Fate: “Oh right, you haven’t arrived at that part of the tutorial. By the way, you don’t need to follow the tutorial when you are there. It’s just a recommended option. Anyways, are you using VR controllers, a regular console controller, or are you on keyboard and mouse?”

MC: “You can play this game on keyboard and mouse or a controller?!”

Fate: “Yup! We’ve spent a lot of time making sure that this game is integrated very well on all devices. Plus, and this just might be a developer’s opinion, but it seems this game is very well optimized so that even more people are able to run it as smoothly as possible on both consoles and PC. Of course, as long as your PC is up to date. But objectively it is better to play using VR controllers since this game is meant to be played that way, so while you can play it using a normal controller or mouse, it is tougher to play the game and the experience isn’t so great. I’m more on the design side of the game, so if there is anyone you should thank it should be our poor programmers and technicians who have spent blood, sweat, and tears! Now spread the word Amulet! Fate commands you so! Haha just kidding.”

MC: “I’m running the game on the console specifically for this game, maybe that’s why it looks and plays so amazingly. Oh, and yeah I am using regular VR controllers.”

Fate: “Alright then, just triple tap one of those buttons on either side of your vision and the UI should pop up.”

MC: “Oh wow, it sure did. I can see a minimap at the top right and the settings menu at the top left and then some other options at the bottom corners as well.”

Fate: “Okay good! Then if you hover over the little guy character all the way at the bottom left, it should play a little animation of him jumping around and stuff (like a gif). Click on him and you should see my friend request.”

MC: “Yup, found it and accepted! We’re friends now, uh “Fate-Fan” is your username?”

Fate: “Oh yeah it is…I’ll be honest Amulet, I’m very proud of Fate as a character because I helped not only voice her, but also design her character a bit with another colleague. So, it made me very happy when you complimented the character!”

MC: “Really?! So, Fate-Fan is not only a voice actress and a level designer, but you also influenced the way Fate looks? But then, I guess you didn’t write the story and personality for Fate, did you?”

I think Fate-Fan just made a frowning puff sound.

Fate: “Yeah, another developer, one of our writers created the lore for the god and goddess characters. They actually work close with the interactive gamemasters who control the lesser deities since they cooperate in developing the character which the gamemasters play as. Hey, speaking of the lesser deities/gamemasters, I think ever since the game was released, they have been observing and carefully interacting with all the new players who are out exploring the right game now. Since everyone is new, some of these lesser deities are establishing their own communities alongside certain players. Since this is a public online game, they’ve of course been trained to deal with many strangers online and balancing their powers. Some of the lesser deities are waiting in the background right now, either waiting to interact later in the future or are just doing their regular server administrative responsibilities as game master. The few who are currently interacting with the community are basically helping establish the first guilds or government groups in the world! Their job is pretty awesome as you might think, I have similar controls as them in our special game version and it really amazes even us with the number of actions and abilities we could perform.”

MC: “Stop making me so hyped up to play the game! It’s like I’m not already in it. Aren’t there already NPC controlled territories in the game that are more or less protected by the game itself? So, what’s the difference between those NPC governments versus player driven ones?”

Fate: “Well for now they are protected, but who knows what we might decide in the future, we want the game world to flourish and be dynamic. So, change will always occur. Not all the lesser god’s will remain active and maybe their factions will also rise and fall. That’s at least how we hope the game will work out in the future. We’ll need to observe how well the game will operate since this a very experimental project that will hopefully work. I hope you and the other players will continue enjoying and remain excited about our game as you are right now!”

Wait, since Divine Mortality is a game that has lesser “gods” and “goddesses” roaming around the world, employees trained for community interaction, and some of them lead or influence players…then could I ask Fate-Fan to be something like my own patron goddess?

MC: “I’ll make sure to do that. I just have to one last question. I promise this will be the last thing because I know you are probably busy, and I’ve taken a lot of your time already...”

Fate: “Don’t worry, go on and ask the mighty goddess Fate!”

I don’t think Fate in lore would say something like that, it must be Fate-Fan’s impression of how the goddess is “mighty” even though she should be more temperate and humbler…anyways…

MC: “Fate-Fan, I know you are more like an administrator inspecting the game for any problems, but are you perhaps able to also play around like those lesser deities?”

Fate: “Well…I’m not sure exactly. I don’t see why I cannot, maybe I would need to ask permission. I of course cannot cheat around since that is one of the basic rules for the lesser deities. But I do have pretty much the same controls and abilities as them. Maybe I could, but again I am primarily a level designer. Why do you ask?”

MC: “I was wondering if you could interact with the world like lesser gods and perhaps lead organizations. Or more specifically…be something like a patron goddess for players? I guess this is a request by me instead of a question.”

Fate: “No I don’t think I will have the time to do my main job and interact with the community like how the lesser gods are specialized to do.”

Darn, it would have been very fun to have a friend who is also a game developer and like a patron head of a player government or some sort of religious figure to worship.

Fate: “But…I do have some spare time to fool around for fun. Like I did today. So, maybe I can arrange something with the world administrator’s where I could possibly have or give a special status to someone. I am, I mean Fate is, after all one of the main mascots for this game as seen in the cover art. So, it wouldn’t be too strange for her to interact a bit. But at the same time, it could also be too strange if she acted like the lesser deities since she apparently shouldn’t be in a biased position. That’s not to say I won’t be able to operate as a goddess such as Fate who is supposed to be a symbol of balance. After all I do voice her and designed parts of her as you know!”

MC: “Then…could I maybe request to become something like a special follower dedicated to the goddess Fate?”

Fate: “Hmm. That is not a bad proposition Amulet! Let me get in character again to answer you now.”

MC: “This is like one of those stories about a character traveling to another world where they first meet a goddess before sent down to the other world! Wait-I guess this is exactly what this prologue section of the game is supposed to be anyways.”

I wonder what she is going to say…

Fate: “Divine spirit! Your proposition is worthy of my consideration. I will not lower myself to the status of the lesser deities, after all I am a higher tier goddess! So, I will of course not lead you mortals in the overworld because it is your own responsibility and not mine. But I shall grant you an opportunity.

MC: “What is it?”

Fate: “If you have the willpower, I offer you the chance of having me become your personal patron goddess! But only if you succeed in achieving something great. It must truly be something “GREAT”. I alone then will decide whether this accomplishment shall satisfy my will or not. Again, I am the goddess called Fate and only those who challenge and guide their fates shall be worthy of my blessings and admiration. Do you accept your fate?”

This feels like a once in a lifetime opportunity! I might be just simply playing a game and roleplaying like an idiot, but so is this developer! So, if a unique developer like Fate-Fan is offering me this type of opportunity…

MC: “Of course I’ll take it! I accept.”

Fate: “Very nice! I hope you understand why I can’t give you a straight answer right now, since you just started playing the game. I’d like you to play the game and enjoy it first dear customer!”

MC: “Don’t worry I understand your reasoning. If anything, I am even more hyped up! So, basically you have given me a quest, where I should achieve something huge, and I’ll receive some sort of reward for it from you?

Fate: “Yup, that’s pretty correct. But I’ll warn you right now that the reward might not be anything special. I cannot give you anything too unbalanced since it would be unfair to the rest of the player base and maybe in the future I won’t be allowed to. But you can probably receive a unique title and become something like the “Knight of Fate”, cool right?

MC: “Yeah, sounds cool to me. Thank you, Fate-Fan. But I would prefer to receive the title of “sage” or something like that.”

Fate: “Is it…because you don’t look much like a knight? You cute little dwelf thing!

MC: “Yeah…pretty much”

I expected to be called something like “a pathetic looking tiny wizard” because that’s how I made my character to look like, but I had no idea that a developer would be calling me a “cute little dwelf”!

Fate: “I guess we are done here? Remember, you can message me on “friends” if you spot any problem in the game, just don’t spam, be petty, or too weird about it or else I’ll remove you!

MC: “Yup, I got it! Don’t worry, I don’t plan on contacting you often until I achieve something great, because I really want to receive Fate’s blessing! What a unique opportunity right!?”

Fate: “It sure is! Well, I’ll be heading off now…the actual Fate will be taking over, and you should be able to proceed to the overworld. Bye Amulet!”

MC: “I’ll make sure to accomplish something great! Cya Fate-Fan”

A little *poof* and she was gone! I didn’t even realize the whole time I was talking I was still playing the game. This multiplayer conversation really did immerse me into the world. I could see Fate-Fan move her character around as I also did. Jumping around and looking at various parts of the island while we were talking. Oh crap! I forgot to ask about what the amulet I found does. My character is still holding it in their left hand. I guess I will find out soon. Should I finally start playing the game or keep asking questions?

Oh, I hear fate’s voice again but this time it sounds scripted. Yup, I am back to talking to the NPC. She slowly reappeared after Fate-Fan left.

It’s explaining me the various buttons on my screen and what I can do in this game…alright I got it already! End tutorial!

Now that I think about it, Fate-Fan is a lot more mischievous and sillier as a person in game rather than how she sounds like when voice acting the NPC version of Fate. Some more exposition…and we’re done! What’s next?

Jump into the fountain? I haven’t done that yet but what’s the point of doing that? Shouldn’t there be something like a portal or a flying mount to get off this sky island? Whatever, I’ll just step in and-I’M FALLING! Oh wait, of course not in real life. It’s like I am being sucked down by a vertical pool of magical water. Oh, wow I can clearly see more clouds as I am flowing down below the island…and I see some trees, farmland, buildings, and birds now! Woah this is such a cinematic experience, I can’t believe this is real time gameplay I am experiencing.

The water pool is sloping now…hang on isn’t this just a water slide?!

*Whoosh* and *Splash*

How do I swim up? Oh, I guess I just motion my arms up.

I’m up! Oh my god it’s so crowded! So much noise! Where am I?

It looks like this is some sort of temple? I see a lot of columns and many people around me…are… these are all players! This is insane. Everything is running so smoothly, and I don’t see any lag or drop in framerate. Haha! It’s really like I am inside of a game. Oh, I see more people flowing down into this…another fountain? I am standing inside of a fountain again, but this one is a LOT larger than the one in the sky. Actually, everything seems too massive besides us players down here!

There are different looking individuals walking and running to get out of the pool. Many other people who are outside of the fountain in the distance seem to be exploring this building. I’m still shocked at how good this game is performing. I wonder if there are more secrets around. Nope, it’s not worth it! There is seems to be too much space everywhere for me to go and check for any secret loot around. Not worth it.

I think most of the structure around me is made out of marble. It’s like I am in a super huge sort of Greek temple with a pantheon of gods and their huge statues everywhere. In the center end of this temple isn’t a statue but more like a symbol of the “Great God”, while every other god and goddess has a statue portraying their appearance and personalities. It’s both weird and cool because I am inside of a ruined ancient temple that is actually half renovated and super huge. It really is! The ceiling is very high up, and there is so much open-air space between the fountain and the statues alongside the columns. I think half the people at this spawn area are just as amazed as I am. This was obviously a design choice to overwhelm players in making them feel small in comparison to the world, I wonder if Fate-Fan worked on this type of level design.

So…I’m finally outside of the prologue and now I am down in the overworld. Wait, what am I even supposed to do. Besides achieving something “great” as I promised Fate-Fan, is there an actual main quest? From the looks of it…of course there isn’t one in Divine Mortality!