“Would you like to listen to the Basic Information for Beginners, this information is also featured on the official Economicalopoly website?” she had a sweet voice that was comforting, it’s really hard to accurately describe, however, I’m not listening to all that information, I’ve read it once before!

“No thank-you.”

“Very well, the tutorial will now begin. Do not be alarmed as the transportation can be disorientating.”

Only now did it occur to me that I have been in a dark void which was eerily quiet, apart from that bliss voice of course. What does she mean by disorientating?

My stomach drops, I feel what can only be described as what I would call warp speed with inertia. It really did feel like I was moving in one direction while being yanked into the other. How I could tell which direction I was moving in was beyond reasoning as I was still in the black void which silences all, even motion itself.

******

Hmm, It seems that this book is about basic servomechanisms, also known as simply ‘servos’. I happen to know a few things about servos. They have a motor and a shaft attached by gears to the motor. The shaft will have a 180 degree or so motion range which can vary. Interestingly enough, servos receive instructions through a 3rd party on how to move the shaft to do interesting things with robotics. The 3rd party uses what’s known as Pulse Coded Modulation. Pulse Coded Modulation is used to explain what direction to move the shaft in, for example, the servo is expecting to receive instructions on where to move every 20 milliseconds, the pulses length explains how to move the shaft; a 1.5 millisecond pulse will move the shaft towards 90 degrees which is also known as neutral. A pulse less than 1.5 milliseconds, for example 1.25 milliseconds, will move the shaft towards 0 degrees whilst a pulse longer than 1.5 milliseconds, such as 1.75 milliseconds will move the shaft towards 180 degrees.

Ah, but how does the servo know what angle the shaft is currently at? I begin searching through the book.

The Potentiometer (Variable Resistor)All servomechanisms have a variable resistor that is

connected to the output shaft of the servomechanism,

the variable resistor monitors the current angle of

the output shaft and if the angle is at the desired angle

and prevents alterations until the angle changes or a

new angle is given, it will then relay the required

instructions to the electrical motor.

I understand now, robotics is all quite simple, really. I’ll need quite a complicated set-up of servos in my robotic arm, won’t I? Although the prosthetic I currently had looked incredibly real, and it was difficult to tell the difference between it and a real arm, it really had no higher function than being visibly pleasing.

******

“Welcome, Charlie.” It was the same female as before, still calming, somehow.

My surroundings had become similar to what you would call an office room. The room had a potted fern in one corner, a desk with a few books loosely sprawled out over the top and another book cabinet in another corner, adjacent to the desk. Did I mention that everything was semen white? However, this isn’t what got my attention. No, no, it was the cute young girl sitting in a chair simply staring at me, looking overly cheerful for some reason.

“Are you alright?” she asks.

I’m utterly confused. She has the same voice as the goddess I have been listening to since I started the game a few moments ago. The lurching sensation returns in my stomach as I remember how I was transported to this room.

“Anyone, home?” She’s visibly smiling now. Oh right, I’m supposed to respond when a ‘Homo sapien’ asks me a question.

“No, I’m in an office.” Shit, I didn’t mean to respond literally to her rhetorical question. My deep rooted trouble with female ‘Homo sapiens’ must even delve into the younger specimens; I never really thought of being a kiddy fiddler anyway.

“Mhmm, my office.”

“Yours?”

“Yes. mine.”

Why did she have to pout like I was trying to steal her office? Her answer even became more simplistic… It was about time and tried to make sense of the situation, “Who might you be?”

“I’m Charlotte!” ‘Charlotte’ seemed to be glad that I had asked her for her name.

“I didn’t really mean it like that. If this is your office, why am I here?”

“To get a resume of course!” Still overly cheerful, her voice not fitting her body, ”Oh, and to create your character!”

“But, I mean, how are YOU supposed to help me with that?” I put as much emphasis on the ‘you’ as the human language would allow.

“I’m an assistant A.I? What do you mean?” I give up at this point. If I’m going to even attempt to play this game I need to give up on all common sense, or so it seems.

“Oh. My bad, apologies.”

“We’ll start with your character,” as she finished the sentence a box appeared in front of my face. Moving my head around I discover it just follows my head wherever I happen to move or tilt it.

“In front of you there will be a character creation screen, simply adjust the sliders on the right to modify your appearance on the left, you can rotate your body inside the box too. Fiddling around with the controls I quickly discover what she had said was true. I mean, I don’t think I’ve ever seen my butt so closely.

My character was a mirror image of me, a boy around 19 with a slender figure, brown hair that was wavy and sitting slightly below eye level, blue eyes, seemingly always sorrowful frown and lastly of average height. Obviously the first thing I do is change my eyes to silver. Staring at my new silver eyes, I remind myself of the full moon on a really dark cloudless night. Other than the eyes I don’t really want to change anything else so I settle on just removing some of my more intruding moles and freckles. Perfect.

Would you like to confirm your new appearance?(If you would like to change it at a later date you must pay a fee of $100)Yes.No.

I obviously pick ‘yes’.

Suddenly light appears around my body and my vision goes cloudy, I hear an odd static noise in the back of my head. My face feels like it’s moving around and my eyes have a slight warm sensation stimulating the nerves around them.

“It’s changing my body, right?” I hope that is what’s happening.

“Yeah. You didn’t change much so it won’t hurt too much, we do it to prevent a player from wanting to drastically change their appearance as they will quite literally feel their bones breaking, shifting and sometimes completely moving.” She for some reason has an incredibly sinister looking smile on her young face, “That and it’s funny watching them squirm around in their chairs trying to put on a brave face!” She’s a fucking sadist or masochist, great. The innocent young look and calm neutral voice all but lost their charm. The warm white light finally fading, Charlotte passes me a hand mirror. Silver goddamn eyes, they look bad-ass. They remind me of Riddick in numerous ways but my vision hasn’t been affected at all.

“Do you like them?” I ask, referring to my eyes.

“You remind me of a brat playing with his new toys.” The roles having become reversed I finally know when to give up.

“It’s time to get yourself a resume,” she begins, “for that you’ll need to do some test to assess the actual level of your education to accurately create a resume. Not the high school diploma they give to half of everyone these days when they might only be at a year 10 level.”

Testing huh? I agree with what she’s saying though. It would be much more accurate than having users submit papers saying they could do something or had passed something.

“So, I do a few tests and I can go out and play the game?” Is it really that simple? It couldn’t be…

“Not really. After the tests you will be put into a group with other new players in a small section of the world. You’ll only be allowed to interact with those players, not anyone else not doing the tutorial as they would then be able to give you a massive boost early on.” So I’ll actually be in the game? Interesting. What is the aim of the tutorial then?

“Charlotte, what is the tutorial?”

“It’s for new players to get use to the game and for the system to calculate the starting balance and connections of players after the tutorial.”

“No, I mean, what do you do in it?”

“Oh, I see. Basically the aim is to earn at least $3700 in a month, in-game. If you earn that much before the end you will be forced to still continue and at this point you should try and earn as much as possible. It’s where the real bonuses kick in.” She pauses for a second before continuing, “You can earn the money in anyway possible; including, getting a job, forming a company with other tutorial members, criminal acts and many, many more different ways. In case you are wondering, no you can’t purchase money off the Official website and you also have properly share money in a business, just because the company has earned $3700 does not mean that everyone has passed.” She never said another player couldn’t get money from receiving it from a friend in-game! “No, Charlie. You cannot receive money for nothing from players. Not in the tutorial at least.” Dammit, I was sure I found a loophole. The tutorial is starting to sound harder and harder as she goes on. I need to get a job and earn $3700 in just a single month, otherwise I’ll have to repeat the entire tutorial?!?!

“Alright, time to send you off to the testing room. Baiiiiii!!!” I hear her now cute voice say good-bye. Before I even have the time to reply the lurching feeling begins again as my world turns into a blur.

******

A desk? Why am I at a desk? Am I taking the test here?

There’s a pencil in front of me and a piece of paper. The paper has in big bold letters at the top ‘Tutorial Test’. I never would have guessed if they hadn’t put the title on it. I guess I should just begin. Won’t I need a rubber though?

*plop*

A rubber had fallen onto my desk. I look around, no one is here. I can wish for anything I want? Alright, a girlfriend.

Error.

Do not ask for the impossible.

Sorry for the inconvenience.

Fuck you, I see how it is. Now that I have all the supplies I need to take the test I begin.

******

This test is incredibly difficult. I’ve literally been doing this damn test for hours. At the beginning I saw no more than 20 pages, neatly stapled together. After about an hour I realised that I should have been done and I noticed that for every page I turn another page miraculously spawns at the back of the test. It wasn’t just that the test seemed to be never ending but it also was incredibly hard. It started of with math where I was testing on many different things like, quadratic functions, matrices, polynomials and even complementary angles. After having completed the math I was tested on English and History. Currently I was being tested on Science and it was quite annoying. Although it was stuff I had learnt in class, it had been a while since I had done it. This meant that I would have to think for quite some time on the majority of questions. Having just answered a question chemical reactions and hydrocarbons, I flip to the next page. ‘Beginner Robotics’. Unable to contain my excitement I basically jizzed in my pants.

******

Is this it? The end? It is!

Charlie had been doing the testing phase of the tutorial for many, many long hours and after the game had tested him on perhaps everything he might know or have an interest in, it seemed satisfied and had granted him the exit from hell.

You have completed the first section of the testing phase and will now move onto the physical section!

Have fun, it hurts like hell!

Oh for ffffuccck sake!!!

The same old lurching feeling suddenly began.

******

Now I was in a forest, it was beautiful and serene. There was what looked like a dirt path going endlessly in one direction.

“BEGIN!” a male voice shouted, suddenly what appeared to be 30 people were transported beside me. We all looked stupefied. The only person looking normal was a large burly man, incredibly muscular and tall.

“Huh, where did you all come from?” One of the males called out to no one in particular.

“What do you mean? You all were transported here?” A female started, confused.

“But it was all of you that were transported to me!” Everyone had started yelling to each other at this point.

Finally, the large male gathered everyone’s attention and started explaining. “You are all still in the same spot but were simply moved onto the same server, everyone was transported to each other and yet no one has moved at all. Get it?” He said with a rough voice, explaining it like it was common sense.

“Ehh, huh?”

“What?”

“I don’t get it.”

“ENOUGH!” The burly man cried out, “Give me 10 laps! NOW!”

He does realise that there isn’t a field-track to actually do laps around, right?

“Laps? What is this, gym class?” A young girl sarcastically asked.

“WHEN I’M DONE YOU’RE GONNA WISH IT WAS.” The burly man was quite literally just shouting with all his might now.

“There’s no track to run around though.” Stated a middle-aged man.

“That’s a valid point, BUT I DON’T CARE, EVERYONE START RUNNING NOW!” Still shouting but this time ushering everyone on we had begun running.

******

I dashed across some rocks on a river forming a primitive bridge. I was not in the lead but I also wasn’t at the back. I was somewhere in the middle. Everything was fine, except for the gash on my leg, the sweat over my body and the suffocating feeling of not breathing in enough oxygen.

We had been all running for maybe 10 minutes now, I would gladly stop but Mr. ‘I LOVE SHOUTING AT EVERYONE’ wouldn’t let anyone. Searching for additional options that might help me get out of this, I start looking around and examining everything.

Nothing, I couldn’t see a health bar or a stamina bar, there was nothing at all. Just how was I supposed to log out anyway? I really need help with this game.

Welcome to the help menu, think the problem that you have or the information you require.

Umm, what? How’d this open?

HelpYou simply thought ‘help’. Any commands you might have are generally linked to your thoughts.

Convenient, it just answered my accidental question. How do I go about logging out?

HelpThe most common method of logging out is to simply think

‘menu’ and then to either think ‘logout’ or reach forward and

select the logout button. Additionally, you may do a force

logout in emergency situations when you need to get out

of the game in a rush. Simply think ‘Force logout’.

I am really liking this help menu, it must have some advanced form of AI that is able to fluently understand English. How do other languages in this game work anyway?

HelpLanguages in Economicalopoly are automatically translated into the

default language that you have set in the settings page, located in

the menu. Although the words are translated, the voice stays

exactly the same, still displaying the exact same emotions as the

untranslated version. It should be impossible to tell that someone

is not speaking the language you speak. If one wishes, they may

set up advanced settings. For example, you might know two

languages fluently and decide that you don’t want to translate

the other one into English, your other fluent language. The game

will then not translate the other language and it will stay as it is.

You can also set languages to be translated into other languages,

you might choose to translate all Japanese into Chinese rather

than English. Why you might do this is unknown.

It auto translates? That’s fucking sweet.

*Snap*

I had zoned out for a second and tripped on a branch snapping it. I really shouldn’t try to listen to explanations while doing rigorous exercise. Getting back up I start sprinting with all I have. No! I’ve fallen back 7 places! I really need to recover the lost ground.

******

In my legs, all I feel is a acid-like burning sensation. I might have overdid the run. After I had tripped I got up and ran as fast as I could to regain the lost places and I managed to move from near the back to the top 10. I got 7th place. The strangest thing was that the teenagers that looked to still be in high-school were the fastest and managed to end up with overall better scores than the majority. I wasn’t complaining though, they deserved it. Everyone was currently out of breath and aching in pain, the majority laying on the ground.

“Alright you maggots, GET UP!” Mr. ‘I ONLY SHOUT’ had begun again with his bossy and impertinent attitude. “We haven’t even started yet! STOP SLACKING OFF!” abruptly he clapped his hands with an indescribable force. I almost felt like vomiting at this point as the fucking lurching feeling had started. I really had thought that I had gotten use to it, I guess not. Huh? Asphalt? I see, he expects us to do some form of exercise not requiring running now. “We’re simply going to play dodge-ball! EVERYONE IN LINE.” Having instilled fear in us all we all moved at warp speed into a long line. 34 people, I had finally had the option to count everyone. “Team 1, Team 2, Team 1, Team 2…” Mr. ‘SHOUT’ was assigning everyone a team and was pointing at the general direction he wanted us to head in, as a team. Mr. ‘SHOUT’ had finally got to me, “Team 3.” Huh? Team 3? He points over to a corner of the asphalt with no one. He expects me to play by myself?

“Mr. Sho- Uh… Sir, Was there a mistake? There is no ‘Team 3’.” I chime in, almost calling him his nickname.

“I DON’T MAKE MISTAKES. GET TO YOUR DESIGNATED AREA!” He shouts at me at full force. I feel my body tremble slightly, spittle flying onto me as he shouts. Giving up I walk to the place he pointed me towards. Legs still burning, I take a seat on the rough, warm ground. It feels a lot better than standing. Looking at the ground I zone out, how long have I been playing for anyway?

HelpYou have been playing for a total of 11 hours in-game. Alternatively, this is 1 hour, 22 minutes and 30 seconds in real life.

I had forgotten about the help menu, I guess it really does know everything. I wish I could get in touch with that sadistic loli that got me into all this trouble, launching me into all these tests without explaining what would actually happen, so infuriating.

HelpAffirmative, calling ‘Charlotte’.

Eh? What? It can even do things like this? Wait, shit! What am I supposed to say?

Help

I am sorry for the inconvenience but the help menu can not be used to obtain woman.

Deepest apologies.

I wasn’t even asking for help, besides, she’s a freaking kid!

Help

‘Charlotte’, Tutorial Assistant 3314, does not currently have an age.

State your intentions.

I know that she’s not real! However, she still looks real, acts real and has the body of a 15 year old girl! How isn’t she a kid?!?

HelpTutorial Assistant 3314 might currently look like a child but AI’s have the ability to alter their physical form to their utmost desire.

‘Charlotte’ has answered. (First time pro-tip, think to communicate, don’t forget protection.)

Goddamn it! This game is trying to make me a pedo.

“Hello?” She began, her calming voice already soothing away my pain from today's run.

“Uhh, hiiii…” Not a strong start, I need to salvage the situation, “Nice weather, right?” It’s true that the only thing you can think of when you need a conversation is the goddamn weather.

“I haven’t seen the weather, anyways, what do you need? I’m quite a busy person.” I can imagine her on the other side of the connection, an irritated expression on her face.

“What do you mean you haven’t seen the weather, haven’t you been outside today?” I may as well start somewhere.

“No? I’ve n-never been outside.” Did she just sound sad? I think I heard her normally unwavering voice quiver. Besides, what does she mean never?

“You haven’t been outside?”

“Yeah, I don’t leave my office.”

“Why not?”

“I’ve never had a reason to…” The solemn tone in her voice returns.

“Why not just make a reason?” I mean, what’s the worst that could happen?

“I-I can meet up with you?”

“Huh? N-no, I meant-”

“Thank-you! I’ll see you soon!~” Shit. She’s more cunning than I expected, or maybe she’s just a generic loli? DAMMIT, THIS GAME IS MAKING ME HAVE WEIRD THOUGHTS AGAIN!

‘Charlotte’ has hung up. You can change your pants now.

Oh god, how long do I have until she arrives?

*poke* *poke*

What… How long have I been staring at the ground?

Looking up I notice a girl around 18 staring at me. What’s she looking at me for? “Yes?"

“We’re on the same team.” I’m not by myself? I thought that Mr. ‘SHOUT’ was going to make this as hard as possible for me, I guess the man’s still rational? “I thought for sure I was going to be by myself. I’m glad I’ve got someone else.” I pause for a second, “Any idea why we are being singled out?” I ask while glancing at her.

“Not in the slightest.” The girl had brown eyes and black hair and was of Asian heritage, she was relatively small and petite, however, I remember her as one of the top 5 from the ‘little’ run we had. She was maybe 18 but I couldn’t really say for sure.

******

Advertisement Previous

Chapter Fiction

Index Next

Chapter RSS About the author 3 Fictions 1 Posts 0 Threads EL-S Follow Author Thursday, September 10, 2015 12:59:08 PM Saturday, September 12, 2015 11:58:53 AM Australia Unmotivated Sloth http://www.freethepenguins.cum

Bio: I like reading and all that good shit.

Achievements Comments(5) Set Compact Log in to comment

Log In Load Comments Please enable JavaScript to load the comments! Log in to comment

Log In Settings Theme (Entire Website) Dark Light Dim background 0% 20% 40% 50% 60% 80% 100% Font Size 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 20 22 24 28 32 Reader Width Max 90% 80% 70% 60% 50% Font Family Default ————— Open Dyslexic Atkinson Hyperlegible ————— Arial Roboto Open Sans OS Default Comic Sans Lucida Verdana Ubuntu Ubuntu Condensed Franklin Gothic Garamond Caslon Minion Font Color Indent Color Scheme Theme Default OLED Black Royal Road Dark Dark Gray Gray Light Gray Sepia White Paragraph Spacing Close × Give Reputation to User: Points You can specify how many points you want to give (minimum: 0, maximum: 0). Comment (optional) Why are you giving this user reputation? Give Reputation Close About

Royal Road® is the home of web novels and fan fictions! In our amazing community, you can find various talented individuals who write as a hobby or even professionally, artists who create art for them, and many, many readers who provide valuable feedback and encouragement.

Amazon Affiliate Royal Road® is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for sites to earn advertising fees by advertising and linking to amazon.com. Theme Select Dark Light

Follow Us On Need some help? Create a support ticket

Contact Contact Us by Email

Advertising Ads for Authors

Programmatic Advertising Royal Road® © 2013-2022 Terms of Service | Privacy Policy | Cookie Policy | Blog | Status Tap again to scroll to the top!