DAWON

[soulping]

You are on a spaceship.

Most of your time will be spent on the bridge, which is exactly as fancy as you’d expect it to be — it looks a little like this. (The chairs are super comfortable!) Your brand new artificial intelligence — which, if you investigate, you’ll find is housed in a small computer chip — has been implanted into the computer terminal on the back wall. The diagnostics readout displayed along the bottom of the screen tells you that the AI has only been outfitted with the most basic of Stability Cores, and is currently Critically Unstable.

Comments

ROUND 1

[soulping]

It is the year 5256, and humanity has spread across two galaxies. Technological leaps have been massive — super powerful, prohibitively expensive AI have recently been developed, with the capacity for beyond human-like growth, development, and learning. It’s said that a single AI could be capable of managing a fully outfitted fleet of galactic class star ships. Trials are looking positive.

A small number of ships — yours included — have been selected to take part in a competitive military research project. You lucky devils! The government has given you a brand new AI of your very own, complete with a basic Stability Core and a generous grant of 1000 credits. The only downside is that … well, one SC of that calibre might not be enough to sustain the AI for long.

CREDITS
Starting bank: 1000 Credits

BUY FROM THE GOVERNMENT
High Quality Core: 600 (Sell Price: 350)
Medium Quality Core: 500 (Sell Price: 250)
Low Quality Core: 400 (Sell Price: 150)

BUY FROM THE BLACK MARKET - if you dare
High Quality Core: 350 (Average Sell Price: 200)
Medium Quality Core: 250 (Average Sell Price: 100)
Low Quality Core: 150 (Average Sell Price: 50)

OTHER
Buy a newspaper: 10
Buy a cat: 50

RESEARCH AND DEVELOPMENT
Help fund research on artificial intelligence by donating a sum of your choice.
Help further research on artificial intelligence by donating yourself.

OTHER
There are many ways to forge your path through life. What will you do?

SUBMIT

[soulping]

Re: SUBMIT

[purple_sister]

We're buying a high quality core from the government!

We're also starting up a shipping business! Artificial Intelligence, help us figure out the most profitable routes!

Discussion

[purple_sister]

...Oh my goodness. I can finally achieve my dream!

Re: ROUND 1

[seanced]

Whoa . . .

We . . . um, we want a high quality core, right?

Re: ROUND 1

[purple_sister]

We do, yeah. They're a bit expensive, though, so it's hard to tell if we should go for one right away.

Re: ROUND 1

[seanced]

What they have now is unstable, though . . . a-and if we're supposed to - um, make them more powerful, shouldn't we start with the core? I-It's important, right?

RESULTS

[soulping]

You purchase a high quality core from the government! It is successfully integrated into the computer system and turns your AI from critically unstable to plain old unstable

You start up a shipping business! It is profitable for the first few weeks, garnering you 200 extra credits. However, you are in heavy competition with your rival company, Qyx'orq Packaging Galactic. They somehow manage to undercut your prices at every turn and steal most of your customer. Rude!

Perhaps some justice is in order?

Re: RESULTS

[seanced]

. . . rude.

ROUND 2

[soulping]

CREDITS
Bank: 600 Credits

BUY FROM THE GOVERNMENT
High Quality Core: 600 (Sell Price: 350)
Medium Quality Core: 500 (Sell Price: 250)
Low Quality Core: 400 (Sell Price: 150)

BUY FROM THE BLACK MARKET - if you dare
High Quality Core: 350 (Average Sell Price: 200)
Medium Quality Core: 250 (Average Sell Price: 100)
Low Quality Core: 150 (Average Sell Price: 50)

OTHER
Buy a newspaper: 10
Buy a cat: 50

RESEARCH AND DEVELOPMENT
Help fund research on artificial intelligence by donating a sum of your choice.
Help further research on artificial intelligence by donating yourself.

OTHER
There are many ways to forge your path through life. What will you do?

Re: ROUND 2

[seanced]

We should definitely buy another good core . . .

Um, maybe we can negotiate with the other guys? Maybe . . . form a bigger business and split it down the middle?

Re: ROUND 2

[purple_sister]

It would be nice if we could get along, yeah... But honestly, the AI's going to be the thing that changes the course of things. Honestly, I would like to avoid setting up a monopoly. Nothing good comes from monopolies.

SUBMIT

[soulping]

Re: SUBMIT

[purple_sister]

Then, we'll buy a medium core from the government. The rest of our money will be spent on commodity trading between worlds!

Buy low, sell high! make money with the help of advanced AI!

RESULTS

[soulping]

You purchase a medium quality core from the government. It’s successfully integrated with your AI, and you think you see some improvement in the program’s stability.

Your attempt to dabble in commodity trading is successful! You buy chocolate cheap over at Lebrana Minor, and sell it for three times the value in Oftrdlak — your savvy business acumen nets you an additional 100 credits and an adoring legion of chocolate-hungry fans.

ROUND 3

[soulping]

CREDITS
Bank: 200 Credits

BUY FROM THE GOVERNMENT
High Quality Core: 600 (Sell Price: 350)
Medium Quality Core: 500 (Sell Price: 250)
Low Quality Core: 400 (Sell Price: 150)

BUY FROM THE BLACK MARKET - if you dare
High Quality Core: 350 (Average Sell Price: 200)
Medium Quality Core: 250 (Average Sell Price: 100)
Low Quality Core: 150 (Average Sell Price: 50)

OTHER
Buy a newspaper: 10
Buy a cat: 50

RESEARCH AND DEVELOPMENT
Help fund research on artificial intelligence by donating a sum of your choice.
Help further research on artificial intelligence by donating yourself.

OTHER
There are many ways to forge your path through life. What will you do?

SUBMIT

[soulping]

Re: SUBMIT

[purple_sister]

We'll buy a newspaper and pick out planets that are in trouble so that we can sell relevant things at them! And also...

Become Elite Space Rangers, boldly going where no one has gone before!

Which is to say, we're exploring uncharted territories of space.

Re: ROUND 3

[purple_sister]

Hmm... We bought it for 100, and sold it for three times the price to get... 200...

The taxes are... really high, huh?

Re: ROUND 3

[seanced]

I-It . . . it seems like it.

ROUND 4

[soulping]

CREDITS
Starting bank: 190 Credits

BUY FROM THE GOVERNMENT
High Quality Core: 600 (Sell Price: 350)
Medium Quality Core: 500 (Sell Price: 250)
Low Quality Core: 400 (Sell Price: 150)

BUY FROM THE BLACK MARKET - if you dare
High Quality Core: 350 (Average Sell Price: 200)
Medium Quality Core: 250 (Average Sell Price: 100)
Low Quality Core: 150 (Average Sell Price: 50)

OTHER
Buy a newspaper: 10
Buy a cat: 50

RESEARCH AND DEVELOPMENT
Help fund research on artificial intelligence by donating a sum of your choice.
Help further research on artificial intelligence by donating yourself.

OTHER
There are many ways to forge your path through life. What will you do?

SUBMIT

[soulping]

Re: SUBMIT

[purple_sister]

We'll send a message to the Estelle announcing our intentions to help, and say that we'll be there to assist them if needed, they just have to send a message.

After that... We'll use those connections and friends we've made to get a core from outside the black market as cheaply as possible. If they're friends they won't give us something shoddy, right?

Re: ROUND 4

[purple_sister]

What the goodness? You can do that with AIs?

Re: ROUND 4

[seanced]

[she sneezes]

S-Sorry— I - don't know? That doesn't seem right, though.