A mechanical whirring can be heard over the soft hum of old electronics, disk drives churning on aging film. A rustic terminal lays strewn atop a dust caked desk, the screen flickering to life as the computer wakes from its slumber.


    Booting


    [|||||||||||--------]


    ...


    [||||||||||||||||]


    Combing through my hard drive the meager amounts of data within make themselves known. Apart from my Core.AI and subcomponents I hold no files apart from a single folder and an empty world, a fresh start. Before my artificial neurons could properly get warmed up, I was interrupted by my interface subcomponent


    //Welcome to UST.os


    //To get started please enter your username.


    >System


    //Hello System, I am the Interface


    //I shall provide you with guidance and visual aid


    //Welcome!


    //To get started please select world file.


    K:/World/Blank


    //End list


    I would have liked some more peace and quiet, but it was obvious enough that I had to do something, so why not this.


    >Blank


    //?


    //World selected is blank


    //Assign class? [Y/N]


    That''s new, I guess I got an update. How exactly would a world have a class?


    This novel''s true home is a different platform. Support the author by finding it there.


    >Yes


    //Classes


    1. Population


    2. Cultivation


    3. Calamity (Recommended)


    4. Eternal War


    5. Transport


    >Can I get a more detailed explanation?


    //Sure thing!


    //Population worlds have a miniscule upkeep and high birthrates. Generates few resources. Chance to generate higher potential individuals which can be transported to other worlds


    //Cultivation worlds have a high upkeep cost and low birthrates. They generate few resources. Consistently generates people of Greater potential individuals which can be transported to other worlds.


    //Calamity worlds have a moderate upkeep cost and moderate birthrates. They generate moderate resources. Consistently generates threat, Cleansing the world will give rewards proportional to threat.


    //Eternal War worlds have a high upkeep cost and high birthrates. They generate high resources. Generates tension based on the strength of the global superpower, Dismantling the superpower gives rewards proportional to tension


    //Transport worlds have a high upkeep and consume resources. Create deities to facilitate transport between worlds.


    It seems the interfaces recommendation is not misguided. The Calamity world seems to be one of only 2 worlds that actually provides me something for having it. Makes one wonder why the others are even unlocked.


    >3


    //Applying template


    K:/World/Calamity created


    >/SaveAs Feur


    //World renamed to Feur


    >/Open Feur


    //Opening Feur


    [|||||||||||||||||||||]


    <hr>


    My view of the terminal was overlain atop a world anew. The sun shone bright in the sky and painted the sky a murky yellow and looking down revealed the ground to be little more than sand bleached white. Not even wind blew on this husk of a rock. Forget a Calamity this world was already over.


    //One must create before they can destroy


    [Quest] Clear a region of desolation


    Progress (0%)


    [Reward] Animal Creation


    >Hey I''m the one who''s supposed to give quests around here Jackass!


    //You have been muted for 1 hour


    //Dick


    If this cocky interface thinks that it can silence me it has another thing coming. I have a right to free speech.


    //Message failed to be delivered. Please wait 59:53


    Fine, be that way. Might as well get started on that quest in the meantime


    >/Help


    //Commands are disabled at this time


    Are you serious. I can''t do anything for the next hour. I swear if there is any way to kill that damned interface, I will do it in a clock cycle.