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C&C, I need to ask you a question...

Electro522··2 votes·314 views

I would ask in SA&S, but its not game related.

I would ask in GD, but I don't think anyone would be interested in answering.

So......I've come to you guys!

Say you're writing a fictional novel...every fictional protagonist needs something or someone to challenge their character in order to make a compelling story.

So......how would you challenge a character in a very abstract, non-physical way? If you don't know what I mean, take Superman for example. He simply cannot be challenged physically because he is physically impossible to beat. However, the way authors challenge him is that....well....he never asked to be physically impossible to beat. He wanted to be normal, but had to come to terms with the fact that he simply could not, and never would be normal, whether he liked it or not.

I'm looking for something like that. Not completely on the same lines, of course, but you get what I mean.

If you want context on my character.....well, she's a planet sized, sentient computer that was designed to answer any question and solve any problem (and no, Hitchhiker's Guide is not an inspiration). I have some very interesting stories in mind I plan to throw her into, but like Superman, she can't be challenged by anything physical in the long term. I need something more abstract......and I'm having a hrad time coming up with something.

So.....thoughts?

6 Comments

swanington1 votes

Interesting concept.
This computer is sentient but does it have emotions? If not, struggling to deal with others emotions or even the emergence of emotions in itself that it doesn't understand could be interesting.

Also moral problems could be interesting. But the nature of which depends on the nature of the computer in the universe. Who designed it? What is it's purpose in existence? Do people rely on it? How does it feel about those people?

There's a really good novella called "the stranger" I'd recommend reading. It's translated from French and about a man who feels no emotion but strives to build relationships. I'll never forget the first line. "Mother died today. Or yesterday. I don't remember."

ModEchoing1 votes

You wrote yourself into a corner there by writing a character smarter than you. Classic error, happens all the time.

To clarify: when you're billing the character as smart, that usually means that from a narrative sense they get to cheat by having information no one else could possibly know. This works out okay until you have to start answering philosophical questions for that character. Since you're the author, that means their real intellect and knowledge is gated by yours.

That's a problem, since philosophy is the best way to challenge such a character. What's the purpose of this computer? What happens when that purpose is over? Will it be over? Does anything she does matters? Can she do anything else?

The answers to those questions are going to be as convincing as you make them.

By the way, Superman's main conflict wasn't his desire to fit in, but rather pretty much everything else related to being a superhero. He's invincible, but his loved ones are not, which makes them a primary target. He has the power to solve pretty much any crime, but he can't solve every crime, which makes him pick and choose. He can do his damnedest to save Earth, but the people will still do horrible things to each other. It presents moral questions that have no easy answers, let alone correct answers.

Electro5221 votes

{quoted}

You wrote yourself into a corner there by writing a character smarter than you. Classic error, happens all the time.

Yeah.......I've also made it harder on myself with how I've structured the stories she's in. I have 5 series of books that all focus on a different character.....and she's not the main character in any of them. She's a supporting character. However, when you add all of the books tovether, you get her story.

To clarify: when you're billing the character as smart, that usually means that from a narrative sense they get to cheat by having information no one else could possibly know. This works out okay until you have to start answering philosophical questions for that character. Since you're the author, that means their real intellect and knowledge is gated by yours.

That's a problem, since philosophy is the best way to challenge such a character. What's the purpose of this computer? What happens when that purpose is over? Will it be over? Does anything she does matters? Can she do anything else?

The answers to those questions are going to be as convincing as you make them.

One thing I've been trying to toy around with is immortality. Kind of like the opposite of Cortana from Halo. It was interesting to see how an old AI not only coped with the possibility of "dying", but also being stuck with the greatest threat the galaxy has ever witnessed.

Mine would be different in that it takes a really, really, REALLY long time for her to die (I will, eventually, let her die). She builds relationships with the various characters I introduce, only to see them wither away while she keeps going.

My problem is that this has been used many times....and I'm afraid that it could come off as too cliche.

ModThe Djinn1 votes

[{quoted}](name=Paleo Electro,realm=NA,application-id=A8FQeEA8,discussion-id=AJnEb8Zy,comment-id=,timestamp=2017-12-08T07:10:06.082+0000)If you want context on my character.....well, she's a planet sized, sentient computer that was designed to answer any question and solve any problem...

Given that there's no physical threat possible, and she's designed specifically to solve EVERY problem, you have an issue, as you can't mentally challenge her either.

That probably puts you in the realm where only truly impossible conundrums (i.e. a situation where someone loses on either side and there IS no right answer), issues of morality/philosophy, or unsolvable questions are valid challenges, and that's not that exciting. Her biggest problem may be that she doesn't understand what it is to be alive -- what happens when a problem-solving computer meets, say, the idea of love and has to weigh a logical answer (say, let this person die in order to save X) vs. an emotional one that programs aren't designed to handle or account for?

Electro5221 votes

Hmmm.....perhaps that was bad wording on my part.

I said she was designed to solve every problem, I never said she could. In fact, the first story I'll have her in, she'll ultimately fail in resolving the problem she was intentionally built in response to.

Oh.....and I should have mentioned that she is designed by humans. She is FAR from perfect.

...

.........

Huh....I think you just helped me answer my own question.

Hammermancer1 votes

Lulu uhh.. the sun explodifies and she dies and stuff

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