Shardworld - the Game (Guide thread)

[Amaterasu]

What is the Shardworld?

The Shardworld is a virtual-reality game located within the Dataverse in the Omniverse. It is developed and taken care of by the Prime Aeris. Taking the form of an MMORPG, the Shardworld is a way for Primes to have fun without fear of dying or getting banished ingame, as well as to collect ideas for moves or to test out certain powers as they are emulated within the game (for instance, Flight). It is primarily designed to be a cooperative experience, but player-vs-player combat is possible under certain circumstances or if both players consent to it.

The Shardworld also functions as a home to many NPC Dataverse inhabitants that have no real home of their own. For the bargain price of allowing adventurers to "kill" them (which doesn't hurt them, and the game mechanic respawns them within a few minutes) they are given a home in the game's world which they cannot create themselves. Others have become inhabitants who go about their everyday lives in the towns and cities, providing a realistic experience.

The Shardworld is designed around allowing players to influence the game. While minor events such as completing tasks or even defeating a boss aren't noticeable, killing a major NPC such as a Shard's ruler will have a huge impact and will in fact allow the players to shape the story of the game. Sometimes a player-decided change may also be forced, like two factions duking it out and the player needing to decide who they'll aid.

A very important aspect of the Shardworld also are the so-called Elder Shards, unique items that provide the characters with great power if obtained and used. Most are in the possession of gods, but it is possible to kill their owners to obtain the Elder Shards. It is pretty much an ultimate goal for a player who wants to get somewhere in the Shardworld to obtain an Elder Shard. However, having one is similar to owning an Artifact in the Omniverse: it paints a big target over your head. But, more on that in the corresponding section.