Question How advanced is the WA Universe???

OK. So 1st Gen is set from 2006 up to (as of now) 2008 AFAIK. We know that things like nanotech, space habitats, power armour, a moonbase, fusion technology, advanced robotics and AI all exist in this time frame, and stuff such as a mars mission and other stuff that we in 2018 are still at the very least four years away from are on the drawing board (while in 2008, people were less disposed towards a mars mission than we are now, with the advent of private space agencies and things like Mars One not happening till the 2010's). In our 2007-8, we didn't come close to this level of advancement, and we still don't have the requisite technology today (at least to the same level as the WA Universe).

In 2nd Gen, set from 2015-onwards, the technology seems to advanced a lot. People now have AI companions and assistants on their wrists. Holographic Simulation technology is on the market, and is being used for worldwide gaming competitions. As for other advancements, I haven;t read that far yet.

However, this throws up some questions. In 1st Gen, Lancer mentions The Great Escape. If gadgeteers & devisors have been around since the end of the 1st world war, how the hell does the popular culture of the WA universe remain parallel to ours?? In 2001, you'd imagine that Halo (which exists in the universe as seen through comments in The Boston Brawl would have graphics comparable to Halo 5 at the very least. While the advancement of the first halo game in the WAU is not explicitly stated, it would certainly be much better rendered compared to our version. As such, the Great Escape wouldn't be the Great Escape, as they'd be using graphics that would certainly be comparable to, say, Saving Private Ryan. Special effects would be much more advanced for the time frame. In addition, stuff like Tenchi Muyo wouldn't be the same as our universe, and therefore certain references wouldn't apply. Certain animation elements would only be in Tenchi Muyo becuase the animators didn't have access to better techniques, ones which could have been developed sooner in the WAU. As for 2nd Gen, I don't think a Samsung Galaxy would be in Lapin's possession, as they wouldn't be a galaxy series. If they can put a VI on someone's wrist, I'd imagine that a Samsung Galaxy would be a transparent ultrathin piece of crappy Korean Knock-off Garbage (iPhone Master Race!!!). It wouldn't be a bulky, pointless iphone ripoff like it is in our universe. Actually, I just realised. They'd both be Sh*t in whatever universe you make a galaxy in. You know why....Ok, I'll stop my rant now.

Point is, how can common brands, popular media and other IRL stuff be in the universe without being radically different???

We're wielding InSpiteOfANail like a sledgehammer, basically?

Basically kick our tech up about 10 years, IIRC, with worse diseases, but more cures, and stack a few new techs in there.

Gen2/3 is when the changes start getting really visible.

As far as movies and other media go, there is no reason to assume that the WU versions are identical to ours. Similar, yes, but identical no. The Great Escape was made in 1963, 3 years before Whateley opened as Mutant High.

According to Mr. Mahren, when he started at Whateley there were about 200 students, in 6 years that jumped to 600.

I imagine that the WU didn't have the Apollo-Shuttle gap that we had, so manned space travel was more consistent and better developed. The Goodkinds have there own launch site near the equator.

But the real reason is so the reader will understand it. Referencing the popular Anime "Gorilla MacMulligan" doesn't tell the reader crap, but referencing Akira does. (At least you can google Akira).

Valentine wrote: As far as movies and other media go, there is no reason to assume that the WU versions are identical to ours. Similar, yes, but identical no. The Great Escape was made in 1963, 3 years before Whateley opened as Mutant High.

According to Mr. Mahren, when he started at Whateley there were about 200 students, in 6 years that jumped to 600.

I imagine that the WU didn't have the Apollo-Shuttle gap that we had, so manned space travel was more consistent and better developed. The Goodkinds have there own launch site near the equator.

But the real reason is so the reader will understand it. Referencing the popular Anime "Gorilla MacMulligan" doesn't tell the reader crap, but referencing Akira does. (At least you can google Akira).

And there you have it. In order for this universe to be as attractive as it is to us, it has to have common reference points. Maybe the way the movie or Anime was done will be different, but it did exist and would be recognizable to a viewer in this universe if they were accidentally transferred to Whateley Universe. Beyond that probably until the late 70s at least the history of that universe was so parallel to ours that only the occasional appearance of a superhero or villain in the flesh would have been strongly different. Oh there were metas in the armies of the Axis and Allies but for the most part they didn't affect the overall progress or outcome of the war. Sure some of them escaped to Fascism south (AKA Argentina) but mostly they were kept quiet by those few who took a look at what was done and became like the hero Unforgiven [google says: Unvergeben] (I don't recall how to spell the German version of that name and won't take a stab at it) who came down on any nasty sympathizers who got too visible like 1,000,000 tons of lead from orbit.

For the most part, the 'Theme Agents' of World War II and the 'Mystery Men' of World War I were spread fairly evenly on both sides and so canceled each other out. The smart phone hit much sooner, as did the tablet, in the Whateley Universe than ours, and while they don't quite have the future promised in 2001 A Space Odyssey they are much closer to it than we are.

As for the rest, well read a bit more closely. You might notice the Gizmatic Communicator is the most popular brand of smart phone, followed quickly by the Goodkind, Apple and various Google/Android Offerings.

Space travel is akin to what Air Travel was in the 20s or 30s, everyone is impressed, but it is largely the play thing of the very well to do, if not the truly wealthy, but that is slowly changing. And there are just enough little advancements (monopole drives) for things to be shocking to someone from our Universe to pay a visit. Reed Richards isn't useless , but he hasn't remarkably changed the way we live, either.

Why would you have to Google Akira??? It’s a classic which everyone should watch or know about!!! I mean, seriously!!!

CrazyMinh wrote: Why would you have to Google Akira??? It’s a classic which everyone should watch or know about!!! I mean, seriously!!!

Because you never got interested in Anime. While I don't have to google Akira, I've seen the original in Japanese, and both dubbings, most of the Anime mentioned in the WU I do have to google, along with a lot of the other cartoons.

JG wrote: WA universe is more advanced... But not MUCH more advanced.

The distrust of mutant-inspired tech is real, and the suppression of gadgeteer innovation moreso.

Japan likes Gadgeteers though... So how much better is their tech, compared to America's? Then again, America has more of them, enough that even with discrimination, the tech levels even out?

Then there's companies that do use Gadgeteers like NEXT, and DARPA or something? Whisper's nanites are a clear advancement over RL tech?

There is also the effect of standing on the shoulders of giants as it were. In other words because there is new tech that we have not experienced there will be developments from that which are almost unimaginable. Loophole had the goal of space travel. She even wrote up modifications of rocket engines from info in popular science if I recall correctly that was useful and was part of why she ended up at Whateley before she manifested.

Anne wrote: There is also the effect of standing on the shoulders of giants as it were.

Funny you should put it quite that way. If you're interested in the subject, I highly recommend the official history of NASA's Project Gemini On The Shoulders Of Titans. While not riveting reading for any but a space nerd like me, it tells the fascinating tale of the 'forgotten' program between Mercury and Apollo where the real meat of manned space flight was worked out.

And it's an interesting pun as the launch vehicle for all the Gemini missions was the Titan II missile. So the program literally was carried on the shoulders of a titan missile.

Kristin Darken wrote:

Anne wrote: Loophole had the goal of space travel. She even wrote up modifications of rocket engines from info in popular science if I recall correctly that was useful and was part of why she ended up at Whateley before she manifested.

Yes, and this is why I created Lexi. She's currently only been seen as an introduction via Esoteric, who she's attached herself to for personal reasons... but she's at Whateley because her family told her that if there was any program in place that would be far enough along in developing space travel for her theories to be put to the test, it would be WA. So... purely by 'coincedence' we have an expert in getting off the planet and moving around within our solar system at the school at the same time as someone who has what is believed to be a viable (and buildable) FTL drive.

So... the question is... 'when' do Lanie and Lexi meet?

I'd say... when people other than Team Kimba learn about Yukinojo.

Kristin Darken wrote:

Anne wrote: Loophole had the goal of space travel. She even wrote up modifications of rocket engines from info in popular science if I recall correctly that was useful and was part of why she ended up at Whateley before she manifested.

Yes, and this is why I created Lexi. She's currently only been seen as an introduction via Esoteric, who she's attached herself to for personal reasons... but she's at Whateley because her family told her that if there was any program in place that would be far enough along in developing space travel for her theories to be put to the test, it would be WA. So... purely by 'coincedence' we have an expert in getting off the planet and moving around within our solar system at the school at the same time as someone who has what is believed to be a viable (and buildable) FTL drive.

So... the question is... 'when' do Lanie and Lexi meet?

When Lexi gets her chocolate FTL drive into Lanie's peanut butter spaceship.