ABOUT AL: SHINJUKU STORY

AL: Shinjuku Story is dedicated to characters and storylines based on the Angelic Layer manga and anime series by CLAMP. AL is canonically tied in with Chobits. Both series would be considered science-fiction, dealing with robots and technology rather than fantasy elements, and they're based in the real world, set in Japan. AL:SS itself is something of a spinoff from the now-defunct AL roleplay Angel Fall, which ran from 2003-2012. We're using the AF combat rules.

USEFUL INFORMATION:
Areas Popular with Foreigners and Expats
Common Apartment Types
General Types of Accommodation
Quick Map of the Yamanote-sen Train Line
Overview of Honorifics - ALWAYS BE POLITE





Shinjuku Story is based in - naturally - Shinjuku, one of the busiest sections of Tokyo. It's a place where a lot of companies put their flagship stores, and Piffle Co is no exception. The Shinjuku Piffle Princess is one of the largest, though each major section of Tokyo has one. It's also pretty busy most of the time, being located across from the east side of Shinjuku Station and surrounded by department stores, restaurants and various attractions. This particular Piffle Princess also attracts a larger than usual crowd of foreign Angelic Layer players and fans. Piffle Co uses this as an incentive to debut many of their newest gimmicks and advancements here, and Shinjuku is also where most of the area's tournaments and competitions are held.

The most notable employee is Mori Nobu, the Clerk for the Shinjuku store.

The time period is modern-day, almost 20 years after the beginnings of Angelic Layer. The events of the series are old news now, though AL champions and outstanding Angels are still well-known and respected. Persocoms have been around for over a decade, and while still available (though full-size models aren't any more affordable), aren't all the rage they were in the early 2000s. Full size Persocoms are becoming increasingly rare. "Laptop" persocoms, which are about the size of standard Angels, are more common in use and function similarly to an iPad or other tablet...with a comparable price point.

The world of Angelic Layer hasn't changed too much. It's still a game and still played by people of all ages, though it's spread by now to other countries and has an international league as well as a Japanese one. Personality chips, though they failed spectacularly when tested in Persocoms, are still standard in Angels and readily available...though they're not mandatory. Some of the more dedicated or veteran players will have more than one Angel.

It's generally assumed, since this is set in Japan, that most everyone is speaking Japanese. That may not always be the case, however - make sure to denote a different language if your character is speaking one. You can always run your dialogue through Babelfish for max lulz, as well...

• " ": Regular speaking (Japanese).
  
• "<>": Regular speaking (other languages).
  
• italics: Private thought.
  
• ~ ~: Mindspeech.

Posting on this board will earn players 'bits' just like it will everywhere else on Crosspoint, but AL has a separate system of Card Points as well, which can only be earned through Layer fights - either practice or official. Any character playing as a Deus can earn Card Points to spend on Angel upgrades or modifications, and these points can only be awarded or modified by the Admins. Card Points are usable only in the PP Shop.

Card Points can also be applied to increases in Angel stats - PM the Admins with your requested stat increases and we'll update them for you.

• Angels and Persocoms are not subject to the Three Laws of Robotics. Luckily for us, a hand-high robot - even with a personality - has almost no chance of killing someone.
• Angels neither eat nor breathe. They do not sleep, but have an optional Sleep Mode which deactivates them for repairs or on the Layer when their HP drops to 0.
  
• Angels are water-resistant, but not waterproof. They can take temporary immersion but if they remain underwater, they will be damaged internally and may be unable to function.
  
• Angels have an inherent mental link with their Deus, used to completely control those without a Personality Chip, and simply for convenience if one is equipped. While they can speak privately with their Deus this way, it's considered impolite to pry into private thoughts or memories, and rude to contact another Angel without an invitation to do so. Use of Angel Cords in an Angel's construction helps to increase sensitivity or range, much like a radio antenna.
  
• Due to their mindlinking ability, Angels are generally considered to be specific to their Deus and are not as such simply interchangeable. They can be reprogrammed or reformatted if necessary.
  
• Official Layers are programmed to halt a match if one or both participants suffers extreme structural or circuitry damage (loss of limbs, etc). It's illegal in a match to try and inflict such damage.
  
• Angels without Personality Chips cannot move or speak on their own, and only activate on the Layers. Angels with Chips will still be forced into Sleep Mode by their programming if their HP drops to 0 on a Layer.
  
• One Angel per Deus is allowed on the "official" Layers. Home models or those not connected to the AL network allow for group combat, but will not award Card Points or force Sleep Mode to avoid permanent damage.
• Angels outside of the four Standard Types, or with undefined Types, or who are not designated as fighting Angels cannot fight on the official Layers.
• Angels can interface with each other, but not with Persocoms.
• Persocoms can interface with regular computers or televisions, but not with AL-specific technology such as AL PCs or Layers.

TERMINOLOGY:

• Deus: The player in control of the Angel.
  
  
• Angel: A customizable robotic doll, used for combat in Angelic Layer. Angels are purchased completely blank as "Angel Eggs".
• AL Card: A card issued to each Deus, which keeps track of their information, Points earned and spent, and an Angel's stats and game record.
• Layer: Specialized electronic surfaces, commonly known as Layer Tables, Angel Layers or just Layers, on which Angelic Layer is played. They generate a field which activates Angels without Personality Chips, and are capable of generating solid terrains and AIs as well. The Layer monitors combat and stat changes. Home models are available for private practice sessions, but these are not connected to the AL network.
• AL PC: The laptop computer that comes with each AL starter kit (or can be purchased separately as a replacement). AL PCs are specific to Angelic Layer and do not function as normal laptops. They contain programming and software for the setup, maintenance and customization of Angels, accomplished through the maintenance unit attached to the device. This unit is a base with two rings, which separate when activated to generate a field similar to that of the Layer itself. The Angel is placed inside this. AL PCs can run in-depth diagnostics but cannot perform technical repairs.
  
• Piffle Princess: Stores dealing with Angelic Layer. Each one will generally have a Store filled with merchandise, a Cafe, a few public Layers, and a separate area with private Layer rooms. Larger PPs may also have an arena for tournaments or other large-scale competitions.
• Angel Visor: A headset worn by the Deus during a Layer match. It provides a heads-up display of Angel stats and status, assists with transmitting thought signals to the Angels, and allows access to "Angel Eyes" mode - an FPS view from the Angel's own eyes, which may be disorienting.
• Personality Chip: An upgrade available to all Angels, which grants them the ability to move about and speak on their own. A Deus can also choose to program in a personality for their Angel - or generate one entirely at random - but is reminded that as Angels are advanced AIs themselves, they have learning capability and will also develop quirks on their own.

Angels are advanced robots, ranging in (AL Standard) size from 5 to 7 inches and in weight from 2 to 6 units*, programmed for combat within the confines of a Layer. Angels equipped with a Personality Chip can spar anywhere, but only on the Layers can they truly advance and improve. Angels come in four standard Types, each with its own specialty and basic stats:

• Speed: quick, but not necessarily very tough.
• Defense: is hard to damage, but not very fast.
• Power: hits hard, but usually has low HP.
• Endurance: King of Hit Points, but not typically powerful.

*Height and Weight normally won't change and the actual weight measurement units are undefined, but Speed Types tend to be the most lightweight, with Defense and Power being the heaviest.

Starting Stats, as outlined above, are low - we all start at the bottom. By participating in Layer matches and earning Card Points, a Deus can improve their Angel's stats.

• An Angel's Type Stat (D for Defense, etc) must always be 2 points higher than any others.
• All stats max out at 50.
• To calculate damage dealt: Divide Power stat by 4. (round to nearest .0 or .5)
  
• To calculate damage blocked: Divide Defense stat by 6. (round to nearest .0 or .5)
• To calculate NDS (Defense Type ONLY): Divide Defense stat by 80. (round to 2 decimal points)
• NDS is an innate stat unique to Defense Types and applies any time a Defense Angel is hit.
• Speed and Weight are roleplay-based, aside from the numbers. Don't overplay it.

All this may seem daunting, but don't worry - every Layer match is overseen by a Piffle Princess Judge, who will check and update all the calculations for you.




Ready to play the game? Copy and paste the following code into a new thread on the Applications board, and fill in the blanks with your character's information. IMPORTANT: remember to use your character's name as the title for the new thread.