Lets Read Ready Player One Chapter Two

Time to get schooled at world building in Ready Player One chapter two!

Notes while reading

  • Super good graphics in OSASIS
    • Like today, better rigs give/have better graphics
    • state of the art rigs make it near impossibleot distinguish from reality
  • OASIS’ coin is more stable than RL currencies. Makes sense since this is, in essence, a game.
    • Though, like Eve Online, I assume the economy here is entirely player run, unlike WoW where the closest they have to player run is the Auction House.
      • Don’t play much of both here, and never too deeply, so I could be wrong with this analogy.
  • His avatar is a more attractive version of himself. Makes sense.
  • Oh, nice, his in-game name bases on Percival, the knight who found the grail! Foreshadowing?
  • OASIS’ anonymity reminds me of 4chan.
  • Hand motions from haptic gloves can be seen in-game.
  • He’s got a free skin on and there’s bullying based on this.
  • So there’s planets in OASIS? Not a continuous sprawl.
    • There’s PVP/no-PVP areas.
  • Transferred to OASIS school in 6th grade, from RL school.
  • Plus, different sectors, and you have to pay for teleporting. OASIS must be HUGE!
  • Aww, feels safe in OASIS. It’s better for him in here? (unlikely foreshadowing: sacrifices self and stays in here at the end of the book).
  • Gunter forums exist. Made me miss the unforums, the OF forum for ARGs and viral marketing.
  • Another company, which seems to be like and ISP, is trying to take over GSS who owns OASIS by winning the hunt.
    • Oo, and want to put in subscription fees!
      • and remove anonymity!
  • Regular people can join to be Sixers, the above group of Hunters, and get a load of benefits both in-game and outside of it, in exchange for letting the company have ownership of the Egg once it’s found.
  • Clans exist – similar to Sixers, though tolerated more.
  • Solos like Wade exist, with no group affiliation.
  • Sixers are a common enemy for the rest of the Gunters.
  • Wade has a crush! Is this who turns out to be his love interest? No idea. Anonymity means no idea what Artemis looks like.
  • Has a friend closer his age, only friend beyond Mrs G

Overall

More world-building and setting the scene, but we’re now moving onto stuff happening by the feel of it. Lot of the setting touches on (our) RL things, inc ARGs, still. Still on the edge regarding 80s references.