Other teams also encountered situations similar to Shiller's team, either they had familiar members leaving to join other teams to explore other universes in the later stages, or they were still negotiating business, exchanging knowledge and technology. If you were to kick them out now, who would be happy about it?
There are also some who cannot help but suspect that the organizer brought them here without setting strict rules, but allowed them to interact friendly. Could this really be achieved without any cost? Could there be a trap waiting for them afterwards? Would the difficulty suddenly increase? Would their original universe be in any danger?
Indeed, such questions have been asked countless times in the hearts of the Batmen, some of which were even voiced out loud. Owen heard them clear enough.
In simple terms, in a free amusement park, people naturally worry about the quality and safety of the facilities. However, if the admission fee is about a hundred or two, although some people may find it expensive and refuse to play, those who are screened out are not the consumer group that can make the park profitable.
On the contrary, those who can afford to pay a hundred or two for admission will definitely spend money in the amusement park, possibly spending several times the admission fee.
Looking at Battleworld, anyone with a bit of insight can see how worthwhile it is to pay a little to interact with people from parallel universes. And, those who are unable to realize this, who are unwilling to pay the admission fee, are destined to not have any remarkable performance in the game. They can't provide the organizer with the fun they need, nor can they provide other participants with useful resources.
Every circle requires an admission fee to ensure relative equality among its members, so no one would get a free ride. If there is too much disparity in wealth and wisdom, and the effort and rewards are not equal or someone is freelancing, it will certainly end in dissatisfaction.
Although he had experienced this many times, Stark still put his hand on his forehead and said, "So did you foresee this situation from the very beginning?"
"You could just call it a safety measure." Shiller shrugged, "Actually, I didn't expect it to come so soon. I thought I could still enjoy a few more days."
"But you planned to charge from the very start," Natasha cut to the chase.
"It's called optimizing the allocation of human resources. Do you get it?" Shiller argued, "We are a high-standard group, only accepting members with resources."
"Sounds like Wall Street's game."
"What are you talking about? We're now the Holy Sanctuary kind."
"Alright, but how do you plan to charge?" Lucifer asked again, "The currencies in the different universes mustn't be common. Even if they paid you, you wouldn't be able to use it back home. And there might be people with abilities but not enough money, like that boy named Peter Parker. With him around, every game has its own narrative. I quite like him."
"Of course, resources or technology can also be used to exchange for point cards. How much can be exchanged, we need a standard. This standard we will need to discuss and decide upon."
The next morning, all the contestants in the camps heard a broadcast from the organizer on the round stage.
"Attention, duelists. Battleworld is expected to undergo two hours of maintenance. The maintenance time will be between seven and nine o'clock in the morning, Duel World New Earth time.
Duelists cannot participate in games during this time, but ongoing games will not be affected. No re-entry during shut-down time.
"The expected updates are as follow:
Duel World New Earth's public beta version is coming with brand new types of games available for selection. The game selection process is brought into heavy optimization. Matching conditions will be more accurate and user-friendly.
The Battleworld public beta adopts a points to play exchange system. More details can be found in the shop interface.
In addition to a variety of in-game option optimization and visual upgrades, we also offer detailed customer service consulting channels.
Thank you for your long-standing support of Battleworld. We will strive for perfection and provide you with a better gaming experience.
For a detailed explanation of this update, please refer to the text version at the terminals after the update is completed. Thank you."
For the sake of game viewing, Owen and Lucifer did not select superheroes from too long ago. Most of the superheroes live in the age of electronic information, at most, some are just starting or at a developed stage.
Most people have some understanding of things like electronic games. Even Batman once developed a virtual battle system to simulate the crime situation in Gotham.
Most of the people perceive Battleworld as a large-scale holographic game, and they knew as soon as they heard the update announcement that there was a version change of the game and that new functions would be launched successively.
In fact, the stolen system from before couldn't be considered a steal, it was just a bit rough compared to this enormous movement, like an eight-bit system on a supercomputing hardware, or like building a rocket to hear the sound of the blast, which felt a bit off.
So when this update announcement came out, everyone was expecting some better updated functions. As a result, when the update was completed and the detailed instructions came out, everyone was dumbfounded.
Did you just update an in-app purchase system?
Moreover, compared to this minimalist game operating system and visual design, isn't this store a bit too advanced?
Everyone found that this store interface is not just complicated, it's dazzling and filled with choices. It even comes with a highly advanced resource detection function.
Simply put, you upload a summary of a technology or a resource, and the system automatically evaluates it, converting it into points for purchasing game playtime.
Suddenly, praise filled the camp. All the competitors wanted to know who the genius was who arranged this update. If I knew the name, I would definitely give them some serious compliments.
However, the clever ones knew that there's no such thing as a free lunch in the world, and who else could have arranged the update?
Who controls the world with the flip of a switch? After some thought, it must be that damn planner.
They were more concerned about the so-called technology and resources, the rules for exchange of points. Although they knew the planner would not be a big spender, the vast majority still felt insecure about what they had in hand.
Moreover, there is a severe problem. Most of the competitors come from Earth or nearby civilizations. The technology tree developed by humans over the years is more or less the same. The only deviations are rare exceptions. This means that everyone has similar technologies.
So, what if someone has already uploaded a technology? Can I still get points if I upload it again? Does it mean the later I upload, the more disadvantaged I am?
As a result, many people started to upload their technologies in a hurry, while the smarter ones realized that the rules can't be so simple.
If the other party wants endless new technologies, especially human technologies, they must not be as developed as humans. But could someone who can pull so many people into a virtual world out of thin air have a lower level of civilization than humans who haven't left their mother star?
Sure enough, after some exploration, they found that repeated technologies can also get points. However, a team can only exchange for a certain technology once. If the repetition rate of technologies uploaded within the team exceeds 30%, they will not be exchanged. That is to say, the exchange of technology is a one-off.
But there is another possibility. If I exchange new technology with other teams and then upload it on my end, I can still get points. Or if I invent a new technology now, that can also be exchanged for points.
Batman immediately realized that the organizers were encouraging technological exchanges between universes. Wonder Woman on his team realized that magic tech can also be used, meaning they had many magic techniques they could exchange with others for points.
But this creates a problem. When uploading technology, you need to reproduce it in a virtual space. If it cannot be reproduced successfully, it cannot be uploaded. So, to get more points, you must master more technologies, including magic tech.
So Batman had to ponder. While Wonder Woman could use magic, the team member with better learning ability was definitely himself. So, it would be best for him to perform technical exchanges and learn techniques from other teams. But what should the other two team members do? Just sit and watch?
Then they discovered that energy also counted as a resource that could be exchanged for points. Although the exchange rate for one unit is not high, as long as there is enough energy, many points can be exchanged.
So where does the energy come from? After all, energy cannot be replenished in this space. Superman could sunbathe to recover energy, but Wonder Woman, who uses mana and divine power, was basically running on savings.
Then, the competitors discovered that the game had opened channels for logging on and off. That is, they were not stuck in the game. If you didn't want to play, you could leave at any time.
Seeing this, many competitors immediately wanted to leave. After all, nobody was idle, and they had a heap of issues to deal with in reality. Although time stood still here, there would come a day when they had to return to reality.
But as they continued to read, they discovered a very tempting rule.
Simply put, each person can participate in one game per day. Achieving random goals in the game can earn points. Points can not only be used to purchase game playtime, but also to draw lots. The prize pool consists of the technologies uploaded by other people.
Furthermore, the prize pool is not fixed, but rotates different types of technologies. Maybe one week the pool is filled with magic techniques, and another week, it might contain a technology or resource needed by a certain civilization. If you do not log in at all or do not do any tasks during that week, you miss out. You'd have to wait for a repeat.
The organizers also hinted at the possibility of offering more exciting features in the future, such as redeeming points for tour packages in other universes, and social activities between different universes.
All these features have one significant characteristic in common: they all require points. If you don't have the money, don't play.
Seeing this, everyone lavished a round of praises on the organizers.
But, praise aside, they still had to play the game. Even the Joker had a certain demand for the innovative bomb technologies.
Moreover, the organizers also stated that points could be exchanged for local currency at a certain ratio, greatly alleviating the financial pressure of the poorer competitors.
It's foreseeable that soon there will be many professional players popping up, and countless game related forums and posts.
Ultimately, this New Earth, which made many people realize for the first time the vastness of the universe and the richness of life, would change the destinies of many people. They would encounter friends with the same ambitions and competitors that they respected.
Meanwhile, in the distant depths of the universe, an old hand wrote with a feather pen:
"When we first left the swaddling clothes, a whole new universe embraced us with joy, and we too looked to embrace others who were just as young at heart, to discover infinite possibilities.
Some people experienced new perspectives on life, others witnessed countless separations and reunions, and some left immortal legends. As for me, I will truthfully record all the stories here.
I am the father of stories, and also the child of stories. I am... the God of Stories, Loki."