4:00 pm - Sitting in a dark room with only a door and window. 'We' enter.

He was a serious player-
Of that you could not doubt.
But when he stopped responding,
We must see
Could he live without,
This master command...

We did what?

Hit the power button?

Hit the power button? No

I'll have you know that there are many possible answers, but the one I'm looking for is quite ingenious, IMHO.

Is the answer an action or a thing?

Is the answer an action or a thing? Action

Restart

Restart? No.

Plug in

Plug in? No.

It's not something that simple...

Ctrl+Alt+Del?

Ctrl+Alt+Del? No

Life support machine?

defrivulators... or what ever those *charge-clear! ZAP* things are you see on tv

Is it an action that needs more than one person to perform?

Life support machine? No
defrivulators... or what ever those *charge-clear! ZAP* things are you see on tv? AED? No

Is it an action that needs more than one person to perform? No

Alt+ F4?

is 'he' a person?

a machine?

Alt+ F4? No

is 'he' a person? Yes

a machine? No

Is this in any way politics related?

'cause if so, my guess is "voted for the other guy"

Is this in any way politics related? N0

'cause if so, my guess is "voted for the other guy" No

Also, it is not related to Tron.

It is a generic action?

OR

Is it an action specific to a certain field, eg computers?

Defeated him?

BREATH!

It is a generic action? Yes

Defeated him? No

BREATH! Thanks for reminding me!

Ohh, also, no.

Is it computer-related?

"Obey!"

is player reference to games, sports, or women?

The Mars rover

was it an actor who forgot his lines and had to be prompted?

Is it computer-related? What?

"Obey!" No

is player reference to games, sports, or women? EDIT: I don't know exactly what you mean... EDIT: Nevermind... player means games in this sense

The Mars rover? No, but very good observation.

was it an actor who forgot his lines and had to be prompted? No

does this have anything to do with religion?

does this have anything to do with religion? No

Answer the bloody question!! for the THIRD time... Does it have anything to do with computers??

GAH!!!

Does it have anything to do with computers?? I simply do not understand what you mean by this question. The riddle as a whole or the solution?

answer both.

The riddle has something to do with computers. The answer does not. I believe I've already established this, though.

Is it related to Tron?

I will hurt you.

so, is that a yes or no?

Synthuir

less than half a second ago

...Also, it is not related to Tron.

yeah, but that was 2 days ago.  You can't expect me to remember that far back

Really? It begs to differ.

what is 'it', in this case?

Is "we" another entity to the guy?

were you playing speed chess?

Is "we" another entity to the guy? Yes

were you playing speed chess? No

Hmm.. does "Could he live without, This master command" mean that we (or anyone) removed whatever the "master command" is?

...mean that we (or anyone) removed whatever the "master command" is? No

so we have a riddle that is computer related and refers to games?

so we have a riddle that is computer related and refers to games?

Lemme clear this up... It is about computers, being video games... The subject of the riddle is playing video games, and we (anyone, really) needs to see if he can live without his master command. The part after the close-paren is what you need to determine, along with what 'we' did to achieve this.

when you say "But when he stopped responding" was he already playing the game but appeared afk

when you say "But when he stopped responding" was he already playing the game but appeared afk? No. I think I can leave it at that.

so first we must figure out what the master command is?

is it save?

Is the master command the player?

so first we must figure out what the master command is? I think you already know it, but sure...

is it save? No

Is the master command the player? No... that would imply that we have to see if the play could live without his life...? Huh?

is it fire/shoot?

So we are talking about some kind of computer game?

If so, does it matter what kind? Action, Strategy, etc?

is it fire/shoot? No

So we are talking about some kind of computer game? We are, but that doesn't really mean anything if used in the wrong understanding...

If so, does it matter what kind? Action, Strategy, etc? No

So "he" is playing a computer game, and he is a serious player, which means he is good at it?

So "he" is playing a computer game, and he is a serious player, which means he is good at it? Irrelevant, but yes, I guess...

This ties into another one of the short stories from the sci-fi collection webpage thingy which SK might be able to cite. It has something to do with tetris in the story, but not nessecerely in the riddle (also, the answer is not in the story this time.)

We have alredy established that "he" is a normal, flesh & blood person, right?

The fact that he stopped responding, does that mean:

that he stopped responding to what was said to him?

that he stopped talking altogether?

that he stopped moving?

did he die?

I dont know if it has been asked, but has the "master command" something to do with computers?

Or is it some kind of other command, like those given in the army?

Or somthing else not yet mentioned?

Is the "master command" hardware or software related?

Is the "master command" hardware or software related? I'm assuming you want a detailed answer, so both, really...

was this guy a computer geek, or does that matter?

did someone pull the cord, or turn off the computer?

was this guy a computer geek, or does that matter? It's irrelevant if it 'matters'

did someone pull the cord, or turn off the computer? Nope.

And I'll restate something I said previously,... it's not a computer computer... sorta like the Playstation 3 Sony Computer Entertainment System... Ring a bell? Yes... I'll give you that he was playing a sort of other 'computer', even though it doesn't matter. It matters.

Was there any problems with the computer/playstation?

If so, did "he" create the problem

Or did "we" create the problem

Or something else?

Did "he" stop responding cuz of something that happend to the computer?

Is the reason he stopped responding relvant?

And about the statement that he could not live without:

Does that refer to him?

In that case, is it related to an addiction? (like saying "I cant live without cofee)

Or is it litteral death?

Does it have anything to do with a computer/playstation game character?

Was there any problems with the computer/playstation? Not a playstation, exactly. Could be a variant of, however.

If so, did "he" create the problem? ...Irrelevant

Did "he" stop responding cuz of something that happend to the computer? No

Is the reason he stopped responding relvant? No

Does that refer to him? Yes

In that case, is it related to an addiction? Yes, but much more serious than a caffine addiction, I'd say

Or is it litteral death? Possibly (Read the short story for more infos)

Does it have anything to do with a computer/playstation game character? No

Does the sentence "we must see" have any relevance at all?

was he addicted to the "machine"

was he totally dependent on this "playstation variant" to survive?

If so, did he know he was dependent on this "machine"?

Did he eat at all, or did the "machine" or somebody else feed him?

Is this related to a sci-fi movie or something simular?

Will it help us to figure out what kind of "machine/playstation/computer" thing we are talking about?

Does the sentence "we must see" have any relevance at all? Uhh.. yea...?

was he addicted to the "machine" Yup, and the pretty lights that came out of it

was totally dependent on this "playstation variant" to survive? Yeah. Once again, reference the story once SK gets to us.

If so, did he know he was dependent on this "machine"? Possibly, possibly not...

Did he eat at all, or did the "machine" or somebody else feed him? Irrelevant

Is this related to a sci-fi movie or something simular? Yes, refer to... yea.

Will it help us to figure out what kind of "machine/playstation/computer" thing we are talking about? Yes.

About the "we must see" sentence: 
Would the riddle still make sense if I changed the sentence to:

"I must see"?

or

"We will see"?

or

"We will hear"?

And about the "machine":

Is it in a hospital?

Is it in the persons home?

Is it in a public place?

Is it in a space ship?

Is it in a city?

Is it on earth?

Is it used to keep stuff alive? (like freezing people down or making them sleep)

Does the whole scenario have anything to do with "The Matrix"

Would the riddle still make sense if I changed the sentence to:

"I must see"? Yes

"We will see"? ...Possibly...

"We will hear"? ...Possibly...

Is it in...? Irrelevant

Is it used to keep stuff alive? No

Does the whole scenario have anything to do with "The Matrix"? No

So the "machine" is:

Computer like, but not a computer,

Playstation like, but not a playstation?

Someone might die if he does not uses it, but it is not a life support machine?

Someone is addicted to it and the shiny lights that comes out of it, and it is a very serious form of addiction?

It does not matter where it is

(Sounds like a "what am I" riddle)

Is the addiction drug related?

or just computer related?

So the "machine" is:

Computer like, but not a computer, Right

Playstation like, but not a playstation? Yes... you can take brand names off if you prefer.

Someone might die if he does not uses it, but it is not a life support machine? if(Someone == him) { yes.}

Someone is addicted to it and the shiny lights that comes out of it, and it is a very serious form of addiction? He is, once again, and not nessecerly to the light that comes out of it, but how that light arranges itself into a GAME.

It does not matter where it is? Yes

Is the addiction drug related? No

or just computer related? Yes

It's a VIDEO GAME! Gah!

Hmm, I thought I had already asked if it was a video game?

Hmm, I thought I had already asked if it was a video game?

*Smacks head against wall*

But who might die if they dont play a computer game? I though "he" (the one that did not respond) was a flesh and blood human?

But who might die if they dont play a computer game? I though "he" (the one that did not respind) was a flesh and blood human? Yes, he is... once again, this sorta ties into Sci-Fies.

heh, i totally thought WoW when i heard the addiction to games....

could you possibly post the link to this story if it contains necessary information?

could you possibly post the link to this story if it contains necessary information? Well, it doesn't necessarely contain 'necessary information'-- anything that you can't figure out by yourself. I can't post the link, as stated above, because I lost it.

This ties into another one of the short stories from the sci-fi collection webpage thingy which SK might be able to cite. It has something to do with tetris in the story, but not nessecerely in the riddle (also, the answer is not in the story this time.)

Ah, God Mode, from qntm.org [Things of Interest]

Is the answer 'play'? 'pause'?

Is the answer 'play'? 'pause'? No

And thank you.

Sounds someone being removed from the Matrix.

by die, do you mean the in-game character or the actual player?

by die, do you mean the in-game character or the actual player? Actual player. Anything to do with the video game beyond it's captivating abilities is irrelevant.

The player just sat there and played till he died?

is he going to die because he has been playing 30 hours straight with no water, food, or sleep?

The player just sat there and played till he died? Well... no, not in this riddle... and not really in the story, either.

is he going to die because he has been playing 30 hours straight with no water, food, or sleep? He could, but irrelevant.

This ties into another one of the short stories. (also, the answer is not in the story this time.)

So, is this riddle based on that story?

So, is this riddle based on that story? Well, no, it wasn't originally when I conceived it, but it parallels it quite well. I'm just saying that he could be in the same situation as the guy in the story. Other than that, we pass into the realm of irrelevance.

is he recovering from an accident/illness and playing games as a form of therapy?

is he recovering from an accident/illness and playing games as a form of therapy? Irrelevant

Is he dead?

Is he dead? No

Are you sure?!?!?!!?!!?

What if I killed him??

Then would he be dead?

Would it matter?

What if I killed him?? Then I'd kill you

Then would he be dead? Uhm... do you know the meaning of the word 'kill'?

Would it matter? Yea, to like... everyone, especially his relatives.

did he stop responding in the game or in real life?

did he stop responding in the game or in real life? Sorta both, but only real life mattered.

so he stop responding in real life and we want to see if he can live without this master command?

he didnt fall asleep did he?

did he have some sort of fit brought on by the flashy lights?

so he stop responding in real life and we want to see if he can live without this master command? Yes

<Anonymous> No! grr... read the story, I won't be answering anymore questions related to that part.

did he have some sort of fit brought on by the flashy lights? Irrelevant.

i read the story and still have no idea s to what the master command could be.

i read the story and still have no idea s to what the master command could be. Oookay... well... I'll give you a hint, it's what's controlling him...

meditation?

god?

enlightenment? 

Did he fun out of pizza? red bull? energy?

meditation? No

god? No

enlightenment? Ni!!!

Did he *r*un out of pizza? No

red bull? No

energy? No

has he been ignoring his partner and she's given him an ultimatum....the games or her?

did the batery on his lappy run out?

has he been ignoring his partner and she's given him an ultimatum....the games or her? No

did the batery on his lappy run out? ...he doesn't have a lappy...

So there is a controller used by the person to control the player? Is that relevant?

Yay, my first post.

Congrats pt_22!

does he stop responding to all stimuli?

I'm new to this riddle stuff.. So i'm wondering if the answer will complete the poem? Or is the poem just as is and the answer is separate? Should the answer rhyme with "responding"?

Welcome, pt!

I'd say probably not lol... but you should also know that synth's riddles are generally very cryptic, and contain little information to help us solve it.

Just ask a yes/no question to determine clues and answers

So there is a controller used by the person to control the player? Yes, he does use a controller, but anything inside the game (the 'player') is not relevant.

does he stop responding to all stimuli? No, not all, it would seem... *dum dum duuuuummmmm*

Yea, no to all of the above, pt.

@Morgan: Cryptic? They just take 3 months to solve....

At the pace this one's going at, it'll brake a record!

Ohh, and HI PT MI NAM IS Synthuir!

Hey Synthuir! Thanks for the response, I got bored at work.. Googled and found this site. I like riddles but am a total novice.. So expect dumb questions from me, sorry.

To clarify - What "we" did is a form of action, "we" is a person and the action can be performed by a single real person..?

• Is the action "we" do better described as a 'completion of a task'?
• Since the gaming system matters (as said above) does the type of controller matter?
• Does this situation have to be about playing this video game? The action is generic and the game character and type are irrelevant... So could the player be simply watching TV and "we" do something with a similar effect? What about driving a car?

saw this in the paper today...

"a boy of 13 taken to hospital in a trance was diagnosed with 'playstation addiction' by doctors in lecce, italy"

To clarify - What "we" did is a form of action, "we" is a person and the action can be performed by a single real person..? Correct

Is the action "we" do better described as a 'completion of a task'? No

Since the gaming system matters (as said above) does the type of controller matter? Uhm... yea.

Does this situation have to be about playing this video game? No

The action is generic and the game character and type are irrelevant... So could the player be simply watching TV and "we" do something with a similar effect? No

What about driving a car? No

I read that too, Sir M.

Those aren't stupid questions, PT.

did you have to change the batteries in the controller?

did you have to change the batteries in the controller? No.

I'll give you a hint- it's not a normal controller.

is it a joystick?

is it a joystick? No.

Thanks for the answers Synthuir, i'm totally confused, but enjoying this!!

Wii controller? A motion senstive one?  Is their a physical cable between the controller and the "consol"?

Wii controller? No

A motion senstive one? Irrelevant

Is their a physical cable between the controller and the "console"?  VERY much so... lol..

"Very much so... lol.."

... Rage... haha. Now thats confusing. If it had been an important part of the riddle i expected you to answer "Yes, it's important".. So i'm guessing its important but there is something unusual about it... Back to the drawing board.

EDIT: Is the controller a "steering wheel" type? Is the answer something todo with breaks? You can relate "hitting the breaks" as a very generic term.

Is the controller a "steering wheel" type? No

The type of console it is directly relates to the type of controller, yet it's not a specific brand or model, just type.

So the consol is not any of the following? an Xbox, Playstation, Wii, Atari, Sega or Nintendo?

Re-wording the question... Is the consol/controller - a box that plugs into a TV, with a cable to a controller that is held in the hands of a person?

Hmmm... For some reason i'm beginning to think i'm getting way off track in solving the actual riddle....

S'ok pt_22. Keep at it.

Please please solve it for me! *begs*

Does the 'X' button stop working?

Rather than a consol, is the gaming system more the type at a 'spacies' palour?

A booth you sit in to drive a car racing game?

A bike you sit on to play a motorbike game?

Or a old school style spacies machine?

EDIT: Is the controller and "consol" all one piece of equipment?

Is it a game boy nintendo DS style?
 

So the console is not any of the following? an Xbox, Playstation, Wii, Atari, Sega or Nintendo? It could be, actually. It just doesn't matter which.

Is the consol/controller - a box that plugs into a TV, with a cable to a controller that is held in the hands of a person? No

Does the 'X' button stop working? No

Is the controller and "consol" all one piece of equipment? Yes

It is a hand-held gaming system, people.

Reset?

On/off switch/button stops working?

Voice activation? Doesn't work?

*sigh*

It doesn't matter why he stops responding.

Um.. then what are we guessing??

What we did...

But don't we need to work out what is going on first before we can guess that?

No, apparently we only need to find out if he can live without it... And what we did...

Edit - But isn't what we did, what Morgan is trying to guess? As in... Did we hit the reset?... Etc... So therefore he stops responding because of what we did... So why he stops responding IS important...

Unless we are being to literal about this?

But don't we need to work out what is going on first before we can guess that? Not really.

Ohh, no, if that's what she was asking, then no to all of the above. 'We' did something quite simple. It could happen in real life, is easy to do, would probably warrant the same reaction from the subject, and involves mechanical motion only.

is it to do with being hypnotized? Did "we" hypnotize Him?

cause him pain? (pinch him, slap him, kick him in sensitive places, whaterver)

wave our hands in front of his face?

is it to do with being hypnotized? No

cause him pain? No

wave our hands in front of his face?  No

Did we do anything to the gaming console itself?

Did we do anything to the gaming console itself? No

so did we say something?

Did "we" do anything with physical contact?

so did we say something? No

Did "we" do anything with physical contact? Not with him, but yes.

unplug the console?  unplug the TV?

unplug the console?  unplug the TV? No, now please stop asking repeat questions.

we take so long, I forget

Sorry, me was mad last night at my head...

To be fair I can see where D.J is coming from, that "we pull the plug" does sound like a generic action and answers most of the situation.. But it doesn't really fit in with all the clues.

Did we do anything with physical contact to the buttons of the consol?

Did we do anything with physical contact to the buttons of the console? No

did we call someone else?

did we call someone else? No

Sorry for the open-ended-ness of this riddle, I'll edit.

Opened the curtains?

Turned on the lights?

Opened the curtains? Yes. Now, what happened when we did?

Turned on the lights? No

He couldn't see the screen anymore?

(Hint: It is more than "Light shines" or "He winces" or whatever...)

He was blinded by the light?

He saw the light?

Damnit i've got half of this one and now i can't get any further.. I feel im going to get jipped right on the line just like in the "no instructions" riddle.... haha. My minds on overdrive..

I think the sunlight hit the screen at the right angle and he couldn't see anything, so he died

He was blinded by the light? No

He saw the light? Yes, he did see it.

I think the sunlight hit the screen at the right angle and he couldn't see anything, so he died. Yes.

Here's a sufficient explanation:

He was playing a handheld console of any sort, when he stopped responding. People tried to help, but he wouldn't reply, move, etc., so they decided to make it impossible for him to see the screen. The result can be speculated, but he either died or moved out of the light.

So I'm guessing that's +1 Dek.

There's no problem with getting jipped at the end, pt. It always happens. I like to think that the points don't matter*, but that's probably because I have only a small few**

*Obligatory Drew Carey 'Whose Line is it Anyway' reference.

** IS because I have only a small few.  

Oh dear.... I didn't think that'd be right. Unintentional sniping

well done dek..though usually you're a little more excited when you get a point..

I feel really bad about this one. Everyone else worked so hard on it

haha, don't feel bad!! Nice effort. I considered that as an option but I was fixated on the solution being a generic action.... Next time.

In that case...

Thanks all

is that another brown thing that smells?

Looks like it has a nose, so I'm sure it can smell....