Geordi And "The Game"...

[Farscape One]

This always bugged me, and since I am currently rewatching all the shows, I got to here.

That game affects everyone because it has a burst of light go into their eyes. Geordi is blind. How did he get affected?

 

[NewHeavensNewEarth]

Geordi is blind. How did he get affected?

His visor makes him not blind. Presumably the game device was still able to deliver the biochemical stimulant through that to reach his brain. The visor's main job was to deliver signals of all kinds to the brain, not filter them out.

 

[Finn]

The visior receives a lot more than what the eyes receive. So it shouldn't be an issue.

 

[Tosk]

If anything, maybe the interface was easier?

 

[Timo]

...Additionally, we never really learn what the game does. That is, we learn it creates addiction, but we don't learn how. Do the game visuals have something to do with that? Or is it a completely separate thing, something built into the nice spectacles, a PSI coil or even a hidden needle?

Somehow the game "sends information" to the victim, and the computer can tell that this information results in the addiction. We never learn it would affect different people (blind, Vulcan, angry, whatnot) differently.

Lefter and Crusher Jr. only rule out Data as a potential victim - but on what basis, is again left untold.

Timo Saloniemi

 

[Farscape One]

I know his VISOR allows him to see, but quite differently than us. My point is the game interface went directly into a person's eyes, and Geordi's optic nerves are not functional at all, so the game couldn't affect him there. The VISOR has diodes on each side of his head where it attaches, and that's where the signals go so he can see. The game couldn't reach those sides, at least not that we saw.

Regarding Data, it makes sense he wouldn't be affected because his brain doesn't have the chemicals needed to make someone euphoric like we saw in the episode.

 

[Tosk]

And yet he got drunk in the second episode.

 

[Timo]

Not sure about that - he has been drunk or angry or in love before.

Granted that he may simply be good at faking all that, without having the associated brain chemistry. But would a Bolian have the brain chemistry, either? The game clearly caters for a wide range of species, and is expected to, as the Ktarians only preemptively eliminate Data and not, say, Sweeney Mott.

Ah, ninja'ed...

Timo Saloniemi

 

[Kor]

And yet he got drunk in the second episode.

I believe TV Tropes calls this "early installment weirdness."

Kor

 

[Timo]

Then again, weird is their business; late doesn't differ from early much there.

Timo Saloniemi

 

[Qonundrum]

^^hehe, if the show were plain then there'd be no show.

 

[Sarachan]

Thanks, OP. I just lost The Game.

 

[Finn]

 

[Sarachan]

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Game_(mind_game)

I was kidding. Sort of.

 

[Finn]

 

[JirinPanthosa]

He has no optic nerve but he has visual processing structures in his brain.

I actually think Geordi being affected is less weird than all aliens being affected the same.

Also why was this never tried again? You’d think the first changeling to get access to Starfleet mission logs would find the technology interesting.

 

[Finn]

^Aliens? Deanna was half human. Worf seemed to be affected differently. We didn't really see Bolians, Ferengi, Vulcans, Yridians, and the likes in this episode...

 

[Timo]

...Which is an in-universe oddity not addressed. Although we can always say the Ktarian villain plotted this very carefully, and was able to strike when every potentially immune crew member save Data was away for one reason or another! (Perhaps the inflow from the Zhukov coincided with massive numbers of shore leaves, many involving these aliens who'd have found little joy at the usual human stopovers and now took the special opportunity?)

It did take some plotting all right. The ship more or less had to be at the Phoenix Cluster or similar location where she'd be out of Starfleet reach but still accessible to the villains, right after a key officer took shore leave of the exact sort where the Game could be introduced to him. Doable, but probably calling for some inside info, and involving a narrow time window. A one-shot weapon, I guess, and not easily applicable in most scenarios.

Timo Saloniemi

 

[Mr. Laser Beam]

Also why was this never tried again?

Maybe somebody came up with an "inoculation".

 

[Timo]

A cure wouldn't help much in protecting Starfleet's assets. An alarm or a vaccine might...

...And there would be general demand for an anti-addiction vaccine anyway, I guess. Although obviously it isn't in use before the episode. Perhaps it would result in people being spineless dullards?

Timo Saloniemi