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Old 02-15-2014, 02:37 PM   #1
Rowan
 
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Default GURPS: Infinite Worlds - Close/Farther Parallel Question

So I'm reading through the book, and I have a question about the differences between Close and Farther Parallels. Do Close and Farther Parallels remain that way, or can they be reclassified by Infinity depending on what happens to them in terms of their history?

For instance, Holly is a Close Parallel, but if aliens suddenly land, and begin offering gestures of friendship in a galactic community (or demand our unconditional surrender to the great and powerful Uni-mind civilization!) does Infinity suddenly clamp down on that world, and reclassify it as a Farther Parallel?

What are some examples of some circumstances that might get a close parallel reclassified as a farther parallel?

Any help's appreciated, thanks. :)
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Old 02-15-2014, 10:12 PM   #2
patchwork
 
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Default Re: GURPS: Infinite Worlds - Close/Farther Parallel Question

Allow me to start with a nomenclature quibble: Infinity inc. uses a letter-number sequence to rate worlds (Infinite Worlds p.83). The terms "close parallel" and "farther parallel" are used by popular scientists and talk-show hosts, mostly to describe whether a parallel's history is comprehensible to their audience or not.

Two canon examples done in detail for you are Wyvern, a Quantum 4 world that was originally identified as an Edwardian "close parallel" and opened for tourism. After four years of visitors, it was abruptly reclassified Z4 because holy cow, there are dragons on Wyvern. They're simply very quiet and keep to out of the way places, since the invention of the machine gun and the biplane mean they're no longer the apex predator of the planet and they know it. Now Infinity tears its hair out trying to identify every tourist who went to Wyvern in those four years to see if they're a Cabal operative or a dragon cultist...

The other one would be Gothic-2, in Worlds of Horror. It seemed a harmless myth parallel for some time, and the warning balloon did not go up when an actual "Victor von Frankenstein" was found, because the I-cop on duty was either illiterate or recruited from a farther parallel themself and thus didn't know the name. Now it's restricted as his clients rule Europe and the USA cautiously experiments with using his formulae for good...

The one that's an off-hand reference that I'd like to see in detail is Arnold, in which Centrum stage a blatant intervention to help the British put down the American Revolution, and since they're already swanning around an 18th century echo with helicopter gunships, Infinity takes the gloves off and replies in kind, winning the conflict and stabilizing the world in Quantum 6. Now what? Lots and lots of people have seen this advanced military technology come out of nowhere, and losing the overt intervention doesn't TRULY keep Centrum from sending covert agents now...
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