What is the Matrix?

**cloudwolf**

But like it's been said the Matrix is simply full of potential, its limitless, its boundless, it's a mix of everything all at once.

Just the above is what screams OMG MATRIX to me is all.

**10011**

Now that I think about it today, the Assassin seems to me to have been the closest thing to the essence of the Matrix. He was dark, he was mysterious and enigmatic, we didn't know where he came from or who he worked for or what he was doing or how to get rid of him. Plus he wasn't just some trash-talking punk, he was a killer.

Looking over the coherent responses scattered in the old thread I had posted, it seems that the cold war atmosphere is something that people liked and wanted to see developed further.

Anyways, it's a hard question to answer posed as is. It's hard to describe things without relating to the movie or the game storyline or some external source.

**Othinn1**

I'd just like to mention that I've had no problem with the storyline so far. It's one of the reasons as to why I've never left. But this new "We're going to change things so it's more like 'The Matrix'" makes me wary, because it seems that the people who spout the word "Matrixy" want the game to rehash the trilogy. I like the story because it's expanding the Matrix universe, not keeping it in a box.

I'm not going to leave because of it, but I worry that the things that expand the Matrix universe will be reduced and we'll get more "[Important Character] has been captured! We want you to shoot up a lobby, blow up an elevator, jump into a helicopter, and blast the people holding them hostage" scenarios that would probably keep all the "Matrixy" people happy.

**ShiXinFeng**

"What is the Matrix to you?"

I have seen a few of the answers to this, looking for the one that is profound enough to make a difference. Then, I realized that all of these answers will make a difference. So, let me add mine.

To me, the Matrix is two things. On the one hand, it is representative of the future of Mankind's arrogance, as well as a testament to his instinct to survive. It is a unique mythology that simultaneouly portrays our greatest weakness and our greatest strength. The Matrix is a vision of a world that belongs to someone else, someone higher on the evolutionary ladder, or food chain, than us. It is a world that has been nearly consumed, and is on the verge of being dead.

The second thing is that the Matrix is a philosophic look at the human condition. A new "microscope" under which we can examine human inperfections, looking at the darkest shadings of our humanity, such as enslavement, bigotry, violence, and ego. It is a world of constant struggle where humans carve their survival from the earth, while they do battle in the virtuality of their minds. It is also a place where the greatest achievements of mankind can be celebrated. Where an ordinary person can "wake up" to the fact that their lives are not as normal and mundane as they were led to believe. That they were, in fact , deceived about the true nature of the world. And that they are more in control of their own destinies. And that they have an opportunity to play a direct role in the creation of a new world.

The Matrix is to me a place to fight against our own normalcy, our own mundanity. It is a place to explore ourselves, our capabilities, and our own human condition. It is an idea that is bigger than our real world, where we can fight a fight that cannot be won or lost, but must be fought all same.

Because it is the question that drives us.

Nathics

When I first saw The Matrix, I thought that the Matrix was a about a certain style of hero I thought was cool in every sense of the word. The second and third in the genre made me begin to think of what else could be possible in a world made of ideas? Now, playing the Matrix, I gain a much greater feel. You get a sense that you are helping to write a great story, even apart from the main storyline. Having seen the Animatrix, the Matrix has a whole new histroy wich adds to the depth of stroyline. It also allows for characters to gain a better understanding of the way the world has changed.

Hope that made sense to ya.

**zeroone506**

Othinn1 wrote:

I'd just like to mention that I've had no problem with the storyline so far. It's one of the reasons as to why I've never left. But this new "We're going to change things so it's more like 'The Matrix'" makes me wary, because it seems that the people who spout the word "Matrixy" want the game to rehash the trilogy. I like the story because it's expanding the Matrix universe, not keeping it in a box.

I'm not going to leave because of it, but I worry that the things that expand the Matrix universe will be reduced and we'll get more "[Important Character] has been captured! We want you to shoot up a lobby, blow up an elevator, jump into a helicopter, and blast the people holding them hostage" scenarios that would probably keep all the "Matrixy" people happy.

I'm sure it won't come to this -- though the arguments I've been getting from people upon asking abot "what's Matrixy, what's comicesque?" jave been quite laughable so far. Not that it were many... yet. So I don't know what they have in mind.

Actually, what I am concerned about is that maybe the storyline isn't that much thought-out for the future, and the current events don't have such a meaning to them, or a place in the whole. You know, when you look back and think "whoa, that just rocks how all those past plots led up to the present, and I understand so much more now".
I mean, that's how I at least could interpret "pretty much in the air" and "I think he just got it to chapter 8, not 12". Well, guess I'm just wrong as always.

As of "new content" and "old content", I simply think these two "elements" should be kept in good balance. Some new, flashy idea every chapter would, indeed, add something of the "freak-of-the-week" vibe and probably would disturb the homogeneity, while just repeating movie-esque scenarious probably wouldn't be that right, either.
So far, I haven't seen anything to complain about. Maybe I'll have to rewatch the movies again...

**ManicV**

Rarebit wrote:

What is the Matrix to you?

The Matrix is my passion. It's what got me into philosophy and writing. It helped me develop my own interpretations of reality, fate, free will, purpose and causality. It taught me to appreciate the interpretations of others, and to see things from all angles. It taught me to appreciate and practice Socratic Method. It motivated me to learn more about other cultures and religions.

The commercials for the Ultimate Matrix Collection DVD set said The Matrix "...sparked a global phenomenon", and it couldn't have been more right. The Wachowskis have unwittingly created an army of thinkers.

RainKingX

Assuming that you're not looking for a long, drawnout philosophical answer. The matrix could be:
* a system of control
* a system of integrity
* a system of opportunity

Now, my 2 cents:

Features in the game should allow players to interact within and between these three ideals (aka RP tools).

Between org feature scenario:

Those who believe that the matrix is a system of control should be able to increase their manpower in PvP fighting. Like all the stuff I read about HCFrog's org abilities, Zion should get all of it. But, as they get more power, the Machines should be able to do the same thing...for instance, temporarily making it impossible to use HLs for movement or changing abilities...they should be able to send people to the white hallways...or to totally deflag someone (keeping the peace and integrity of the matrix). Mervs should be able to temporarily drain/use these abilities from both zion and machine (with a limit to the amount of abilities that can be drain/used in one sitting).

Within org feature scenario (it should work the same way as the between-org features):

After training really hard (running missions), players can use their reputation to create new abilities. Just suppose that we had a second tier of abilities at lvl 50: loadout snoop (loadout snoop detection/blocking) (loadout snoop detection/jamming - Merv), enhanced coding, tracking - Zion(tracker detection/blocking/ - Machine) (tracker detection/jamming - Merv)

In this tier...Mervs are great coders, medium loadout snoop, and horrible trackers...Machines, great snoopers, ok trackers, horrible coders...Zion great trackers, ok coders, horrible snoopers. Throwing this concept back into the game, we then can link these abilities to the stat system that's already there to keep them balanced.

Enhanced coding could be defined as: higher purity, longer stability, another tier of abilities...anyway you like. However, this would only work if there was some type of rep punishment for switching groups which I assume is in the works.

Oh yeah, pew-pew...sorry, couldn't resist. LMAO!!

**Mercio**

i still havent put anything on here... I really should reply...

**MetaLogic**

What is The Matrix

To me, when I jack into The Matrix, I see a tree. The trunk of the tree is the main storyline, it's what you can see on the surface. However, that trunk has branches, the branches are little storylines that contribute to the main storyline. Some of those branches cross over one another, as does the storys.

To a bluepill, they only see the trunk, they only see what they can see and accept it as reality. However, the redpills, they see the whole thing. They see that there's more to The Matrix than the trunk, there's also various other storylines and underlying stories that are going on.

The Matrix is a composition of human nature. No two humans are exactly alike, and thus that is why The Matrix is a complicated world. In the "computer specs that house The Matrix" thread, someone said that machines use our brain as part of the computer, thus we make The Matrix what it is. The Architect, The Oracle, all of the programs, they just keep everything in line and maintain The Matrix. However, we are the people who make The Matrix what it really is, we contribute ourselfs to it, and thus we created it.