ReBoot
A secondary inspiration of the RP, ReBoot is a show with 4 seasons that was never properly completed (seems to be a recurring theme with good computer-themed cartoons, that). It was attempted to be completed with a comic series, which didn't stick. Mainframe Entertainment (or Rainmaker Studios as they are now known) created a Machinima but that was a disaster due to the change in corporate culture since the early days.
The show itself, however, was definitive in the style of storytelling that Glitch Techs would later utilize. Oddly, this is not a new phenomenon, just the case for computer terminology. "Flintstone theming" is when terminology is used in whimsical ways to weave a story's setting from loose "threads" (random ideas related to a central topic), such as the use of "Stone Age" as the theme in The Flintstones (which is otherwise unrelated to anything we're doing here).
What even was this show?
"I come from the net, through systems, peoples and cities... to this place. Mainframe. My format, Guardian. To mend and defend. To defend my newfound friends. Their hopes and dreams. To defend them from their enemies." -Bob, ReBoot (Intro)
In the 1990s in real life, most people had no idea what the technobabble in computer usage was supposed to actually mean. Assuming the term is not just a buzzword, it should be possible to make a metaphor to demonstrate how it might work.
This is what ReBoot managed to accomplish. Bob the Guardian is a, well, Guardian - essentially an Anti-Virus - in the system/city of Mainframe, an aging and relatively small city that nonetheless looks really futuristic.
This is not an accident. The city in question is a computer, or rather the OS of one. It's "mayor" Phong is a helpful, if cryptic, mentor and the city itself is meant to show that even software is still a machine.
Among a colorful cast of loads and loads of side characters, the main characters are...
- Bob, mentioned above, a Guardian who was transferred to Mainframe from the Supercomputer. Not in a "buddy cop" way, but in a "portal accident triggers random online transfer" way. A sprite, in the "image sprite" sense apparently.
- Dot Matrix, the largest business operator in Mainframe, and Bob's on-again-off-again love interest. Surprisingly, not corrupt. Has to deal with the fact that her city is at war with Megabyte so much she's way too high-strung at points.
- Enzo Matrix, the tagalong kid who is Dot's kid brother and the only child in Mainframe (other than that one binome baby and the one little girl binome, who never seem to show up often). Recklessly follows Bob into games despite it being life-threatening.
- AndrAIa, a game sprite from Treasure of Atlantis who befriends Enzo in Season 2. Does not appear in Season 1.
...and the main antagonists are...
- Kilobyte, who was split into two parts by the Gateway Command...
- Megabyte, a virus (and later a hybrid trojan-virus) attempting to gain root access to Mainframe to zombify the programs of the city. Very authoritarian.
- Hexadecimal, another virus but with more mysterious aims. Dangerous but later turns good/benign.
- Gigabyte, a fusion form of Megabyte, Hexadecimal and a Web Creature (think "vaguely lovecraftian, xenomorph-looking horror-things that are never properly explained"). Only appeared in one episode.
There was also...
- Daemon, the Bigger Bad of Season 3. A Chron that has infected the entire internet that activates everywhere simultaneously. Which is very bad. Can also warp the physics of reality. Is killed by Hexadecimal's heroic sacrifice.
"They say the User lives outside the net, and inputs games for pleasure. No one knows for sure, but I intend to find out. ReBoot!" - Bob, ReBoot (Intro)
The show started out really goofy because of CanCon rules at the time; It was animated by a studio in Vancouver, Canada and the rules at first were ridiculously strict. By the second half of Season 1, CanCon had been removed by Canadian law, and normal "children's animated series of the 90's" stuff (like the "tap your icon to transform into your super form") happened. Then the censors stopped paying attention to TV in the late 90s and season 2 was much more "adult", not overtly sexual but... Hexadecimal gets a very "risque" outfit forced onto her by Megabyte (who, might I remind you, is technically her ''brother'') as part of a weapons platform that used her as the power source. That's the most "sexy" part. The rest is all grimdark that fortunately was short-lived after Season 3 was half-over.
The show was not renewed after Season 2 at first, but the show remained popular enough that Season 3 came a few years later, with big changes and a darker plot. Then, finally, Season 4 tried to strike a balance and continue from there, but the show was not able to get funding for a season 5 and has remained unfinished at a cliffhangar ever since.
ReBoot in Glitch Techs x RP
It's influence is mostly limited to the Hiverse, where such a scenario is plausible.
However, all Glitch Techs and other GAME Mechanics, as well as GameDecs, have an Icon which exists to "clock in" and "clock out" of the job.
Where this icon is located varies, but typically it is found on...
- The Tech Gauntlet of a Glitch Tech.
- GameDecs have an icon that doubles as their detective badge.
- Glitches usually have an invisible one, as a visible icon would allow unauthorized access to game code.
- Sixers are IOI's telecom maintenance workers. Yes, IOI is basically [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Comcast Comcast]. They have helmets with "IOI" glowing letters over their eyes, and tapping this logo puts them off-duty, but only responds to the touch of the employee's manager. Clocking out using the government-mandated redundant emergency icons (one on the harness adjustment knob, two that must be pressed together on the headphones) is possible but IOI casually fires people for doing so.
- Troubleshooters are Arasaka's Elite team of GAME Mechanics, who include the infamous Adam Smasher. Each have their icons well-hidden.