Hey there IF-ers, this is Philip and Matt coming at you with another mind-bending episode of "What The IF?" Dan, our listener and a super cool Patreon supporter, dropped a doozy of a concept on us. He got us thinking - what if we could craft whole worlds and eras with just a pen and some magical toad ink? Just like in the legendary video game, Myst. As you can imagine, this sparked a rollicking discussion full of laughter and quirky tangents.

As we journeyed through this imagined multiverse, we stumbled upon the magic of modern gaming – procedural generation. It's what lets you stroll for an eternity in today's video games. We compared this with the lovingly detailed world of Myst from back in '93, marveling at how far we've come. We promise, the deep dives and tech talk are accompanied by our usual cheeky banter.

Then things got wild! We drifted into the realm of the 'Game of Life' - an enchanting computer simulation showing us how complex patterns emerge from simple rules. We pondered - could our very own world be the result of similar rules? Brace yourselves, IF-ers, this episode is a rollercoaster of humor, tech talk, and brain-twisting concepts. Sit tight, tune in, and let's see if we can change how you think about books, video games, and maybe even the cosmos!

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Find out more about Gaby's upcoming science fiction short story publication, coming soon!

Here are the links for the anthology. The physical copy can be pre-ordered here : https://www.neonhemlock.com/books/luminescent-machinations-queer-tales-of-monumental-invention

The ebook can be pre-ordered here: https://www.neonhemlock.com/ebooks/luminescent-machinations-queer-tales-of-monumental-invention

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Keep On IFFin',

Philip, Matt & Gaby