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I remember that one. The game is that you can make one single change to species/environment, and he parts the clouds. His opponent ups aggression, and his oppon

I remember that one. The game is that you can make one single change to species/environment, and he parts the clouds. His opponent ups aggression, and his opponent's species wipes his out. They send their game out into space, and another species gets the game, thinks the game is altering real species causing drama.

dTal 9y ago
It is in fact the opening chapter, and the vignette sets the tone of idealism versus pragmatism for the rest of the book, a theme that surely resonates for any beleaguered programmer with a deadline... ----- I sighed. "What was your move?" "Oh, a very small one," Inidar said. "I increased their rate of reproduction by a very small percentage. This heightened their natural aggression. And guessed that your move would be to open the Pangaban skies. Population growth pressures, a limited food supply, and the ability to see the Pangaban surface very clearly ... my Gunja Wave wanted to eat your species." "Yes, and they did," I said. "I call the game." "You have to learn to avoid naïveté, Ellimist. It's not the good and worthy who prosper. It's just the motivated."