The user materializes in a bright, bustling hallway in front of a long row of hight school lockers. The user log on screen fades, reading “Identity verification successful. Welcome to the OASIS, Parzival! Login Completed: 07:53:21 OST-2.10.2045" Turning in a full circle, the user examines their surroundings, beautifully rendered in high definition three dimensions. Other users are opening their lockers with a touch and making their way into their respective classrooms before the bell tone. The user can explore the hall space, looking into classroom windows and walking the breezeway, but there is not much to explore. Turning back to their locker, a glowing green icon appears where the locker’s handle would be. Touching the icon, the locker door opens with a soft metallic click. The inside is sparsely decorated, save a picture of the cast of Monty Python dress in their Holy Grail costumes and a picture of Princess Leia posing with a blaster pistol. In the back of the locker is a solitary picture of James Halliday’s Time magazine cover. After taking in the metallic locker, two more glowing icons appear over the next class period’s textbooks. Tapping the icons, the books appear in the users inventory. Before closing the door, the user notices a small mirror, catching a glimpse of their virtual self, and the floating username ‘Wade3'. Interrupted by a warning bell and a flashing in the corner of their display, the user is informed that they have 30 minute until the start of first period.
Using voice commands to navigate, the user walks in the direction of the World History classroom. Appearing in the classroom, other students avatars are already seated motionless with their eyes closed, engaged in phone calls or browsing the web, or logged into chat rooms. Ignoring them, the user walks to the glowing icon by their seat and sits down, with 25 minutes to spare before class begins. Tapping the engage icon, the users own eyelids shut, classroom faded as they begin scanning messages and threads when an instant message pops up:
Aech: Top o' the morning, amigo.
The user is prompted with a few responses, they select and continue the conversation.
Parzival: Hola, compadre.
Aech: What are you up to?
Parzival:Just surfing the turf. You?
Aech: Got the Basement online. Come and hang out before school, fool.
Parzival: Sweet!I'll betherein a sec.
Closing the IM window, the user taps a small highlighted door icon at the edge of their display, selecting Aech’s chat room from the list of favorites and their view fades to black as they transport to Aech’s chatroom.
No comments:
Post a Comment