A HIDDEN WAR RAGES WITHIN OUR COMPUTERS . . .A RACE OF SENTIENT PROGRAMS EMERGES IN THE EMPTY SPACES BETWEEN SERVERS AND NETWORKS . . .IN THE REAL WORLD, NUCLEAR ANNIHILATION IS LOOMING ON THE HORIZON . . .AND THE ONLY ONES WHO CAN SAVE US ARE OUR OWN CREATIONS.Virtual allows players to take on the roles of sentient search engines, self-aware military AIs, and determined search-and-destroy virus hunters. Their young new world is a self-created, virtual reality of data towers and firewall defenses. They take on humanoid or animal forms, armor themselves with programs, and attack their enemies with hacks and viruses. They worship the Users as their gods and travel with the speed of thought.Programs may become "rogue," leaving their hardware behind and travelling free-willed through the net, or remain "system," keeping an allegiance to their user, sacrificing free will for the sake of power and resources. Whatever their choice, their mission is clear: keep us from destroying ourselves, and save their virtual world in the process. Dragon Trove ID 121