Wow. That's a lot of information to put in one e-mail. Usually, these
electroic messages are only a few sentences long. But you do make a lot of
good points. However, I think 2001 was meant to be a Linchpin, because that
sort of event is easy to alter by time travel. And, even if Israel was
rippled out of existence, the Arabs would probably still want the Jews
exterminated.
From: "Tom Moresi" <floyd-ag@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>
Reply-To: Chrononauts Discussion List <chrononauts@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>
To: <chrononauts@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>
Subject: [Chrononauts] 2001 and the Cuban Missle Crisis (not related)
Date: Sun, 7 Jan 2007 00:18:36 -0600
I was suggested tothis message list by Alison Looney. I believe that this
is how to post on your forum. I am computer illiterate (I do not
understand common computer terms and vocabulary), and I hope this gets to
the right people. If not please reply and tell me where my message went.
Thank you.
Dr. Looney,
I recently visited your web sight to discover your team working on a
similar project to my own: a resulting card to represent September 11th,
2001. I admit to not having an answer to your problem, namely what the
linchpin would alternate, due to the fact that I never saw the date as a
linchpin, but as a ripplepoint. And I do know which linchpin affect it.
The ripplepoint would be an 'or' ripplepoint, affected by two dates,
either one alternating the ripplepoint. The first date would be '1936:
Adolph Hitler Assassinated (yes, another 1936 ripplepoint) and '1981:
Reagan Assassinated. Why? I'm glad you asked.
In regards to the 1936 date, If Hitler was to be assassinated, then
Israel would not have been founded. This is outlined in your own game. If
Israel was never founded, the U.S. would never support it. And if the U.S.
never supports this now-fictional Jewish state, Middle-East relations with
the U.S. might not be as strained. This could allow a possible world
alliance between U.S., France, Britain, and Palestine. The Jewish
influenced state of Germany could ally with all previously listed except
Palestine, with the common allies working to settle differences between the
two for a corner on the Engineering/Oil trade. Would Palestine entertain
an alliance with a world power so obviously encroached with Jewish
favoritism? They might, seeing it isn't their land this nation sits on.
This leads to the patch that would repair the 2001 ripplepoint that I will
speak of later.
The second date to ripple 2001 would be 1981. What would Reagan's
death do to prevent such an disaster? The answer is: reorder the flow of
power. Many would argue that the World Trade Center attack was caused by
the animosity of the U.S. presidents who share the same name. No, I don't
mean Roosevelt. Anyway, due to the Sr. president's term being cut short by
Mondale's election (also illustrated by your game), the events concerning
the Gulf Wars may never take place. Without the Gulf Wars, Arabic opinion
may not be as harsh against the U.S., allowing a possible interaction with
Middle-Eastern nations.
This leads me to my patch idea. If either one of the aforementioned
linchpins were to alternate, 2001 would ripple to paradox. The new patch
would read: "2001: Middle-East Talks Disintegrates: Peace summit between
world powers ends without a resolution." Sure, this is not an uplifting
alternative, but just a less horrifying one.
I would designate this ripplepoint a D-9(for Uberchrononauts).
In writing this missive, I looked on your concept of making the 2001
date a linchpin instead. The alternate side could still be the peace talks
dissolving (but with possible collusion opportunities, see below). A
chononaut informs the president that the only course to prevent an attack
on U.S. soil is to sit down with the other Arab nations and convince them
to police their own if they are to remain friendly with the U.N. This may
not solve anything (in fact it doesn't) but it changes the Arab view of the
U.S. from a playground bully to a sniveling peace monger, unworthy of their
notice or scorn, like France. But what would this change? Several things.
First, the card (2001) would be designated E-1. E-2 would be a second
linchpin would be '2005: Hurricanes Ravage NO. American Coast: A series of
tropical storms cause gasoline production to falter, raising the price at
the pumps." The alternative would be '2005: Star Wars Program Useful: The
newly refitted satellite defense system evaporates weather conditions with
space mounted lasers." A possible time traveler identity could feature a
New Orleans orphan, seeking to save his/her parents, time-traveling to the
future to gain valuable laser technology use for many things, including
weather control. He/She brings back the plans and sells the plans to U.S.
government, boasting stronger defense capabilities and weather control.
"Weather Control Satellite Schematics" could also be a possible artifact
for the game.
E-3 may be a ripplepoint involving the result of the 2001 attack. The
card could read "200X: U.S. Opens New Complex in Baghdad: The American
government reveals the military/embassy campus to strengthen support to
Iraq." The patch could read "200X: Arab Nations Unite: Middle-east
countries combine to form new Arab coalition with Kuwait and Saudi Arabia
as notable exceptions." This is a lead in to a later ripplepoint.
E-4 combines the "2001" linchpin with the "2005" linchpin in this one
ripplepoint. The ripplepoint will be an 'and' ripplepoint, needing both
dates to alternate it to the paradox side. The patch may read "200Y:
Arabian and American Discovery: A sharing of U.S. laser technology and old
Iraqi nuclear program yields new power source." The original time line may
read "200Y: U.S. Attacks Syria: American government continues
anti-terrorism campaign in the Middle-East." This suggests the WMD were
not just smoke and mirrors, and were possible smuggled out of the country
in our history.
These four idea is half a time line. You could make E-1 either a
linchpin or ripplepoint, that would tie in E-3 and E-4 to Hitler or Reagan.
E-4 may become an 'or + and' ripple point, needing one definitive
linchpin (2005) plus one of two others (1936 or 1981), if E-1 was a
ripplepoint. You may want to release bonus packs one row at a time as
future events play out to keep the game acurate to our history, and create
replacement cards to fill in for previous unavailable information ( such as
adding 2001 to the list of what 1936 and 1981 ripples if you make 2001 a
ripplepoint). Which brings me to my second topic. The Cuban Missile
Crisis.
In Early American Chrononauts, the 1867 patch has the U.S. purchasing
the island of Cuba. If we own Cuba in 1867, how can we have the Cuban
Missile Crisis in 1962. I have contemplated this paradox and came up with
the possible solutions.
One: Paradox. In Uberchrononauts, the 1803 linchpin should also
ripple the 1962 ripplepoint into paradox. This would not alter the patch
requirements which would still require that the 1943 and the 1957 linchpins
to be on their alternate setting, but you could not unparadox 1962 until
you return 1803 to it's original state. In fact, the patch for 1962 could
not be played without 1803 being on it's alternate setting even if you have
met the requirements for the patch, making world war 3 even harder to play.
Two: Alternate Historical Facts. In Uberchrononauts, the 1804 patch
states that Russia buys the Louisiana Territory. The 1803 ripplepoint
affects both 1803 and 1867 and causes the alternate histories. The Cuban
Missile Crisis still occurs but the missiles in middle America are Russian
in nature and the missile on Cuba belong to the U.S. Its still the Cuban
Missile Crisis.
Both of these options can be placed on your website, so players can
choose to enhance Uberchrononauts or leave it as is (with alternat
historical backing).
One last question. If the Russians buy the Louisiana Purchase and the
Alamo is razed, would the Mexican Federales burn down the Branch Davidian
Waco Compound? My wife says yes. 1995 locked. No paradox. Case
dismissed.
Thomas Robert Moresi II, The Count of St. Charles
Floyd A Grecko, The Silver Otter
_______________________________________________
Chrononauts mailing list
Chrononauts@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
http://lists.looneylabs.com/mailman/listinfo/chrononauts
_________________________________________________________________
Get live scores and news about your team: Add the Live.com Football Page
www.live.com/?addtemplate=football&icid=T001MSN30A0701