Realistic or Modern SBURB: YCM (Your Choices Matter)

[Squad141]

First things first: Mood Lighting.

You get up off your bed, walk the few feet over to your LAMP, and flip the switch.
Cool.

But getting to business, you walk over to one of your bookshelves, and take out of your MANGA stories.
You've always been into Japanese culture a bit, but the reading aspect of it, and how they draw so differently from America, just intrigues you so much.

But it's mostly the STORY.

The one your currently holding is called 'SECOND STAR'. Its the story of a girl who is unwittingly launched into an alternate dimension by a small group of fantastical gods,
in order to stop a villain based on the girl herself. She has to pass through trials based on Tarot Cards to complete her task, and become a better person
along the way to defeat the really bad guy: her inner demons.

Its a good book, and your only on Volume 3 at the moment. You place it down next to the rest of your rentals, as well as your Bumblebee magazines which you
read from time to time.

What now?
------------------------------------
> Look at Bumblebee Propaganda
> Investigate Desk
> Look on Your Favorite Websites
> Look through Dresser
> Look through Walk-In Closet
> Look through Bumblebee Plushies
> Go into Bathroom
> Sort through Hamper
> Play some Guitar
> Turn Off Lamp
> Leave room​

 

[Twin Fantasy]

>Investigate desk (in-DESK-igate)

 

[Lunar]

(in-DESK-igate)

>IN-DESK-IGATE!!!!

 

[Eidolon Astronaut]

> Turn off lamp, it's had it's day in the sun.

 

[Squad141]

You put down your paperback book, and walk over to the LAMP.

It's a nice lamp.
You turn it off.

Cool.

You walk over to your DESK, in a moment of boredom.

Its a very nice desk, and you're glad you made it.
Since you're in HIGH SCHOOL, you decided to take shop class on a whim, and actually kind of enjoyed it.
In the end, for your final project, you created this beautiful white-wood desk that has four drawers and a large space on the right to put a chair into it.
It even goes with your rooms COLOR! And though you decided not to follow that line of thought and dropped the class, this desk will always serve as a reminder of those older days.

On the desk, lies your oh-so-loved DESKTOP COMPUTER, as well as the WIRELESS KEYBOARD and MOUSE that came along with it. There's of course a little bit of clutter as well:
a paper-mache SKULL you made in preschool, a glass JAR OF RANDOM COINS, a small DESK LAMP and a picture of you and the other resident in this abode.

In the desk, there lies a labyrinth that you always tell yourself to explore, but never do. Below, resides a maze of grade-school PAPERS and long lost JOURNALS,
mountains of half-empty PENS and other miscellaneous crap that has somehow found its way down under.
----------------------------------------------------------------
You're standing in front of your desk.
Should You Interact With It?

> Sit Down and Turn On your Desktop
> Go Through Drawers
> Collect...Obtain...What even is your inventory, anyways?
-----------------------------
Or Are You Interested In Something Else?

> Look through Dresser
> Look through Walk-In Closet
> Look through Bumblebee Plushies
> Go into Bathroom
> Sort through Hamper
> Play Some Guitar
> Leave Room
> Turn On Lamp​

 

[Eidolon Astronaut]

> Turn the lamp back on, perhaps you were a bit too harsh to it.

 

[Twin Fantasy]

>Turn that lamp back on!...
>Then go through your desktop

 

[Lunar]

==>turn the poor lamp back on
==>Investigate whatever your inventory is!

 

[GamerKitty205]

> Collect...Obtain...What even is your inventory, anyways?

 

[MasterRed]

Sit down and turn on your desktop

 

[Squad141]

The LAMP...
Many a day you've switched it on and off, but never have you felt so emotional over it since this moment.
You can hear the romantic music crescendo as you walk over to it, crying tears the size of marbles, and switch it back on...
Amazing! It's light surrounds the room, giving it a comfortable glow that you had missed. Truly, you were mistaken earlier...

You walk back over to the DESK, but stop.
You haven't really used your inventory system, huh?
Focusing, a GRANNY SMITH APPLE appears in your hand, and you take a bite out of it.
As you do this, a window pops up in front of you, composed of 3X2 GRID, currently containing nothing.
Your APPLE inventory has always been interesting, and you use it quite a bit during school.

Sitting down at your DESKTOP, you boot it up.
Your background is that of a gypsies caravan, with a CRYSTAL BALL the center of attention.
You have only a few icons on your screen, showcasing a few more bits of personality:
WORLDWIDE, your favorite browser to use. You have quite a few websites to look at on that if you wanted to.
AOL REBOOT, a reboot that's classier and much better than its older, clunkier counterpart. It's all the rage currently with your generation.
PHOTOSHOP, because your love of creating graphical images is hard because you can't draw, so this is the next best thing.
And ARCADE, a downloadable client that allows you to shop, mod, and download free games from indie developers.
---------------------------------------------------
You're on your desktop.
What Should You Look At?

> Open Worldwide and Look at WEBBIT
> Message a friend on AOL Reboot
> Mess around on Photoshop
> Check game updates on Arcade
> Exit Desktop​

 

[MasterRed]

>Check game updates on Arcade

 

[GamerKitty205]

>Check game updates on Arcade

 

[Eidolon Astronaut]

> Nevermind, turn that lamp back off. What, are you made of money?
> Check game updates on Arcade.

 

[Lunar]

>Check game updates on Arcade

 

[Squad141]

You click on the ARCADE symbol, which is that of an ARCADE CABINET typically found in buildings of the same name.

Your home page isn't really that different. There's your PROFILE picture (the same as your background), and your username is joan_of_arc_III.
In the the top-right corner of the page, a small red dot is flashing, indicating one of your games your own/follow has been updated in some way.
Clicking on it, you see a small handful of games that you enjoy, but the one at the top is the selected one that piqued the most internet: SBURB.

You remembered why you had followed the game in the first place. It was going to be a kind of simulation-action-adventure game, which really surprised you with the genre mashup.
You followed its creation, and though you were tempted many times, you never bought the ALPHA or BETA test release.

Looking at SBURBs store page, the game appeared to have been fully released!
And it only cost...
...

You blinked, looking at the small amount of money you didn't have.
Welp. It was a fun idea while you had it. Maybe you could have played it with him...

Suddenly, you realize you didn't check the other notifications.
Scrolling down, you see one is from a conversation a user you don't know started with you a few days ago, on the release of SBURB.
Their name was stripes-n'-bells, and they appeared to had a written quite a bit.

Out of curiosity you open the message. Quickly scanning, you understand the gist of the message.
Its that he (or she, but your going to assume its a he for now) is one of the lesser-known developers of SBURB, and that you were one of the few chosen to get a free copy of the game.

Apparently, the version you got was the version that was created right before the official release, free of bugs but full of small details the developers missed before checking back.
He then included a key code, which allows someone to get a game from a user.
This meant he was either seriously trolling you, or he was telling the truth.
--------------------------------------------------
You on the SBURB store page.
What Would You Like To Do?

> Check to See if the Key Code works
> Go on WEBBIT using Worldwide
> Message a Pal on AOL Reboot
> Turn Off Desktop​

 

[Lunar]

> Message a Pal on AOL Reboot

 

[MasterRed]

>Check to See if the Key Code works

 

[GamerKitty205]

> Check to See if the Key Code works

 

[Squad141]

Yor curiosity overtakes you, and you copy the KEY CODE to your clipboard, and close the conversation.
Clicking off of SBURBs store page, you open your game library, and open the code box that allows you to enter it.
You paste the code, and click VALIDATE.

…

A large green thumbs up appears, before fading away, leaving you with a sense of mild shock, as the name SBURB is now in your list of owned games.
You click on it, and see that it really is the pre-release version the guy was talking about.
Though it did say that you needed friends for it...

Speaking of friends, you remember saying that you'd message one today after you woke up.
You minimize ARCADE, and click on AOL REBOOT, as the little Orangeman does a stand-still running motion.

After a few seconds, a chat prompt pops up, and you select the user you wish to speak with: Grey_Wiz.

_____Checking For User____
|||||||||||
Connected!
​

joan_of_arc_III: hello? Gray?
Grey_Wiz: Hey. I was wondering when you'd be on.
Grey_Wiz: Just woke up, huh?
joan_of_arc_III: i can neither confirm nor deny those circumstances
joan_of_arc_III: but anyways
joan_of_arc_III: why did you want me to message you?
Grey_Wiz: Oh! It's about this new thing
Grey_Wiz: I don't remember what it's called...
Grey_Wiz: Burbs? Suburbs?
joan_of_arc_III: do you mean sburb?
Grey_Wiz: Yeah, that's the one.
Grey_Wiz: I see that you know what it is
Grey_Wiz: Do you have it?

---------------------------------------------------
Your chatting with Grey_Wiz.
What Should You Say?

> 'I have the game, wanna play?'
> Feign ignorance
> 'What are other people thinking about it?'
> Change the subject​

 

[MasterRed]

>’I have the game, wanna play?’

 

[GamerKitty205]

> 'I have the game, wanna play?

 

[Lunar]

> 'I have the game, wanna play?'

 

[Squad141]

joan_of_arc_III: speaking of sburb, i actually did get it
joan_of_arc_III: but i didn't buy it. apparently, i was in some kind of draw and won it
Grey_Wiz: Really? I don't remember seeing mention of this draw on any of the promotional ads I saw
Grey_Wiz: I guess I missed it
joan_of_arc_III: you really do like this game, huh?
joan_of_arc_III: ii thought you'd still be obsessing over some stupid g-note
joan_of_arc_III: you were, weren't you?
Grey_Wiz: Actually, I was.
Grey_Wiz: But excuse me if you think trying to achieve my dreams doesn't fit into your 'manga time'
joan_of_arc_III:
joan_of_arc_III: but still, wanna play it with me? take a break?
Grey_Wiz: Really, after that?
Grey_Wiz: Just kidding, I totally would if I had the game.
Grey_Wiz: But mum forgot my allowance last week, and she's gone right now.
Grey_Wiz: Plus, I really wasn't kidding about the whole homework thing.
Grey_Wiz: But wanna chat later?
joan_of_arc_III: sure!

-----Grey_Wiz has disconnected-----
-------------------------------------------------------------------
You are sitting at your desk, on your computer.
What Should You Do Now?

> Download SBURB
> Look through Dresser
> Look through Walk-In Closet
> Look through Bumblebee Plushies
> Go into Bathroom
> Put Something In Your Inventory
> Sort through Hamper
> Play Some Guitar
> Leave Room
> Turn Off Lamp​

 

[Lunar]

> Put Something In Your Inventory