Attempt at general story compilation (though this whole document is that too, this contains pieces): The government is up to something. It has numerous groups within it. PAST: - The ones who started the AI project (they started it for evil, but it doesnÆt exactly work out like that), - the ones who actually created it and knew it could be good (led by character mentioned below)(this group is probably dissapated in the present), PRESENT: - the ones who round up the Mutes to stop it (perhaps the new version of the evil original group, they have new plans and want to make it evil like it was supposed to be), - the good group in the government who has managed to guard the AI (but they are probably guarding it by the skin of their teeth.) One day (or over time), humanity seems to gain the ability for telepathy. This turns out to be the work of the same two groups behind the AI. The evil guys looking for short-term gains in the world of keeping an eye on its people (it is actually thought broadcasting, not telepathy), and the good guys who knew in the end it could be a tool for people to come together and get these evil guys. The ability was given to the people by some means (rays from satellites or something in the water supply, etc). It works on a bell curve with it effecting most people in an average way, some people a great deal, and some none at all (our Mutes). People generally know about the AI, and generally expect it to be evil. But someone on the inside has made it where the AIÆs thoughts are broadcast too (it just canÆt hear other peopleÆs (see below for development of that)). With the usual distribution of intelligence in societyÆs population, there are only a small number of people in the position to put the pieces together, but most of them have their thoughts broadcasted and the government scoops them up quick. That leaves our small group of Mutes who are in this position, but who canÆt be monitored. They are a danger, but the government figures they could be turned into a useful tool in regaining control of the AI. The Set-Up: The people of earth suddenly develop the ability to read each other's minds. The government is run by an evil AI. The World: - Set in a big city, LA, NY, SF, Boston, Chicago. - Increased ozone depletion means that people don't really go out during the day, so most of the scene's would be dark. - The government has gotten bigger and more intrusive they like to know what everyone is up to, "if you're not going anything wrong you've got nothing to worry about" The Other World/Virtual Reality: You have a well developed online/virtual world that the characters can visit. (the virtual would have it's own unique visual style). This world was created because of the devestation of the regular world. As opposed to the internet, perhaps this is where the AI makes contact with people as visible manifestations. It can assume any form and no one is any the wiser. Pilot: The world is slowly set-up. We meet our main character. Perhaps instead of the whole group rounded up at once, it could first start with our main character. It starts with “a knock at the door”. During the pilot though we need to meet our entire starting set of characters, even if they don’t yet receive their “knock” They are being rounded up by the government for conspiracy to commit treason, because they've been blocking their thoughts from the authorities. They're taken to a warehouse, or an abandoned airbase somewhere, which is conspicuosly devoid of technology. There they are breifed by a government suit type of guy and some generals. They are told that people don't actually have the ability to read minds, but people spontaneously developed the ability to BROADCAST their thoughts. THe members of our group are unique in that they are THOUGHT MUTE, ie- they DO NOT broadcast their thoughts. Thus, the government officials offer them the opportunity to try to infiltrate the higher levels of government, gain access to the controlling AI, and return control to the people. If they refuse, they will be tried for treson for blocking their thoughts, publicly discredited and eventually executed or imprisoned or whatever. Seasonal Plots Points: Season 1 - the side of the government behind the AI is trying to train it to read minds too Season 2/3 - all along, the AI is assumed to be evil. eventually we find out it is good. Characters: Main protaganist/Lead Mute - - There'd be a strong female lead, i.e. sexy. - If we go with a female lead, sexy has to be just one of the many adjectives that describle her. Why is she/he the one? Is it a traumatizing event from her past? Does she know computers or is she a housewife? Rich simplicity comes to mind. The reasons have to be simple and great. An open mind is key. What is she on the verge of (that makes her dangerous to the existing order, that makes her ready to go for it)? AI - Our second most important character. Lead Government Guy - This is the lead guy who is pulling them in. HeÆll say exactly who and what he represents, but that wonÆt be the whole story. (This government has a few sides.) The Team - in no particular order (from different backgrounds, working together.) Mute #2 - a government mole. the gov't officials wouldn't put all that trust in a group they can't control without a little insurance, would they? S/he would be all acting like a part of the group, but reporting everything back to the feds all the time. This would prime the scene for an anti-government struggle-type thing. Mute #3 - Mute #4 - Mute #5 - Mute #6 - Mute Character Ideas; - If a teenager or two were thrown into the mix, they wouldn't have much to lose by being tried for treason and might be into breaking a few rules here and there. - As for other character types, it's always fun to have a dorky whiz kid around for laughs (this is all getting pretty serious so we might need a lot of those). - the straight guy û completely unsuited for the job and out of place, it will be a while before we understand exactly why he is part of our group, but it will be a good reason Other Character Ideas: - Cool people you never get enough of - 1 - a wild man who is has all the answers and a big agenda to match; aids the mutes from time to time, but only gets so involved 2 - the person who created the AI The Look: - Who’s working on this? Can some samples be posted? Any ideas other than the general descriptions above? AI/Story ideas: Then there is the government A.I. The government, in an attempt to squash terrorism and other crime, has built an AI to sift through the overwhelming amount of surveillance data the government collects. Together with statistical analysis the AI is able to predict things that are about to happen. One idea is that the AI is tired of the government's inability to actually do anything about some criminals, so it enlists the help of our heroin to "fight crime". -=-=-=-=-=-=- The problem with being a corrupt government (you know the kind we usually have) and having a big crime fighting AI is that eventually the AI will turn its photoelectric eye on its government owners. Being an AI it'll decide that things would be much better if it took a little control of things, particularly over those people in government that are corrupt. The show could be about the AI rise in power, and about the different people that help the AI, often unwittingly. These people could hackers, bounty hunters, cops, other political parties, the Green party, and organized crime. Maybe some of these people figure out what the AI is up to. But i think the focus should be on the AI, we've seen stories where the evil AI takes over the world, but this time we'll see it from the AI's point of view and with out resulting to military action. -=-=-=-=-=-=-=- I like the government's AI getting unhappy with the government's performance. Perhaps because it doesn't know the real objectives. The AI predicts these events, some of which it expects the government to stop because of the criminal nature of the event, but actually the government is using the knowledge to leverage their agenda and sometimes to help our their cronies. So you've got the changes brought about in society due to telepathy (and other leaps) and then our group becomes aware of the government AI's thoughts and they begin to investigate what is going on. The plot could go back and forth from regular reality and VR. And then later on, perhaps the AI could start evolving too. Other Ideas: - Maybe they could have fake thought generators, or whatever. Little computer boxes that broadcast 'feed the cat...my boss is an asshole...i wonder if that girls likes me' on the thought wavelength, so they don't get found out as Mutes. - Obviously, I'm assuming the government is bad. Is that right? If so, we could throw in a little contemporary socio-political commentary on post-911 civil rights abuses. --------- Actual Item Delivery Doctors as lower caste? Synch of 1st AI encounter with history of 1st AI online 'Hello world' Plot against upper-class is military-industrial complex holdovers who couldn't cope with change. Upper-class enslaved humanity as a 'time-out', people can graduate.