Narrator

The year is 2055, and Virtual Gear (Known as Full Immersive Dive Gear or FIDG for short) allows gamers to immerse themselves in games like never before. By placing the gear over their body and laying down, it scans their brain and allows them to enter into the game. Taking control of their virtual avatar and getting a first person experience.

Special pieces of the gear help mimic the sensation of pain (barred from full scale pain by law, so only a tingling sensation is programed into it normally. Though Jailbreaks allow for full senses), and general touch, taste, smell etc. Which makes them even more popular.

Within the Western World, the most anticipated game of the year is Outlaw Arts Online. A massive Virtual MMO RPG that is highly anticipated. However, tragedy strikes, a group of terrorist strike during the main release. And of the 7 Million players who were active during launch. The governments of the world were only able to save 6.2 Million (prioritizing children, so no one under 18 was left in the game). 800,000 players were now trapped in the game, which had bypassed safety protocols to enhance the pain receptors to mimic those of real life.

Despite the efforts of the world, they cannot rescue these last 800,000 directly. But they were able to program in a loophole that if anyone manages to beat the game. It will release everyone still trapped. As well as making it so that players now have two lives.. But alas, that's all they can do.

Outlaw Arts Online has been the most wildly anticipated game of 2055. With a Beta of over 25,000 players active during a test release in 2054. It is set in a fictional world styled after the idealized version of the American Midwest. Where there are no nations to bring order, and demons have invaded to claim the lands for themselves. Only towns and cities that live in isolation from one another.

"Outlaws" are those people brave enough to venture past the city, into the lawless lands between the cities to search for treasure. Uniquely, the world is divided into 150 Floors, each floor with varying terrain, enemies and themes. With the boss of each being a General of the Demon King. Who resides on floor 150.

To beat the game, Outlaws must clear all 150 floors and directly kill the Demon King, a figure of immense power. Demons are not the only threat.

Interestingly, there is no magic in Outlaw Arts. Online melee weapons, and guns similar to those found during the American push west (so revolvers, repeating rifles etc, but no modern firearms beyond that). Melee weapons available in the setting include axes, sabers, pikes, hammers, picks and knives. Along with other ones.

And while magic is not available, power "Outlaw Arts", skills that induce various effects are available. These range from powerful attacks, to support skills such as healing, or inflicting enemies with status effects.

There are also the unique skills. Which are given under preset conditions hidden to the players. No two players can have the same unique skill, and their power and ability ranges wildly. However, when unlocked, the provide a potent edge, such that each player can only have one such skill. These skills are only possible to unlock when whatever hidden conditions they have are met, and the players reach level 25. A player can have only one unique skill.

Players can reach level 150, with each level giving them stats and bonuses. It should be noted that levels matter heavily. A level 1 player, cannot even damage a level 150 player. Though this is somewhat offset by level syncing.

Floors are grouped into bunches of 10, with their being a maximum level one can reach from grinding or playing on those floors. After which, the stop gaining exp. If they leave to higher floors, and gain more levels. Then come back, they are temporarily dropped in level to the floor group maximum. Though they retain any gear and skills they would have from higher levels. Making them tougher and more dangerous than anything normally on those lower level floors, but far from invincible to other players or powerful creatures.

The floor group level caps are as follows:

Floors 1-10: Player level cap is 20

Floors 11-20: Player level cap is 30

Floors 21-30: Player level cap is 45

Floors 31-40: Player level cap is 50

Floors 41-50: Player level cap is 60

Floors 51-60: Player level cap is 80

Floors 6-70: Player level cap is 90

Floors 71-80: Player level cap is 95

Floors 81-90: Player level cap is 110

Floors 91-100: Player level cap is 120

Floors 101-110: Player level cap is 130

Floors 111-120: Player level cap is 135

Floors 121-130: Player level cap is 140

Floors 131-140: Player level cap is 145

Floors 141-150: Player level cap is 150

The In-Game currency is known as a Black Dollar.

Aside from the above, the game also included NSFW content that could occur between players as well as with NPC's. Though it was only enabled for those over the age of 18.

Each player trapped in the game has two lives. Their first life, which works as normal within the game. After the terrorist active, the company that is running the game worked with world governments to expand this to try and keep more players alive.

When players are killed the first time, it results in them respawning back in the nearest safe town or city to them. It also doubles the stats of the player they had at the time of death. Making them more powerful, however they are not all powerful. Strong enemies still exists, and depending on what your stats were at the time of death, determines how strong they became. As well, the Dev's made a universal translator so players can easily understand each other.

However, the terrorist made modifications of their own. Safe zones can be placed under siege by demon incursions or just wild monsters. Requiring players to kill them to break the siege. Lest the monster breach, or food and water run out. And while the players physical body is being kept alive by the company who owns the game and their governments. The terrorist placed in survival mechanics which require the players to risk their lives to hunt and get clean water.

Is rare, after all, most players are normal people and knowing that the game will kill you. More so, the fact that the company is actively watching the game as best they can means that anyone who kills another player, unless in self defense. Will be logged and set for them to be arrested should they escape.

Thus, most people are aware of the consequences. However, some still resort to murder, either due to insanity, stress or just desperate to live out their dark fantasy as true outlaws.

However, it isn' the trapped players that are the ones comitting Pvp most of them. It's a few of the terrorist who have hidden themselves in the game. And using VPN's, are able to hide themselves from retribution by the game company (who has been quietly killing people with high player-kill counts that don't seem like self-defense. Without government sanction mind you). These bastards are tough, mean and totally uncaring of the people they kill.

Have a strong reputation, for two reasons. While there were certainly plenty who were normal assholes (as is expected in a video game). Most were willing to help new players learn the game. And when it became clear that they were trapped.

The majority of Beta-Players quickly rallied. Venturing into the Red Waste (the name for the area outside of safe zones) to rescue any players stuck outside when the terrorist attack hit on launch. Others formed posse's that protected the safe zones from demon attacks.

Their actions made them heroes, and while not every Beta-Tester was gallant (more than a few hid and simply cried or even resorted to stealing and bullying). The actions of the majority stuck with people. Such heroics however, came at a cost.

Of the 25,000 Beta-Testers, Roughly 4,000 during the first week.

After the World Governments pulled out anyone who was underage from the game, and saved most others. 15,000 Beta-Testers voluntarily stayed in the game to help the others still trapped. This additional sacrifice makes those who stayed beloved heroes and champions to many.

<Posse's>

Are this world's version of guilds. Such Posse's are powerful as they allow for not only cooperation between players, but also provide bonuses such as Posse hideouts that can be upgraded to give bonus stats and gear.

When it became a Death Game, Posse's became more important, with them being divided into five broad categories by the trapped players.

Assault Posse's: Are those that advance between floors. Leading the charge and defeating bosses to try and push forward.

Guardian Posse's: Are those guilds that act like both police for the player base. Hunting down those causing problems, and enforcing order in safe zones as much as possible. They are also the ones who attempt to defend the safe zones from demon attacks, so less able players, or smaller groups just trying to hide out until the game is beaten are safe.

Crafting Posse's: Are those focused on crafting, gathering materials to make gear and improve safe zone defenses and otherwise supporting both Guardian and Assault Posse's (and indeed, most Crafting Posse's are sub-guilds of Guardian or Assault posses).

PvP Posse's: Are incredibly rare, with less than a dozen. They are hidden and invite only. And as the name implies, are focused on killing other players. Thus making them enemies to all other types of Posse's.

Minor Posse's: Are the most numerous, which are small groups, usually of friends or those who've found friendship while trapped and are trying to survive and progress through the game at their own pace.

However, while Posse's are important, of those 800,000 trapped. Roughly 450,000 are not part of any Posse at all.

<NPC's and Quest>

NPC's within the game are unaware of the plight of the players, but are not simply cardboard cutouts. Instead, due to the game's unique AI, they are varied and act like actual people. Keeping track of people who right and wrong them, offering quest that are randomly generated by their needs, and able to be anything from a lover to an enemy of a player.

The Game's unique Gamemaster AI also provides an ever unique amount of quest, events and scenarios that are randomly generated for players to complete.