3D Offices

[Method]

hey! story editer!

you might as well put your name on that article, i didn't write it

[Corellion]

After looking at the post in the actual 3D thread, many appear to be under the impression that there is no correct answer for the first "Colonel Santiago". In fact, I designed it so there was one (although I apparently made the clues too obscure, as nobody seems to have gotten that). In case anybody PMs Drogue with a answer, the solutions was "The Monsoon Jungle".

[Drogue]

I have come up with an explaination. Obviously we do not wish to alienate those non-technically skilled fullhumans, and thus must pander somewhat to our readership. Therefore we used a generic term, instead of a specific one, so that more people can understand it, while defining it later so that those that wish to know will get the full information. To alienate a large proportion of our readership with unnecessarily technical terms would be illogical.

TKG: I am sorry you feel that way, but I posted your article and it was decided that we could not post it, as it gave away too much information about it. Therefore I took the first part, and the last part, and tried a 1984 style thing so that we did not tell them about PEACE. The reason it still has your name is because the intention was that it was transmitted, but cut after a short while to be censored, and thus when the first bit was transmitted, it was expected to publis your story, but that it was censored. Think of it as a streaming broadcast and it makes more sense. I am sorry if you feel aggrieved, but it was either do something fun that will mislead the others (hence the Believers referances) or not publish it at all, which seemed a shame considering the RP that could be had.

When the transmission was started, it was your story that was expected, it wasn't censored until part of the transmission was sent.

Corellion: Isn't the idea to have a new clue each issue, which helps people find out where she is. I didn't think anyone was to guess where she was yet, but it would take a few more clues?

[Drogue]

This thread has been topped, as will all directorial offices.

I'd also like to echo the first post: TKG rules (Minor peace offering)

[Corellion]

While in the standard "Where in the World is Carmen Sandiego", there are multiple clues as to the location of Carmen. However, there are only a certain number (3 I think), and after that you have to go to where the clues indicate. After that, you find she has already left, and have a new series of clues to determine where she went to afterwards. Thus, I was intending for the clues to allow people to guess, but once they guess correctly and go there, they find a new set.

[Maniac]

Thanks for the explanation. So that means it's entirely up to us to decide when Santiago will finally be found instead of already moved away?

[Corellion]

Yes... but let's try and wrap it up sometime around when the game is about to end methinks. And, Great GooglieGod forbid, if we're about to be eliminated, we can claim that after escaping from the last location, she underwent cosmetic surgery and implanted herself into the upper echelons of the invading faction, determined to claim vengence for the Cybernetic Consciousness, who though she spent her life trying to evade, she had gained a great respect for.

[Drogue]

Is she a CyCon then? I always thought she was an independent?

[Drogue]

Corellion: Can you write on the 3D thread the rules and details for Where in the World? I think some clarificiation would be good, and I don't want to mess it up and get it all wrong Thanks.

[Corellion]

Drogue: She is an independent. However, in the show, although Carmen spent her life avoiding the detectives, she grew to admire them (I think I remember that she started her career as an ACME detective). This was why she left the clues, and she enjoyed leading them around. It's pure speculation... mostly just to kajole whichever faction would (although they wouldn't) invade and eliminate us.

Also Drogue: Sure, I'll get to it later tonight (I've got some University registration things to do).

[Drogue]

Thanks Corellion. Makes it a lot more clear I just had my senior prom last night, so I'm a little tired too, and also resulting in yesterday being the first day I have had completely offline since my exams a few weeks ago.

[Drogue]

I have a proposal for 3D. I think many people do not read the whole thing, as it is large and daunting (and as I do with Pravda) therefore I recommend that we spit it up. I think every 2 weeks we should release 3D with all the regular features, such as the Caption Competition, Where in the World, The Philosophical Section, One Final Though, etc. but release all the news articles as “3D Extras”, that is as soon as they are ready, they are released on their own. That mens 3D will be there more often giving it a higher profile, be easier to read (each story is not too much to read, and will be read by more) meaning that we can mislead people more easily but still lets us have all our features and fun parts.

What do you think? I will poll in a day or two, and if accepted, this will come into effect next issue.

[Corellion]

Sounds good. I won't be here in a few days, so count my vote as an affirmative.

I'll try and get the next WITWICS (That's a great acronym) done before I leave, but there are no guaranties.

[Maniac]

In the spirit of Drogue's idea of 3D extras, can I release this fictional article?

***

Following the Hive example we present you an exclusive documentary: CyCon Government in times of SASS - How does it work?



Mani Alpha-3 is Second Function of the Cybernetic Consciousness. As the title of that function indicates, it is only of secondary importance. As evidence, see this extract of the preliminary Cybernetic Constitution:

The Second Function has the responsibility to:

• Poll for Social Engineering Changes
• Start Nominations and Elections: Nominations should be posted on the 20th of every month, and elections, where needed, on the 27th of every month, lasting for 3 days (for details see Article 10: Government Policy).
• Be the Turn Player when the Prime Function is unavailable, or designate a replacement.
• Be, or designate, a replacement for any elected official

"All a Second Function has to do," so Mani Alpha-3 thought, "is organize a few Social Engineering polls in the next few decades, and post an election poll once in a while." A dream job! You have few responsibilities, but have a good salary and a fancy title you can brag about when you finally meet Claire Forlani. Sure, completely at the end of the list of responsibilities there is something mentioned about "replacing absent functions", but who thought this would ever be necessary? After all, besides Mani Alpha-3, the two biggest spammers contributors in the CyCon datalinks are Prime Function Drogue Beta-8 and Internal Affairs Function Corelli Omega-9. It was guaranteed: Second Function was gonna be a luxury life. That thought, dear readers, was the biggest mistake in Mani Alpha-3's cybernetic life!

For Mani Alpha-3 had not counted on such insidious viruses as the Severe Acute Sluggish Syndrome (SASS). In a matter of days both the Prime Function and the Internal Affairs Function had to report for maintenance, to delete the virus out of their systems. This left only Mani Alpha-3 at the helm of the Consciousness, well together with Function Delta "Who-Does-Not-Speak-English-Very-Well". He now had to take care of three of the four government functions. This gave some practical problems, so Mani Alpha-3 found out. For example, twenty years ago the architect of our Headquarters Apolyton Prime had the wonderful idea of organizing the base in a square "as that is so mathematically perfect". All the living quarters were in the center, and the four government buildings were in the very corners of that square base plan, to symbolize the government protecting the cyborg citizens against the dangers outside. That may be a nice symbol, but it isn't very promoting for state efficiency.

For example when a few days ago the Internal Affairs Function, currently Mani Alpha-3 in other words, wanted to organize a poll where to found a new base, the plans for that poll had to be created in the Internal Affairs building at Ygrec Corner. Then, according to the constitution, the poll plans have to be transferred to the Second Function department at Upsilon Corner to control if everything is done according to regulations. "Checks and balances. Very democratic!" it is called. Normally these plans are transmitted by the datalinks, but due to a network overload this was not possible. As a consequence thousands of research papers, geological reports of fitting base sites and organizational plans for the referendum had to be moved from Ygrek Corner to Upsilon Corner by truck, a drive of 12 kilometers. The length between the corners of the square could have been made shorter - after all only 20000 cyborgs lived in Poly Prime - but Poly Prime's architect decided to make the square sides 12 km "as that is such a mathematically perfect number: it can be divided by 1, 2, 3, 4, 6 and 12! " But Mani Alpha-3 remained patient. He would let the bureaucrats move the paperwork to his office at Upsilon Corner. In the meanwhile he could rest a little...

A few hours later though, the paperwork still hadn't arrived. When Mani Alpha-3 asked what was wrong, it appeared the truck driver had mistaken the street names and delivered the papers to Epsilon Corner instead of Upsilon Corner, because he was a little stressed. Can you believe it? Stressed? He was being guided by adrenaline. "Perhaps Unimatrix 001 wasn't such a good idea after all." Mani Alpha-3 pondered. Anyway, after some more problems the papers arrived at Upsilon Corner and were checked for their legality. Finally the poll could be put online on the datalinks. There would be a lively debate between many politically interested cyborgs, and the results would be sent to the Prime Function department at Ypsilon Corner where the executive orders would be signed by Mani Alpha-3.

That lively debate didn't happen though. After two days only two people had voted in the poll, one of which was Mani Alpha-3 himself. Five more minutes later, every cyborg received the following telepathic message: "Okay guys, from now on I'll decide everything on my own!! "

THAT, my friends, is CyCon democracy at work.

[Method]

Originally posted by Maniac
Function Delta "Who-Does-Not-Speak-English-Very-Well"