Comic Archive

Heidi and Max sit behind a monitor, investigating the source code.
Heidi: The basic premise indeed is to take photos of faces using Paloraid cameras. But, there are some strange modifications to the code.
Crew member 1: What do you mean?
Heidi: The shutter action has been changed to a loop: “while face detected.”

Max: Makes no sense for photos. But when deliberately replacing cameras with guns from another attraction…
Heidi: … then it means these machines will not be content with anything less than total facial destruction.

Zhang: Could have been worse, they could have deployed this system in fully autonomous A-10 Warthogs.
Max: Don't give them ideas.

Crew member 1: So, it's not an accidental mix-up?
Heidi: No hard evidence, but it all looks sketchy to say the least. Are you aware of any malicious intent?
Crew member 1: We did receive threats, but it would have been more unusual if there wouldn't be any…

Max: Look here, in the shutdown routine. It can never work: the conditions always conflict.
Heidi: Of course all commits used a single Git account, sigh.
Zhang: Smells like someone deliberately wanted to wreak havoc. Revenge… or just plain insanity? Getting to the bottom of this, will require first tearing down the need-to-know thing.

Max: At any rate, we now know how to restore full control including shutdown. What was that about reviving the link?
Crew member 3: There's a backup in a nearby building, but it's right next to the main recharge station. The risk of bumping into a bot is near 100%.

Crew member 1: Even though the disguises have worked so far, the detection system is bound to have false positives. A few percent wasted photos was acceptable, having our faces pureed is not.
Heidi: What does it take to engage the link? We may have a trick up our sleeve…

Heidi shows OIB-A271 to the Faceworld crew and winks to it.
Heidi: We have this… rather autonomous robot that is quite dextrous.
Crew member 1: Wow, an old Oiba! But how is it controlled?
Heidi: It understands natural language. It's highly experimental, a company secret and… classified.

Crew member 3: You guys really are next-level. Well, such a small robot should get into the building easily, there is only a makeshift door with a large gap at the bottom. Then enter the first room on the right. All it takes to activate the backup, is to flip the large switch.

Heidi: OIB-A271, do you understand those instructions?
OIB-A271: Affirmative. Remember kids, don't try this at home!
Crew member 3: Amazing. I want one of those.

Setting: OIB-A271 is outside, heading to the other building.
OIB-A271: Now we have given those people a totally unrealistic idea of what current A.I. technology is capable of. But, not any worse than journalism, I guess… Uh-oh, a robot. I hope I am sufficiently un-face-like.

Robot: Dogs should be kept on a leash.
OIB-A271: Screw you, buddy.
Robot: Talking dog — does not compute. Talking entities do not need a leash.
OIB-A271: Good bot!

OIB-A271 is inside and looks at the switch panel.
OIB-A271: That must be the switch. It's time to bust some major moves!

Crew member 1: All right, the antenna is active!
Max: Does it include uplink?
Crew member 1: Unfortunately not, only bot control.