SW City Interactive

SW City Interactive

Developer: SW City Productions

Designed by: Syntax, Selanit, Ima Genius and SW Comit

Used in: SW City

SW City Interactive (commonly referred to as SWI) is a web-based front-end for the game SW City that handles user profiles, collectibles, interactive NPC dialogue, inventory, game events, communication, and quests.

It was created by Syntax, Selanit, Ima Genius and SW Comit in late 2005 and publicly released at the 7th SW City Birthday Bash. The SW City Interactive game system is currently maintained by SW City Productions and allows users to interact with the various elements of SW City's massive environment. It currently has over 1700 registered users, making it the most successful gaming endeavor achieved in Activeworlds, DeltaWorlds, and Virtual Paradise.

SW City Interactive is programmed entirely in PHP and works through the host app's 'URL' command. A player will click on an object in-world that has an SWI URL on it and then be prompted by a web window that replaces the 3D window or opens in an external browser. It is possible for any object to be interacted with, from a simple item to a non-playable character, such as a Nimbusian.

Gaming Elements

SW City is an open world game with no central story arc beyond the combined lore that is found within the SWiki. Because of this, there is a wide range of activities that players can engage in through the SWI system, which is described below.

Scarabian User Terminals

A Scarabian User Terminal (SUT) is a computer terminal in various locations throughout SW City where you can manage all of your data in SW City Interactive. From it, you can access SW City Interactive things such as quest information, your inventory, or your user profile, as well as the SW City Forums and SWiki.

Inventory

The player's inventory is a large part of the game. It stores items for quests, their rewards, and an intricate system of collectible cards around the city. It is accessible through the SUT.

Swiki Cards

SWiki Cards are a series of collectible cards that can be found in SW City. These cards are based on lore entries from the SWiki and can be found as quest rewards or special promotions.

There are currently several 'Editions' of SWiki Cards. Two 30-card editions exist, as well as a 10-card edition that was available for collection during the 7th SW City Birthday Bash. In addition, a class of items known as Blank SWiki Cards exist and can be traded for SWiki Cards that were promotional and can no longer be found in the field, or for hints to find SWiki cards that are still hidden.

Players can compare the status of their collection with one another by way viewing each other's user profiles via a SUT. A progress bar for each edition is displayed in user profiles.

Collectibles

Players can find collectible items through completing skill-related tasks, such as digging at an archaeology site, mining, or digging through the trash. Special items found in this manner are parts of a collectible set, and when the set is completed, they can be exchanged at various NPCs for SWiki Cards or other quest rewards.

Voice Mail/Phone Book

Every user can register to enable text-based "voicemail" communication through the in-game SW-Tel telephone service. Upon registering, a player receives a six-digit phone number and can receive and read text messages from other players in the SUT.

They can also access the Phone Book in the SUT to look up other players' phone numbers.

To send their own text messages, players must find a SW-Tel payphone in SW City, type the other player's phone number into the interface, and then type their message.

Books

Several bookstores exist in SW City that allow players to read SWiki pages from their inventory. Special books also exist that give hints or clues about the location of SWiki Cards.

Non-Playable Characters (NPCs)

Non-Playable Characters are important elements of the SWI system and often act as informative guides or quest-givers. They are usually portrayed as a member of one of SW City's various races. Players can interact with NPCs by left-clicking on them or (in Deltaworlds and Activeworlds only) hovering their mouse over them.

Quests

Quests are stand-alone tasks or interactive stories that the player can engage in. Roughly 50 quests currently exist in SW City. The length and depth of these stories vary -- from simple deliveries to a complex espionage mission. Each quest involves interaction with some sort of NPC and item and quests usually offer lucrative rewards for completion.

The various quests throughout SW City help enhance a player's experience when exploring the town. You can find the Beginner's Quest at the SW City Interactive Building at SW City's Town Square Park. Town Square Park is the most populated area in SW City in terms of SW City Interactive content, hosting over 15 quests and numerous other shops, games, and activities.

Quest Center

The Quest Center keeps track of your progress on quests and offers reminders of what you're supposed to be doing and where you're supposed to be going. It also offers hints as to the number of quests you've completed in a particular area of town. You can keep track of one 'Active Quest' at a time. The active quest's status will always be displayed in your SUT sidebar for easy reference.

Minigames

Minigames are small games that players can play for currency, such as Flint or Scarabeads. Most are card games but there are also some logic and puzzle games. The highest concentration of minigames is in Faldon, the desert town. There is also a minigame available at Town Square Park.