Start the Game (Galactogon: Book #1) Read Online Free PDF Page A

.
    “Send requests to the top Qualian guilds or clans that are in the game, asking for any proprietary information they may have about leveling a ship captain without putting in real money. Offer them, let’s say, fifty thousand dollars. I want to know everything—hidden missions, non-standard run-throughs and sequences and how to get them.”
    I couldn’t invest real money into the game—the limitations of my agreement with the bettors weighed on me more than a winepress on a grape. The slightest, documented purchase of an in-game item in real life would count as grounds for disqualification. Information, however, had not been included in the list of prohibited aids. And that’s exactly what I intended on using.
    “Requests sent,” Stan instantly replied. “What are your orders?”
    “None. Like I told you, I’m not around until tomorrow,” I repeated and sat down in my armchair. (It may not be as dramatic as the ones in the presidential palace, but it’s mine and I love it.) “Let me see what you have at the moment—and keep updating the information every thirty minutes. It’s time I did some reading…”
    What can I say? Before creating this game, Galactogon ’s developers must have been under the influence of some controlled substances. For, never before in my gaming life have I encountered such wonders…
    First of all, avatars in Galactogon really do not have any levels or experience points. The game designers decided that the player should not experience any discomfort upon transitioning into the game from reality. This was a famous dilemma, for in a game you could easily have a Strength of several million and could wipe out all the monsters in your path with one breath, while in the other place (real life, that is) all you had was a decently-fit body, and even that was only due to the capsule. This was especially painful for those players who spent the maximum-possible session in-game—two weeks without any connection to reality. Oh how you suffered when you had to adapt back to reality…I knew this firsthand.
    The designers did not entirely give up the leveling mechanic, however. They simply transferred it to items and objects…
    All the usable items in Galactogon have their own level, even your ordinary eating utensils. Each item type has its own form of leveling, which basically involves using the item constantly and successfully. For example, each time a spoon is used to successfully place food in your mouth, its experience level rises by a certain percentage. Once it reaches 100%, a new level is awarded and the XP counter is reset. The leveling is non-linear. Every new level requires more experience than the last, though the exact algorithm for this increment is kept secret. There is also, of course, an easier way to level up—through the in-game store. But that’s not an option available to me, as I don’t have the Galactogon Credits to buy upgrades and I’m not allowed to invest real money to do so.
    Once an item reaches level 100, it either changes class or receives the “Legendary” attribute. The classes begin with “F,” like the jersey on my character, and go up to “A.” Only Legendary items, which are effectively at level 101 or higher, are better than A-class items.
    Each item may have expansion slots—from none at all for F-class items to 23 for Legendary class items. You can place other items into these slots, but there are certain limitations. You cannot combine two items that have three or more levels between them. For example, you can’t equip a class-E ship with a Legendary ship cannon. But you can equip it in a ship of class-B. It’s very important to understand these nuances when operating or using any item or ship.
    Getting back to our spoon, one curious thing is that almost all of them are Legendary items. According to the forums, the first thing players do is get a Legendary spoon, thereby earning the “Legend Owner” achievement. This Legendary spoon