Origins
When someone asks me "Where did the idea for Dimension X49 originate?" I always find myself a little perplexed as they may as well ask me how I became me at this moment. DX is something that originated from what I have experienced throughout my 30 odd years in this existence combined into one, not so little, package.
The first thirty or so years of my life are what most would call 'eventful'. That tends to take a toll on the psyche, not to mention body, and I found myself spending my time, and a small deposit on a house, trying to suspend my disbelief to New Age theories. Whilst one part of me believed what these practitioners were telling me, another said "Yeah, right and then the fairy's with the little white coats gave you a holiday in their magical padded grove." The problem isn't that I don't believe in forces we cannot see or understand, but that I am quite grounded in my reality.
Just after meeting my dear Matt, I picked up one of his books "The Man That Tasted Shapes" by Richard Cytowic. Describing the condition of synesthesia (joining of the senses) I found myself unable to put it down as it placed a few new cogs in my brain, joining with some older ones, and ultimately setting me on my quest to understand Quantum Physics and Neurosciences.
If Einstein had the capacity to prove that meditation, psychic activity and prayer in humans transforms the brainwaves to Theta, would he have reassessed his thoughts on Quantum Physics and a higher force? It is questions like these that psychologists are using to help chronic pain, Post Traumatic Stress Disorder, Obsessive Compulsive Disorder, and many other ailments to help the brain, psyche and body to surpass and, sometimes, repair damage. On the surface it seems unlikely to anyone who has not studied or understood the science fully, yet those who do understand know that each individual creates his own reality through his own perceptions, so of course it's almost certainly achievable once comprehended.
Many role playing games, in all their various forms, have the underlying goal to empower the players through their characters. Sometimes it works, most of the time it doesn't as the GM takes Godlike control or the method of empowerment is so obvious to the players that it becomes cliché, thus useless. DX may seem at times to be an unstoppable river of defeat, yet, that may be because the clues are so subliminal that it fringes on reverse psychology. If a player were to choose to follow up on the thousands of clues hidden within the game, what they may find is the most empowering knowledge I've ever had the privilege to study.
Whether or not the meaning of life is 'The number 42' is not the intention of the game, but the quest is the players ultimate reward.
Cassie & Matt Parkins - Creators/GMs
Rob - Honorary GM
Ava Stenhouse - Honorary GM
Ava Stenhouse - Archives
Tai McCormick - Technical Advisor
Raye Cochran - Webmaster
With special thanks to Rob (1), Ken, Dom, Chris (1), Miriam, Rob (2), Karen, Eric, Raye, Ava, Chris (2) and Ashley, for their ongoing and imaginative contributions to Dimension X49.
The creators of Dimension X49 would also like to thank the following people for inspiration in the unlikeliest of places:
- Nick Cave
- Kevin Smith
- Umberto Eco
- Albert Einstein
- John Cusack
- Stephen King
- Leonard Cohen
- Richard Cytowic
- Matt Groening
- Darren Aronofsky
- Trey Parker
- Matt Stone
- And the art of Bruce Campbell.