Yes, I was aware of that. I am talking about the development of strong AI that is allowed to develop, unmolested, for a few years. With the futuristic computers in Mass effect, leaving AI as strong as a human, in intelligence, alone for just a few months (with processing power as capable as the future galaxy in Mass Effect) would result in an overwhelming jump in sentience. The problem with AI is one of exponential growth and why it is a genuine threat. They did this with the Geth but did not really DO it very well. Why are the geth a threat when a dude with some weak personal shielding, some futuristic ballistic pistols, and a weak exosuit able to take down dozens of Geth on his/her own? The idea of "hive mind" is a very poor explanation. And they developed in the cold of space on their own for years.
It's even funnier because you might be serious.
Next you're going to tell me that we can't reach the moon.
Exponential growth disagrees with you. Additionally, some things in Mass Effect are "pretend" and things that will never happen (most like). FTL travel is one of them.
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Last edited by dadudemon on Dec 24th, 2011 at 02:34 AM
In one or two ways, yes. The rest? Nah. Reapers aren't some magical creatures and I do not view them as some sort of threat to humans in 50-100 years...even if we are not longer human.
Edit - Their massive immolation rounds are devastating to "capital class" ships, for sure. However...how is that different from an upscaled version of a rail-gun (it's not). Then the indoctrination field that they emit...not really all that new. If you can master organic life (knowing exactly what to do with DNA, learn how to interface with neurons and create "learning"), then how is that showing magical technology? We are trying to do the "brain waves" learning thing, now. Rail guns? We already have them. We just need much more powerful energy supplies to replicate their uber-guns.
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Last edited by dadudemon on Dec 24th, 2011 at 04:34 AM
Exponential growth isn't a guarantee of anything. It's a prediction.
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"The Daemon lied with every breath. It could not help itself but to deceive and dismay, to riddle and ruin. The more we conversed, the closer I drew to one singularly ineluctable fact: I would gain no wisdom here."
Well they aren't railguns. They're not railguns at all. Reaper tech, I mean. Sovereign fired not a laser, but a stream of molten metals from each tentacle.
And they can indoctrinate and warp space by existing, even while dead.
We have just barely tapped into what can't even be called the poor-man's version of Reaper technology.
Not even counting the fact that Mass Effect technology does run on a little something called Element Zero, that allows the setting to achieve shit like interstellar flight (AND SUPAR PSYCHIC POWAHS). Which makes it effectively magic. And that is only what the Reapers allow the galaxy to use.
Edit: All of the things that the ME setting has that you dismiss as "pretend" are only possible through throw-away Reaper technology in-setting.
And that can be done with a "super duper" rail gun. We have already considered and tried the molten round approach. Some are still interested in it (I believe some are trying molten aluminum rounds)
Additionally, it is quite a shitty way to deliver a ballistic. A heavy, durable, solid round has much more penetration and destruction power per unit mass.
Just because their central computer (their consciousness) is down, doesn't mean other systems such as the passive indoctrination emitters, are also down. That could be quickly built in as a "parallel" system in the case of the central computer failure. Redundant, independent, but controllable computers. We already do that as humans. Hardly a ground breaking and intelligent concept.
I agree. There's nothing wrong with that, however. 50 years ago, if you told a computer scientist that we would be mass-manufacturing 25nm process transistors, they would say, "wait, you figured out how to miniaturize transistors to the nanoscale...and you figured out how to pack them that close together while minimizing electronic leakage? WTF? That's impossible!" True story, bro.
And nanobots, wirelessly linked, will produce even better "psychic powahs". Not only that, they will immortalize us, repair injuries very quickly (like medi-gel), enhance our intelligence and knowledge to unimaginable levels (think Reaper...but smarter), and allow for instantaneous learning.
Too bad, element zero, you had your run.
FTL travel is definitely not "throw-away" technology. Throw-away technology are things like disposable digital cameras or outdated omni-tools. The Reapers entire plan is for the sapient species to achieve FTL travel and use the Reaper gateways (leading them back to the Citadel). That's the foundation of the Reaper's entire plan. Hardly throw-away.
While that's true, it's hardly worth entertaining a growth model that predicts it will all come to a halt. Based on the technologies in R&D, right now, there is no end in sight for our current exponential growth. In the next decade to 15 years, it is very predictable. Leave that type of stuff up to scientists and Gartner Group. If they say the miniturization of ICs will peak around 2016-2018, cool. That's the end of ICs...but then there's other technologies, not just ICs.
For instance, memristors are slated to replace RAM, CPUs, and information storage. HP has a commercial release (meaning...not for the general public) scheduled for 2014. It is showing that it will make a giant leap in processing power which is supposed to kind of throw off the whole "Moore's Law" idea.
Krauss did an analysis and says the ultimate limit is about 600 years off: hardly in the near future.
Maybe you should think about what you're typing before you hit submit: your ignorance is showing.
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Last edited by dadudemon on Dec 24th, 2011 at 11:49 PM
Probably before. Handing over control of a flying car to your average driver would be immensely disastrous.
EDIT: Well, maybe not before super-advanced, but sufficiently advanced.
__________________ And from the ashes he rose, like a black cloud. The Sin of one became the Sin of many.
Last edited by ArtificialGlory on Dec 25th, 2011 at 12:57 AM
Flying cars have been around for decades. I think you mean the AI that would allow for flying cars to be viable for the masses.
I think you mean the AI technology that already exists that can completely fly our airplanes from take off to landing? You mean that technology?????
Yes, it has existed since the 90s. Did you know that we have several systems (including survaillance technologies already in use) that completely fly themselves from takeoff to landing? Of course you didn't. You probably are not even aware of the various technologies used in FMS.
Did you also know that we have had the technology both in AI and processing power, to transform the entire US automobile infrastructure into "auto-drive" systems? Did you know that Google is giving that another go and is going to attempt a one million mile "non-human intervention" driving challenge?
Finally, did you know that the reason we don't have flying cars has nothing to do with technology? If you wanted to know: it's a social problem.
But, you'll probably just reply with another snarky comeback that amounts to more veiled whining.
Apparently not, considering Mass Effect space combat makes use of super duper railguns, which can just barely do shit to the hull of a Reaper, the weaponry of a Reaper being able to tear through capital ships like butter.
On a much smaller scale. Compared to Reapers, who can exert control over organisms (Collectors) over galactic+ distances.
Don't get me wrong, I'm not denying the exponential growth of science and being a clownshoe like Neph, I merely am expressing skepticism that we will reach Reaper technology in as little as 50-100 years. The Geth? Sure I could see us surpassing them in relatively short time, they're not that advanced, in comparison.
I'd like to see you provide evidence for this. Mostly because it is awesome, but also because I'm not quite seeing the part where we will be on par with a race that is essentially a legion of two kilometer warships that can override the will of any organism in the galaxy, one formed of technology (And organic material) that allows them to wipe out fleets of ships alone. That's not Reaper technology, that's what a Reaper is.
Not even counting that their teleportation technology apparently has enough energy stored inside to wipe out a solar system, not even counting actual weapons.
Or the whole making a little base in the middle of a supermassive black hole.
Or their ability to take a galaxy-wide civilization, indoctrinate it, then essentially remake them on the genetic level (And adding some new bitz too) until they were a different species, with a single Reaper holding control over the entire species.
I'm sorry, but you will have to forgive my skepticism over us reaching that kind of level in as short as a hundred years. Sure, the Reapers are not the most sufficiently advanced aliens there are, but stfu and make me a sammich.
Good thing that Element Zero is nothing compared to the glimpses of Reaper tech that we have seen.
Though really, it's not like Element Zero is bullshit tech or anything. It can reduce the mass of a massive starship so that it can travel at FTL speeds. Which is pretty cool.
While also traveling along the technological and evolutionary paths they impose upon the galaxy, so that they can't be a real threat to
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Dec 24th, 2011 01:09 AM
And that is only what the Reapers allow the galaxy to use.
