Experiment 10 - Epsilon

[testingphase]

[ The elevators do not take you up to your living area. Rather, they take you DOWN, to a small room with three white walls, and one that is a thick, translucent plastic. There appears to be a chute of some sort behind the plastic wall. ]

Now, in order to determine how well you know each other, we're going to see which teams are the most popular. The rules are simple:

* At the end of the test, each team will suffer an attack. Each attack will kill about half of everyone present.
* You may choose one team (other than your own) to defend from this attack. A team that is defended will not be harmed.
* If you wish to defend yourself instead of another team, you must choose a team to attack.
* You may not refuse to choose.

Comments

Ask GLaDOS questions here

[shockingly_nice]

Final decision

[shockingly_nice]

Re: Ask GLaDOS questions here

[truthandcakes]

So what if I do refuse?

Re: Ask GLaDOS questions here

[shockingly_nice]

I think you can probably guess what I'll do if you forfeit.

[rocketfueledcough]

[Oh hey, suddenly here. Probably came in that last second or something like that. Like a winner. And promptly hinder any self sacrifices too.]

[truthandcakes]

*yes, that happens*

What do you think of it?

Re: Ask GLaDOS questions here

[truthandcakes]

So, what, you kill both of us instead of one of us?

Re: Ask GLaDOS questions here

[shockingly_nice]

Among other things.

[rocketfueledcough]

[Looking at it and he's...forcing himself to stay calm. This sort of thing again.]

[Still a pretty deep frown.]

...there's...more hope here than the last one.

Re: Ask GLaDOS questions here

[truthandcakes]

What other things?

[truthandcakes]

You think so?

[rocketfueledcough]

A team that is defended will not be harmed.

That means, potentially, if everyone defends each other, everyone will be protected.

The problem is we're not sure if everyone has a team that will defend them.

Unlike the last time, where someone was definitely going to die.

[truthandcakes]

Yeah, that's the problem... we don't have any predetermined alliances for something like that. So it's just chance, this time. And a good chance one of us is going to be stuck watching the other one die again.

[rocketfueledcough]

[...why do you remind me of this.]

[N0! Don't think about it right now, focus on the matter at hand.]

We can't change that though. The attack is coming. So we have to hope someone is looking out for us.

After all, I don't think either of us is the type to put someone else in the line of fire for our own sakes.

Re: Ask GLaDOS questions here

[shockingly_nice]

I'll punish other teams for your failings. While you watch.

[truthandcakes]

*nod*

You're right. I won't do it. But I don't know how to decide which one team to defend, either.

[rocketfueledcough]

That is the harder part. I suppose we should try to figure out which team that doesn't have strong off team ties.

Unless everyone thinks like that...

[truthandcakes]

It's too easy to get into a cycle of second-guessing ourselves if we do that, though. If we think everyone thinks like that, then think everyone thinks everyone else was thinking like that... We should either take your first guess and just try to pick someone who might not get protection, or... we can just pick Zeta, since they're the next ones in the order of the teams. And hope maybe at least a few others had the same idea, to make it a circle of defense.

[rocketfueledcough]

[Paaaause.]

Actually, that's a really good idea.

[truthandcakes]

You think so?

*he just came up with it in the middle of that sentence, after all*

[rocketfueledcough]

[Nods.] The real problem in this game would come with what you said; second guessing. Thinking too much. If they try to think about a team with a weak bond, it makes it more likely they'll hit the point of second guessing.

So it's possible if enough think of a simple solution like that during that time, they'd go with it in their frustration and hope for the best.

Of course it does still take a lot of luck, but that's all we can really hope for right now.

But overall, even if that doesn't happen this time, it's a good thing to suggest to teams for the future for these sort of games.
[Not thinking about Epsilon not being protected, nope, nope, nope.]

[truthandcakes]

*yes let's not think about that at all*

Yeah, you're right... she might try something like this, or something similar. If we've got a basic plan in place, to just go with the next team in line, it'd make things easier.

So is that what we want to do? Defend Zeta, and hope enough other people think of the same answer?

[rocketfueledcough]

[Nods.] It seems like the best solution we have right now.

[truthandcakes]

All right.

Any preference of which of us gives the answer?

[rocketfueledcough]

Not really. I can if you want.