Game 1: In the middle of nowhere(SirOni, cross_grave, Occam's Razor)

[cross_grave]

Re: Game 1: In the middle of nowhere(SirOni, cross_grave, Occam's Razor)

Duke slowed down the tank nearly to a halt, driving around the cutouts slowly while he stared at them. "What." He didn't even phrase this as a question. He expected many things to happen, not necessarily at once, but cardboard cutouts? It was so bizzare that the thought hadn't even crossed his mind. "Seriously? Who the Hell would go out of his way to set up a bunch of cutouts in the middle of nowhere? I doubt the guy who did this is here, but if you're listening to this somehow, please answer one question. Just... WHY?" The blonde ranted. "Why would you go through the trouble of making a village out of cutouts, then come to a remote spot, set it all up, then leave without a trace? This does not compute. DOES NOT COMPUTE."

 

[SirOni]

Re: Game 1: In the middle of nowhere(SirOni, cross_grave, Occam's Razor)

"Now that's just odd," Raziel comments once the 'houses' come into view. The man gets out of his seat and climbs out the hatch to get a better view of the faux village. "Maybe this is the result of the candy shell?" Raziel replies to Dukes question, a puzzled look on his face. "Otherwise whoever did this is all kinds of crazy."

 

[Caulder]

Re: Game 1: In the middle of nowhere(SirOni, cross_grave, Occam's Razor)

"I get the feeling this is something I might do." Julian states as he notices Raziel pop out of the tank. "Though as to why, I do not know. Something involving hedgehogs perhaps." he states, looking up into the air in thought as he rubs his chin with his gloved left hand.

 

[Hentaispider]

Re: Game 1: In the middle of nowhere(SirOni, cross_grave, Occam's Razor)

From the middle of what was the village, a hatch slides open and a large metal box with multiple blinking lights in variety of colors and some buttons of different sizes and a small screen slides up.

 

[cross_grave]

Re: Game 1: In the middle of nowhere(SirOni, cross_grave, Occam's Razor)

"Candy shell? Alright. I like that theory. It's the candy shell that did it." Duke agreed with Raziel. For the sake of his sanity, he decided not to comment on Julian's confession, altough he had no idea how hedgehogs fit into all of this. However, his musings were quickly interrupted when the strange metal box appeared in the middle of the village. The blonde scratched his head. First the cutouts, now a weird box? Though come to think of it, it seemed to look like some weird machine... Some kind of strance computer, perhaps? Duke had no idea. "Oy. Can anyone recognize that thing? Any idea what it might be?"

 

[Caulder]

Re: Game 1: In the middle of nowhere(SirOni, cross_grave, Occam's Razor)

Julian looks at the machine, his face lighting up "Oh joy! A computer! A glorious computer!" he says, hopping off the tank and waddling towards it in an accelerated, comical fashion. He would then begin to press buttons and observe the lights and screen as he pressed them, trying to make it work.

 

[SirOni]

Re: Game 1: In the middle of nowhere(SirOni, cross_grave, Occam's Razor)

As Julian runs towards the odd looking box that popped out of the ground Raziel runs along with him, though his destination is the hatch itself.

 

[Hentaispider]

Re: Game 1: In the middle of nowhere(SirOni, cross_grave, Occam's Razor)

As Julian tries to use the computer, he notices that it appears to contain only the most basic of operating systems and a compiler for a programming language resembling C along with some help files.

Looking at the hatch, Raziel notices that it seems to be connected to some sort of spring mechanism, so that if the computer returns underground, it closes itself.

 

[SirOni]

Re: Game 1: In the middle of nowhere(SirOni, cross_grave, Occam's Razor)

"I wonder where this leads to..." Raziel says to himself as he checks out the hatch, noting that it would need the box-computer to go back in it before it could close again. After a few moments the man runs back to the tank to grab his radio, binoculars and rifle before heading back to the hatch.

"I have an idea. One you two may not like, but I think it's worth doing," Raziel says to both Julian, and Duke via the radio. "This hatch may lead somewhere, where to I'm not sure. But if it does lead somewhere I think it's worth checking out. We have our radio's so hopefully we should be able to stay in contact with each other." Raziel pauses to allow his companions to speak if they want to before continuing.

 

[cross_grave]

Re: Game 1: In the middle of nowhere(SirOni, cross_grave, Occam's Razor)

"You sure about this?" Duke answered from the driver's seat. After a moment, he decided to stop the tank and climbed on top of the turret, taking a better look at the weird discovery. "I mean, can you even fit in there? And what happens if the thing closes while you're inside?" The blonde scratches his head. "It's a wee bit risky... Just watch out, ok? And by the way, what's that box? Is that really a computer?"

 

[SirOni]

Re: Game 1: In the middle of nowhere(SirOni, cross_grave, Occam's Razor)

"If it closes on me I'll just have to find another way out," Raziel replies, both his expression and tone is that of someone excited to explore a new area. "And if I run into trouble I've got that rifle. Not sure if I know how to use it, but it can't be that hard to work out."

 

[Caulder]

Re: Game 1: In the middle of nowhere(SirOni, cross_grave, Occam's Razor)

Julian becomes engrossed in trying different C:/ commands in the computer, but suddenly looks back at Duke and nods several times. "Yes, it is indeed a computer. A basic one at that, but a computer nonetheless." he states, then goes back to trying to find out what functions the computer can carry out.

 

[cross_grave]

Re: Game 1: In the middle of nowhere(SirOni, cross_grave, Occam's Razor)

Duke sighed. "Well... Good luck. Maybe there really is something there." He glanced at Julian, watching the fat man work his magic. It seemed that he really loved computers... Was he a scientist? Either way, he definitely had a thing for all things mechanical or electronic. He'd figure this thing out. Realizing that he was the only one doing nothing, the blonde hopped down on the groud, intending to examine the cutouts. Perhaps whoever made them left some traces on those things.

 

[SirOni]

Re: Game 1: In the middle of nowhere(SirOni, cross_grave, Occam's Razor)

"Welp, see you both on the other side," With rifle in hand Raziel quickly climbs down into the hatch to see if there's any way he can travel through it.

 

[Hentaispider]

It's C-language, not C:/ drive.

Looking into the pit, Raziel sees that it's about 2 meters square and pitch black. He manages to land safely to the bottom about three meters down. Feeling around he notices that the walls and the floor are metallic and sound hollow.

Meanwhile, Julian manages to puzzle out the programming language with the help of the manual files and sees that he can make at least basic programs work easily enough. The computer seems very responsive.

Examining the cutouts, Duke sees that they seem to be make of ordinary cardboard, so floppy that any wind should have made them fall over. The pictures of houses in them to the direction the party had come from are quite detailed, whereas the ones in the opposite side seem to be rather sloppy job.

 

[SirOni]

Re: Game 1: In the middle of nowhere(SirOni, cross_grave, Occam's Razor)

"Hrm.... could I be in some kind of maintenance shaft? Raziel thinks to himself as he feels around for a way to continue on.

 

[cross_grave]

Re: Game 1: In the middle of nowhere(SirOni, cross_grave, Occam's Razor)

'Okay... What the Hell?' Duke tried to figure out what this sight meant. Somehow, whoever put them up predicted which way they were coming from. This could mean two things - either he saw them coming from a considerable distance and quickly put these things up. The blonde ruled out that possibility - there was no place to hide, and no place to store those things... Unless it was all hidden in the ground. But even if that was the case, wouldn't they have noticed their observer? He'd have to be armed with a telescope or something like that. Still, there didn't seem to be any signs of things being set up. It was more likely that someone prepared this beforehand, after predicting which way they'd come from... Which meant that this someone had to know about their appearance, and most likely set up the tank as well. But what was the purpose of this? Duke couldn't figure that out.

 

[Caulder]

Re: Game 1: In the middle of nowhere(SirOni, cross_grave, Occam's Razor)

Julian fiddles around on the computer, trying his damnest to get Pong to work on it as he looks around for his cohorts. If he could get Pong to run on this device, he could perform miracles with it.

 

[Hentaispider]

Re: Game 1: In the middle of nowhere(SirOni, cross_grave, Occam's Razor)

Feeling along the walls Raziel ascertains that he is in a pit 2 meters across and that the walls seem to be made of metal panels about half a meter across. Bouncing his fingers on them makes a hollow sound. He might be able to pry or kick some of them loose.

Meanwhile Julian starts programming a simple Pong clone, though it seems that it would take a while, especially since he has to consult the manual often.

 

[SirOni]

Re: Game 1: In the middle of nowhere(SirOni, cross_grave, Occam's Razor)

Noticing the quiet tinny sound echoing from the panels Raziel quickly works out that there may be passages behind the metal sheets that he can explore. With a sudden burst of child-like enthusiasm and energy the raven-haired man sets about removing a panel, first attempting to pry it free with his bare hands and should that fail he'll set about ramming and kicking it.