Kasavin stood at the head of the glowing holographic table, adjusting his glasses as he looked around at the assembled team.
"We have completed the preliminary narrative outlines and the foundational research that we need for the next phase," Kasavin announced, his voice carrying a crisp, professional efficiency. He tapped a key on his datapad, transferring control of the central projector. "Logan, Bem, take it away."
Kasavin took his seat.
Logan Kim stood up, his eyes gleaming with a manic, highly caffeinated energy. He cracked his knuckles and swiped his hand across the console. Instantly, the holographic projection shifted from narrative documents into incredibly detailed, spinning 3D schematics of advanced hardware.
"Alright, people, let us talk about how we are actually going to put players inside our worlds," Logan began, pacing slightly. "I have spent the last week doing a deep dive into the current and experimental hardware markets. Right now, there are three primary tiers of VR systems circulating in the Stellar Accord."
Logan tapped a schematic, bringing a sleek headset and a pair of gauntlets to the forefront.
"Tier one is the Partial VR," Logan explained. "This is your standard consumer-grade stuff. It consists of a high-fidelity optic visor and haptic-feedback gloves. In the game, players can see, hear, move, and interact with objects using their hands. It is cheap, accessible, and highly limited."
He swiped again. The headset was replaced by two distinct, full-body tactical suits.
"Tier two is the Full Suit VR," Logan continued. "This is divided into two sub-categories. The first is 'Unrigged'. It is a smart-fabric bodysuit packed with micro-sensors. It tracks full-body movement perfectly, meaning if you kick in real life, you kick in the game. The second is the 'Rigged' version. The player wears the suit but is physically strapped into a massive, omni-directional mechanical gimbal. It provides extreme physical sensation from the game world. If your character is falling off a cliff, the rig physically drops and pulls you to simulate the exact G-force of falling."
Logan paused, his expression turning slightly more serious. He swiped the display a third time.
The spinning suits vanished. In their place, a massive, sleek, egg-shaped pod materialized in the glowing blue light. It looked less like a gaming console and more like a high-end medical stasis chamber.
"And then," Logan said quietly, "we have the Capsule."
Arthur, sitting at the end of the table, leaned forward. "What is the deal with that one?"
"The Capsule is a brand new, highly classified VR device recently patented by the Accord Ministry of Technology," Logan expounded, pulling up walls of leaked technical data. "There is not much public development on this part yet. But from the testing documents I managed to scrape, it operates on an entirely different level. The player lays inside, and the system administers a localized neuro-chemical. It puts the player into a state of absolute, medically induced sleep paralysis."
The room went completely still.
"Once paralyzed," Logan continued, "the game engine bypasses physical movement entirely. It attaches directly into the brain stem and the central nervous system. It intercepts your brain's signals and feeds them directly into the digital avatar. It gives the player one hundred percent immersion. You do not just play the game. You are in it."
A heavy, incredibly uneasy silence settled over the junction room.
Ross Dalle nervously rubbed his hand against his neck, breaking the silence. "Is this sleep paralysis thing actually safe?"
Logan just shrugged his shoulders. "I honestly do not know, Ross. It is still strictly in the private testing phase. But from the research I have found, the Stellar Accord is preparing to distribute early development materials and prototype capsules to registered, high-tier game studios so we can research and tweak around with the API. This capsule is not consumer-ready yet. But who knows? Maybe in four years, it will be. And a four-year timeline fits perfectly with our projected development cycle for the Sky: Children of the Light IP."
Arthur rested his hands over the lower half of his face, deep in thought. He stared at the glowing, egg-shaped capsule. It was terrifyingly invasive technology, but if they wanted to build a true, living world... they needed to understand it.
"Let us order these prototype capsules," Arthur commanded quietly. "Put them securely in the R&D room. I want to know exactly how they work."
Logan nodded, taking notes on his pad. "I will take care of the procurement logistics, Arthur. So... we are going all-in on developing the engine exclusively for the Capsule format?"
Arthur slowly shook his head. "No. Let us not put all our credits on the capsule. The Accord might regulate it, or the public might reject it. I am leaning more toward supporting all of them. Partial, Full Suit, and Capsule."
Arthur looked across the table. "Can we do that? Can we build an engine that seamlessly scales across every single hardware tier?"
The entire team slowly turned their heads, their eyes locking onto Bem Lendu.
Bem stared at the holographic table for a long, agonizing moment. He let out a massive, heavy sigh and slowly stood up from his chair, rubbing the back of his neck. He looked across the glowing holographic table at Arthur.
"I don't know, Arty," Bem admitted, his voice tight with the weight of the monumental task. "Building a proprietary engine from scratch... we need more brains to work on it. There is a hard limit to how much heavy lifting the automated Compadre systems can do. Creating a foundational physics engine is a closely guarded secret of the big corporate game studios. From my research, a truly systematic, universally scaling engine has literally never been done before."
Bem paused, his eyes darting toward the holographic projection of the VR hardware. "But... when Logan just explained how these new devices interface with the nervous system, I got an idea."
Dorian leaned back in his chair, a relaxed, encouraging smile on his face. "Let's hear it."
"When we developed Hades," Bem started, gesturing with his hands as he formulated the thought, "do you remember the massive bottleneck we hit with the infinite room generation problem?"
Logan's eyes immediately perked up, a wave of stressful nostalgia hitting him. "Oh, yeah. The procedural generation system that built the Tartarus chambers. It kept overflowing the memory arrays because it was trying to render every possible room variation at the same time."
"Exactly," Bem nodded, pointing at his partner. "We ended up using a method called Topological Flattening to aggressively minimize the theoretical depth of the array. It basically collapsed the unneeded 3D data into a flat, readable plane until the player actually stepped through the door."
Bem turned back to the glowing table. "So... what if we apply that exact same logic to the VR hardware? What if we map every single sensory parameter; visual, auditory, haptic, and neural and we flatten it? We only stream the specific data array in correlation to the device the player is actively using."
The junction room fell into absolute, dead silence.
Dorian stared at Bem, completely freezing internally. He desperately racked his brain, trying to decipher the idea. Dorian was a visionary; he had the Earth catalog in his head and the Creator System to bridge the gaps, but raw, foundational engine architecture was entirely Bem and Logan's domain. He had absolutely no idea what "Topological Flattening" meant in this context.
But as Dorian glanced to the side, he saw Logan. The bespectacled programmer's eyes were practically bulging out of his head, his jaw slightly open as he stared at Bem with an expression of sheer, expectant realization.
'Okay,' Dorian thought quickly. 'Logan looks like he just saw God, so this must be a genius idea. Play it cool.'
Dorian cleared his throat, adjusting his posture to maintain his image as the all-knowing director. He offered a serious, thoughtful nod.
"I see," Dorian said smoothly. He then gestured vaguely toward the other side of the table. "But let's explain it a bit further in layman's terms... Liseli seems to not understand."
Lin Liseli, who had been quietly sipping a juice box, nearly choked. She slammed the box down and looked at Dorian incredulously.
"Arty!" Liseli protested, her face turning red.
The entire team immediately burst into a chorus of warm chuckles, the heavy tension in the room instantly dissipating. They all knew Arthur was deflecting, but nobody called him out on it.
"Alright, alright," Bem laughed, waving his hands to settle the room. "What I mean is this: we don't build three different engine for three different VR tiers. We build one massive, absolute engine that contains every single sensor and parameter needed for the 100% immersion Capsule. It has the neural feedback, the wind physics, the temperature gauges, everything."
Bem brought his hands together, flattening his palms. "But when a player logs in using a cheap, Partial VR headset, the engine automatically 'flattens' the data output. The Partial VR only needs visual and sound data, just like Full VR, but without the physical haptic feedback. If we can somehow flatten the transmission and let the Partial headset selectively pull only the visual/audio sensors it needs from the massive Full VR pool... we can theoretically run every single device in the galaxy to the exact same engine."
The magnitude of the idea finally settled over the room. It was a terrifyingly ambitious solution to cross-platform compatibility.
"But," Bem reiterated, letting his hands drop. "Like I said. To map an engine with that many parameters... I need more people."
Dorian smiled warmly. He leaned forward, resting his forearms on the table.
"Thank you, Bem. It's a brilliant concept," Dorian said sincerely. He looked around the table, meeting the eyes of the people who had built his empire. "And I completely agree. We have outgrown this table."
Dorian tapped the console, pulling up a blank organizational chart. He looked at his core leads.
"Logan, Bem, Dalle, Liseli, Kasavin," Dorian addressed them each by name. "What do you guys think about adding more people under your respective departments?"
…
The intense, highly technical brainstorming session stretched on for hours, continuing until the golden light of the Friton sun began to dip low below the horizon, casting long, warm shadows across the pristine glass walls of the junction room.
Dorian finally reached out and snapped his physical, leather-bound notebook shut, ancient quirk of his that the team had simply come to accept.
"Alright," Dorian announced, leaning back and stretching his shoulders. "That is it for today. Give your final structural recommendations and staff requirements to me by tomorrow morning. We will open the public hiring wave the day after that."
He looked around the table, his eyes meeting the exhausted but deeply inspired faces of his team.
"And remember," Dorian said, his voice softening into a warm, genuine tone. "After we hire this massive new wave, you guys aren't just going to be solitary developers tinkering in a single room anymore. You are going to be managing entire teams. You are the official Heads of your respective departments."
Dorian offered a bright, encouraging smile. "I don't want you to turn into rigid corporate managers. I want you all to just... be yourselves. Lead them the way we built this studio."
The heavy, serious atmosphere of the meeting instantly melted away into a wave of easy, comfortable laughter.
Logan turned his hover-chair toward his coding partner, a massive, cheeky grin spreading across his face. He offered a ridiculous, exaggerated salute. "Hello there, Head of Design."
Bem playfully saluted back. "Hello to you too, Head of Programming."
Lin Liseli jumped up from her chair, striking a dramatic, heroic pose with her stylus pointed toward the ceiling. "That officially makes me the Head of the Art Department! All junior sketch artists shall bow before my superior color palettes!"
Ross Dalle let out a deep, rumbling chuckle, his three jointed hands clapping together in amusement. "I suppose the Head of the Audio Department has a rather nice, prestigious ring to it."
Kasavin pushed his glasses up his nose, his posture impeccably straight but his eyes shining with pride. "And I shall humbly accept the mantle of Head of the Production Department. I look forward to aggressively managing all of your newly expanded schedules."
The team shared a look of profound, shared accomplishment. They had started as a ragtag group of outcasts, rejects, and struggling artists. Now, they are climbing to be kings of the galactic gaming industry.
Then, completely in unison, the five newly minted department heads turned their heads to look directly at their young director.
"And hello to you... Arty," they chorused together.
The junction room erupted into easy, joyous laughter. Dorian just groaned, burying his face in his hands, realizing that no matter how big his empire grew, he was never, ever going to escape that nickname.
…
Two days later.
The massive, heavily trafficked main page of 'Avalon.' The official, dedicated community forum for all Round Table Studio titles was experiencing a digital earthquake.
Right at the very top of the primary message board, pinned with a glowing gold developer badge, was a brand new announcement.
…
[PINNED ANNOUNCEMENT] THE ROUND TABLE EXPANDS: SECOND WAVE HIRING INITIATIVE
Posted by: RTS_Official
Greetings, Knights!
Thanks to the overwhelming, galaxy-wide support for the Community World DLC and our venture into the Underworld with Hades, Round Table Studio is officially preparing to embark upon our most ambitious project yet.
To build the worlds we are currently designing, we need more hands at the table. We are officially opening our Second Wave Hiring Initiative!
We are looking for passionate, uncompromising talent who prioritize art and player experience above all else. We are currently accepting portfolios for the following roles:
Junior & Senior Programmers (Focus on Physics & Net-Code).
2D Illustrators & 3D Environment Artists.
Sound Engineers & Assistant Composers.
Production Assistant.
Note: Positions offer both remote work via secure Net terminals, or full physical relocation packages to the RTS Headquarters.
If you believe you have what it takes to sit at the Round Table, submit your portfolio to the encrypted link below. Prepare your skills. The technical tests will not be easy.
- RTS
…
The reaction from the galactic net was instantaneous and absolutely explosive. Within five minutes, the thread had garnered hundreds of thousands of views, and the replies were moving so fast the forum moderators had to activate slow-mode just to keep the servers from crashing.
[Reply: CodeMiner77]
"DID EVERYONE JUST READ WHAT I READ?! '3D Environment Artists'?! Wait, hold on. RTS has exclusively made pixel art and 2.5D isometric games! Are they making a fully 3D game?!"
[Reply: LoreNerd99]
"Bro, 'Physics and Net-Code' programmers?! That means multiplayer. They are making a 3D multiplayer game. I am literally hyperventilating. Imagine a massive, open-world RTS game!"
[Reply: PixelPlower]
"I just submitted my art portfolio. I am literally shaking. Working on RTS has been my absolute dream since I saw the character portraits for Zagreus and Aphrodite. Wish me luck, everyone!"
[Reply: SoundGuy_Cal]
"To anyone applying for the Audio department: BE PREPARED. I applied during the first wave. Their technical tests are terrifying. They asked me to create the sound of a 'forgotten god's whisper' using only organic audio. RTS does not play around. I'm trying again this year though!"
[Reply: Sector7_Citizen]
"Full relocation package? To where? I'm a senior corporate coder for Nexon, and I am seriously considering dropping my 10-year pension just to apply if it's around the Mid-rim system."
[Reply: TryHard_99]
"Nexon is garbage anyway. Go to RTS! Make real games! The industry is shifting, people!"
[Reply: Void_Watcher]
"Whatever RTS team are cooking up in that secret studio... it's going to change everything again. I can feel it. I'm just going to go ahead and hand my wallet over to them. Can someone deliver my wallet to their HQ."
The hiring post sent a massive shockwave through the corporate-dominated development studios across the Core Worlds. Thousands of jaded, burned-out developers looked at the announcement, looked at the undeniable soul and passion radiating from RTS's games, and quietly began polishing their resumes.
The Round Table was calling, and the galaxy's finest were ready to answer.
…
Several days later, the deep, hydraulic hum of the Kepler estate's underground hangar echoed through the cavernous space as a sleek transport ship descended from the surface pad.
Down in the primary docking bay, Dorian was currently covered in a thin layer of sweat and engine grease. He was leaning deep into an open maintenance access panel on the side of the Millennium Falcon, a hydro-spanner clenched between his teeth as he carefully spliced a series of frayed electrical conduits.
Hearing the hiss of the transport's landing gear, Dorian wiped his forehead with the back of his arm, leaving a dark smudge across his brow. He looked down from the boarding ramp and saw Ratik stepping out of the shuttle.
"Ah, my utmost patient manager!" Dorian called out cheerfully, tossing the hydro-spanner into a toolbox and jogging down the ramp.
He walked right up to her and pulled the immaculately dressed woman into a warm, deeply appreciative hug.
Ratik patted his back stiffly, pulling away with a long, long sigh. "Okay, Dorian. You just got space grease all over my suit."
"Consider it a badge of honor from the Outer Rim," Dorian grinned, completely unapologetic.
He then looked past Ratik's shoulder. Standing quietly a few paces behind her was a stranger.
It was a male Qerrian. Unlike the crimson or veridian skin tones typical of his race, this man possessed a striking, deep azure blue pigmentation. His sensory Vane were thick and woven together, hanging down to his shoulders in a style resembling heavy dreadlocks.
Dorian's smile faded slightly into a look of calm, analytical curiosity. "And who might this be?"
Ratik dusted the invisible grease from her lapel. "Introduce yourself," she instructed the stranger.
The Qerrian stepped forward, his posture impeccably straight, completely unbothered by the gritty surroundings of the underground hangar. His tendrils remained perfectly still, a sign of extreme, disciplined focus.
"Good morning, sir," the man said, his voice smooth and professional. "I am Raja Farzir. Senior Ratik told me there was someone in need of my specific expertise."
Dorian tilted his head, his eyes shifting back to Ratik.
"He was my junior back in my days," Ratik explained smoothly. "I have been secretly testing him for the past few months. I have finally judged that his loyalty and competence are ready to meet you. He is here to help you manage your gaming sector."
Dorian raised an eyebrow. "Hooh? I appreciate the thought, Ratik, but I've got the studio covered. I just promoted Kasavin as my official Project Manager. The internal structure is completely ready for the new expansion."
Raja offered a polite, respectful nod. "I am not here to manage your developers, sir. Think of me as you think of Senior Ratik, as your personal manager and representative. I will not involve myself with your internal creative processes or your project management. But externally? I will handle the absolute worst of it."
Raja clasped his hands behind his back. "I possess extensive connections, bureaucratic channels, and legal backdoors across the Accord. I am here to smooth things over so you and your team can simply focus on making games."
Dorian went entirely silent. He picked up a heavy hydro-wrench from a nearby work table, casually flipping it in his hand as he stared at the Qerrian. He was testing the man's nerve.
Raja didn't flinch. He just offered a calm, confident smile.
"Alright, let's see how smooth you are," Dorian challenged, leaning against the hull of the Falcon. "We recently released the Community World DLC. In one of those storylines, there is a very specific narrative clashing heavily with recent Accord political events. What do you think of that?"
Raja's blue tendrils twitched a fraction of an inch as his mind worked. He didn't hesitate.
"It was a breathtakingly bold, well-prepared move," Raja answered sharply. "Making a political statement of that magnitude through a civilian entertainment medium would usually grant you a full-scale audit and an immediate studio shutdown at best. Fortunately for you, the Accord intelligence officials seem to have seen the cultural shift ahead of the boiling point. They swiftly retook the narrative by shifting their public treatment of the Yusteans. You walked a razor's edge, sir, and the Accord blinked first."
Dorian's eyes glinted. The Qerrian was incredibly sharp.
"Next question," Dorian fired back. "VR engines. Specifically, the new Accord-issued Capsule type. Thoughts?"
"A logistical and public relations nightmare," Raja answered instantly. "Sleep-induced gaming is a terrifying concept that will immediately worry parents in every corner of the Stellar Accord. If you intend to adopt it, we will need to spend millions on aggressive, preemptive lobbying for safety certifications and run a massive public trust campaign long before the product ever hits the market."
Dorian continued to rapid-fire quiz the Qerrian. He threw everything at him, from the intricacies of galactic digital distribution laws to the logistics of managing an untraceable physical merchandise supply chain.
Surprisingly, Raja answered every single hypothetical disaster with a flawless, calculated, and highly pragmatic solution. He was just as ruthlessly efficient as Ratik.
Dorian finally stopped flipping the wrench. He set it down on the table and let out a soft, impressed breath.
"Alright," Dorian nodded, crossing his grease-stained arms. "But you aren't hired yet."
Raja blinked, his professional composure slipping for just a microsecond. "Sir?"
"Tomorrow, Round Table Studio is holding our massive wave of open-hire interviews," Dorian said, a genuine smile returning to his face. "Come to the Friton HQ. Familiarize yourself with the team. Let's see if you can handle the madness of the Round Table."
Raja's confident smile returned, wider this time. He stepped forward and firmly shook Dorian's greasy hand.
"Thank you, sir. I won't let you down," Raja promised.
"Dorian," the teenager corrected gently. Then, a spark of immense, undeniable authority flickered in his eyes. "Or... you can call me Arthur when we are at work."