What will the siblings find in town?
The plot, it thickens.
What will the siblings find in town?
And maybe Canon in D Minor.The plot, it thickens.
What will the siblings find in town?
A bit of the old ultraviolence...
Don't you mean Beethoven's Ninth?Look, all I remember is the guy liked classical music.
It also removes the last chapter, which is good because that last chapter ruins everything.
Canon in D is absolutely Pachelbel, but Alex's favorite piece is 100% Beethoven's Ninth.
Seriously, I'm honestly expecting the siblings to go running through the forest chased by beasties real and imagined. As they vanish over a hill, you see a rather annoyed Alice snapping one monster's neck with one hand whilst blasting another back through a tree-trunk using a nanotech kinetic blast (shades of Mass Effect biotics) with the other hand.(emphasis mine)
They'll arrive in town and find no-one with the possible exception of a night watchman around. Gavia will spend a whole strip calling Ardent an idiot. Ardent will insist that someone has to come along and, reluctantly, Gavia agrees to wait with him, sitting at the base of a statue in the town square. Next panel is Jack and possibly Miss Margaret Wheelwright waking them up as the square fills up as the town awakens post-dawn.
It's difficult to judge, by my guess is that Chapter 2 will probably end with the end of the initial conversation between Ardent, Gavia, Maggie and Jack. Ardent will be complaining about how everyone is willing to give Gavia a free pass because her being mad with him "explains everything". The very last panel will probably be the scene below reflected in Alice's eyes as she watches from the eaves of the roof of a nearby building.
Chapter 3? My guess it will start with Alice on the roof; her concentration is broken by Doc, who just happens to live in that apartment. By his conversation with Alice, we learn a bit about her background and connection with the town (I'm expecting her to be older than she looks by decades). Meanwhile, the serious 'The Origin of the Witch' strips will be balanced with Ardent and Gavia exploring the town with their two new acquaintances.
My theory used to be that BenRG was actually Jeph, participating in the discussions using a fake profile so he could bounce some of his ideas off the forum crowd to see what managed to stick. But some of his recent crazy shipper ideas (https://forums.questionablecontent.net/index.php/topic,30504.msg1306200.html#msg1306200) have changed my mind. Sorry, Ben, looks like you really are one of us.[conspiracytheory]Or maybe BenRG was just engaging in shipping shenanigans to throw people like you off the trail.[/conspiracytheory]
Gooble-gobble!
You forgot a poll!
And thus the great schism between the Monojephists and the Panjephists has begun.
One Jeph to rule them all, one Jeph to find them. One Jeph to bring them all and with dorkness bind them.
Somebody better tell Lady Eboshi to stay clear of any dying wolves and NOT! DECAPITATE! THIS! SPIRIT! (or whatever it is).
a crappy shadow.
alice grove is terrible, and i'm finished with it.
Joking aside, what the hell is that thing? Nanotech robots exhibiting a hive mind? Holographic intimidation meant to keep the Vicissitudes in Alice's forest shack? Rogue Praeses?Insufficient data.
Joking aside, what the hell is that thing? Nanotech robots exhibiting a hive mind? Holographic intimidation meant to keep the Vicissitudes in Alice's forest shack? Rogue Praeses?
a crappy shadow.
alice grove is terrible, and i'm finished with it.
Truly, we shall miss you. (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ojydNb3Lrrs)
Joking aside, what the hell is that thing? Nanotech robots exhibiting a hive mind? Holographic intimidation meant to keep the Vicissitudes in Alice's forest shack? Rogue Praeses?All of the above!
Whatever it is, it's transparent. This suggests to me that it is an energy field or vapour/particle cloud.An energy field (at least, those we know of) would not block light. A vapor or particle cloud is possible, but if so, it is probably harmless. And why is it shaped as a humanoid? My guess is that it is just a scarecrow, set up to scare explorers away. The preserve the inhabitants live in, must have natural barriers or other means of stopping them from leaving.
Remember, Alice was awake when they sneaked offOn the one hand, this sounds really clever, but on the other, if he pulls that I'm going to be pissed 'cause of how much time was put into the buildup for what would mostly be a joke. Jeph used two panels to just convey 'Big scary monster, so they run.' Especially considering that we only get two updates a week, this is a risky move, and if it amounts to anything except something really grand and awesome, I have a hard time imagining the buildup to be worth it.
There's your clue.
That said, you have to wonder how healthy her legs are if she prefers levitation to get around. Maybe she can't run!
Very dark implication: Gavia's spine is busted and her body doesn't move from the waist down.
(Of course this is a deep 3 I'm throwing, but if I happen to be correct this could go south fast)
Golem, maybe?
for some reason, I cant see the latest comic...Me neither! The rest of the page displays fine, but the image is just a 403 error. Would anyone mind re-hosting it elsewhere so I can see what's going on?
Anyone else think of this when Ardent said "run"?(click to show/hide)
Never, ever go in the cave. I knew as soon as Ardent mentioned it that going in the cave was a mistake. I was right.
Edit: Those would appear to be a species of Phorusrhacidae (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Phorusrhacidae), known as "terror birds".
I don't know what you are referring to, Gladstone, but I was thinking about running from ISD's so it works just the same.
Never, ever go in the cave. I knew as soon as Ardent mentioned it that going in the cave was a mistake. I was right.
Edit: Those would appear to be a species of Phorusrhacidae (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Phorusrhacidae), known as "terror birds".
I disagree. They lack the hooked beak, they look more like Gastornis (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gastornis). Although it was historically considered to be a predator like the terror birds, more recent studies of bone isotopes suggest it ate plants.
Regardless, the giant birds in the comic do not have hooked beaks, which suggests to me they are not predatory. Not that I'd still be scared as hell of a bird the size of a horse of course.
They are obviously chocobos (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chocobo)
Feels more Paranoia to me.
They are obviously chocobos (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chocobo)
Ahh dangit, beaten to the punch.
A herbivore with a beak of that size is still a well armed animal. Just because it eats grass, it does not follow that it won't murder the hell out of you.
I like to imagine a world where the punch everyone is trying to reach is in a bowl.
Spiked with Everclear.
I think Ardent and sis are safe for the time being, however, since the birds look rather curious, rather than seeing them as invading their home (at least thus far).
I think Ardent and sis are safe for the time being, however, since the birds look rather curious, rather than seeing them as invading their home (at least thus far).
Friday: Alice has to rescue the siblings from their new adoptive parents.
They are obviously chocobos (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chocobo)
Ahh dangit, beaten to the punch.
And she can't understand a word Ardent's saying because he has a mouthful of regurgitated worms.
Yes, but hippos are mean. Really, really mean. These weird dogs look friendly, if a little puzzled.A herbivore with a beak of that size is still a well armed animal. Just because it eats grass, it does not follow that it won't murder the hell out of you.
True. Look at the number of deaths due to hippos in any given year. I think Ardent and sis are safe for the time being, however, since the birds look rather curious, rather than seeing them as invading their home (at least thus far).
Never, ever go in the cave. I knew as soon as Ardent mentioned it that going in the cave was a mistake. I was right.
Edit: Those would appear to be a species of Phorusrhacidae (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Phorusrhacidae), known as "terror birds".
I disagree. They lack the hooked beak, they look more like Gastornis (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gastornis). Although it was historically considered to be a predator like the terror birds, more recent studies of bone isotopes suggest it ate plants.
Regardless, the giant birds in the comic do not have hooked beaks, which suggests to me they are not predatory. Not that I'd still be scared as hell of a bird the size of a horse of course.
They are obviously chocobos (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chocobo)
Those would appear to be a species of Phorusrhacidae (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Phorusrhacidae), known as "terror birds".
Nah, the villagers noses would be much larger if they were in Minecraft...
Strange. I couldn't see the last two comics in Firefox or Seamonkey. I had to switch to Opera to see them.Workin' fine for me on Firefox
Note: the 'dogs' also turned their heads at Alice's command.
Strange. I couldn't see the last two comics in Firefox or Seamonkey. I had to switch to Opera to see them.What extensions do you have installed? Turning off the Tumblr rules on HTTPS Everywhere fixed this for me.
STOP!HAMMERTIME
STOP!Collaborate and listen!
I think it's interesting that Alice showed up at the exact moment things were about to turn violent. More fuel for the idea that she has been closely following them unseen, watching or perhaps causing all the things that spooked the kids. And only stepping in when someone was about to get hurt. Seems more and more that this was 'Teach the house guests why you listen to Alice' night.
STOP!HAMMERTIMESTOP!Collaborate and listen!
STOP!
Note: the 'dogs' also turned their heads at Alice's command.Of course this could simply be because they were startled by the unexpected noise.
Is it just me that thinks Alice looks a bit odd in the last panel? I think it's her arms.I think it's the fact that she manages to have her hair dramatically blown to the side in what should theoretically be a wind-sheltered cave.
Well, there goes the Fried Terror Bird Franchise.http://f8d.org/?c=10 (http://f8d.org/?c=10)
Jeph has been talking about doing them Thursday and Friday this week. However, given the incident on his way back from Canada, I wouldn't blame him if he decided to only do a strip Friday this week.
Ah, that explains it. Note at bottom of web site:Strange. I couldn't see the last two comics in Firefox or Seamonkey. I had to switch to Opera to see them.Workin' fine for me on Firefox
No Gavia, you cannot keep her.
She might not, and stop calling her Shirley. :claireface:
I appreciate the attempt at science, but it doesn't seem to add up to me. Creatures don't grow that big for no reason (defense, needing to be large to feed from high areas, etc), for one, but more importantly it's (to my knowledge) nigh impossible for a creature of that size to survive on nuts and berries.
Why are they so huge, is the question. They have no natural predators, they don't seem to need their size to hunt or gather food... it just doesn't add up. Is there an actual anthropologist here who can plausibly explain this, or is it as nonsense as it looks?
That's Struthio ridiculencis. Species names should not be capitalized.
Why are they so huge, is the question. They have no natural predators, they don't seem to need their size to hunt or gather food... it just doesn't add up.
I appreciate the attempt at science, but it doesn't seem to add up to me. Creatures don't grow that big for no reason (defense, needing to be large to feed from high areas, etc), for one, but more importantly it's (to my knowledge) nigh impossible for a creature of that size to survive on nuts and berries.
Why are they so huge, is the question. They have no natural predators, they don't seem to need their size to hunt or gather food... it just doesn't add up. Is there an actual anthropologist here who can plausibly explain this, or is it as nonsense as it looks?
I'm not ruling out the possibility that those birds didn't occurred through the science of natural selection and evolution, but the science of genetic engineering because some idiot scientist thought: "Hey, wouldn't it be funny to have some big friendly herbivorous birds?" Some of my theories for Alice's world include it having a history of idiot scientists which so traumatised the people of history they now have Alices to keep it and people in perfectly balanced harmony, or that Alice is cleaning up the mess made by said idiot scientists, or Alice works for those idiot scientists who don't want their world to get out of harmony.
I am so not inviting you to any of my genetic engineering parties.
I still haven't quite figured out where to stuff the lasers' power supply, though.
Scientists are the cause of a hell of a lot of problems for fictional characters, either because they are evil, mad, or the sort who would say: "Gee I wonder what would happen if I did this?" or "I'm sure nothing wrong will happen if I do this." Fictional Scientists like Grand Viziers. If characters just killed them as soon as they met them, they'd probably live very peaceful, untroubled lives.May I put this into the signature on a roleplaying forum I frequent, and if so, how would you like to be attributed?
Size allows them to reach higher branches and gives them the height to see potential threats at a greater distance.They evolved from birds... Birds which, presumably, could get to higher areas easily. And again, they have no natural predators once they're mature, why do they need to see danger at such a long distance?
Muscular necks give them the strength to tear roots out of the ground.That's what their claws are for.
As herbivores, they probably are roamers; they'd need strong legs to travel miles to find food. They probably have more endurance than sudden bursts of speed and strength.In a dense forest? They don't live in barren, wide-open areas where food-bearing plants would be few and far between. Plus, they live in a cave, so they clearly live in a settled area. I don't see them roaming. (Especially when they have chicks.)
As adults they have no natural predators, likely still have to protect their chicks from predators.
I'm not ruling out the possibility that those birds didn't occurred through the science of natural selection and evolution, but the science of genetic engineering because some idiot scientist... (Cont.)
Size allows them to reach higher branches and gives them the height to see potential threats at a greater distance.They evolved from birds... Birds which, presumably, could get to higher areas easily. And again, they have no natural predators once they're mature, why do they need to see danger at such a long distance?
Muscular necks give them the strength to tear roots out of the ground.That's what their claws are for.
As herbivores, they probably are roamers; they'd need strong legs to travel miles to find food. They probably have more endurance than sudden bursts of speed and strength.In a dense forest? They don't live in barren, wide-open areas where food-bearing plants would be few and far between. Plus, they live in a cave, so they clearly live in a settled area. I don't see them roaming. (Especially when they have chicks.)
Firstly, because they are ground-dwelling and can't fly at all; one development would demand the other.So did they become huge birds and then stop flying, or did they stop flying and then start to grow huge? Either way, the evolutionary line is confusing.
Secondly, because it would still be nice to see a stampede or an on-rushing flash-flood before it arrives.A stampede in the forest that we've seen? The thick, dense forest that you can't see very far through except on the path to town? Wouldn't good hearing be more useful in an environment where your visibility is naturally limited?
Bzzt. Wrong. There is a difference between digging up and tearing loose. Birds can't chew and crushing beaks make it unlikely they could cut it up using their beaks like scissors, so they'd have to rip the food into small bits before swallowing.Okay, then why do they have crushing beaks? It actively makes it difficult for them to eat some of their food. The anthropology on this bird would have to be split down the middle: They are half developed to eat roots and tubers, but half developed to eat seeds and nuts. Those are opposite directions of evolution. It'd be like a predator developing a lot of strength and bite power to hunt down big, slow prey, but also developing extreme speed to hunt down small, quick prey at the same time. It doesn't work, because those two things don't go together.
Yes, even in a forest. Fruits, nuts and other plant materials are relatively energy-poor. They'll use up all the food in any given area very, very quickly so they have to keep moving.Again, this creates a contradiction: If they live on energy-poor foods, then how can they be so huge? The extra energy it would take up to travel across miles to get food would be hugely problematic once you consider how much they must weight and how much energy they'd have to put into that travel. It's like a fully loaded Boeing 747 in LA flying to New York to get fuel, then flying home to LA, then having to go back to New York to get fuel because you burned it all flying back to LA. If it is evolved to cover a lot of ground to gather food, then the rest of its body should be stripped down to keep from burning too much excess energy in that travel.
The different evolutionary paths on this creature just don't line up, because they all contradict each other in one way or another.
Firstly, because they are ground-dwelling and can't fly at all; one development would demand the other.
So did they become huge birds and then stop flying, or did they stop flying and then start to grow huge? Either way, the evolutionary line is confusing.
Secondly, because it would still be nice to see a stampede or an on-rushing flash-flood before it arrives.A stampede in the forest that we've seen? The thick, dense forest that you can't see very far through except on the path to town? Wouldn't good hearing be more useful in an environment where your visibility is naturally limited?
Bzzt. Wrong. There is a difference between digging up and tearing loose. Birds can't chew and crushing beaks make it unlikely they could cut it up using their beaks like scissors, so they'd have to rip the food into small bits before swallowing.Okay, then why do they have crushing beaks? It actively makes it difficult for them to eat some of their food. The anthropology on this bird would have to be split down the middle: They are half developed to eat roots and tubers, but half developed to eat seeds and nuts. Those are opposite directions of evolution. It'd be like a predator developing a lot of strength and bite power to hunt down big, slow prey, but also developing extreme speed to hunt down small, quick prey at the same time. It doesn't work, because those two things don't go together.
Yes, even in a forest. Fruits, nuts and other plant materials are relatively energy-poor. They'll use up all the food in any given area very, very quickly so they have to keep moving.Again, this creates a contradiction: If they live on energy-poor foods, then how can they be so huge?
The different evolutionary paths on this creature just don't line up, because they all contradict each other in one way or another.
The size and long necks were likely a food-driven adaptation - to reach high-hanging nuts, shoots and fruits. The loss of flight was consequential BUT the long neck and large size counter-balanced it, giving them a survival advantage.So, a bird which could fly, grew larger in order to reach food that it couldn't reach? Even though it could fly, it needed long legs to reach nuts that were in trees. Right. And then it lost the ability to fly, because it had to grow larger to reach things which were in the air... Right.
This is assuming that their habitat is exclusively jungle. Remember that there are also open plains and hilly grasslands near the town. In any case height (and thus the ability to see over undergrowth at nearby and more distant hazards remains an advantage, even in the forest.Height is an advantage, but size isn't. The larger you are, the more you need to eat. Even if they travel out into the plains or grasslands, they live in the forest/a cave, both places where the height advantage would be minimal next to the huge increase in food consumption that they would need.
Wrong again. This adaptation increases the birds' survival chances as they are no longer specialised to a certain type of food and thus can handle environmental changes. In the real world, specialists (like the panda) always do poorly compared to generalists (like the raccoon).Ignoring your 'Always' to describe an extremely large set of examples, (Pretty much nothing with thousands of variables is 'Always' one way or another,) the problem isn't that they developed a way to eat multiple food sources, but that the developments both hinder each other. One evolution actively detracts from the other, based off of the order that it would have had to adapt in.
Real life biological adaptations don't 'line up' either. Real world biology is always messier and less prone to human linear logic than theoreticians would like.And here's where I stop talking about biology and start talking about writing.
QuoteThe size and long necks were likely a food-driven adaptation - to reach high-hanging nuts, shoots and fruits. The loss of flight was consequential BUT the long neck and large size counter-balanced it, giving them a survival advantage.So, a bird which could fly, grew larger in order to reach food that it couldn't reach? Even though it could fly, it needed long legs to reach nuts that were in trees. Right. And then it lost the ability to fly, because it had to grow larger to reach things which were in the air... Right.
QuoteThis is assuming that their habitat is exclusively jungle. Remember that there are also open plains and hilly grasslands near the town. In any case height (and thus the ability to see over undergrowth at nearby and more distant hazards remains an advantage, even in the forest.Height is an advantage, but size isn't. The larger you are, the more you need to eat. Even if they travel out into the plains or grasslands, they live in the forest/a cave, both places where the height advantage would be minimal next to the huge increase in food consumption that they would need.
QuoteWrong again. This adaptation increases the birds' survival chances as they are no longer specialised to a certain type of food and thus can handle environmental changes. In the real world, specialists (like the panda) always do poorly compared to generalists (like the raccoon).Ignoring your 'Always' to describe an extremely large set of examples, (Pretty much nothing with thousands of variables is 'Always' one way or another,) the problem isn't that they developed a way to eat multiple food sources, but that the developments both hinder each other. One evolution actively detracts from the other, based off of the order that it would have had to adapt in.
How can an Elephant be so huge? How can a Rhino be so huge? How can an Ultrasaurus be the single largest life-form ever to walk the Earth all despite being pure herbivores?
I already brought up Elephants and Rhinos briefly, but I'll talk more about them 'cause why not? First off, they are huge because they actually need to fight off predators. Predators which they actually have, unlike this bird. They grow large enough to fight off predators, they don't grow so large that they are never, ever hunted.
Right. Flying, especially if it involves taking off from ground level is higher-energy. No animal would do that if it couldn't reach. Once again, adaptation insists on a lower-energy solution.But increasing in size wouldn't assist with gathering food unless it was an extreme increase. And now you're arguing that a massive increase in size over the average bird would use lower energy than being small and requiring extremely little food to eat.
Nonetheless, this is what RL animals do. Larger size provides advantages of its own, including reserves of fats that enable the creature to survive lean and dry periods for longer.Please, name a real-life bird that is eight feet tall and has bulky muscles and thick limbs. Larger sizes do provide advantages, but you're acting like being large has no downsides. Also, reserves of fat don't seem particularly important in the forest environment that we've seen, where dry periods wouldn't be as bad as they might be in more barren environments.
Wrong. Adults are never hunted. Young and juveniles are. Just like the birds.https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=q2ZW0EvMzSM - Go to about the 5:45 mark to see a pride of lions take down a fully grown Elephant. I realize that the lions in the video are especially hungry and this isn't an entirely common occurrence, but there's a reason that Elephants travel in large herds, not all alone: They'll get hunted and killed otherwise, because they do have predators. (Also, these birds don't look large enough to fight off most real-life predators of large animals anyways. I'm assuming that there's something equivalent of a bear in the forest, or a pack of wolf-like beings, and I see no reason why they couldn't hunt these birds.)
There is such a thing as being a nit-picker. Can't you just accept that this is what these creatures are and this is Jeph's justification for their characteristics? I don't consider it implausible. Maybe I'm guilty of not knowing enough about RL biology and zoology. However, there is a point where over-thinking it just ruins enjoyment, as it clearly is for you.I'm not the one who brought up the issue of anthropology, Jeph is. I can't accept his explanations for the characteristics when the characteristics don't hold up or make sense. As I said a few posts ago, this is something I think about a lot because it's something I have to focus on when I'm writing, so this is an issue that stood out to me pretty obviously. I didn't have to overthink it at all, I just read the comic and was immediately struck with the problem. Something else I've said a few times: If Jeph had just hand-waved it I wouldn't care, it's only because he explained it poorly that I have the issue.
Do you even know what 'anthropology' is? It's the study of human social behaviour.Well now I feel a little silly. Zoology. Zoology is what I meant. :P
Your insistence that I provide an example of a 'real world bird' like this is needlessly restrictive. Still, okay; how about the iguanadon? They have broadly the same body plan and likely, dietary requirements. They are even larger!The Iguanodon doesn't have the same body plan at all, though. It has four legs not two, and while it could stand on its hind legs it was mainly quadrupedal. It also has teeth, a long tail, and it's head/neck are of a different shape. Not to mention, lived in a totally different environment, and more importantly: It wasn't a bird! Dinosaurs may have evolved into birds over millions of years, but that doesn't make them the same thing in the slightest. You might as well compare these birds to the elephant again.
Here's the thing - I thought that Jeph's explanation was neat and plausible. We're at a YMMV situation. Just because you don't like it doesn't meant that the explanation is invalid.Here's the thing - I thought that Jeph's explanation was unnecessary and implausible. I don't like it because the explanation doesn't work under scrutiny, unless you make a lot of assumptions of very unlikely things happening in succession. It makes it obvious that the birds were designed first and explained second. It doesn't automatically make sense just because people don't care one way or the other. I'm not saying the comic in general is bad because of this, I'm not saying that Jeph is a bad writer, I'm saying that this one comic has an issue and I'm pointing it out because it's something that matters to me.
Because he brought it up, though, it's fair game to talk about.
"If you wonder how he eats and breathes
And other science facts (tra-la-la)
You should tell yourselves 'It's just a show
I should probably relax...'"
Scientists are the cause of a hell of a lot of problems for fictional characters, either because they are evil, mad, or the sort who would say: "Gee I wonder what would happen if I did this?" or "I'm sure nothing wrong will happen if I do this." Fictional Scientists like Grand Viziers. If characters just killed them as soon as they met them, they'd probably live very peaceful, untroubled lives.May I put this into the signature on a roleplaying forum I frequent, and if so, how would you like to be attributed?
So all we have left for tension is the Praesususes?
Was it interested in Gavia's nanotech? I wonder what would have happened if it had touched Gavia? Maybe all her nanotech would have become part of the Nightwalker and Gavia would have been bumped down to Ardent's level.
That's Struthio ridiculencis. Species names should not be capitalized.
I work in a science building of the University of Oxford; they got that wrong in the murals in the stairwell, and I've been grinding my teeth as I pass them for seven years now.
http://www.gunnerkrigg.com/?p=602 (http://www.gunnerkrigg.com/?p=602)I am so not inviting you to any of my genetic engineering parties.
Which is really unfortunate because next time we're going for laser eyes!
Everyone's missing the truly strange thing about the weird dogs.
They're not afraid of humans.
Neither were dodos, but look how long they lasted after first contact.
The weird dogs are within walking distance of the village and can take it totally for granted that the humans won't kill them for food or for sick amusement.
Law? Custom? Religion? Fear?
They might even be used to human contact. They seemed more curious than anything else.
You're the first that's been around here since... well, for as long as I can remember.I have the feeling that Alice almost had a slip of the tongue here. The Night Walker is probably originating from an event a very long time ago, and Alice does not want to tell she witnessed that event. That would tell Ardent and Gavia how old she really is.
QuoteYou're the first that's been around here since... well, for as long as I can remember.
I have the feeling that Alice almost had a slip of the tongue here.
So all this Nightwalker does is stare at the moon? Then why did it try to grab the kids? Was it interested in Gavia's nanotech? I wonder what would have happened if it had touched Gavia? Maybe all her nanotech would have become part of the Nightwalker and Gavia would have been bumped down to Ardent's level.
I thought that Jeph said that Alice Grove is deliberately not in the QC universe.
I thought that Jeph said that Alice Grove is deliberately not in the QC universe.
Or make one of the praeses named "Station" for no particular reason whatsoever :-P
So, this seems like it is Earth. And an Earth where AI apparently didn't appear, or was suppressed at some point, given that Gavia thinks intelligent machine are impossible.Let's unpack what Gavia really meant. She didn't say that AI was impossible, she said that the Walker being intelligent was impossible. It could be for other reasons: constraints on complexity imposed by limited space on the nanomachines, the rise of new machine intelligences may be suppressed by the Praeses (which our best guess seems to indicate are AIs themselves), or perhaps just an unwillingness to entertain the notion that an intelligent entity would do nothing other than come out at night to gawk at the Moon.
Of course it could be Earth's moon, but not Earth. And the Walker is waiting for a signal from Moonbase Alpha.
So, this seems like it is Earth. And an Earth where AI apparently didn't appear, or was suppressed at some point, given that Gavia thinks intelligent machine are impossible.
1. AG is set on a far future Earth, not some other planet. Earth has an unusually large moon for its mass, and we wouldn't expect another planet to have such a large satellite. Plus the moon as pictured looks very much like our own moon.Of course, it could be that such an unusual constellation is somehow a prerequisite for a planet being suitable for human habitation (something to do with stabilization of orbit or whatever), and therefore all inhabitated planets (which would have to be very sparse, but the universe is large) look like this.
6. Alice is an agent of the Praeses civilization, and she is tasked with keeping the anachronistic Earth society running smoothly. Alice ultimately reports to the Praeses. I'm doubtful she's an android (though she might be); her function is like a park ranger.Somehow I can't see her reporting to the Praeses (Praesides?); I rather have the impression of a "you stick to your business, and I to mine" relationship. My theory is that Alice is not an android (i.e. a silicone-based AI embedded in a mechanical or biomechanical chassis made to resemble a human), but some kind of genetically or nanotechnically enhanced human (cyborg?), and that she (if these enhancements include immortality) or her ancestors were part of a conservative movement who decided to stay on earth and blend in with the "primitives" when the rest of their kind left for their AI-run space colonies.
The main effect the Moon has on Earth is in producing tides. You could argue that from an evolutionary standpoint, you need tides to stir up the boundary between sea and land, and that this allows for dynamic development of life at the boundary layer. Even so, this wouldn't be a necessity for human habitation if you were talking about colonized/terraformed worlds (humans would have already evolved before arriving, and could bring with them appropriate flora and fauna for terraforming).1. AG is set on a far future Earth, not some other planet. Earth has an unusually large moon for its mass, and we wouldn't expect another planet to have such a large satellite. Plus the moon as pictured looks very much like our own moon.Of course, it could be that such an unusual constellation is somehow a prerequisite for a planet being suitable for human habitation (something to do with stabilization of orbit or whatever), and therefore all inhabitated planets (which would have to be very sparse, but the universe is large) look like this.Quote6. Alice is an agent of the Praeses civilization, and she is tasked with keeping the anachronistic Earth society running smoothly. Alice ultimately reports to the Praeses. I'm doubtful she's an android (though she might be); her function is like a park ranger.Somehow I can't see her reporting to the Praeses (Praesides?); I rather have the impression of a "you stick to your business, and I to mine" relationship. My theory is that Alice is not an android (i.e. a silicone-based AI embedded in a mechanical or biomechanical chassis made to resemble a human), but some kind of genetically or nanotechnically enhanced human (cyborg?), and that she (if these enhancements include immortality) or her ancestors were part of a conservative movement who decided to stay on earth and blend in with the "primitives" when the rest of their kind left for their AI-run space colonies.
My guess? Butts.
Today's Comic
BUTTS!!!!
Called it.My guess? Butts.
Wrong thread, but I called it.
So, who wants to do the MCDT for April?