World's Fair
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Overview

Hosted in support of the Bureau International des Expositions, the World's Fair marks itself as more than just a science exposition, but the United States' entry back in the global stage as a country with a viable economy, open borders for trade and research, and peaceful territory in which community can be fostered. Throughout the month of May, Governor's Island will be converted into a temporary city of attractions, in which corporate bodies and research organisations demonstrate their best and brightest in all fields of science, taking the form of interactive displays, evening conferences, and at least one party.

Many diverse fields of study are represented, but celebrated beneath the same banner: tomorrow's solutions for the challenges of today.

The fairgrounds will feature both permanent installations for the month of May, as well as other exhibitions being debuted for an evening through a tech demo, social event, or otherwise. These take place in pop-up buildings and tents that now crowd Governor's Island, as well as open, brightly lit boulevards in which more typical 'fairground' attractions can be enjoyed, such as food stands, restaurants, picnic areas, themed funfair games, and performances that tend to skew space-age circus.

Of course, these frivolities only serve to help celebrate the real attractions on display, as listed below by sponsor. Although many companies and individuals are represented as per what they have to offer, the below names are the major headliners that are financing the World's Fair, in cooperation with the United States government.

The below information offers an overview of major projects on display, but is not exhaustive!

Crito Corporate

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Medical Achievement and Advancement

Known for its cutting edge developments in the world of pharmaceuticals and medical science, Crito Corporate will be presenting on a broad range of projects in development that involve these interests. As Crito has yet to make its formal business debut on American shores, they will have running for the month of May a museum of some of their ongoing projects in development, from ultra-tough lab-grown bone transplant material that can withstand deadly impact, through to ocular implants not only for corrective vision, but enhanced vision.

"Hello!"

Among these displays, one can find a pen containing two hogs outfitted with technology that translates data from embedded biometric sensors into speech. Fun for the whole family. The hogs — one male, one female — project posh English accents from speakers mounted within the exhibit, and seem capable of engaging audiences (especially children) on a superficial level, greeting visitors with an enthusiastic, “Hello!” and expressing everything from exaggerated yawns to simple exclamations of excitement in anticipation of mealtimes and play.

Live displays demonstrate brain activity in real time, along with the complex biometric readings that result in any given vocal response. The real emphasis here for investors is in the value of this technology for remote monitoring of (consenting) subjects in the field via unobtrusive implants, with some playful speculation on ways the technology could be used to facilitate understanding of their pets in the future.

Maya

On the weekend of May 18, Crito will be debuting a prototype affectionately known as Maya, a machine that is able to transmit human consciousness into an immersive simulated environment. Although the technology is still in its developmental stages, Crito representatives will be running a series of demonstrations for any volunteers who would care to experience Maya for themselves. They will be advised that throughout the demonstration, they will be fully conscious and aware of their physical environment, which will restrict the immersion, but allow them the novelty of experiencing a virtual reality effect on a neurological level.

The future goal is to create an a sustained virtual experience for even an unconscious human mind to interact with, as a means of a whole host of positive implications: from communication with coma patients, through to virtual reality dream therapies, as well as high-end entertainment experiences.

Praxis Heavy Industries

Link

Praxis Heavy Industries is proud to showcase the Praxis Heavy Industries "Link", a state-of-the-art mobile phone capable of both cellular and satellite service, two-way radio communication, and synchronization with biometric reading peripherals that can alert emergency services should the end-used become injured. The PHI Link is also designed for the harsh realities of the post-war United States and is impact resistant, bullet resistant, and capable of operating while fully submerged underwater. The PHI Link is a rugged, all-purpose communications platform for the evolving needs of the American people.

Huangdi

Praxis Heavy Industries will also be offering closed-door demonstrations of their Huangdi autonomous construction robots to select audiences.

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Raytech Industries

Raytech Industry's corner of the Fair is constructed of recycled materials in a smooth and seamlessly organic display, vibrantly eco-friendly by powering itself with a dazzling array of solar panels. Acting as a glowing backdrop, a curving tank is home to a small school of robotic fish that drift backwards and forwards, glittering in the sun by day and lit up bright blue by night.

The Mantis

Central to their display, Raytech will be unveiling the Mantis, a fully solar-powered four-wheeled motorbike, scheduled for release in the near future. Its unique array of reflective solar-panels ensure full coverage to capture direct and indirect sunlight, allowing for both raw power and endurance, all the while prioritizing the need for sustainability.

Robobo

Warren Ray will also be using this opportunity to unveil Robobo, a robotic monkey of his own design and funding. Robobo functions as a mental health aid with an advanced AI, with functionalities that include facial and vocal recognition, behavioral learning, mechanical ability to fetch simple objects, and other abilities that replicate support animals.

Yamagato Industries

Eco-Fleet

Yamagato Industries comes to the 2019 World's Fair with a cavalcade of green technology options for the new United States of America. Yamagato Industries is proud to announce a line of fully electric automobiles offered to the American people at a production subsidy to help support the transportation needs for a massive nation while undercutting the need for depleted fossil fuel reserves. Yamagato Industries is unveiling seven models of automobile:

  • The Yamagato Lapis, a heavy-duty sport-utility vehicle capable of seating 8. It is designed for off-road use and stability in the damaged roads of war-torn America. Price point $60,000 USD
  • The Yamagato Altum, a luxury car suitable for navigating the reconstructed urban environments of America. Price point $87,000 USD
  • The Yamagato Civis, a two door economy sedan. Price point $34,000 USD
  • The Yamagato Magnis, an electric limousine marketed toward government and executive buyers. $147,000 USD
  • The Yamagato Civis-R, a sport model of the economy Civis design with greater horsepower and a more durable suspension. Price Point $56,000 USD.
  • The Yamagato Predator, a high-end electric muscle car targeted toward upper class buyers. Price Point $77,000 USD
  • The Yamagato Ventus, an electric motorcycle with a durable frame and broad wheel base designed for rough terrain. Price Point $76,000 USD.

Asawu

Yamagato Industries is also showcasing their latest mobile phone offering, the Yamagato //Awasu//, a modular and foldable smartphone/tablet hybrid capable of collapsing down to a standard touch-screen cell phone design or expanding out to a three-pane touchscreen tablet surface.

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Classroom of Tomorrow

Lastly, Yamagato Industries is inviting World's Fair attendees to sit down and experience the Classroom of Tomorrow, a look at the cutting edge computer-integrated classroom environment, announced to be coming to the educational facilities on the new Roosevelt Island.

Others

The World's Fair will be party to a whole host of independent inventors and researchers who have been granted space and time to present on their projects and ideas. At any given time, you can expect to run into:

Justin Rockwell, an inventor hailing from Florida, will be running midday demonstrations of his 'autonomous turbojet flight unit'— which is, in all respects, a jetpack. What of today's challenges this tomorrow solution solves is as yet unclear, beyond the lack of jetpacks in the world.
Louise Kim, a key architect and engineer behind many of the pop-up pavilions on display at the World's Fair, will be overseeing a month-long installation called City Wisdom in which the latest in city-planning theory and sustainable technologies are applied to theoretical rebuilds of major United States cities.
Zuzi Nowak, a Polish-Australian musician, will be featured on several evenings applying her telekinetic ability to a chamber orchestra of instruments and playing them solo. In cooperation with sound artist Sana, an audiokinetic from New York, who will use her ability to manipulate these sounds into unique melodies.

And more!

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Quorums

On every Friday evening from the 10th, the World's Fair will be hosting an event known as the Quorums, a series of presentations and panels run by both corporate sponsored and independent speakers. These are 20 to 30 minute lectures and panels on a range of topics, normally about broader conceptual topics than individual technologies or inventions. After two hours, the Quorums conclude with refreshments and mingling. These Quorums are free to the public to attend, but the social after events are restricted to presenters and their own personal invitees.

Among other key note speakers, the Quorums will host:

Evelyn Waugh, a representative of Crito Corporate's London office, will be offering a presentation entitled "Severance, ascension, and the digital consciousness: a future to consider".
Richard Ray, CEO of Raytech Industries, will be presenting on string theory under the topic "Time is Not a Line".
Dr Jon Ricketts, a professor of modern sociology from the United Kingdom, will be presenting on a topic billed as "Science, society, and the Expressive effect", a discussion on the intersection of SLC-Expressive abilities on scientific communities.

Virtual Gala

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The Virtual Gala is the unofficial closing ceremony of the World's Fair. To be hosted in what has been called the Fractal Pavilion, a pop-up building that, among others, hosts the Friday quorums. Although the content of the Virtual Gala has thus far been kept secret, the World's Fair dedicated Twitter account has released a few promotional tweets in answer to questions.

So far, established information is:

  • Yes, the Virtual Gala will be held live, rather than online. The dress code is formal attire.
  • Tickets are limited, with all proceeds going to the Safe Zone Cooperation to assist in the financing of New York's rebuild, as a thank you from the international bodies being hosted.
  • It is speculated that the gala will feature, or will itself be an art installation by British modern artist and director, Wes Lode. Although less known among American audiences, UK twitter has circulated theories about what that could possibly mean for the Gala — everything from naked robot women serving drinks through to escape rooms and spontaneous raves.
  • The event is being bankrolled by Crito Corporate, and is likely to include some of their own entertainment technology.

The IC date will be the 28th of May. The logs will go up on the 19th of May, to be closed and posted by start of June. Rather than featuring one large scene, this will be divided up into small, fluid groups. These will be GMed scenes.

RPing at the World's Fair

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Rather than the Fair being run only on GMing scenes, we encourage players to use the above setting information as a place to role play at your leisure. Go on dates, run into old friends, meet new ones, talk to a pig. There will be a few scenes hosted by staff or other players as inspiration strikes, which you are welcome to join as they come. If you have any questions that would assist in your role play, please @mail Brooklyn and Rockefeller, or catch us in pages if we're online.

Investigation and Exploration

If your interest runs a little deeper than being a part of the crowd, if there is something on display you'd like to look at a little closer, or a character involved that you would like to speak to in particular, contact Brooklyn and Rockefeller and we will organise some GM-run scenes as time allows. (If you have questions that relate to specific factions, you'll want to speak to the people who run them!)

Logs

We shall announce logs and use the +event code in the MU* client as events are scheduled, but we shall link logs from this section too.

General information

Transport to and from

For the duration of May, ferry rides to and from Governor's Island will be free of charge to allow easy access to the World's Fair. The ferry's normal service from the Safe Zone will continue as scheduled, which is every 45 minutes between the hours of 10 am and 7 pm.

Daily business

Fort Jay will remain a place of work for SESA employees throughout May. The Fair, although possessing much of Governor Island's real estate, is fenced off from major walkways and the area surrounding Fort Jay during business hours, so employees will find that they are able to move without interruption from the docks to their place of work. There will be a dedicated ferry service for SESA employees at a separate dock restricted from the general public and Fair employees, and these services will run during morning work hours and close of business hours.

Final notes

If you have any questions at all, or if you would like something included above that you didn't get to ask us about, please contact Brooklyn and Rockefeller. Consider this page a live document.

Unless otherwise stated, the content of this page is licensed under Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 3.0 License