(no subject)

[prog]

Boardgamegeek is the first place I've really seen outright hostility to Fluxx. Posters can't imagine why anyone would like this game, and are flabbergasted that it remains a top seller in its class. I am reminded of conversations with daerr over why anyone would vote Bush. It's about the Strict Colonel frame vs. the Stoned Hippie frame.

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The RPG Transhuman Space takes place in a Transmetropolitan-like future, and features brain-scanning tech as well. It uses both an elegant solution and a shrugging hack to stop players from abusing it past the GM's control. First of all, it declares that the only way to upload a human brain involves physical dismantling of said brain at the cellular level. OK, fair enough; it's reasonable to state that non-destructive scanning won't be invented within 100 years from now. But they couldn't think of an elegantly explainable way to prevent cp-ing a personality once uploaded, so instead the authors state that it's simply one of the most illegal things one can do in 2099 society. I'm not sure the game explains why this is (I don't actually own a copy, but read through a friend's), but it's looked upon as something like the inverse of murder, and equally reprehensible and punishable.

It's fun to watch authors struggle with Singularicious ideas, trying to play with them while keeping things grounded enough that we primitives can still relate to them.

Comments

brain-scanning

[magid.livejournal.com]

You might enjoy reading Everyone in Silico (Jim Munroe). (And I'd love to hear/read your reaction if you do.)

Re: brain-scanning

[ruthling.livejournal.com]

you should also read stuff by Alastair Reynolds, which has some of this kind of brain-scan and personality-copy stuff in it. Sounds like a fun game universe.

[dougo.livejournal.com]

Yeah, the Fluxx-haters can be annoying. Whenever anyone so much as mentions Fluxx on the Spielfrieks mailing list, someone will usually go out of their way to make some snarky comment about how bad Fluxx is.

[jtroutman.livejournal.com]

I think Fluxx is great. It really a silly little game, but lovable. I really have to thank prog for introducing to the northern social group. It made me re-appreciate card games again.