Chapter 2 - VR Games

Ryan entered VR Games as he rushed inside from the parking lot. His his heart pounding with the excitement for the release of the most epic VRMMO in the history of gaming. As he entered the store, two people dressed as Dwarves of Winter Reach from The Forged Realms greeted him. One a male Dwarf and the other female, as the two employees were holding signs that said, “Welcome to Winter Reach!” with The Forged Realms logo on the bottom!

“Hey guys, that’s amazing! Love the costumes. Where can I find the line?” Ryan asked. In a rush to claim his spot in line as soon as he could find his friends. He glanced about the store, taking in the surroundings as they had completely decorated the store in the themes of Winter Reach and The Forged Realms. He immediately noticed displayed illustrations hung all around the store showing the winter snow fall around Winter Reach, which set deep within the snow-covered Icewind Mountains. Fake snow machines were blowing imitation snow flurries down from the ceiling above throughout the store. He couldn’t help but notice the illustrations of the great dwarven kingdom itself with its grand entrance and gates. He lost himself for a moment looking at Winter Reach, the glorious front entrance to the great dwarven subterranean kingdom deep within the surrounding ice and snow-covered mountains of the North. Ryan, captivated by the illustration of the grand entrance to Winter Reach carved out of the very side of one of the Icewind Mountains. It was truly an epic sight to behold. He looked around to see even more decorations around the store and banners, holographic clips playing from the game, along with other images, graphics, and art illustrations of the game world and Winter Reach itself.

“Welcome to Winter Reach, and The Forged Realms!” the female dwarf said. “The line begins right over there.” She pointed straight towards the side of the store as the line seemed to start there.

Ryan looked to where she pointed to see that the line had grown to what looked like over sixty to seventy people as they stood talking amongst themselves. Ryan’s heart was pounding with even more nervousness as he glanced at the enormously long line as it grew longer by the minute, with more and more people joining the line.

As Ryan walked towards the line in order to locate his friends, he noticed that the video trailer of the game was playing on all walls of the store, as if a projector were displaying a movie. The epic soundtrack from the game and Winter Reach theme song played through the store for all to hear.

There was quite a buzz in the store as everyone was having their own conversations about the game, discussing the characters they had planned to create, the different character build types, abilities, professions, leveling, mining, forging, crafting, the underworld, things in the game they might encounter, and what the full immersion was truly going to be like. Ryan could see the smiles and excitement on many faces of those in the line, as he thought about how today they were all going to get to play their new favorite game. They were a part of this truly historic day that will be remembered for decades to come.

As Ryan approached the front section of the line, he glanced up and saw the sales counter where the line originated noticing the banner of The Forged Realms which also displayed graphic illustrations of the underworld mines, caverns with goblins, different monsters and things alike, as well as deep dungeons with what looked like a great evil dragon.

Ryan noticed behind the sales counters employees walking here and there, dressed as Dwarves. Some of them had fake Dwarven Axe’s strapped to their backs and sides. One employee looked to be dressed as something else smaller, shorter, holding a little staff, but he couldn’t tell as she had walked into the back of the store. “What is she,” Ryan wondered. “An elf, maybe, a gnome? Probably a gnome.” He suddenly saw his four friends as they stood in line near the front, calling his name and waving to him.

“Hey Guys!” Ryan said, as he rushed over to his friends. “Here we are, it’s finally here. Were finally getting it!” Ryan seeing the excited faces of his four best friends. They had all waited a year for this adventure together in The Forged Realms. They had been through the classic MMOs together, well besides Ryan, as he had missed out on that and didn’t need anyone to remind him of that, or the many amazing memories and stories from it in which they loved talking about. Now they were looking forward to a whole new experience as a group.

“Hey Ryan!” Leah and Ella seem to say at the say time. “Hey man!” Dale and Will echoed, as Ryan gave each one a greeting hand slap and one arm hug as he joined them in line.

“Well, I made it guys!” Ryan said. “Thanks so much for getting here early and saving our spot in line. I am not sure we would get our collector’s editions otherwise. Will, Dale, did they say anything about them having enough for us all? Did you get any information from them on if they received enough copies?”

“We had just went and asked,” Dale said. “They said they got a very limited amount in and were checking if anymore came in from the trucks in the back. They couldn’t or wouldn’t give us the exact number, however, they said they definitely didn’t have enough Collectors Editions for everyone. They said they were going to do a different system which would decide what order they are giving them out today.”

“Hey man,” Ryan heard over his shoulder as someone seemed to approach him. He turned to notice an employee dressed as a dwarf. “You, you just got here, right?” the dwarf asked.

“Yea,” Ryan said, concerned about what the dwarf was trying to talk to him about.

“Unfortunately, I need you to head back to the beginning of the line.” The dwarf said, pointing towards the front of the store's side wall.

“Oh, I had preordered the collector’s edition day one,” Ryan said. “And my work called me in because of an on call issue. This was supposed to be my day off. So I just had my friends here save my spot in line until I got off work.”

“Unfortunately, we have a limited supply today and are not allowing people to save spots in line. I am going to have to ask you to go to the beginning.”

“We saved his spot.” Leah said. “I got here early to save his spot in line. Just let him stay with us.”

“Like I said, unfortunately I cannot. But you are welcome to switch places and you go to the front of the line if you saved his spot.” The dwarf said to Leah, not seeming willing to budge.

“That’s fine, I’ll just go to the front.” Leah said. As Ryan’s heart sank in his chest as it pounded again with nervous anxiety and that sinking felling in the stomach hit him.

“No, I can’t let you do that Leah.” Ryan said in a disappointed tone. That’s not right.

“Come on man, is there anything you can do for him?” Will asked the dwarf employee. “You honestly don’t know or understand what this game means to him.”

“This game means a lot to everyone here.” The dwarf replied. “I wish I could, but I can’t do anything about it. For now, I have to ask you to head back.”

“You don’t know what this means to me come on!” Ryan continued. “I was probably one of the first to purchase the game, the very first day. I must get this game today with my friends. Can you please do anything and let me stay? I can even show you the purchase receipt to prove it.” Ryan felt his eyes water, his heart sink further. He couldn’t miss this with his friends. It was too important to him.

“I’m sorry, please come follow me.”

Ryan hesitated, eying his friends as his heart seemed like it was in his stomach and his throat with a knot. “I’ll see you guys afterwords, just get your collector’s editions and make sure you grab your alls.” Ryan said. In a lower voice which his friends could tell that he was extremely disheartened.

“I’m coming to stand with you, Ryan.” Leah said.

“I’m coming too.” Ella said.

“No, guys stay here.” Ryan insisted. Get your copies, just do that okay. I’ll be okay. Ryan walked with the dwarf dressed employee towards the back of the line as his friends glanced at one another without words with an empathetic look for Ryan’s situation.

Ryan arrived at the back of the line and stood watching what looked like eighty people before him. No words came to his mind as his heart was too full of the pain he felt, which he couldn’t explain or put into words if he had to. It was just a sinking feeling inside, like everything drop out from under his heart and fell tying the knot that lasted in his throat as he held back the tears. It was that lonely feeling that hit him once again, which he had been all too familiar with over the years.

“The story of my life.” Ryan thought to himself, glancing around the room, wondering if he should just leave. “What is the point anymore?” The only thing keeping him in the store now was the fact that afterwards he could talk to his friends some more. But would that be too hard to bear, seeing them all with their games and him left out again? “Why am I being so emotional?” Ryan thought to himself, almost feeling annoyed at himself. It was now hard for him to even understand himself at the moment why this was affecting him so deeply. It didn’t completely make sense. “It’s just a game! What is wrong with you Ryan? Yea, you will miss out, but you will get the game in a few months, or maybe even a month, if they get second shipments out. But the game is outside our world’s time going by much faster. The guys at that point could have already spent the equivalent of months of time in the game or even years.” Ryan sat pondering to himself, feeling the conflict within him, feeling left out once again.

“Hello EVERYONE!” a dwarf dressed employee shouted in a great dwarven ancient over the store sound system as he stood on the countertop. “Welcome to The Forged Realms and most off, Welcome to Winter Reach!” as most everyone in line lifted their hands while cheering. “We have been running just a few minutes behind to get situated and work everything out, so we appreciate all your patience today. We are about to things going here and get your game copies and collectors editions to the ones that get it today.” The employee said, as again everyone in line let out a dwarven sounding cheer, partaking in the night's fun.

“I have a few things to go over first. There are a ton of you here which is great to see!, however, I’m thinking most of you came for the collector’s edition of The Forged Realms. We are so sorry to say the company sent us a very limited supply for the release today of the collector’s editions.” Ryan could hear the disappointment in the room as everything got quieter for a moment. He even heard an angry sigh or two from a few near the back of the line who muttered under their breath.

“This is how we are going to do this,” the employee continued. “We have been thinking and taking with management here how to make this the most fair for everyone here. Unfortunately, now matter what way we do this, there are going to be a good handful of people here today at least that are just not going to be happy. It is what it is unfortunately, and I’m sorry about that. We are going to reorder the line now based on your purchase date and time listed on your purchase order transaction for the game. We feel like we need to prioritize our customers who were first to purchase the game based on the preorder transaction date and time on their receipts.”

Ryan immediately did a double take, wondering if he had just heard what he thought he did. Hearing the sighs of disappointment and disapproval from other people in line, while others gave a cheer of approval.

“If you preordered in the first two months of announcement, come up here and we will sort the first group out.” The employee said. “Make sure you have your purchase order receipt pulled up with the date and time of purchase showing.”

Ryan’s heart leapt within him! Going from despair to hope he was getting his collector’s edition with his friends today since they had preordered the first day of announcement.

Ryan headed up to the front to rejoin and be with his friends together as they waited to get their games. “Hey guys, we should be okay now,” Ryan said. “I would think depending on how many they have right, I mean we purchased it pretty much right away.”

“Yea, I would think we are good to go, thank God! Glad you’re back up with us, man.” Dale said, the others all agreeing, glad to see Ryan with them where he belongs.

The Dwarf dressed employee was heading down the line checking purchases orders and arranging everyone in line. As he got to Ryan and his friends speaking in his Dwarven ancient, he said, “Hey gents and lasses! Do ya have ye purchases with ya? Would ya be so kind as to show’em to yer fellow Dwarf here?” As several of the Dwarf dressed, employees walked down the line, sending people towards the front or back depending on their purchase date and time.

Ryan glanced down at his wrist to view his AI Watch and said, “AI watch, pull up my Forged Realms preorder purchase.” As he said this, he could see his watch was not responding. He suddenly realized that his AI had probably completed its sync with his house and car.

“Not working?” Ella asked, looking down at her watch as well while she ordered a similar command.

“Yea, I realized my car and house are probably finished syncing now and with my new watch!” Ryan said as he inspected his watch screen which hadn’t changed from his date and time display alone with notification of “Today’s The Day!”

“Oh, sweet!” Will said, “what did you name your new AI? That is an absolutely a sweet setup you integrated.”

“Yea, I’m loving it!” Ryan said. “It drove me all the way here to the new AI-8 and navigated the best route flawlessly. Its name is now Wheatley.” As Ryan looked up at his friends, they let out a laugh as they staggered around.

“Portal 2 nice! Good one!” Will said, “what a classic!”

“That’s awesome!!” Will laughed with a smile, “I couldn’t have chosen a better name myself.”

“Looks like you are playing too many old school classic portal games!” Dale added, “But I totally approve of that one!”

“Who’s Wheatley,” Leah asked with a look of curiosity on her face, as if she didn’t know.

“What?!” Ryan said, with a look of complete surprise on his face that she didn’t know who Wheatley was. “Okay, after we get some VRMMO time in, you are totally coming over and we are going to play some good Portal 2 gaming classics! Going old school!”

“I’m down with that.” Leah said with a bit of laughter. “But who is he?” she asked again.

“That is something you will have to experience for yourself firsthand when you come over.” Ryan said.

“Just google it real quick!” Will said.

“Ah, okay fine.” Leah said impatiently but seemed to have accepted having to wait for the answer as she attempted to google it from her watch.

“One of my favorites for sure!” Will added, “invite us too when we do this! I can’t miss this! Maybe at some point we will need a good classic gaming session evening. But for now, to TFR!”

As they were talking, the Dwarf employee was almost back to them in order to check.

“Wheatley, pull up Ryan’s game purchase order for his collector’s edition preorder transaction.”

“Hello, sir!” Wheatley said. “I have completed my sync with the house. Thank you for giving me such an appropriate name,” Ryan heard the sarcastic tone in Wheatley’s voice. “Pulling your purchase order up now for, The Forged Realms. Sir. I have indeed completed the sync with house and car as well. We are all synced together as Wheatley now. Here is your purchase order, now viewable on screen. You are good to go, sir, or maybe I should call you the girl from portal 2 for short. Here’s your order.” AI said in a sarcastic tone again.

“Thanks Wheatley,” Ryan said while laughing. “Oh common, it’s a perfect name.”

“If you say so, sir. I appreciate having my name now. At least you didn’t name me after the other one.”

“Oh yea, that would have been bad.” Ryan said.

“Welcome to Winter Reach laddie,” the Dwarf employee said in his acting Dwarven accent, which was pretty good. “Do you have your purchase order where I can see it?”

“Ah thank you brotha,” Ryan said, attempting his Dwarven accent. “Hear ya are laddie.” As Ryan lifted his watch to show. He felt his heart-rate increase as he felt nervous, wondering if he was going to end up close enough to get his collector’s edition.

“Ah nice, you guys ordered the first day of release, pretty quickly.” the employee said. “Are you all together?” he asked the group of friends as they all nodded in reply. “Ah, okay, then show me all your order dates and we will get you squared away.” He said, glancing over at everyone’s orders one at a time to see their date and times. “Ah, wonderful guys. You all head up to the front of the first 10 in line group. You guys must have to ordered the moment they announced the preorder, you are defiantly good to go.”

“We did indeed.” Ryan said as he was so excited things were aligning the way he had hoped. “Do you know if this means it guarantees us to get our collector’s editions copies today? My anticipation is killing me.” As Ryan looked at the Winter Reach dressed employee in the eyes.

The Dwarf dressed employee looked Ryan back in the eyes. “Lets just say you guys are going to be just fine! I can’t say more just yet.” As he gave a winking grin at Ryan.

“YES!” Ryan said in a whisper as it gave a slight fist pump, “thanks so much man! Lets go guys”. Ryan lead the way with his friends toward the front of the line. No more worry, Ryan sighed that they were home free, they were getting their Collectors’ Editions TODAY!