Promises, Promises...

[jaguarshark]

So, I'm writing an article about how many of the things from comics, books and movies that we were 'supposed' to have by 2006 actually exist. And I figured, since I've been spending a lot of the time that I should be writing here at these forums (and since the article about Ray Bradbury that Buried Alien linked to here was pretty useful), I'd throw the question out there to the community at large:
Which crazy sci-fi stuff are you disappointed we don't have? And what stuff can you think of was written about in fictional books, comics and movies and has since come into existence?

For example, there's a screening of '2001: A Space Odyssey' coming up here in Brisbane, which is what got me thinking about this whole thing. When that movie was made, 2001 was a wondrous, far-away time, and now here we are, casually living in 2006 with no murderous super-computers to show for it.

By that same token, 'Transformers: The Movie' was set in 2005... where are the giant robots using Earth as a battleground in the eternal war between good and evil, I ask you? Outside of Citroen ads and Hollywood sets, I mean.

Then, from the opposite point of view, you've got guys like Morrison and Ellis making the occasional habit of writing about trends and technologies that do end up coming true. Likewise, I'm pretty sure 'Star Trek' had those motion-sensory door thingys way before we did, and we're still not even up to that time yet.

Obviously this is meant to be a fun thread. None of this stuff was ever meant to actually come true, although if it was, that just makes it even more amusing.

So, any suggestions?

[Jeff Brady]

Flying cars.

Ray guns (well, they are in the works in the military).

A lunar settlement.

Smart-ass robots.

[Dan Apodaca]

Jetpacks, dammit.

REAL jetpacks. I need to fly!

[Pól Rua]

That's the thing. Even though we don't have rocketpants, try showing someone from the 1930's or 1950's a telephone the size of a candy bar which can take pictures and access an international repository of knowledge.

[Jeff Brady]

Meals in a pill.

[Dan Apodaca]

That's the thing. Even though we don't have rocketpants, try showing someone from the 1930's or 1950's a telephone the size of a candy bar which can take pictures and access an international repository of knowledge.

Good point. My mother still makes up bullshit excuses about why VHS is still better than DVD, because she's afraid of that tiny little technological progression.

Of course, she gets pretty frustrated when I explain to her how they're all wrong.

[i_mmmchocolate]

Time machines, people!

[jaguarshark]

That's the thing. Even though we don't have rocketpants, try showing someone from the 1930's or 1950's a telephone the size of a candy bar which can take pictures and access an international repository of knowledge.
Exactly. Even though the 'World of Tomorrow' doesn't look quite like people envisioned it would in some ways; in others, it's way beyond anything most of them could have dreamed of. Mobile phones being the best example, probably.

[Michael P]

Meals in a pill.
Hell yeah. I have an old Mickey Mouse comic that promised me aspirin-sized pills that would turn into strawberries the size of your head with the addition of just one drop of water.

So, y'know, screw you, "World of Tomorrow."

[sehthan]

Star Trek: The Next Generation made extensive use of handheld "datapads" as a means to access computer networks and fully-customizable touch-sensitive control surfaces as the interface of choice. Seemed cutting edge in '89, but we've been living in that world for several years now.

On the didn't-happen tip, there's plenty of sci-fi that "predicted" we would have brought civilization the the brink of collapse by now with a third World War.

[Dan Apodaca]

Time machines, people!

Those won't exist until 2030. But life sucks then, so we all come back to hang out throughout time and pick up girls.

[i_mmmchocolate]

I'm pretty sure there are guys that wish for extra breasts on women.

[jaguarshark]

Star Trek: The Next Generation made extensive use of handheld "datapads" as a means to access computer networks and fully-customizable touch-sensitive control surfaces as the interface of choice. Seemed cutting edge in '89, but we've been living in that world for several years now.

On the didn't-happen tip, there's plenty of sci-fi that "predicted" we would have brought civilization the the brink of collapse by now with a third World War.
Yeah, a lot of sci-fi was kind of... pessimistic.
Not that they didn't have a right to be. I mean, it's debateable to what extent '1984' has actually come true, which is scary.

[sehthan]

It's worth noting that we do have rocketpacks. They just suck.

[jaguarshark]

I'm pretty sure there are guys that wish for extra breasts on women.
Somewhere in the world, that particular deformity (is there a more PC word I should have used?) probably exists.

[i_mmmchocolate]

Oh, and teleporting!

[Michael P]

I'm pretty sure there are guys that wish for extra breasts on women.
Hi, nice to meet you.

Oh, and teleporting!

Ever since I read The Stars, My Destination, I've tried intermittently to jaunte.

[jaguarshark]

Oh, and teleporting!
Hell yes! For some reason, I've always been under the impression that that was one of the things scientists really thought was possible- like cloning, I guess- anyone know if we've made any progress there? I could have sworn I heard something about it awhile ago.

[sehthan]

That's the thing. Even though we don't have rocketpants, ...


Please, everyone, write your governments and demand they make Rocketpants the number one research priority! I don't know what they are, but they sound awesome!

[i_mmmchocolate]

Laser guns!

[i_mmmchocolate]

Somewhere in the world, that particular deformity (is there a more PC word I should have used?) probably exists.

Probably true, I was thinking Terminator though.

[Jeff Brady]

Laser guns!

I already said that.

Why aren't you in Teaneck?

[Dan Apodaca]

It's worth noting that we do have rocketpacks. They just suck.

Yeah, I don't actually think they're worth noting. Of course, I figured someone would say something like this, which is why I tried to head it off with my "REAL jetpacks" line.

I guess that didn't work.

[i_mmmchocolate]

Why aren't you in Teaneck?

Because I can't teleport. What's happening in Teaneck?

[Dan Apodaca]

I'm pretty sure there are guys that wish for extra breasts on women.

That happens in 2016. Not that great, actually. The women start looking like animals with teats.

They are instantly welcomed into and admired by the furry community.

[ragnarok_2012]

I attended a Dragon Con panel on the space elevator yesterday.

That was so awesome.

I look forward to seeing that thing up and running.

[Jeff Brady]

Because I can't teleport. What's happening in Teaneck?

[thread drift]You're supposed to be keeping Tot occupied while Typo & Lass finish moving![/thread drift]

[jaguarshark]

Yeah, I don't actually think they're worth noting. Of course, I figured someone would say something like this, which is why I tried to head it off with my "REAL jetpacks" line.

I guess that didn't work.
Sadly, it's beginning to look jetpacks and flying cars aren't going to become a commonplace mode of transport anytime soon. We can at least hope for one or the other, though!

I just remembered, when I was a kid we had a show here called 'Beyond 2000', which was another example of the sci-fi craziness attached to that particular year. It was basically a magazine-style show about cool inventions that would be commonplace in the future. No idea how many of them ended up coming true... they brought the show back a few years ago, but changed the name to 'Beyond Tomorrow', unfortunately.

[i_mmmchocolate]

Eyes that glow!

That happens in 2016. Not that great, actually. The women start looking like animals with teats.

They are instantly welcomed into and admired by the furry community.

Hah! That was good.

[sehthan]

Yeah, I don't actually think they're worth noting. Of course, I figured someone would say something like this, which is why I tried to head it off with my "REAL jetpacks" line.

I guess that didn't work.


Apparently not. Joking aside for a moment, I think it is worth noting for the original topic that certain sci-fi staples like jetpacks and flying cars and bipedal mechs do exist in prototype form, they're just not very practical.

[i_mmmchocolate]

UFO abductions.

[thread drift]You're supposed to be keeping Tot occupied while Typo & Lass finish moving![/thread drift]
I didn't promise that at all! At least I don't think so. Or did I? I did promise to visit now that I know they live so close.

[jaguarshark]

I attended a Dragon Con panel on the space elevator yesterday.

That was so awesome.

I look forward to seeing that thing up and running.
Space Elevators? I'm going to have to look that up.

Incidentally, aren't we supposed to be living on settlements on Mars by now? Or have I jumped the gun on that one?

[jaguarshark]

Apparently not. Joking aside for a moment, I think it is worth noting for the original topic that certain sci-fi staples like jetpacks and flying cars and bipedal mechs do exist in prototype form, they're just not very practical.
Yeah, so I hear. I'll have to look into those a bit further.

[Jeff Brady]

UFO abductions.


I didn't promise that at all! At least I don't think so. Or did I? I did promise to visit now that I know they live so close.

No, you didn't promise. Sorry if I made it seem that way. I was trying to be kinda silly, but it obviously backfired.

[i_mmmchocolate]

Shape-shifting!

No, you didn't promise. Sorry if I made it seem that way. I was trying to be kinda silly, but it obviously backfired.

Stupid Internet.

[ragnarok_2012]

Space Elevators? I'm going to have to look that up.

Incidentally, aren't we supposed to be living on settlements on Mars by now? Or have I jumped the gun on that one?

Okay, here's my understanding:

You set up a space station in geosynchronous orbit around the equator.

You link it via an ocean base via a line (using light, tough carbon nanotube technology).

You use that to cheaply move stuff into space and back down to earth. I think you'd have to winch cargo up to a certain point, before the centrifugal force would cause the cargo to "fall up" the rest of the way.

You could potentially move stuff into space for a fraction of the cost of rocketry. The CEO of the company that was at the panel said that a priority for them would be solar panel satellites that would beam power back down to Earth.

I picked up a book on the subject in one of the dealer's rooms. From what I've read, the price for it would be about $15 billion. There are some engineering issues that they're still trying to solve, but it's something that seems to be very doable.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Space_elevator

This is an idea that's been around since 1960 or so. It's been invented independently many times, and a great many scientists and engineers have spent a tremendous amount of time making sure that A.it's theoretically sound, and B.the various problems that have to be solved.

Arthur C. Clarke was a fan of the idea. Heinlein put it in the story Friday.

I want one.

EDIT: the ceo of Liftport, that is. Michael Laine's his name. He was the one who spoke at the panel. His company is trying to build a space elevator

[jaguarshark]

So, so far we've got (or haven't got, as the case may be)...
-Evil supercomputers
-Sentient transforming robots
-Motion-sensing doors
-Flying cars
-Ray guns
-A lunar settlement
-Smart-ass robots
-Jetpacks
-Rocketpants
-Tiny mobile phones
-Meals in a Pill
-Time Machines
-Data-pads, touch-sensitive control panels
-The Third World War
-Extra Breasts on Women
-Teleporting
-Cloning
-Laser guns
-Space Elevator (thanks to ragnarok 2012 for the info)
-Glowing eyes
-Bi-pedal mechs
-UFO abductions
-Shape-shifting

There's a lot of good stuff there. Obviously, if someone has already mentioned something you've thought of, but you've got more info on it, feel free to share!

[Dan Apodaca]

I am very glad that you chose to stick with Jeff Brady's phrasing of "smart-ass robots".

[Iangould]

That's the thing. Even though we don't have rocketpants, try showing someone from the 1930's or 1950's a telephone the size of a candy bar which can take pictures and access an international repository of knowledge.

Or a spray-on bandage that stops bleeding immediately. (That isn't in everyday use yet but it's an example of exactly why US casualties in Iraq are so much lower than casualties were in Vietnam.)

[jaguarshark]

I am very glad that you chose to stick with Jeff Brady's phrasing of "smart-ass robots".
As long as we have smart-ass Bending robots by the year 3000, I'll be happy. I won't be here to know about it, but I don't think that's the point.

[JolietJake]

I'm more than a little disappointed that society hasn't yet progressed to the point where our clothing options have all been reduced to a few color variations of the same basic jump-suit, belt & boots combo (why in the hell a jump-suit needs a belt I can't say...). I hate having to coordinate an "outfit" for the day and hearing from Mrs. Jake, "That's what your going to wear?"

In future-world I'd have an instant come-back, "Sorry dear, get me the blue one for my birthday next spring if you're tired it."

And where are those mini-skirts for the ladies ........

Man, the future sucks!

[ragnarok_2012]

Mind control (and the technological ability to build a new personality from scratch) figures prominently in many sci-fi stories.

For example, Warren Ellis' Ocean shows a world in which corporations install their employees with propietary personalities for the duration of their employment contracts.

Another example would be the Manchurian Candidate.

And of course, in Identity Crisis Dr. Light had his personality reworked to make him less dangerous.

[Magneto_X]

Jetpacks, dammit.

REAL jetpacks. I need to fly!

They exist but the protoypes that were made (WW II?) only had enough room for little fuel so they were useless for long distance flights. All they did was have enough fuel to go up high in the air and down again, or just hover for a few minutes.

[howyadoin]

Meals in a pill.Multivitamins.

[Magneto_X]

-Motion-sensing doors

We have those. Most stores already have them.

-Rocketpants

What are those?

-Data-pads, touch-sensitive control panels

Technically we've had this for a few years. ATM's and even touch sensitive windows etc.

-The Third World War

Some thing this is in the early stages.

-Laser guns

IIRC China already has some prototypes which can blind you if they hit someone in the eyes.

-Bi-pedal mechs


The Japanese and American militaries have been working on this for years. So far they're only working on the legs with a seat in it (to be used to leap and run really fast). Naturally the Japanese are getting the best results.

[jaguarshark]

The Japanese and American militaries have been working on this for years. So far they're only working on the legs with a seat in it (to be used to leap and run really fast). Naturally the Japanese are getting the best results.
Sorry, I should have made that list clearer... we know we already have some of them, I should have split it into what we have and what we don't have.

Thanks for the info about the mechs... and yeah, I would be disappointed if the Japanese weren't beating everyone there.

Incidentally, has any progress been made in real life with suits of techno-armour designed to prolong the lives of billionaire playboys with heart conditions and drinking problems?

[howyadoin]

Incidentally, has any progress been made in real life with suits of techno-armour designed to prolong the life of billionaire playboys with heart conditions and drinking problems?Hopefully it'll happen before I turn 60.

[moebius]

Khan Singh.

I demand genetically engineered warlords!

[Jeff Brady]

Multivitamins.

Not as filling. Like Pullmann said, add water to watch it expand to a seven course dinner. Like in the old Looney Tunes "Home of the Future" cartoon.

[howyadoin]

Not as filling. Like Pullmann said, add water to watch it expand to a seven course dinner. Like in the old Looney Tunes "Home of the Future" cartoon.Homeless people would be exploding all over the world.

[Jeff Brady]

Homeless people would be exploding all over the world.

You're...you're just committed to sucking the funny right out of this, aren't you?

[howyadoin]

You're...you're just committed to sucking the funny right out of this, aren't you?You don't find exploding homeless people funny?

[Jeff Brady]

You don't find exploding homeless people funny?

I don't think it'd be limited to homeless people.

[howyadoin]

I don't think it'd be limited to homeless people.True. Anybody who'd be dumb enough to eat a handful of them, I guess.

Or anybody who got one stuck in their throat.

[Jeff Brady]

True. Anybody who'd be dumb enough to eat a handful of them, I guess.

I'm hoping for rich, greedy people.

[jaguarshark]

I'm hoping for rich, greedy people.
See, that could work, because they could afford to have more than a few at a time. You've gotta figure The Home of the Future ain't gonna be cheap.

[howyadoin]

You've gotta figure The Home of the Future ain't gonna be cheap.Hey, check this out:

http://www.andrewmaynard.com.au/BOB01.html

[kmeyers]

Hey, check this out:

http://www.andrewmaynard.com.au/BOB01.html
BOB STILL LIVES!!!

...and he seems to be a Transformer now.

edit: Someone should pass this information to the smoogis.

[jaguarshark]

Hey, check this out:

http://www.andrewmaynard.com.au/BOB01.html
That's awesome. In a truly bizarre kind of way. Nice find!

[Bouncing Boy]

Those won't exist until 2030. But life sucks then, so we all come back to hang out throughout time and pick up girls.
According to Quantum Leap, There was supposed to be a working (well somewhat) time machine in 1996.

[jaguarshark]

According to Quantum Leap, There was supposed to be a working (well somewhat) time machine in 1996.
Yeah, that's exactly the sort of thing I'm talking about. I'll have to trawl through some more movies and back issues to find more examples of stuff like that.

Isn't it weird, that they thought we'd have a time machine ten years ago? Regardless of what has or hasn't come to pass, we're actually living in the 21st Century. The Future Is Now, and that's pretty exciting.

I mean, Judgement Day was once a faraway concept that was going to happen in 1997, and we're all still here in 2006. Take that, James Cameron! Anyone know offhand what year 'Days of Future Past' was set in?

[howyadoin]

Yeah, that's exactly the sort of thing I'm talking about. I'll have to trawl through some more movies and back issues to find more examples of stuff like that.There's an old Defenders issue with an apperance by the Guardians of the Galaxy. Vance Astro meets his younger self and tells him the history of the human race from that point, through the continuities of Killraven and Deathlok (thus incorporating the War of the Worlds), and right up to the Guardians' book.

Tons of stuff there that didn't come to fruition in the 616 universe or in ours - the clone wars in the 1980s, the Martian invasion in 1999, all that kinda shit. However, the Mural Phonics entertainment system in Killraven (the one Hawk's dad was addicted to) isn't that different from virtual reality or even videogames, really.

[Michael P]

I mean, Judgement Day was once a faraway concept that was going to happen in 1997, and we're all still here in 2006. Take that, James Cameron! Anyone know offhand what year 'Days of Future Past' was set in?
2014.

I was watching "Lisa's Wedding" on DVD the other day, and became dismayed that "The Simpsons" will soon be another of the series that lied to me about the future. That is, unless they get rid of those current wacky plane models before 2010.

[Fish Sauce]

I reckon we've done pretty well, I've read a book set in 2086 where we hadn't yet reached the moon.

But now someone will argue that we haven't.

And if time travel is possible we'd already know, because we'd have random people from the future wandering around. Unless 2006 isn't a very popular holiday spot, I guess. Then again, there's that random guy with the website claiming he's from the future, so you never know.

[Michael P]

I reckon we've done pretty well, I've read a book set in 2086 where we hadn't yet reached the moon.

But now someone will argue that we haven't.

And if time travel is possible we'd already know, because we'd have random people from the future wandering around. Unless 2006 isn't a very popular holiday spot, I guess. Then again, there's that random guy with the website claiming he's from the future, so you never know.
Actually, one branch of current theory states that while time machines are possible, their mechanism would make it impossible to travel back in time any further than the moment the first time machine was created.

[Fish Sauce]

Actually, one branch of current theory states that while time machines are possible, their mechanism would make it impossible to travel back in time any further than the moment the first time machine was created.

Haven't heard of that one. Interesting theory, though. The other one is parallel universes etc, I suppose.

[thehod]

Actually, one branch of current theory states that while time machines are possible, their mechanism would make it impossible to travel back in time any further than the moment the first time machine was created.

Ahhhh, whats the point in that?

I wanna go hunt me some dinosaurs.

[Fish Sauce]

Ahhhh, whats the point in that?

I wanna go hunt me some dinosaurs.

No worries, we can clone them from the DNA found in fossilised mosquitoes and hunt them.

[thehod]

No worries, we can clone them from the DNA found in fossilised mosquitoes and hunt them.

Its no fun unless you can take a trip to a real Roman orgy afterwards though.

[thehod]

Plus my dream of beating Patton, Napolean and Julius Ceaser at Risk will prove to be much more problematic unless I have a time machine.

[Fish Sauce]

True. I imagine that it would be much like Bill & Ted, you could travel through time collecting people like Socrates along the way.

Napolean and Caesar would be easy to beat at Risk cause they wouldn't know how to use Australia as a stronghold!

[sehthan]

Philips is developing cloth with integrated displays:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Yd99gyE4jCk

As impressive as that is, just wait until the researchers working on Predator/Ghost in the Shell style optical camoflage perfect that. Then you can combine the tecnologies, and turn yourself into a disembodied logo!

[jaguarshark]

The I-Tunes movie announcement recently reminded me of this thread... do you think, if you told someone from 30 years ago that in 2006, they'd be able to download a movie from the Internet and carry it with them in their pocket (assuming you could explain the internet to them), they'd be amazed?

Or would they be disappointed that we can't just plug the movie directly into our brain, or something?

[howyadoin]

The I-Tunes movie announcement recently reminded me of this thread... do you think, if you told someone from 30 years ago that in 2006, they'd be able to download a movie from the Internet and carry it with them in their pocket (assuming you could explain the internet to them), they'd be amazed?

Or would they be disappointed that we can't just plug the movie directly into our brain, or something?I dunno, to me the iPod is basically just a Dick Tracy wristwatch.