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tabularasa_memes2020-05-30 04:11 pm
tabularasa_mods) wrote in tabularasa_memes2020-05-30 04:11 pm
Entry tags:
May Test Drive Meme
Test Drive Meme #1
New Locations ▲ New Species ▼ Scenarios ▲ CommentsPlease note that none of the locations and changes described below will be included in the game when it opens. To help create an accurate impression of the game, we have included several imprints suggested by prospective players from the TDM Imprints Submissions. These prompts and locations are only for the TDM. A new arrangement of imprints will be picked when the game opens, which will likely look completely different from the TDM. Please keep this in mind when applying to the game in the future.
Threads from the TDM may be used as samples on your application. TDM samples must be 2 threads with different characters, each with at least 5 comments from your character. Responding to other players on the TDM will also be part of an AC bonus, so we encourage anyone who plans to app to tag out to other players as well.
Full Navigation
Premise ▲ FAQ ▼ State of The World ▲ Locations
Pre-Launch Feedback
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New Location: The Lakeside
Currently the largest defined area within the world, the lakeside is characterized by gray stone cliffs, bright purple trees, and the large body of water situated next to it. Scattered in the clearings between the foliage are the ruins of industrial buildings, though most of them are completely empty on the inside. Fresh graffiti decorates the walls both inside and out, as well as some of the larger cliff faces near to the buildings. Empty dumpsters, metal barrels and broken scaffolding can be found laying around. Barbed fences in various states of disrepair surround most of the buildings, though the gates are all unlocked and open freely to intruders.
On a small island in the middle of the lake is a lighthouse. The lighthouse looks to be in much better shape than the rest of the lakeside's buildings. There's a small dock on the island, but no boats, so you'll need to swim if you want to reach it.
The inside of the lighthouse is packed with Japanese arcade machines. Some of them are stacked on top of each other against the walls, but many more have simply been left in the middle of the entrance and even on the stairs, making it a bit difficult to navigate the building. Colorful banners for popular games and game companies hang from the stairs and ceiling. At the center of the spiral staircase is a giant metal crane, not unlike the kind you'd seen in an arcade crane game. The lamp at the very top of the lighthouse has been replaced by two large TV screens.
Unfortunately, none of the machines in the building seem to have power, so for now they don't do anything.
New Location: The Heart Of Paris
At the edge of the cliffs surrounding the lakeside is a large red tower. From a distance, some newcomers may immediately recognize its shape as the Eiffel Tower, but upon closer inspection it's not like the iron structure one would be familiar with. Instead of iron, the whole tower is made of lengths of solid bone held together with lumps of warm, squishy flesh. The entire structure pulses as if it were alive. The stairs are still in place, allowing visitors to climb the structure, though the sticky fluid coating every surface and the slight swaying of the tower's pulse might make it more difficult.
Hanging from the very center of the tower is a massive blue heart, strung up by a large number of connected veins that weave into the various muscles of the tower. If any of the flesh is cut, it bleeds, and the entire area seems to sway slightly in response.
New Location: The Unforeseen Simulation Joint
On the opposite end of the lakeside area is a large dome-shaped building. The inside of the dome is mostly barren, and a realistic image of a beautiful starry sky filled with constellations decorates the ceiling. There's a small plaza area at the very center, featuring a decorative fountain and some more of the purple trees and plants from the outside. There are dirt pathways that seem like they should be leading to somewhere, but most of them lead to completely empty areas. Two of the paths lead to smaller domes within the main dome, though at this time only one of them contains anything.
The first area of the USJ contains a mountainous environment, featuring gray stone cliffs and luscious green plants. Stairs have been carved into part of the mountainside, leading down to a small spring area at the very bottom. The entire mountain area is set slightly below ground level, however, and what may have once been a small spring is now a large flooded pool with the mountain's peak barely poking up to the surface. A large spiraling water slide has been constructed above the peak, and a second spout of the slide pours a waterfall down to where the base of the spring should be. The water is ice-cold, but calming.
The second area is contained in the smaller red dome, housing the grounds and three-story mansion of a New England estate. The mansion is caught in a massive fiery blaze... although, nothing inside seems to be damaged, and anyone who enters will find that the flames are only uncomfortably warm at worst. Antique furniture, oil paintings and strange figurines can be found in abundance. A large library takes up the center of the building, though the books only seem to contain random nonsense words right now.
New Location: The Heavenly Blanc Bar & Cafe
Near the USJ is a slightly run-down building that's easily recognizable as a bar or restaurant. The large wooden sign over the entrance reads "The Heavenly Blanc Bar & Cafe" in mismatched letters, as if half the words were copied from a completely different source. There are some wooden tables and seating on the outside, as well as several thick pipes jutting in and out of the side of the building.
The inside is clean and cozy, with several conflicting menus on the wall above the counter. None of the lights work, but there's an odd mix of neon signs, classy lamps and plain hanging bulbs. Unlabelled bottles of what one can only assume is alcohol cover the shelves behind the counter, alongside jars of coffee beans and tea leaves. A jukebox, pinball machine and dartboard can also be found in the corner next to the bar, though only the dartboard is playable right now.
At the back of the building is a unisex washroom, as well as the stairs to the second floor attic. Oddly enough, the attic is decorated with thick metal pipes running out from the walls and a large section of metal grating on the floor. The room is stacked haphazardly with boxes and crates, a large TV in one corner, a punching bag, a single-sized bed, and a bench with a computer on it. Much like everything else, unfortunately, none of the electronics work. A large whiteboard takes up one of the walls, and a square table with wooden chairs rests on the grating at the center of the room.
New Species: Fireys
Fireys are lanky, furry humanoids with long ears and beak-like snouts. Fittingly, their pelts are a firey mix of bright reds and golds. Even more fittingly, they can combust their hands and bodies into actual flames. This fire doesn't seem to harm them, though, and they can often be found tossing it among themselves as a sort of game. They have loud, squawking voices and spend much of their time singing together in large groups.
Playful and hedonistic, the fireys are friendly creatures... however, they can be overly persistent in trying to rope others into their games. For whatever reason, the fireys have unusually weak necks and seem to enjoy tearing off each other's heads. This doesn't hurt them at all, though if another creature hangs around them long enough they might try the same thing on them. All in good, harmless fun, of course.
New Species: Jellyrabbits
Jellyrabbits are a jellyfish-like creature covered entirely in short, soft hairs that glow with a faint light. A pair of long ears rest at the top of the umbrella. They have sharp hearing, and their ears are often swiveling about to listen to everything around them. They float like balloons, undulating their bodies to gently drift through the air at a slow and leisurely pace.
Jellyrabbits are incredibly docile. However, they aren't completely defenseless. Touching the tentacles below the umbrella will deliver a painful sting. The fuzzy top is fine to touch, though, and they seem to enjoy a gentle pat or scratch behind the ears.
New Species: Ghowls
The ghowls' natural forms are monstrous creatures roughly the size and shape of a human. They have sharp avian beaks on their faces, vacant white eyes, sickly grey skin with only a handful of feathers still clinging to their bodies, and talon-like fingers and toes with razor-sharp tips. Known for being incredibly violent and relentless, these creatures will attack anything and anyone that isn't one of their own, clawing and biting their victims until they cease moving. There doesn't seem to be any purpose behind these attacks, and the lack of death means that their victims can't be "killed" anyway, but they cannot be reasoned with and will only stop if countered with force.
They have a unique talent, however, that makes them trickier to deal with. Ghowls have the uncanny ability to perfectly mimic any voice they hear. They cannot speak or form their own sentences, but they can copy words and sentences like a parrot. They can also shapeshift their bodies to a limited degree, allowing them to mimic the appearances of humans. While these disguises may not be able to fool someone up close, from a distance they can be easily mistaken for the person they're imitating - and once they're close enough that the disguise fails, they can launch their assault at dizzying speeds.
Scenario A: The Creation Of The World
At first, there is nothing. The endless white of the void stretches out in all directions. For a moment of time that lasts both a millisecond and an eternity, there is nothing but you and the strangers you've found yourself with in this empty, alien world.
In the next moment, there is something. Entire landscapes lift up out of the ground, plants and trees grow to full size in a fraction of a second, water bubbles up from freshly-formed lakebeds, and even buildings spring up from seemingly nowhere to fill the growing space that has just now been defined. The world is suddenly alive, thriving, and expanding at a rapid pace.
The problem is, you're right in the middle of it.
You may have gotten lucky. Maybe you ended up safe and sound on the lakeside, standing under a tree and no worse for wear. Or perhaps a building decided to form itself around where you were standing, and now you're stuck in the middle of it. You might even find yourself at the very tip of the Heart of Paris, clinging to whatever you can grab a hold of to keep yourself from falling.
Wherever it is you are, you're not alone, and you might just need a hand getting your bearings.
Scenario B: Something In The Water
While there is little to eat, people soon find that there is plenty to drink. Every drop of clear, refreshing liquid, no matter whether it be part of the landscape or something found bottled in the bar or cafe, bears the slightest hint of alcoholic heat.
It soon becomes clear that this isn’t quite the alcoholic beverage that its subtle but distinct flavor suggests. No matter how much one drinks, they cannot become drunk. Their judgement remains unclouded and they never become disoriented in the slightest. However, that does not mean it has no effect on those who drink it.
Even under these circumstances, lost in a strange environment that does not know what to do with itself, a drink of water serves to lighten the mood and brighten the spirit. The full effect varies from person to person and from drink to drink - one might simply be more prone to smiling, while another will be filled with such good cheer they cannot help but share it with all who listen. In company, many people become more inclined to talk to their newfound companions, about any and all subjects that come to mind.
If nothing else, it gives people the chance to relax, and with people more inclined to be social it’s a good time to make new friends.
Scenario C: Playing With Fire
An endless blaze rages on within the inner dome of the USJ, and the fireys seem to have taken a liking to it. The furry creatures can be found frolicking within the dome's burning mansion, dancing in the flames and tossing anything they can get their hands on. Every room they touch ends up a mess - the fire may not be able to damage anything, but the fireys sure are making up for it.
They don't seem bothered by people. In fact, they seem quite friendly, though it may be startling at first to have a fireball hurled at your face. If you can keep up with their games, you might even find yourself learning a thing or two about handling fire, tossing it around and picking it up like a natural-born firey.
There isn't much need for the light or warmth of fire right now, but it makes for a fun party trick if you want to surprise someone.
Scenario D: Body Snatchers
The fireys can be a troublesome bunch, but they really don't mean any harm. The same can't be said for every creature here, however...
It might start with a friendly voice, or with a familiar figure waving in the distance. Is it someone you've run into before? But something seems off - didn't you just see them going somewhere else a moment ago? Or is that your own voice calling back, beckoning you to come closer?
Obeying the voice is a mistake, but they won't just stand around waiting, either. The ghowls are faster than they appear to be, and once the gig is up they'll charge forward on all fours, claws out and ready to tear apart anything they can reach. They're bloodthirsty, horrible creatures, and unfortunately for everyone else, they're stuck here too.
You can try to outrun them, or you can try to fight back. Whatever you decide on, you better hope you don't fail. Recovering from disembowelment will be a slow, agonizing process.
back to navigation
no subject
[Blue repeats it slowly, like he's missing a thread of conversation somewhere, but he decides to shrug it off as he wades back to the bank, lifting himself back out of the water to sit on the rocky edge.]
Beats me! [Was Cloudbank the name of a city somewhere? Blue assumes so.] At first I figured I was dreaming- suppose most of us did- but at this point I think it's been going on a little too vividly for that.
To tell you the truth, I'm still sort of hoping it is. I think I need a good day or so to decide. How about you?
no subject
I thought it was the world that had changed. Not me. But I don't think I can think that anymore.
[What a nice and vague way to say that, Auden.]
no subject
Why's that, is something different about you here? --I guess I can't say that's totally untrue myself, though.
[He frowns, and reaches a hand to touch thoughtfully to the small red and white capsules at the back of his belt.] More like broken tech, I guess. What if this's the inside of a PC, like what Pokémon see when they're deposited? That'd be pretty wild, huh?
no subject
Like a...what?
[Blank stare. Sorry, bud. You lost him there.]
That some kinda...kid's toy?
no subject
[.... Well, maybe that's an acceptable excuse after all, in this case?]
[Blue reaches to his belt and detaches one of the small balls and holds it up slightly, giving it a light rock with his wrist.] Since I got here, my Pokémon can't seem to get out of their balls, so... Just hope they'll be alright in there- for now, anyway.
no subject
[The response is blunt, but you can bank on it being honest. Auden has no reason to lie, and while his flat tone trends toward deadpan, it's nonetheless wholly sincere in the confusion at its heart. Whatever wildlife this guy's dealt with, it's unfamiliar to Auden.]
They must not have them in Cloudbank.
no subject
[It's more amazement than accusation, Blue rubbing his chin thoughtfully. Blue had heard of cities and regions without Leagues, without Pokéballs, without traditional trainers; but he'd never heard of one with outright no Pokémon.]
So it's just humans where you come from, then? That sounds kind of lonely, to be honest.
...Then again, [Blue glances around the expanse surrounding them, eyes landing on the sight of some of those strange Jellyrabbits floating in a cluster in the distance.] There seem to be only a few species in this place, too. Better than being alone, though.
no subject
More or less. [He still counts as human, right? Maybe he didn't, but now he...does. Right?]
Wasn't so bad. Can't miss something you've never had.
no subject
[He manages to break his attention away again for the moment- he wishes he could surf across this lake to go study some of the clusters of Jellyrabbits- and back to the other man before him.]
What were you gonna swim out there for, by the way? If it's the lighthouse, don't bother; I woke up there and it was nothing but a bunch of broken old videogames.
no subject
Broken video games, huh?
[He eyes the local fauna warily, but doesn't make any motion to draw closer to them. He only stoops to retrieve his coat and slip it back on.]
Not sure that's any weirder than anything else going on around here.
no subject
Yeah, of all the things to feel a little more familiar! A real shame that none of them worked, I felt like a kid again just looking them over.
...If all this is even real...
[Blue purses his lip, grin fading slightly.]
To tell you the truth, it's been a few hours and I'm still at a loss what to do with myself. You're not the first person I've come by, but where to even start? I guess just try to organize ourselves a bit, but after that...
[He tightens up, nerves finally bubbling to the surface.]
no subject
[If all this is even real.]
[Auden looks at his hands, the cloth wraps around his knuckles, and flexes the fingers in and out. He won't pretend he hasn't had issues syncing his reality with this one. It's distracting.]
You mean the fact that nothing here is behaving the way it should?
no subject
[Blue motions at the capsules on his belt again.] My Pokémon can't get out of their balls at all, the water isn't water, and the trees are purple. And that's just the tip of the iceberg.
[He doesn't wanna get into that gross meat-tower he'd seen just barely in the distance, before immediately setting himself to ignoring it.]
At least I don't feel too weird; small blessings, right? How about you?
no subject
[Well, he's back in his body. Or a body that's essentially so close to his own that it's virtually indistinguishable. Maybe "virtually" is the key word there.]
[He flexes his hands for a moment, fingers curling into fists and then out again.]
[What's the least alarming way to put this?]
All things considered, I feel the way I'd expect to feel.
no subject
[So in the end, he shrugs it off. Not his business, anyway!]
As long as the answer is close enough to "good"!
I think I'll start setting up camp somewhere, [Blue sighs, rolling up to his feet again.] As much as I can, and start looking for anything I can cook. It's starting to look like this isn't all just a weird dream.
no subject
I'm more concerned about anything to drink. Is all the water like that, or just the...lake? ['Cause as nice as it might be to get conceivably drunk off lake water, that's not going to do much when the dehydration settles in.]
[Wow. Food, water...he's missed those things. And he hadn't quite allowed himself to readjust to needing them again.]
no subject
[No matter what kind of world this was, its inhabitants had to have some sources of those- at least, so the logic and science he's familiar with would dictate.]
[...Not that this meant, necessarily, that it was consumable by humans.]
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['Cause honestly, buddy, you're the first person Auden's met here and he's not entirely on board with everything you've said. Whatever the hell a Pokemon is, it doesn't inspire a lotta confidence that he and Auden share the same frame of reference.]
no subject
[Yet. He'd eat his words sooner rather than later.]
[Well actually, if there was one thing the people he'd met so far did have in common... it was their bafflement at Pokémon. Which in turn, just baffled Blue! It was a real vicious cycle, there.]
Which if you ask me, just makes this whole thing a lot weirder.
no subject
[Everyone's always been different. That's one of the cornerstones of people being, well, people. Unless Auden's missing the gist here, which is starting to seem like the case.]
What do you mean by that? Anything in common?
no subject
[Blue, exasperated, tries to think of how to elaborate on what was currently more of a hunch and a theory, when he didn't have any of the missing pieces of logic to explain it.]
Ah, for example-- everyone knows what Pokémon are! They're like, just a part of the world-- but you don't, right!? You keep making weird faces and stuff.... And not getting what I'm referring to.
So, in that case... That means that we don't even share a similar frame of reference for the world. Right? Don't you think that's weird?