Reference:2006-07-06 Ikuro Kodama Town Hall discussing new Ages

(07/06 08:08:25) Thend: Can you tell us a little about what you do, Dr Kodoma, while we are waiting?
(07/06 08:08:49) Dr. Kodama: I work on restoring Ages. Early on, one of the first to get to a place and begin work.
(07/06 08:09:13) Dr. Kodama: I get to see many Ages although I also get to see many Ages that are canceled long before being made public.
(07/06 08:09:44) Dr. Kodama: Regardless, I'm mostly involved in early phase restoration work.
(07/06 08:10:25) Dr. Kodama: Determining whether or not an Age has a chance to be made safe for the public.
(07/06 08:10:47) Dr. Kodama: Given our resources - and sometimes regardless of the resources.
(07/06 08:11:38) Dadguy: How accurate can we expect the Age List on the DRC site to be, as the restoration continues?
(07/06 08:11:43) Dr. Kodama: Not very.
(07/06 08:11:58) Dadguy: Is there a place to get info?
(07/06 08:12:01) Dr. Kodama: I'm not sure we've truly updated that in a while and most of those dates were based on our old schedules.
(07/06 08:12:23) Dr. Kodama: We will update that. We should have by now but we just haven't.
(07/06 08:12:41) joao pedro: at the beginning of this year, it seemed as if you and mr. laxman were mainly working in the Age of Kahlo. why is that age now listed as suspended
(07/06 08:13:07) Dr. Kodama: These things often happen. We had hoped to be able to bring Kahlo along and make it available.
(07/06 08:13:32) Dr. Kodama: However, given the issues that we ran into and given our current resources (people and money) Kahlo had to be suspended.
(07/06 08:13:54) Dr. Kodama: It became unrealistic to expect us to be able to make it available to the public.
(07/06 08:14:05) Dr. Kodama: Hopefully, in the future, but just not now.
(07/06 08:16:25) K'laamas: Do you have any ballpark estimates for when Er'cana & Ahnonay will recieve Phase 5 approval?
(07/06 08:17:02) Dr. Kodama: Late this year, early next year.
(07/06 08:17:07) Dr. Kodama: for both.
(07/06 08:17:36) Tweek: how do you feel about the explorers that are "dabbling" in The Art?
(07/06 08:18:28) Dr. Kodama: When they have created something that I want to see, I'll care.
(07/06 08:18:40) Dr. Kodama: I see no reason why they shouldn't be trying to learn it.
(07/06 08:18:58) Dr. Kodama: and maybe someday I'll visit something they create.
(07/06 08:19:28) joao pedro: I'd like to know if the DRC uses mantainer suits when first exploring a recently-discovered age.... I mean, some of them could be pretty dangerous, and others could even be "dead"
(07/06 08:19:57) Dr. Kodama: Of course. We have to. Protocol.
(07/06 08:20:10) Dr. Kodama: There are some very bad Ages.
(07/06 08:21:08) joao pedro: is eder tsogahl another age similar to Kemo and Delin, or is it completely different
(07/06 08:21:41) Dr. Kodama: Fairly similar. Another Garden...
(07/06 08:22:16) Dadguy: We are here today to hear about "The Ages". Can you tell us about some of these "bad Ages"?
(07/06 08:22:38) Dr. Kodama: Wouldn't you want to hear about Good Ages?
(07/06 08:22:49) Dadguy: Both.
(07/06 08:22:58) Dr. Kodama: Bad Ages aren't very exciting. Go there, engulfed in flames...leave and never return.
(07/06 08:23:18) Dr. Kodama: Good Ages you might see someday.
(07/06 08:23:46) Dr. Kodama: What do you want to know about Good Ages?
(07/06 08:24:06) Dadguy: Tell us what we can expect? We are curious.
(07/06 08:24:43) Dr. Kodama: You can expect new Ages. Some are quite different than what you've seen up to this point and some are not.
(07/06 08:25:11) Dr. Kodama: Some the D'ni used as recreational Ages and others are more private that we are still trying to figure out what they were used for.
(07/06 08:25:16) Dr. Kodama: Some are filled with water.
(07/06 08:25:24) Dr. Kodama: Some are filled with ice.
(07/06 08:25:35) Dr. Kodama: Some are desert plains with strange creatures that can be ridden.
(07/06 08:26:03) Dr. Kodama: Some are filled with massive beasts.
(07/06 08:26:29) Dr. Kodama: And there are many spots here in the cavern we are trying to work on as well.
(07/06 08:26:42) Dr. Kodama: Given time and resources, you can expect a lot.
(07/06 08:27:04) Dr. Kodama: So let's hope we have both and we'll all have much to enjoy.
(07/06 08:27:33) IanWatson: Will existing public Ages continue to get attention? Several explorers have reported (for example) a tendency to black out in Teledahn whenever they try to touch anything, myself included.
(07/06 08:28:14) Dr. Kodama: Yes, we are working very hard (I wish we didn't have to be working so hard) on Ages that have already been made public trying to get them to proper safety levels.
(07/06 08:28:54) Dr. Kodama: Those are currently our first priority. As a result, newer Ages have been pushed a little. But that's just the way it works.
(07/06 08:29:09) K'laamas: Is there anything you could tell us about the nature of Eder Delin, other than it being another "Rest Age"? Any unique or interesting things about it or its history?
(07/06 08:30:09) Dr. Kodama: Not especially. The D'ni had quite a few Ages that seemed to have been written for the same reason parks are created in cities: plaes to relax.
(07/06 08:30:34) Dr. Kodama: I'm not sure there is much more ot is background. At least not that I know of currently.
(07/06 08:30:42) Thend: Are problems with Ages you test out solved only by ordinary means (repairing structures, etc) or are the DRC also prompted to 'dabble' with The Writing themselves, in order to stabilize Ages that may be recoverable?
(07/06 08:31:34) Dr. Kodama: Dabbling with the writing is very dangerous as you all know. We prefer more ordinary means.
(07/06 08:31:51) Tweek: Are you aware that explorers have been using Yeesha's Path of the Shell journey to access Ages like Ahnonay, K'veer and Er'Cana, how does the DRC feel about this?
(07/06 08:32:13) Dr. Kodama: I personally was not aware.
(07/06 08:33:39) Dr. Kodama: I, personally, am just trying to do my job and not worry about Yeesha.
(07/06 08:34:02) Dr. Kodama: I'm trying to make Ages available for people to explore together through the DRC.
(07/06 08:34:13) Arthur Kalnins: Gehn was trapped in a prison Age. Have you found that prison Age or those of the brothers Sirrus and Achenar? Or any of the books from Myst Island? And if so, will we ever get to visit them, or are they too unstable?
(07/06 08:34:53) Dr. Kodama: We have found some of those Ages and we have plans to make some of them available at some point in the future.
(07/06 08:35:14) Dr. Kodama: Hopefully, fairly early next year...
(07/06 08:35:22) wkwalker: Have you encountered people in any of those unopened ages? Or other intelligent beings?
(07/06 08:36:01) Dr. Kodama: Yes. Both.
(07/06 08:36:43) joao pedro: Can you tell us a little about that Rahtevnee Age... that one wasn't in the DRC list two years ago
(07/06 08:37:23) Dr. Kodama: It is a new Age, more recently discovered, but one that has promise for a fairly quick turnaround an thus it has been moved up.
(07/06 08:37:45) Dr. Kodama: Mostly water. Some interesting creatures and equipment.
(07/06 08:38:13) Dr. Kodama: The D'ni used it for its resources.
(07/06 08:38:31) Dr. Kodama: Interesting place.
(07/06 08:38:36) Dr. Kodama: Should be fun.
(07/06 08:38:43) Jane: It's not exactly an Age, but I am curious as to whether the DRC has been out to K'veer? And if Explorers might also be allowed to go there one of these days (anytime soon)?
(07/06 08:39:52) Dr. Kodama: Explorers have seen it, of course. As to making it more publicly accesible from the cavern...it's on the list.
(07/06 08:40:04) Thend: When asked previously about the DRC's relationship with Cyan, you were quite succinct - could you please be more specific about the function Cyan provides for the DRC and vice versa? And where are the backers, such as Turner, etc, in this scheme of things - currently and in the future?
(07/06 08:41:02) Dr. Kodama: Cyan is a resource to help our restoration. Cyan has been able to secure some funding to help the restoration project from Turner for which we are very grateful.
(07/06 08:41:39) Dr. Kodama: We hope that Turner and Cyan are both in our future.
(07/06 08:41:53) IanWatson: A little off-topic, but I'm wondering on the status of continuing cavern recovery. Not just new areas getting opened, but minor stuff like bridge repair and repairing cracks in the wall, and more major fixes like getting fans working and getting the lake bacteria up to full potential?
(07/06 08:42:30) Dr. Kodama: Yes...cracks are very low on the list. Most cracks you see have been deemed safe or you wouldn't be seeing them.
(07/06 08:42:44) Dr. Kodama: as a result, we see little need to start reparing them.
(07/06 08:43:02) Dr. Kodama: Bridges...somewhat higher on the list but they are working.
(07/06 08:43:13) Dr. Kodama: Fans...yes. But we are able to breathe down here.
(07/06 08:43:30) Dr. Kodama: Lake light...yes. Hopefully Er'Cana will help us all be able to do that.
(07/06 08:43:40) wkwalker: For those ages where you encountered intelligent beings, are any likely to be opened for public access?
(07/06 08:44:20) Dr. Kodama: Yes. As I suggested earlier, given our resources, many of those Ages have been pushed back. Intelligent beings require a bit more care from us.
(07/06 08:44:32) Dr. Kodama: And a bit more time to deem safe for the public.
(07/06 08:45:01) Dr. Kodama: I, personally, hope they are sooner than later but, we simply must wait for now.
(07/06 08:45:10) joao pedro: In the DRC site, it was said that the Age of Pirahnay was suspended because it "was not understood". can you explain what that means (and if it's not asking too much, tell us a bit about that age... i have always been curious about that one)
(07/06 08:46:57) Dr. Kodama: Strange place. An artist's Age, of sorts.
(07/06 08:47:12) Dr. Kodama: Much of it can be manipulated and changed within the Age.
(07/06 08:47:44) Dr. Kodama: There was also some backstory/history that was not particularly wholesome.
(07/06 08:48:19) Dr. Kodama: Still trying to figure out much of it, although it's, quite simply, a very strange place that is even hard to understand what it shoudl be restored to.
(07/06 08:48:31) K'laamas: Could you tell us anything about the Age listed on the DRC site as "0023 Unknown"?
(07/06 08:48:50) Dr. Kodama: No.
(07/06 08:49:17) Dr. Kodama: Not because it's especially secret - just because I'm not sure what that one is off the top of my head.
(07/06 08:49:38) Dr. Kodama: We had quite a few of those and I don't remember.
(07/06 08:49:52) TomahnaGuy: how many new ages will we see on Beta? Two or more?
(07/06 08:50:17) Dr. Kodama: Not sure what/where Beta is?
(07/06 08:50:43) joao pedro: some explorers have seen drawings of an Age that has a big mansion in the middle of a lake,the drawings show the place both during night-time and day-time. can you say what place is that... there are divergent opinions, and I wanted to clear up the confusion
(07/06 08:51:40) Dr. Kodama: If they are the ones I'm thinking of, which I"m sure they are, it is the Guild of Illusions.
(07/06 08:51:46) Dr. Kodama: Do remember, they are drawings.
(07/06 08:51:54) Dr. Kodama: It doesn't look like that anymore.
(07/06 08:53:09) Tweek: When you are restoring the Ages, where do you get the materials from, do you use Earth materals or try and find the same ones the D'ni used in the Age originally?
(07/06 08:53:59) Dr. Kodama: We try and use D'ni materials. Obviously, it's much easier to use materials already here than to bring down surface materials.
(07/06 08:54:31) Dr. Kodama: The D'ni had quite a few Ages made as resource Ages so they are not especially hard to find.
(07/06 08:54:38) TomahnaGuy: do the ages in development have a particular theme or concept?
(07/06 08:54:57) Dr. Kodama: Not especially.
(07/06 08:55:07) Dr. Kodama: I don't think so.
(07/06 08:55:16) K'laamas: Can you tell us what Ages in which work is currently Suspended will have work resumed the soonest?
(07/06 08:56:18) Dr. Kodama: As we've said...Er'Cana and Ahnonay. Negilahn...hopefully Kahlo...hopefully.
(07/06 08:56:49) IanWatson: Is there anything we can do to help with Age recovery and safety measures?
(07/06 08:57:36) Dr. Kodama: Give us your money. : )
(07/06 08:58:00) Dr. Kodama: We simply need people - we need to show those who are funding the projet that there are people who want to pay to be here.
(07/06 08:58:04) Dr. Kodama: That's the honest truth.
(07/06 08:58:24) Dr. Kodama: It costs money to restore this project and without it...it won't be restored.
(07/06 08:58:50) Dr. Kodama: There are not too many who want to give money to its restoration...fortunately Turner has funded some of the restoration for now and we hope they will continue.
(07/06 08:59:01) Dr. Kodama: With your support they will... and we'll get more people to come here as well.