[ CHAPTER I (1): "THE LAUNCH OF THE FIRST FOR HONOR MAP: KNIGHTS" ]
For Honor. It was a medieval fighting game where Knights, Samurais, and Vikings fought one another; with a little bit of other Factions and historically made-up, and real-life based fighters seasoned in-between.
It was a game that Adam knows and is fond of, though not to the extent that he knows every tid bit of knowledge relating to the game, but enough to not be called a stranger, or an outsider inside the community.
So imagine his surprise when the first game that he unlocked was that same exact game; and along that are the basic resources needed to make a decent enough copy of the game.
Even without any history relating to game creation, he continued on for three days and three nights, trying his best to make the perfect map with all the knowledge he has.
And after some time, he was successful, though he knows that he underestimated how difficult it is to be a developer. He was still successful, even if he may have gone over the budget that he imposed on himself.
Initially, he thought he would be able to create three maps dedicated to the main Factions of the original For Honor. The noble Knights, the brutish Vikings, and honorable Samurais.
He was though immediately slapped by reality, as he realized how very little the System gave him as his starting allowance: 2,500 Credits, which he thought was a lot, but in reality, wasn't enough.
So he decided to dedicate his focus on a single map, release it, and expand onwards when he got his pay from the System.
And like the original Campaign, he first started with the Knight Faction. Which would then be followed by the Vikings, then finally the Samurais. Like in the original story.
Rinse and repeat, with other Factions getting the attention also, but ultimately, the maps would be dedicated to the big three.
After settling everything that he needs to, that is by creating the spawning point for future Player A (Blue) and future Player B (Red) which is just opposite one another, across the map.
It cost him 20 Credits in total, which wouldn't be the death of him. Though, with what little allowance he has, it felt like it.
Moving forward with the agenda, he would need Players for his game. His money banks which would generate income the more and more they play his game.
But to do that he would need two things. The first would be Avatars which a person would inhabit to enter his game world; Adam too has one, and his real body is at the moment sleeping, in his bed.
And the one he's using---the one flying above the air---is made in his image, customized by him personality as to match his height, weight, and features down to the last detail.
As a gift from the System, it didn't cost him a single Credit. But further changes of his body, if he were to decide to change it, would cost him Credits; 1,000 each time. Which Adam wouldn't want to do in the first place.
And now, staring at the hovering screen in front of him, with the Knights battling and dying in the background as the backdrop, Adam couldn't help but grimace.
"I'm never going to financially recover from this." Before then forcing his shaking hand to swipe and make the necessary sacrifice.
[ CREATE 5 PLAYER AVATARS FOR KNIGHTS IN FOR HONOR ]
[ COST: 250 CREDITS ]
[ ADVERTISE THE FOR HONOR GAME TO 3RD PARTY SITES ]
[ COST: 250 CREDITS ]
[ RELEASE THE FOR HONOR GAME INTO APPROPRIATE DEVICES ]
[ COST: 500 CREDITS ]
250, plus 250, plus 500. All of those equals to exactly 1,000 amount of Credits; which is the amount of money that Adam has left in him.
Well, except for the 103 Credits left in his wallet which made him seem even more poor than he already looks, and feels, and thinks.
But he has no choice. He couldn't ignore any of the three spendings above; if for example he were to ignore buying Player Avatars, then no one would be able to interact with his game.
And if, in the other end, he we're to ignore Advertising his game; then no one would be able to see his game. Literally, as it wouldn't appear as an ad, or as a downloadable to people that's just mindlessly scrolling the web.
And lastly, if he didn't Release it, then how would anyone be able to play his game. It's an undeniable expenditure that he needs to do just like game creation in the first place.
It's a fact that he knew he would have needed to do since the beginning, but is still something that hurts, even if Adam had prepared for it a long long time ago while creating the map.
For three days he spent most of his time dedicated to creating the simplest, but also mechanical-wise game. He had released it and done everything he needed to do.
And now, he only needs to wait. For how long, he doesn't know. It could be minutes, hours, or even days; and with how little he spent on Advertising, the likely outcome is days.
The System had warned him. The more Credits he burnt in Advertisement, the farther the reach, and the more frequent it'll show to people's gadgets; may that be phone, computer, or even advertisement ads.
What would be shown? That also depends on how much Credit he invests. It could be great, but it could also be simple... or worse.
The System wasn't great at communicating, and it either intentionally or unintentionally didn't tell him more of its capabilities; which is both a great and a bad thing.
Great because he wouldn't have a nagging System that forces him to do anything and everything it wants, like in other stories he had read before dying.
Bad because he is essentially aimless in his journey, and would only find out things he's capable of later on in life.
Like for example, the Advertisement and Releasing ability, he only ever found out about those earlier today, and not when he began formulating ideas and creating his map---which he lovingly called Knights for simplicity sake.
And while he was creating the map, he would always constantly worry about how he would be able to publish his game, and on how other Players would be able to play For Honor.
Essentially being left in the dark regarding his abilities. Even now, Adam could tell that the System still isn't telling him his every skill, or hasn't allowed him to play with it for now.
He could only wish that as more he interacted with the System and did what it says---which is creating even more games, no matter the genre---then the more abilities, skill, and incentives he'll get. Hopefully.
The resetting and operation fee of his first ever map would be 10 Credits each, which isn't a lot in retrospect; in comparison to the creation of the map itself, or even, the Advertisement or the Releasing of it.
If lucky, Adam would be able to personally view 10 matches play out with the 103 he has. Though he doesn't know how much Credit he gets each time a single match finishes.
But he does hope that for each match, he would get at least 30-40, then use that to create a loop until he gets rich enough to create a second map---for Vikings, and ultimately a third map---for the Samurais.
About to sit down and wait for his first Players to enter his game; Adam was pulled out of his thoughts by a sudden shaking around his surroundings, which distorted and made everything hazy in his eyes.
Seeing this, he felt annoyed, and also, pissed off. As he knows that it meant his time inside his Game World is about to be cut off.
"Who is waking me up?!" He continued, clutching his head this time, as he felt throbbing enter, slowly growing. "Just when things are starting to get interesting."
That also means he wouldn't be able to properly see Players entering his world, and see them fight one another to death.
Imagine, two confused gamers that were suddenly pulled into a medieval-like world, forced to fight one another with neither feeling pain. That... would be awesome.
And personally experiencing it is Adam's dream, as a long time gamer. But alas, he could only guide others to a treasure he can't possess; as he couldn't play his game as a Player, or even beta test it as one.
"Wait..." About to succumb to the pain and wake up, he paused, as he remembered the fact that he hasn't set the resetting loop yet for the map; which means no games would happen. "No, no, don't wake up!"
No games would lead to no money flowing into his wallet, which would lead to no investment for his next log in. Sure, he could officially start the games in his next log in.
But that is simply a waste of time. Especially now that he had worked for days, sweat, and bled for it, having pushed his neurons to the absolute limit over and over again.
So before the headache and shaking could fully get to him. Adam thought of buying the operational cost of 10 games, which is exactly 100 Credits; which made it appear.
[ START AND RESET THE FOR HONOR MAP (KNIGHTS) 10 TIMES AFTER EACH MATCH ]
[ COST: 100 CREDITS ]
"Gotcha!" Tootily smiling, he used all what little focus he had and swiped the small window prompt to the right. Into green where it would be accepted, and not into the red.
Before he could officially wake up, Adam sees the System prompt to dissipate, officially starting his For Honor launch. Even though he wouldn't be there to witness it, "YEA-!"
Just like that, the future's most controversial, most addictive, and thought provoking game would be released; followed of course by other such games that the world hadn't seen before, but before them, For Honor was the first.
[ -----| SCENE BREAK |----- ]
Gotham City, Clock Tower.
Amidst the gloomy, depressed city of Gotham. Though it was already day time, it wouldn't feel like it due to the constant fear, and terror that constantly shrouded the city.
That is due to criminals, villains, and psychopaths roaming the streets whenever it be night. Influences so severe that it could be felt even if the sun is still up in the air.
Though Batman, the World's Greatest Detective is there to help ease the said terror by fighting, rehabilitating, and locking up those said bad elements.
The darkness is still fighting back. Luckily though, he isn't the only do-gooder left in the city, and isn't the only one fighting the good fight. There are others.
Like, for example, Barbara Gordon. Yes, the daughter of the Police Commissioner, that Gordon. Unbeknownst to her father, she is also known as the hidden superheroine, The Oracle.
Formerly known as Batgirl. But due to a certain psychopath, she was left paraplegic---shot, bang, in point-blank range which went to her spine.
Left without the use of her legs, and forced to forever be stuck into her wheelchair. Barbara didn't wallow in grief, even though she wanted too, God, she does.
She made use instead of her other abilities, which includes her brains; if she can no longer masquerade as the flexible Batgirl, then Lord knows she'll masquerade instead as the tech genius Oracle---and she did.
Done great work, actually.
Which left even THE Batman---though he would hide it, Barbara could see, even Tim, and so does Alfred---shocked by her skills as the girl-in-the-chair, literally.
Though she does hate it whenever she gets underestimated by her mentor, like at the moment, forced by Bruce---Batman---himself to rest for now and leave the investigation of the clinically insane Victor Zsasz to him.
"Rest, Oracle, I'll take it from here." Mimicking her mentor, down to the groaf tone. Barbara then continued on complaining, "Seriously, why does Bruce keep baby-ing me. I'm not a baby!"
All the while her hands defiantly continued on working at her laptop. Typing away as she hacks another CCTV, reviewing it, trying her best to find any trace of the said psychopath.
Her green eyes which has heavy, black eye bags under it, then shined brightly as she discovered the trace she has been looking so painstakingly for. "YESSS!"
But that was immediately cut short when her connection was cut by the one and only Batman himself, as if to say, "Rest, Barbara. I'll take it from here."
Which made her annoyed even more, sulking in silence.
"NOOOO!"
"Damn it, Bruce!"
"I-I was so-so-so close!"
[ ---------- ] [ ---------- ] [ ---------- ] [ ---------- ]
[ FUN FACT: "The entire game of For Honor was conceived during a walk home from a medieval sword fighting class---and took over a decade of rejections before anyone agreed to make it." ]
[ 08/24/2026 ]
[ 08/25/2026 ]