Comic for Thursday, September 15th
Sep15
Oh god so much text. This is going to be ugly. Well. I tried, folks, I tried.
Going to be honest there, Tyler, that’s a pretty good question.
A mysterious new character! I bet no one can guess who that is… 😐
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That is interesting…
I’ve been assuming ILA is able to operate in conditions that regular humans cannot, aka buried alive. However, the low oxygen level warning knocked her out, so some aerobic reaction is needed, but why? Why food at all?
Thinking about it, I can’t actually see a need for breathing save to appear more human. One of the biggest thing in the air is water; lets introduce water vapor to the electronic parts inside. This can’t possibly go wrong. Assuming O2 is needed for something, why not a canister or something that can store it precisely for those instances when you are suddenly without?
As for food, food has energy in it, yes. However, its really an inefficient process when you think about it. That’s why the energy would more likely be something electrical. Why not have a plug to directly add the energy along? If the rains use a third rail, then there might even be free energy there, assuming you are built to withstand that much of a shock.
Hmm. ILA might even be better off in some ways. Mana is not energy, right? The biggest limitation to casting seems to be mental stress. As you cast more spells your brain gets more and more fried trying to do multi-dimensional calculus. If mana is not energy, then it may be possible to refill the tank if you will by calling down a lightning strike or just making a fire. Relatively little expended output for huge gains.
Then again, I still think ILA is a human mind in a robotic body, possibly less robotic than I originally thought. If its actually a brain in a cyborg, then a lot of the systems in the body that an android would consider redundant are absolutely crucial. Heat, oxygen, blood, calories, etc.
In that case, what the hell MIR do?
Well, they do bleed, so I don’t think they are entirely robot. I think they are some sort of cyborg. It’s been implied that Mium does eat too. The goal was (if I’m recalling right) to make an “fake” human, they are probably fairly extensively modeled after humans. I think this is probably key. They were not designed to be the best “robots” Avon could make, but the “most human” ones. I could be wrong, but that makes sense if they were trying to recreate the Eidos Key.
I think you are probably right at the end there. Ila just is really bad at managing her prototype body. She collapsed once without realizing that she was out of energy, and now she seems to headed that way again.
If I understand, she probably can function very low temperatures due, but she either cannot consciously control that or is human enough to not like being cold. The oxygen one is interesting, because clearly Mium did not pass out. I am assuming he somehow can hibernate or drastically reduce his consumption somehow as he seems to be able to control the prototype extensively, including automatically repairing it when it was damaged.
“I still think ILA is a human mind in a robotic body…”
Her brain can’t be entirely human. It’s clear that they’re talking about AI. Yes, Mium said that Ila did not have a true AI. But then Naomi told him to rescue his sister and he modified her programming and, now, she at least has free will.
That said: Perhaps Ila is a hybrid of human brain tissue and a computer, working in parallel? It would explain why she’s so different from Mium – more human. It would also explain why Ila has an Edos and can cast magic, where Mium and others can not.
That would make her like Galina in the Luna Star comic. She’s an AI in a positronic / human hybrid brain and a mostly human body. She blurred the line between human and android. In Datachasers, many of their 31’st century androids have synthetic brains, muscles, and organs rather similar to humans. These organs and muscles are lab grown. And they eat and digest food, even. (Remember the Cylon agents in the Battlestar Galatica remake?)
“…Why food at all?” “…can’t actually see a need for breathing save to appear more human.”
Perhaps they -must- keep it secret? This research is -illegal-. And it could be sold to a foreign power or fall into crimial or extremist hands.
Consider an army of Miums and Ilas. Have you seen Terminator 3: Rise of the Machines (2003) or Transcendence (2014)? Think of a nation’s power, communications and electronics held hostage.
Perhaps Avon is to offer loyal, disposable bodyguards / assassins to governments or billionares? Is there a demand for sexy, superhuman bodyguards who can double as playthings?
“…lets introduce water vapor to the electronic parts inside. This can’t possibly go wrong.”
Who says they’re electronic? Perhaps it’s light-based or magic? Even electronic, it’s not impossible to insulate a braincase and use triple-redundancy or fiberoptics for a spine.
Also, they must appear human and go outside. Water and water vapor is a given.
“…why not a canister [of oxygen]”?
Imagine a compressed cylinder of O2 pierced or bursting near a fire. And how would they refill?
“Mana is not energy, right?”
Based on what?
“mana is not energy, right?”
Mana is energy, just the Eidos equivalent as far as I understand. We do not know yet where it comes from as far as I know.
But what I think Mindsword2 means is that Mana does not have a direct correspondence to the concept physics energy, as I understand it. As in, not the e = mc^2 type of energy. This is from the end of the last Q&A and the Setting:Magic page.
So, in theory, someone that needs energy can use magic to make energy. There ways of making energy that are LOT more convenient than making food, as we have yet to see anyone make a physical object, let alone an edible one. This was actually a brief plot point a long time ago. Knowing PastUtopa, I suspect we will see this again (making energy with magic).
I think this is actually fairly obvious if you think about it. The amount of physical energy required to effect magic would cause enormous problems, so it has been safe to assume from the start that “Mana” is basically the Applied Phlebotinum of the setting.
As for the army of robots, that definitely is a plausible end game. Really the mind boggles at the potentials. They seem like they have to work on the “loyal” part though.
I think they were mainly just trying to make an artificial key, at least, originally. Once they’ve mastered making that, they could do a lot of things. I think all the human like traits come from trying to find how close to a human they have to make it before it can use magic.
Eff Five and Eff Eight were too far. I think Ila was too close…
It has been confirmed in a FAQ that Eidos use does not respect conservation of energy i.e. using the same amount of Eidos can yield different amounts of energy.
Well. I guess this means I’m not the only one with those theoroes. Considering I should have guessed as much before posting my comment a couple pages back… Sorry.
Meoi Lass
Oh, and is nobody going to mention the Taki avatar sitting in panels 4 and 6?
Whups. That is covered in yet another comment I hadn’t read yet. I guess someone noticed it too.
It is interesting to see that Mium does take care of Ila, even if he seems confused as to why she is too dumb (from his point of view) to take care of herself.
I wonder if Ila either feels cold or can not regulate her temperature. I am guessing both. I can imagine it would take a huge amount of energy to stay warm though, considering she was FLYING through the rain at high speed. She is going to have to eat so many tasty things.
I sort of wish we saw the series of events that lead to Tyler and Rovak being in the same room sitting at a table. Granted, this way is sort of hilarious. I see this being a difficult fit, but Tyler might have more pressing concerns.
I imagine the events previous were somewhat chaotic with Tyler’s attention being somewhat distracted by his deputies condition and what not.
Ila is indeed running pretty close to empty already. Least this time she recognizes she’s hungry before she collapses. Hungry enough to eat what Mium considers food though? That really is a whole ‘nother question.
Q: Are we going to find out what that doll or doll-like robot is on the guy’s shoulder in panels 4 and 6? Is it really a gynoid, like in Busou Shinki (anime)? BTW: The series was very lighthearted, but alright. Though, I felt that they made Shinki way too human, especially considering their extreme emotional attachment, intelligence, and how they are compelled to fight each other. And especially how they are are treated as property and, essentially, slaves.
Well, I am assuming that is MYM (it does have a scarf). Since that is not one of the prototypes, it is probably an avatar of some sort. The doll being there is very weird though, so I am not sure what it is yet.
Interesting. I had not even considered that to be a scarf. (And I still have my doubts.) I took one look at him and had assumed that the bunched-up-collar look was just the neck of a weird uniform or an environmental suit without a helmet.
Also, I very much doubt that this is another MYM prototype. He sounds much more like an Avon employee than Mium. And I doubt that MYM has very many prototypes under his control. On an earlier page Mir talked about how MYM has rules to abide to, which prevents him from taking over (essentially either killing or absorbing) just any AI or android body that it wants.
@Amaranth: White blouse, red skirt. (hint, hint) 🙂
This hint does not make any sense. I am pretty sure there has not been any character dressed like that. Kally is the one that wears skirts (who would also match the hair), and she wears red shirts or black and black or grey skirts (and they are usually a lot shorter…).
There is a character who’s avatar wears that outfit. Find the page where the character is using that avatar, (extra hint: really tiny image of the avatar) and you’ll have your answer.
One more hint: The outfit is a uniform, of sorts.
I get who you are talking about (we need a way to include spoiler text).
I do not get why their avatar would be there, or a tiny doll.
I reckon we’ll know eventually. Technically we’ve seen it once before. I reckon some’ll have a good guess once we see it up close though.
Never seen that anime, so dunno. Personifications and sorta-human not humans can be a tricky line. I suppose androids/artificial people like things in general bring up complex moral issues. Huh 😉
For considering moral issues involving androids that are so close to being human that the line is blurred, I recommend reading the Datachasers comic (and the prequel/sister-comic, Luna Star). Those stories are food for thought, anyway (and quite entertaining).
He he he! I love Tyler’s reaction in the last panel. Well done! His dialog in the bottom-left panel is very good, too.
Also, the conversation between Mium and Ila nicely contrasts their differences. Ila is confused, bored, and hungry, while Mium is thinking things through from the perspective of logic. Further, Ila is talking to herself and emphasizing words, the former making her seem much more human and the latter being evidence of her emotion. I don’t recall Mium ever talking to himself. And here he offers advice to Miss Sister, perhaps out of some measure of concern for their operations and/or well-being.
I reckon it’s sort of like a dog trying to take care of duckling. He’s probably concerned (or the Mium equivalent), but also quite perplexed.
His reaction?
I love everything about that last panel.
Tyler’s choice of phrase is hilarious, and the “if I close my eyes I can just take a nap here” attitude/pose of Rovak…I’d almost think he’s being flippant if he didn’t seem to relaxed (if not bored).
Especially with the….newly “installed” opening right behind Tyler.
I’d love a bigger version of that last panel. (Not that I ever use those for anything, and….actually, wow, that table’s big enough as it is. Can probably be used to patch that wall.) But seriously, that’s the best thing since Miko’s ranting. (Granted….that wasn’t that long ago. This chapter is awesome!)
I’m just happy that Rovak is still here. I was worried they would cut back and there would be no Rovak. A scene basically has to be good with Rovak, Tyler, and Miko in it.