Chapter 26: Version Alpha 0.2 update

Official Website:

[Wasteland OL Closed Beta Version Alpha 0.2 Update Announcement]

[Major Update:

1. Increased the number of closed beta gamers to 30.

2. Expansion Pack "Winter is Coming" released: The game will enter winter within 30 days, and the temperature will drop to minus ten degrees within 60 days. If gamers who meet the requirement of an average daily online duration of more than 4 hours successfully withstand the cold, they will receive the exclusive title of "Winter Warrior." If the challenge fails, the game server will be temporarily shut down within the specified time, and after adjusting the difficulty level, it will resume the closed beta.

]

[Optimization:

1. More realistic physics system.

2. More diverse mutated creatures.

3. Enhanced freedom.

4. Fixed a few bugs.

5. ...

]

[Gamer's Manual updated to version 2.0, please check it promptly for gamers who have obtained the invitation qualification.]

[Current number of reservations: 113]

Wow.

In the blink of an eye, there are two more reservations.

At this moment, Light Chu is sitting in the shelter's main hall, staring at the official website's backstage on the computer screen, pondering.

"Where did these people come from?"

The group doesn't have that many active members...

Alternate accounts?

Impossible.

No one can create alternate accounts on the Wasteland OL's official website.

Not to mention changing IPs, even changing devices won't work. The reservation qualification is tied to individuals, not computers.

Light Chu opened the forum and took a glance. There were some familiar IDs and some that he saw for the first time.

[Quit_smoking]: "Why are there suddenly so many people on the forum??? Where did you all come from?"

[Kakarot_from_future]: "Group for Moba games? I saw someone sharing the link in it."

[Ilaina]: "I'm different, I came from the eroge enthusiasts group. (Funny)"

[Great_names_all_taken_by_dogs]: "Good comrade, can I borrow you a moment to talk privately?"

[That_tinge_of_longing]: "(Eating popcorn)"

[Vine_vine]: "What kind of game is this? Is it serious?"

[Everyday_demon_lord]: "+1, same question."

[Quit_smoking]: "No need to ask. It doesn't look serious at all. Look at those people above, do they look serious? I beg you all, please don't reserve! They are all fake, all fake! (Frustrated)"

[Vine_vine]: "≡ω≡"

[Everyday_demon_lord]: "Sayonara."

Light Chu:...

What's wrong with [Quit_smoking]???

The official website's forum finally gained a bit of popularity, and before it even got warm, he managed to drive one away.

And there might be more than one of them...

Light Chu felt speechless for a moment, but he didn't take it too personally.

He wasn't that kind of person who harbored grudges.

After browsing the forum for a while, Light Chu roughly understood why there was suddenly a large influx of new users recently.

Some group must have shared screenshots of the Shachuko Club's group chat and the link to the game's official website in other gaming groups.

As a result, "Wasteland OL," which only had an official website, settings, and "big cake," inexplicably became popular in the gaming community.

Many new users came over from other gaming groups, mostly asking about "what kind of game is this," "when will the game start closed beta," and strange questions like "can you take off your pants," "is there any censorship."

There were hardly any serious discussions about the game's content.

Light Chu couldn't help but think, should he appoint a few moderators to help manage the forum?

Switching to the desktop and logging into his Penguin account, Light Chu opened the "Shachuko Club" gaming group, which was bustling with activity.

The topic of the closed beta qualification seemed to have been discussed before, and now the group's discussion had completely shifted to the Alpha 0.2 update and the "Winter is Coming" expansion pack.

A game still in the closed beta phase actually released an expansion pack?

This is too absurd!

[Level_99_trashpicker]: "Oh, so those who didn't get the closed beta qualification will miss out directly?"

[No_OnE_kNoWs_LoVe]: "It's outrageous!"

[Quit_smoking]: "Someone please @ the dog game planner to hire more people! I won't take any money! No, shut up and take my money!"

[Level_99_trashpicker]: "@Light, someone called you a dog game planner."

[Quit Smoking]: "Darn it!"

([Quit_smoking] retracts a message)

Light Chu: "..."

Why is it this guy again?

Just as Light Chu was contemplating whether to say something, he suddenly noticed that Tomorrow had sent him a private message.

"Light Bro, are you there? (Grinning face)"

Curious about what this guy wanted to say, Light Chu typed a reply.

"Just finished something, what's up?"

[See_you_tomorrow]: "There's something that has been bothering me, and I wanted to ask you... about the NPC known as the Governor, is it played by employees of your company or is it an AI?"

Worried that this guy might not feel comfortable answering this question, Light Chu quickly added a sentence after typing that.

"I'm just asking casually, if it involves company secrets or something, you can pretend I didn't ask."

[Light]: "No problem, it's not really a secret, and besides, as a lowly game planner, I don't have access to confidential information."

Tomorrow's face lit up with joy, and he quickly started typing.

"Okay okay! Please go ahead!"

Light Chu thought for a moment, then boldly typed on the keyboard.

"Simply put, its existence is very special."

Special!

Well, well.

This NPC is indeed extraordinary!

Tomorrow keenly caught onto the two key words, and his whole being became excited. His thumb danced on the phone screen.

"Can you be more specific!"

[Light]: "He is the first-generation fully artificial intelligence developed by our company."

"Fully artificial intelligence??"

Tomorrow looked puzzled.

This was beyond his realm of knowledge.

However...

It felt amazing!

Tomorrow's eyes sparkled as he sat in front of the computer, wishing that this "insider" would reveal a bit more.

And this Light Bro did not disappoint his expectations. He continued typing on the screen.

[Light]: "That's right, it's an AI that closely resembles a human!"

[Light]: "It has its own personality, memories, thinking patterns, values, and behavioral motivations. That's why we gave it the power to restrict gamers and guide them into the game."

Exactly!

I'm so damn brilliant!

Tomorrow is so excited that almost hit his face with phone, and his trembling thumb continued typing.

Tomorrow: "I understand now! No wonder his decisions can affect your testing progress! In fact, I've already noticed that the content of this game itself has been developed quite well. The immersive feeling is like a real world! I'm not exaggerating when I say that even someone as picky as me can't find any obvious bugs!"

[See_you_tomorrow]: "If I have to point out the only flaw, it would probably be that there are too few NPCs! So, I thought, is it possible that what you're testing is not the game itself, but the game's AI? Even including the Alpha 0.2 version update of the expansion pack "Winter is Coming," is it also for this purpose... am I right?"

Straight to the point!

Getting to the heart of the matter!

That was Tomorrow's evaluation of his own statement.

Taking into account various clues, he felt that he had completely grasped the intentions of the game developer.

While the group members were discussing why "Wasteland OL" released the expansion pack "Winter is Coming" during the closed beta phase, the fragmented conclusions and speculations they arrived at seemed superficial to him.

At most, they only saw the first earth layer, and some didn't even reach the first layer yet.

Only he, standing on top of the atmosphere layer!

The mysterious company developing "Wasteland OL," on the surface, was testing the game, but in reality, they were testing the "fully artificial intelligence" running on the game framework!

And this expansion pack called "Winter is Coming" was the mysterious company's test of the "first-generation fully artificial intelligence"!

Silence lasted for a while.

Seeing that Light Bro didn't speak, Tomorrow already had an answer in his mind, and the corners of his mouth involuntarily curved up.

I am indeed a genius!

[Light]: "You're very smart."

[Light]: "Indeed, as you said, the expansion pack "Winter is Coming" is indeed designed to test the performance of the first-generation fully artificial intelligence and serves as a necessary procedure to initiate the next round of testing."

While typing these words, Light Chu quietly deleted the set of explanations he had just edited in the document.

Because he felt that this guy's nonsense sounded more convincing.

Not blowing smoke or exaggerating, this guy is indeed talented.

Just in terms of his brainiac imagination...

[See_you_tomorrow]: "I think I understand now. So, the progress of the testing is indeed influenced by the game's storyline, right?"

[Light]: "Yes."

[See_you_tomorrow]: "And currently, the only one who can drive the plot forward is the Governor of Sanctuary 404, right?"

[Light]: "Correct."

[See_you_tomorrow]: "Thank you! I understand! Sorry for bothering you with all these insider information. But rest assured, I will keep the secret! (Grinning face)"

[Light]: "Actually, it's not really insider information, and you don't have to keep it a secret."

[See_you_tomorrow]: "No no no, I will definitely keep it a secret. You can trust me! (Grinning face) (Grinning face)"

Light Chu: "..."

Is this what they call an enterprise-level of understanding?

Truly eye-opening.