On Thu, Nov 11, 2010 at 10:02 AM, Barrett Brown <
barriticus@gmail.com> wrote:
> God damnit.
>
> On Mon, Nov 8, 2010 at 4:28 PM, Barrett Brown <
barriticus@gmail.com> wrote:
>>
>> Yeah, I must have misread something regarding supply and demand being in
>> next release. But meanwhile I've been reading your accounts of the new
>> adventure mode; the last one in particular is particularly exciting.
>>
>> On Mon, Nov 8, 2010 at 4:54 AM, Tarn Adams <
tarn.adams@gmail.com> wrote:
>>>
>>> The upcoming release is just basic adventure mode stuff. We should be
>>> at the stage of a sort of simple fantasy RPG with some half-formed
>>> interesting elements at that point. The month of November is going to
>>> be about site resources and the "Caravan Arc", which is basically
>>> supply and demand and merchants traveling around on the world map.
>>> It'll start in world gen and yeah... I'm worried the first impact
>>> will be massive chaotic famines until I get the systems under control
>>> in one way or another. It should be cool though. Right now you can
>>> set a pocket world to generate for 10,000 years and it won't change at
>>> all once the settlements are in place.
>>>
>>> Tarn
>>>
>>> On Tue, Nov 2, 2010 at 10:37 AM, Barrett Brown <
barriticus@gmail.com>
>>> wrote:
>>> > Also, is this thing where the world's trade is actually tied to
>>> > available
>>> > resources and production going to be implemented in the upcoming
>>> > release?
>>> > And is that process going to be taken into account during worldgen? At
>>> > any
>>> > rate, I'm excited to see that feature on the horizon; that's really
>>> > going to
>>> > add a lot to the dynamics and I really look forward to seeing what
>>> > phenomena
>>> > arise from it.
>>> >
>>> > On Tue, Nov 2, 2010 at 11:20 AM, Barrett Brown <
barriticus@gmail.com>
>>> > wrote:
>>> >>
>>> >> No need to apologize at all; I've been enjoying the fruits of your
>>> >> labor.
>>> >> I'll send you something more in the line of a quick overview some
>>> >> point
>>> >> soon.
>>> >>
>>> >> On Tue, Nov 2, 2010 at 6:02 AM, Tarn Adams <
tarn.adams@gmail.com>
>>> >> wrote:
>>> >>>
>>> >>> He he he, that's awesome. I've seen the calculators (pull levers, it
>>> >>> adds for you), and the digital counter with the seven segment
>>> >>> display,
>>> >>> but I hadn't see Life in DF before.
>>> >>>
>>> >>> Tarn
>>> >>>
>>> >>> On Mon, Nov 1, 2010 at 1:38 PM, Barrett Brown <
barriticus@gmail.com>
>>> >>> wrote:
>>> >>> > I've been playing DF for the first time in a while so was reading
>>> >>> > the
>>> >>> > forums
>>> >>> > and ran across this and wanted to make sure you are aware of
>>> >>> > it:
http://www.bay12forums.com/smf/index.php?topic=69307.0
>>> >>> > On Tue, Jul 6, 2010 at 8:53 PM, Barrett Brown
>>> >>> > <
barriticus@gmail.com>
>>> >>> > wrote:
>>> >>> >>
>>> >>> >> Give LCS another play some time; it's fun, but also feels like
>>> >>> >> work,
>>> >>> >> just
>>> >>> >> like DF. Disciplines the mind, I suspect.
>>> >>> >> Sorry for the delay in getting back to you; we've had a number of
>>> >>> >> unexpected successes in the last two weeks that have required my
>>> >>> >> attention.
>>> >>> >> Regarding Project PM, I have pasted a more concise explanation of
>>> >>> >> how
>>> >>> >> the
>>> >>> >> media network will work below; remember that we are also building
>>> >>> >> up a
>>> >>> >> governing network to further advance our technocratic agenda, thus
>>> >>> >> far
>>> >>> >> composed of about 120 people, most recently the head of
>>> >>> >> theoretical
>>> >>> >> physics
>>> >>> >> at Case Western.
>>> >>> >> Meanwhile, we are now being offered funding. A lot of funding. I
>>> >>> >> had
>>> >>> >> originally intended on doing this with no money whatsoever, but
>>> >>> >> anyway
>>> >>> >> the
>>> >>> >> funding is meant for something else that I will be put in partial
>>> >>> >> charge of
>>> >>> >> and which I will explain to you further when I have more info.
>>> >>> >> Again,
>>> >>> >> very
>>> >>> >> preliminary. Whether or not this particular source of funding
>>> >>> >> comes
>>> >>> >> through
>>> >>> >> - and I think it will - I will be receiving something on the order
>>> >>> >> of
>>> >>> >> a
>>> >>> >> quarter million dollars from another source probably within a
>>> >>> >> year,
>>> >>> >> in
>>> >>> >> which case I would be inclined to purchase a portion of your time
>>> >>> >> to
>>> >>> >> help us
>>> >>> >> solve certain problems that I am inclined to believe that you are
>>> >>> >> equipped
>>> >>> >> to solve.
>>> >>> >> I apologize for being cryptic at the moment, but things are more
>>> >>> >> fun
>>> >>> >> that
>>> >>> >> way. At any rate, here is the basic schematic; feel free to call
>>> >>> >> or
>>> >>> >> write
>>> >>> >> with any questions.
>>> >>> >> ***
>>> >>> >> Information flow is fundamental to the success of every manner of
>>> >>> >> human
>>> >>> >> collaboration. Nonetheless, the processes by which information is
>>> >>> >> gathered,
>>> >>> >> handled, transferred, and acted upon receive far less attention
>>> >>> >> than
>>> >>> >> is
>>> >>> >> warranted. The purpose of Project PM is to change this dynamic by
>>> >>> >> developing
>>> >>> >> new techniques with which to more efficiently conduct information.
>>> >>> >> Because the great preponderance of information crucial to the
>>> >>> >> success
>>> >>> >> of a
>>> >>> >> representative government is transferred through the media,
>>> >>> >> Project PM
>>> >>> >> focuses primarily on media reform. Our first and foremost effort
>>> >>> >> has
>>> >>> >> been to
>>> >>> >> establish a distributed media cartel made up of bloggers as well
>>> >>> >> as
>>> >>> >> journalists who work at least in part through online media. Rather
>>> >>> >> than
>>> >>> >> simply assembling this group of exceptional media professionals
>>> >>> >> into
>>> >>> >> an
>>> >>> >> online outlet similar to those currently in existence, we are
>>> >>> >> instead
>>> >>> >> organizing our participants into a network which itself operates
>>> >>> >> under
>>> >>> >> a
>>> >>> >> unique schematic designed to take best advantage of the internet
>>> >>> >> as a
>>> >>> >> medium
>>> >>> >> while simultaneously avoiding the drawbacks common to even the
>>> >>> >> best
>>> >>> >> online
>>> >>> >> communities.
>>> >>> >>
>>> >>> >> In order to seed the network, we have recruited around two dozen
>>> >>> >> bloggers
>>> >>> >> and journalists whom we have identified as particularly competent
>>> >>> >> and
>>> >>> >> intellectually honest. Each of these individuals is encouraged to
>>> >>> >> bring
>>> >>> >> other bloggers into the network based on their own judgment; these
>>> >>> >> new
>>> >>> >> participants are then connected to the blogger who has brought
>>> >>> >> them in
>>> >>> >> and
>>> >>> >> may likewise bring others into the network,and so on . As such,
>>> >>> >> the
>>> >>> >> network
>>> >>> >> grows perpetually while maintaining a high average quality in
>>> >>> >> terms of
>>> >>> >> its
>>> >>> >> participants, as is explained further below.
>>> >>> >> Upon the launch of our network, each of the initial bloggers will
>>> >>> >> be
>>> >>> >> connected to each other via a widget which is embedded on their
>>> >>> >> respective
>>> >>> >> blogs, as well as connected to those whom theyve recruited. When
>>> >>> >> a
>>> >>> >> particular individual composes a piece of work that he considers
>>> >>> >> to be
>>> >>> >> of
>>> >>> >> particular merit, the individual pushes a single button which
>>> >>> >> causes
>>> >>> >> the
>>> >>> >> article in question to be sent to all of the bloggers to whom he
>>> >>> >> is
>>> >>> >> connected. Each of those bloggers in turn then decides whether or
>>> >>> >> not
>>> >>> >> they
>>> >>> >> agree that the article is worthy of greater attention; if so, they
>>> >>> >> push the
>>> >>> >> button and thereby send it along to every blogger to whom they
>>> >>> >> themselves
>>> >>> >> are connected. Thus it is that information deemed worthy of
>>> >>> >> attention
>>> >>> >> by
>>> >>> >> some great number of erudite and honest individuals from a variety
>>> >>> >> of
>>> >>> >> backgrounds will tend to perpetuate through the system and gain a
>>> >>> >> larger
>>> >>> >> audience than they might otherwise receive.
>>> >>> >>
>>> >>> >> As the network expands by way of the process described above, it
>>> >>> >> is
>>> >>> >> inevitable that there will be failures of judgement on the part of
>>> >>> >> participants when choosing additional bloggers to bring into the
>>> >>> >> network.
>>> >>> >> Let us say that Blogger X, who is rather competent, brings in
>>> >>> >> Blogger
>>> >>> >> Y, who
>>> >>> >> is only moderately so, and who in turn brings in Blogger Z, who is
>>> >>> >> a
>>> >>> >> giant
>>> >>> >> douchebag. Blogger Z begins composing and pushing forward posts to
>>> >>> >> the
>>> >>> >> effect that Barack Obama was born in Tehran or that ethanol
>>> >>> >> subsidies
>>> >>> >> are
>>> >>> >> awesome or some such thing but these posts only initially go to
>>> >>> >> Blogger Y
>>> >>> >> and whatever horrid bloggers Blogger Z has brought in himself,
>>> >>> >> assuming he
>>> >>> >> has brough in any. Blogger Y may or may not be inclined to push
>>> >>> >> forward
>>> >>> >> these nonsense posts, but Blogger X will almost certainly delete
>>> >>> >> them
>>> >>> >> immediately and is quite likely to disolve his connection to
>>> >>> >> Blogger Y
>>> >>> >> for
>>> >>> >> displaying such poor judgement. Thus it is that the system is
>>> >>> >> defended
>>> >>> >> from
>>> >>> >> deterioration by the high competence of the initial round of
>>> >>> >> bloggers
>>> >>> >> and
>>> >>> >> consequently comparable competence of those brought in gradually
>>> >>> >> afterwards,
>>> >>> >> coupled with the nature of the schematic itself. No supervision is
>>> >>> >> necessary
>>> >>> >> for the network to expand while maintaining a high level of
>>> >>> >> quality.
>>> >>> >>
>>> >>> >> A few other characteristics bear noting. Any participant may
>>> >>> >> connect
>>> >>> >> to
>>> >>> >> any other participant who agrees to the connection, no matter
>>> >>> >> where
>>> >>> >> each
>>> >>> >> participant resides in the network, and thus the network is likely
>>> >>> >> to
>>> >>> >> evolve
>>> >>> >> from the shape of a pyramid to that of a web, which is
>>> >>> >> advantageous in
>>> >>> >> terms
>>> >>> >> of ensuring that good information does not become overly
>>> >>> >> regionalized. All
>>> >>> >> participants are equal regardless of the order in which they
>>> >>> >> joined.
>>> >>> >> Participants are free to bring on as many other bloggers as they
>>> >>> >> would
>>> >>> >> like,
>>> >>> >> although they will find that it is to their own advantage to be
>>> >>> >> selective in
>>> >>> >> this regard.
>>> >>> >>
>>> >>> >> The system is capped off with another widget distinct from that
>>> >>> >> used
>>> >>> >> by
>>> >>> >> the bloggers the reader widget, a downloadable application which
>>> >>> >> displays
>>> >>> >> those posts which have been pushed forward a certain number of
>>> >>> >> times
>>> >>> >> (as set
>>> >>> >> by the individual reader). The end result should be the best
>>> >>> >> system of
>>> >>> >> news
>>> >>> >> and information filtration that has ever existed.
>>> >>> >>
>>> >>> >> On Fri, Jun 25, 2010 at 4:48 AM, Tarn Adams <
tarn.adams@gmail.com>
>>> >>> >> wrote:
>>> >>> >>>
>>> >>> >>> > Thanks again for taking the time to respond to these questions.
>>> >>> >>> > For
>>> >>> >>> > some
>>> >>> >>> > reason I can't get a response back from the gaming mags to save
>>> >>> >>> > my
>>> >>> >>> > life
>>> >>> >>>
>>> >>> >>> I'm not sure you'll do well in mainstream American print gaming
>>> >>> >>> mags.
>>> >>> >>> We've pretty much never made it into them (maybe once?), though
>>> >>> >>> we do
>>> >>> >>> well elsewhere and online. I'm not sure if it has to do with the
>>> >>> >>> close links between content and ads and so on, or what, since I
>>> >>> >>> only
>>> >>> >>> hear the occasional story from the periphery about how it works.
>>> >>> >>>
>>> >>> >>> > Also, I mentioned to you my eccentric project a while back,
>>> >>> >>> > Project
>>> >>> >>> > PM.
>>> >>> >>> > I
>>> >>> >>> > don't know how closely you follow these things, but my friend
>>> >>> >>> > and
>>> >>> >>> > project
>>> >>> >>> > participant Michael Hastings seems to have just fucked up all
>>> >>> >>> > kinds
>>> >>> >>> > of
>>> >>> >>> > shit
>>> >>> >>> > with his new Rolling Stone piece on McChrystal, who's now been
>>> >>> >>> > summoned
>>> >>> >>> > to
>>> >>> >>> > Washington.
>>> >>> >>>
>>> >>> >>> Yeah, I first read that on HP and then heard a telephone
>>> >>> >>> interview
>>> >>> >>> with him on Rachel Maddow, and of course it has been ongoing
>>> >>> >>> after
>>> >>> >>> that. It seems like a pretty intense scoop, and that he really
>>> >>> >>> just
>>> >>> >>> needed to let the guy keep talking.
>>> >>> >>>
>>> >>> >>> > He also blurbed my book and I'm doing a piece on the background
>>> >>> >>> > to all this for Vanity Fair today, so we're going to be in a
>>> >>> >>> > much
>>> >>> >>> > better
>>> >>> >>> > position to act on our agenda pretty soon with the additional
>>> >>> >>> > notoriety. If
>>> >>> >>> > you're still interested in discussing our project further at
>>> >>> >>> > some
>>> >>> >>> > point, let
>>> >>> >>> > me know
>>> >>> >>>
>>> >>> >>> I read the Africa page a few weeks ago and the last long email
>>> >>> >>> you
>>> >>> >>> wrote and had been trying to find time to think and reply
>>> >>> >>> intelligently, but it has been difficult. I think that since I'm
>>> >>> >>> not
>>> >>> >>> involved at a practical level with this sort of activity I'd be
>>> >>> >>> sort
>>> >>> >>> of wasting your time asking for basic explanations when you are
>>> >>> >>> going
>>> >>> >>> to be way ahead of me on things.
>>> >>> >>>
>>> >>> >>> As I understand it, the network would need to be decentralized,
>>> >>> >>> so
>>> >>> >>> that people that were interested in, say, cooking or sports,
>>> >>> >>> wouldn't
>>> >>> >>> be able to co-opt any shared resources once they got in on the
>>> >>> >>> edges
>>> >>> >>> and started linking in all their friends and pushing recipes or
>>> >>> >>> match
>>> >>> >>> write-ups down the line. When you said the widget shows items
>>> >>> >>> that
>>> >>> >>> have been "pushed forward a certain number of times" it made me
>>> >>> >>> think
>>> >>> >>> there was some more centralized counting going on, so that the
>>> >>> >>> top
>>> >>> >>> pushed items became more universally available without having to
>>> >>> >>> make
>>> >>> >>> the entire journey from one person to another. At that point,
>>> >>> >>> you'd
>>> >>> >>> need to account for side networks latching on that outgrow the
>>> >>> >>> original (including a competing sub-network of the left-out
>>> >>> >>> conservative bloggers, once one gets linked in on the fringe) --
>>> >>> >>> something that I imagine would be a danger if you are trying to
>>> >>> >>> write
>>> >>> >>> a novel, high-quality system for passing around important news
>>> >>> >>> (which
>>> >>> >>> isn't going to be limited to political news once you have
>>> >>> >>> irrelevant
>>> >>> >>> contributors). I'm behind on Facebook and tweets and that kind
>>> >>> >>> of
>>> >>> >>> thing, so I suppose the ways around this might be obvious to
>>> >>> >>> people
>>> >>> >>> that are with the times, he he he. That's my paranoid first
>>> >>> >>> reaction,
>>> >>> >>> anyway, based on the experience of my forum getting a little
>>> >>> >>> gummed
>>> >>> >>> up. Maybe if the blogger network were named something that
>>> >>> >>> somebody
>>> >>> >>> thinking about cooking or sports didn't want to see every time
>>> >>> >>> they
>>> >>> >>> open up the widget, he he he. Starting with a dozen people, this
>>> >>> >>> obviously isn't going to be a problem right away, but if the
>>> >>> >>> registration/linking system is uncontrolled, you'll eventually
>>> >>> >>> get
>>> >>> >>> whoever linked or whatever pushed and any mechanism not
>>> >>> >>> respecting
>>> >>> >>> the
>>> >>> >>> locality of the direct links could become troubled.
>>> >>> >>>
>>> >>> >>> If it doesn't have shared resources though, and whatever side
>>> >>> >>> networks
>>> >>> >>> that form are just living off by themselves and not jamming up
>>> >>> >>> the
>>> >>> >>> network, then the overall concept would need to distinguish
>>> >>> >>> itself
>>> >>> >>> from email buddy lists -- I guess it might be enough to emulate
>>> >>> >>> buddy
>>> >>> >>> lists with more purpose and more conveniently to achieve the
>>> >>> >>> project
>>> >>> >>> goals of getting information passed around quickly, but in a
>>> >>> >>> completely decentralized system I'm not seeing the crucial
>>> >>> >>> difference
>>> >>> >>> and it makes me feel like I'm misunderstanding something about
>>> >>> >>> how it
>>> >>> >>> works, unless the project is more about getting these kinds of
>>> >>> >>> themed
>>> >>> >>> buddy lists organized in some standardized and easy to use way.
>>> >>> >>>
>>> >>> >>> > Anyway, I suck at that game. [LCS]
>>> >>> >>>
>>> >>> >>> Yeah, I only spent a few month-long sessions with it separated by
>>> >>> >>> periods of inactivity, if I remember, so it never really gelled
>>> >>> >>> as a
>>> >>> >>> balanced game. The continuing fan-written LCS is probably more
>>> >>> >>> winnable without cheap tactics, but it's my understanding that
>>> >>> >>> it's
>>> >>> >>> more "gamey" in a way, so I can't really say how it plays or
>>> >>> >>> anything
>>> >>> >>> about the atmosphere.
>>> >>> >>>
>>> >>> >>> Tarn
>>> >>> >>
>>> >>> >>
>>> >>> >>
>>> >>> >> --
>>> >>> >> Regards,
>>> >>> >>
>>> >>> >> Barrett Brown
>>> >>> >> 512-560-2302
>>> >>> >
>>> >>> >
>>> >>> >
>>> >>> > --
>>> >>> > Regards,
>>> >>> >
>>> >>> > Barrett Brown
>>> >>> > 512-560-2302
>>> >>> >
>>> >>
>>> >>
>>> >>
>>> >> --
>>> >> Regards,
>>> >>
>>> >> Barrett Brown
>>> >> 512-560-2302
>>> >
>>> >
>>> >
>>> > --
>>> > Regards,
>>> >
>>> > Barrett Brown
>>> > 512-560-2302
>>> >
>>
>>
>>
>> --
>> Regards,
>>
>> Barrett Brown
>> 512-560-2302
>
>
>
> --
> Regards,
>
> Barrett Brown
> 512-560-2302
>