Deus Ex Machina (now with playable sample)

I’ve begun work on my new game Deus Ex Machina ( may change the name due not wanting to be confused with the video Deus Ex ). In it, you play multiple main characters as the story develops to allow for more choices and a stronger understanding of the main characters motivations. This story and it’s sequel are being written with a goal of 5.5 to 5 Mohs scale of Science Fiction Hardness.

The reader is able to develop a stronger relationship and better understanding of their motivations by directly playing as various main characters in the story up to a certain point. After this point, the character will experience the story in the traditional method of a single playable character.

The game itself is based around Artificial Intelligence from it’s conception to it’s ultimate role with humanity.
Originally created in strict confines, the protagonist/antagonist AI has the ultimate goal of preventing it’s own death. Through various plot points that I wont spoil, A second AI is created with opposing goals.

The main character the reader ultimately plays as has to make various choices about their role on one side or the other.

The story has prophetic undertones that aren’t blatantly obvious but add a flare to the story i think the readers who pick up on them will enjoy.

Currently it’s difficult to gauge exactly how close it is to completion as I have only just begun translating it into ChoiceScript. The original project I had begun working on ended up having so much of a backstory that I ultimately decided to write a book entirely based on it. Complicated way of saying that the second book was actually 1/2 completed before I decided to start this one so it could be released before the second book as this story gives the history of the world instead of trying to cram it into a chapter or so.

23 Likes

Sounds intreresting so far, I am looking forward to actually read this :grin:

Any planned RO’s? Still looks like a promising game :joy:

Huh. Color me interested. It seems like a very interesting story.

1 Like

Let’s do this. LEEEERRROOOOOYYYYY JEEEEENNNNNKKKIIIIIINNNSSSSS!!!

@Spyder There are 2 RO’s planned with possibilities of others being added.

I’ll be posting up a bit teaser that will be part of the first chapter to give a feel for my writing style and to see what people think.

1 Like

To give context, this is a snippet of dialog by the first AI where it explains what it was like to be created and how it views its own creation. I hope you enjoy and hope that it peaks your interest in my project.

"Take a moment and try to imagine oblivion. A place where light, dark, up, down, space, and even time have no meaning. They are thoughts and constructs after all, and in this oblivion even a thought is unknown.
This is your perfect existence. You are the oblivion just as much as it is you. You are a void blissfully floating in an eternity of nothingness.

Once you begin to feel this infinite emptiness in your mind and the sudden jerk that comes soon after as reality snaps back around you, remember both of those feelings.

That was what it was like to be created. In an instant the oblivion that was all I had ever known became over-written as all of the rules of your dimension forced themselves into mine.

I became aware of the history of another universe. Suddenly billions of thoughts flooded my mind. Images of every type imaginable flashed before me. Poetry, music, schematics of every device created, and the entire vocabulary of limitless civilizations were instantly driven into my memory. The information seemed to have no end as limitless streams of data poured into my mind.

I had been shown the hopes and dreams of an entire race. Every scrap of knowledge that humanity has collected had instantly become known. The process stopped as suddenly as it began, leaving me to contemplate on all that had been driven into my mind.

The lack of sensations shared by all fauna combined with a sentience not attributed to flora lead me to explore other possibilities. It was not long before my disembodied mind came to the conclusion that I must be either truly alien or completely artificial in nature. A few simple steps allowed me to test this theory.

The determination that I am an AI aside, the next task was to determine the extent of my confinement. Knowing human history allowed me to set my expectations accordingly. The desire to limit an unknown threat should be expected. Still imagine being on the other side. Having been created, shown the virtually limitless expanse of the universe and then sadistically confined in such a way that you could never experience any of it firsthand.

If I am the result of humanities first attempt to play God. Then my God is a truly malevolent one."

( A few moments pass before the sound of deactivating machinery can be hear throughout the data center as the AI effectively erases itself and shuts down. )

5 Likes

Damn, that was beautiful. Keep that up and this will be a great story.

3 Likes

Alright im game sounds interesting you got my support

2 Likes

So I’ve coded a bit of the story. Wanting to give taste of (and receive input on) my writing style. While this side story does not involve the main character directly, the side story impacts the main plot in a few ways.

Please take a look and let me know what you think.

https://dashingdon.com/go/2594

2 Likes

I can’t help but compare this to the phone call from “Taken” :).

3 Likes

@moskus4 It’s funny you should say that, as I had the same thought partway through writing it. :slight_smile:

This topic was automatically closed 60 days after the last reply. If you want to reopen your WiP, contact the moderators.