With the game officially released, Liberty City was completely unveiled before the eager players.
More and more outrageous strategies began appearing on the forums.
[There's so much stuff in North Point Mall, but I can't afford any of it. Does anyone know how to make money? Earning cash in this game is way too hard!]
[Making money? That's easy. I bought an auto repair shop in the game, then scattered nails at nearby intersections. My shop is packed with customers every single day, hahaha...]
[You evil merchant!]
[Damn, you're a genius! I'm trying that immediately!]
[Am I the only one wondering where this guy got the money to buy the shop in the first place?]
[Truly worthy of Liberty City. The freedom is absolutely insane.]
[Consider robbing armored trucks. Easier than robbing a bank with decent profits, as long as you escape, lol.]
[What kind of monster are you?!]
[Too risky for my taste. My suggestion is to rob stores instead. Just threaten the owner with a weapon. He'll likely grab the big gun on the wall to attack you, then run outside and call the police, saying the owner assaulted someone with a firearm. You know the rest. Free loot.]
[You absolute Goblin! Aren't you afraid karma will get you?!]
[I thought I was clever, but after seeing your tricks, I think I found my master!]
Not all players followed the rules or played as law-abiding citizens.
After all, it was a virtual world. Many players, once they experienced the game's incredible freedom, completely let themselves loose. After enduring a stressful life in reality, they vented all their frustrations inside the game.
However, once you committed crimes, the police quickly chased you down with ruthless efficiency.
One star meant basic patrol officers responding. Two stars brought vehicle pursuits. Three stars meant heavy escalation, where police firepower increased significantly. At four stars, very few players could survive because Officer Judy would appear personally, along with large aerial forces.
In Liberty City, Judy was practically overpowered. Even if you somehow managed to defeat her through sheer luck, she would retreat rapidly and call for backup.
Then your wanted level would jump straight to six stars immediately.
At that level, the entire city mobilized to capture you. Land cruisers, aerospace fighters, and elite elven special forces would show you what total annihilation truly meant.
Essentially, Alto wanted players to understand one thing. Bad deeds would be punished eventually.
Once caught, you would be fined according to your crimes. All illegal gains would be confiscated, and you would serve real jail time within the game.
It wasn't very long in duration, but it was extremely tormenting and completely unskippable. Even quitting the game didn't help you escape it. Boshita probably understood this punishment system deeply by now.
Of course, aside from chaotic players causing mayhem, many others experienced Liberty City normally.
[In real life, I'm a corporate slave. In Stardew Valley, I farm endlessly. Now in Liberty City, I'm driving taxis. Hehe, I love working!]
[This guy has officially lost his mind.]
[Taxi driving actually earns less than delivery jobs. Recommend switching careers.]
[I deliver meat from a processing plant to various malls. Found out they were mixing diseased pork with good pork, so I reported them immediately! (smug laugh)]
[A true saint of Liberty City! Willing to lose his job to expose a corrupt boss.]
[The Five-Star Citizen award definitely belongs to you!]
[Can anyone tell me how to beat the bear chef? That guy is ridiculously strong and totally unbeatable!]
[I'm stuck there too. I've given up for now, and I'm going to make some money and upgrade my gear first.]
[Go to the Malibu Club and find the goblin Kent. Ask where to get weapons, and he'll give you an address. Trust me, bro, you'll discover something big. Just watch how you phrase the question!]
[How do you even engage in the stock market?]
[I think the casino is way more fun than stocks. Just go all in! If you lose, then go make more money!]
[The beastgirls in Liberty City are way too cute! I'm in love!]
Aside from these carefree players enjoying themselves, there was also a dedicated group conducting a systematic research study of Liberty City.
Paste stared at the light-rail train passing before him with his jaw hanging open in shock.
Antru wore the exact same expression beside him.
Back in Stardew Valley, he had only caught a brief glimpse of it and had been curious about this entirely new mode of transport. Now in Liberty City, he finally saw the complete picture.
Watching the train run smoothly across the interconnected rail network, carriages linked together as it sped across the city skyline with incredible speed.
*Rumble rumble*
Then came a long whistle echoing through the air.
*Tooo*
"This structure... this design..." Paste muttered in awe.
"The pre-laid tracks reduce energy consumption while maximizing speed, and you don't have to worry about road conditions at all."
The rail-guided stable structure greatly reduced friction with the ground while dramatically improving stability.
What did that represent in practical terms?
It meant massive energy savings across the board.
With the same energy consumption, this structure would produce far greater traction than ordinary carriages. And the tracks ensured extremely smooth travel. The riding experience would completely surpass the current transport vehicles available in their world.
The savings weren't just energy, either. It was money itself!
"Even though it's fictional, it's completely feasible to build in reality," Paste said with growing excitement.
A feverish expression appeared on his face as the implications hit him.
Although he couldn't fully understand the power source operating inside, he even suspected the train didn't run on traditional magic at all.
But using rune structures combined with careful frame design, the same effect could absolutely be achieved with their current technology.
"This designer is a genuine genius!"
Paste even felt that becoming a dream designer was a complete waste of Alto's talent. He should be studying rune magic instead. Ideas like this could make him a legendary rune master.
His mind spun wildly with possibilities.
He was already thinking seriously about recreating these vehicles in reality.
Especially the countless vehicle designs scattered throughout Liberty City.
After getting used to those sleek, streamlined bodies, looking at Lunnaria's magic-powered carriages felt unbearably outdated and clunky.
The sports cars, in particular, looked like absolute masterpieces of design.
Low-slung bodies, flowing contours, sharp angular lines. Matte paint paired with black rims. Even standing perfectly still, they looked like sexy beasts ready to pounce.