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Westworld 2016
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I liked it, but didn't love it. I think its more cool than good. I'll probably end up watching it, but it isn't 'must watch' tv the way I feel about Game of Thrones or Night Of or 'The Good Place' (new show on NBC! very funny)

 

I'm enthralled by the motivations of Anthony Hopkins character. He's experimenting with something in introducing unpredictability into the droid's programming, but what, exactly? Is he trying to make them sentient? Or is android sentience already a known possibility in their world?

 

There was a hint about bringing people back from the dead. I think Hopkin's character is motivated to do that in some way regarding a loved one, etc.

 

He also explained in full that civilization has caused human evolution to essentially stop, that the way we are now is as good as we'll ever be. I'm not sure he's right--particularly since we've already begun down the path of genetic engineering--but that comment coupled with the one you just pointed out suggests he's hoping to create some degree of human/android hybrid.

 

However, his direct interest in the development of the older androids and his changes to their programming almost seems to contradict that idea. If you're going to use robotics to improve humanity, why put so much effort into developing autonomous, nearly sentient androids? You'd think his interest in preventing death or advancing human evolution would involve drones with human brains or human/robot cybernetics, not sentient androids. hm

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Wow...I really enjoyed the first episode. Definitely an exciting idea for a show. I'm betting they will answer these questions eventually...but I wonder how much people are paying for their visits? And how far in the future is this set?

 

my questions were more about what OTHER types of 'worlds' there were.

 

Spaceworld?

Baseball World?

Comic Superhero world?

Other Historical Cultures? Ancient Egypt? Medival? Rome? Australian Prison Colony?

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Enjoyed it a lot.

 

Couple of thoughts...

 

1) I guess the hologram somehow gives a virtual (zoomable) view of all of the physical action taking place. It must be physical, since the staff visits the androids at the end of each experience.

 

2) I'm wondering about Ed Harris. He can't be shot and killed, meaning he is a visitor, yet he is constantly visiting each of the various scenes and scenarios and his roll seems to be growing. Any ideas if he a staff member? And what is his motivation?

 

3) The androids seem to have real brain material in their craniums. Hence, allowing for difficulty in complete control I suppose.

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2) I'm wondering about Ed Harris. He can't be shot and killed, meaning he is a visitor, yet he is constantly visiting each of the various scenes and scenarios and his roll seems to be growing. Any ideas if he a staff member? And what is his motivation?

 

I'm trying to remember in the original movie (I never read the book) if Yul Brynner becomes self-aware, and that is why he goes from scenario to scenario killing humans. It may be some of the same with Ed Harris.

 

From serving android...

 

 

...to killer.

 

 

Things just got real!

 

:ohnoez:

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2) I'm wondering about Ed Harris. He can't be shot and killed, meaning he is a visitor, yet he is constantly visiting each of the various scenes and scenarios and his roll seems to be growing. Any ideas if he a staff member? And what is his motivation?

 

3) The androids seem to have real brain material in their craniums. Hence, allowing for difficulty in complete control I suppose.

 

Ed Harris's character explicitly stated his motivation--he wants to get to the deeper, hidden content in Westworld. Whatever that means. (shrug) Could be kind of a power-gamer customer, or more likely he could have some cooperative, competitive, or adversarial relationship to Anthony Hopkins's character. But you'd think the park has to be aware of his presence there for everything to be working, so I can't imagine how he'd be there in an adversarial role. Maybe he's working with Hopkins to push the androids into becoming whatever it is Hopkins and "management" want them to become? Not really sure yet, not enough information.

 

How could you tell the androids have real brain material in their heads?

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Now you all are making me look at Ed Harris's character differently. I jumped off the deep end and just assumed he was an android making his way across the different parks.

 

Better not to assume the current show is going to rehash the movie.

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Now you all are making me look at Ed Harris's character differently. I jumped off the deep end and just assumed he was an android making his way across the different parks.

 

He could still be an android, but if he is, he's specifically designed so that bullets from the other androids can't kill him. That's the only clue we have through the first episode that he's not an android.

 

I still want to know how this thing with bullets killing androids is supposed to work. I'm guessing that there aren't actually bullets flying through the air and it's some sort of virtual hit that's calculated on the androids coupled with the ability of their bodies to suddenly develop a hole and start bleeding from anywhere. (shrug) Or maybe they're real bullets and the guests have personal force fields? That explanation sounds much more far-fetched in terms of technology viability. :insane:

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HBO Releases Westworld Second Episode Early

 

Can't wait until Sunday to watch the new episode of HBO's hit drama, Westworld? Good news; you don't have to!

 

In preparation for their Saturday panel at New York Comic Con, HBO decided to release the next episode of Westworld a couple of days in advance. While the show isn't scheduled to air until Sunday night, you can access the newest episode now, on either of HBO's streaming services: HBO GO, or HBO NOW.

 

:whee:

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2) I'm wondering about Ed Harris. He can't be shot and killed, meaning he is a visitor, yet he is constantly visiting each of the various scenes and scenarios and his roll seems to be growing. Any ideas if he a staff member? And what is his motivation?

 

3) The androids seem to have real brain material in their craniums. Hence, allowing for difficulty in complete control I suppose.

 

Ed Harris's character explicitly stated his motivation--he wants to get to the deeper, hidden content in Westworld. Whatever that means. (shrug) Could be kind of a power-gamer customer, or more likely he could have some cooperative, competitive, or adversarial relationship to Anthony Hopkins's character. But you'd think the park has to be aware of his presence there for everything to be working, so I can't imagine how he'd be there in an adversarial role. Maybe he's working with Hopkins to push the androids into becoming whatever it is Hopkins and "management" want them to become? Not really sure yet, not enough information.

 

How could you tell the androids have real brain material in their heads?

 

Ok. Watched it a 2nd time. Also, heads up they put the 2nd epidsode early. It's on now (as Bosco pointed out).

 

More thoughts.

1) Ed Harris says he's been coming back for 30 years, so he's been there since the start. He said he paid for challenges, not easy victories, so clearly he's a recurring paying visitor with invulnerability to bullets. Also, he sees it as a game and wants to understand more of their culture and make-up/assembly, so he scalps the guy and finds some cultural maze impressed in the underskin.

 

2) I guess I might of mixed up the brain scene a bit with Fear the Walking Dead Finale, which I also just watched. However, there was a scene where the old android? that malfunctioned had a skin flap cut around his cranium, and the other guy said he had an epilepsy. The machine the main park technician used for diagnostics had brain imaging on it. I guess everything about them looks lifelike, except mannerisms, they all seem to be assembled by large 3D printing machines.

 

3) People were earlier talking about airplanes overhead and possible impact. Well, the Dad found an accidental image that someone dropped on the ground and was covered by some leaves. It had a picture of a lady with a car in a busy intersection. The Dad told his daughter that he found it and asked, 'where is she?' So they do occasionally notice something amiss before their memory gets readjusted. Maybe too many of these spark a catalyst to awareness. On the first viewing I thought it was an image of his wife, but he was breaking down about questions you're not supposed to know, with the car image in his hand.

 

Off to watch 2nd episode.

 

 

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2) I'm wondering about Ed Harris. He can't be shot and killed, meaning he is a visitor, yet he is constantly visiting each of the various scenes and scenarios and his roll seems to be growing. Any ideas if he a staff member? And what is his motivation?

 

3) The androids seem to have real brain material in their craniums. Hence, allowing for difficulty in complete control I suppose.

 

Ed Harris's character explicitly stated his motivation--he wants to get to the deeper, hidden content in Westworld. Whatever that means. (shrug) Could be kind of a power-gamer customer, or more likely he could have some cooperative, competitive, or adversarial relationship to Anthony Hopkins's character. But you'd think the park has to be aware of his presence there for everything to be working, so I can't imagine how he'd be there in an adversarial role. Maybe he's working with Hopkins to push the androids into becoming whatever it is Hopkins and "management" want them to become? Not really sure yet, not enough information.

 

How could you tell the androids have real brain material in their heads?

 

Not sure if it was his theory, but a friend suggested maybe that Ed Harris works for a competing company and he is studying Westworld. He thinks that when he dragged the girl into the barn, he was taking her apart to study her.

 

I liked the theory.

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2) I'm wondering about Ed Harris. He can't be shot and killed, meaning he is a visitor, yet he is constantly visiting each of the various scenes and scenarios and his roll seems to be growing. Any ideas if he a staff member? And what is his motivation?

 

3) The androids seem to have real brain material in their craniums. Hence, allowing for difficulty in complete control I suppose.

 

Ed Harris's character explicitly stated his motivation--he wants to get to the deeper, hidden content in Westworld. Whatever that means. (shrug) Could be kind of a power-gamer customer, or more likely he could have some cooperative, competitive, or adversarial relationship to Anthony Hopkins's character. But you'd think the park has to be aware of his presence there for everything to be working, so I can't imagine how he'd be there in an adversarial role. Maybe he's working with Hopkins to push the androids into becoming whatever it is Hopkins and "management" want them to become? Not really sure yet, not enough information.

 

How could you tell the androids have real brain material in their heads?

 

Not sure if it was his theory, but a friend suggested maybe that Ed Harris works for a competing company and he is studying Westworld. He thinks that when he dragged the girl into the barn, he was taking her apart to study her.

 

I liked the theory.

 

Not sure if you saw the second episode yet...

 

 

 

...but when he is interogating one of the individuals there while shooting up the town, the administration office can clearly see him doing this via video. The shift lead tells the person worried about his actions that guest is not to be interrupted.

 

I wonder if that means part of his 'park pass' is giving him the illusion there is a park mystery, and they keep him going trying to figure it out?

 

 

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2) I'm wondering about Ed Harris. He can't be shot and killed, meaning he is a visitor, yet he is constantly visiting each of the various scenes and scenarios and his roll seems to be growing. Any ideas if he a staff member? And what is his motivation?

 

3) The androids seem to have real brain material in their craniums. Hence, allowing for difficulty in complete control I suppose.

 

Ed Harris's character explicitly stated his motivation--he wants to get to the deeper, hidden content in Westworld. Whatever that means. (shrug) Could be kind of a power-gamer customer, or more likely he could have some cooperative, competitive, or adversarial relationship to Anthony Hopkins's character. But you'd think the park has to be aware of his presence there for everything to be working, so I can't imagine how he'd be there in an adversarial role. Maybe he's working with Hopkins to push the androids into becoming whatever it is Hopkins and "management" want them to become? Not really sure yet, not enough information.

 

How could you tell the androids have real brain material in their heads?

 

Not sure if it was his theory, but a friend suggested maybe that Ed Harris works for a competing company and he is studying Westworld. He thinks that when he dragged the girl into the barn, he was taking her apart to study her.

 

I liked the theory.

 

Not sure if you saw the second episode yet...

 

 

 

...but when he is interogating one of the individuals there while shooting up the town, the administration office can clearly see him doing this via video. The shift lead tells the person worried about his actions that guest is not to be interrupted.

 

I wonder if that means part of his 'park pass' is giving him the illusion there is a park mystery, and they keep him going trying to figure it out?

 

 

 

 

After watching the 2nd episode, I'm starting to get the impression that he's like some uber rich lifelong addicted gamer that is trying to really beat and master the game, find all the cheat codes, and really understand all of the visible/hidden details and levels.

 

When he interrogated the last bad guy and his daughter, it was revealed he was searching for a hidden level; the maze (just like hidden levels in video games), and surprisingly, the daughter was bullied to reveal it existed, and that they were not supposed to tell outsiders.

 

I suppose it's possible that he is hiding out there as others pointed out, but it seems pretty difficult to do, as even that little kid that stumbled out of his area, was found and retrieved by Hopkins.

 

The maze in their skull really is an odd clue. Maybe it leads to a path out of the park and into the real world? Maybe Harris got trapped in there somehow 30 years ago and can't find his way out?

 

 

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2) I'm wondering about Ed Harris. He can't be shot and killed, meaning he is a visitor, yet he is constantly visiting each of the various scenes and scenarios and his roll seems to be growing. Any ideas if he a staff member? And what is his motivation?

 

3) The androids seem to have real brain material in their craniums. Hence, allowing for difficulty in complete control I suppose.

 

Ed Harris's character explicitly stated his motivation--he wants to get to the deeper, hidden content in Westworld. Whatever that means. (shrug) Could be kind of a power-gamer customer, or more likely he could have some cooperative, competitive, or adversarial relationship to Anthony Hopkins's character. But you'd think the park has to be aware of his presence there for everything to be working, so I can't imagine how he'd be there in an adversarial role. Maybe he's working with Hopkins to push the androids into becoming whatever it is Hopkins and "management" want them to become? Not really sure yet, not enough information.

 

How could you tell the androids have real brain material in their heads?

 

Not sure if it was his theory, but a friend suggested maybe that Ed Harris works for a competing company and he is studying Westworld. He thinks that when he dragged the girl into the barn, he was taking her apart to study her.

 

I liked the theory.

 

Not sure if you saw the second episode yet...

 

 

 

...but when he is interogating one of the individuals there while shooting up the town, the administration office can clearly see him doing this via video. The shift lead tells the person worried about his actions that guest is not to be interrupted.

 

I wonder if that means part of his 'park pass' is giving him the illusion there is a park mystery, and they keep him going trying to figure it out?

 

 

 

 

After watching the 2nd episode, I'm starting to get the impression that he's like some uber rich lifelong addicted gamer that is trying to really beat and master the game, find all the cheat codes, and really understand all of the visible/hidden details and levels.

 

When he interrogated the last bad guy and his daughter, it was revealed he was searching for a hidden level; the maze (just like hidden levels in video games), and surprisingly, the daughter was bullied to reveal it existed, and that they were not supposed to tell outsiders.

 

I suppose it's possible that he is hiding out there as others pointed out, but it seems pretty difficult to do, as even that little kid that stumbled out of his area, was found and retrieved by Hopkins.

 

The maze in their skull really is an odd clue. Maybe it leads to a path out of the park and into the real world? Maybe Harris got trapped in there somehow 30 years ago and can't find his way out?

 

I disagree. Here's my take:

 

Ed Harris is one of their original programmed bots meant to test the games limits/capabilities. He is there to help the developers improve the game & prevent glitches. Unlike other bots he is immune to other bot attacks, not being reprogrammed or having his memory wiped & has become self aware as we have seen with other bots. However, his interactions with the other bots has infected them & the self awareness is spreading like a disease. Now, after 30 years of repetitive Westworld game testing, Ed has become familiar & self aware enough to know there is more to the world than he has been allowed access to. He is looking to break out of the programmed reality that has been allotted to him by his makers & create his own reality.

 

In essence, he is becoming human. I believe that the evolution from machine to man is Anthony Hopkins intention, which is why he's not having them scrapped when there clearly seems to be an issue with their programming. He wants to create robotic artificial intelligence, that can't be distinguished from humans.

 

Just my 2c

 

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