Stress Level Zero

*This article is about the in-universe variant of SLZ. For the real-world company, see Stress Level Zero (IRL).*

In-universe, **Stress Level Zero Incorporated** is a video game developer company. They have published several titles for the Kingbit Game System, as well as game simulations for Monogon Industries. Despite the alternate history, they seem to be similar to the real-world company, including logo, personnel and even certain products.

## History

Stress Level Zero's earliest published work was a tie-in video game in the 1980s. They developed a reputation making games exclusively for Gammon systems such as the Kingbit, Curvelight and TableBoard.

In the 1990s, Stress Level Zero branched out, developing more technologically advanced titles. Their current project is Fantasy Land, a simulation built on early access to the proprietary BONEWORKS engine designed by Monogon Industries, a famous rival of Gammon. Their virtual offices were located in District 6 of MythOS City, where they began developing Fantasy Land, a massive medieval simulation using the BONEWORKS engine.

During the lockdown of MythOS, Stress Level Zero's employees were booted from their office. The time loop created caused hordes of Fords to arrive in the unfinished Fantasy Land simulation. They colonized it, until a Ford eventually breached the Voidway. At some point, the lockdown ended. Stress Level Zero continued to work on FantasyLand, including a special offshoot for puritans known as Heaven's Reach.

At some point, the NPCs of Heaven's Reach began to gain sentience. Concerned, Stress Level Zero secretly moved their offices from District 06 to the Bonelab. Here, they isolated Heaven's Reach and began to observe them.

Concerned, Monogon isolated Heaven's Reach, studying the NPCs' behaviors. The devs of Stress Level Zero kept the denizens happy by offering them whatever they prayed for via the Wishing Well. At some point, certain developers decided to introduce the concept of violence to the NPCs, leading to a dystopian cult forming. This cult discovered the existence of their own simulation and decided to attack and destroy MythOS.

## Products

### *Hover Junkers*

Hover Junkers is a 8-bit game for the Kingbit system. Stress Level Zero was contracted to make a videogame tie-in to the hit cartoon series. It was built for multiple platforms and released in 1986. This version of *Hover Junkers* shares many similarities with the real-world *Oregon Trail* and shares no similarities with the actual *Hover Junkers* game except for setting.

### *The Endtime Knights*

An RPG created in the 1980s, *Endtime Knights* seemed to a mixture of board game and video game, using Gammon's TableBoard system. Whether *Endtime Knights* was released or not is unknown.

### *Whale Rouser*

Advertisement for an upcoming SLZ game titled *Whale Rouser* appeared on the Jan 1988 issue of *Kingbit Force.* It is an 8-bit whale hunter game similar to *Whaling 1842*, albeit with randomly generated maps and a linear progression system, including boat and gear upgrades. *Whale Rouser* was a very successful game, as indicated by the *International Traveler* article on its legacy.

### *BOLF*

*Bolf* is an unreleased game that will be published to Gammon Systems. The only evidence of *Bolf* is a poster featuring a fantasy setting in which suited individuals fire at a precarious castle with a ballistae-slingshot. It was described by *Kingbit Force* as "slingshot golf madness".

### Fantasy Land

Fantasy Land is a simulated reality built in collaboration with Monogon. It is a medieval-themed simulation that is currently in production. It features an arena and is transitioning from a greybox-state.

### *Some Dogs Go to Hell*

A straight-to-VHS, R-rated movie descibed as *"A terrifying look into the possibilities of virtual reality"* by Traditional Media.

## Gallery

The poster for *Bolf*.Concept art for *Fantasy Land*.Heaven's Reach, a section of the finished Fantasy Land simulation.The contents of a whiteboard in the new SLZ offices.A whiteboard in the old SLZ offices.
## Trivia

* A notable difference between the in-univerese and real-life SLZs is that the in-universe company is Incorporated, while the real-world company is Limited Liability.

1. ↑ *Kingbit Force,* April 1988 issue