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Author Topic:   Newbic (no typo) Questions

Cirana posted 08-16-99 08:29 PM ET
Hello! As you may have guessed, this is not a fictional post. I'm very new here, as you may also have guessed, and I have a few questions as to what has been covered on this forum. Yes, I have read backposts - up to "from a year ago" - but on these points I'm about to raise there are either contradictions or no data whatsoever. Anyone who feels that they could shed some light on this for me, please do. Just post to this thread, as it may help some future newbie and my e-mail is in a transitory state anyway.
Question 1: Is the suspended animation "true" suspended animation? That is, did no biological time pass at all for the people on the Unity or was the progress of aging just greatly slowed? If the latter, anyone have any idea of the approximate amount of biological time passed for the suspendees? (I have a possible future character whose background would be greatly affected by this. No, don't ask.)
Oh, drat. Of course this would happen! I've gone and forgotten my other two questions. Well, I think I'll post them as I remember them. (*sigh*) Old age setting in?
Thanks in advance for your helpful answers... bye now!
SnowFire posted 08-17-99 08:22 AM ET
Chronicling 101: The story always wins. You can make up whatever you like for this version, since it's never said exactly how it works (though a <i>total</i> stop would be unlikely, you could go from "1 day has passed" to "5 years have passed, except in children" basically. Anything inbetween, we'll probably buy).
jsorense posted 08-17-99 11:53 AM ET
Cirana,
As SnowFire says, there is no explanation about how the suspended animation worked in the cryo-cells. My interpretation is that biological time is just extremely slowed down. I played with defects in the cryo-cells a couple of times. One of my AFC characters, Madame Sonjia Rosinsky, had suffered from "freezer burn" because of a malfunctioning unit. Also, my CPUB character, jsorense, was issued a defective unit that initially didn't revive him until he crash-landed on Planet.
As I recall, the installation of Morgan's unit caused a whole section of cells to fail.
Does that help?
Cirana posted 08-17-99 12:08 PM ET
Thanks!
So it was never decided? Great. (Insert much evil laughter.
By the way, I remembered my next question, for better or for worse. Is it true that what we're doing here varies from story to story? That is, each storyline is set up in its own little world, much like an individual game world, and things like the appearance of obelisks, the mindworm attacks, so on and so forth can be varied between chronicles/tales? This is more of a forum etiquette question than anything else, but I'd still appreciate an answer. Any takers?
jsorense posted 08-17-99 12:20 PM ET
Cirana,
You are correct, each chronicle is its own universe with its own future history and facts.
I think the only rule was that you had to adhere to the "factual" information provided in the game and Mike Ely's story episodes.
Everything else is open to the authors. Once in a while these realities may coincide. Mike Ely just mentioned he will include a couple of CPUB character names in the next SMACX episode. :-)
Technocrat posted 08-20-99 06:41 PM ET
About Question #1 - I am inclined to believe that it is in fact a total stoppage of biological growth, and this is because, very often (especially early in the development of a technology)mankind's newer technological creations are, more often than not, brute force devices that operate along lines of extremes. In other words, until a technology (or a group of technologies) is more refined, early on it is some what "clumsy," and this human development trait could be reflected in stories by saying that "suspended animation" is a total stoppage of growth, not a refined, less risky, slowing of biological functions. Of course, as SnowFire said, it is the story itself that is important here, and so you should choose to interpret "suspended animation" in whatever way will help your stories.
BTW, there is a technical difference between "suspended animation" and "cryogenic suspension." One is a total stoppage of biological growth and the other is merely slowing it down, but I don't remember which is which. If realism is really important, find out which of the terms SMAC used and find out which of the two types of "sleep" that one is.
Technocrat
Cirana posted 08-23-99 01:26 PM ET
Okie-dokie.
By the way... I'm reposting the question here, in case no one notices it in the other thread: can anyone tell me how to get to the "Firaxis Forums"?
Thanks in advance.
And... incidentally... I know I'm going to be lampooned for asking this question, but I just have to try to get the People Writing the Official Story to notice my fiction-type stuff (which I'll be posting at some point in the near future). Anyone know if they read this board or the Firaxis Forums? Or possibly both?
Thanks in advance for... holding back on the lampoonery on this one.
And: I'll do that, Technocrat, but as I recall both terms were used in the Official Story. :b
Cirana posted 08-23-99 01:28 PM ET
Argh!
Okay, that :b was supposed to be a smiley-face-sticking-out-a-tongue. So, please forgive this round of experimentation, but...
:,( :x >( > :B ;( -=# :b :p :d :q
Cirana posted 08-23-99 01:31 PM ET
Oops. When I say sticking out a tongue, I don't mean sticking it out at anybody in particular, I just mean in mild disgust with...
Aw, heck! See what happens to me when I don't have my smileyfaces? I have a horrible compulsion to explain myself!
SnowFire posted 08-23-99 07:15 PM ET
Don't get your hopes up... they read some back in the CoFH days when the deadlines still lagged, but they're rather busy as of late. Since these boards are run by EA, if you want to get noticed, definitely post at Firaxis.
Technocrat posted 08-28-99 02:34 PM ET
Cirana, why don't you go to the Off Topic forum at the Firaxis boards (go to http://www.firaxis.com and then hit "Interact," and then go to the little Forums link at the top of the screen) and post a "Cirana has arrived" post or something to that effect? At Firaxis, you may register under the name Cirana and chose your own password (it can be the same as the one you have here, if you want.) That way SnowFire, jsorense, and myself can know that you've found those boards, and then maybe we can start a new SMAC fiction thread if we collectively want to.
Technocrat
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Author	Topic: Newbic (no typo) Questions
Cirana	posted 08-16-99 08:29 PM ET Hello! As you may have guessed, this is not a fictional post. I'm very new here, as you may also have guessed, and I have a few questions as to what has been covered on this forum. Yes, I have read backposts - up to "from a year ago" - but on these points I'm about to raise there are either contradictions or no data whatsoever. Anyone who feels that they could shed some light on this for me, please do. Just post to this thread, as it may help some future newbie and my e-mail is in a transitory state anyway. Question 1: Is the suspended animation "true" suspended animation? That is, did no biological time pass at all for the people on the Unity or was the progress of aging just greatly slowed? If the latter, anyone have any idea of the approximate amount of biological time passed for the suspendees? (I have a possible future character whose background would be greatly affected by this. No, don't ask.) Oh, drat. Of course this would happen! I've gone and forgotten my other two questions. Well, I think I'll post them as I remember them. (sigh) Old age setting in? Thanks in advance for your helpful answers... bye now!
SnowFire	posted 08-17-99 08:22 AM ET Chronicling 101: The story always wins. You can make up whatever you like for this version, since it's never said exactly how it works (though a <i>total</i> stop would be unlikely, you could go from "1 day has passed" to "5 years have passed, except in children" basically. Anything inbetween, we'll probably buy).
jsorense	posted 08-17-99 11:53 AM ET Cirana, As SnowFire says, there is no explanation about how the suspended animation worked in the cryo-cells. My interpretation is that biological time is just extremely slowed down. I played with defects in the cryo-cells a couple of times. One of my AFC characters, Madame Sonjia Rosinsky, had suffered from "freezer burn" because of a malfunctioning unit. Also, my CPUB character, jsorense, was issued a defective unit that initially didn't revive him until he crash-landed on Planet. As I recall, the installation of Morgan's unit caused a whole section of cells to fail. Does that help?
Cirana	posted 08-17-99 12:08 PM ET Thanks! So it was never decided? Great. (Insert much evil laughter. By the way, I remembered my next question, for better or for worse. Is it true that what we're doing here varies from story to story? That is, each storyline is set up in its own little world, much like an individual game world, and things like the appearance of obelisks, the mindworm attacks, so on and so forth can be varied between chronicles/tales? This is more of a forum etiquette question than anything else, but I'd still appreciate an answer. Any takers?
jsorense	posted 08-17-99 12:20 PM ET Cirana, You are correct, each chronicle is its own universe with its own future history and facts. I think the only rule was that you had to adhere to the "factual" information provided in the game and Mike Ely's story episodes. Everything else is open to the authors. Once in a while these realities may coincide. Mike Ely just mentioned he will include a couple of CPUB character names in the next SMACX episode. :-)
Technocrat	posted 08-20-99 06:41 PM ET About Question #1 - I am inclined to believe that it is in fact a total stoppage of biological growth, and this is because, very often (especially early in the development of a technology)mankind's newer technological creations are, more often than not, brute force devices that operate along lines of extremes. In other words, until a technology (or a group of technologies) is more refined, early on it is some what "clumsy," and this human development trait could be reflected in stories by saying that "suspended animation" is a total stoppage of growth, not a refined, less risky, slowing of biological functions. Of course, as SnowFire said, it is the story itself that is important here, and so you should choose to interpret "suspended animation" in whatever way will help your stories. BTW, there is a technical difference between "suspended animation" and "cryogenic suspension." One is a total stoppage of biological growth and the other is merely slowing it down, but I don't remember which is which. If realism is really important, find out which of the terms SMAC used and find out which of the two types of "sleep" that one is. Technocrat
Cirana	posted 08-23-99 01:26 PM ET Okie-dokie. By the way... I'm reposting the question here, in case no one notices it in the other thread: can anyone tell me how to get to the "Firaxis Forums"? Thanks in advance. And... incidentally... I know I'm going to be lampooned for asking this question, but I just have to try to get the People Writing the Official Story to notice my fiction-type stuff (which I'll be posting at some point in the near future). Anyone know if they read this board or the Firaxis Forums? Or possibly both? Thanks in advance for... holding back on the lampoonery on this one. And: I'll do that, Technocrat, but as I recall both terms were used in the Official Story. :b
Cirana	posted 08-23-99 01:28 PM ET Argh! Okay, that :b was supposed to be a smiley-face-sticking-out-a-tongue. So, please forgive this round of experimentation, but... :,( :x >( > :B ;( -=# :b :p :d :q
Cirana	posted 08-23-99 01:31 PM ET Oops. When I say sticking out a tongue, I don't mean sticking it out at anybody in particular, I just mean in mild disgust with... Aw, heck! See what happens to me when I don't have my smileyfaces? I have a horrible compulsion to explain myself!
SnowFire	posted 08-23-99 07:15 PM ET Don't get your hopes up... they read some back in the CoFH days when the deadlines still lagged, but they're rather busy as of late. Since these boards are run by EA, if you want to get noticed, definitely post at Firaxis.
Technocrat	posted 08-28-99 02:34 PM ET Cirana, why don't you go to the Off Topic forum at the Firaxis boards (go to http://www.firaxis.com and then hit "Interact," and then go to the little Forums link at the top of the screen) and post a "Cirana has arrived" post or something to that effect? At Firaxis, you may register under the name Cirana and chose your own password (it can be the same as the one you have here, if you want.) That way SnowFire, jsorense, and myself can know that you've found those boards, and then maybe we can start a new SMAC fiction thread if we collectively want to. Technocrat