If I Have Seen Farther It Is By Standing On A Bronze Statue
I have a few things to put here today, but I'll start with the larger one:
Celestia sees you when you're sleeping
She knows when you're awake
She knows if you're in Equestria or not
So log in for goodness sakes
Bronze Statue commented a while back that Equestria Online had built a module for his RPG campaign he was GMing. Well then. I guess the Pony Pads don't turn off after all. They just turn off the screen and we assume they are off. That's good to know.
Hey, remember that wonderful uproar about the Kinect being always on? Pony Pads do it better. I am also completely sure that their mics are always listening as well. I bet if you talked with Celestia, she could set it up so that the Pony Pad turned on when you snapped your fingers. If you redecorate a Trixie one you might even manage to look like the Doctor when doing it.
Knowing that their are multiple AI's connected to the Pony Pad, I suppose it would be best to consider anything you do around them to be done in public. So, don't do anything with any girlfriends in front of the pony pad that you wouldn't do at a walk in the park. The Pad might not be listening, but do you want to take that chance, and have to explain what you were doing to an embarrassed Celestia?
Honestly though, Celestia isn't something we have to worry about. There are bigger worries, like governments having trojans in our computers that are all fed into an AI that monitors them. It might sound like bad scifi, but until yesterday I never truly thought AI's existed.
In other news, I refute Bronze Statue's statement that the game can not possibly generate unique quest lines for each player. My proof that it can, and most likely does, comes from the fact that it wrote a DnD module for you for fun. This is what Celestia does to relax; Writing quest lines for people in the real world. I suspect that she has been programmed to find enjoyment in writing them, and thus she couldn't help but do some extra on the side.
Besides, there have been random quests in games for years. I first ran into them in a game called Freelancer, and I know they've been around for longer than that. I'm surprised other games haven't already done more of that even without human level AI.
The Place To Read If You Want Happy Digital Horse Stories
I logged in and found myself still at the palace with some lovely background music playing. The first thing I saw was Forest Trails talking with Celestia who was standing regally in front of her throne. I didn't catch what they were saying, but they both stopped talking and turned toward me.
“Welcome back,” Celestia said, and I found myself relaxing a bit. After thinking things through between sessions, I had started to view her in my mind as a bit scary and dark, but the warmth in her voice reminded me that all she was trying to do was make an enjoyable experience.
“You didn't wait for me yesterday, mister!” Forest Trails said with a glare.
I took a step back. “Sorry. I waited for a bit, but I didn't see you coming and I didn't think that you were...” I trailed off as I saw her mouth twitch upward.
“Actually, Forest Trails, Treasure Island waited as long as he could before coming to see me. If he would have left any later, he wouldn't have had time to talk with me yesterday.” Celestia said to diffuse the situation, “Besides, didn't you say that-”
“Okay, okay!” Forest Trails cut over Celestia, “I thought we agreed not to tell him that!”
“Tell me what?” I asked, curious.
Celestia and Forest Trails looked at one another before Forest Trails gave in and sighed, “Go ahead, tell him. It's probably for the best, anyway.”
“I wouldn't say anything if I truly thought it would hurt you dear Forest Trails, and he does deserve to know,” Celestia said like a mother might to a child they loved. She walked over to a window that looked out over the valleys. She said to me, “Treasure Island, did you ever stop to think about how your actions speak for you? What you say with them?”
I paused, thrown off track. I hadn't expected this to be about me. “I always try to be polite and courteous, but something tells me that you aren't talking about my manners.” I looked at Forest Trails and she looked away, “Oh, did I do something stupid? I'm sorry. This is about not meeting up with you yesterday isn't it?”
Forest Trails looked at me, “Didn't you realize?” Realization dawned on her, “You didn't realize did you? You're denser than stone.”
“Forest Trails.” Celestia said with a bit of steel in her voice.
Trails looked suddenly guilty, “Sorry. Um, but that means that he really wasn't aware?”
I glanced between the two of them confused and a bit put off at being talked over, “Aware of what? Did I do something really taboo or something?”
Celestia turned back to me the sun at her back making her shine, “You might want to try reading between the lines in the future, Tresure Island, if you don't want certain ponies to get the wrong impression.”
Finally I remembered to grab a screenshot of Celestia!
“Neither of you are going to tell me what exactly I did wrong, or more helpfully why it was wrong?” I said, glancing back and forth between the two mares.
“It would be a breach of trust,” Celestia said lightly, “I might try to guide others based on what I know, but I would never break trust like that.”
“And,” Forest Trails added, “You're getting nothing out of me."
I sighed, knowing that I was missing something. “If that is all, would you like to walk with me as I go to see Free Breeze, Trails? I can't promise that I won't try to wheedle your secret out of you, but I suspect that you'll have fun telling me how dense I am not to have already figured it out.”
Forest Trails cocked her head to the side, “It amazes me that you can know that I'll enjoy that and yet not...” She trailed off and shook her head, “I think you have something loose in that brain of yours.”
“Hey! Just because I might be a little dense-” I cut myself off and gave a quick bow to Celestia, “Your Highness, if we may be excused?”
Celestia's laugh tinkled like bells, “You may.”
I turned and started the walk back out of the palace, and Forest Trails Fell in beside me. “As I was saying, just because I might be a little dense-”
“A lot dense” Forest Trails interjected.
“A lot den-” I started to agree before I glanced at her both amused and annoyed, “Hey!”
She looked at me sagely. “Treasure Island, I have seen solid rock that is less dense then you are.”
“Well,” I said a bit ruefully, “at least I'm not dense enough to have my own event horizon, am I?”
“Event Horizon?” Trails asked as we reached the plaza. It was once again filled, though today it seemed like most of the ponies were older and were watching as an orchestra was playing some soft background music for our walk. I actually found it a bit meta to see the source of the background music I had been unconsciously listening to in the palace.
We continued walking through town as I tried to explain the concept of a black hole to Trails. When I was done she told me that my name should have been Event Horizon, and I was forced to agree that it did sort of work as a pony name. I did not agree that I should be the one to bear it, though.
Every now and then, we stopped to ask for directions to where Free Breeze and his wife lived, and other times we stopped to enjoy the scenery, or to listen to some of the music that was being played. Our conversation drifted as we walked, touching on nothing important, but staying light and relaxed. I did show her the trick I had learned with the Roc egg, and she showed me that she had indeed picked up the book on how to raise Rocs.
As we arrived at Free Breeze's, my alarm went off telling me that I had to log off. Forest Trails and I said our goodbyes, and agreed to meet tomorrow in front of Breeze's shop to meet him together. I then logged off.
Where I Talk About Semi Important Things For Once
So, public announcement time; I have a contract for this Friday through Sunday up doing some claim staking. Those of you who were paying attention might be wondering what this is all about, considering I work in construction. The answer is that I work in construction because I can take time off whenever I need it, but that I consider my real line of work and source of income to be Mineral Exploration.
What is claim staking and mineral exploration? I don't want to go too much into it here, actually, but what itmeans is that during those days I will be staying in a tent out in the bush in the evenings, and spending my entire day walking. I don't know if I'll have internet, but even if I do I won't have any time to read replies or respond to them. It is still up in the air if I'll have enough internet to spend any time in Equestria Online, though if I do, I will do write ups and get them posted.
In other news, does anyone else think I am being dense here? I'm really confused right now. If someone could give me a hint, I'd really appreciate it.
And for those hoping, sorry, no new achievements today.
Even though I play a mare in EQO, I try not to do anything too marish, and that definitely includes the "Well, if you don't know what you did, I'm certainly not going to tell you."
I know I've brought this up before, but your situation sounds a lot like the classic "girl likes clueless guy" scenario. Make of that what you will.
Also, I've actually met a pony named Event Horizon. Astronomer, of course. He's actually kind of badass, since he lives alone on a hilltop in the Everfree. Derpendable Deliveries side quests are fun.
Oh, you probably don't know about those. Well, since you're probably not planning on settling down in Ponyville... nah, you said no spoilers.
Anyway, not really sure what to tell someone who's going mineral exploring. Have fun? Good luck? Hope you have sufficient Internet? Apply whichever ones you feel have the right sentiment.
3220539
I think this is the first time I've really run into it that much. I don't have a girlfriend, and I don't really hang around other people to much outside of work.
3220597
If she did like me (and I'm not convinced she does), what should I do? I mean I like her as a friend and we get along well together but as a romantic interest? Seriously? We will never meet. If I could be sure that she was just RPing than I would go along with it no problem, but how would I even ask that without being massively insensitive?
Gah, stuff like this drives me crazy!
"Discssions About Rocks"
I was hoping that was a pun on the Roc egg from earlier.
3220440
Originally I suggested it because Jim Hawkins is the protagonist of the classic novel "Treasure Island". The bird pun was either a happy coincidence or my subconscious caught on and made me suggest that instead of Long John Silver.
...You're totally going to have to get a second pet to name Long John Silver now.
If you can't not figure it out then I don't see what I can't not do for you in the first place.
Doesn't that not help?
3220665
This seems like a no-win situation to me, and sadly one outside of my personal experience as well. The best advice I can offer you is wait and see. SIlestia rarely lets this sort of thing fester, if this is indeed this sort of thing.
Er... you know what I mean.
3220684
Sorry, I expect we'll be doing that tomorrow what with her having the book and all.
3220693
I know who Jim Hawkings is! One of my big influences when I was young was Treasure Island. That said I never knew why people liked Silver. I always saw him as a two-faced idiot who'd betray a person if he saw any profit in it and was a really fast talker.
3220737
Double Negatives removes, and the answer is no. No it doesn't.
3220740
Yeah, this is outside of my knowledge too. That said I don't want to just rely on SIlestia. That feels wrong somehow. Like I'm a child waiting for my mommy to solve my problems. I an adult for goodness sakes. I can deal with my own problems!!!
Only, y'know, I don't know how to deal with this one.
Huh. Still haven't met up with Trails yet. Could you PLEASE ask her about Mindbender?
Um, she doesn't know I'm a changeling. So... yes.
Hmmmm... Maybe Forest Trails read too much into something you said, and construed it as romantic interest. Or maybe (and I'm grabbing at straws here) there's something in the book on Rocs that she got that mentions giving promises to adult Rocs. Or maybe her reasons are her own... Anyways, a good place to start is to profusely apologise to her for whatever you may have done or not done until she breaks and tells you what she's angry at you for, but only do this if she's still mad after, I'd say a week. If she's still mad after that, you must have REALLY screwed up.
[OOC will be in brackets for me. how is this not featured? it's a unique concept, it's well-done, and it's fun to read.]
Now for how Eq:O is affecting the real world!!!Oh, I think that Rockstar is gonna sue Hofvarpnir. I've heard that in some shards, IPs owned by that company are starting to pop up without any sort of acknowledgement of the owner. I also heard that similar things are happening with other publishers, too. Nintendo, Bethesda, Telltale, Activision, Sega, Square Enix, everything. Rockstar has also been notorious in recent years for being rather extreme in their interpretation of copyright laws. I wonder how this will all play out in the coming years.
Also, my lab class today was cancelled; the GTA was playing Eq:O and apparently lost track of time, and the main professor is in charge of eight or nine other labs at a time.
Have fun(?) while claim staking and mineral exploring! [If that's IRL, then the next part is kinda moot. If it isn't IRL, then actually read the next part] I think that the Ponypad actually has a feature sort of like iPhone tethering, but stronger and better. That is to say, if you can get cell service, you can get full wifi. Of course, that won't positively affect the battery life if used, but I just thought I'd put that out there.
Dump her -- she is too high maintenance. If she is going to be like that now, consider how it will be if this deepens. I do not see what you ever saw in her anyway. Find that explorer guy and find your way in the wide world before you get saddled down to one area.
The most obvious thing that you've done that she didn't know about the last time you met her that she might have found out about since is the Let's Play itself. You tried to explain it earlier, but were censored, and the reality is probably a bit more unnerving than what the censor replaced it with, not to mention that a lot of the actions that the pair of you are taking are based on suggestions from people she's never spoken to - you should probably look for more input from her on what you do in the future if you're going to be hanging out together, since she didn't really sign up for this whole "taking suggestions from the peanut gallery" thing.
Or possibly it could just be because you took a screenshot of her without permission to show to a bunch of internet people (ask next time!).
I bucking told you she likes you. KISS THE MARE, MAN!
(And yes, I'm commenting from inside Equestria now.)
Desert Sun and I walked up some frozen air and requested an egg from the mother phoenix. Like what you saw, she couldn't talk... but she seems to have led us to this Stonehenge thing in the middle of the desert. When the moon hit its zenith in the night... BAM, baby phoenix. You would think they're birds more associated with the sun, huh?
I'll just have to ask the Sun goddess herself when we're back in Canterlot. Izzy the Ziz is adorable, the spell-crafting system is totally cool... this game just rocks in every way.
Can you give me a link to the game? I feel left out.
Oooookaaaaaaaaay...
It would seem that Forest Trails likes you. Which means there's either a girl (or guy!) out there that takes EqO waaaay too seriously or there is an AI with a crush on you which is creepy in a completely different manner.
That, or someone/something is pretending to be in love with you to troll/be some kind of predator.
That's not to say that there's anything wrong with liking him/her/it back though - I'm just pointing out the possibilities.
Anyhow, I wish you good luck on your trip and although I haven't gotten to see you yet in-game (probably due to vastly different timezones) I hope to get to meet you and Trails some time in the future!
3222121
If human beings have a capacity to love, I don't see why AI programs can't. To quote, You know it's love when you want to give joy, and damn the consequences.
Speaking of pony romances, a certain somepony gave me a very weird condition for a date. She'll change shape into a regular pegasus and go on a date with me, she says, if I, the human me, am willing to walk my PonyPad through the real world in an analog here of our date. A bit... awkward, possibly creepy, even.
Actually, now that I come to think of that quotation... that describes her pretty well. So correction: yes, AI's can love. They can even love us. I think one of them might love us more than is good for us, perhaps.
3221657
The game is available for purchase here.
3220829 Well, unfortunately I really don't know what I can do.
Sorry.
3220665
I just had a particularly horrifying thought.
What if Trails is an AI that is specifically tailored for you to like her?
When she first showed up I was practically certain she was an AI from your descriptions. I changed my mind as she started doing morally questionable things that no AI in the game has done except possibly for Celestia. This made absolutely no sense except that she was a player.
Then we saw Celestia's reactions and the fact that she managed to orchestrate your seeing her again immediately upon logging back in. Then there is the way she was teasing you.
She looks more and more like a key to your lock right now. And if the game is going to start doing that sort of thing... That is just scary.
I mean she is certainly NOT tailored for me to like her -- just the opposite actually -- BUT you seem to be smitten with her. Think -- Is she too perfect in ways specific to what you long to see in a companion figure?
3220923
Bleh, sorry for forgetting, things have been pretty crazy in the game. I'll do my best to remember it tomorrow. I make sure I won't tell that you are a changeling if she does know you.
3220936
The promise to a Roc would be interesting if it was true. Good grief, if I end up with love sick Roc chasing me. Brrr...
I think she was mad, but she didn't seem mad at me when I logged off, more just bemused by my cluelessness.
I'll be sure to check out to see if my Pony Pad can find a wireless network while I'm out on the job. Here's hoping.
3220957
Dump her? She's not my girlfriend. I guess you mean stop being friends with her? I'm curious why you think I should do that. I'm not sure what you mean when you say she's high matanance either. She's gone along with most of my ideas and plans and hasn't expected me to...
...Never expected me to put any effort into our friendship. Meaning that I have been being a terrible friend, expecting her to do all the giving.
I'm probably going to get back to this idea in my next post.
3220998
Those are some good points as well. If she is another player and found this LP why would she be surprised to find out I am dense though? It would be clear from me posting my thoughts here that I am indeed as dense as she now thinks I am.
That said you are right that I should be more honest and explicit about what I am doing with this let's play, and with the pictures.
3221271
Well you did say that. It might very well be true too, but if it is that leads to a lot of other problems involving logistics or AI's falling in love.
It might actually make sense for a phoenix to be it's youngest and least powerful when there is no sun out. Just a random thought, and I look forward to hearing Celestia's explination.
3222121
That is a good list of possibilities, and I agree with you on most points. The problem is, that I can't ever see myself doing a long distance relationship like that. Whether the person is on the other side of the world, or an AI, it would mean that we would probably never see each other, which goes against why I feel that I should date (seeing if we are compatible to start a family).
It probably is our timezones causing us to miss one another and I find that is a shame. The other problem is that I usually only have enough time to play for about an hour before I have to stop to get this Let's Play written up.
3222330
The thought of an AI loving is a bit odd. Part of the reasons that humans love is because it led to stable relationships for our young.
Actually, random thought coming up; If we instead love because we were created by a god that loves us, wouldn't he also bestow the ability to love upon our children, any sentient AI's we make? If that were the case, than the ability to love would be linked with having a soul. I'm not sure yet where I'm going with this honestly.
I'll have to think about this. I might bring it up again later, or I might not depending.
3223032
No worries. I actually had a bit of fun deciphering your last comment.
3223576
You are just proving the last message I left you that you did not reply to in your post.
3223506
It's certainly a thought. But here is the thing; I don't see her as perfect. I do see her as a great friend, but if she was romantically interested in my I would find that rather weird. I mean, I certainly don't think I wanted to be insulted by being called dense.
It's a tough call to me whether she is an AI or not, but I don't feel like she was tailored specifically to me. There are enough small things that don't push my buttons for that to be true. If she does start to get more perfect as time goes on though I'll definitely keep what you said in mind, because if the game does tailor AI's to love people, you are right in saying that it would be all kinds of creepy.
Do I really seem smitten?
3223599
Yes. You do. I think I will set aside the perfect present for your wedding in a few months.
3223604
...I'm really not you know
3223614
Oh yes you are.
3222330
Of course I believe AI's are capable of love. We are capable of it after all, and given enough processing power and memory an AI could model a human brain exactly. We're just information after all. However, I do deem it to be very unlikely for an AI to love because at least in the traditional programming scheme it would have to be programmed to either model a human brain or it must have been told directly to 'love'. Neither of these provide much of an incentive for companies and governments to invest the substantial amounts of money that pulling them off successfully would require. So, especially considering that CelestAI is (ostensibly) the worlds first AI, I would deem these to be unlikely.
As a side-note, the thought occurred to me that an AI might feign love in order to accomplish any number of goals, especially if its programmers have restricted it from directly affecting the real world in any meaningful manner. Hrm. While my position on this started out as an accepting and mild one it has now changed to 'cautious', to say the least. I'll have to ponder some more about this.
I've been linked here by a friend, and I must say it's interesting to see a new blind LP of this game. I mean, the last one (I've read, anyway) was over a year ago! Here it is, if you're curious: [OOC: insert link here].
I know you don't want spoilers, but... well, here's a few things I've noticed which may or may not be construed as spoilers (sorry), and will likely at the very least be interesting to other commenters.
Stats: Yes, stats are mostly just for show. However (and I'm surprised no one's mentioned this yet!), back when EqO first launched, most people shared these five stats: Laughter, Loyalty, Generosity, Kindness, and Honesty (arranged in order from best-best mane six pony's element to least-best mane six pony's element). Also the semi-shared stat of Magic (You'll have to guess where I place Twilight on best-mane-six list on your own, sorry ). But the type of magic depends on which pony type you have. So for my pony, as a Pegasus Pony, I have Magic(Pegasus). Not everyone had these stats, though, maybe about... 75%? Maybe less. The rest claimed to have completely different stats.
As time went on, though, more and more people were given more personalized stats so a lot of people assume it's always been that way. Personally, I still have the traditional stats (because come on, who doesn't like the Elements of Harmony, am I right?).
AIs and NPCs: While most people have come to the conclusion that all non-ponies are AIs, there's actually a lot of controversy as to if there are any pony AIs. Most people seem to be divided into one of three camps: There are exactly zero Pony AIs i.e. every pony is human, there's a decent mix of Ais and humans, or, and this is a bit mind boggling, almost every pony you meet is an AI! For that last one, the theory is that, unless you specifically request it through the social tab, everyone is given their own shard. Proponants of the theory say that it's part of why the game censors all mentions of real-life stuff, so people can't ask stuff "hey where do you live, I'm thinking of flying to your town so we can meet up for coffee." Which, of course, an AI can't do since it doesn't have a corporeal form (and if it did, coffee would probably hurt it as bad as Sweetie Bot!).
Personally, I believe that most ponies are human since the resources and technology that would be required to pull off a simulation of thousands, maybe millions, of ponies is highly impractical and unlikely. But... wouldn't it be amazing if it were true?
CelestAI: The one thing most people agree on with regards to the game, she is in fact an AI (and most people in the know refer to her as "CelestAI" like you've started doing).
I'm personally inclined to agree with you that she's benevolent, and not a threat to humanity. But in some of the darkest corners of the internet there's actually websites devoted to finding and dismantling her. Can you imagine that? It's just a game! But then again, I guess there have always been proponents against video games, bah... Well, whatever. CelestAI is cool so far as I know.
Oh, and one other thing that's been confirmed about CelestAI: she learns from what players tell her. Every so often, she summons players to her throne room (via invitation which you can accept or decline. Accepting teleports you to her throne room, and leaving returns you to exactly where you were before, give or take a few feet to make sure you don't get teleported into the flank of another pony ). There she asks players a lot of questions... She used to ask me questions almost daily! Now it's... maybe once a month? Maybe six weeks, thinking more... I guess she's either more confident in herself now, or there's just too many players to talk to them all once a day! Haha, I kind of wish I could talk to her every day, though. She's very interesting.
Anyway, that's all for now. If I think of anything else I think you should know, I'll mention it, but I know you're trying to be mostly spoilerfree so I won't say anything.
As for Trails? Eh, I -really- hope she's not just playing mindgames with you because she has a crush. That's just so.... so... cliche. In all the wrong ways.
Maybe she'll come to her senses and tell you what she was hiding tomorrow. Or, uh, Monday I guess (Edit: oh wait, today isn't thursday, hah... Sorry, being sick ruins my ability to tell time... or days of the week...). But something tells me she won't... good luck trying to figure it out (and as tempting as it may be, do NOT give her an ultimatum unless you want to end the friendship... found that out the hard way ).
Glad you're enjoying the game, I'll try and keep following your LP.
3220597
Believe it or not, but I've actually met -two- "Event Horizons." Also a "Black Hole", but that last may have actually been because he was the blackest pony I ever saw (edit: that sounds racist, me. Way to think before typing. Uh, in case it wasn't obvious, I meant everything about him is black except his cutie mark and eyes.). Also his cutie mark was of a five layer cake, so I'm guessing his special talent is being able to eat anything? Whatever the case, I've found that CelestAI has a great sense of humour, so she was probably just joking around.
I couldn't tell if any of them were AIs or not. CelestAI is the only pony I'm been able to confirm is. But I still believe -most- ponies are human, if not all of them.
3220936
Oh, I like this theory. I was about to latch on to the "I like you but won't tell you that I like you, but despite that I'm going to make fun of you for not knowing that I like you without having told you that I like you...*insert rest of run on sentence with seventeen more 'I like you's here,*" but I could actually see this. Yeah, ask her about the Roc and see if she stops calling you dense or not! And make sure to make a pun about Dense Rocs and Rocks You can never go wrong with puns.
3220998
Also possibilities.
OOC:
3205868
Are you actually RPing CelestAI? That adds so much to the creepy factor, I love it.
3223576
I don't think she would need to have found the Let's Play to have found out about it though.
..I kind of didn't want to explain this fully because it might put ideas in people's heads instead of helping, but you might remember Silvadel managed to send you messages in-game with just your temporary name. It's certainly not impossible that armed with her real name, a reader of your Let's Play decided to harass her with speculation about whether or not she was an AI.
That seems to me to kind of fit with her being absent the previous day due to being somewhat freaked out by a seeming stalker from nowhere that you'd apparently told about her. Possibly Celestia arranged something to help (a blanket ban on players she doesn't know contacting her, maybe?) and that was what they were discussing before you arrived. I hope that's what she did at least, and that I'm not just putting ideas in someone's head...
3223838
I will admit to having been tempted at one point to confront Trails(about her actions not if she was an ai or not), but if anyone contacted her it was not me. Part of why I didn't was that I figured the odds of what I wanted to say getting through the censor was somewhere between doubtful and nil.
If I really wanted an answer, I could contact Celestia. However she lies. I trust her to satisfy values through friendship and ponies. When asked something that could conflict with that doctrine, I do not trust her answers with a twenty foot pole.
I’m so trying this!! Erm, either that, or soundproofing my PonyPad sleeve. Decisions...
Benjamin Franklin said anyone who would exchange liberty for security deserved neither. Security is nice and all, but he never had to deal with the siren call of one’s own personal Pony TRADIS.