On January 9, 1997,
In the USA, California.
James entered his room and turned on his computer by pressing the button on the computer.
The Windows logo in the startup appeared and loaded before the computer fully booted up.
James then pressed the eject button of the CD slot, and the CD slot ejected. James put the CD of a video game, "Fallout."
Excitedly rubbing his hands together, James installed the video game on his computer.
"I'll finally be able to play a PC game..." James muttered. He had just bought his first-ever PC video game from "GameStop."
Many of his friends were already playing video games, and they expressed their positive experiences, especially when they talked about playing with people online as a noble experience.
James also aspired to join the PC gaming community and engage in online play with others, using his allowance to purchase a video game called "Fallout" – a newly released title recommended by his friends.
For some reason, James sensed that his friends might only be interested in him buying the latest KiShin video game so they could borrow the "Fallout" CD and install it on their own PCs.
Nevertheless, James shrugged off any concerns, as he was genuinely curious about playing the most recent release from the self-proclaimed "number 1" video game company in the world – eager to explore what KiShin's PC games had to offer.
James then ejected the CD slot once more, removing the video game CD, as the game was already installed.
He opened the video game, and the "Fallout" animation intro began.
Against the black background, white text "Fallout" appeared, accompanied by the music soundtrack.
The scene transitioned to black and white with sound effects, replicating the old 1930s television effects.
A simple cartoon animation depicted a character watering plants, swiftly changing to the cartoon person waving in the foreground before the vault closed, revealing the number "13" in front.
The black and white scene shifted to newsreel footage, labeled "Galaxy News," featuring a soldier shooting another person in the back of the head. The soldier, covered in a mask and suit, appeared to notice the camera focusing on him and waved back.
Zooming out, it revealed the scenes were playing on an old television. James read the text on the television, "Buy War Bonds."
Despite noticing differences in the USA flag within the game compared to the real one, James observed that the game referenced the actual USA.
Government propaganda continued playing on the old television until the music soundtrack seemed to malfunction, repeating, "Maybe— Maybe— Maybe-" before slowly fading into the background.
The screen turned black, and a man's voice resonated.
"War. War never changes."
Upon hearing these four words and witnessing the accompanying image, James was instantly immersed in the video game's narrative.
Images unfolded successively as the narrator delved into a chilling montage of historical wars, illustrating his point. James saw depictions of ancient Roman soldiers, Spanish conquistadors, and Nazi stormtroopers, all motivated by the pursuit of power, resources, and dominance.
The narrative then shifted to the 21st century, where war escalated to unprecedented destructiveness. The narrator described a world devastated by nuclear blasts, the struggle for depleting resources such as oil and uranium, and the development of increasingly terrifying weapons.
The narrator underscores the irony of war—advanced technology employed for destruction, soldiers sacrificed for futile causes, and an unending cycle of violence that leaves the world in ruins.
He delves into the concept of "victories Pyrrhic in nature," accentuating the hollow triumphs and devastating costs of war.
The narration seamlessly transitions to the Fallout context. James listens to the story of the "Great War" that nearly obliterated humanity and the Vaults, the last bastions of civilization clinging to survival beneath the irradiated earth. There are "whispers of a new civilization," hinting at the potential for rebuilding and renewal. The narrator concludes on a poignant note, stating that "from the ashes of nuclear devastation, a new society dares to walk in the wasteland's dust."
Following the animation intro, the video game menu appeared, and James selected the "New Game" option. He chose a character, and James found the themes of green text and systematic fonts impressive. The design of the game menu gave a sci-fi vibe, which suited the game's genre.
As the narration smoothly transitioned to the Fallout context, James learned about the "Great War" that nearly obliterated humanity and the Vaults, the last bastions of civilization clinging to survival beneath the irradiated earth. He then discovered the ability to modify his character's status, even though it was constrained by points and featured positive and negative signs for each stat.
Despite being new to PC gaming, James wasn't ignorant of video games in general. As a TSX Fusion console gamer, he was familiar with RPG settings, as RPG games were also popular in the world of video game consoles.
Following that, a 3D animation featuring an elderly man within the player's vision presented the in-game character with a mission to acquire a chip.
The video game officially commenced, and the camera positioned high up, allowing James to control his in-game character using a mouse cursor.
In the initial stages of the game, James observed the capability to pick up items and equip them.
As James played the game and explored the surroundings, he gradually encountered mutated creatures.
Navigating the cave of Vault 13, James battled mutated creatures before successfully stepping out of the harsh wasteland. Continuing to play, his in-game character ventured into a new map called "Shady Sands."
Time passed, and it had only been half an hour since James started playing the game, yet he was already deeply engrossed.
As James gained levels and invested in skills like lockpicking or speech, he felt his character evolve. Successfully picking a locked door or negotiating his way out of a challenging situation felt empowering, turning him into a resourceful survivor.
This is what James enjoyed about video games. They truly transported him from reality into the immersive world of the game. Now, he felt as though he was the in-game character, navigating the world on a mission to find a chip.
However, this was just a fleeting escape for James.
The immersion in the game offered a thrilling yet bittersweet departure from everyday life. James craved the excitement and adventure, yet beneath it lingered a subtle yearning for the stability and familiarity of reality.
AN:
[I'll post the next chapter in a few hours.]
The PC video game "Fallout" came out first in January before the PC video game "StarCraft," and it was just the first few days since "Fallout" was released, but many gamers in the USA or Japan gaming community were talking about it.
Well, the PC video game "Fallout" contained a sensitive topic, after all. And that is: War.
Although the gamers in the KiShin website gaming community faithfully discussed the charm of the game, many people posted their own opinion about the game narrative of war.
Especially, when the images of the atomic bomb dropped in Hiroshima felt intentional, and as the narrative of war in the game continued, what the game is conveying is the harmful, harsh, and devastation left by war.
Either it was the Roman ensuing war, Spanish, or Hitler, and then in the game setting, which felt like sci-fi, and the evident contributors of the great war in the game were the two superpowers, "USA," "European Commonwealth," and "China," as it was clearly stated in the narration itself.
Many people who played the game felt the game was unique and interesting, but some people felt like the game had an interesting concept and view of war, but few people also felt that the game is a warning.
Those few individuals could grasp what KiShin is attempting to convey to the masses, similar to when the "Resident Evil 1" theory of the T-Virus emerged. Some believed that unethical pharmacies became notably cautious not to expose their tracks after the T-Virus theory gained popularity. Many still entertain the possibility that a pharmacy somewhere was developing a virus and preparing for it.
In the Yahoo! community, some individuals started sharing their perspectives on the PC video game "Fallout."
Certain individuals speculated about a malfunctioning computer system initiating a nuclear strike, setting off an unstoppable chain reaction of retaliation.
Others speculated about a massive asteroid impact, supervolcanic eruption, or global pandemic triggering widespread disaster and a breakdown of social order, ultimately leading to nuclear war as a desperate attempt to maintain control.
People's creativity seems boundless; there's even someone who proposed that if an extraterrestrial threat arrives on Earth, humanity would respond with a unified but desperate effort, including the use of nuclear weapons as a last-ditch measure.
While some people have ridiculous and expansive imaginations, others truly recognize the potent impact of the Nuclear Bomb.
Many were concerned about such a weapon. Environmental concerns and awareness of natural disasters were on the rise, making scenarios involving apocalyptic events more relatable.
However, many Americans who have confidence in their country don't believe that the powers in East Asia could match their military might even in hundreds of years.
Moreover, many informed and educated individuals who played the PC video game "Fallout" didn't feel much about the intro story of the Great War in the game, where China could actually rival the USA; after all, "the game is just a game."
The story within the game was merely fiction and couldn't be taken seriously, so those people simply enjoyed the game and didn't think much about it.
Some individuals who came across the concerned posts in the Yahoo! community couldn't help but scoff. Their responses to these potentially panic-inducing posts went along the lines of pointing out that in the year 1997 alone, China was still transitioning from a planned economy to a market economy. The USA, on the other hand, was significantly more developed with higher per capita income and more widespread technological advancements.
The USA was demonstrably ahead in most aspects of technology, making major strides in computing, space exploration, and other fields. Although China was investing heavily in technological development, it was still catching up.
The current USA possessed a far more powerful and sophisticated conventional military compared to China. Despite both countries being major nuclear powers, the USA had a larger nuclear arsenal at that time.
Upon reading these responses, many worried individuals sighed in relief.
Apart from war topics, gamers showed little interest and instead engaged in discussions about the video game "Fallout." While gamers entertained theories about the game, these were harmless and centered around concepts such as Vault-Tec's experiments going deeper than imagined. Some speculated that the entire wasteland was one elaborate social experiment, manipulating events and testing human behavior on a grand scale.
Others pondered whether the Vaults weren't intended as shelters but as controlled environments for genetic experimentation, breeding humans for specific traits or creating a new, "improved" humanity. Discussions about the main villain, "The Master," also emerged alongside these game theories.
However, the majority of gamers were focused on exchanging tips and tricks about the PC video game "Fallout." Advice included tips like talking to everyone (NPCs), reading everything, as newspapers, notes, and terminal entries revealed lore, clues, and hidden quests.
Trade items with merchants to get what you need; Charisma helps secure better deals.
Explore everywhere: Hidden caches, side quests, and unique encounters lurk in every corner.
--
Tokyo, Japan.
Shin scrolled through webpages on his computer, observing the responses of gamers and non-gamers to KiShin's latest PC video game, "Fallout."
He chuckled at the ridiculous theories and contemplated when he encountered posts underestimating a country.
He sighed; after all, those people were unaware that those power would gradually grow significantly in just a decade or so.
In Shin's previous life, tension among many countries in the world had already resulted in war.
That's why, Shin felt that aside from recreating video game consoles from his previous life with his money, which he didn't bother counting, he could explore the experiment of virtual reality.
Shin knew it was almost impossible to develop such technology, but trying is trying. Perhaps if he could fully develop a virtual reality device, it could distract the people of this world, even government officials, to the point that they'd engage in war in the virtual world rather than the real one.
Of course, Shin was aware that even with his money, he couldn't fully develop it. And he obviously would not attempt the experiment now, as the research facility for that project wasn't even completed yet.
To some, this might seem like a ridiculous project, but Shin, with his current financial capability, felt he could afford to invest some money in it. Even if it takes dozens upon dozens of years, Shin believed it was worth taking the risk to research it.
Shin sighed. Sometimes, he wondered if Kayaba Akihiko, the designer of NerveGear, existed in this world; everything would be easy and fall into place.