Question about Precogs

[Guy Smiley]

Could the same concept work with a conversation? Could some keep going through all possible outcomes until they find out exactly what they need to say to convince somebody of something?

The main power of my precog is that he can look at a situation, imagine every possible outcome, and choose the course of action that offers the most favorable outcome, no matter how improbable. What would be the limits of someone with this power? We'll assume they're a carefree hedonist like the guy from Jumper.

Okay, I was wondering where this thread was going. Evaluating a power? That works.

Yeah, if the guy can figure out a 1 in 176 million chance, he should be able to handle a decent conversation.

As for limits, there are two main factors: How far in the future the guy can determine favorability from, and his ability to actually influence things to reach the outcome desired. If he gets only immediate consequences, for instance, he might do something favorable in the short term that gets him into trouble later on. And he might know that jumping that pit will get him to the treasure, but you can introduce uncertainty by not guaranteeing that the pit will be successfully jumped. (Turning him into a 'probable' precog.)

Also, how he determines the future can be important. I had invented a villain who was a robot that had tiny time machines built into its computers. It received information from its future selves, allowing it to react to enemy attacks before they were launched. The hero, a minor wizard, defeats this robot by casting a spell that summons a minor spirit of technology to possess the robot and send back data suggesting that it wins the battle and takes over the Earth while actually rendering it helpless before imminent shutdown. The robot then actually forces this situation in the past, aiming for the 'world domination' route, premptively dooming itself. My point here is that if your character's power can be misinterpreted or fooled, it makes for a usable weakness/limitation. Visions can turn out to be engineered by illusionists, for instance.

[Lestov16]

He more-or-less has the power of "Savescumming". He can in a picosecond predict all possible outcomes and determine the action which will produce the favorable outcome of any situation he selects, from which can be anything from the best line in the grocery store, to which is the route to the best gas station.

[Lestov16]

Would this outcome precognition be comparable to a conscious version of Felix Felicis from Harry Potter, whereas the precog will always make the decision that will lead to the most favorable possible outcome, but instead of subconsciously, it's because of precog that lets him handpick the outcome out of all possible others.

[Radical]

Amadeus does the same, not through "legit" precog, but by analyzing every variable in a situation, he is able to predict all possible outcomes of a situation

http://media.comicvine.com/uploads/0...uper_super.jpg

I can see the fight with Midnighter now:

"Okay, you've worked out this fight a million times in your head, same as me...and you have superhuman strength...and you're bigger than me anyway...and you're a sadist...tell you what, how about I introduce you to my friend Freedom Ring?"

[Lestov16]

Would outcome precog be similar to Felix Felicis, in which every endeavor succeeds because the course of action always leads to a favorable outcome?

[Omegalith]

I can see the fight with Midnighter now:

"Okay, you've worked out this fight a million times in your head, same as me...and you have superhuman strength...and you're bigger than me anyway...and you're a sadist...tell you what, how about I introduce you to my friend Freedom Ring?"

I really want to see the following exchange with Midnighter, or something to the same effect:

"I've already fought this fight a million times in my head."

*Runs away screaming*

...Mostly because it's an annoyingly smug thing to say on a regular basis.

[mailedbypostman1]

I really want to see the following exchange with Midnighter, or something to the same effect:

"I've already fought this fight a million times in my head."

*Runs away screaming*

...Mostly because it's an annoyingly smug thing to say on a regular basis.

Midnighter's progressed beyond this point. He hands out business cards now, and waits for them to go read it so he can start fighting.

I'm serious, it happened. In his solo series at least.

[Lestov16]

Would outcome precog be similar to Felix Felicis, in which every endeavor succeeds because the course of action always leads to a favorable outcome?

Would one be able to achieve everything they attempt if they could view all possible outcomes of a situation and determine the action that will produce the most favorable one?

[Omegalith]

Would one be able to achieve everything they attempt if they could view all possible outcomes of a situation and determine the action that will produce the most favorable one?

No. For example, being able to see the future whilst fighting Wally West is only going to show you getting your face kicked in from various different probable angles.

[Lestov16]

No. For example, being able to see the future whilst fighting Wally West is only going to show you getting your face kicked in from various different probable angles.

That's the thing, if there's a even 1 in a googleplex possible outcome that the precog can dodge Flash, he will. He can use his ability to predict all possible outcomes to determine the course of action that will lead to the most favorable outcome, no matter how improbable it is.

[Omegalith]

That's the thing, if there's a even 1 in a googleplex possible outcome that the precog can dodge Flash, he will.

No, because when he's moved himself, preemptively getting out of the way of where he would be hit well in advance, the Flash will just punch him in the face in his new position when he shows up. Sometimes the possibilities converge to a very thin, very inevitable point instead of a vast web of choices and consequences.

[Siriel]

Yeah, "if there's even an infinitesimal chance" only applies in situations where there is such a chance.

In the case of trying to dodge Wally (or even someone thousands of times slower than him) that chance is 0.

[Lestov16]

Alright, I'm willing to say the precog can't beat Flash, but, of course, Flash is a special case. What would be the logical limits of such a precog in other situations, where there is a chance, even infinitesimal, of a favorable outcome? What could they do?

[Omegalith]

Yeah, "if there's even an infinitesimal chance" only applies in situations where there is such a chance.

In the case of trying to dodge Wally (or even someone thousands of times slower than him) that chance is 0.

Right. The only problem with trying to smack a precog in the face with the Righteous Mallet of Inexorable Inevitability is that you need access to the resources and abilities to do so, and a smart one will have taken plenty of steps in advance to keep you from even getting the chance.

[Lestov16]

Let me give you an example of the precog's power. Let's suppose the precog was playing poker and wanted to deal himself a royal flush. He would instantly predict every possible outcome of the shuffle and determine the exact shuffle he will need to do to deal himself the winning hand.