Aliens for Reboot?!

The question has been raised as to whether or not to include alien races in our game. I would like to take this moment to point out that in September of 2010 the United Nations appointed an Ambassador for alien affairs to head the new UN department, the UN Office for Outer Space Affairs (UNOOSA). While this is clearly debatable as a gross misuse of UN funding, it does lend credibility should we decide to take our game in that direction.

http://news.softpedia.com/news/UN-Selects-Ambassador-for-Aliens-158162.shtml

While I am by no means endorsing the use of alien life in our game, I think that this subject should be opened for debate. We are dealing with subjects of Astroscience, which means issues and beliefs surrounding alien life often come in kind. I also believe that as we move forward, we should have a clear decision on where we stand on this issue.

If you have any ideas pertaining to possible alien life forms, and you have clear reasons as to why or why not to include them in the game (other than "Well, I just think they're cool") then please post your ideas in the thread below.

With that said-- gloves off. Let the debate begin...

I say nay, we want to keep things educational and I firmly believe that we are the only intelligent beings we will ever find. I would not like to be seen as promoting any of that sort of thing, unless it was clearly conveyed that we don't actually think it's 'educational'.

In short, if it's a game, sure. If it's anything more, let's stick with the abundance of other things we could do.

My reply to the humans that don't believe in aliens:
Just wait until half the population of humans get vaporized by lasers.

And to the intelligent humans:
I do believe that somewhere out in the universe, there are other planets that contains living beings and they are out there. In our history so far, humans never did find actual aliens beside the usual hoax and pranks. But maybe its just that the aliens are not technologically advanced enough to able to find us in our home planet yet. And I believe after a few more centuries, maybe we will be the invaders of another sentient being and we will be the ones called aliens.

Rainboy wrote:I say nay, we want to keep things educational and I firmly believe that we are the only intelligent beings we will ever find. I would not like to be seen as promoting any of that sort of thing, unless it was clearly conveyed that we don't actually think it's 'educational'.

In short, if it's a game, sure. If it's anything more, let's stick with the abundance of other things we could do.

^ This
We should have some markers around the website stating what is purely fictional and what isn't

I would feel much better about it, then. But I would still urge for less controversial methods to reach our goals.

Aliens would be a brilliant thing to add to this space themed Tnn. You can't very well have a space motif without any aliens, now can you? No, no you can't.

While there are an abundance of things we could use that would be considered educational, let's not forget that this is also supposed to be a game. There are many things scientific that are nothing more than theories yet unproven. Some of what we 'knew to be facts' not 50 years ago has been proven to be false (please don't ask for examples, you know I am right).

If we are going to stick strictly to factual or educational information and scenarios, then I would think things like shield generators, wormhole travel, faster-than-light travel, and other such items that have been suggested should also be out the window.

Also, if I am recalling correctly, the theme of our project is 'sci-fi' as in 'science fiction'. If that is not the case and we are going to stick to 'science fact', then the whole thing with populated planets in other solar systems and galaxies is also out the window.

I mean, really!! What was the name of the game we were all playing when TNN took a dive and got us all on this track of making our own game? Oh yeah, it was Werewolves!

I'm not saying we absolutely need to have alien races in the game nor that anyone has to believe that there are actually intelligent alien lifeforms out there (though I happen to seriously doubt that we are alone in this indescribably vast universe we reside in). I'm saying, let's remember that we are developing a 'game' and not a science fact website. We will make it educational, but I don't think that should preclude having things on the site or in the game that aren't there strictly for the edification of those who choose to visit or play.

Them's my two cents, though I know I can find more spare change around here if I need to!

Rainboy wrote:I would feel much better about it, then. But I would still urge for less controversial methods to reach our goals.

What is there about using alien life forms in the game and on the site that is controversial? I don't believe we will be telling people that aliens definitely exist or trying to convince them of this. Actually, using things like aliens, Stonehenge, Easter Island, and the Nazca Lines could promote some interesting and stimulating conversations and ideas, which are the basis for learning and developing new theories and ideas.

I told you I could find more spare change!

Lol nice one.

Spare some more change, sir?

I agree wholeheartedly with Elric on this! Nothing more really needs to e extrapolated upon.

Ok 1. im with rain im 100% sure there are no aliens that being said.

Wether i believe in them or not there will be those who do and those who dont, and i dont really think we want them in because then we have arguments and fights and i just dont think we wanna get into that one. That may just be me.

In order to increase the probability of finding life, one has to increase the search radius -> if there is other life out there, the chance of finding is goes way down, the needle in a haystack problem.

If you allow for Aliens, you will be able to draw in the hardworking crazies, MUFON, and fantasy writers.

This article, 1961, is a short read: http://www.time.com/time/magazine/article/0,9171,895649,00.html

Sources: http://www.google.com/images?q=life%20in%20the%20clouds%20of%20jupiter&oe=utf-8&rls=org.mozilla:en-US:official&client=firefox-a&um=1&ie=UTF-8&source=og&sa=N&hl=en&tab=wi&biw=1235&bih=426 http://www.google.com/imgres?imgurl=http://www.daviddarling.info/images/Jupiter_life.jpg&imgrefurl=http://www.daviddarling.info/encyclopedia/J/Jupiterlife.html&usg=__DVTHU_9da1MPwbgZpJs6p8rosig=&h=550&w=455&sz=82&hl=en&start=1&zoom=1&tbnid=9Nu1aYMZ2ZoaMM:&tbnh=133&tbnw=110&prev=/images%3Fq%3Dlife%2Bin%2Bthe%2Bclouds%2Bof%2Bjupiter%26um%3D1%26hl%3Den%26safe%3Doff%26client%3Dfirefox-a%26sa%3DN%26rls%3Dorg.mozilla:en-US:official%26biw%3D1235%26bih%3D426%26tbs%3Disch:1&um=1&itbs=1 http://www.google.com/imgres?imgurl=http://www.hardyart.demon.co.uk/webimg/alielif2.jpg&imgrefurl=http://www.hardyart.demon.co.uk/pages-gallery/p-jup1.html&usg=__037klik1tBjgqbNjJrQJAtxlp5k=&h=240&w=164&sz=4&hl=en&start=0&zoom=1&tbnid=l64fXg70A5GElM:&tbnh=146&tbnw=102&prev=/images%3Fq%3Dlife%2Bin%2Bthe%2Bclouds%2Bof%2Bjupiter%26um%3D1%26hl%3Den%26safe%3Doff%26client%3Dfirefox-a%26sa%3DN%26rls%3Dorg.mozilla:en-US:official%26biw%3D1235%26bih%3D426%26tbs%3Disch:1&um=1&itbs=1&iact=rc&dur=84&ei=oce9TJWMGIG2sAPUltXCDA&oei=oce9TJWMGIG2sAPUltXCDA&esq=1&page=1&ndsp=12&ved=1t:429,r:5,s:0&tx=33&ty=74

It's my personal opinion that a few aliens, sprinkled around the site as guides isn't going to detract from the educational setting. No one thought the Magic School Bus was real, but it was still used as a tool to teach. I see aliens in our project along the same vein.

I also want this to be a fun project, and if it's merely straight education then why are we making a "game" in the first place? I also want us to have fun with it as well, and I see using aliens as a creative way to bring in a bit-o-fun to our project. If everything is pure fact then there's no angle for fun for either the players or for us who are working to build it.

My vote is that we stick to the facts where we know there are ones (like the names of the stars, etc) and we dress it in a little creativity (like space ships that go FTL and a few aliens to be tour guides through deep space).