Categories: SciFi
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@sdanzig, I looked up Meyer's Book, "Off to be the Wizard". It is in the first instance a light comedy, then a fantasy, and last SciFi. And I think that is where the confusion comes in with your story.
From what you previously posted, I thought you wanted to tell a serious SciFi story that explored the nature of reality. Meyer's book doesn't do that. It is a science fiction version of Twain's? "A Connecticut Yankee in King Arthur's Court". Those books work because they are humorous, light entertainment. For a moment of fun, people are wiling to suspend their disbelief to a far greater extent than would be for a thriller, because in a comedy all they ask for is laughs.
If you classify your story as a comedy, not SciFi, and make it funny enough, then people will laugh and forget the questions about who ultimately controls the computer. We accepted all kinds of nonsense in Men In Black, because it was first of all a comedy. That film would not have worked as a thriller.
If it was your intention all along to create a SciFi comedy, then I apologize for the misunderstanding.
@sdanzig, I looked up Meyer's Book, "Off to be the Wizard". It is in the first instance a light comedy, then a fantasy, and last SciFi. And I think that is where the confusion comes in with your story.
From what you previously posted, I thought you wanted to tell a serious SciFi story that explored the nature of reality. Meyer's book doesn't do that. It is a science fiction version of Twain's? "A Connecticut Yankee in King Arthur's Court". Those books work because they are humorous, light entertainment. For a moment of fun, people are wiling to suspend their disbelief to a far greater extent than would be for a thriller, because in a comedy all they ask for is laughs.
If you classify your story as a comedy, not SciFi, and make it funny enough, then people will laugh and forget the questions about who ultimately controls the computer. We accepted all kinds of nonsense in Men In Black, because it was first of all a comedy. That film would not have worked as a thriller.
If it was your intention all along to create a SciFi comedy, then I apologize for the misunderstanding.
Reality can be manipulated. Scientist do it in their laboratories all the time. Often times they need huge machines to make a tiny piece of nature do something it would not normally do. Most the times these devices are computer controlled.
The magic you are asking us to believe is that computer code alone can change reality. If you want me to buy into that premise you have to tell me where the computer sits and how the code gets uploaded. And by the time you do all that it is going to be looking a lot like Matrix. And this brings us to the most important questions: Who is running the computer and why? If you don't try to answer this question, the viewers are going to feel cheated.
If you want to take a different tact and stay away from Matrix comparisons, look beyond programming. While reality itself cannot be manipulated outside the laboratory (except in Matrix like universes), you can change peoples perception of reality through hallucinogenic drugs. There are many futuristic ideas for drug delivery being floated around these days. Maybe your evil corporation can take advantage of one of them. If your plot has to involve software because that is a technology you feel comfortable working with, then make the drug delivery system software controlled.
