There are billions of stars, millions of planets, but there is only one man, Terrance McDoogal. Welcome to LIU Atlas.
LIU Atlas - Haesito
The Ludgonian Industrial Union's galaxy contains billions of stars and billions of planets. Unfortunately, most residents of the LIU could only name a handful of these worlds. In order to improve astronomy grades across the LIU Galaxy, TV2 has started a new program called LIU Atlas. Follow our host, Terrance McDoogal, as he takes you on a tour across the LIU and some of its more obscure worlds.
Note: This episode is presented in full screen. The corresponding dialogue is underneath each photo.
Note: This episode is presented in full screen. The corresponding dialogue is underneath each photo.
Doog: “Welcome to another episode of LIU Atlas. I’m your host, Terrance “Doog” McDoogal. Today, we’re visiting a rocky, arid planet called Haesito. Haesito is temperate world, but it has very little precipitation. This is due to Haesito having no large bodies of water. Haesito’s water is mostly found in underground aquifers. Despite its lack of water, Haesito is classified as an agricultural world. Let’s head down and figure out how this is possible.”
Doog: “Alright folks, I’ve been dropped off on the surface of Haesito. It appears I’ve been dropped off in the middle of some type of farm. I see a few locals behind me, but I don’t think they are my guide. I’m supposed to be meeting with a human female. I am pretty certain about that. That’s why I used deodorant for a change.”
Doog: “Uh, hey there. Have you seen any beautiful human ladies roaming around here?”
Local: “No. I only know of one human on Haesito, the ‘Witch’. She never leaves her farm, and we dare not disturb her.”
Doog: “Witch, huh? That doesn’t sound promising. I shouldn’t have wasted my deodorant. Where can I find this witch?”
Local: “Keep walking north. She’s not far.”
Doog: “Ok. One last question, what do you mean by the ‘Witch’? Is she really ugly or mean? Does she do spells?”
Local: “I’m not entirely sure. I’ve never met her. I’ve only heard the rumors.”
Doog: “What rumors?”
Local: “Rumors that she is a witch.”
Doog: “Very helpful, thanks.”
Local: “No. I only know of one human on Haesito, the ‘Witch’. She never leaves her farm, and we dare not disturb her.”
Doog: “Witch, huh? That doesn’t sound promising. I shouldn’t have wasted my deodorant. Where can I find this witch?”
Local: “Keep walking north. She’s not far.”
Doog: “Ok. One last question, what do you mean by the ‘Witch’? Is she really ugly or mean? Does she do spells?”
Local: “I’m not entirely sure. I’ve never met her. I’ve only heard the rumors.”
Doog: “What rumors?”
Local: “Rumors that she is a witch.”
Doog: “Very helpful, thanks.”
Doog: “You come to a planet to possibly meet the love of your life, and all the sudden, you’re on a witch-hunt. Great.”
Local#2: “Beware traveler, there’s a witch in those foothills!”
Doog: “So, I’ve heard.”
Local#2: “Beware traveler, there’s a witch in those foothills!”
Doog: “So, I’ve heard.”
Doog: “Ok, I traveled north a few miles, and it looks like I’ve found something. This farmhouse looks more elaborate than the locals’ little huts. There are also several robots buzzing around. This is probably the place. I don’t see any witches yet. Maybe, she’s out taking her broom for a spin.”
Lacey: “You must be that TV reporter.”
Doog: “That’s me. Unless, of course, you are the witch I’ve been warned about.”
Lacey: “Don’t listen to the rumors. The locals fear what they don’t understand. There aren’t any witches here.”
Doog: “That’s good to know. That is, if I can trust a robot.”
Lacey: “Robot? Is that metaphorical or something?”
Doog: “Meta-what? Look, I don’t have time for this. Where is your creator or master?”
Lacey: “Creator? Do you mean my parents?”
Doog: “Uh, sure. If that is what you call them.”
Doog: “That’s me. Unless, of course, you are the witch I’ve been warned about.”
Lacey: “Don’t listen to the rumors. The locals fear what they don’t understand. There aren’t any witches here.”
Doog: “That’s good to know. That is, if I can trust a robot.”
Lacey: “Robot? Is that metaphorical or something?”
Doog: “Meta-what? Look, I don’t have time for this. Where is your creator or master?”
Lacey: “Creator? Do you mean my parents?”
Doog: “Uh, sure. If that is what you call them.”
Lacey: “Dad! There’s some weird guy over here!”
Phillip: “Now, now, Lacey. It’s probably that TV reporter. Don’t call him weird. Hey, you must be Doog. Welcome to my family’s plantation.”
Doog: “Are you kidding me? Another bolt for brains. I’m looking for a human female.”
Phillip: “Did you just call me a ‘bolt for brains’? That’s incredibly rude. I’m not sure why my wife invited you here, but you better improve your attitude. You’re lucky my children are out here, otherwise you might have gotten acquainted with this rake.”
Doog: “Wife? Children? Is something wrong with your programming? You are a…”
Phillip: “Now, now, Lacey. It’s probably that TV reporter. Don’t call him weird. Hey, you must be Doog. Welcome to my family’s plantation.”
Doog: “Are you kidding me? Another bolt for brains. I’m looking for a human female.”
Phillip: “Did you just call me a ‘bolt for brains’? That’s incredibly rude. I’m not sure why my wife invited you here, but you better improve your attitude. You’re lucky my children are out here, otherwise you might have gotten acquainted with this rake.”
Doog: “Wife? Children? Is something wrong with your programming? You are a…”
Fay: “Stop! Stop talking to them!”
Doog: “Huh?”
Doog: “Huh?”
Lacey: “Mom, what’s going on? You’re scaring me!”
Doog: “I’m the one that should be scared! She’s pointing a gun at me! Please don’t shoot me witch!”
Fay: “No one is getting shot. Everyone, just relax.”
Phillip: “I don’t know. I’m liking the idea of shooting this guy. He called me ‘bolt for brains’ and called you a witch.”
Fay: “It’s all a misunderstanding. I need to explain some things to Doog. He doesn’t understand.”
Doog: “You’re right about that. I have no idea what’s happening here. Why is your family a group of…?”
Doog: “I’m the one that should be scared! She’s pointing a gun at me! Please don’t shoot me witch!”
Fay: “No one is getting shot. Everyone, just relax.”
Phillip: “I don’t know. I’m liking the idea of shooting this guy. He called me ‘bolt for brains’ and called you a witch.”
Fay: “It’s all a misunderstanding. I need to explain some things to Doog. He doesn’t understand.”
Doog: “You’re right about that. I have no idea what’s happening here. Why is your family a group of…?”
Fay: “Finish that sentence, and it will be your last. I’m not kidding. You must remain silent until I explain some things to you. Please, say nothing else.”
Phillip: “The boys and I can dig a grave, honey. We’ve got your back.”
Fay: “That’s not necessary.”
Phillip: “The boys and I can dig a grave, honey. We’ve got your back.”
Fay: “That’s not necessary.”
Fay: “Lacey, once you finish up your chores, see if your brothers need any help. Phillip, Doog and I are going inside for this interview. Everything is ok. We’ll be back shortly.”
Phillip: “Call me cynical, but I’m going to grab a shovel and get started on this hole. Six feet deep, right?”
Phillip: “Call me cynical, but I’m going to grab a shovel and get started on this hole. Six feet deep, right?”
Fay: “Come on. Let’s go inside.”
Doog: “Yes. Let’s go into a locked barn with a lady holding a shotgun while her ‘husband’ digs my grave. A lady that the locals accuse of being a witch. Sounds safe.”
Fay: “I thought I told you not to talk.”
Doog: “Yes. Let’s go into a locked barn with a lady holding a shotgun while her ‘husband’ digs my grave. A lady that the locals accuse of being a witch. Sounds safe.”
Fay: “I thought I told you not to talk.”
Fay: “Phew. That was close. I almost ruined everything because I was in the bathroom.”
Doog: “Can I talk now?”
Fay: “Yes. It’s soundproof.”
Doog: “What in world is going on? I’m so confused. Am I going to die?”
Fay: “No, sorry about that. I couldn’t let you talk to my family. They don’t know what they are.”
Doog: “They don’t know they’re robots?”
Fay: “They are not robots. They are mechanical avatars. I’ve uploaded their consciousness into these avatars.”
Doog: “So, they are real people? Like, your actual family?”
Fay: “Yes.”
Doog: “Weird.”
Doog: “Can I talk now?”
Fay: “Yes. It’s soundproof.”
Doog: “What in world is going on? I’m so confused. Am I going to die?”
Fay: “No, sorry about that. I couldn’t let you talk to my family. They don’t know what they are.”
Doog: “They don’t know they’re robots?”
Fay: “They are not robots. They are mechanical avatars. I’ve uploaded their consciousness into these avatars.”
Doog: “So, they are real people? Like, your actual family?”
Fay: “Yes.”
Doog: “Weird.”
Doog: “We discovered the what? How about the why?”
Fay: “Let’s start with the who. I’m Doctor Fay Morgan. I’m a scientific researcher for the LIU. My specialty is with mind uploading.”
Doog: “So, your doing experiments on your own family?”
Fay: “It sounds terrible, doesn’t it? I didn’t really have a choice in the matter. The LIU wanted quick results.”
Doog: “What are you testing?”
Fay: “Mind uploading has been around for a while. Workers on some planets upload into mechanical avatars to work in less than ideal conditions. Some people upload into digital constructs to meet or interact. However, I am more interested in the avatar part.”
Doog: “Yeah, I’m familiar with the process. I was even uploaded into mechanical avatar once.”
Fay: “Good, so you’re familiar with how artificial the experience is. You know how difficult it is to control.”
Doog: “Indeed. I found it was nearly impossible to control an advanced avatar.”
Fay: “Let’s start with the who. I’m Doctor Fay Morgan. I’m a scientific researcher for the LIU. My specialty is with mind uploading.”
Doog: “So, your doing experiments on your own family?”
Fay: “It sounds terrible, doesn’t it? I didn’t really have a choice in the matter. The LIU wanted quick results.”
Doog: “What are you testing?”
Fay: “Mind uploading has been around for a while. Workers on some planets upload into mechanical avatars to work in less than ideal conditions. Some people upload into digital constructs to meet or interact. However, I am more interested in the avatar part.”
Doog: “Yeah, I’m familiar with the process. I was even uploaded into mechanical avatar once.”
Fay: “Good, so you’re familiar with how artificial the experience is. You know how difficult it is to control.”
Doog: “Indeed. I found it was nearly impossible to control an advanced avatar.”
Fay: “My studies involve a new form of upload that is so realistic, it is indistinguishable from reality.”
Doog: “How?”
Fay: “Older forms of mind uploading involve mapping the brain and transferring that map to a digital system. You experience things through that digital recreation of your mind. The digital copy is never perfect, though. So, your experience is not perfect. Your movements are not perfect. My form of upload removes the digital step. Your actual brain does the processing. We send it information from the avatar and trick the mind into thinking these inputs are coming from your nervous system.”
Doog: “I’m not sure I get it.”
Fay: “Take vision, for example. You see because your eyes send information to your brain. We hijack that connection and send the brain information from the avatar’s camera instead of the eyes.”
Doog: “I get it, I guess. How do you hijack connections?”
Fay: “That’s where the Memini Gourds come in handy.”
Doog: “The what?”
Fay: “Those huge orange fruits growing outside. They contain natural neural compounds. I use them to make a neural gel that allows your brain to directly connect into a computer system. Using this, I can control what information your brain receives.”
Doog: “How?”
Fay: “Older forms of mind uploading involve mapping the brain and transferring that map to a digital system. You experience things through that digital recreation of your mind. The digital copy is never perfect, though. So, your experience is not perfect. Your movements are not perfect. My form of upload removes the digital step. Your actual brain does the processing. We send it information from the avatar and trick the mind into thinking these inputs are coming from your nervous system.”
Doog: “I’m not sure I get it.”
Fay: “Take vision, for example. You see because your eyes send information to your brain. We hijack that connection and send the brain information from the avatar’s camera instead of the eyes.”
Doog: “I get it, I guess. How do you hijack connections?”
Fay: “That’s where the Memini Gourds come in handy.”
Doog: “The what?”
Fay: “Those huge orange fruits growing outside. They contain natural neural compounds. I use them to make a neural gel that allows your brain to directly connect into a computer system. Using this, I can control what information your brain receives.”
Fay: “Think of it this way. In the old system, your brain travels to the new location. In my new system, your brain stays where it is. The inputs from the new location come to you.”
Doog: “I guess I get it, in principle. I have lots of questions though. Why don’t they see their robot arms and realize they are not in their bodies? How do they not notice each other? Don’t they realize they have eight arms and one eye? That they are hovering?”
Fay: “All good questions. Follow me.”
Doog: “I guess I get it, in principle. I have lots of questions though. Why don’t they see their robot arms and realize they are not in their bodies? How do they not notice each other? Don’t they realize they have eight arms and one eye? That they are hovering?”
Fay: “All good questions. Follow me.”
Fay: “This is where I keep the reality server, oh, and my family.”
Doog: “What’s a reality server?”
Fay: “The information gathered by the avatars’ sensors, like sight, sounds, pressure, temperature, et cetera, are sent to the server and converted into information the brain can understand. Like before, I hijack some of these connections. I can make them see whatever I want. So, when they see the mechanical avatar of their sibling or child, the system overwrites it with images of their sibling or child.”
Doog: “Sort of like a deepfake video.”
Fay: “Precisely.”
Doog: “What’s a reality server?”
Fay: “The information gathered by the avatars’ sensors, like sight, sounds, pressure, temperature, et cetera, are sent to the server and converted into information the brain can understand. Like before, I hijack some of these connections. I can make them see whatever I want. So, when they see the mechanical avatar of their sibling or child, the system overwrites it with images of their sibling or child.”
Doog: “Sort of like a deepfake video.”
Fay: “Precisely.”
Doog: “Why the secrecy? Why not tell your family they’ve been uploaded?”
Fay: “It is part of the experiment. If I don’t tell them, will they ever know? Is this new form of upload perfectly real?”
Doog: “So, when you were freaking out earlier - you know, with the gun – that was to protect your experiment?”
Fay: “Yeah, mostly. There’s also the possibility that they’ll have a psychotic break if they discover the truth. Finding out that your reality for the last two years has been fake might mess you up in the head.”
Doog: “They’ve been in there for two years!”
Fay: “Yes. It’s harder for me than it is for them, though.”
Doog: “How so?”
Fay: “Not being able to actually touch my family or hug my kids. Constantly pretending these steel bots are actual human bodies. Always worrying they’ll discover the truth and go mad.”
Doog: “That would be hard.”
Fay: “It is part of the experiment. If I don’t tell them, will they ever know? Is this new form of upload perfectly real?”
Doog: “So, when you were freaking out earlier - you know, with the gun – that was to protect your experiment?”
Fay: “Yeah, mostly. There’s also the possibility that they’ll have a psychotic break if they discover the truth. Finding out that your reality for the last two years has been fake might mess you up in the head.”
Doog: “They’ve been in there for two years!”
Fay: “Yes. It’s harder for me than it is for them, though.”
Doog: “How so?”
Fay: “Not being able to actually touch my family or hug my kids. Constantly pretending these steel bots are actual human bodies. Always worrying they’ll discover the truth and go mad.”
Doog: “That would be hard.”
Fay: “The days are hard, but it gets better at night.”
Doog: “You get to sit in a dentist’s chair?”
Fay: “What? No. I get to upload myself into an avatar. Hack myself into seeing my real family. Move into a better reality.”
Doog: “You get to sit in a dentist’s chair?”
Fay: “What? No. I get to upload myself into an avatar. Hack myself into seeing my real family. Move into a better reality.”
Fay: “These are those Memini, I was talking about.”
Doog: “They’re a real brain food. Get it?”
Fay: “Ha, got it.”
Phillip: “How did it go in there, honey? I see you lost that gun. Did I dig a hole for nothing?”
Fay: “Yes, sweetie. Everything is fine”
Doog: “Uh, yeah. Sorry about earlier. I don’t know what got into me.”
Phillip: “No worries.”
Doog: “Your kids are beautiful. Is this your daughter?”
Phillip: “That’s my son! My daughter doesn’t have a beard! That’s it! Get me a gun! This hole is getting used after all!”
Fay: “Wait! Another misunderstanding!”
Doog: “They’re a real brain food. Get it?”
Fay: “Ha, got it.”
Phillip: “How did it go in there, honey? I see you lost that gun. Did I dig a hole for nothing?”
Fay: “Yes, sweetie. Everything is fine”
Doog: “Uh, yeah. Sorry about earlier. I don’t know what got into me.”
Phillip: “No worries.”
Doog: “Your kids are beautiful. Is this your daughter?”
Phillip: “That’s my son! My daughter doesn’t have a beard! That’s it! Get me a gun! This hole is getting used after all!”
Fay: “Wait! Another misunderstanding!”
Fay: “Everyone just calm down! It’s just another misunderstanding. Doog is…uh…blind. Yeah, blind.”
Doog: “Well folks, I better wrap this one up. I don’t know how long Fay can keep her family away. I can’t summarize things in too much detail. I don’t want her family to overhear. Haesito, there’s brain pumpkins, neural gels, and new forms of upload. Gotta run, see ya!”
Note: Improvements in mind uploading will open up new markets. Tourists can experience other worlds without leaving home. Workers can help out on projects on distant planets. You can reject this reality and substitute your own.
Doog: “Well folks, I better wrap this one up. I don’t know how long Fay can keep her family away. I can’t summarize things in too much detail. I don’t want her family to overhear. Haesito, there’s brain pumpkins, neural gels, and new forms of upload. Gotta run, see ya!”
Note: Improvements in mind uploading will open up new markets. Tourists can experience other worlds without leaving home. Workers can help out on projects on distant planets. You can reject this reality and substitute your own.
