Deil Cartridge

Given the rising popularity of Bioware Enhancements, it was only a matter of time before bio-engineers began to develop platforms for virtual gameplay that could be incorporated into the player's own mind. A Deil Cartridge, or D-Cart for short, is one of several devices which hold the data for a given game. Named for the inventor, Hansyn Deil, the Deil Cartridge is a notoriously unstandardized piece of equipment. Many accidents have occurred when hapless gamers have tried to use D-Carts not designed to interface with the platform they have installed, causing neural short-outs and, in some cases, permanent sensory failure. Because of this and because of a growing trend to cast the players of the games as members of The Other, who are often portrayed in a glorified manner, the use of Deil Cartridges has become increasingly controversial.

Although the fondness for The Other in D-Cart games is a phenomenon that leading cultural anthropologists have tried and failed to explain, the reason for the lack of standardization among the cartridges and the related equipment is easy to understand, as it is directly the fault of the Frinkston Board of Moral Standards. Concerned that D-Cart games might have unwholesome effects on the youth of the Colonies where they first became popular, as well as harboring the misperception that the cartridges use technology left over from the gifts of the Benefactor, the Frinkston Board of Moral Standards (Or FBoMS for short) quickly enforced a ban against the commercial sale of such games. Therefore, all D-Carts are developed by independent hobbyists, who generally develop their cartridges for whichever platform they favor or happen to have installed in themselves. There is a growing movement among D-Cart developers to create a set of standards among themselves, but the arguments about exactly which components to support have been heated and show no signs of ending anytime soon.

Notable D-Cart titles include:
 * The Valour, which is generally considered to be the first to present The Other as heroic and misunderstood.
 * The Stars of Stanzanoa, a game of exploration that was one of the earliest titles and helped lead to the current popularity of the medium.
 * Tank Time, a military simulation that was the first to utilize the storage of hidden data in the player's subconscious between game sessions.

Citations: Bioware Enhancements, Frinkston Board of Moral Standards, The Other

Dfaran L&#39;Eniarc 05:02, June 5, 2010 (UTC)

Presumably, the glorification of The Other in D-Carts is the consequence of some memetic remnant from the Other attacks, one that was unable to be eradicated in the Great Reality War.

Incidentally, I must admit that I do harbor some fondness for D-Cart titles, although I have always taken utmost precation only to use compatible cartridges. Have any of you ever played Legendarium?

Mr. Eldritch 22:07, June 5, 2010 (UTC)

Good heavens, no! I'm a dignified scholar, not some idle layabout who spends time dulling his mind and senses with such frivolities. Besides, the sequels were much better.

Dfaran L&#39;Eniarc 04:41, June 6, 2010 (UTC)