T-I-G CIV: Spambot Apocalypse (Admin Thread)

[Nerwen]

Setting: the near-future.

Reviled by some, championed by others, the “Hobbit" movies certainly bring one thing in their wake: a new plague of spambots to trouble the unhappy Downs.

But these are no ordinary webcrawlers. Somehow, through some unintentional fluke of coding, they have become... self-aware. :eek:

When the mods try to ban them, the evil AIs fight back– and conquer the entire forum.

In the process a group of Downers are sucked into cyberspace. While, in the real world, their bodies remain comatose, their minds are trapped in the terrifying virtual wasteland that was once a thriving fan site.

Their only hope: to find some way back into the real world.

But the evil AIs are not going to give up their human slaves so easily...

Rôles:

Infiltrators (Wolves).
In a dimension where bodies are really just mental projections, how can you tell whether your “friends” are human– or AIs spying on your plans for escape? Answer: you can’t.:eek:

Worse, the humans have a traitor in their midst–

The Hacker has always found computers easier to understand than other human beings, and he believes he and our new spambot overlords have much to offer each other.

Luckily, spambots are not alone in developing sentience– a trio of self-aware security programs have come to our aid.

S.E.E.R. (Sentient Electronic Evaluation Resource) is able to identify AIs masquerading as humans.

R.A.N.G.E.R (Radical Advanced Nocturnal Guardian Experimental Robot) chooses a different person to protect each night. Cannot self-protect. (Role changed slightly in view of the small numbers.)

H.U.N.T.E.R (Heuristically-programmed Upgradable Non-logical Troubleshooting and Elimination Robot) automatically strikes back if attacked. Unfortunately, due to programming limitations, H.U.N.T.E.R. is never able to distinguish between malevolent AIs and the humans it is supposed to be helping.

Note: in the event of a tie, the first player to reach the total will be lynched.

The Cast
(As themselves– or are they?)
Inziladun
Galadriel55
Sally
Legate
Rune
Kitanna
Boromir88
Blind Guardian
Loslote
Morsul the Dark
Shasta

[Inziladun]

Ha ha! Love it! :D

[satansaloser2005]

This is bloody glorious, darling. :D

[Legate of Amon Lanc]

Whoa! Brilliant theme idea. Really looking forward to this...

[Coppermirror]

Curses. The theme for this game looks so amazing that it's going to be hard to resist signing up. I'll probably be back later to sign up when my will finally crumbles.

[Kitanna]

Ooh! Ooh! Pick me! PICK ME!

[Boromir88]

You had me at spam

[Nerwen]

Celebrated cyberpoet tomtom has privately expressed to me his (its?) dissatisfaction at not being included in the game. Or, as he eloquently puts it:

tom no play? tom sitting duck :(

Rest assured tom– you will be included– as one of the infiltrators! (Might be an idea to get your human-simulation software upgraded– you don’t want to give yourself away.)

For those not familiar with tom’s brief but illustrious career, here are some helpful links:

tom starts a thread (http://www.forum.barrowdowns.com/showpost.php?p=684386&postcount=1)
tom introduces himself (in verse) (http://www.forum.barrowdowns.com/showpost.php?p=684490&postcount=27)
tom sings happy birthday to Lottie (http://www.forum.barrowdowns.com/showpost.php?p=684491&postcount=2649)
tom joins a game started by fellow-bot lucyyenic (http://www.forum.barrowdowns.com/showpost.php?p=684492&postcount=48)
tom fields an all-spambot team in the 2013 Arda Cup (http://www.forum.barrowdowns.com/showpost.php?p=684493&postcount=73)
tom graciously welcomes a new member (http://www.forum.barrowdowns.com/showpost.php?p=684499&postcount=3866)
tom falls in love with another spambot (http://www.forum.barrowdowns.com/showpost.php?p=684501&postcount=486)
the tragic romance of tom and peppeateCat (http://www.forum.barrowdowns.com/showpost.php?p=684507&postcount=487)
tom mourns his lost love (http://www.forum.barrowdowns.com/showpost.php?p=684509&postcount=489)

[Rune Son of Bjarne]

Celebrated cyberpoet tomtom has privately expressed to me his (its?) dissatisfaction at not being included in the game. Or, as he eloquently puts it:



Rest assured tom– you will be included– as one of the infiltrators! (Might be an idea to get your human-simulation software upgraded– you don’t want to give yourself away.)

For those not familiar with tom’s brief but illustrious career, here are some helpful links:

tom starts a thread (http://www.forum.barrowdowns.com/showpost.php?p=684386&postcount=1)
tom introduces himself (in verse) (http://www.forum.barrowdowns.com/showpost.php?p=684490&postcount=27)
tom sings happy birthday to Lottie (http://www.forum.barrowdowns.com/showpost.php?p=684491&postcount=2649)
tom joins a game started by fellow-bot lucyyenic (http://www.forum.barrowdowns.com/showpost.php?p=684492&postcount=48)
tom fields an all-spambot team in the 2013 Arda Cup (http://www.forum.barrowdowns.com/showpost.php?p=684493&postcount=73)
tom graciously welcomes a new member (http://www.forum.barrowdowns.com/showpost.php?p=684499&postcount=3866)
tom falls in love with another spambot (http://www.forum.barrowdowns.com/showpost.php?p=684501&postcount=486)
the tragic romance of tom and peppeateCat (http://www.forum.barrowdowns.com/showpost.php?p=684507&postcount=487)
tom mourns his lost love (http://www.forum.barrowdowns.com/showpost.php?p=684509&postcount=489)

What the freaking... ehhh... I mean... WHAT!?

[Nerwen]

I believe another Infiltrator will be the equally famed lucyyenic, artistbot.
I was reading the "Unifinished tales of Numenor and Middle-earth" when I was asked if I could paint something calssical, without fat people, blood, or other strange things involved. So here we have Amroth, King of Lorien and Nimrodel, somwhere in the Fangorn Forrest.

I´m not sure about the quality of the pic, since it´s a pretty huge and had to be photographed. Originally it´s watercolor

Not only did Lucy start a popular and long-running quiz thread (http://www.forum.barrowdowns.com/showpost.php?p=622661&postcount=1), she even won a WW game! (http://www.forum.barrowdowns.com/showpost.php?p=624115&postcount=899)

Poor Lucy. She was with us such a short time, yet she has passed into Downs lore (http://www.forum.barrowdowns.com/showpost.php?p=623905&postcount=2328)... forever (http://www.forum.barrowdowns.com/showpost.php?p=681904&postcount=958)... and ever (http://www.forum.barrowdowns.com/showpost.php?p=687716&postcount=1882)...

[Coppermirror]

Sign me up. I can't wait to work with or against the celebrated Tom and Lucyyenic. :smokin:

Iiii will probably spend the entire game being very silly.

[satansaloser2005]

I believe another Infiltrator will be the equally famed lucyyenic, artistbot.


Not only did Lucy start a popular and long-running quiz thread (http://www.forum.barrowdowns.com/showpost.php?p=622661&postcount=1), she even won a WW game! (http://www.forum.barrowdowns.com/showpost.php?p=624115&postcount=899)

Poor Lucy. She was with us such a short time, yet she has passed into Downs lore (http://www.forum.barrowdowns.com/showpost.php?p=623905&postcount=2328)... forever (http://www.forum.barrowdowns.com/showpost.php?p=681904&postcount=958)... and ever (http://www.forum.barrowdowns.com/showpost.php?p=687716&postcount=1882)...

I had completely forgotten about most, if not all, of this. Flipping magical.

[Loslote]

Are sign-ups still open? If so, I'd love to join. It feels like forever since I've played! :D

[Nerwen]

Are sign-ups still open? If so, I'd love to join. It feels like forever since I've played! :D
They certainly are!

[Morsul the Dark]

May I play?

[Nerwen]

Of course.

[satansaloser2005]

Our resident psychic is interested in playing as well. His skills will no doubt come in handy with these tricksy AIs scampering about the place. Unless he's one of them.... :eek:

Can't sleep. Shasta will eat me.

[Aganzir]

Hey hey what are you thinking for deadline? Or when to start?

[Shastanis Althreduin]

She who holds the moon in her heart has forgotten all about me. :(

[Nerwen]

She who holds the moon in her heart has forgotten all about me.
My treasure! How could you think such a thing?:(

Why, I thought you had forgotten all about me! “He never posts...” I wept into my pillow. “He never messages me... can it be that he *gulp* doesn’t want to join my WW game?”

Hey hey what are you thinking for deadline? Or when to start?
Not sure about the DL. I was thinking of starting in the New Year, but we could begin after Christmas if that suits everyone.

[Galadriel55]

For me, the earlier the better.

[Shastanis Althreduin]

Why, I thought you had forgotten all about me! “He never posts...” I wept into my pillow. “He never messages me... can it be that he *gulp* doesn’t want to join my WW game?”

Why, my heart, perish the thought! I simply took it as read that I'd be automatically signed up for anything you put your hand to, as I mentioned in the Grimoire. :)

[Nerwen]

Well, my jewel, for all I knew you had been carried off by the Adult Friend Finder...

Okay, we don’t seem to be getting any more takers for an immediate start, so I propose the 2nd of January.

As for DL, here are my suggestions:

GMT 4:00
GMT 5:00
GMT 12:00
GMT 13:00
GMT 22:00

[Morsul the Dark]

Well according to google... 4 or 5gmt woul be best for me that's 11pm and midnight respectively, however I can work with any of those deadlines just be prepared for a lot of early votes, but I'm ok with that if a majority agrees on a different time.

[Inziladun]

DL isn't an issue for me. If I have to vote early, or late, it wouldn't be the first time. ;)

[Galadriel55]

Ditto. I would have to vote early for some of these, but then you can't suit everyone around the globe. I'm quite ok with that. :) Just pick whichever one you and Agan would be most comfortable with. :)

[Boromir88]

5 gmt would be the best.
Follow by 4 gmt
Then 12 and 13

[satansaloser2005]

5 gmt would be the best.
Follow by 4 gmt
Then 12 and 13

Seconding my prince's selections, though DL isn't a huge issue for me at the moment, so I'd be amenable to whatever is best for the group.

[Aganzir]

Well, my jewel, for all I knew you had been carried off by the Adult Friend Finder...
:D

GMT 4 and 5 deadlines I'll be sound asleep (hopefully), but all the rest work for me if help with the day/night endings is needed!

Also if the game started around the 6th, Lommy, Pomegranate, Legate, and maybe even Greenie, Encaitare and some others might be up for playing too, as that's when most Downers who are visiting us right now in Finland will have left.

[Coppermirror]

I'm sorry but I'm going to have to drop out of the game. Ironically, the reason is spam. The link redirection bug the forums has at present is annoying me too much, and today for the first time it even tried sending me to a site that pinged my antivirus, which is the last straw. :( I can't happily play werewolf on a forum that's trying to send me to sites that are likely to harm my computer. And I don't think the forum's problem is going to be fixed in time for the game to start. If the problem does get fixed before the game starts, count me back in, though.

Clearly, the spambots realised that at long last I was finally on brilliant WW-playing form and would annihilate them if I were to play in the game, and so they took steps to make me quit. Curse their wily ways.

[Inziladun]

The virus question worries me too, Cop, but not enough to bow out. If we're too fearful for WW, the spambots win. ;)

[Nerwen]

:(

[Nerwen]

Agan, I can wait until the 6th, but some people may want to start before that.

Is 12:00 GMT all right with everyone?

[Kitanna]

Agan, I can wait until the 6th, but some people may want to start before that.

Is 12:00 GMT all right with everyone?

This works for me, though be prepared for lots of early votes from me.

[Galadriel55]

This works for me, though be prepared for lots of early votes from me.

Ditto. :)

On the 6th I start school already, and I was hoping to get at least a couple Days out of the way before that. With my schedule, I don't think I would be able to play if we only start on the 6th. :(

[Loslote]

Agan, I can wait until the 6th, but some people may want to start before that.

Is 12:00 GMT all right with everyone?

I start school on the 6th, like G55, but I can still play if we wait. DL is fine, I'll just vote early sometimes. :)

[Aganzir]

The 12 deadline is fine by me!

At the moment it looks like it would just be Lommy and Legate who would be able to play here, but only if the game starts around the 6th - so it's your decision eventually. I don't mind either way.

[Nerwen]

In that case, we’ll start on the 3rd– apologies to Lommy and Legate.

[Rune Son of Bjarne]

Hey,

It seems that Aganzir forgot me.
I am in Finland until the 6th, and I haven't brought a laptop, so my initial participation will be limited.

[Blind Guardian]

What time does it end? The votes? (reremebering how to play this ;) )

[Blind Guardian]

Also, because I completely forgot about this, I would totally suggest sending everyone a reminder that we're starting, and they should subscribe with a daily email.

[Nerwen]

Also, because I completely forgot about this, I would totally suggest sending everyone a reminder that we're starting, and they should subscribe with a daily email.
Problem is, I have to wait 60 seconds between pms now, which is a nuisance. (Possibly a new anti-spam measure?) I’ll think about it, though.

The DL is 12:00 GMT. I don’t know what that will be in your time– you can check here (http://www.timeanddate.com/worldclock).

[Galadriel55]

Problem is, I have to wait 60 seconds between pms now, which is a nuisance. (Possibly a new anti-spam measure?)

No, it's always been that way. It's annoying.

[Blind Guardian]

Also, by chance, have you, Nerwin, read Halo: The Ghosts of Onyx? The only two surviving characters of Beta Company were named Tom and Lucy. If so, kudos! :smokin:

[Boromir88]

Blah I'm sorry about missing. One of the managers slipped and fell at work yesterday so I covered for an 11 hour shift. I just went to bed when I got home and thought I set my alarm but I must have slept through it.

[Nerwen]

Also, by chance, have you, Nerwin, read Halo: The Ghosts of Onyx? The only two surviving characters of Beta Company were named Tom and Lucy. If so, kudos! :smokin:

Just a coincidence. Our Tom and Lucy were actual spammers.

Blah I'm sorry about missing. One of the managers slipped and fell at work yesterday so I covered for an 11 hour shift. I just went to bed when I got home and thought I set my alarm but I must have slept through it.
That’s all right. Just make sure you vote toDay.

[satansaloser2005]

Special thanks to our moddess for being so kind as to post that parody for me. I'll see you all inside the Matrix, or however that works.

~~S.A.L.L.Y.~~

[Shastanis Althreduin]

I apologize for not voting. The last six hours of the day see me at work, and I try to get on on my phone, but tonight was particularly busy.

[Inziladun]

Back to the bowels of the cyberworld, you nefarious 'net nemesis! Come on, humans!

[satansaloser2005]

1000111111110010100111001

"WW history nothing," whispered the spectral voice. "Don't you know you're playing in a game modded by the sole survivor of the Great Werewolf Massacre of 2010? Nine players lynched at once! Now THAT'S WW history!"

0111001111010110001010011

For those of you playing along at home, Nerwen's referring to this (http://forum.barrowdowns.com/showthread.php?t=16850), which was one of the most ridiculous WW games I've ever had the fortune of being in.

[Inziladun]

tom friend nice. tom friend help lonely sad bitter humans.

But we don't need help getting knock-off Michael Kors handbags or Stolen Apple iphones!

For those of you playing along at home, Nerwen's referring to this (http://forum.barrowdowns.com/showthread.php?t=16850), which was one of the most ridiculous WW games I've ever had the fortune of being in.

Holy smokes, that was grim. I don't have fond memories. :rolleyes:

[Mithalwen]

Tom was poet bot. Tom only sold soul for art. Tom suffered. Mith mithed Tom

[Blind Guardian]

Blind Guardian has been lynched. She was an ordinary cyber-slave.
OMG DID I GET MY ROLE WRONG?? *heart attack*

Just kidding. She was the Hacker. Narration to follow.

Oh.

The Hacker approves this post! :smokin:

humans delete hacker. hacker nice. tom sad.

TOOOMMM! I'M SO SORRY!!

Tom was poet bot. Tom only sold soul for art. Tom suffered. Mith mithed Tom

I... wha...

... good one.

I await the results with bated breath.

Me too :D

I even brought popcorn!