User blog comment:Tyberzannisultra/I need your opinion!/@comment-5239282-20140413000401/@comment-24040907-20140414031801

I usually don't lose my composure on the internet; but God-d*mn did you just give me some good advice! Now that I've gotten that out, I must thank you again not only for being so devoted to this topic, but for inspiring me and getting me so pumped up about writing these stories! I'll try to answer your questions and state my opinions as clearly as is possible, but unfortunately I do not possess the etiquette that you exhibit when I try to express abstract concepts.

First let's talk about The Gamemakers. In most beliefs, especially Christianity, people believe that God made Humans superior to all other life because Humans can 1. Dream and 2. Create. A monkey, while intelligent, could never build a skyscraper. A dolphin, even more intelligent, would never wage a war in the name of freedom. Only man can create. And what is man creating? Mankind is using his gift of creation to replicate what God made in his own image. God makes a mountain, man makes a movie with a CGI mountain scene. God makes an apple tree, man devotes his time to making artificial flavor.

God makes man. Man makes machine.

We create AI and mechanical companions to serve us and to provide companionship. Where would I be if I couldn't produce my mobile cellular machine from my pocket, speak with my onboard AI "Siri" and request directions on where to eat tonight? There is a reason man is making machines so much smarter these days; we're trying to create our own version of life!

This is such a beautiful cycle when you consider it, God makes man, man makes machine, machine becomes self aware and makes more machines. Each time a new civilization is born, it treats it's creator with fear and admiration, worshipping them like God. Who's to say that God isn't a game developer and we are his AI? Who's to say that God isn't an AI in an even MORE advanced game. Now of course, I don't believe that is true, and not everyone will, but it's an interesting theory nonetheless. So to answer your question, the moral of the story is that our purpose of life is to, in the words of God "go forth and multiply" creating new and intelligent life, ultimately becoming Gods ourselves.

As for what you said about choosing one damnation and sticking to it rather than confusing my readers, I have chosen Corruption. If the AI doesn't become aware that it can resist evil, it will become corrupt and be rendered an inoperable mess of lifeless yet immortal code. A fate worse than death, for an AI!

Now on to what you said about Last Contact. While I was reading what you wrote about a God-wrought apocalypse, my mind kept picturing the protagonist in a hastily furnished raft, slowly drifting through the flooded streets of a dead city. There are skyscrapers flanking his craft on both sides, and he solemnly rows between them. Wreckage from buses and fragments of buildings litter the channel that he is making his way through. Our protagonist is oblivious to all this, because all he is thinking of is his friend in need. She is the one reason why he goes on breathing in a world hated by its own creator. He must find her, or he will die trying. Sounds pretty good, eh?

We have a God-ridden apocalypse, an emotionally and religiously detached character, but his utter devotion and passion for finding his friend makes him relatable. We have a unique setting, and a fresh new mode of transportation! I have you to thank for this amazing world-building advice.

What you said about the remains of humanity being traumatized by this incredible act of Divine Judgement; what if there was a tribe of surviving humans that formed a cult religion, believing that God wants the world to die, so they devote themselves to killing every last human before ultimately killing themselves. They think they're serving God, and perhaps they'll get some form of mercy for their actions. These religiously insane gangsters will be our antagonists, rather than zombies or aliens. Because truly, besides God, the only thing man has to fear is another man, right?

One of the ideas I had regarding your hilarious "Ouija board" statement. What if, throughout the story, whenever our protagonist expresses that there is no hope, that God hates humans and that everyone will ultimately die, his friend becomes a source of comfort for him. What if she is "born again" and she is very optimistic, believing that God is only testing his children. She tells him that life after death does exist, and she stresses this point earnestly. So, let's say our protagonists finally finds her and realizes that she is dead. But, during his journey he was constantly being stalked by some unknown spectre that predicted his every move. This spectre may even save him from danger a few times. This is the ghost of his friend watching over him. When he reaches her and finds that she's dead, it will be revealed to him that he was under her wing throughout the entire adventure. He thought it was up to him to save her, when she'd been saving him all along. The moral that he received could be; life after death is possible, and that there is still hope for him yet!

Just a few of my ideas I thought I'd share. I'd really appreciate your opinion on all that, you've been so helpful thus far. I think I'll want to credit you before the story, just after the opening title, if that's okay :)

And about Skyrim; it's odd that the rating would keep it away from your household. To me it seems like a pretty wholesome game. Unfortunately I'm not hosting or videotaping my marathon, though. It's just going to be a fun pastime when I'm up at 3am this Easter Vacation (gonna have a lot of free time to write this story!)

By the way, and I don't mean to pry but, I think it would be helpful to me to know roughly what time zone you are in so that I can better coordinate with you. I'm posting this at 10pm at night.

Looking foward to your reply

- Tyber