First off, let me explain what .hack (dot hack) is, for those who are unfamiliar with the story. So as not to confuse anyone with personal perspective or biased opinions, I will paraphrase via the .hack Wikipedia page.
"The series takes place mainly within The World, a fictional MMORPG published and maintained by the also fictional CyberConnect Corporation, known as the CC Corporation. Players interact with The World using virtual reality headsets called HMDs (Head-mounted display) and a gamepad. It is the creation of German programmer Harald Hoerwick, who created the first version, "Fragment", to help create his virtual daughter, Aura. The World consists of a cluster of servers distributed around the world. When players log in, they materialize in the Root Town of the server they last used. Each server in The World has its own unique Root Town. They are the starting and ending point of any gaming session. In order to properly log out of the game, the player must be in a Root Town. Each Root Town has a Chaos Gate, a large revolving ring used to transport players to areas or other servers. To transport to an Area, a series of three keywords must be entered. These keywords determine such parameters as difficulty, terrain, and weather, amongst other habitat. Most keyword combinations result in a field and a dungeon. Before the series began, Pluto's Kiss, a virus, caused a simultaneous crash of all computers and network control systems on the Internet that did not run on the ALTIMIT OS, which subsequently became the dominant operating system worldwide. The Twilight Incident, also known as Pluto Again, and the Second Network Crisis is the series of disasters depicted in the .hack//Games. It involves the massive blackout and system shutdown at Yokohama, which results in multiple car accidents, fires throughout the city, various other system malfunctions in other parts of Japan, and various players of The World ending up comatose. It is caused by the glitching Morganna System..." -http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/.hack
My story will be focusing on a particular story within the .hack franchise; .hack//SIGN. Again, I will post information to allow those who are unfamiliar to better understand the plot of my story.
".hack//Sign is influenced by psychological and sociological subjects such as anxiety, escapism, and interpersonal relationships. The series focuses on a Wavemaster (magic user) named Tsukasa, a player character of a virtual-reality massively multiplayer online role-playing game (MMORPG) called The World. Tsukasa wakes up to find himself in a dungeon in The World, but he suffers from short-term memory loss as he wonders where he is and how he got there. The situation gets worse when he discovers he is unable to log out and is trapped in the game. From then on, along with other players Tsukasa embarks on a quest to figure out the truth behind his abnormal situation." -http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/.hack//Sign
As previously indicated, this story will be a crossover, meaning it will include aspects from the .hack and Ragnarok Universe. This project's lifespan will rely completely on the reader's reactions and overall interest in the story, so if you enjoy it, please +1 the original post via the Reputation system to show your support. The goal is to create an entire web novel, a full length chapter story with an in-depth plot and realistic, comprehensive character relationships. It will likely be released on a chapter by chapter basis with my intention being to release at least a chapter per week or so.
But before I can begin, there is a bit of pre-planning that must be taken care of. To begin, the line between .hack and Ragnarok Online 2 must be drawn, and it must be unwavering and absolute; there can be no room for error or misrepresentation on my behalf, I do not intend to work outside the realm of plausibility and I cannot allow myself to stray from the core concepts that are in place. As of now the affiliation between the two is as follows:
Prologue
Ragnarok Online 2 has been going strong for 5 years now, it's player base has increased by the thousands and the rise in popularity has inspired Gravity Corporation to push the envelope and cement Ragnarok 2 into the pages of gaming history. Rumors of newly discovered technology begin to reach the States, along with whispers of a new system Gravity has planned for RO2. More and more players log in to Ragnarok 2 and the game's popularity begins to exceed that of all of its competitors, and every player lies in wait, desperately clinging to the hope that these whispers are true...
And so they were. On July 9th, 2018 a notice appears on the RO2 message boards:
"Attention Players: Rumors have been circulating for some time now that Gravity intends to implement a newly discovered technology within Ragnarok Online 2. Well folks, it's time to put those rumors to rest; Because they are completely true. In 1 months time, Ragnarok Online 2 will go offline for a 3 month maintenance, at which time the game will resume--with a few considerable changes. I won't make you wait any longer, it's time to unveil what we've been working on for the last few years... Total immersion virtual reality. You heard right people, not only will you see Midgard with your own eyes; it will be as if you are truly there. Regards, Hyun Chul Park / CEO Gravity Co, Ltd"
The boards erupt with excitement; thousands of new posts appear within the half hour, ranging from debates of the level of immersion, disbelief, and overwhelming joy...Every heart wishing that fateful day was today...
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So there you have it. Please keep in mind that this is an example prologue, and is being used to describe the union of the .hack and RO2 worlds. More will be explained in the actual story, but for now this will have to do. For those who still don't quite understand the significance of this collaboration, allow me to explain the meaning behind the "Prologue".
This is our world, our real world in the story. Set 5 years in the future, Ragnarok 2 has become a worldwide sensation, it's population exceeding that of any other game. With all of its success, the game's creators explore a new technology, turning RO2 into a virtual, simulation type RPG, allowing players to experience the game as if they were a part of it. The virtual aspect of the game in this story is tied to .hack, along with several other implementations that will be revealed in the future.
That pretty much covers the basics of the story, now only one thing remains before I can get the ball rolling.
You.
The characters in this story are going to be Ragnarok Online 2 players within the NA server "Odin". I have a good idea of who I plan to include and what roles these individuals will play, and you may be surprised to spot your own character within the story, regardless of your relationship with me in-game or on the forums. There are a multitude of roles that need to be filled, whether they be a main character, supporting character, occasional character, or background character. Everyone who plays Ragnarok 2 is a possible choice.
However, I do not want to impose on anyone's privacy, or unwillingness to participate in this project. Players I have selected will be contacted to verify their agreement, and those who refuse will be replaced.
Oh, and one more thing! I am looking for a viable antagonist, "the bad guy". A player within the game that has the personality or mindset that could potentially fill this position; preferably an intelligent, calculating type of character--with a hint of malice.
That about covers everything, feel free to comment, share your thoughts and opinions, or volunteer your services as a possible character or project contributor. PMs will be sent out by next Monday, so please check your inbox or respond to me if I whisper you in-game.
Disclaimer: I do not own Ragnarok Online 2, Gravity Corporation Ltd, .hack, or any characters mentioned within this story*. Any similarities to persons living or dead are completely unintentional, with the *exception of Ragnarok Online players who have voluntarily supplied their characters for use in this project.
Edited by ritsukachan, 23 September 2013 - 08:53 PM.
I am actually working on a story based around what could happen with the storyline when the level cap hits 100. 
Can't wait to see your first chapter. You have full permission to use my character if you so choose to.
