Re: Some FT background stuff (guidelines for writers)

On Tue, 10 Feb 1998 15:59:50 -0500, Thomas Barclay
<Thomas.Barclay@sofkin.ca> wrote:

>Space is NOT emptier than southern Saskatchewan. I've been there. If 
>you look in the dictionary under 'empty', that is what you see. 

Yes, but space is curved while Saskatchewan is flat. Isn't
Saskatchewan's motto: Can't Die from Falling?

>The more we 
>make microprocessors capable of, the more practical even brute force 
>solutions are, and there is no reason that in the future one cannot 
>conceive of a fighter capable of outflying a human ace (the human 
>with all his intuition etc. still follows subconscious patterns which 
>can be evaluated and acted on) and a good AI with a good 'brain' 
>could easily best the human in thought, and definitely in reflex or 
>capability to take Gs. (Humans can take about 9 in suits.... a 
>computer can probably take 40Gs .... that makes up for a lot of 
>skill). 

Thank you!

>HOWEVER, that might not be interesting for our gaming purposes, and 
>we're here (or wherever) to have fun (I'd guess) and not to predict 
>the future and live it. 

Which is the reason I came up with the interference reason for not
putting computers on a fighter. I've been working on an SF background
of my own which has entirely DIFFERENT reasons for putting
humans--instead of AI--in combat situations.

But if Jon comes back with, "I like humans in fighters. No reason, I
just like it. Live with it," I'll mutter under my breath and just
skirt the issue if it comes up.

Allan Goodall	     agoodall@sympatico.ca

"Once again, the half time score, 
 Alien Overlords: 142,000. Scotland: zip."
  - This Hour Has 22 Minutes