System Start

"System Start" is the term the System Messages use to identify the process/event which began on April 8, 2017, at 12:00 Greenwich / 7:00AM Eastern Standard Time, elevating Earth to System Space. It was first used in the Startup Message, which was only viewed by one member of James' Party (Joe) and is not shown in Mind Games.

The events of System Start were so catastrophic that System Start is also referred to as a "System Apocalypse." With the unexpected and total disabling of all electrical systems and electronic technology, human civilization was instantly disrupted on a massive scale. All communications at a distance longer than line-of-sight became impossible. (At least, without use of a System ability or through a Trade Center.) All modern vehicles with electrical ignition systems became inoperable. Although the characters have not confirmed this, they theorize that fires will quickly spread through cities once started as there is no way to fight them, and the population of large cities will experience civil disorder which the government cannot coordinate enough to form a response.

Making things worse, monsters began appearing almost immediately. Samantha's pet, Kaa, has already leveled and become much larger than a normal pre-System rattlesnake, within five hours of System Start. System-powered monsters, like System-powered characters, are reinforced by Mana and resist pre-System human small arms to the point where only a high-powered rifle has any hope of injuring them. Since monsters level just like humans, large predators level quickly, in some cases much faster than humans, becoming nearly unstoppable by any pre-System technology or group of non-System-powered characters within two days of System Start. Without someone to advise them on using Class Skills and party-style tactics, overwhelming numbers, or workable military arms, most people would be killed quickly by System-powered monsters. These monsters presumably inflicted a large number of the casualties the System Messages allege have occurred in association with System Start.