Gaming the Game
SB: Like that other enigma code with the still life photos that represented all the settings.
CELIA: Yes! It made it appear even more real. But even the reference to Janine Salla in the trailer to the movie and then the flashing letters — I ate it up.
Okay — i think this will prove that i am the original celia. I also went as 'thefawn' in the very beginning, and then the chat bot was discovered, and I changed my alias to celia. So maybe there can be some digging into the IP address for either name; they would be the same, because i was using the same computer.
SB: So you first logged in on 4/12/00 as thefawn?
CELIA: Yes, and even then, people flamed me for not having a life and accused me of not having a job, when in fact I was at work when I was making my posts.
SB: If there hadn't been a big group like the Cloudmakers formed to play would you still have tried to do what you did? Would you have tried to find lone players and alter the game for them?
CELIA: Oh yeah. I guess that makes me sinister, but don't get me wrong, I love you guys.
SB: It probably wouldn't have been as easy.
CELIA: Everyone needs a thorn in their pride, right? That was the persona i eventually had to settle for.
SB: But might you not have gotten the notoriety if not for having that visible group to play with?
CELIA: I seriously did not think i'd get that notoriety, nor did I crave it. But I think people interpreted my 'troll' ways as that, craving attention. I was just along for the ride, like everyone else — and getting anxious to see the movie.
SB: Did you see the movie?
CELIA: Twice. I was there opening day.
SB: You didn't get in on the preview? What'd you think of the movie?
CELIA: I enjoyed it, and I wouldn't have changed it. In fact, I believe the movie will be looked back at as ahead of its time. It isn't popular with the masses now.
SB: No, nor with the Cloudmakers.
CELIA: However, I think we'll be dealing with more technology and possible 'AI' in our lifetime.
SB: We mainly felt the game surpassed the movie.
CELIA: It did manifest into something larger.
SB: Well, hey, thanks for talking to me. Anything you wanted to leave the CMs with?
CELIA: No problem. Best wishes for the year ahead.
SB: Thanks again.
CELIA: I'm still concerned that people won't think I'm the original, but I am. I'm not ready to give up the mystique. Like Laia asked us: "meatloaf and raisin toast?" I think so. I need to pay for my 10-minute virtual account now. Until next time.
We spoke with Oli, who denied ever receiving any flight information, although he had spoken with celia on occasion. If you have chat logs from the beginning of the game, and are interested in trying to verify some of celia's proofs, download the raw chat log here and let me know what you find!
SpaceBass is best viewed with your eyes. He finds precious little time to update this site, what with all the ongoing legal and ethical inquiries he's constantly forced to defend against.
