The Life: Illusion is my attempt to bring popular crime genre video games into LitRPG, by blending them into a role playing format that adheres to the main themes and feeling of play that said games center around. My main points of inspiration for the crime game aspects are Grand Theft Auto and Payday, but a smattering of other crime games have been influential as well. The RPG elements arise mostly from EVE: Online and various role playing games in the Elder Scrolls series. Again, other RPGs have been influential here, but it would be impossible to list all of them. The games I have listed are simply the primary impetus of inspiration for this project, and as such, it is my hope that recognizable elements will be clear and evident throughout. Crime and Police film and television have also played a large role in the inspiration process, of course.

The story itself centers around a new player in an already established game. No big hoorah about the biggest baddest newest game. This character is wearing floaties while swimming with sharks. There is a real life element, but beyond the first chapter (establishing the world and main characters) I do attempt to keep the RL bits short and sweet. I am also avoiding the trope of a runaway or emergent AI. The machinery in my story works as intended. This will be an action adventure romp centering on the main plot of a small group of players attempting to stop an overly powerful guild from taking over the game server. We don't always need to be saving the world, a single city/server will suffice this time. It is also my intention to create a three part series from this story, but each book will be a single self sustained story and I will never engage in the literary crime of a cliffhanger. (PUNS!) Oh yeah, and no harems.

I am looking for creative feedback and will always welcome nitpicks, criticisms, and even just questions. Thank you for reading my project, and I sincerely hope you enjoy The Life: Illusion. Oh, I also am hoping to adhere to a schedule of one chapter per week, with the new chapters being posted on Mondays. (This has changed to friday afternoons) I mean, don't hate me when I run out, but theres a good few months before that's a worry and I'm writing more literally every night.

Final note: This book is now complete. I will be editing it and publishing sometime later this year. I'll try and keep everyone posted here when I do. Thank you all so much for everything, this has been a great ride.