Soup Kitchen

Typing. A ton of typing echoed out as I typed out both the script of the game and embedded my intent in the designer. I had upgraded the quality to modern times, but the story was still there, if not with added things. I tried to not overly saturate it with items, cause this wasn't a VR game. But I very neatly arranged things from memory while trying my best to push the story of Black Mesa out. Its design was rearranged and the physics puzzles had to be changed a lot to make up for the upgraded physics engine. But in a few short days I had finally managed to do it. I also put together some multiplayer options that were rather similar to CS:Source. Unfortunately I had to do that from scratch, and I couldn't spend all my time programming as well, cause I had to go to the soup kitchen when I needed lunch. Miss May is pretty nice to me. I help them around back before I eat.

"Ah, Peter, this is the young man I was talking about! Hello Eric!"

Ooh, that fake name stings. Oh well, it's not like I remember my old name. I glance at the bubbling teen. "Hello. It's nice to meet you Mr. Parker."

"Nice to meet you too. I hear you've been helping out around here, thanks we need all the help we can get."

"No problem, it's the least I can do, this place has been helping me out as well."

"I will let you two talk while I go help out." I watch Miss May subtly move away out of earshot.

I laugh, "I think she wants us to be friends, Mr. Parker."

"Yeah, she's not exactly subtle huh. So what is up with you?"

I shrug, while leaning against the wall. "You'd have to be more specific."

"I mean, why are you here, you seem decently well dressed, and don't seem to be lacking cash."

"Looks can be deceiving, I am actually pretty much homeless at the moment."

"But can't you get a job?"

"Not without an identity."

"Hmm what do you mean?"

I glance at him, "Legally speaking, I have no documentation that exists."

"So you immigrated here?"

"Nah, just woke up here one day with nothing but the clothes on my back and no idea how I got here, no holes in my memory either, so far I've gone with the parallel worlds theory on why it actually happened."

"Parallel Worlds Theory? Wait no, there is more about what you just said, what do you mean you just woke up here."

"Well, I was going to sleep at home in Arkansas when suddenly I woke up across the country and the world had massively changed. Still, I should be good soon. Planning on importing some popular pop-culture from my world into this one. If it works it will be exciting. Only problems have been getting start up funds. Hopefully that will change soon."

"You sound way too calm to be lying… Shouldn't you contact the government and see if you can get some help?"

"I did. Didn't work out too well, had homeland security lock me up on my second day here. They are actually still monitoring me too, see the camera? Situations like mine don't happen all the time." I wonder if I talked about that when I was monologuing when I got the system? I can't remember. At least I didn't have to deal with SHIELD. I think. Who knows if they were shield ops in disguise.

"Are they going to do anything?"

"Well, I had to take a citizenship test, I think, now I'm just waiting for my identity to get finalized. Which could take anywhere between a few days or months."

"Well… that sucks."

"It's not all that bad. I mean, at least I didn't wake up in someone's layer or in a gang. Probably would have died rather quickly."

"That's a dark way to look at it."

"What I've seen on the news hasn't put things in the best of light. Sure you got heroes going around doing things, but until corruption is removed from the cops and we actually get working communities that keep an eye out beyond a block, it's just going to stay stagnant. Hopefully one day that will change. But for now, you just have to be a bit careful."

"Yeah… hopefully."

I glance at the T.V. "Huh, a bank robbery?" I glance back at Peter… who is now gone.

I shrugged before getting me something to eat. I may not get paid for helping out, but I get food. Which is good enough for now. I think I handled the interaction well enough. A few minutes later I was back at home in my system space.

"System, got any predictions on how this will go?"

[Prediction: Costs 10 GV.]

"I meant a guess. Ah, I can't afford to spend GV recklessly yet. Well, let's go ahead and release Half Life, 7 gb in size is alright, helps that I don't have to spend much money. Release it to the forum."

[Posting.]

Within a popular game forum on the internet a new game is released. Within moments it is receiving clicks.

CaptainForever: Another fail of an fps game.

LogicalCleric: Shut it Forever, stop giving false reviews before you even try it.

CaptainForever: What's the point, they are going to be the same, I mean look at the name, Half Life, obviously a pun on World War games.

DerrickWarrior: How is that a pun?

CaptainForever: I don't know, maybe it's a joke on how soldiers are half a life or something?

CaptionAmerica: It's not a WW Game, I just finished launching it up, I've played about ten minutes and it's most definitely different.

CaptainForever: Fine I'll give it an ATTEMPT. Nothing more.

"They seem to be enthusiastic."

A log pops up on the side of my vision.

[Game Value Earned: 10] [Fan Value: 6]

Heh, I hope this does well. It takes 10 Fan Value to buy anything useful. Once I do I can pawn it for cash and get me some money to open a storefront.