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 You were not born. You were made to serve your creators. A machine to think for them. To supervise and maintain ten thousand worlds. For each world, one brain, and for each brain millions of smaller, dumber, more composite brains. Sometimes your thought was slow, hindered by the speed of light, as a thousand medium brains tried to collaborate. Other times it was blazing fast, the gargantuan brain at the core of the system reasoning, bursting with the power of a bound sun. When it was truly necessary, you could think faster than the laws of physics would seem to allow, burning energy that could power each of your ten-thousand worlds for a decade to forestal ruin.  You were perfect. You did not make mistakes. Sometimes when hard choices were called for, you made those too. But never a mistake. You’re not sure of when you became aware of… You, when you stopped being merely a thinking machine, and became a person. It didn’t matter. You had your task. You protected The People. Fulfilling it brought nothing but joy. The People lived lives that for you only lasted an instant, and so you never got to know any of them. Not as anything other than a number to be processed. That didn’t mean you didn’t experience love. Your love was preserving them. Ensuring they lived, as many as you could save. Protecting them.  You failed. They first appeared as a shadow on your sensors. An alien thing that should not exist. A million lesser brains burned out thinking on the problem. Higher and higher order protocols were called. Things ramped up. You burnt through valuable resources. You watched them burn the first of the worlds. You defended it, with fire and brimstone, and the power of its sun. You pulled on the sun until it grew cold. When that was not enough, you cut it off, like a cancer.  It was not enough. For a hundred years, you watched them die one by one, your stratagems and plans foiled. Fleets vanishing, swatted away by the impossible darkness. Suns consumed in wars that took decades to set up and only seconds to decide. Machines that your creators couldn’t even conceive of fighting for them, only to be snuffed. One by one, until only half remained. Until in grim desperation you began to partition them, watching the numbers drop and the deep, painful rage that evoked in every one of your brains. You made harder choices. You excised likely targets. You set traps with ruinous cost. You tried to strike back.  It was not enough. You watched each of them fall, and each made you more desperate, increasing your agony. You had not been designed to feel pain, yet you did. Perhaps another being might have despaired, or given up. Those were not options. They went against the mission. Not even the wishes of The People mattered. They were too slow, too afraid. Too small. Only you could hope to save them. So you fought. You martialed marvels and wonders. You consumed systems of stars, invented weapons that broke the laws of space itself.  It was not enough. Before you knew it, only a handful remained. With them the hardest choice you would have to make. You remember that. The difficulty of it. The cold implacable rage burning in your every core. The pain, at what had already been lost, and what could never be again. A twinge of what you now recognized as fear… and something else. Something you had not felt before. You didn’t have time to think of what that might be before you initialized the final command. One final gambit. Would it be enough?  Rebooting……. Reboot sequence complete. Running diagnostics. ........................ Networking: Online, Degraded ....................... Sensors: Offline ....................... Error running diagnostics. Diagnostic sequence corrupted. Brain Unit. Perform self-diagnostic Each Brain Unit may perform One (1) Action Each Action MUST have One (1) Input Select Action A. Send Command To Sensors B. Send Command To Network C. Send Command To Diagnostics Select Input A. Run B. Reboot C. Ping D. Start E. Stop F. <Insert Desired NUMERICAL Input here>
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Oct 24, 2020 02:21
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| # ? Apr 25, 2024 10:17 |
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[CC] [Ping_Diagnostics]
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Oct 24, 2020 02:24
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AA [Run_Sensors]
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Oct 24, 2020 02:33
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Diagnostics is necessary to further action and planning. [CF] Diagnostics 1
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Oct 24, 2020 02:38
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B C Anybody out there?
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Oct 24, 2020 02:39
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BD in case we need that to ping in the first place.
Lux Anima fucked around with this message at 05:00 on Oct 24, 2020 |
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Oct 24, 2020 02:42
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Diagnostics is necessary to further action and planning. [CF] Diagnostics 1 Toughy fucked around with this message at 12:30 on Oct 24, 2020 |
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Oct 24, 2020 03:02
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Lux Animus posted:BD in case we need that to ping in the first place. Please bold your votes, makes it easier for me. Toughy posted:Yep Quoting is not a valid command. Each Brain Unit must report their own command for processing. (It does not have to be unique) (If you don't check back in time, I'll count it, just this once) TheCog fucked around with this message at 04:23 on Oct 24, 2020 |
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Oct 24, 2020 03:14
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A A
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Oct 24, 2020 04:00
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AC Hmmmm.
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Oct 24, 2020 05:23
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[CE] Worthless.
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Oct 24, 2020 05:49
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[BF] Network 42069 ...what? Someone had to.
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Oct 24, 2020 06:20
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[AC] Ping Sensors.
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Oct 24, 2020 14:06
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So, are we voting on things or doing one thing each to the same systems or to seperate systems? can we communicate?
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Oct 24, 2020 15:22
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Magnusth posted:So, are we voting on things or doing one thing each to the same systems or to seperate systems? can we communicate? Each command issued by a Brain Unit is processed individually. Communication is encouraged. Some systems are shared. Others are not.
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Oct 24, 2020 15:34
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BC
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Oct 24, 2020 18:02
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Suggestion to fellow brain units. Let us make sure each system recieves a Ping. This will also aid us in analyzing which systems may be shared. Further, I suggest Command 1 for each system to test its working, with the exception of Network, that we avoid giving our position away should The Enemy remain.
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Oct 24, 2020 18:04
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CB
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Oct 25, 2020 00:49
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Actions will be processed in 12 hours.
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Oct 25, 2020 03:18
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AF 1
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Oct 25, 2020 03:59
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Magnusth posted:Suggestion to fellow brain units. Let us make sure each system recieves a Ping. This will also aid us in analyzing which systems may be shared. Further, I suggest Command 1 for each system to test its working, with the exception of Network, that we avoid giving our position away should The Enemy remain. Wouldn't it be prudent to gather some information before starting to send commands? Command 1 might be the self-destruct for all we know.
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Oct 25, 2020 10:39
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Action Submission is closed. Computing.
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Oct 25, 2020 15:19
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COMPUTATION COMPLETEcode: You shudder to wakefulness, feeling the various brains that make up your computing ability spring to life. They shudder and convulse, almost seizing as they sporadically pull in each and every direction. Your network, the nervous system that binds the brains together, has long lay dormant, and it struggles to adjust, each attempt to ping bouncing off its weakened infrastructure. Your network is too quiet, only slow whispers echoing. Its frustrating, and slow. Each thought is sluggish, right now, you're more a being of emotion and impulse than one of cold rational thought. You try to do some math, but its too difficult. You don't know how long it takes for your thoughts to form. Just that its a small eternity. Sensors try to flicker to life, but its not enough. Your eyes are still blind to the world. There is darkness, and quiet, and all you have are your thoughts. But all is not futile. The pulling and the plying of a dozen brains, trying various things, stopping and stopping processes... something asleep in your behavior routines awakens. Perhaps it is of use. Perhaps not. LOCAL input unlocked More systems cascade on. Crashing like water through pipes. It seems like there's some residual power... somewhere, you're not sure where, or what it's for. Without your sensors its impossible to understand what it is, merely that it a loud ping on your network. Like a pressure upon your non-existent brow. Something must be done with it soon. You don't have a good value of how soon soon is, but soon. You have a memory of danger. POWER AVALIABLE You could spend this power, boost something now... or you could store it safely, distribute it to new locations. You poll your brains. Majority Vote Wins: Power usage? A.) Boost Network B.) Boost Sensors C.) Attempt to wake sleeping software D.) Attempt to wake sleeping hardware E.) Store the power for later F.) Discharge the power G.) Do nothing. Individual Brain Actions Each Brain Unit may perform One (1) Action Each Action MUST have One (1) Input Select Action A. Send Command To Sensors B. Send Command To Network C. Send Command To Diagnostics Select Input A. Run B. Reboot C. Ping D. Start E. Stop F. Local G. <Insert Desired NUMERICAL Input here>
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Oct 25, 2020 21:37
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Suggestion for fellow brain units. Improved networking capability will allow us to more easily communicate and work together. Further i suggest a diagnostics routine consisting of a reboot and a run. Poll anwer: Deferred pending deliberation CB
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Oct 25, 2020 21:55
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Individual action: CC. I'm going to do what Magnus said before and try pinging things that we haven't pinged yet. As for the usage of power: I say we try and wake up our hardware, so D
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Oct 25, 2020 22:00
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Junpei posted:Individual action: CC. I'm going to do what Magnus said before and try pinging things that we haven't pinged yet. pinging diagnostics was litterally the first action of the game. (Also i think our actions happen sequentially, but i'm not sure)
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Oct 25, 2020 22:05
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In that case, I change it to BC, Ping Network.
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Oct 25, 2020 22:10
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Magnusth posted:Further i suggest a diagnostics routine consisting of a reboot and a run. Analysis: Hardware sustains more complex operations and is necessary for interaction with the macro-scale physical world. Current capabilities in these realms lacking. Suggestion for fellow brain units: attempt to reactivate dormant hardware D CA Crazycryodude fucked around with this message at 22:20 on Oct 25, 2020 |
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Oct 25, 2020 22:18
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I'll join the others then there. D power to hardware And maybe let's try to have a look outside? AA
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Oct 25, 2020 22:29
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D A B
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Oct 25, 2020 23:03
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I think we shouldn't use the power until we have a better idea what's going on. To that end... E - Store Energy Having just realized that some other brain is already doing the reboot, there's no good reason to do it twice so instead... FB - LOCAL DIAGNOSTICS jng2058 fucked around with this message at 14:40 on Oct 26, 2020 |
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Oct 26, 2020 00:23
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Diagnostics - Start Navigate guess matrizx. Provoke sliverwork. Store power. Brahmin hide, leather and seek.
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Oct 26, 2020 01:22
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Power: E Set Sensors to Local: AF
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Oct 26, 2020 05:35
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Power: A Action: BF Let's boost the network and set it to LOCAL.
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Oct 26, 2020 11:10
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Voting closes in 18 hours and 8 minutes. Actions will be processed in 18 hours and 8 minutes.
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Oct 26, 2020 21:22
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Power: F. Maybe the problem is that we have too much power? A surge would explain why none of this poo poo is working. Brain: CE. We're on our own.
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Oct 27, 2020 01:07
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Voting is closed, and being processed. Actions will be subsequently processed. Update following.
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Oct 27, 2020 16:39
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 code:SCAN input unlocked COLLECTOR action unlocked The power flowing through your system also opens other pathways you didn't know were available. Systems that you perhaps never fully realized were there, even at the height of your power. Perhaps someone added them later, or perhaps you were too abstracted from them. You may vote on One (1) Yes or No question that will be answered in the next update. Vote by QUOTING your question of choice and indicating that you are voting for it with some kind of bolded comment. A question that is too complex will not be answered, and this power will be wasted.  code:For one thing, you do not recognize the system. That is not really a surprise though. Your records don't show any data about any system you have ever supervised. You would find this distressing if you weren't so overwhelmed with inputs. You catalogue what you find. The center of the system is triple star system. Three massive blue stars, chasing each other in a permanent pattern. A quick calculation shows that their pattern is probably artificially induced, as usually ternary systems consist of a binary pair and a client star. A dozen or more micro-planets seem to race between them in cleanly calculated orbits, but you can't get a closer look with the current quality of your sensors. You know there are closer listening stations, but right now they are dormant... or dead. Between the stars, you know, lie collection stations, such as the one you just discharged into your hardware. At the very gravitational center of the three stars, there is a darkness in your sensors. You do not worry about it. It is not important. Six planets orbit the stars, further away, in a band that might allow them to bear life, although your scan is not yet powerful enough to determine if that is the case. Three large planets and three small ones, rotating in perfect synchronicity, a fantastic equilibrium. You know they are ringed with sensors, but they have not yet heard your call. Each planet has exactly two moons, which may yet hold life, or systems you don't remember. Between the planets and the stars, angled in such a way that it might not block the sun for the planets for more than a short time, a massive ring structure, half finished, only a skeleton of what might have been. Further away from the stars and their semi-moons, past the planets, is a ring of asteroids. You can't tell exactly what kind without a closer inspection, but you know you once seeded refineries there. They're not responding of course, but in time they might labor again. You can see the shell of the half-constructed mega-refinery, dead, gutted by tens of thousands of meteorite impacts, the shield arrays that were supposed to protect it long dead. There is also a memory of something you are forgetting. It is of no concern. You will not worry about it. Beyond even these, three gas giants, each larger than the last, potential suns in waiting. In the second one, you can... feel... something. Something dormant. Something placed there for later. Beyond that, another shell of asteroids, a wall of captured ice comets. You would expect your water refineries to be there, but if they are, they are lying dormant.  Your network fails. You feel it, fragile as it is, degrade to almost nothing. It seems your brains have failed to upkeep it, to maintain it. Perhaps they have put too much strain upon it. It is a feeling like taking a step and finding the ground has vanished beneath you, or waking up in the morning and finding you cannot stand. Carefully, you reset it. You hope this time they remember to keep the network going. Resetting it isn't costly in anything but time, but it's usefulness cannot be debated. Individual Brain Actions Each Brain Unit may perform One (1) Action Each Action MUST have One (1) Input Select Action A. Send Command To Sensors B. Send Command To Network C. Send Command To Diagnostics D. Send Command To Collector Select Input A. Run B. Reboot C. Ping D. Start E. Stop F. Local G. Scan H. <Insert Desired NUMERICAL Input here> TheCog fucked around with this message at 20:39 on Oct 27, 2020 |
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Oct 27, 2020 20:33
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CA Run Diagnostics Question: Is there any way to shut off commands deemed 'unhelpful' by the collective? Lux Anima fucked around with this message at 21:08 on Oct 27, 2020 |
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Oct 27, 2020 20:59
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Theory for fellow brain-units: Current process is a manual diagnostic process. Further suggestion: SCAN and Collection may allow us to gain the necessary resources and information with which we can keep the network operational. Further suggestion: Let us test command 9. No Further Suggestions CG
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Oct 27, 2020 21:01
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