Volume 1 Chapter 2: Character Creation (Edited)

Volume 1 Chapter 2: Character Creation

I put on the VR device, positioned myself comfortably on the bed, ensuring a good posture before activating it.

[Performing a safety check before launching 'APOCALYPSE ONLINE'… Confirmed device and user's safe posture. Initializing 'APOCALYPSE ONLINE'.]"

I didn't experience any particular discomfort; the game started smoothly. Soon after, the game's title appeared on the screen.

[3]

[2]

[1]

[Welcome to APOCALYPSE ONLINE]

Despite my anticipation, I still flinched at the momentary blankness, finding it slightly uncomfortable. Nonetheless, I brushed it off. As I moved past the title screen, the scenery transitioned into an expansive white space.

[Welcome to APOCALYPSE ONLINE. Let's create your character. This time, you have access to the Golden Character Creation Card.]"

A voice resonated directly in my head… It felt like it was speaking directly to my brain… Well, it's VR, so that's to be expected.

Before me stood is my character, and in front of it, the basic data collected by the VR device during the initial setup was displayed, accompanied by numerous customization options.

I attempted to tweak the settings, but my attempts only made it look worse. Let's reset everything to default and focus only on changing the colors. Thanks to Mom's guidance, I've taken good care of my body, although it's rather flat. Still, I have some confidence in it.

I'm afraid I might create something ugly if I mess up.

There are numerous hair styles, so I decided to try each one.

I suppose twin tails are more suitable for younger kids, right? Maybe a ponytail would work better. In reality, I usually wear my hair in a ponytail since it's quite long, but here I can experiment. An afro… definitely not. Yep, it looks so bad it's actually funny.

I noticed a princess-style with long hair and straight bangs, as well as the twin drills hairstyle popular among anime characters known for being tsundere.

I think I'll opt for a simpler hairstyle for now. However, if I change my mind later, I hope I'll still have the option to modify it.

[The hairstyle can be altered by tying or cutting it, but any natural hair growth is not possible.]

Ah, I see.

In that case… I'll choose the twin tails hairstyle tied with a black bow. I'll keep the bangs without any special tweaks. There's an extra option for glossiness, so I'll max that out. Now my hair looks super shiny!

I'll change the hair color to silver and the eyes to a light red color. After quickly reviewing the appearance, I'm quite satisfied with it, so I'll save these settings.

[Select your race. Your current character will receive a visual adjustment based on the selected race.]

Human:

A very average race.

When in doubt, choose this option.

Beastman:

Options include Wolf, Rabbit, Bear, Fox, Cat, each specializing in different areas: Wolf for Strength, Rabbit for Dexterity, Bear for Vitality, Fox for Intelligence, Cat for Agility.

Dwarf:

They are strong and dexterous but have short legs.

Recommended for crafting.

Elf:

Intelligent and dexterous, but fragile.

Recommended for ranged combat.

Giant:

Strong and durable, but clumsy.

Machinery:

Also known as 'The Armored.'

They have high overall stats but lack proficiency in magic.

It seems there's no difference from the information I saw about the beta version online. Beastmen can choose from types with only protruding ears and a tail to ones resembling animals standing on two legs. It was mentioned that enthusiasts of 'furry' were thrilled about this variety."

Setting aside the furry talk, it appears that all beastmen except for foxes seem to have lower intelligence. However, they compensate with a great sense of smell and hearing.

Dwarves, with their short legs, experience a smaller increase in Agility even when focusing all efforts on it compared to other races. It's speculated that their stat adjustment for Agility is low. The impact on the official release remains unknown, and currently, it's just a theory.

Two players, both presumed to have identical AGI stats, lined up and ran together, yet their speeds turned out to be different. This discrepancy formed the basis of the theory.

Elves are believed to be more susceptible to attacks, as they have a lower HP adjustment compared to other races.

Giants, on the contrary, possess a notably high HP adjustment. Given their gigantic stature, their height ranges from two to three meters, with two meters being the maximum for humans. While generally, it's possible to adjust size by 5cm, there are specific limits for each race. Interestingly, individuals taller than two meters in reality can have characters in the game exceeding that height, a fact officially stated by the management.

Machinery races possess significantly higher early stats compared to other races, but their MP adjustment is considerably poor. It's not zero, but it might as well be, given its minimal effectiveness.

Despite being machines and inherently intelligent, they have high intelligence but lack MP, as stated.

Additionally, in this game, there's an array of non-human races, often referred to as Inhuman or Monster Races. These races exhibit high stats, which can be extremely skewed in various directions. However, due to their non-human nature, there are significant downsides. For instance, opting to be a slime might initially pose challenges in learning even the basic movements.

Nevertheless, these non-human races have an advantage in faster growth rates and the ability to evolve—a concept absent among human races. Significant changes often offer opportunities for them to alter their skills. While these races are diverse and plentiful, they also come with their fair share of downsides.

Simply put, the admin's stance is that they don't mind if you find it challenging to move—you made the choice. These races possess the capability to acquire Monster Skills, which could potentially make powerful players even stronger. They're considered races for those with ambitious dreams.

During the beta phase, the Inhuman board was filled with anguished cries, resembling a scene from hell. The general consensus was that it would be ideal if even 10% of players chose Inhuman races. However, it seems there were numerous issues while playing as an Inhuman.

For instance:

Although there's a marker above everyone, indicating they are players, some individuals display a heartless attitude toward Inhuman races, saying things like, 'Hey, you're a monster, aren't you? That's not PK'ing!'

However, being an online game, the admins have taken such issues into consideration and made an announcement reassuring players: 'There are regular ways for you to enter towns, so don't worry—especially if you're a race that can speak.' The admins' last remark was in jest, but players retorted with, 'That's actually crucial though?!'

While there's no issue with players communicating through the chat function, conversing with the locals—NPCs—might pose a challenge as players need to interact with them for various purposes.

I'm inclined towards selecting an inhuman race as I find the choice of a regular character somewhat mundane. Which option should I go for?

The Slime appears subpar until it evolves, while Goblins are a pass due to their lack of cuteness. Wolves seem decent; real wolves on all fours. They are said to be quite robust and somewhat impressive. Horses, snakes, spiders...

But for all these options, they can't speak initially, right? When they evolve into Centaurs, Echidnas, and arachnids, they acquire human attributes and seemingly gain the ability to speak. However, despite their faster leveling compared to humans, the duration to reach that evolutionary point remains uncertain, leading to potential time wastage while leveling up and evolving.

Ah, it appears Goblins and Skeletons have the ability to speak. As for their vocal cords... well, let's not dwell too much on that topic.

The Mini-Golem race—will it expand in size upon evolving? Turning into an obstruction, perhaps. Ghosts—how would they even maneuver? Hm… Mm…

Zombies, well, they're not aesthetically pleasing.

There's quite a range to choose from, isn't there?

There's also a lizard resembling a dragon. I'm unsure if it gradually evolves into one, but it's not particularly cute and they seems to enjoy sleeping a lot.

Ah, there's also the Vampire race, huh? Let's go with that. Vampires in stories tend to be lazy, always asleep. Like me.