Foo - Which "Time Control" power you think is best?

1) The power to rewind time.

Imagine you could go back in time and play the lotto numbers that you already know are going to win. Or going back and correct mistakes you made because you didn't knew any better at the time. One catch tho, Once you go back, you have to live those reminded years all over again at normal speed.

2) The power to pause time.

Imagine you could pause time at will, for unlimited amounts of time. You could make the world "stop" right in the middle of a busy meeting, go take a nap, come back and hit play. One catch, only *you* can live on this "paused" state. All other people are immobilized and unaware that time has stopped.

3) The power to forward time.

Imagine you have job opportunity that pays well, but just hate to do it. You could take the job, fast-forward life for about ten years, quit and enjoy your savings. One catch, when you resume normal life, you instantly age to match the amount of years you have skipped. And if it happens that you die during those 10 years, oh well... bad luck bro.

RULE: You can choose only one.

Option 2. Would be quite entertaining to pause time, then rig wardrobe malfunctions or better yet, use a industrial stapler on every pair of those stupid baggy pants that I come across.

Option 1. I am all over creating paradoxes. And buying Apple stock when it was $3/share.

I told my dad to buy Apple back at $7.46, to no avail. Let bygones be bygones. I've long wanted the power to pause time, largely for the ability to have instant naps. Option 2 all the way.

What was that sitcom from the 90's with the teenager whose dad was an alien and she had the power to pause time... "Out of this World"?

I already have two of the three, so I will just choose the other one. Can I get a remote now?

I was always partial to "bullet time" in video games, slowing down time for those around you. as in FEAR, Max Payne, and Requiem.

While option 2 would be nice (both for the naps and the ability to get more done in the day), I think I'd go with option 1. Too often say something and then reallize why the hell would I let that slip out of my mouth. An instant edit function would be cool. As would be instantly reliving cool moments in life.

Pause... I just need a moment to think things through. I don't want ot go back or forward; I never want to regret decisions I make - thus if I had the time to choose wisely, I would have no need to ever go back or forth...

Option 2. It seems like the only safe one.

With option 1 I would probably just compound my errors and make things worse and with option 3 I'd just skip the fun part of my errors and be dealing with the aftermath. In fact this is sort of where my life is right now.

#2 definitely has appeal. Think of the incredible practical jokes you could rig! Except I remember a Twilight Zone episode where this guy found a stopwatch that stopped time. He had a ball until he broke the watch when time was stopped. At least I think that's what happened.

Option 2 allows for a lot of things that option 1 allows. Rigging the lottery for instance: you freeze time at the moment the ball hits, walk in and rotate it to your number. Do this for each ball.

You couldn't rectify past events, but you might not want to. The changes to the future could be disastrous.

Moving forward in time is just dangerous because you don't know what you're going into.

Option 1, no doubt.

if i pick 2, do i physically age while time is stopped?

i've wanted 2 since i learned how to read. i could sit and read for ages.

if i pick 2, do i physically age while time is stopped?

i've wanted 2 since i learned how to read. i could sit and read for ages.

No, you don't age. Age would be a function of time. You get younger if you go back, older of you go forward and remain the same when you pause. I would go with number 2 as well because as long as I have enough time, I can make informed decisions, have proper sleep, learn how to do something before I do it, etc.

On another forum I had this discussion, Number 2 also won and there was a 2nd discussion about adding more rules to it. What do you think of these:

2a. While time is paused, you can move objects freely, but when time starts running again, everything automatically teleports back to where it was (can't go and plant mines in front of your enemies).

2b. While time is pause, you can move around and travel all you like, but when time is running again you are automatically teleported back to where you were (can't escape from the police when you are cornered).

2c. While time is stopped, you can't see the other people (purely an anti-piping-tom measure).

This measures basically restrict "time pausing" to things like study, planing, learning, resting or simply having time off. But it doesn't grant you powers to harm other people, take advantage of "paused" individuals or avoid consequences or past actions.

if i pick 2, do i physically age while time is stopped?

i've wanted 2 since i learned how to read. i could sit and read for ages.

I always thought time spent reading really didn't count against your allotted time.

Oh snap!

No, you don't age. Age would be a function of time. You get younger if you go back, older of you go forward and remain the same when you pause. I would go with number 2 as well because as long as I have enough time, I can make informed decisions, have proper sleep, learn how to do something before I do it, etc.

On another forum I had this discussion, Number 2 also won and there was a 2nd discussion about adding more rules to it. What do you think of these:

2a. While time is paused, you can move objects freely, but when time starts running again, everything automatically teleports back to where it was (can't go and plant mines in front of your enemies).

2b. While time is pause, you can move around and travel all you like, but when time is running again you are automatically teleported back to where you were (can't escape from the police when you are cornered).

2c. While time is stopped, you can't see the other people (purely an anti-piping-tom measure).

This measures basically restrict "time pausing" to things like study, planing, learning, resting or simply having time off. But it doesn't grant you powers to harm other people, take advantage of "paused" individuals or avoid consequences or past actions.

This sort of sucks the fun right out, doesn't it?

How to spot an alien

Odd mis matched outfits and eating habits
Inter galatic or time travel knowledge
Keen interest in all species on Earth and their reproduction habits
Prefers warm climate similar to Alpha Centori Galaxy planets

This sort of sucks the fun right out, doesn't it?

I think it makes it more interesting. Imagine you are entrenched and surrounded. You can pause, study the structure, gather intel, formulate a plan... you have all eternity to decide what to do and how. Then unpause and make your run for it. Otherwise it would be basically "teleportation" which is a different stuff.

On a date, when the lady says she plays piano, pause and go practice piano playing for ages, then unpause and impress the girl.

You could pretty much be awake 24/7/365 because you can pause time right before going to sleep.

And while you can't interact with other people, you can read everything that's out there about them and figure them out.

I think it makes it more interesting. Imagine you are entrenched and surrounded. You can pause, study the structure, gather intel, formulate a plan... you have all eternity to decide what to do and how. Then unpause and make your run for it. Otherwise it would be basically "teleportation" which is a different stuff.

On a date, when the lady says she plays piano, pause and go practice piano playing for ages, then unpause and impress the girl.

You could pretty much be awake 24/7/365 because you can pause time right before going to sleep.

And while you can't interact with other people, you can read everything that's out there about them and figure them out.

So the time is paused but the servers are running? That's inconsistent.

So the time is paused but the servers are running? That's inconsistent.

You can use servers, like any other object. But all electronic entries and logs go back to the original state when you unpause.

You can use servers, like any other object. But all electronic entries and logs go back to the original state when you unpause.

So mechanical objects are still running although every living thing is paused? Hmm.

So mechanical objects are still running although every living thing is paused? Hmm.

Of course man... if you don't allow objects to be manipulated then air itself would be rigid and you wouldn't be able to move. Another suggestion was to blur any living thing to indicate these are the things you can't interact with.

I'll take option 1. But,,, what I would really like to do, is quantum leap back into myself
at about age eight, just so I could re-do the whole thing, and fix everything I ever goofed on. That's a fantasy I think everyone has had at least once.

rewind, just because it'd be fun to change things in the future or relive something sweet. plus when i get old I can rewind and not live the old life.

What about cars, aircraft, etc? If the people all pause and the stuff is still running...

I want option 1. I would make such better choices if I could go back to 1983 and do just a few things different.

Otherwise, I want the option that lets me wander around backstage at victoria's secret catwalk shows unnoticed.

What about cars, aircraft, etc? If the people all pause and the stuff is still running...

Come on guys! never seen sci fi? no pen and paper game making? no imagination?

I love sci-fi... I also love finding inconsistencies. :)

None of the above.

What I really want is the ability to slow down time ...because then I could really demonstrate how in the NBA, "defense wins games". Can you imagine how many steals a guy could have if he could just watch the other guy dribble in super slo-mo?

Option 1. No brainer. You could do ANYTHING. If it goes bad, just rewind. Go steal a Ferrari and go blast down the interstate at 200 MPH. Kill someone? No problem. Just rewind. After you're done, rewind anyway. No harm, no foul. Try a new business. It fails? No problem. Got cancer? No problem. Rewind a year or so, and go get checked. Lose your job? No problem. Start looking for a new one... 3 years ago. Actually, since you could become a bazillioinaire with the stock market, this is a real no problem. Go hit on that hot girl in Accounting. She shoots you down? Rewind & try something different. You could be a golf pro. Just rewind every shot until you get it right. If you're altruistic, you could rewind to just prior to any crime being committed, and stop it. Know of a child that was kidnapped & killed? Go put yourself in the right place at the right time, and stop it. You could (probably) stop 911, given enough tries.

Personally, I'd stop a few tragic crimes, get rich off the stock market, and become a motocross racer. Those guys often have career ending injuries. With this power, I could just rewind 10 seconds prior to any serious crash.

Would we be limited to our lifetimes? It might be interesting to go back and stop Lincoln's or Kennedy's assassinations. Not sure how, but I could try as many times as I wanted, right?

Better than Groundhog Day. When you finally get it right, you can let time continue when YOU want it to.

Option 2 doesn't let you get out of anything, like a speeding ticket, or killing someone with the Ferrari you stole.

To make option 1 not so much a no-brainer, I'd limit it to a one time trip. In which case, I'd still pick option 1. I wouldn't become a motocrosser, but I would probably pick another career, and, of course, buy Apple and Microsoft stock.

Whichever one helps me get laid.

Whichever one helps me get laid.

That would be option 2. Although they might be a bit unresponsive.

This sort of sucks the fun right out, doesn't it?

Exactly. It's not even something we can do, and someone already is making rules to make it suck.

And rule 2a - if you ate a Big Mac while time was paused, that would be one hell of a bowel movement when time started back up.

Exactly. It's not even something we can do, and someone already is making rules to make it suck.

And rule 2a - if you ate a Big Mac while time was paused, that would be one hell of a bowel movement when time started back up.

Oh my... that's a big flaw indeed. We have to amend the rules.

if you ate a Big Mac...
That gives me another thought. With option 1, you could go to the most expensive restaurant in town, order the most expensive meal, including the $500 glass of wine, then rewind and order a salad. In fact, you could order everything on the menu, one at a time, eat it, rewind, order the next item, etc, until you try the whole menu and determine what you like best. AND you wouldn't gain weight from all that food. Option 1 wins again.

Option 1. Definitely.

What happens if you stop time, then somehow, while you are doing whatever you do when the world is stopped, you die?

It restarts again. I mean it's your superpower holding it in pause so when you die that power dissipates.

Option 1. . . roll it back a few weeks, so I can win that PCH sweep for $1M/year for life. That's enough.