recollecters: (Default)
Recollé Mods ([personal profile] recollecters) wrote in [community profile] repeter2018-09-17 05:35 pm
Entry tags:

SEPTEMBER TDM

TEST DRIVE
SEPTEMBER TEST DRIVE - EVENT AND FOURTH WALL EDITION
The city of Recollé...

...or, at least, a good mimicry of the city. It's been a few weeks since you've found yourself in this digitized version of your beloved city. You've found yourself surrounded by NPC versions of your friends and family who aren't a part of the Retrospec project, you've encountered strange and new places, and the viruses continue to appear despite the fight you've put up.

On the evening of the 17th, things change again. No matter where you are, Alphas and Betas will hear the sound of loud clacking, something similar to fingers typing frantically on a keyboard. The dial-up sound rings out, echoing off of buildings and in your ears as a bright blue flash of code scrolls before your eyes.

Perhaps it doesn't make sense, but your handheld device might help. It beeps to alert you of a new message, screen lighting up as a navigation app appears and seems to stick. It appears to be an ordinary app like Google Maps or Waze, but the destination is pre-installed and your feet begin to move on their own accord.

I. - IN-GAME CHARACTERS ONLY
If you're strong enough, you might be able to break free of the mysterious hold that's dragging you across the city and out toward the outskirts of Tisse. It's hard to locate the source of the pull, but everyone will find that as they traverse the city they're all heading in one direction. The navigation app cheerfully blurts out instructions as your body operates on auto-pilot, causing you to stumble through the city and the other districts.

You'll find yourself colliding into another user, soon walking in front or behind them as everyone around you begins to form one solid line. The human chain forms steadily and…aren't you lucky? You get to hold hands! Single file, everyone. Maybe you lucked out and you're holding hands with a friend. If you're stuck between two strangers, well, maybe that's a little awkward but the chain is impossible to break.

You continue to move. Locked hand in hand with every user in the city, you'll have to help each other navigate, avoid obstacles, and make sure you don't lag behind. Viruses linger and will follow this mass of people, snapping at your heels and attempting to devour anything nearby. Can you fight without your hands? It may be time to find out.

The night sky is a bit cloudy and your only source of light is the moon and the glow of lights on buildings you pass by in all districts. The walk shouldn't take you long, but as you venture further away from the center of the city the sun begins to rise and obscures your vision a bit.

Has time sped up? Or are you simply walking further than you thought? What an interesting question.

II-A. - IN-GAME CHARACTERS ONLY
The navigation app leads the group through a long, winding journey that ends just beyond the furthest point of Tisse as the day breaks. As the app chimes, the air before you shimmers as a glass-walled building materializes. Unlike the other buildings in the city, it appears to be solid and smooth, lacking the pixelated quality a majority of the city has by now. The human chain breaks and you let go of your neighbor. You're now free to explore this place.

Stepping inside, you find rows and rows of glass cases and chambers off to the sides and in stacks. Accommodated with work stations and instruction manuals, you may find yourself drawn to these computers before the empty cases. While the manuals appear old and frayed, there are instructions one can follow to create the person of their dreams. Are you looking for someone athletic? Simply change the input for a higher muscle mass than your average model. What about someone funny? Copy and paste some knock-knock jokes to embed in their code. It's easy to create anything you desire. The book allows for anything, even those who aren't exactly human. As you code and build, the glass cases and chambers begin to fog up, smoke whirling around inside as something begins to grow and take shape.

Be careful! You may have a clear vision in mind of what you wish to create, but the programming may have other ideas…

…for those who don't wish to experiment for themselves, or those who are strong enough to shake off those urges, there are several other floors to explore. Unlike the cases downstairs, these ones are occupied and filled with finished models pre-labeled "Projected Example" or "Reboot". Perhaps these faces are familiar to you, or they're someone who looks interesting. A lost friend. Someone from your memories. Someone who you feel doesn't belong encased in glass at all. The possibilities seem endless when it comes to who you'll find inside, but as you continue to stare at the case before you…the glass cracks.

II-B. - TDM/FOURTH WALL CHARACTERS.

Where are you? The last thing you remember was a wavering, dizzy spell that forced your eyes closed as you fell unconscious. Upon awakening the glass walls around you are stifling and thick, white and blue smoke dances around your ankles as you blink away black spots impeding your vision. Trapped inside a glass case held behind glass walls, it becomes clear that you aren't where you're supposed to be. Any items you had on your person are missing and the palm of your hand burns intensely for ten seconds as a black tattoo forms.

Branded as either a "Projected Example" or "Reboot", it isn't easy to understand what these terms mean. Perhaps that isn't what's important though. Rather, what's important is breaking your way out of this glass case and figuring out where you are.

Shadowed figures can be seen walking the hallways just outside your case, sometimes alone or sometimes with a friend. It's hard to make out any of their features, but you can hear the muffled words being said. It's only when someone is close to your case that you find your strength. The glass begins to spider crack under the pressure of your hand, allowing you to push and punch as much as necessary to break free.

There's no shame in needing assistance, of course. Some cases are thicker than others, and as the glass begins to crack it becomes easier to be heard by those outside of your case. How will you escape? Who will you find on the other side of the glass? It's a mystery and one that will not be answered until you free yourself of your enclosure.

Breaking free is easy if you try and it gives you a full range of motion. The glass won't harm you, but sparkles adorn your skin as the sunlight shines through the windows around you. You're free to explore the floors of the building and check out the other glass cases nearby. Perhaps you'll even lend a hand and help others who are trapped.

How did you all get here? That's yet another mystery that doesn't seem to have an answer, but more importantly…how do you get out of the building? This place is huge.

III. - OTA

Lucky for you, this building seems to be a safe haven from the crazy world outside. Though several stories tall and filled with cases and equipment as far as the eye can see, nothing strange seems to be happening and navigating the building is almost a pleasant experience. The glass walls allow for plenty of late-summer sunshine to filter in, giving you and everyone you're with a path to follow.

This path, however, won't lead you to the front door. The front exit no longer exists and any attempts to reroute to it will send citizens on their way through the halls of the building again. Several doors and laboratories are found on the journey though you may not enter. Labeled areas such as "memory restoration", "accounting", "legal" and "resources", these areas are scattered and just beyond your reach.

As you venture through the building and exit out the back door, the sound of music hits you full-force. Bright lights, thick grass and the sounds of children laughing await you. The grounds are vast and empty of other people. While the area is large and sprawling, it's evident that several iconic pieces of this area are missing.

A large sign hangs overhead, greeting you and welcoming you to Rainbowland. Complete with a carousel, children's rides such as spinning tea cups, bumper cars, the hurricane and the octopus, and a midway full of games, this amusement park looks like the perfect place to spend an afternoon.

Along with the usual set-up, Rainbowland is host to a special event for the next week. Scattered throughout the grounds are banners and stalls proudly proclaiming "WELCOME TO RETROSPEC." Carnival food of all kinds can be found at these stalls with the Retrospec logo plastered on the side. Eat these foods at your own risk! Sweets will grant consumers super-speed, meats such as hot dogs and burgers kick in a boost of super-strength, fried foods will cause a consumer to move in slow motion and drinks may cause temporary invisibility. Weird, right?

The midway has a few strange surprises as well. While most games are easy to play (and free at that, why isn't anyone around to take tickets from park visitors?), there are certain games set up by Retrospec themselves that have equally strange prizes. Stuffed animals of a variety of creatures from other worlds line the shelves (some you may or may not recognize), along with glass dolls of you and people you know. The likeness of these prizes is a little too spot-on; dolls will spout a common catch-phrase and stuffed animals will feel as though they are breathing.

Finally, in addition to the Rainbowland rides, Retrospec has provided a wooden roller coaster and a large ferris wheel, both branded with their logo. For those who wish to feel the rush, the roller coaster reaches speeds of up to 60 miles per hour and comes with several hills and one full upside-down loop. Riders, however, will experience brief hallucinations after this loop; as the loop completes they'll find themselves seeing visions of a dark, underground river. The hallucination seems within reach almost as if the cart they're in will dive straight into the water. The ride ends with all riders unharmed, however.

As for the ferris wheel? It's just a ferris wheel, several stories high with bright blue, encased cars to give riders a bird's eye view of the entire city and protect them inside. As you reach the top, the car will come to a gentle stop and the view from the window will change. Instead of the beloved city of Recollé, the landscape below is different. Perhaps it's a landscape you recognize, or it's an area of a battle-ridden world. Perhaps you see your friend's high school that they've seen in their memories or islands from another life. Every view is different, but by the time you reach the ground again you're back in Recollé.

It's a carnival and it's fun, but several things that don't belong to Rainbowland seem off. Those with a keen eye and who have been around for a while may come to realize one important factor; the symbol is drawn inaccurately. The Retrospec symbol is missing a few loops and the particular shade of blue used is too dark to match.

A counterfeit Retrospec...is it possible?

Maybe it's best just to stick with what Rainbowland itself has to offer.

IV. - OTA
So maybe carnivals aren't your thing. No matter! You can leave Rainbowland whenever you'd like and make your way back to the city.

On the other hand the city and areas around it may not be as you remember it. "Projected Examples" might not recognize this place at all, but "Reboot" will recognize that the pixelation of buildings, the NPC status of people they may know and the glitches that occur aren't normal by any standards. Exploring the city will allow all visitors to ride the trains and visit the various locations Alphas and Betas have access to, create and travel through the digital scape of half-constructed concepts, and they'll find they're even more susceptible to being attacked by bug-like viruses. These viruses will follow newcomers, snapping and biting to try and devour them. Defeating one will generate two more, and while they aren't as prominent in the digital scape you may find yourself with your hands full.

There is no way to reach the outside regions of Pesgare, Respatrum, Bosuma and Magatus at this time, but there's plenty in the city to keep you on your toes. Visitors may have to find lodging for the next few weeks whether that's with friends or strangers, but at least all of the buildings remain standing.

And if that doesn't keep you busy enough, the NPC citizens of Recollé are happy to provide you with jobs. If you choose to speak to any of these people, they'll go off of their pre-assigned dialogue and provide you with a small quest.

"Find ten bananas and deliver them to someone with red hair."
"Pet every dog that you see."
"Catch three fish from the ocean and sell them to a neighbor."

Some of these quests may not even make sense, but they'll be assigned nevertheless. Upon completion of each quest taken on, a triumphant sound will play from overhead and a banner will appear displaying your new title. Deliver those bananas? "Gone Bananas" will flash over your head. How about those fish? "So Long and Thanks For..." will linger for a while.

Too bad no one told you those banners won't go away. When you're alone the title will be hidden, but as you speak to more people in the city the banner reappears, hovering over your head for the entire length of the conversation. The titles will change as you complete new tasks, but it appears as though they're permanent now. Congratulations!

BONUS. - OTA
Everyone will be equip with a handheld device much like a cell phone but downgraded. Containing only a drawing application, the game of Snake, the Retrospec app and the navigation app to lead you back to that glass building, it's...pretty useless. Technology in the city is hit and miss in its pixelated state, but perhaps it's better to ask the Retrospec network what the next step is.

While Alphas and Betas are still posting as their A/B IDs, "Projected Examples" and "Reboots" will find that all posts and comments are tagged as their status and their name. Examples and Reboots will also find that a "Welcome to Retrospec" guide pops up, giving them only a brief moment to read the guidelines before a bright flash appears, snapping their photo for their profile and connecting them to someone new on the network.

Whether you're sending or receiving messages, a string of colored text, numbers and code will leave or enter your device. These devices also need to be charged constantly, so be careful when taking them out of the house! You'd hate to get cut off at the worst possible moment, wouldn't you?

Welcome to the [community profile] recolle test drive meme, fourth wall event, and September event part two! Please review these instructions for this particular event! As we are combining a few different options here, we want to ensure players know what options are available. Thank you!

All characters who are TDMing will be begin in-game AU'd as Recollé residents. You may use any of the above prompts for ideas or make up your own depicting your Recollé AU! Prompts do not have to be set in the districts listed above. You can review our list of locations for what's available. Please note that TDM threads can be used as samples, can be kept as game canon, and can also be used for bonus points for future item regains. Share a few minor details of your AU, tag around, and have fun!

Since this is a special event, the TDM is tied with a fourth wall event as well! For players who are fourth-walling characters (canon versions, different canon AUs, CRAU, versions from other games, etc), please label your top-level as "Projected Example." Players who are TDMing to app will fall under "Reboot" and we ask that you label your top-level as such! And finally, characters in-game are not required to label their top-levels with anything. This way, it's easier for your gamemates to know who's TDMing, who's just playing around, and who's already in-game.

For Prompt III, any characters who choose to ride the ferris wheel will be able to see the landscape of any canonical world once they're at the top. It doesn't matter if they would recognize it or not, but the image will be brief until the car moves again! Likewise, stuffed animals won from the Retrospec midway games can be creatures your character would recognize from their memories or from other canons they may or may not recognize. Use your best judgment!

Prompt IV may be used to create new scenarios and threads based on the prompts from Part One of September's Event! Please feel free to read the prompts in event log one and create your own scenarios for your top-levels. Additionally, you are free to make up your own silly/serious fetch-quests and titles that would be rewarded to your characters.

While normally we do not allow this, please remember that current players may earn one freebie by threading with someone who is TDMing! This thread must contain 5 consecutive comments from you to be eligible. In addition, all players may use any threads accrued in this event for bonus points.

As a special note, we will also allow current players to use a thread from this Fourth Wall/TDM/Event for their AC proofs! As this ties into a game-event, we are making an exception. However, your other proof(s) (at least ten comments) must come from sources outside of this log. Likewise, as this is an event log instead of just a standard TDM, you may use this log to trigger regains as normal.

Please note: you will need a reserve to apply, and current characters must have full AC posted at the time of their reservation.

Your September TDM directory is here, and your AU workshop is here! Our mod questions thread for this TDM is over here!
babysplice: (controlling)

[personal profile] babysplice 2018-09-20 06:58 am (UTC)(link)
Aren't you bold... Expecting me to hand over not only a moment of my time, but my name?
Well, that's all right.
Give me yours first, though.

[ she holds her hand out. ]
chrysology: (What's worth)

[personal profile] chrysology 2018-09-20 06:58 am (UTC)(link)
...Keeping a promise to my brother. We traveled a lot anyway, back home, so. Having a pet wasn't exactly practical.

[Even if Ed actually didn't mind animals. He just didn't need or want that responsibility added with everything else they were dealing with back home. As much as Al would adore having his own cat to dote on.]
keystaff: (One step)

She is not wrong though. He is a cutie.

[personal profile] keystaff 2018-09-20 07:02 am (UTC)(link)
[It's true. Besides the fact that -- yeah, if anyone else found out Hiro or anyone was messing with Sakura somehow, they would probably regret it, between Xiaolang and her brother at least, not counting all her other friends. Still, Sakura gives a nod.]

Worth a try? But if you don't want it, um. Maybe one of the kids here might like it? I know it's a little....different, but it's still kind of cute too.
babysplice: (fear is how i fall)

[personal profile] babysplice 2018-09-20 07:03 am (UTC)(link)
That seems like a design flaw. A safety hazard.
Should we alert Congress?
OSHA?
The head of the PTA?
babysplice: (consuming confusing)

[personal profile] babysplice 2018-09-20 07:08 am (UTC)(link)
[ this time she just lets it drop. enjoy rolling in dirt, ugly plush.

after watching it fall, she turns her gaze back to him--but does so without actually lifting her head again?? she just kinda rolls her eyes way up. ]


Please. Tell me more about my image. And what I can do with your unwanted garbage.
babysplice: (I can't seem to find myself again)

[personal profile] babysplice 2018-09-20 07:11 am (UTC)(link)
[ her head falls over to one side... ]

But it was a trick question.
There weren't any fingers.
Now I'm confused...
babysplice: (there's something inside me)

[personal profile] babysplice 2018-09-20 07:15 am (UTC)(link)
Wonderful.
I can't wait to treasure it.

My ten dollars, I mean.

[ this is how trash-talking works, right? she's helping? ]
incandescentfaith: <user name=cupcake_graphics> (♂ Fiery)

[personal profile] incandescentfaith 2018-09-20 07:16 am (UTC)(link)
[Unfortunately, Rei doesn't recognize the voice at all. It's someone younger than she is, it seems, and she hammers away with her elbow in the jacket.]

C'mon! Kick harder! Give it all you got!

[A thin webwork of cracks begins to form, a latticework of breaks in the case. Rei focuses on one spot in particular, trusting that the girl inside will eventually hit the same place and break through...]
babysplice: (confusing what is real)

[personal profile] babysplice 2018-09-20 07:17 am (UTC)(link)
They're all right.
Too much responsibility.
But I'm surprised. You could speak human the whole time.
babysplice: (there's something inside me)

[personal profile] babysplice 2018-09-20 07:26 am (UTC)(link)
I need styrofoam.
As you know, it's nearly always marked as "recyclable"--but processing it is complicated and hard on the equipment, and most of the nation lacks facilities that can accept it in the first place.
When people just throw it in the trash like this, they're probably doing the right thing.
That's the conflict at the heart of my next piece.

[ she tosses some lightweight, beige-ish, perfectly cubic objects to him... ]

But now that the world is like this, I can't tell what any of the garbage actually is.
What do you think those are?
babysplice: (that pulls beneath the surface)

[personal profile] babysplice 2018-09-20 07:31 am (UTC)(link)
Lina.

[ Violet is currently riding on a tiger. The carousel continues to spin, as carousels generally do, but she turns her head over her shoulder--further--further--as far as she can--to maintain eye contact as it does so. ]

Wow. It's been a while.
Did you know a carnival was coming--

[ at this point the carousel has spun so far that it's no longer possible to see or converse with lina from her spot on it. several seconds pass (thirty? forty-five?), and then Violet and her tiger reappear as the carousel completes another rotation. ]

--to town?
zerotohiro: (This was a bad idea)

[personal profile] zerotohiro 2018-09-20 07:35 am (UTC)(link)
[Rayne...Hiro just kind of blinks at her and seems to come to that same conclusion.]

Uh. Isn't that all of the seasons? [Who is he to argue? But also come on.] You're right though. Fall and summer colors work really good together. If you wanted you could even add a burnt orange to the underside of the branches for a shadow effect that'll pull out the other colors.
babysplice: (this lack of self-control)

[personal profile] babysplice 2018-09-20 07:35 am (UTC)(link)
[ seeing Ione, Violet dismounts the unicorn she'd been riding, steps right off the edge of the ride (which is still moving, not to mention about three feet off the ground), and promptly falls over sideways.

Then she stands back up and totters over to her friend! ]


Ione!
It's been too long. [ It's been five minutes. ]
Is this all for me?
babysplice: (fear is how i fall)

[personal profile] babysplice 2018-09-20 07:38 am (UTC)(link)
[ wow she is BUSY, what is this BLATANT disrespect ]

Oops.
No Violets here.
You must have me confused with someone else...
How embarrassing for you.

[personal profile] nyaaaaaa 2018-09-20 07:38 am (UTC)(link)
Well... yes. [ That much is true for where he came from, too, but only certain people could understand him. ]

I'm equally surprised that there is someone who can understand me. It was done involuntarily, but ... [ She seems quite earnest and so he does not see anything too odd about carrying on as he is. After a few halting starts, he decides that there isn't too much harm in it. ]

... I have not been human for that long, but I have always been able to speak human. It is only that humans lacked the means to understand me.
babysplice: (that pulls beneath the surface)

[personal profile] babysplice 2018-09-20 07:41 am (UTC)(link)
Rose.

[ she shifts in her current pose just enough to make eye contact with her sister... ]

Of course it isn't.
If it were, I'd have to change poses much more frequently.
babysplice: (consuming confusing)

[personal profile] babysplice 2018-09-20 07:44 am (UTC)(link)
[ at first she doesn't seem to react--her current pose is a little difficult to maintain, after all, and requires concentration--but after a second or two she speaks. (Well, mumbles, really, since she's doing her best not to move her lips at all.) ]

Please don't touch the displays.
zerotohiro: ([armor] You ruined everything!)

[personal profile] zerotohiro 2018-09-20 07:47 am (UTC)(link)
[Excuse you, he's a whole whopping fifteen? But also Yona please you're probably taller than he is. There's a disgruntled noise and he looks at her like she's crazy, swinging the broom again to try and beat the viruses over the head.]

Me!? What am I supposed to do to get rid of them!? You're the one who brought the extras!
zerotohiro: (What's in the spray specifically?)

[personal profile] zerotohiro 2018-09-20 07:48 am (UTC)(link)
Maybe. But isn't that exactly why it's an easy win? [Look...he's a good kid. He's just making sure.] What've you got to lose?
zerotohiro: (Well that's a surprise)

[personal profile] zerotohiro 2018-09-20 07:50 am (UTC)(link)
[It's very distressing!! But he's trying to be a little less distressed so that they can both calm down even if he's still glancing at the tube like it's going to suck him back in.]

I'm fine. Nothing's broken or anything...the glass didn't even cut me. [...wait.] Which is weird since it shattered everywhere, but not even a scratch.
zerotohiro: (Pumped up or excited)

[personal profile] zerotohiro 2018-09-20 07:54 am (UTC)(link)
[High school is an alarmingly different world than middle school. It's not so much that he purposefully lost touch with some of the friends he'd made in middle school. It's just that things got busy, people got busy, and life went on. And, you know, unbeknownst to Hiro there was a whole app and a world of craziness right under his nose.

This is new to him, but he hears the familiar voice and he suddenly realizes that yeah, okay, maybe he should listen.]


Auto-Max, heel! [The ferret looks up with its beady, digital eyes before it squeaks and waddles its way back to Hiro. He meets the creature about half-way since he'd been approaching Xiaolang but he's also grinning at the other boy once he confirms that yeah, this is someone he knows.]

Hey. Pretty sick, huh? [That's definitely how you greet someone you haven't talked to in a while.]
zerotohiro: (Run Hiro Run)

[personal profile] zerotohiro 2018-09-20 07:57 am (UTC)(link)
Your what. [But okay. What the hell is even happening here? This is different and he's not even sure what he's supposed to be looking at here given there're bugs and daggers and he's going to stay out of the way enough to watch the flames incinerate the bugs. It's easy enough and he...sort of wants to get a closer look, but Al makes a good point.]

Yeah, fine. Don't have to tell me twice. [And with that he takes off running, figuring that Al knows exactly how to keep up as Hiro disappears through a few alleyways and shortcuts.

He still has a lot of questions though.]
zerotohiro: (Listen to me I know things)

unfortunately he probably knows it

[personal profile] zerotohiro 2018-09-20 08:00 am (UTC)(link)
[It's hard to say who he'd be more afraid of in this case, but as long as he treats her nicely he won't have to worry too much about it. And besides...Sakura's always been nice to him. It's sort of hard to think about being mean to her even if it's something silly like a bet.

(That doesn't stop him from tagging her shop every now and then though. Oops.)]


You have a point. Rei might freak if I bring it home, but there's a ton of people around. Somebody's gotta collect these things. [...but this leads to another question he has.] Uh. So...where did this place even come from?
zerotohiro: ([armor] I take that back)

[personal profile] zerotohiro 2018-09-20 08:02 am (UTC)(link)
[Even without being able to see her face and only catching the shadowed outline, it's hard not to recognize Luna's voice. His expression twists into something a little more confused than before if only because he definitely doesn't remember seeing her in the last twenty-four hours. So what's she doing in the creepy hall of glass?]

Uh, depends. Who's "they"? [He should maybe get up but also he wants answers and...maybe his hands hurt a little from punching the glass with his bare knuckles. Ow.]
sopherias: (❋ 42)

iv

[personal profile] sopherias 2018-09-20 08:03 am (UTC)(link)
[ Let's just say 2B freed Sophie from the glass case earlier, so she's a little less worried roaming around while having at least one person she knows around this mysterious place. Exploring the beach hasn't done much to give her any clues as to where they currently are. She hasn't been able to track down Asbel or any other familiar faces so far.

For now, she retires from her exploration to observe 2B's fishing. She doesn't want fish though. ]


2B, have you caught any crab? I'm hungry.