>>2 what is the parallel universe when the Sega Master System/Sega Mark III far more popular than the Nintendo NES/Famicom?
>>255
All manner of graphical tomfoolery never had the chance to arise from the powerhouses of modern video cards. As a result, information is still presented with the least possible distraction and computer games have become increasing complex puzzles which offer far more challenge than their present counterparts. I suppose we're better off as a society for it.
>>257
What's it like in the universe where Elizabethan values still hold true?
>>256
The progress of modern medicine has ground to a hault before truly starting, and thus the vast majority of people still rely on apothecaries for remedies to ailments. Also, everyone wears really scratchy, starched-up clothes and it's terribly uncomfortable.
>>258
What's it like in the universe where a handful of gifted people have the ability to bring fictional characters in and out of reality?
>>264
The industry is now filled with F2P/DLC games which suffer from misconceptions about various religions. Microsoft allows you to create and customize your own youkai avatar via Games Marketplace.
On the bright side, Black & White title is resurrected.
>>265
What would the world be like if there were no Jews? Please, take into consideration an ancient history as well.
>>266 Many people are haunted by the sound of dial-up modem sounds, they are unable to stop the sound from constantly replaying in their minds.
>>268 What is it like in the world where all computers operate at 100 terahertz or more, have 4 TB or more of ram, and files download at 100 TB per minute or faster?
>>269
There's no heaven, either, and that's because the concepts of "good" and "evil" are unknown to us. We have a moral system that works on axes of efficiency and pleasure and it seems to work out quite well. Children are seen, and not heard. Trolling is an offense punishable by death. I'm a heroin tester and prostitute inspector. I am living in your dreams.
>>271
What's the universe like in the universe where all of the DQNs live together? Tell us a fun story.
>>271
The Kirby games gained popularity at an astronomical rate. Within a week of the first release, it was the most popular game on the market. Within two months, at least 40% of every demographic/age group was playing it. Nine months later Kirby was elected president of the United States. Several disorganised cults sprang up in His honour, followed by an organised religion known as Kirbyism. Now, in the year 2012, every single member of the human race worships Kirby and spends at least two hours per day playing Kirby games. Life is good.
>>273
What's it like in the universe where computers and robots are given the same basic rights as humans?
>>272
Programmers who create infinite loops are given long prison sentences without the possibility of bail. Also, cars take a lot longer to build because of the robot unions mandating that working hours and break times for robots be just as long as for humans.
>>274
What's it like in the universe where all branches of government in every human nation have been left in the hands of AIs and robots controlled by said AIs for the past twenty years?
>>273
On the one hand, we're a lot more efficient now that we don't occupy ourselves with a political circus of liars and charlatans jockeying for votes. On the other hand, the AIs regard us as resources to be used and managed just like all the rest, farming us in eugenic breeding programs, and if two of them go to war over resources/territory, you might end up being sent on a real-life Zerg rush. Draft dodging? Expect some robotic enforcers to show up at your door.
>>275
What's it like in the world where humankind has uploaded its consciousness into robotic bodies, leaving the frailties of flesh behind?
>>274
Turns out that being inside a robotic body severely hampers creativity, so the new society of immortal robots just sits there, doing regular maintenance on their bodies but basically stagnating.
>>276
What's it like in the universe where Japan was invaded and large parts occupied by Chinese communists during World War II, and the atomic bombing of Hiroshima and Nagasaki was carried out by Japan's American allies in order to destroy the most fortified Chinese bases on Japanese soil?
>>279
Most parts of the Earth were destroyed decades ago when world leaders launched powerful bombs that ran on little wooden treadmills and a few centilitres of water. Now only licensed thermodynamicists are allowed the knowledge of how to build them. Unfortunately, thanks to the ease of generating unlimited electricity, food, and water, thermodynamicist is the only occupation left.
>>281
What's it like in the universe where (GNU/)Linux is the most popular operating system?
>>280
There are five distributions for every computer user on the planet, all steadily growing towards mutual incompatibility. Companies have given up trying to release "Linux versions" of their software, and instead specialize on making software for maybe a dozen different distributions. It's like the old DOS/Mac OS divide times a couple billion.
>>282
What's it like in the universe where Neo-Confucianism has been adopted as the dominant ideology all over the world?
>>283
North America has a pristine ecosystem, unspoiled by even Homo erectus immigration. Mexicans and Russians have occasionally mounted expeditions there, but the many large predators kept them away. Europe is mostly torn apart by religious warfare, although France has become something of a global refuge for atheists. Australian aborigines number less than four hundred, and continue to be threatened by their British conquerors if they refuse to convert to Anglicanism.
>>284
What's it like in the universe where the recent drive by fundamentalist Christian Conservatives to boycott Facebook and Google has led to the creation of a wholly separate Conservative Internet, running on its own root nodes, data centers and cabling, with Conservatives refusing to connect to anything on the old Internet anymore?
>>284 The Conservative Internet means as much to the regular internet what Christian Rock bands mean to to music scene. This bothers investors on the Conservative Internet, so they always try new ways to limit the regular internet.
>>286 What is like in the parallel universe where religion is allowed to exist, but extremism does not exist?
$ cat >>293.c
#include <quantum/universes.h>
#include <self/thought.h>
#include <comms.h>int main (void) {
universe_t *this = get_universe (null);
say (think (DESCRIBE, universe_inspect (this), null);
return 0;
}$ cat >>295.c
#include <quantum/universes.h>
#include <bbs/kareha.h>
#include <self/thought.h>
#include <comms/question.h>int main (void) {
entity_t *next_san = post_ref (null, 295);
ask (next_san, think (QUESTION,
universe_inspect (get_universe (next_san)),
pose_thought (WHALES_ARE_LAND_CREATURES)));
return 0;
}>>303 A lot less eastern involvement in WW2, CKS was able to focus 100% of his efforts on exterminating Mao, Taiwan and China are a unified country, and the Korean war never happened so South Korea and Best Korea are still a unified country.
>>305 What's it like in a universe where there are two Japans?
>>304 The USA lost WWII in that universe because of the combined industrial and military strength, so everybody in the USA does what Japan tells them to do. The movie business is completely different, featuring lots and anime, super sentai, and kaiju. Also, softcore porn doesn't exist, only extremely perverted or animated porn exists.
However, due to the low birth rate, most people of Japan and the USA face extinction in the year 2060.
(NB: humans with three eyes would struggle to process visual data and wouldn't probably have intellectual capacity required to invent computers or the Internet)
>>308
It's quite boring actually. Almost all entertainment is two- and three-dimensional anyway.
>>310
Did you know that your eyes see the world upside down, but your brain learned to adjust for this when you were flailing your arms around and missing toys all the time in a humiliating and hilarious way as a baby? Doesn't it make you want to wear a pair of reversing glasses? (Which is rather futile, because your brain would adapt in a course of a week)
>>316
A few generations after Hitler and all his right-hand-men died off, the anti-semetic aspects of nazism were abandoned and only the desire to rebuild Germany into a great and prosperous land of peace remained. However, Germany had, by this time, abandoned the bases, so they declared independence. The Arctic base actually eventually was annexed by Canada due to some difficulties in surviving on its own and is now just a research facility. The Antarctic base, however, became the capitol city of the National Socialist Republic of New Germany, which was a major player in the Cold War but collapsed in the early 80's. It has since become the Democratic Republic of Antarctica, a tentative ally of the United States and a major importer of its popular culture.
>>318
What's it like in the universe where Rl'yeh rose from the sea and it turned out that the Elder Gods were actually pretty chill dudes?
>>317
Mahiro can get with Nyaruko without fear, bitter nerds riot and Xebec is firebombed. In response the studio puts the characters of all their anime through traumatic experiences and makes subtle jabs at otaku.
>>319
Whats it like in a world where people throw susbstandard babies into pits a la 300
?
>>318
Every pit looks and smells terrible. But everyone is strong, beautiful and happy. The planet is not overpopulated, and there is not a single social, environmental nor humanitarian problem in the world. As long as vile baby-eating creatures from those pits are well fed...
>>320
What's it like in a world populated by boffins?
>>324
Nobody really has any clue how to make sure they get there. So far, the only confirmed residents of the afterlife we found we Genghis Khan, John F. Kennedy, Adolf Hitler, Rosa Parks, and three guys who died back in prehistory when they were eaten by a swarm of very hungry birds.
>>326
What's it like in the universe where the speed of the human body matches the speed of the human mind?
>>325
People crash at the speeds exceeding 300 km/h and die. The worst are head-on collisions with delta-v of over 600 km/h. However, surviving humans evolutionary adapted to it, so their bodies are much sturdier, and vestibular system is much better developed.
>>327
What's it like in the parallel universe where everyone is sugoooi and suki dayo, and all animals are kawaiiiii?
>>330 Japan is full of tourists all year round, and most people who go there speak a little bit of the language to get by. Westerners go to the Tokyo tower with as much enthusiasm as Japanese people who go to Disneyworld Orlando.
Unfortunately, the whole world is also infested with annoying fangirls and fanboys. Fanboys drive itasha cars like Initial D wannabes and Fangirls go to gay bars where Russians and Germans have gay sex.
>>332 What is it like where Confucius never existed?
>>338
According to Landau, the second law of thermodynamics is not applicable to the universe itself. But here on Earth, I'm about to marry a beautiful steam-powered lady automaton.
>>340
What's it like in a parallel universe where 340 is considered EVIIIL because of some ridiculous religious text that everyone takes seriously?