with that machete before it kills ya.
[He will get involved and play pretend. He's wonderful at multi-tasking. That's why he's the protagonist.]
no subject
Don't fuck it up next time, idiot.] Mm-
[There's nothing worth protecting here. Much less anything that could be discovered within a day. Takasugi's eye narrows, and he casts a glance down to the pooling liquid approaching his feet.
Takes a step closer to the other man.] Someday, you'll get tired of all that-
[Get tired of it already, damn it.]
no subject
Why don't you stop fucking it up, Stupid?!]
All these connections... they won't let me fall asleep. I've been tired for years, y'know. But I gotta deal with all these idiots wanting my attention.
[But being wanted really wasn't so bad. He almost could fall into something fulfilling if he weren't so apprehensive of commitment.
Takasugi takes a step forward, and Gintoki reaches up clamp a hand onto his shoulder. The blood dribbling down his back dragged his attention away from the sharp throbbing in his shoulder. His eyes move to lock with the other's, trying to read the intention behind the closing distance.]