tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2141372262111342844.post1208799674181936022..comments2024-03-29T07:35:51.362+00:00Comments on Fabled Lands: The mirror crack’dDave Morrishttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14468228790874490693noreply@blogger.comBlogger12125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2141372262111342844.post-77488959467377100512017-10-23T16:31:06.767+01:002017-10-23T16:31:06.767+01:00It's been a long time since I've seen TNG,...It's been a long time since I've seen TNG, but I don't remember them ever coming back. I'll fan-wank that they tried that crap on the Klingons and the Klingons eradicated them out of frustrated annoyance.johntfshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16005496604068259398noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2141372262111342844.post-57227136920880802502017-10-23T08:19:22.859+01:002017-10-23T08:19:22.859+01:00Lol. The clincher will be whether TNG ever feature...Lol. The clincher will be whether TNG ever featured that race of aliens again, or whether they were created just for that one story and never appeared after that.DMhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01887893691053633187noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2141372262111342844.post-14171502798689754032017-10-23T04:38:42.460+01:002017-10-23T04:38:42.460+01:00Exactly right. It's possible that TV writers ...Exactly right. It's possible that TV writers don't completely think through the implications of their ideas before airing them. In other news, the sun is hot and the ocean is wet.johntfshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16005496604068259398noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2141372262111342844.post-36825993596740375542017-10-22T16:30:42.834+01:002017-10-22T16:30:42.834+01:00Wouldn't that be the worst circumstances for u...Wouldn't that be the worst circumstances for use of metaphor, though, considering that an outsider is least likely to share the same cultural tropes and interpretations? But certainly they couldn't only use metaphor among themselves -- to develop tech you need data lists, and hard data and metaphor do not mix.DMhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01887893691053633187noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2141372262111342844.post-58528191818585877262017-10-22T16:16:26.491+01:002017-10-22T16:16:26.491+01:00Maybe they sometimes use similes. "Like a bi...Maybe they sometimes use similes. "Like a bird soaring through the air" (flight). "Like the sun through a seeing glass" (laser).<br /><br />Or maybe the briefing was wrong and they communicate perfectly clearly among themselves but use metaphor when communicating with outsiders.johntfshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16005496604068259398noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2141372262111342844.post-85901797197246311952017-10-22T16:00:27.699+01:002017-10-22T16:00:27.699+01:00Only communicating in metaphor must make it a litt...Only communicating in metaphor must make it a little hard to develop any kind of technology!DMhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01887893691053633187noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2141372262111342844.post-76061406030219974242017-10-22T14:54:04.855+01:002017-10-22T14:54:04.855+01:00The TNG episode was 'Darmok' in season 5. ...The TNG episode was 'Darmok' in season 5. The Enterprise encounters a race of aliens that only communicate in metaphor. The captain of the alien ship was played by Paul Winfield, who also played the captain of the Reliant in The Wrath of Khan. Paul Grestyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/12928818666428286693noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2141372262111342844.post-55943800716039971742017-10-21T08:31:01.609+01:002017-10-21T08:31:01.609+01:00Yes - the transmission of memory, like the transmi...Yes - the transmission of memory, like the transmission of inspiration through art; thanks, Dave. It is nice to join the generations who have been inspired by this poem, which is such rich source material. No wonder the Pre- Raphaelites were able to fill a gallery with their paintings on this subject ! John Haganhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16249152658906641154noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2141372262111342844.post-18791130400951555592017-10-20T19:28:29.664+01:002017-10-20T19:28:29.664+01:00Oh yes -- that's a marvellous reading of the m...Oh yes -- that's a marvellous reading of the material, John, with so many ways to unpack it, too, for example as a metaphor for the whole idea of memory, and its end being to become another of the remembered dead.DMhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01887893691053633187noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2141372262111342844.post-49031748076613743192017-10-20T19:04:58.323+01:002017-10-20T19:04:58.323+01:00I am thinking that perhaps the Lady is an observer...I am thinking that perhaps the Lady is an observer from another time, whose technology allows observation of the past only - a window upon a march of ghosts whose parade cannot be altered from its ordained route; people an arm’s reach away whom she cannot touch. Eventually she figures how to re-wire (all that spinning perhaps) the time- machine so that she can step outside it, manifest physically and interact with the people of the past; and goes gladly to her death amongst the living rather than living forever with their hollow shadows. John Haganhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16249152658906641154noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2141372262111342844.post-28652221461171219132017-10-20T15:22:58.198+01:002017-10-20T15:22:58.198+01:00That's an interesting approach, and reminds me...That's an interesting approach, and reminds me of a game that Chris Crawford designed that required the player to find a way to communicate and cooperate with an alien. The ticking clock element is a nice touch too.DMhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01887893691053633187noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2141372262111342844.post-85580604197739285852017-10-20T09:27:57.269+01:002017-10-20T09:27:57.269+01:00I can't remember what episode it was, but I re...I can't remember what episode it was, but I recall a Star Trek: TNG bit that had Picard and some alien in a dangerous situation where they had to work together. At the end Picard realized that the alien had set the event up to create a metaphor and allow them to open communication.<br /><br />I could imagine the webs and shadows being something the players have to solve and decipher to gain meaningful communication with the Lady. Then they find out that what she wants isn't easily given, but also find out that if she can't leave, others of her kind will come to effect a rescue or corpse recovery. And won't care much about collateral damage to the locals. So maybe they can't/won't give up Excalibur, but maybe they could obtain more of the ore that forged it. Which might mean a trip into Faerie or somesuch.johntfshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16005496604068259398noreply@blogger.com