"Games" & UA in the future

[Harri Polsa]

Regarding Billy:
> You mean taken credit for writing ;)

As long as there is no evidence, that he didn't write those
plays, I will credit him as the writer. Same goes with many
of the revered composers, who most likely 'borrowed' from
other composers (who remained nameless).

But this following was transmitted to me by my time
pyramid. I wonder...

About 400 years in the future, some cyberarcheologist
stumbles into the few remaining functional parts of the
ancient network system known as the 'Internet'. He locates
some 'files' and takes a look. His wristcomputer cannot
'launch' these ancient 'files', but it provides some additional
information. Supposedly, they contain tales of adventure
and mystery.
"Hey, that's cool!", thinks the cyberarcheologist, hoping to
find some means of recreation of these ancient computer
'geeks'. "Maybe we could make some money with this
stuff. How do I use it?"
But the wristcomputer is silent. After cross-examining
several of the so-called 'text-files' inside the files, it
deduces, that an external program is needed. This program
is not available in these archives, where these 'files'
were found.
But this is usual for the cyberarcheologist. After his
famous 'Quake uncovered'-mission, he learned how to
deal with situations like this. He collected the names
appearing in the 'text-files' and sent them to the
Worldwide Security Agency. Then he went back home
to wait for their report.
And the report came, the WSA had located one functioning
computer unit, that once belonged to one of the 'names'.
The cyberarcheologist gets this unit, and runs it through
his devices. They clean and reset the unit's 'hard drive' and
soon, he finds what he is looking for, a 'folder' entitled
'FRUA'. With joy he copies it into his own computer unit
and tries out one of the files. It appears to be something
called 'Goblin Raids.' Quickly he figures out the rules
of the ancient entertainment, and plays the game.
"Otherwise interesting, but they contain quite a lot of
text.", said the chairman of the NWEA (New Worldwide
Entertainment Agency) a week later, when the cyberarcheologist
was presenting his new discovery. "But they might appeal
to the intellectuals. Sure, we can give it a try."
"We need to give it an 'aura' of mystery, to attract the masses
too.", says a member of the marketing section.
"How about doing this: We take one of those names, and
credit all these 'designs' to him or her, we can decide that
later, and market this 'designer' as a "visionary from the past".
How would that sound?"
"A brilliant idea!", comes from all the mouths around the
table. And thus, it was decided, and thus it became a new
trend for the next week to play with 'FRUA' the 'designs'
written by the great visionary John Doe.
Month later... after the trend had faded into obscurity and
only some fanatics continued playing, and some of them
even planned doing their own 'designs', hoping they would
catch the brilliance of John Doe, the cyberarcheologist
discovers, that John Doe actually never wrote any
designs himself. He was just credited as 'playtester' in
some 'text-file'. The NWEA decided not to reveal this
information, and let the public be happy with John
Doe's achievements.

Scary, huh?

Blessed be,
Harri Polsa
hyp...@netti.fi