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 Posted: Sat Sep 02, 2006 6:59 am
[ Logging In. Logging Out. What kind of equipment does Shutensa use? ]
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Posted: Mon Apr 05, 2010 9:04 am
 The above image comes from the 2001 movie Avalon. The jack-in chairs/devices of The Matrix series of movies also serve as a inspiration point. Imagine individual rooms and computer systems which directly interface with a human being through snaking needles and implant jacks directly into the nervous system. These interfaces completely block out any perception of the 'real' world, and the player is completely immersed in the game Shutensa. Now, it should be obvious that the facilities of a mega-corporation would not be so...grungy and dangerous looking as those in Avalon or the Matrix. The facilities at Aquila stations and arenas at Mangetsu are hypermodern, imac-like deals with lots of streamlined curves and pop colours. Facilities would look and feel similar to designs by Boeing for their Dreamliner planes, by Karim Rashid for Kurve, and by Massimo Iosa Ghini for Ferrari:       Even looking so hi-tech and friendly, being hooked into a isolation chair with direct connections to your central nervous system is an intimidating prospect. Many young hopefuls fail to make it into the professional circuit because of this major difference between the Pros and the home gaming systems. Home gaming is just like it is for us, played on a screen, whereas the Pros are jacked in and lose all contact with the outside world during play, their bodies inert and vulnerable while their brain is spirited away into the network.
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Posted: Sun Aug 01, 2010 10:38 am
[ Equipment ]
Home Systems
This is what most kids and civilians grow up with - a home console system that accesses Dreamworld.Lite on their TV, or a Aquila Cafe with projector screen systems and merchandising counters, but still no 'jacking in'. Just playing a video game on the screen.
Aquila Cafes project the matches and adventures of the players currently playing in their cafe, and Pro matches that may be going on, take bets and sell merchandise of various Pro avatars, and sell in-game items to the Casuals for in-game or Real life currency. Casual Players can organize their own mini-tournaments here, design and implement fan quests, speculative duels between computer-controlled simulations, research Game Lore, whatever.
AMATEUR
Once a player gets clearances and sponsorships to enter into the Aquila Qualifying Tournaments, but is not yet an Aquila Student/Professional, the player is given or must buy
-> At least one official Aquila Plugsuit: these come in varying shapes and sizes, the most usual are bathing suit like in design. Since and amateur will be logging in public arenas, possibly televised as they do so, undergarments are not acceptable attire.
-> An Aquila identification chip. These chips are embedded into the back of a persons wrist, listing all their vital information, their avatar information, and their levels of clearance and access. These chips are traceable, meaning most paranoid individuals never pass this requirement, and it makes hacking someone else's account very, very difficult and often requiring an assault and injury to the person.
-> At least one spinal access and a skull access. The surgeries to implant these accesses are excruciatingly painful and require at least six weeks of recovery time before the player can return to life and/or use the accesses to jack in for the first time. the surgeries are taken very seriously, as prospective players have died in the past. The surgeries are expensive and not covered by any medical insurance, hence the necessity of sponsorship, scholarship, or personal wealth.
PROFESSIONAL LEAGUE
Once a player is accepted into the Aquila Schools they are considered a Professional. All professional players are required to undergo a further surgery to implant the wrist and ankle jacks and complete the spinal jacks to 4 units for a total of 9 (skull, 4 spine, 2 wrist, 2 ankle) jacks.
As Professional players attend Aquila full time, using Aquila facilities, they are all given 2 Pro-logo plug uniforms to use in televised matches, a ball-jointed 12 inch sculpt of their personal avatar with equipment, an Aquilan Bank account and Aquilan citizenship. Dorms come with some spartan furnishings, so personalization is up to the player. A small stipend is paid into the account to cover basic food and living costs, but certainly not enough for any luxuries. Players who want to afford better quality life had best start playing and winning battles or finishing quests.
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Posted: Sun Aug 01, 2010 10:40 am
[ Logging In and Out ]
FREE PLAY
The majority of time Pro's are logged in is in this play mode. "Freep", "Freeple", "Fap" (if you don't know, don't ask. this term used mostly by the boys) is done at North Field, in the northeastern part of Mangetsu Campus. North Field is actually a large, informal arena building that houses 108 stations for players to log into.
A player wishing to log in has to scan their identification chip in the lobby, and the clerk will then let them know what room they can log into. Stairs, an escalator, moving walks, and an elevator are all available to get players to their designated room. All stations are thoroughly cleaned between uses.
There is a locker in every station, before sitting into the chair a player must disrobe to Aquila approved (meaning they won't get in the way) underclothes or 'swimsuit'/plugsuit. The chairs are automated and will detect if there are obstructions to the access jacks on the player's spine, wrists, ankles and skull. If there are obstructions, the player would be contacted by the lobby clerk over the intercom if they needed help to comply with usage regulations.
ARENA
For duels, mini-tournaments, guild and team-based meta-achievements/plot progressions players are required to go to one of the large Arena's to log in. Arena 1 at Mangetsu has seating for 100,000 fans/players/media along with 108 jack in stations, of which 40 are 'live' (meaning that a player is televised throughout entry and jacking in).
Security is high at the Arena to prevent any obsessive stalkers, vendettas, or paparazzi danger to the players. Weapons of any kind are absolutely not allowed, neither are mind-altering substances unless specifically prescribed by a doctor (the prescription would be brought to a Aquilan official to be reviewed for authenticity).
Interviews are conducted in specially designed rooms that keep some distance between the media and the players.
Fan mingling and services are conducted in special rooms and hallways away from the lockers and game stations. Seeing a favorite player/avatar is a ticket-only opportunity for fans, prices depending on the relative power and popularity of the player/avatar.
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