chapter 4 - The character

Saachi's exaggerated actions must have pleased the team leads of the kiosk. After all, the game and VR gear had opened hundreds and thousands of these kiosks in all the leading malls in the world. Each team would be rated based on sales and advertising. Better ones would get bonus, worse ones would have smaller paychecks. And the rat race continues....(Author note - Let's have a moment of silence towards the Corporate world.)

Saachi, being Saachi, was not happy with the deal provided by the team. Let's forget the fact that he was ready to shell more money to get the pod when he left his place. The running promotion meant he would be paying less every month. On top of it, the team reduced the price a bit, thanks to his antics. But this miser was still not happy.

The team leader was in the quandary. At the time when nearly every one was taking basic VR gear, this customer had come in to order high end luxury product, aka, gaming pod, and he was even ready to borrow from the bank to pay remaining amount. Each high end goods sale meant a bit extra for the team, more so for the team leader.

After lots of tug of war, the team leader lost without knowing and Saachi became part owner of costly VR gear at near bargain price within the ' family and relatives price'. (FYI- friends and family would get more discount. So our hero got even more discount.)

The next session was eye opener for Saachi. He did not have this experience in his previous life. ( He was forced to used old fashioned VR heat gears.) The smiling beautiful hostess did not come in to talk with him and Saachi did not get to sip a quater cup of premium quality juice. He did not mind that. He was learning new things.

"So, you are saying that the game method can be chosen by us?" "Yes sir," the team leader courteously replied, " you can choose difficulty level, action level and more when you first create your character. Though if you don't like it, you can change it at later date."

" For free?" Saachi would not believe it. Don't get clouded by freebie season the game and gear companies were throwing. They were sharp enough to chew tattler beta tester though he was partly under protection of rich investment company. Though they will start minting money with bits of data, they had to pay lots and lots of money in the beginning. Gaming coins to real cash conversion meant they would be showering money even it is just to show that such conversion is possible. So the company would find ways to suck the coins or cash from gamers.

The salesman of the month smile bloomed in the team leader's face. " A small conversion fee will be required for any changes made within one month of creating the character. That includes mode and model of gaming."

" So what happens if I want to change after a month? A big conversion fee?"

" No sir. No changes can be made beyond 1 month."

" But why?", Saachi had to ask this question. By the time he started playing, the rules of gaming was fixed and accepted as gospel but he still couldn't understand the logic behind them even then.

" Sir, you should know that as the game progresses it will be harder. So it will be just like cheating if a gamer shifts from hard core to normal mode in later period, right?" a coaxing sort of reply came back.

Yet he was not satisfied. He shook his head. " That doesn't make sense. Costly weapons, armour, consumables all will be sold to rich just to make sure they have pleasant experience. So we are used to unfair game already. And this one says in the beginning itself that you can pour money into it. So are you sure I can't change anything after a month of playing game?"

The leader looked helpless and started talking like he was sharing a huge secret. Saachi gave him A+ in acting skills.

" Sir, all these modes and models are to fix gamer's level of playing. So a grandpa who has never played a VR game should enjoy the game but a gamer who dedicates 2-3 hours a day for it should also not feel it's boring.

So easy mode with automatic model of weapon usage is for noobs. They can enjoy it. They can't make money unless they increase the mode to normal or change weapon setting to semi-automatic or manual."

Another nudget of game knowledge seeped in while he was sitting in demo pod for scanning his brain waves. The customer should be a beauty, he thought. He cleverly inferred it from the exaggerated ways of salesboys or demo workers were talking to the customer.

" So there is no limited edition in this VR gear?"

" As this is just first version,no limited editions were made. But I understand your feelings madam. Why don't I do this? There are some customisable options. Please choose among them and I will ensure that your pod will be installed by game day. You can choose the shades of colour from this catalogue, this catalogue is for accesories so that the pod matches the room, these are different ways of embossing your name on pod as a personal touch..."

" Embossing names are soo last season."

" True, my lady. Your fashion sense is astute. This catalogue is for in the trend ladies like you - we have variety of crystals and gems which we can use to embed and turn it into your name or your favourite phrase...."

Saachi did not listen further.