Fallout 4: AR

1. Special Edition

A/N: This is my NaNoWriMo challenge for 2020. I hope the story is entertaining for you! If you like what you see, please comment and let me know! This is the only way I have to gauge interest in my scribblings. Enjoy!  

~Tyrrlin

The cardboard shipping box stood propped up against the front door. It was a welcome sight as I came home to what would otherwise be another uneventful weekend in an empty house. Owning a one-person repair shop was wonderful, but it could get lonely when all I did was work and go home. Friends and family lived far away and, being an unrepentant total introvert, I rarely went out. My guilty pleasure was computer games, and I finally caved in to the hype that was Fallout. Having played none of the franchise before, I recklessly went for the brand new limited-number Fallout 4 Ultimate Virtual Reality Edition. It was going to be a trial by fire, but what the hell? Go big or go home, I thought, picking up the box and heading inside. For once, I didn't bother to remove my boots as I practically skipped up the stairs into the dining room.

The box sitting on the table tempted me throughout making dinner, just anticipating the fun of a new game made me barely taste the leftovers. I so wanted to try this. I had wanted a Virtual Reality game for some time, and the original Fallout 4 reviews were excellent. Dinner finished, and the dishes washed, the box couldn't wait any longer. I opened it to behold the beautifully designed game chest inside. It was rich with color, portraying a glossy depiction of the iconic armor helmet featured on every Fallout game case. The words Fallout 4: Virtual Reality Edition gleamed in large gold letters across the top. The case was heavy, made of thin metal, and quite sturdy. Plastic shrink wrap soon joined the discarded shipping box on the floor and the top of the game chest opened to reveal its treasures.

An embossed voucher, certifying Special Limited Edition #01 gleamed from the top of the chest. No way, it's the first copy? This must be a mistake. I couldn't believe it, but the proof was right in front of me. Wonder how many copies there were? When I had visited the website to place my order, there was only one item left at the highest option tier. The certificate was beautiful, appearing to be handwritten with a fountain pen using glittery sable ink. I just sat there for a moment, letting the words shimmer in the light. Finally, I carefully lifted the paper, setting it to one side.

Next, I picked up a thin, flexible, hand-shaped device containing silicon-coated wires, supported by a hefty instruction manual. I set them aside. More papers and inset cards followed. Digging further, I uncovered the wireless computer interface dongle and a hinged wooden box. That box contained a sleek black metallic forearm computer sporting a knurled selection knob on its right side. Its edges were chased with gleaming silver piping. The padded armband was adjustable for any size forearm. Hefting it showed it to be lighter than it looked. The screen was a decently readable size, a little larger around than my hand. On top was a vintage design cassette-style ejector port. The underside revealed an extendable wire attachment and ports for the computer interface and power. Definitely got my money's worth, I thought, pleased, running my fingers along the edges of the device before returning to the instruction manual. I took a moment to leaf through the pages. So, what is this and how does it work?

Too excited to do more than skim, I breezed through the initial introduction and background, adjusting my glasses to see better. Okay... set in post nuclear war Boston. Vault-tec... exploring... dialogue... enemies... fighting... sneaking... companions... factions... weapons... armor... blah blah blah... aha!

The armband computer, called a Pip-Boy, was instrumental in gameplay, basically being the interface the player used to interact with the world. Got it. There were simple picture instructions to set it up, which I followed step-by-step. The silicon-sheathed wires attached like adhesive cathodes to the back of each finger and thumb, interfacing with the Pip-Boy computer to allow hand motions to translate into gameplay. Oh, that is cool! Small pin adapters on the inside of the arm band mated with the receivers at the base of the finger wires. I waved my arm and hand in ridiculous motions, the weight of the Pip-Boy present, but not hindering. I can work with this. The computer antenna dongle plugged in easily enough, depressing flush with the outer casing of the Pip-Boy.