The Uncanny Valley Travel Guide

In 2301 of the Gregorian calendar, the city of new stars.

The translucent light path traverses the sky over the entire magnificent city, and all kinds of aircraft shuttle quickly on it, bringing out bursts of brilliant sparks.People flow on the street, and the metal-colored precision buildings shine brightly in the sunlight. A huge three-dimensional bust stands at the top of the entire city center, allowing people to hear and see the image above very clearly no matter where they are and the outgoing voice—

——"The city of new stars, dreams and future, shaped by you."

It was a projection of a virtual woman. As early as half a month ago, the top of the City of Nova was the international superstar Alan Nable. This super king who was handsome enough to make all the women and some men in the world screamed seemed to be the same as the city of Nova. Signing a long-term contract, he took dozens of different sets of images for this giant city, which flickered in the sky for half a year, but just a dozen days ago, he disappeared and was replaced by a nun bust.

She was wearing a snow-white ever-wish veil, and covered her eyes and forehead with complicated white lace, and she couldn't even see the shadow of her hairline. Such ruddy lips and fair skin are enough to let people see what kind of beauty she is.

The nun's slender hands were clasped in front of her chest, and the backs of her white hands were painted with intricate patterns of bright red like cinnabar.After billions of points of light gathered in the sky to form her face, she said in an ethereal and divine voice: "Good day, my brothers and sisters, may the kingdom of the Father come, may the will of the Father be done on earth, as it is done on earth." In heaven. I am Holy Sister Teresa, your eternal guide and companion."

Then, it hangs until today.

Wen Zheliu was standing at the entrance of the street diagonally below the statue of the nun, flipping an electronic name tag with his slender fingertips.

He has been waiting here for a long time, so long that his lips are a little dry.He sighed, turned around and walked through the brand new and bright zebra crossing, turned around the corner of the busy street, and found a drink shop.

"A glass of lemonade, thank you."

"Six copper coins."

He counted out six copper coins. At this moment, he noticed that a man in black was sitting on the chair next to him, wearing a mask covering half his face, looking at the drink shop, with his hands involuntarily touching his waist. touched.

Forgot your wallet?Wen Di thought, the eyes are so beautiful.

After thinking for a while, he counted out another six copper coins and handed them to the shopkeeper.

"Please have another drink, thank you."

Suddenly there was a cold and wet touch on his shoulder, the man turned his head to look, Wen Zheliu smiled at him, holding a glass of water dripping cold drink in his hand.

"My buddy didn't bring a wallet?" He smiled brightly, "It's hot today, so the real-time temperature here will be adjusted accordingly. Let's drink something, I'll treat you."

The man was stunned for a moment, and then his pale peach eyes were filled with a smile. He was not polite, and simply took it over and said, "Thank you."

Wen Zheliu waved to him, continued walking to the spot, drinking lemonade and waiting.

"Wendi!" A voice shouted suddenly from behind, and before he could turn around, someone grabbed his shoulders vigorously, pressed him into his arms and rubbed him, "You bastard, why are you standing here! "

Wen Zheliu didn't even need to turn his head, he just slammed his elbow back on the chest of the visitor, making a dull metallic sound, he laughed and said, "Come on! I just can't think of where to go!"

The person who came was holding his shoulders, but it was a tall robot with an old color. The iron chest was sprayed with red and white paint patterns that were incomplete due to wear and tear. When talking, you could even see the gears protruding from the cheekbones. Squeaking under bundles of rusty metal wires, Wen Zheliu glanced at him and asked strangely, "What kind of skin do you have? Why is each one weirder than the other?"

The robot triumphantly raised a finger, and the rust stains on the knuckles were twisted apart, "You don't understand this, this feel is popular now, it's called nostalgic steampunk, and it's specially designed to authenticate mechanical identities. The players are ready to ask someone to design it! I waited for a month before I was in line, how is it, is it a special feeling?"

Wen Zheliu gave his friend a disgusted look, and said, "Just don't be swept away by the cleaning robot as scrap."

"Fuck you!" White pretended to be angry and patted him. While the two were talking, many pedestrians of different shapes and colors passed by, a tall girl with a pair of golden pupils and a bow and arrow on her back; Red | A bare-chested, muscular primitive warrior carrying a mace with animal bones on his shoulders; a teenager who flies across the sky on a jet skateboard; and a mechanical life that walks across the street at a uniform speed with the exact distance of each step...

When a sea tribe with blue skin disappeared from their sight riding a heavy and gorgeous giant beast, both of them exclaimed in unison.

"It's the Sea Clan dog tag again, and it's [Atlanta's Remains], that's a B-level ornamental mount that sells for 888 gold coins in the mall," White shook his head slowly, "Dude, you're really rich."

Wen Zheliu also shook his head: "The life of a local tyrant is happy."

In the Gregorian calendar 2301, the city of new stars, a virtual paradise.

In the world hundreds of years later, with the rapid development of science and technology, holographic devices have replaced electronic devices and become an indispensable part of people's lives. Relying on the research and development of holographic games, N-star Company established a virtual network domain called Nova City on the optical network. A general-purpose network with dozens of major functions such as social networking and shopping.It uses the precious metal gold and silver as the currency in circulation, and copper as the conversion point under the gold and silver. Up to now, the currency of Nova City can be exchanged one-to-one with the currency of the real world, and hundreds of millions of professional players have come into play. Born, active in the city of new stars.

People living in this era usually have three most important documents, one is the ID card, the other is the license to connect to the virtual network, and the last one is the electronic name tag of Nova City, which is called a dog tag by players to prove their race and residency. certificate.

Those who own real estate in the air in the real world can be certified as feather and dragon in Nova City, those who own real estate on the sea can be certified as sea people, and those who own real estate on the mountain can be certified as elves and tree demons... People's The address of residence determines what kind of fantasy group you can become in the city of new stars. Although most people still choose the more accustomed human race, or the more imaginative aliens, goblins and orcs, etc., there are still rich people who can choose. A specific ethnic group that symbolizes identity, such as the sea clan they saw just now.

As for White, it is a mechanical race specially designed by N-star for patients who have undergone surgery and the disabled. They can change their appearance for free every month. nostalgic style.

"Let's not talk about that," White turned his head, "What are you waiting for here?"

Wen Zheliu chose the most common human appearance, of course, given his family conditions, he could only choose this.Fortunately, he is tall and handsome, not to mention his tall and straight figure, and his skin is fair and moist. When he smiles, he looks like a little sun, which makes people feel warm in his heart. If he chooses another race, he will not show his appearance advantage.He sighed, looked at the magnificent building not far away and complained: "Don't mention it, I went online early this morning, originally to earn some lunch money in the world, but when I came up to see it, it was reserved by the team again, I have nothing to say gone."

The game he mentioned is a shooting escape game developed by N Company half a year ago. , the popularity has not subsided even now, and a large number of players shuttle back and forth in it every day, including teams that were born for this purpose.

Compared with single-player players, teams that have developed a tacit understanding in multiple games and developed tactics are obviously more dominant. This has created a situation: every time a game becomes popular, there are teams that take the opportunity to fish in troubled waters and rely on Opportunity for influx of people to bring newcomers.

Most of the players who can form a team are high-level, experienced, and long-time veteran players. Where they can go, novices are not qualified to go. Therefore, whenever fresh blood is needed, there will be a team that is hot now. In the game, the game is reserved, and the trumpet is specially opened to abuse low-level players who are not familiar with the rules of the game, and give away heads to newcomers to gain experience.

In particular, the game mode of "Survival World" is very special, which opens the door for such actions, and makes idle players dare not speak out.Even if the report is reported to the regional administrator, it is impossible to completely ban them, and the punishment is even more painless - after all, the rules of the city of Nova are like this, where there is no law, freedom is freedom, which itself provides a source for players' disputes. sufficiently relaxed conditions.

"Wait," White said disdainfully, "Wait until Uncanny Valley goes on sale, who remembers what Survival World is?"

Wen Zheliu looked up at the statue of the nun in the sky, all kinds of aircraft and mounts passed by her, and some deliberately passed through the eyes, mouth or chest.

"You mean that holy nun, Teresa?" Wen Zheliu said, "It is said that she is the image of the mastermind of Uncanny Valley, is it true?"

"Eight|nine is inseparable," White said, "Think about it, this is a product that Xinxing Company intends to release on the centennial anniversary celebration, and it will definitely use unprecedented resources to promote it. At that time, all games will be on it. Everyone in front of them is the second child, and they all have to make concessions."

"So, you've already started preparations?" Wen Zheliu teased him funny.

White slapped his chest with confidence, and with a "bang", the rust rustled down, "Of course, since the press conference, I have been going around in the horror zone, and I have basically figured out the existing game modes. It’s clear, when the Uncanny Valley server opens, I will definitely be in the top ten of the leaderboard!"

The leaderboard he mentioned is a list that every big game will make a statistical ranking for the player's combat power and record. In addition to a few main game battlefields that cost a lot of money, unexpectedly popular games like "Survival World" are also popular. A leaderboard will be created.Seeing his friend's fighting spirit, Wen Zheliu encouraged him with a smile: "Then you go on, I'm not sensitive to horror-themed games, so I won't work hard for them."

While the two were talking, they heard a burst of noise coming from the teleportation hall in front of them, and Wen Zheliu lifted his spirits: "Come out!"

"Do you have to wait for them to come out? Why don't you go to other halls?" White wondered, "There are not [-] but [-] portals in Survival World. Why stay in this one?"

Wen Zheliu said helplessly: "Isn't it because I accepted a one-gold mission, as long as I kill 500 enemies in this room, one gold coin will be credited to the account. Such easy money is rare these days!"

According to the exchange rate between virtual currency and the real world, after Wen Zheliu completed this order, it was equivalent to earning 1 yuan in the real world. Given that system tasks generally use silver coins and copper coins as monetary rewards, it is indeed very rare.

"That's good luck to you too!" White waved at him, "After finishing the mission, we'll meet up in the revolving restaurant!"

Wen Zheliu didn't turn his head back, raised his two fingers together, raised his fingers in the air, and walked into the hall with the flow of people.

White whistled, "Cool."

Wen Zheliu didn't realize until he entered the hall that the situation was not as easy as he thought.

A red-haired woman wearing military boots and a sleeveless camouflage uniform, with her hair made into the appearance of the latest [Mystery Girl] on the store, and another man with the appearance of an orc were blocked next to the portal, surrounded by a circle of angry players .

"I've made it very clear," the woman spread her hands helplessly, "It's just that the two of us have something to do, so we decided to withdraw automatically after the end of the first game. It doesn't mean that our team will also withdraw from the next game. You block us What's the use? Do you want to gather a crowd in a peaceful area to provoke a fight?"

"You guys are obviously cheating!" A player said angrily, "You all went in because you said you would quit the game, but in the end, only two of you left, and the rest of you were tricked into it! "

Wen Zheliu roughly understood what was going on, the woman smiled again, her coquettish eyebrows showed a haughty spirit, the orc beside her moved two curved fangs, and sprayed from his nose. With two puffs of heat, he said in a rough voice, "Whoever has an opinion, please leave your Xingwang ID, see you at the slaughterhouse!"

The players around were suddenly quiet.

The slaughterhouse is different from the arena for formal competitions. It is a private fighting venue specially set up for players. If you voluntarily step into the portal of the slaughterhouse, it is equivalent to signing a life and death certificate. Gold coins and experience levels are in danger of being cleared. The risky activities opened, few players who play games in peace are willing to go there.

The woman is a senior player at level 55, and the orc is only two levels lower than her.There are at least tens of thousands of game worlds in the city of Nova, so it cannot be calculated using the conventional hierarchy system. After removing the highest-level worlds that have participated in, and then removing the lowest-level worlds that have participated in, the remaining average value is The overall rating of the player. Whether level 50 is high or not, it is already a threshold that many people find it difficult to cross.

"Team Lei Xiao, listen to the wind at night, cross the street madly..." Wen Zheliu frowned, and a player next to him said, "Brother, do you know these two people?"

Wen Zheliu shook his head with a smile: "You can tell the 32nd team in the Survival World at a glance."

The player said embarrassingly, "I'm only ranked 32 and still jumping like this... Guang will bully the little players, why don't you find the team in front of the row to challenge the field?"

Wen Zheliu looked at the time displayed on the terminal, and felt that he couldn't control it anymore. Before the round started, he squeezed away some players who were standing in front of him, and said, "Let's make way, please make way." , while walking towards the direction of the portal.

"Alas, big brother!" The player behind him wanted to stop him, but Wen Zheliu dodged a few times, then stepped to the door, took out a translucent thin dog tag, and raised his hand to swipe it in the card slot on the side of the door. one time.

Wan Tingfeng was quite surprised, but when he saw that this player named Wendi was only at level 15, he only regarded him as a strong and stunned young man in his heart, so he couldn't help but sneered: "Little weak chicken."

Wen Zheliu was not angry, but gave her a good-natured smile. At this moment, a slender and powerful arm suddenly stretched out from the slanted spine, and Wen Zheliu's card slot "ding" brushed across .

Wen Zheliu was taken aback for a moment, then turned around to realize that at some point, there was a tall man standing behind him, who was the player he had invited to drink lemonade earlier.He used to be nearly 1.8 meters tall, but looking at it now, it only reached the tip of the man's eyebrows. I don't know if it is real data or fabricated.

"It's you?" Wen Zheliu was surprised, but the man embraced his shoulder very familiarly.

With a whimper, the man's star network ID flashed in the air, and slowly emerged from his line of sight.

【Chin】

"Why, look down on low-level players?" He said, with a smile in his voice, his voice was very magnetic, as if he was born with a frivolous flair, "Go, brother will take you to finish this game."