World Info
Shay comes from a world where once upon a time it was totally normal and the standard for all people to be given an neurological implant at birth to provide access to the vast AR Network (ARN) of Titan Enterprises. Think something very similar to this! At all times one's mind was connected to the ARN which monitored and controlled virtually all paths of information in the world. All financial and institutional information, personal identities, jobs, even things as simple as the news. It was a media-saturated world where the virtual was just as vivid as the real, and Artificial Intelligence wasn't just a fanciful dream. AI were put in charge of dozens of facets of every day life, and could even be purchased with custom designations and functions. Titan Enterprises boasted some of the world's most power and advances Intelligences to ever hit the market.
Unfortunately having everyone's brain hooked up to the ARN at all times for all functions as if it were an extension of themselves turned out to be not so great an idea when it came to computer viruses. Enter "Th3 B1G B4d W01F", a virus designed to infiltrate all ARN systems...which not only crashed the ARN and all affiliated online systems, but also caused massive brain hemorrhaging when it infected a neuro implants.
In just 48 hours Th3 W01f devastated the world and left roughly 80% of the population dead either from direct infection or from the collapse of infrastructure. Within a week that number grew to 90%, and within 10 years the world would contain only 5% of its original population, and not all the remnants were..."human." At least outside of their bodies.
Those without neuro implants survived the devastation of Th3 W01f, but were left to face the ruins of the world left behind when all facets of civilization collapsed. There were some off the grid communities, a few independents who weren't compatible with the ARN technology and couldn't have it installed. These people banded together into three groups: paranoid and tightly-isolated communities, violent scavengers and bandits, or lone wanderers. The latter two of which most definitely include cannibals.
Those with neuro implants who didn't die immediately or miraculously survived the onslaught due to being disconnected or offline suffered one of two fates: they either became Coded...or Artificials.
Coded are humans whose implants rendered their minds medically brain-dead but functional. When the ARN collapsed and errors ran rampant in the system, the implants were overloaded with feedback and became filled with errant strings of code. The result were bodies which moved and twitched and jerked unnaturally, who spouted nonsense and couldn't be reasoned with...but still had to fulfill bodily needs such as food and sleep. They became wandering predators, attacking and feeding off of anything they could get their hands on.
Artificials are very similar in nature to the Coded, but instead of being strings of data they are actual AI whose data either escaped or was forcibly uploaded onto implants of brain dead humans. Shay happens to be one of these AI! Artificials can exist without the ARN as independent programs, and usually band together for protection and survival. They tend to have a leg up on regular survivors when it comes to technology as many of them can still interface with it despite the virus.
The Glitches are the last bit of fallout which resulted from The B1g B4d W01f. Along with vast technological and artificial advances, the ARN also pioneered the science of 3D holograms for purposes such as entertainment, traffic, telecommunications, etc. Unfortunately when the virus attacked the system it also attacked the holographic rendering machines as well, and as such creatures known colloquially as the "Glitches" exist: tangible, holographic life which is naturally drawn to stimuli such as light, sound or heat. Not necessarily a problem except for the fact that the virus corrupted the usual safety limits imposed upon holograms and their mere touch became lethal. Their holographic bodies are riddled with dangerous micro-waves which cause irreparable damage to living tissue. Even non-lethal contact with a Glitch is incredibly dangerous.
The only times the Glitches aren't a threat is during overcast or rainy weather, when the lack of sunlight and frequent atmospheric disruption makes it impossible for them to materialize. Security software such as antivirus and firewall programs can connect to them wirelessly and prevent them from getting near, making those sorts of programs near-priceless to most surviving colonies.
As far as the general state of the world goes, most human cities have fallen into ruin due to gas leak, water damage, fire, or lack of maintenance. No official human cities or collectives exist, and survivors are spread out into pockets. Most locations are overgrown and tall buildings are structurally unsound. Think something like The Last of Us mixed with I Am Legend.
Unfortunately having everyone's brain hooked up to the ARN at all times for all functions as if it were an extension of themselves turned out to be not so great an idea when it came to computer viruses. Enter "Th3 B1G B4d W01F", a virus designed to infiltrate all ARN systems...which not only crashed the ARN and all affiliated online systems, but also caused massive brain hemorrhaging when it infected a neuro implants.
In just 48 hours Th3 W01f devastated the world and left roughly 80% of the population dead either from direct infection or from the collapse of infrastructure. Within a week that number grew to 90%, and within 10 years the world would contain only 5% of its original population, and not all the remnants were..."human." At least outside of their bodies.
Those without neuro implants survived the devastation of Th3 W01f, but were left to face the ruins of the world left behind when all facets of civilization collapsed. There were some off the grid communities, a few independents who weren't compatible with the ARN technology and couldn't have it installed. These people banded together into three groups: paranoid and tightly-isolated communities, violent scavengers and bandits, or lone wanderers. The latter two of which most definitely include cannibals.
Those with neuro implants who didn't die immediately or miraculously survived the onslaught due to being disconnected or offline suffered one of two fates: they either became Coded...or Artificials.
Coded are humans whose implants rendered their minds medically brain-dead but functional. When the ARN collapsed and errors ran rampant in the system, the implants were overloaded with feedback and became filled with errant strings of code. The result were bodies which moved and twitched and jerked unnaturally, who spouted nonsense and couldn't be reasoned with...but still had to fulfill bodily needs such as food and sleep. They became wandering predators, attacking and feeding off of anything they could get their hands on.
Artificials are very similar in nature to the Coded, but instead of being strings of data they are actual AI whose data either escaped or was forcibly uploaded onto implants of brain dead humans. Shay happens to be one of these AI! Artificials can exist without the ARN as independent programs, and usually band together for protection and survival. They tend to have a leg up on regular survivors when it comes to technology as many of them can still interface with it despite the virus.
The Glitches are the last bit of fallout which resulted from The B1g B4d W01f. Along with vast technological and artificial advances, the ARN also pioneered the science of 3D holograms for purposes such as entertainment, traffic, telecommunications, etc. Unfortunately when the virus attacked the system it also attacked the holographic rendering machines as well, and as such creatures known colloquially as the "Glitches" exist: tangible, holographic life which is naturally drawn to stimuli such as light, sound or heat. Not necessarily a problem except for the fact that the virus corrupted the usual safety limits imposed upon holograms and their mere touch became lethal. Their holographic bodies are riddled with dangerous micro-waves which cause irreparable damage to living tissue. Even non-lethal contact with a Glitch is incredibly dangerous.
The only times the Glitches aren't a threat is during overcast or rainy weather, when the lack of sunlight and frequent atmospheric disruption makes it impossible for them to materialize. Security software such as antivirus and firewall programs can connect to them wirelessly and prevent them from getting near, making those sorts of programs near-priceless to most surviving colonies.
As far as the general state of the world goes, most human cities have fallen into ruin due to gas leak, water damage, fire, or lack of maintenance. No official human cities or collectives exist, and survivors are spread out into pockets. Most locations are overgrown and tall buildings are structurally unsound. Think something like The Last of Us mixed with I Am Legend.