Trying to figure out something...

[Burst]

Hey.

I am writing a science fiction/fantasy novel, but I am struggling with a way to get my main character into this virtual reality game. My influences are the .Hack anime and Sword Art Online (if you're into anime, I'd suggest you watch them, they're good) Well anyway, In the .Hack animes the characters enter The World with a head-set and in Sword Art Online, they enter with a VR Helmet which stimulates the user's five senses via their brain which allows them to control their in-game characters with their mind. I want to have a unique way for my characters to enter their virtual reality game so that's why I am here... asking for ideas, so can anyone help? I would appreciate it very much.

 

[CupofJoe]

Something Generic like "jacking", "pluging" or "simming" might be enough. The "less is more" adage might work here. Some 80s cyberpunk sound really dated now because they reference real technology
[didn't Jonny Mnemonic have a 40Gb drive in his head]
["simming" comes from an old cyberpunk game where you had different (personality) sim(ulations)s for different Virtual and Actual Realities - and I still like that idea]

 

[Chime85]

That's a rather interesting premise. I too, have read .Hack so I've got a feel as to where you're going with the idea. Helmets and VR goggles do seem to be the weapon of choice for many stories like this. It works, I guess that's why many people have not moved far from the goggles and helmets.

I suppose an alternative would be to have a chip in their brain (inserted at birth, young age maybe?) and everyone uses that to interact with computers. Certain games have used that technology to allow the users to feel like they are in the world they have designed.
The chip itself could perhaps only be active when either in direct physical contact with a terminal or via some kind of wifi.

If chips and brains arn't your cup of tea, why not consider some kind of stasis sleep method. Players enter a pod (similar to the opening scene of Alien) and are put into a deep sleep, allowing the game to interact with their brain and force the brain to register pain joy, sadness etc from the events in-game.

Hope those ideas give you something to shoot for

x

 

[Burst]

Thanks for your ideas guys. I think I know where I want to go with it. If I feel that it doesn't work, i'll be back to post again.

 

[Zero Angel]

How mobile is the game?

A giant ball that he goes into with treadmills and where everything in it is able to display any image makes sense. In fact, this is in development now.

In Mega Man Battle Network the character has an avatar (Mega Man) that goes into the game for him.

You could have Google glasses as your jack-in of choice.

Finally, you could do something like what they do in Tenchi Muyo and VARIOUS anime series and sci fi where the video screens pop up out of thin air.

 

[Hulb2]

how about an outfit of some sort?, this idea comes from LOTR making of dvd, where they showed how they got this guy with a outfit on and like little pads all over the outfit and how his movements were transferred onto a computer to make Gollum's movements, just a thought x

Hulb2