Chapter 9 Intermission 3

[Scenario completed. Calculating for rewards…]

[Player receives:]

[EXP: 500]

[Coins: 0.]

[Equipment/Items: None]

[Complete/Quests: 0/0]

[Complete hidden/special quests: 0]

[Worldview Unlocked: None]

[Fear Value Surged: 0 time]

[Highest Fear Value: 0%]

[Average Fear Value: 0%]

[Your Fear Rating: A whole sack of guts]

[This scenario does not have bonus rewards]

[Calculation completed. Please continue]

Now we have to know some rules related to calculation for rewards in multiplayer mode.

In Thriller Paradise, the number of mobs a player had killed by themself would not affect the EXP rewarded. EXP would be calculated altogether when the scenario was completed. Generally, if a player weren't being a d!ckhead that he caused a serious problem that affected the progress of the scenario, survivors would receive the same EXP. In case the player’s performance suited the phrase ‘dumber than a pig’, the system would then reduce that one’s EXP reward.

This was to limit ‘snatching mobs’ and ‘over-performance’. Some players, to ensure that the items and EXP rewarded from killing some monsters belonged to them, would use unnecessary attacks excessively. For example, they would use a rocket to kill a dog in order to create bigger damage and faster performance than that of their teammates. This is an individual performance that wastes the resources of the party.

However, this rule gave birth to another problem. If the EXP rewarded was the same, killing more mobs just wasted their blood and Stamina Value. This reduced the players’ will in fighting actively.

In fact, it didn’t go like that since the active players who were good at fighting would receive more Skill Value. The following parts would explain this.

In Thriller Paradise, besides no reward for killing mobs, there was no ‘dropping items’ either. For example, when a mummy died, it would be certain that there was no saber, shield or something like guns that could drop from its body. If players determinedly wanted something from the mummy, they could only take the ragged, decayed bandages or its rotten flesh. And, they had to take it themselves. When they could tear the ragged bandage and hold the item in their hands, the system would provide the properties of that said item. How crooked it was, please refer to the [Stone].

Searching for items in the game is an ‘interesting’ job. Besides solving the puzzles to enter some special places that hid items, generally, players had to ‘find’ many items for their quests on their own. For instance, the window of the shop opposite the street hung a tight Spiderman Suit. Perhaps it would be totally useless, or perhaps it was an ‘Excellent’ rated item with some given attributes. Another example is when players are wandering in the sewers. It is possible that they could find some weapons such as a pair of sabers, nunchaku, Emei dagger (1), a long rod, etc.

In short, if players wanted to find items in the scenario, they would need one of these: intelligence, luck and effort. The first two, we couldn’t wish for. The last one just required more time. Of course, if players wanted to find more items, their stamina had to be strong. Usually, the scenarios wouldn’t give players much free time to wander, moreover, they have to spend their Physical Value just to run around.

In Closed Beta Version, it was still impossible to collect the items out of the scenarios. When the game is finally released, places for such transactions would be opened too. Then, players could use coins and Skill Value to trade for them.

There was no need to explain the ‘Coins’ in the game. Its function was same with the others. Players could use coins to buy items from shops or auction items sold by other players. Or, they could do direct transactions.

Besides, the Skill Value was like a rare ‘currency’. Players couldn’t exchange Skill Value, and it couldn’t be used at shops. Skill Value could only be spent at a place called ‘The Box of Fear’.

That was the name of a special shop in the game. No one knows why it’s called like that. Maybe the designer thought that players would be startled after seeing the goods in that shop.

Skill Value could buy two things from the Box of Fear. First, it was coins. Players could exchange at the rate of 1:10. Second, items that couldn’t be brought out of the scenarios. For instance, the ‘Bloody Corpse Must Die’ that Feng Bujue had found in his newbie tutorial. Apparently, this sword was an item related to the plot of a scenario that could help him defeat the bloody corpse, which he couldn’t do with his current ability. Thus, the sword didn’t have any limitations in the players’ levels; also, it couldn’t be brought out of the scenario.

The system wouldn’t delete the data of something like items, equipment, and skills after the scenario was completed. Although players couldn’t bring them along, they would enter some places, which were like the recycling stations. That was the Box of Fear. In this special shop, they would become goods and players could only use their Skill Value to purchase them. Their properties would be changed accordingly. For example, the requirements to use the item would be adjusted; some effects would be changed too. Most of the time, Skill Cards would become permanent, but of course, the learning conditions would be upgraded.

In Closed Beta Version, the Box of Fear hadn’t been introduced yet. This ‘recycling station’ was empty for now. When they released the Open Beta version, the number of players would be flooded. So, at this stage, they had to store a certain amount of goods. When this special shop officially opened after seven days (real time, since the items were displayed to be sold), if the item still remained, the system would delete it to control the number of goods. Closed Beta Version had a limitation to players as they could only reach level 20. This game only based on the completion of given scenarios, so levels wouldn’t be an advantage. Moreover, later players could use real money to purchase game coins. Thus, the biggest advantage of players who had participated the game since Closed Beta Version was the Skill Value they had accumulated. The very first slots of goods in the Box of Fear, only players who already had Skill Value could buy. This is a priority for them to choose the best items first.

Then, we will talk about the active fighting, which is easier to explain now. Fighting for Skill Value.

Not everybody is good at solving puzzles, but fighting, anyone could do that. Skill Value was set to reward ‘the actions that promote the plot’s progress’. This was not only in the form of solving puzzles but also fighting. More fighting, more chances to receive Skill Value. For example, killing, serial killing, slaughter or using the current conditions to savage mobs in a particular way with limited damages and highest effects.

Here’s a practical example. In Feng Bujue’s tutorial, if he hadn’t found the key and had chosen to kick the door open, he would still have received Skill Value. The important matter was the way he had kicked the door. Generally, people would kick the door with their soles. Many actors did the same in movies. In fact, that method had wasted their energies the most. A side kick or a swing kick would help them save more energy. If Feng Bujue had used a better way to kick the door, he would have still received Skill Value. Not as much as that of solving the puzzle, but at least he would have received 10 points.

Those are the two ways of playing the game. Two different thriving ways. Players who liked to reason to solve the puzzles and decode the Worldview could receive more Skill Value within one try. Players who liked to fight would constantly train to receive Skill Value out of violence. In general cases, players who fought to earn Skill Value often received more points; because if the players who were just one step away from revealing the curtain of the puzzle but still failed to solve it, no Skill Value would be given to them then. Meanwhile, players who fought could accumulate points from time to time.

No matter which way they choose, the most taboo behavior in this game was ‘chuckle-headed’ actions. Horror details of this game were designed to take the calmness from players and force them to do some stupid actions like using a bazooka to kill a dog. In Thriller Paradise, the most logical fighting tactics would earn the biggest benefits. Using a bazooka, one would just receive a pulp of dusts. Using Beating Dog Stick Method, one could have the fur and a hot pot.

---------------------------------

Feng Bujue returned to the login space then read all the data of the calculation. When he opened the menu, he found out that he had reached level 4, whereas his Stamina Value was now 400/400, and the EXP required to level up was 0/400. It seemed that the EXP required to level up in this game wasn’t much. At least, up to now, each level required only one hundred points, same with the Stamina Value increase. Their homepage didn’t show the particular EXP required for each level. Hotshots who wrote guides didn't discuss this either. As such, he didn’t exclude the possibility of incredibly high EXP required to level up when they reached higher levels.

"Jue-Ge, I’m at level three now. Moreover, it’s just 30 points more to reach level four," Wang Tanzhi’s voice sounded in his communication channel.

"I know." Indeed, Feng Bujue had soon guessed about Little Tan’s EXP, because the difference of 30 points between their Value Skill points had come from the bonus of the newbie tutorial. "If we play another training round of the Multiplayer Mode, we will reach level four. However, this mode doesn’t offer many benefits. When we reach level five, of course, we will try Multiplayer Survival Mode. That is the core of the game, but now we are desperately lacking of equipment. Let alone good equipment, we don’t even have the regular ones. If we enter some parties, we will hold them back."

"What? Party? Holding them back? Hold who?" Wang Tanzhi was bewildered.

"Surely, you haven’t read the game’s introductions," Feng Bujue said, "the number of members of a party could be from two to six, and they will be chosen randomly before the scenario is generated. If we have six members, it will be okay. But if we have only two and we are going to enter a scenario for three, four, five or six people, we have to team up with others.

"If we are too bad, we will probably die in the scenario. Then, when our party completes the scenario, we can only receive the EXP relative with the efforts we had made before we got killed. And, we will not receive rewards after the scenario had been completed.

"Moreover, there’s the problem of looting. Between the players who aren’t acquaintances, whoever finds the items or skills could keep them. Except for those that couldn’t be brought out of the scenario, not anyone is willing to share the skills or equipment they found.

"That is how people’s hearts work. Even if they have collected some useless items that couldn’t be sold or traded, they will sell them to the system to earn some coins. They won’t give them for free to their teammates. You have to exchange something to make them feel better."

Upon hearing his words, Wang Tanzhi added, "In short, if we don’t take this chance to level up, after level five, it will become very difficult. And, if our Specialties are not yet unlocked, and they want to give us trash items or useless skills, we will not be able to take them."

"It’s good that you understand. Now, we will split up then start the Single-player Survival," said Feng Bujue.

"You spoke that much because you want to abandon me! Hey!"

Feng Bujue burst out laughing and said, "I think we have completed the previous Multiplayer Training Mode perfectly. Because logically speaking, we couldn’t receive that much EXP. I think this BOSS was not originally designed to be killed. The possibility of killing the BOSS to pass the round is really rare. Regularly, players would only need to run away, then they could roughly receive 300 points.

"This leveling up is faster than what we have expected. Now, we have to complete the Single-player Training Mode by ourselves to reach level five. Our capacities would then be improved significantly. At least, we will be able to unlock one or two more specialties. Perhaps we could even receive some skills or equipment."

"Alright then. I will play alone, but I can still see your status on my friendlist, right?" asked Wang Tanzhi.

"Yeah, sure," Feng Bujue answered, "whoever finishes the scenario first should wait for the other. If there’s no unexpected event, it will take one hour max to get into level five. Then, we can try that legendary ‘Multiplayer Survival Mode’."

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