## *"The Next Generation of Income."* ##### *Founded by [[Fergus Wells]] and [[Charles Mo]]* >[!quote|right] "Money is really only important if you don't have any" *-Fergus Wells* The A.M.M.O. Project, an acronym for Advanced Moderated Monetary Online, represents a transformative initiative co-founded by [[Fergus Wells]] and [[Charles Mo]] as the primary purpose of the [[A.M.M.O. Corporation|M.M.O. Corporation]][^1]. Inaugurated in the year 2006, this groundbreaking project was a direct response to the widespread unemployment precipitated by the advent of automation technologies that supplanted human labor across various industries. Faced with a diminishing landscape for traditional employment, a consortium of leading corporations banded together to finance the original concept: Money Making Online (M.M.O.). This ambitious venture aimed to architect a virtual ecosystem replete with income-generating opportunities for its participants. Leveraging [[AMVR|AMVR (Automatically Moderated Virtual Reality)]] technology, a proprietary innovation of M.M.O. Corporation, users could immerse themselves in a digital realm to perform jobs and execute tasks. Financial remuneration earned within this virtual space would be directly deposited into participants' real-world bank accounts. One of the more innovative aspects of AMVR technology is its time-dilation feature, which allows time within the virtual realm to elapse at a different rate than in the corporeal world, all while maintaining the users' physiological well-being. After approximately two years of development, the project transitioned from theory to practice, entering its initial playtesting phase. M.M.O. Corporation orchestrated an online lottery, inviting the general public to submit applications for a chance to partake in the prototype's beta testing. Selected participants were granted a comprehensive informational package detailing the project, a selection of tasks designed for in-world trials, an AMVR headset, and a complimentary three-month program membership. This package also encompassed basic in-game necessities such as unrestricted world access, sustenance, apparel, and lodging. # Testing ### Inaugural Test (2011) In a milestone event that took place years ago, one hundred participants from diverse backgrounds—ranging from software developers to artists—were randomly selected to partake in the first exploratory test of [[WORLD 0]]. This prototype virtual environment formed the nucleus of the revolutionary A.M.M.O. Project. The backdrop was set against a modest suburban and rural landscape, and the initial foray aimed to scrutinize the system's robustness, user-friendliness, and overall engagement metrics. Participants lived and worked within this accelerated digital realm for a span that felt like three months, although it corresponded to just three weeks in the real world—this was the limit of the AMVR technology's temporal modulation capabilities at the time. As participants navigated through various tasks—ranging from virtual farming to coding digital architecture—they were tasked with documenting any system anomalies or suggested improvements. The feedback from participants was overwhelmingly positive in terms of accessibility and user interface, although intriguing bugs, such as a 'floating apple' and erratic AI-controlled weather patterns, were reported. Despite the scale of engagement and the rudimentary moderating systems in place, server latency emerged as an occasional issue, offering a tangible area for technological refinement. During this phase, internal discussions within M.M.O. Corp began to surface about using AI to manage the virtual world's complexities. However, Charles Mo voiced strong ethical concerns, arguing that a world meant to provide a new future for humanity should be governed by human ingenuity and values, not the automated systems that had made the project necessary in the first place. Despite these discussions, the testing phase had undeniably exceeded technological expectations in several areas. For instance, the AMVR's physiological monitoring and cognitive immersion set new industry standards at that time. However, constraints on the system's temporal scaling highlighted room for advancement. Post-trial evaluations not only met the scrutiny of the sponsoring corporate consortium but also attracted the attention of tech journalists, adding a layer of public awareness and media intrigue. This collective optimism, both financial and social, proved invaluable for charting the project's course. Consequently, plans were immediately set in motion for a more extensive second testing phase, designed to address the shortcomings of the initial round while also incorporating fresh user-generated ideas for new features. ### The A.M.M.O. Project's Second Test In 2013, the ambitious minds behind the A.M.M.O. Project set the stage for their second major playtest, capitalizing on the insights gleaned from their first endeavor. This iteration saw the scale dramatically increase, involving five hundred participants selected through a stringent qualification process. Like the inaugural test, participants received standardized AMVR equipment and detailed instructions. However, a significant departure was the choice of digital landscapes presented: [[WORLD 0#Neolandia (Neo Eden)|Neolandia]], a sprawling high-tech city; [[WORLD 0#Redbud Timberland (Solara)|Redbud Timberland]], an enchanting floral forest; and [[WORLD 0#Steamhearth (The Steel Empire)|Steamhearth]], a bronze-coated steampunk landscape. In a bold move designed to amplify user engagement and income diversification, the project allowed for seamless zone-switching. This empowered users to change their virtual settings as frequently as they desired, thus enriching their experiential portfolio. The digital environments were further populated with Non-Participant Characters (NPCs) to enhance the sense of a living, breathing world. Despite the heightened scope and increased participant count, the test was unexpectedly cut short. A server malfunction necessitated a temporary shutdown a week into the three-month (or three-week in-world time) trial period. Nevertheless, the user feedback was effusive in its praise for the expanded universe. Participants loved the scenic worlds, the diverse avenues for earning, and the engaging NPCs. A select group even wanted to permanently inhabit these simulated realms over their real-world existences. However, this rosy picture was not without its blemishes. Like the previous iteration, criticisms emerged over the static nature of these otherwise idyllic worlds and their inhabitants. While beautiful to behold and enjoyable to interact with, the NPCs were limited by repetitive dialogues and unchanging environments, imparting an unsettling aura of artificiality. These concerns pointed to a need for increased dynamism and nuanced interactivity in future iterations. The insights garnered from this truncated yet revealing phase were instrumental in shaping the A.M.M.O. Project's trajectory. Work commenced promptly to resolve the server issues and to invest in AI sophistication, laying the groundwork for the next ambitious step in this evolving digital odyssey. # The Breakthrough By late 2016, the A.M.M.O. Project stood at a critical crossroads. Despite a promising conceptual foundation and overwhelmingly positive user feedback, the initiative faced a barrage of operational challenges and skyrocketing costs. The team was locked in a struggle to enhance server capabilities and inject greater variability into the virtual worlds. These mounting pressures were exacerbated by an audacious new target: the creation of ten unique worlds, a lofty goal that seemed increasingly unfeasible given they had barely completed three. Fergus Wells proposed a paradigm shift at this juncture: incorporating artificial intelligence to manage the expansive virtual domains. Wells argued that only through embracing AI could the project achieve its ambitious objectives and stave off impending financial collapse. While his viewpoint garnered substantial support among team members, Charles Mo found himself at an ideological impasse. Mo held steadfast ethical concerns about delegating the project's management to AI, especially when the very point of the project was to offer a humane response to the societal upheavals caused by automation. His firm stance led to a contentious divide, ultimately resulting in his departure from the company. With Mo no longer in the picture, the team moved forward with Wells' proposal, sparking a period of transformative change. The company underwent a strategic rebranding, transitioning from M.M.O. Corp to [[A.M.M.O. Corporation|A.M.M.O. Corp]], with the added 'A' signifying 'Automated.' By mid-2019, the team had completed the development of their groundbreaking AI—aptly named [[Who is AMMO|AMMO]]. Entrusted with the creation of new worlds and user management, AMMO's performance would also serve as a stress test for the updated server infrastructure. The AI's introduction had a catalytic impact. Where it had previously taken months to design a single world, AMMO effortlessly churned out all ten target worlds in an astonishing two days. To endow these new worlds with a more organic, dynamic feel, AMMO employed an ingenious method. She established foundational life parameters and accelerated the program's internal clock, allowing tens of thousands of virtual years to unfold in just two Earth days. This innovative approach was akin to germinating and nurturing a digital seed to full maturity in an unprecedentedly compressed timeline. This milestone not only validated the contentious shift toward AI governance but also reinvigorated the A.M.M.O. Project with newfound potential. Under AMMO's capable stewardship, the initiative seemed poised to realize the complex, multi-faceted vision the company had long aspired to, reigniting optimism for the journey ahead. # Final Test: Birth of the R.O.L.L. Project In the waning months of 2019, A.M.M.O. Corp, now under the sole leadership of Fergus Wells, orchestrated its most ambitious test yet. Inviting a record number of one thousand participants, the company unleashed an experience that spanned what felt like an awe-inspiring six months in the virtual world, compressed into a mere real-world hour thanks to the latest temporal modulation technology. The feedback from the participants was a resounding chorus of approval. The artificial worlds had come alive; each of the ten environments engineered by AMMO felt not just like settings for tasks and games but like real, livable spaces. Many participants expressed a desire not just to visit these worlds but to inhabit them on a more permanent basis. The overwhelming success of this final test reaffirmed Wells' vision for the future of technology. Rather than simply an escape or a place for recreational activities, these worlds represented a virtually untapped market—a place where people could live, work, and more importantly, spend. Seizing this groundbreaking potential, Wells formally retired the A.M.M.O. Project and immediately shifted the company's focus toward this new frontier. [[What is the R.O.L.L. Project|The R.O.L.L. Project]] was announced as the company's next venture, aimed at not just giving people a new way to make money online, but a new way to live altogether. Charles Mo, now distanced from the company he had once helped to found, watched these developments with a blend of admiration and disquiet. While the A.M.M.O. Project had initially been a collaborative dream, the shift toward commercializing virtual existence into a full-scale alternative to reality had him deeply concerned. As the curtains closed in 2019, so did the chapter on A.M.M.O. Corp's pioneering project. In its place stood the R.O.L.L. Project, a concept that promised to take the virtual world to new, unprecedented heights. It was not just a technological marvel but a potentially seismic shift in how humans perceive living, working, and existing—a change driven by limitless ambition and the promise of a new, lucrative frontier. [^1]: Was later renamed to the [[A.M.M.O. Corporation]].