Viren had played a good number of Network-Oriented Immersive Realities (NOIRs). These were digital worlds originally constructed for the purpose of gaming, but gradually expanded their operations to include ‘non-gaming’ interactions and simulations. Years ago, they were called Online Immersive Experiences and decades before that, the original classification for such experiences was Massively Multiplayer Online Role Playing Games (MMORPGs). The names kept changing but the core idea behind the experience remained intact, although modified for the capabilities of the current generation.

Ever since gaming and the other ‘experience’ industries were homogenised to form the ‘Escapism Industry’, MMORPGs too were modified, both for players looking for a scripted experience, as well as for those looking to partake in more procedurally generated experiences that might or might not involve the traditional ‘gaming’ interactions that came in prior to the 2020s.

But there should definitely be a tutorial, Viren thought. Every game or experience I have partaken in before this, has had one. Whether it was an early 2000s game or late 2040s game, there was always some tutorial stage or procedure to ‘onboard’ the player.

Nonetheless, Viren was trying to appreciate the decades of technological evolution but was constantly distracted by the plonking of dirty alley water that splashed over his shoes as he walked. Jorgen’s slapping sandals did not help either. The stench of the stagnant brown pools on either side of the alley dissuaded Viren from going anywhere near the walls. It did not help that the sun was setting, and he was not looking forward to being lost in such a labyrinthine area in the dark.

Ugh! My shoes are getting filthy. I forgot what a pain using a Sculptor Pill was.

The idea for the pill originated as an innovation for the film industry. Movie sets were completely constructed artificially and the environments within those sets could be controlled and stylised as the Digital Director desired. People could be a part of that film and watch it unfold in real-time. One form of media connected itself to another within the same world. The audio-visual experience grew over time to include touch, smell and taste; or at least simulating those senses, via the use of the Sculptor Pill.

Occasionally, Viren and Jorgen did stumble onto the main road only to scurry across to the alley at the opposite end. During those brief moments, Viren got a glimpse of the city of Surren and mentally compared its features to that of his own city.

The buildings were low, the tallest being only 4 storeys with sloped roofs. However, Viren could spot a few spires that jutted out in the distance. Brown, beige and orange colours dominated the city. Viren was reminded of the Gothic architecture from period films; although the city could not have been that old, as there were automobiles in the streets. But Viren wasn’t well-versed enough in European history to be able to accurately establish the date. He guessed that Surren, and by extension of that logic his current timeline, was somewhere between the 1940s and 1970s.

Viren had only viewed his own city from his veranda: tall 40-80 storeyed towers, either white or silver in colour, covered in glass reflecting a turquoise blue or shiny black gloss. With the sheer number of windows or sometimes the lack thereof, the buildings were all constructed for optimal use of space. Surren, on the other hand, had an intricate design for each house which made it differ from the one next to it, while maintaining the commonalities of architecture.

The art of architecture was more prominent within the virtual worlds than in the real world where there was functionality. Viren preferred it that way.

“What do you think?” Jorgen asked.

“About what?” Viren had been looking at a number of things since their last conversation. He was following Jorgen because he assumed that the man knew where he was going. So as long as he was in sight, Viren could distract himself with the sites The Anachron could render.

“All of it. The Anachron. The people living in it.”

“Quite impressive. Watching it online, I just figured that there was some post-production beautification to make the sounds clearer, visuals more detailed, but I am quite surprised all of the world is being rendered in real time.”

After the pandemic of 2020, such worlds or ‘player hubs’ were utilised for an audience that wasn’t there to interact with a fictional narrative, but to interact within itself in a variety of ways. As the need for ‘connecting to the web’ became essential during the lockdowns of 2020, new considerations had to be made for not only accommodating the audience growth, but to have them prefer the online functionality or the ‘perpetual network link’ approach.

“It’s not all rendered at the same time,” Jorgen said. “Only what our senses allow for.”

“What do you mean?” Viren caught up with Jorgen, as both of them stopped in the middle of a darkening alley. Jorgen looked at both ends of the alley as if to make sure that no one was around.

“Everything you see around you is all that is rendered. Everything you hear, smell, feel and taste is within the proximity of your perception.”

Viren surveyed his surroundings. There wasn’t much inside the alley save for the smell and the distant sound of cars in the street. Viren saw one of those cars zoom past by from his limited view of the alley entrance.

“That is actually a good example,” Jorgen said, pointing in the same direction as I was looking. “That car that just passed. Is it going to take a left turn at the next corner, or a right? Or is it going to stop?” We won’t know, unless we move closer, effectively getting out of the alley and witnessing for ourselves what the car is going to do.”

So what Jorgen was saying was that as soon as the car left my sight, it no longer existed?

Viren was aware of ‘pop-in’ and processing limitations for the graphics of any experience, but surely that, more than just the alley they were standing in, was rendered at this time.

“Everything is digits and units,” Jorgen continued. “We cannot understand that language, but the computer can. In order for us to understand, the computer needs to translate the code into perceivable variables. Variables that include sight, smell, sound, etc."

“Is this to save on processing capabilities?”

“Yes, but more importantly, it is easier to simulate calculation on a quantum level when you remove variables that don’t mean anything to the computing process.”

“Like what?”

“Abstracts, in short. Beauty, intentions, happiness, purpose, love… Could be anything that you can’t really explain, but know to be true.”

Viren thought for a moment. He lowered his head, staring at the ground he was standing on.

He had played experiences like this before but never thought about the physical dimension that is created for his mind to inhabit. This ground feels pretty solid. The weight on my body feels real. This was all an illusion…

They both turned around and continued walking.

“This was also part of Proxemics studies that became very popular back when I was in college.”

Viren assumed that must have been decades ago. He hadn’t heard of such studies and he was very informed about new developments in technology.

“So are you as old as you look?”

“I suppose.”

“All right then… Are we any closer to our destination?”

“We wait for the destination to come to us.”

What is that supposed to mean?

“Does it hurt to be this f*****g cryptic?” I forgot the profanity filter was on.

“Why do you think I need this?” Jorgen gestured to his flask from which he took another swig.

Just then Viren heard some splashing behind them, a continuous sound that gradually came closer. Before he could turn around to investigate it, the little light that illuminated the alley vanished in an instant. It became completely dark. By the time Viren noticed that a bag had been placed on his head, he could already feel two or three people grab his arms and legs. His thrashing was subdued by the strong grip of his assailants.

"WHO THE HELL ARE YOU PEOPLE?" Viren shouted out, to no avail. He felt the pain of his arms and legs being tied and the bag tightening around his neck. They weren’t trying to strangle him; this was an abduction.