PixelPioneers: The Birth of a Gaming Empire

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"It's so beautiful!" After a brief and amusing conversation with the dog NPC to understand the quest mechanics, Barton turned his eyes back to the game scene in front of him.

The camera transitions, including movement, running, and jumping, were very smooth. His computer, while only mid-range by today's standards, handled the game well. Even so, the frame rate remained steady at 60 FPS, which was impressive, a sign of excellent optimization.

As Barton continued down the mountain trail, he encountered three statues representing different classes. With some explanation from the nearby NPC, La Rove, Barton learned that interacting with the statues would grant him bonus experience based on his chosen profession. But he still didn't fully grasp how the class system in this game worked.

After opening the skill tree and browsing the various spells and specializations, Barton was left scratching his head. How are these classes defined? Could a mage wield a sword and hunt dragons? The freedom in the game's class system both surprised and excited him.

There were no fixed roles, no locked equipment types. Players weren't forced into rigid archetypes; this was true RPG freedom. Why, in so many other RPGs, could a mage only wear cloth and never wield a shield or sword? Why couldn't a berserker choose to support from the back with a staff instead of rushing headfirst into battle? In this game, Barton picked the mage class and promptly equipped a fire spell in his left hand and a one-handed sword in his right.

Two words: No restrictions. The game even allowed players to wander freely, instead of constantly nudging them with notifications to finish quests immediately.

Using a trial encounter with a wild wolf on the road, Barton cast fire magic, watching as the blazing flames consumed the creature. The wolf's cries and the rapid drop of its health bar created an intense visual thrill. When his mana ran out, Barton switched to a sword and slashed the beast down with two strikes.

"This is what it means to be a true mage," Barton said as he examined the defeated wolf's body.

Rather than rushing to the quest marker in Westwood Town, he wandered off in search of adventure. He dove into rivers looking for hidden loot and detoured into the forest, hoping for random encounters.

The game had barely begun, the story hadn't even kicked off, and yet Barton had already battled wild beasts and a few Imperial soldiers. Still, the most profound thing the game had given him so far was curiosity.

Even if he wandered away from the quest location on the map, the game didn't force him to return. That freedom was rare. Barton roamed the world blindly, imagining himself a lone adventurer exploring a vast, magical land, slowly becoming a dragon-slaying legend.

But that dream was short-lived, thanks to a band of robbers. After a tough fight with two of them, Barton was suddenly killed by a fireball from a third at long range. He stared at the death screen in disbelief.

"Not all nobles are rich... so why become a robber?" he muttered.

Respawning, Barton decided to stick with the main storyline for now, maybe get better gear and learn more skills first. With that in mind, he headed to Westwood Town, his first major destination.

At the town gates, Barton finally met some NPCs: La Rove and some Imperial soldiers stationed in Helgen. A middle-aged man, dressed like a ranger, sat outside the gate. Curious, Barton approached and pressed the interact key.

1. You don't look well.

2. Bye.

He chose the first option.

"Yeah, I haven't tasted meat in a while. The chicken in Westwood Town is the best, but it's way too expensive. Could you help me get some? In return, I'll give you a weapon; you look like you need one."

Quest Accepted: Find Chicken

An equipment-gifting quest. Barton's eyes lit up. With his years of gaming experience, he knew exactly what this meant, this was the classic starter quest to give players a basic weapon. Following the quest marker, Barton entered Westwood Town. Just past the gate, he saw his target. Right in front of a large tavern, several fat chickens were wandering about. Drawing his imperial sword, Barton grinned and approached a plump chicken.

Westwood Town's hostility toward you has increased (+10)

As soon as he struck the chicken, a message popped up, and then angry villagers started charging at him with weapons.

???, What? I just killed a chicken! What the heck is going on? Before Barton could even loot the chicken, an arrow flew in from afar, taking out a quarter of his health bar. That hurt!

"You've trespassed and must pay for your crime." As Barton tried to flee, a town guard stepped in to block his path. Three options appeared:

1. Sorry, I surrender. (Go to jail)

2. Perhaps these coins will make you reconsider. (Bribe)

3. What can you even do to me? (Resist)

Was that even a real choice? Bribe, of course! Resist? A single villager had already dropped most of his health; he couldn't survive a guard. Barton selected Bribe.

You lost 40 Coins.

A message appeared, but then the guard said, "Sorry, that's not enough to cover the damage. You'll still need to come with me."

Two more options popped up:

1. Fine. (Go to jail)

2. Catch me? I'd like to see you try! (Resist)

Barton froze. Not enough? Then why take my 40 Coins!? Are you kidding me!? I already paid, and now you're still taking me in? No way. I'm not going to jail! Furious, Barton selected Resist.

You made the wrong choice! The town guard, along with half the villagers, immediately swarmed him.

Within seconds, Barton was down. Staring at the black-and-white death screen, he took a deep breath and hit ESC, then loaded the game.

Guard of Westwood Town, huh? I'll remember this. I'll be back someday… and I'll roast that chicken. But for now... I'm never killing another chicken again.