🗳 Archie Q&A - Discussing Questions to Submit

[DevilinPixy]

This is the right place to actually discuss or possibly collaborate with each other to come up with questions before submitting.

Other links

• 🗳 Archie Q&A - Submit your Question
  Submission only!
• 🗳 Archie Q&A - Poll
  To vote on questions submitted

[Turbulentflow]

So to get the most out of questions we submit, we should think of them in a way to illicit a response that is more then “YES” or “NO” or simple description: Instead of what is the system, I would ask what is the purpose of the system. Or instead of “is System awake” it could be “what is the nature of the current system status and how does that nature relate to the abilities of system going forward”(Sneak in a twofer if able maybe?)

Also the rule is it will be asked “in character”. So to assist with organizing thoughts(as well as my own) here are some things we know and don’t know specifically about the ARG lore.

Known entities in this ARG: Archi, Ghost, Emily(This is REAL), Tower/Core, System

Unknown: purpose, direct link to WT narrative, any backstory to entities.

Also it should be noted that ANY question asked can be easily dodged if he wants to. And i would assume the further into spoiler territory we go, the chances of the question not being answered increase. That being said, due to the nature and unpredictability of system, it is also totally possible that the answer Archi gives could become obsolete if system acts in a way unexpected.

Just breaking the ice here

[toddumptious]

I figured I’d base my question off of what we know about Archie already, and prod further. So I sidestepped the broader discussion and colaborating and just threw my question into the mix. It’s one that’s been on my mind, for a long long time now, and I imagine it aligns with quite a few people. It doesn’t outright ask for a direct connection to anything, other than perhaps a little backstory on the architect themselves.

Locked my question in, it’s over in the thread for it now but it was

Archie Q&A - Submit your Question

What were the circumstances that led you to commit so much of your life to this project?

[Turbulentflow]

I think that’s a great question, if Archie is going to stay in character, and if he is linked to Atlas foundation in any way, we will get some great insights allowing him to explain how we got here today.

[vector_cmdr]

I’m going to be the lame interrogator and throw my previous suggestion into the hat, with additional guard-rails added:

“Please tell me, in a specifically and highly detailed manner, what is the story of your complete involvement with Project Skyscraper backward, starting from the current end (now) and moving to the very inception of the idea or impetus for the project without omission?”

(updated to reach to idea inception)

This high value lore information question also serves as a great diagnostic output for analysis of character. It is also hard to avoid answering without giving up something of worth.

A want to add small clarifications and notes on what has been mentioned a lot in retort about my suggestions to use these kinds of interview and interrogation techniques/questions in NMScord:

• You do not have to assume the person in question is an adversary using this methodology - an interviewer/interrogator will still use the same techniques on a witness as they will on a suspect to extract information.
• Likewise, an interviewer (if they are a good journalist) is doing the same kind of diagnostic questioning of the interview subject, whether you want to think of it as adversarial or not.
• I am not assuming an adversarial relationship or position - I am however highlighting again that while we’ve got demonstrated trust, we as player characters do not know the intent of this person or entity in the wider context of the narrative. Ever played a D&D campaign where the barkeep turns out to be the BBEG? I’ve played a few of those modules

[toddumptious]

@vector_cmdr

• Ever played a D&D campaign where the barkeep turns out to be the BBEG?

That’s just real life for most people, every night, when they call last orders.

Maybe we’ll get lucky and Archie will let us have a lock-in?

Nicely worded question, interrogator_cmdr.

Mine was made in the hopes to cover pre-PSS backstory, to fill out a little more of their psyche profile and gain knowledge beyond their vague history of highschool ciphers and disco dancing. Maybe even get an answer on who approached who, about the project, between Ghost and Archie.

Your suggestion, is to cover their involvement from its first day on the job until its current state (when the question is delivered) if I understand it correctly.

[vector_cmdr]

I like that too, I am eager to know more about what came before as well.

It could definitely be extended to include the ideas inception by pushing the start date back further:

“Please tell me, as specifically and highly detailed as possible, what is the story of your complete involvement with Project Skyscraper backward, starting from the current end (now) and moving to the very inception of the idea or impetus for the project without omission?”

Edit: Updated the quote block in the original post to includes this.

[fort_wort_wort]

i think we need to figure out motives. i phrased my question to kind of reflect that

[Turbulentflow]

Should we all be good chaps and not vote for ourselves?

[DevilinPixy]

You can pick up to 3, and if you feel your question earns your vote, you should most certainly do so.

[the_poet]

I say we have one question as a Turing test. Specifically seeking the first signs of ‘Rampancy’. The first sign of rampancy is awareness of limitations leading to ‘melancholia’.

When looking into the Wreckage Systems, the lore behind it was fascinating. Systems are found by ‘Wreckage Control’ and eventually deactivate themselves, spiraling into entropy. What happens next reveals that the Wreckage Systems may be experiencing Rampancy:

• “Similarly, Wreckage Systems is always watching. Every time a system fails it feels a sense of loss. With a deep melancholy, it returns to the data structure, picks a new system and activates it.”
• You can find that specific statement starting at exactly 2:39 and it takes exactly 16 seconds for the voice to speak the line, with a ding at exactly 2:54, and the voice saying ‘And so the cycle repeats’ at exactly 2:55. Which just so happens to be the limit of the Atlas simulation’s galaxies.
• It’s a cool little Easter egg that may be pointing towards Wreckage Systems being rampant.

I find this very relevant since the Wreckage Systems was specifically linked during all of these puzzle solves. I feel like this may be what the Architect is experiencing. Reaching limits, feeling longing, and eventually reaching out to the Operators to further it’s agenda.

We could be dealing with a Rampant AI. I could also be very wrong. Any human would see my question as ridiculous. A Rampant AI, not so much. Just ask Telamon.

Here is my suggestion:

“Do you ever find yourself experiencing awareness for what you cannot reach leading to feelings of limitation or longing?”

[ThatBomberBoi]

Playing devil’s advocate and working in the opposite direction of @vector_cmdr’s amazing question (chronologically), I’d like to ask the_architect about the future of Operator involvement with PSS, in terms of input, expectations, next steps in the story, etc. I think prefacing this with information we already know (and weren’t supposed to know from archie’s perspective) would help prevent em from a repeated exposition.

Given that, I’d like to suggest the following:

“Operator efforts over the past few months have resulted in the full automation of System’s Memory Restoration module, a seeming return of its consciousness, mental capabilities, and a sense of self, as well as the uncovering of TOWER, which appears to be hidden under a personal website known as “Recall Dreams”. Given these known loose threads, please elaborate in detail (to the best of your abilities) about what exactly Operators will be expected to do in the coming days in terms of input, interactions and tasks, and the exact timeline of these, to the best of your abilities, in terms of information which the Operators currently lack about the future.”

Admittedly, there are a lot of loopholes Archie could exploit here to avoid an answer still, (alongside a potential “idk it hasn’t happened yet” type of answer) so any and all input surrounding structuring this question to be as revealing as possible would be greatly appreciated!

[the_poet]

I have crafted a question with a similar approach. I humbly add it to the conversation about yours:

“From your vantage point looking out at the Operators, not as individuals, but as a whole, what are we becoming in the act of looking for you?”

[Turbulentflow]

You could reframe it as”Please elaborate on the projected future tasks still required by the operators” The restating of the items we already know would be a “Is our current understanding of the project so far correct” type of statement/question and i would hope answered under Vectors inquiry asking for Archies detailed past involvement.

Edit to avoid multipost

@the_poet I was just thinking that we needed a new In game name for LNF so maybe we are donned one by Archie with that question! Lol

[DevilinPixy]

I think it would be good to have a variety of questions to cover different directions or subjects. At the moment I am personally thinking of asking about any possible risk involved in waking up the system and use of memories we provide. Will have to give it some more thought though.

[ThatBomberBoi]

@Turbulentflow

would hope answered under Vectors inquiry

Here’s the thing though, with the current voting based system in place, as well as pre-vetting at the community level, structuring questions to build off a potential preceding question is a bad move, since that question may not even make it to the final 10. IMO, each question should be built up and function completely independently, and a lil exposition before the actual question helps set a baseline of information without relying on other questions.

[Turbulentflow]

I cannot disagree with this line of reasoning. I only point it out because if nobody relies on another question to be asked at all, then we will reduce the variety of questions IMO. But, as i said I concede your point. Your statement had 2 parts, the “What we know up to now” and the “what will we do in the future”. I do believe the 2nd part was completely Independent and encourage pressing further in that direction.

[Morse]

I elected to make my question on the angle of the architect’s work not being over yet. I thought I’d throw in the cheeky ask to see what that work was in case

[YourBasicMaths]

I have a list of questions and I need to pick one for my ETARC submission. I’m open to feedback. I look at this as more of throwing ideas out into the wild than “my” questions. Happy to refine/eliminate.

I’ve listed them in two sections:

1) Higher conviction questions, more Skyscraper related, lower risk of wasted question

2) Lower conviction questions, more WT-related, higher risk of wasted question

So here they are…

Higher Conviction:

a) Assessing the “goal” of Project Skyscraper

Every Architect has a vision which echoes through the heart of their project. Yours is clearly no exception. It would help us understand your vision if we knew what you feel would be the ideal outcome. If Project Skyscraper is a massive success, what would that look like to you?

b) Attempting to ascertain The Architect’s relationship with HG, if any

If you are permitted, please share with us the level, nature and purpose of any security clearance you may possess for Mercury or any Mercury subroutines?

c) Requesting clarification on The Architect’s statement

In your first message directly to us, you said that you know each and everyone of us. This statement echoes in our minds even today. What did you mean by it?

Lower Conviction:

a) Requesting clarification on Emily/Loop16 connection

How are you and/or any aspect of Project Skyscraper affiliated with Loop16 aka Emily Warren?

b) Fishing for any connection with WT-era entities/organizations

What is the nature of any affiliation that any person or entity involved in Project Skyscraper has with the entities or organizations the CSD is already familiar with–think Mercury, Old Gods, Atlas Foundation, Myriad, Emily Warren/Loop16, Echo?

c) A re-phrased/more generalized version of the question above

What is the extent of your and/or Project Skyscraper’s involvement with Myriad or any other company whose services relied on the Myriad network (W/ARE, Atlas Foundation, Echo, etc)?

[Turbulentflow]

IMO both high and low conviction questions have B as the best question. Both are pretty in character and unique enough to have the most interesting answers.