Regular Battle I
>Perfect! The temporary server's all set!
With a light tap, Leonie happily lifts her finger from the Enter key, finishing her intense work session.
Even though I have to change Gaia's base to an FPS engine, create temporary accounts for the entire crew, and set up a server for the anomalous data...
Even with these crazy demands, I got it all done on time! That's why I'm the Chief Engineer of the WGAA!
Leonie... Is this how we "log in"?
Unlike Leonie, who is excited, Liv, who's never seen a "game engine", appears visibly nervous.
When Gray Raven got here, Leonie threw terms like "virtual holography", "neural interface", and "metaverse" at them. No wonder Liv's confused.
Don't worry, you won't need a manual while playing.
"Earth Simulation 3.0 Beta" works like your usual training simulation, but I've added independent characters with "deep learning logic".
Independent characters? So, they'll change how they act based on us?
Yeah! That's exactly it!
She is clearly itching to answer. Leonie jumps right in and starts explaining non-stop.
I've been racking my brain trying to figure out how to perfectly recreate Earth on Babylonia, this interstellar colony ship.
If I just copied Earth's scenery and buildings exactly, it'd be way too dull, and no one would want to explore.
So, I thought, why not add "deep learning logic" to all the characters and enemies in the game, so they think for themselves and react differently to each player?
After I got this idea, I went straight to Ishmael, hoping she could help me make it real.
The pink-haired Construct Leonie mentioned is sitting in the corner. When she hears her name, she looks over, smiles, and gives a polite bow.
Luckily, Ishmael and I clicked right away, and she says she has plenty of topographical data collected from Earth's surface.
By combining that with combat footage from frontline Constructs, I can make an "Earth Simulation" way more realistic than any previous training simulation.
"Earth Simulation"? You didn't actually put all of Earth's data into this, did you?
Too bad! That was the plan, but even I couldn't pull off such an enormous mission.
So, I ended up just finishing a few scenes and linking them with level guides.
So, it's just training software with added character interaction...
But just as I finalized the software build and recruited the first group of testers to try it out, something unexpected happened!
Leonie looks over with bright, waiting eyes, like she wants you to speak up.
The testers got hunted by enemies as soon as they logged in and were forced offline after just a few minutes.
Since they got logged out right away, they couldn't find any bugs, and "Earth Simulation 3.0 Beta" got stuck in testing.
Didn't Leonie say these characters all have "deep learning logic"?
Could it be a game setting that made them want to fight players?
I looked into that too at first, but the backend execution logs I retrieved completely disproved that theory.
The deep learning logic I designed should only make them learn from and react to player interactions, but this behavior of enemies actively hunting down players began the moment players logged in.
As she talks about this weird incident, Leonie's usually happy face gets unusually serious.
Basically, even if players did nothing, they were marked as enemies by those rogue enemies.
If it was just a "deep learning logic" glitch, they'd just be standing there blankly, unable to receive information or produce any response—essentially doing nothing at all.
But this is too dangerous to ask regular testers to check out...
So I thought of [player name], who has the most stable Mind Beacon on Babylonia, and Gray Raven, the squad with the best tactical coordination!
I'm counting on you guys. You'll help, right?
This is months of hard work from Ishmael and me. You don't want it to go to waste, right?
Well, I was the only one doing all the work...
But it's been a while since Gray Raven played games together.
Commandant, this could be a good way to unwind.
I agree, and we'd be helping Leonie too.
Ahem, even though I'm not into this game, we can't ignore something this serious.
Awesome! I knew Gray Raven would help!
And luckily, Ishmael's free, so we can fix everything at once.
Luckily, the Control Court didn't arrange any work for me today.
So, my official business today is to "help WGAA with an unknown problem".
That's right! I didn't think Ishmael would be free. The stars have truly aligned for us today!
Alright, let's go! I'll go ahead and start Gaia now. Get into the connection pods.
Just before the game starts, a touch of concern prompts you to stop the blonde Construct, whose fingers are dancing rapidly across the controls.
Come on, don't sweat it! I've got it all figured out.
Remember? I spent all night turning the underlying framework of Gaia into an FPS game.
You'll see when we start. Just get in the game.
Don't worry! I'll make sure you have a blast. It'll be smooth sailing!
In the pod with the holographic device on, you suddenly feel weightless.
Unlike previous holographic training simulations, this weightlessness feels remarkably gentle. It's evident that Leonie put considerable effort into optimizing the experience so that even casual players could adapt.
After the dreamlike dizziness fades away, you find yourself gently floating down into a hall bathed in golden light.
The hall looks like the Golden Age "cyberspace"—empty, endless, with pulsing electronic lights.
After you take a couple of steps, a round platform pops up from the floor.
Welcome, new player [player name].
As you step on the platform, a soft voice echoes from the hall's center. It sounds like Leonie, but it is just a tutorial recording.
A warm golden light wraps around you, like a kitten snuggling, making you feel comfy and relaxed.
I'll help you create your player character. Please select a class...
Command confirmed. Creating Warrior [player name] data...
Warrior [player name] data created.
As the voice stops, the golden light turns into weapons that fit right into your gear pouches.
Starting the tutorial...
Suddenly, the golden hall shakes, and a weird noise cuts off the tutorial script.
Sorry, something unexpected happened. An enemy's out of bounds and heading toward the beginner's area here. Therefore, the tutorial will be replaced with your first real combat experience.
Hey, [player name], looks like you're geared up.
Leonie's voice trembles with anxiety as the sound of frantic keyboard typing fills the comms.
I have good news and bad news. Which would you like to hear first?
Good news—Lucia and Ishmael have already located the rogue enemy and are coming to help.
Bad news—the emergency logout I designed isn't working for some reason.
Not sure if it's the rogue enemy's fault, but if your HP hits zero, you'll suffer from M.I.N.D. quake aftereffects.
Okay, here's everything—the emergency logout I designed isn't working for some reason.
Not sure if it's the rogue enemy's fault, but if your HP hits zero, you'll suffer from M.I.N.D. quake aftereffects.
But the good news is that Lucia and Ishmael have already located the rogue enemy and are coming to help.
Yes. As expected from an elite squad's commandant, you catch on fast.
I know you can handle those enemies, so I won't tell you how to do your job.
Well, time is short. I need to locate Lee and Liv's character coordinates, so I'll disconnect for now. Good luck to you all!
After tersely delivering the alarming news, Leonie disconnects the comms. It seems only you, Lucia, and Ishmael have successfully maintained contact with her, while Lee and Liv have both lost connection.
But with all the holographic training you had at F.O.S., you've got a few strategies in mind to deal with this predicament.
You reach for the gear pouches Leonie prepared, and your fingers know right away it is a standard weapon.
You pull it out, and it is indeed the old standard pistol that has been with Gray Raven through countless missions over the years.
As you hold it tight, that familiar feeling of reassurance comes back.
