The Factory Floor

12:35 AM

Last night dream has a mindscrewy trailer of a movie, and also introduce a very mindscrewy concept that is very bizzare: Switchable curse

Shalvenay

hey there @Secret

Secret

The idea is that you walked into some temple, did something wrong so that the temple or gods or spirits or whatever curses you, and the curse can only be broken by something like love. You exploit the vague notion of love so that somehow it result in being encoded in a certain object you carry, thus the curse will be broken whenever you have said object and you can recurse yourself by doing the wrong thing with the object placed far away

As for the trailer, the short summary is that there are 4 characters in a class, and later on it is hinted that despite their photorealistic looks, the movie is not live action and the people are not even human (except for possibly one girl). The narrator then goes on saying that "Confusing? Consider the fact the the author wrote 6 stories and this is what you have so far [from the trailer]" the trailer then ends

(Almost forgot, somewhere in the middle of the trailer includes that temple curse scene)

Shalvenay

1:11 AM

@kingledion, you about at all?

Green

1:35 AM

@Shalvenay I was going to ask the same question.

Shalvenay

@Green heheh, how come? bbiab btw

Green

@Shalvenay bbiab?

He made a comment on one of my three books questions that I wanted to follow up on.

Shalvenay

1:49 AM

@Green be back in a bit, and back

Green

@Shalvenay ah, duh.

:)

kingledion

2:08 AM

@Shalvenay Whats going on

Just got over that Vikings game. Did you see the walk-off TD?

Now that is a playoff ending

Shalvenay

@kingledion not too much, and I did not, although I did hear about it. I'm miffed that the Steelers gave the game away to the Jags, myself. on another note, did you get to read the link I sent last night?

kingledion

@Green What comment?

The grain one...what did I say...

Green

@kingledion I have a new meta question up as a result of your comment about things can be ordered with an ordering function.

kingledion

Oh

@Green The fact that you have to publish your ordering algorithm just shows how unreasonable people are being

@Shalvenay I did not read it

Too much football and taking care of the kids

The wife went to run on the neighbors treadmill since its 15 degrees and was gone for like 3 hours

She stays at home, so when she gets a chance to talk to actual adults other than me there is no stopping her

Shalvenay

@kingledion ah, want me to re-link it then?

kingledion

2:12 AM

Which is probably an indictment of how much attention I am giving her, really

Well, I'm pretty drunk, so I wouldn't worry about it right now

I saved the link last night

Shalvenay

ah. when do you think you'll be able to get through it?

kingledion

Was there something you wanted to know from it? I'll prioritize reading it if it is of some specific interest to you

Otherwise the list of things I want to read and haven't is pretty long

Ugh, I haven't read an incident report in years (looking at it now)

Shalvenay

@kingledion I was particularly curious as to your reaction to the suggestion that basically no mariner could have been able to maintain control of a ship under such severe conditions, or if you had some idea of some underlying error the Conti Peridot's pilot made that if fixed, would have stopped him from having the handling troubles to begin with

Green

@kingledion I'll agree that there's a ton of ambiguity in the whole scenario, but I thought my intent was pretty clear.

kingledion

@Shalvenay Well I'll try to make some time tomorrow, maybe tomorrow night. I'm taking the whole day off.

Shalvenay

2:19 AM

@kingledion ah

Worldbuilding Meta

1

Q: Only Three Books: Ordering Function

So a few people have said that books chosen can't possible be ordered and that it's pure opinion which ones are better and better for my purpose than others. Given that any set of objects can be placed in order by means of an ordering function, below is my proposed ordering function. Any set of b...

discussion

kingledion

@Green I thought your intent was pretty clear too. Thats why I answered that Chemistry one within an hour, research included.

hey there @HDE226868

@Shalvenay Hey.

how're things going?

2:33 AM

@kingledion all the answers I've gotten have been really insightful so far.

HDE 226868

@Shalvenay Pretty good.

Shalvenay

still recovering from the flu here, but pondering a worldbuilding thing actually....

how do you make a world dangerous in such a way that the inhabitants basically have no choice but to be exposed to those risks?

Green

@Shalvenay isn't that real life, as it is now, we're just really good at forgetting it's dangerous?

Shalvenay

@Green we're also really good at mitigating those risks, by and large. buckling our seatbelts, paying attention when we cross the street, not abusing electrical equipment too badly :P

Green

Driving a car is dangerous. Crossing the street is too. If we want to get somewhere, we have to be exposed to those dangers.

Secret

2:38 AM

Fun fact: Nobody had ever truly broken the fourth wall

HDE 226868

To modify a Marvin the Paranoid Android quote, life's dangerous enough as it is. Why would you want to make it any more dangerous?

Secret

I have yet to see a fictional work where the fictional Verse fully mixed with reality in real time

Green

@Shalvenay ....*too badly* :smirk:

Shalvenay

@Green I'm talking more of a sense of "they can neither withdraw from the risk nor mitigate it beyond a very limited degree", and also in the sense of more supernatural than natural or technological risks

Secret

Things perhaps will be a lot more interesting when there's finally a fictional work that can do so

Shalvenay

2:42 AM

@Green we also have things like UL listings and the CPSC :P

Green

2:54 AM

@Shalvenay so you're talking about unmitigatable risks?

Shalvenay

@Green yeah

Green

@Shalvenay this feels like something that unbeatable monsters are good for. Or, the impending impact of a giant rock or soon to be Mt. St. Helen's.

Shalvenay

@Green or even difficult/impractical-to-beat?

Future Historian

11:52 AM

@FerretCivilization?

Ferret Civilization

Hi

Future Historian

Do you think the Great Panic would be more realistic if it was in the immediate weeks before the Invasion?

You know: since the spacecraft enters orbit and still has yet to respond to SETI?

Or do you feel the Great Panic is realistic enough as it is?

Ferret Civilization

Up to you, personally think that even if there was no panic by that point of knowing the ship was just that. Religion would be under fire from that point on whether the aliens be in another solar system or selling cookies on my doorstep.

Future Historian

Or bombing Earth into oblivion in this case...........

Tim B

12:46 PM

1

Q: What foods will lycanthropes and vampirism-afflicted individuals need to avoid?

In an alternate version of our world, lycanthropes and vampires have been introduced about 300 years ago, and are coexisting with us. Unfortunately, they had to adapt to our cuisine, and avoid certain ingredients altogether. Vampires don't have much trouble eating meat, especially rare, and eve...

science-based culture vampires shapeshifters

This feels like it should be closed as unclear - thoughts?

Future Historian

1:22 PM

@FerretCivilization? Any good images of a nuclear explosion in space viewed from Earth?

Say how someone on Earth would view a nuclear explosion in space?

Because I had an idea.

As the humans realise what is happening, they launch most warheads not used against major cities are launched against the Visitor spacecraft, which vapourises most of them, and one nuke goes off, but the spacecraft survives the explosion (albeit somewhat damaged).

Ferret Civilization

A nuclear explosion in space. Well one would probably not see much.

Future Historian

I know.

But what would you see?

A flash of light?

Ferret Civilization

From NASA themselves, "First, in the absence of an atmosphere, blast disappears completely. ... There is no longer any air for the blast wave to heat and much higher frequency radiation is emitted from the weapon itself."

Future Historian

Because.........that is kind of what I am looking for.

An image with a big flash of light being seen in the sky, preferably from the surface of Earth.

@FerretCivilization? Anything?

Ferret Civilization

Besides there is no blast to see?

Future Historian

1:29 PM

Yes.

Because I am not looking for the blast.

I am looking for a flash of light, as someone would see from Earth once a space nuclear explosion happens.

Say.....you have a bunch of people seeing a big flash of light in the sky from the surface of Earth.

That kind of thing.

Ferret Civilization

The blast is what makes the flash of light for nuclear explosions... If you want something to see just look up Modern Warfare 2.

Future Historian

Oh.

@FerretCivilization? So, you would never see the nuke go off in space from Earth?

In that case. :(

@FerretCivilization?

Is this accurate for a space nuclear explosion as seen from Earth?

This is Hawaii at 11 PM local time.

Ferret Civilization

It is in the atmosphere so yes. Kind of had to realize 1.5 km up still has air to create an explosion and all that fun stuff.

Future Historian

:(

Well, @FerretCivilization? So, 1,500 km nuclear detonation would NOT be visible from Earth?

Because now I am very confused.

How would it VISUALLY appear to humans here on Earth?

Ferret Civilization

The flash of light would be for a second.

Future Historian

1:35 PM

If at all?

@FerretCivilization. So, not visible to humans on Earth, right?

Ferret Civilization

In the vacuum of space there would be nothing to see, it would just be a wave of radiation. Up 1,500 km there is still an atmosphere, a thin one, the nuclear bomb would explode, flash of light would happen which would be seen really quickly. Might be able to see the lingering blast with the alien ship through a telescope.

Then an EMP might fuck some stuff of.

Future Historian

But the spacecraft would still survive, though.

Right?

Albeit damaged?

Ferret Civilization

Depends on how strong a hull the spacecraft has.

Future Historian

Well, I am guessing it survived the explosion.

So, an extremely tough hull.

Still, it should be noted that I am trying to be realistic.

So...........is there any material on Earth, whether it is an element, alloy or something, that can survive that?

Ferret Civilization

A direct hit, yes, just has to be thick enough. Bunkers operate this way to survive a hit.

Future Historian

1:47 PM

True.

In other words, despite having taken damage, it is still not dead yet.

Ferret Civilization

Everyone on the ground around the point of explosion would get a lovely EMP however. Assuming the spacecraft like most military craft can withstand this part of the nuclear explosion.

Future Historian

True.

It probably will have EMP-resistant hardware.

They are not stupid, you know.

In fact, the spacecraft does have a few nuclear missiles for space combat, and if they wanted to, could repurpose them for planetary bombardment. They just chose not to.

Thankfully.

Ferret Civilization

It was really more of a warning if you put in your story a nuclear explosion goes off, say, above the American Midwest, you just cut civilian communication and power across the continent off.

Future Historian

True.

North America goes completely dark, right?

Ferret Civilization

Not completely. There would be places that still have power, though the US grid is pretty interconnected, it would already be messed up by major cities being destroyed. It would be a major inconvenience on top of everything however.

Future Historian

2:10 PM

So.........how much of North America goes dark?

Ferret Civilization

That depends, is what being effected already dark from the power line or plant being destroyed by a rod. Is it newer or older equipment. Inside or outside. And best of all, just dumb luck. Could have two of the same thing next to each other and watch one get fried while the other is fine.

Future Historian

Wait.

@FerretCivilization? At 17:00 hours Zulu, where is the spacecraft orbiting?

At least where is the bloody thing orbiting over?

As in: is it bombing Central Asia by then? Eastern Europe and the Middle East? What?

Ferret Civilization

When did it start bombing the US.

Future Historian

15:17 hours Zulu.

Johnny

2:26 PM

Is there are moderator I could speak to?

Wanted advice on a question I planned to ask.

Ferret Civilization

@FutureHistorian Then 2 hours later it would be over South America

Future Historian

Oh.

So, would the Americans have any land-based nukes left?

Or are the remaining warheads all strategic bombers, SLBMs and mobile launchers by then?

@FerretCivilization? Now, what about at 16:00 hours Zulu?

How far are the Visitors along Earth's orbit at that point?

Ferret Civilization

I have already said yes on that matter but you wanted them all destroyed for your story.

An hour later they would be somewhere over the middle of Eurasia.

Future Historian

2:42 PM

Oh.

I did not want them all destroyed.

Just most of them.

So........maybe the Americans launch a few ICBMs they have still standing, assuming they are not rendered useless at least.

So, fair enough.

One volley of surviving Minuteman IIIs, here we come!

Ferret Civilization

Up to you. Could also just say the Russians fired since all theirs would be safe when they would learn the Americans were hit.

Future Historian

True.

That should probably be more realistic.

Once they realise the Americans got bombed, aka: probably a few minutes later, the majority of Earth's ICBMs are launched, only for most of them to be shot down by Visitor point defence lasers.

James

2:57 PM

@dot_Sp0T Thanks for verb-ing me.

dot_Sp0T

@James for you I'd do almost anything

James

@dot_Sp0T ...I have some ideas.

dot_Sp0T

@James <3

Future Historian

@FerretCivilization? Question: in a realistic scenario, two-term Trump or Biden takes office by 2020?

Just curious for the fun of it.

And I wonder how First Contact would affect both of their chances at the US presidency.

HDE 226868

@James You verbed "verb"? Very meta.

3

Future Historian

3:01 PM

Also, how probable is it that the LibDems take power? 0.01%?

Because I want to vote for Labour in the next election (both in real life and in the Visitor series), but.....Corbyn ditching the EU as well is making me switch to LibDem. I am just curious as to how First Contact may influence the 2022 elections, assuming no other snap elections kick in before that.

Oh and 2022 is when the Visitors enter orbit around Saturn.

So.........

@FerretCivilization? You might want to see this.

Black Arrow

Black Arrow, officially capitalised BLACK ARROW, was a British satellite carrier rocket. Developed during the 1960s, it was used for four launches between 1969 and 1971. Its final flight was the first and only successful orbital launch to be conducted by the United Kingdom, and placed the Prospero satellite into low Earth orbit. Black Arrow originated from studies by the Royal Aircraft Establishment for carrier rockets based on the Black Knight rocket, with the project being authorised in 1964. It was initially developed by Saunders-Roe, and later Westland Aircraft as the result of a merger. Black...

I have an idea. Would First Contact make the UK reconsider making a home made rocket for the UKSA to use rather than use rockets from the States or other nations?

For getting payloads into orbit, that is?

Ferret Civilization

Still say Trump would probably win. Already went through that conversation once here.
And probably, probably also kick the US to getting their rockets going better and to stop relying on the Russians.

Future Historian

Oh.

@FerretCivilization? So.............does the current state of space affairs in NASA mean we can get to work on a new version of the Black Arrow or a successor rocket?

#SpaceBritain!

:P

Ferret Civilization

Maybe.

Future Historian

I wonder if I could send a petition to Prime Minister May to revive the Black Arrow program.

Or if someone already beat me to it.

James

3:19 PM

@HDE226868 :D

Worldbuilding Meta

3:32 PM

0

Q: Know Your Site Monday: Who are the most generous users?

Welcome to 'Know Your Site' a (hopefully) every Worldbuilding trivia feature where I use the Stack Exchange Data Explorer and maybe some python parsing to find out interesting things about the site. I will post a question on Monday, and people have until Thursday at noon to guess the answer! To...

discussion trivia

Johnny

@James , can I ask you for advice on a question?

Future Historian

@FerretCivilization?

When exactly is the Falcon Heavy going to launch again?

Ferret Civilization

Whenever they said?

Johnny

@Green I'll leave the question here, in case you or someone else in the moderating community sees it and can give me advice on the matter. I want to ask a question about reloading while moving, about Centaurs and about Naga. But should I make that one question, or two very similar questions?

Someone please ping me, if you have advice on what I should do.

Feeds

0

A: Sandbox for Proposed Questions

Why would the soul of a victim not be allowed to testify at his own murder trial? In this world, magic is practiced as a respectable art. A licenced practicioner, through a ritual, can summon a dead spirit back to the world of the living temporarily. This is done for a number of reasons, like se...

Future Historian

3:47 PM

@FerretCivilization. :(

Johnny

4:01 PM

Oh, I can use the sandbox.

Will post my question there, first.

Green

@Johnny that usually works pretty well. Give it a few days to marinate.

@Johnny usually, is one question per post.

James

4:52 PM

@Johnny Sure

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