Anti-Criminal Code Effect Area



The Anti-Criminal Code Effect Area (アンチクリミナルコード有効圏内), usually referred to as the «Area» (圏内), is a special anti-criminal protection system within most town areas in Sword Art Online.

Mechanics
The range of the «Area» extends from the city's centre to its gates, from the street level of the city to the base of the next floor. The moment someone moves into this three-dimensional space, the «Anti Criminal Code» will immediately take effect, with an «Inner Area» notification appearing in the player's visual display; conversely, leaving the space will have an «Outer Field» warning materialize within their view. This «Code» protects the players within the radius of the «Area» from any possible source of damage, including the damage caused by other players; any attack would be blocked by a purple system barrier, preventing any damage to the Hit Points (HP) of the targeted player. However, the «Area» does not stop the impact of the blow, thus players hit by other players still suffer an unpleasant feedback, despite their HP not decreasing. Moreover, the «Area» also negates the effects of any poisonous items and damage over time effects, though the piercing damage on armor and equipment would continue to apply.

Duels
As a direct act of violence cannot be performed within the «Area», the only way to deal damage to another player within the «Area» is by starting a duel or accepting a duel request, which will cause the «Area» effect on the players involved to be lifted temporarily. This is also the only known method of killing a player within the «Area», though it may be possible to fake a murder within the «Area» aside from duels by teleporting a dying player into the «Area» before they scatter into polygons, though that is highly improbable to do.

Orange Players
The «Area» also prevents Orange Players from entering a settlement protected by the «Area». If an Orange Player attempted to enter such a settlement, they would be immediately attacked by a large number of powerful NPC guards. The only way for a criminal to safely enter such an area would be to change the colour of their Cursor back to green. As it becomes exceedingly difficult to complete the quest to revert the colour of one's cursor for repeated instances of murdering players, notorious Player Killers can never restore their cursor back to green, preventing them from ever infiltrating a settlement protected by the «Area».

Loopholes
The system does, however, have some loopholes. One of such loopholes is sending a Total Loss Mode duel request to a sleeping opponent and then moving their fingers to press the "OK" button to accept the duel and lift the «Area»'s protection. Another method is carrying an unconscious body out of the «Area» with a stretcher item and then attacking them where the «Area» effect no longer applies.