UPDATED: Sat Jan 29, 2005 2:55 pmHistory of ".hack"
Released in December 2007 after the regulation of the internet, "The World" is the first online game released since "Pluto's Kiss," an event at the height of an internet hacking maelstrom that led to millions of computers across the globe shutting down. Running under ALTIMIT, a secure network operating system, "The World" has grown rapidly in popularity with millions having downloaded the game in the first month alone, and more than 20 million players by 2010, the time of the .hack//SIGN story. "The World", which is administered by the CyberConnect (CC) Corporation, began as a prototype game called "the Fragment" which gradually developed into the current version of the game. Programmers from the ALTIMIT development team left the company to work on "The World", forming the CC Corporation, and now act as the game's system administrators.
Background Overview
"The World" is a popular massive multiplayer online role playing game (MMORPG) set in a fantastic universe of strange lands, monsters, treasure, and adventure. Players access the game by donning virtual reality headsets and connecting through the internet, assuming new identities as player characters (PCs) in "The World". Players have a choice of different "classes," or types of characters, each with their own abilities that determine how they appear to others and what items they can use in the game. Once inside this virtual universe, players are free to pursue their own goals, either adventuring by themselves or joining with others in parties. The most common place to visit is the dungeon, a set of subterranean caverns containing portals that reveal fierce creatures to be fought and treasures to be collected. As a player defeats these monsters, he/she gains experience and collects items in an effort to become more powerful, explore more dangerous areas and experience more of the game world. The system administrators also arrange periodic 'events' where players can participate in adventures not available in the regular game. Players can contact each other through email to arrange group excursions or simply chat and interact within "The World" in real time.
