We've met before, very briefly at the 2009 GDC.
I thought your real name sounded familiar (actually, the name Kavik Kang also sounds oddly familiar -
maybe from other discussion forums years back?). Hi!
Someone asked why I would take this to scientists, that should be obvious... it's a pretty big
deal. And also a new theory about how time might function,
It wasn't obvious to me - I don't remember seeing you say that before (thought you were talking about
games). I have big ideas myself, about how universes work, but since I never pursued cosmology beyond
my planetarium presentations in college, I don't expect to get astrophysicists to listen to them. One
possible way to pursue big new theories is to write them up and submit them to scientific journals. But
I gather from what you wrote that this sort of communication is difficult for you. All you can do, then,
is set forth your new idea, on your blog or something, and maybe it'll eventually be found that you were
onto something.
Yes, but you see... this really is different. I did not just think this up, this wound up in my lap with me being probably the only person of my generation with the obsession to just continue working on it even long after having completely given up an any idea of ever actually getting to make it. I do need to be intentionally cryptic, or maybe vague is a better word, but I will explain a little bit about what I am talking about here. What has evolved from this 70 year long chain of work on essentially more and more advanced versions of Avalon Hill's original "treadmill of time" Phased-Turn System is a functional way of perceiving, and controlling, time. Within this functioning model the universe consists of "moments of time containing reality". There are "living things" in this simulated world ("The Matrix", The World) and all "living things" have their own individual "timeline" within the greater timeline in which this simulated universe exists. Rube ("God") can literally "plan the future" of each individual living thing within its simulated reality, potentially for all of eternity. For example my most advanced usage of Rube, in my best game, plans the future 30 "moments of time containing reality" ahead. This is the equivalent of a Chess player thinking 30 moves ahead (I know they can't do that... like I said, "savant game designer" of trickery and illusion:-). But even only planning nine ahead is extremely powerful and would appear to be "game design magic" to modern game makers if they saw even what I called "Crippled Rube" controlling the world in the first game of my universe. A Cold War game a primary aspect of which is intervening in regional affairs through Rube's ability to plan the future of all of its reality.
You thought "The Matrix" was bad... I call this "The Nature of Rube". At least this is a part of The Nature of Rube... "the more you describe Rube, the more crazy people will think you are." So here's a perfect example of that. There are actually four different "generations" of Rube. Three that exist within my games, and a 4th "way in the future ultimate evolution" Rube that our science is nowhere near creating... at least I would think not. Here's where I lose some of you into certainty that I am just a stark raving lunatic, but I am going to say it anyway.
Rube I - "Crippled Rube". He has a "tank tread" that cripples him on purpose because that's how I understood him way back then.
Rube II - "My Rube". "The Matrix". Of the 12 games of my universe, Rube II is at the core of 6 of them. This is the one that has some similarities to "The Matrix" so that is how I refer too it to myself. But "The Matrix" as actually only a stepping stone to an even more powerful, and also familiar sci-fi technology. You'd never put the two together in a million years, and yet at the same time makes perfect sense the moment you hear it.
Rube III - "My New Rube". "Insubstantial Holodeck". Yep, I see some of you walking out the door already. I know, it's completely understandable. Believe me, it took me a good 2 or 3 weeks to get over this myself when I first figured it all out. When you add omnipresent 2-way communication to some of Rube's key "components"... And then you have Rube "control and plan the future" of each individual pixel... And throw in a "time delay" like a radio station has so that Rube is actually acting from the future... It is best described as a holodeck. Ultimately. Theoretically. My functional version of "Rube III" that is that my Rube III "creates and maintains a constant illusion of activity around all players". This lets me do, well, as you might imagine... anything I can think of.
Rube IV - "Ultimate Infinity Rube". We are a long way away from this, but with all of Rube's "components" functioning to infinity Rube IV becomes a true digital god. A self programming computer with omniscient communication.
I know... Believe me, I more than understand how insane it all sounds. This is my problem. Just like you, Tom, I would never think to take my game design ideas to science. Until after the 2 or 3 week "Rube shock" period wore off. Then I tried, but none answered back. Understandably, I probably would have answer me back either. I am not complaining saying "nobody will listen to my great idea". I understand exactly why I am not getting any response, that makes perfect sense to me. This IS crazy, I get that. Unfortunately, for now anyway, for me it is also real. The primitive core of this has been functioning since 1978, it got to be one of the most "playtested" things in existence.
So that is why I tried that route, but it became very clear very quickly that it was the wrong way to go. I need to try and make something happen with it within the gaming world, which unfortunately for me means that almost certainly will never happen. I'd be willing to be money that I am the exact worst person on the planet at finding a way to get a game made. Making them is one thing, getting them made is not at all what I do. To say the least, hahahaha!!!