Finally: An MMO that lets you put down the sword and pick up the lip gloss.
Tired of those online virtual game experiences that limit you to raiding mobs for epic loot? Five Japanese game makers have teamed up to announce a new online virtual world, ai sp@ce, that will be based on several of their bishojo ("beautiful girls") properties.
Think Second Life, but with pretty anime girls and boys prancing around in a non-threatening manner. The 3-D world will include characters and settings from popular "visual novel" interactive fiction games like Clannad, Shuffle, and Da Capo II.
After you login, you'll partner up with your favorite characters from those series. Fully customizable wardrobes will let you pick the perfect outfit for your "companion," and you'll eventually get a house to decorate as well. You'll also be able to converse in-game with the characters, using a basic AI script.
The game is still under development, and the full set of features has yet to be determined. There is talk that in-game money transactions may be added, as well advertisements, taking the form of billboards in the virtual Akihabara setting that acts as the game's hub.
Image: ITmedia
ai sp@ce [ITmedia]
