Firefly Gaming Survey by SergeantX

GENERAL DISCUSSIONS

Firefly Gaming Survey

POSTED BY: SERGEANTX
UPDATED: Thursday, April 1, 2004 11:49
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Wednesday, July 9, 2003 8:04 AM

There have been numerous threads discussing various ways to represent the Firefly experience in some kind of interactive "game" format. Early on someone on the official site was doing an Unreal Tournament mod, several people on the new Star Wars MMORPG are doing Firefly type stuff, Jubilee is working on a Neverwinter Nights mod, and there've been numerous threads discussing playing old style pencil and paper RPG's set in the Firefly universe. We've even been discussing an online chat-style RPG on the IRC channel.

I'd like this thread to be something of a survey of everyone's opinions and priorities when it comes to gaming and Firefly. A few important questions come to mind:

1. What element of Firefly would you most like to see represented in a game? Anything you can think of that made Firefly fun that you'd really like to see in a game.

2. What kinds of games have you played that might be well suited to representing the above? These don't have to be computer related, or even science fiction games.

3. If you don't play games much, (or even if you do) is there any other kind of interactive format that you think would be worth a Firefly treatment? Choose-your-own adventure stories, Firefly action figures... anything you can think of.

4. Without any regard for what you think is possible, what would the perfect Firefly game be like? (I'll be in my bunk?)

SergeantX

"..and here's to all the dreamers, may our open hearts find rest." -- Nanci Griffith

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Wednesday, July 9, 2003 8:26 AM

SERGEANTX

I'll go first

1. What element of Firefly would you most like to see represented in a game?

For me the most powerful fantasy concerning Firefly, and one of the things I like most about the show, is the idea of a home doubling as a vehicle to freedom. I've had this idea in my head ever since the late seventies, after seeing Star Wars. I remember designing ships for the old Traveller game and imagining how cool it would be to look out your bedroom window at a vast star field. To be able to pick up at a moments notice and head for greener pastures. "We'll just get ourselves all a little further..." "Take me out to the Black, tell them I ain't coming back..." You get the idea.

2. What kinds of games have you played that might be well suited to representing the above?

I'm not sure I've played any games well suited to really 'get' Firefly. One of the reasons I started this thread. The old pnp role-playing games come closest I suppose.

3. If you don't play games much, (or even if you do) is there any other kind of interactive format that you think would be worth a Firefly treatment?

hmm.. theme park type stuff? Firefly vacation cruise?

4. Without any regard for what you think is possible, what would the perfect Firefly game be like?

The perfect Firefly game would consist of being able to spend my days and nights travelling through space with my 'family'. It would still be a fantasy and a game... I have no desire to really get shot or brush up against death and torture every time I "play". It would include meeting interesting characters and solving tough problems and challenges. It would also include down time where I could just talk with my friends and admire the beauty of open space, travelling to distant planets and moons.

Those are some of my thoughts.

SergeantX

"..and here's to all the dreamers, may our open hearts find rest." -- Nanci Griffith

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Wednesday, July 9, 2003 3:02 PM

JOHNNYREB

Quote:
Originally posted by SergeantX:
I'll go first

1. What element of Firefly would you most like to see represented in a game?

2. What kinds of games have you played that might be well suited to representing the above?

3. If you don't play games much, (or even if you do) is there any other kind of interactive format that you think would be worth a Firefly treatment?

4. Without any regard for what you think is possible, what would the perfect Firefly game be like?

SergeantX

O.k. Now that I have a little time to write...

1. There was a game for Sega that I can't remember the name of. It was based on the book Neuromancer. You could play a warrior, a shaman, or a juicer(?). You basically ran around Seattle looking for work. You brought packages from point a to point b and went up in levels. The higher you went in levels, the more you could negotiate your price and pick more dangerous missions. You could decline missions too. The more you got paid, the more you had to spend on better weapons. This is the aspect of Firefly that would be a good gaming experience. Focus on the jobs. The legal ones pay crap. The illegal ones pay better. The dangerous ones pay best. And of course what you were paid was based on your negotiation skills, regardless of the job. It is basically an RPG. But the whole point was to find work so that you could find your brother's killer.

2. Both dice and paper RPG's and Computer RPG's could work well to capture the essence of Firefly.

3. A theme park adventure like the ones they have at Universal studios? A friend of mine also bought Scourge of Worlds. It's a DVD that is played like a "which-way" book. They show you some storyline, then the scene ends, and you have to choose whether you want to take the left path or the right. Then the story continues from the choice you made to the next choice. Attack or Fall back? Kiss her or Don't do it? Join forces, or Go your seperate ways? That would be real cool if they got the actors we all know and love to do something like that.

4. See answer one.

I hope that helps you out. (And I hope you are a computer game programmer

)

Viva Firefly!

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Wednesday, July 9, 2003 3:09 PM

STOCKTHEMICK

Johhny Reb. The game you're thinking of is Shadowrun. It was based on a pencil and paper game with similar rules to Dungeons and Dragons also called Shadowrun.

Ha ha ha. Mine is an evil laugh.

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Wednesday, July 9, 2003 3:42 PM

NEVERFEARSTEVEISHERE

a game somewhat like elite II would fit well.

In this old game you flew around visiting planets taking up contracts, cargo including livestock, people and mining rigs.

There was the ever present threat of piracy and opposition to any ilegal activity by the police - which could include anything from piracy to simply being in the star system without a permit.

It was a good game. a game like this, firefly themed would be nice i think.

This is actually something I'd like to have a go at.

the harrier hovers, it will be nice to have a hovering firefly object instead. having just recently started watching this series in the UK on sci-fi channel, I find myself eager to write a game. but can never afford a proper licence. oh yeah, as a note: the screenies are from a game I've been working on with some guys on the net.

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Wednesday, July 9, 2003 4:28 PM

CHRISTHECYNIC

The way Firefly was presented it was almost like a home. The characters your family, the ship was a place you could picture yourself. That would be it, if it could be done, which I don’t think it can. A game where the environment was so immersive that you cared about what happened to the fictional character next to you, and you would feel sad if you had to leave Serenity.

How about a hotel made to fit the blueprints of the serenity set where you just stay and enjoy yourself for a week or two? Forget the game, eat in the kitchen (cut you’re apples before you eat them), touch the Christmas lights around Kaylee’s door.

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Wednesday, July 9, 2003 5:32 PM

JOHNNYREB

Quote:
Originally posted by StockTheMick:
Johhny Reb. The game you're thinking of is Shadowrun. It was based on a pencil and paper game with similar rules to Dungeons and Dragons also called Shadowrun.

Ha ha ha. Mine is an evil laugh.

SHADOWRUN! You're right! Wouldn't that make an awesome Firefly RPG game? One would have to tweek it a little, trade in the taxi's for spacecraft, can the Ogres, make the setting space instead of the burroughs of Seattle, and other things. Shadowrun. I can't believe I forgot. Thanks, StockTheMick!

Viva Firefly!

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Wednesday, July 9, 2003 5:36 PM

SIRENKAIN

[

1. What element of Firefly would you most like to see represented in a game? Anything you can think of that made Firefly fun that you'd really like to see in a game.

2. What kinds of games have you played that might be well suited to representing the above? These don't have to be computer related, or even science fiction games.

3. If you don't play games much, (or even if you do) is there any other kind of interactive format that you think would be worth a Firefly treatment? Choose-your-own adventure stories, Firefly action figures... anything you can think of.

4. Without any regard for what you think is possible, what would the perfect Firefly game be like? (I'll be in my bunk?)

1. I like the element of the team effort also the constant motion in looking for a job.

2. Any role playing game would work. The idea of a Neverinter Nights computer style would work out well. I would also be my new crack.
The best board game style would fit on an old Avalon Hill game called Merchant of Venus. The game is simple but you could add plenty to it. The game works like this: You get a ship, you trade your goods, you find more work, you outfit your ship and when you have money you upgrade things so you get more work faster.

3 and 4 online multi-player is the easy answer. Everyone could have thier own agenda and you could team up with like minded people.

Morbid and creep-ifying I got no problem with.

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Wednesday, July 9, 2003 9:41 PM

SERGEANTX

Quote:
The way Firefly was presented it was almost like a home. The characters your family, the ship was a place you could picture yourself. That would be it, if it could be done, which I don’t think it can. A game where the environment was so immersive that you cared about what happened to the fictional character next to you, and you would feel sad if you had to leave Serenity.

Quote:
1. I like the element of the team effort also the constant motion in looking for a job.

These ideas seem to get at the heart of the matter from my point of view. I was thinking as I read, what about a MMORPG where you actually had to recruit player characters to crew your ship? You'd take jobs as they come, look for salvage, fend off other 'crews' that might take to preying on others. It might be best to keep armed ships our of reach for player characters, at least if you want to preserve the flavor of Firefly.

You could certainly allow for some player absentee-ism with PC's playing basically neutral roles when the players weren't online, but it should be advantageous to have all players online at the same time. Perhaps starting cash could be such that four or five players could pool their cash and get a broken down old ship, but otherwise individual players would have to sign on with another crew. Players would choose their skills with an eye toward filling needed positions on a ship, so if all you pick are captainy skills you may have a tough time finding a place on a ship.

There seem to be a lot of possibilities in this. It wouldn't be too hard to take a typical first person shooter and come up with the environments. Then come up with some means of piloting ships. It wouldn't need to be terribly involved given that ship to ship combat is not really something we'd be trying to simulate. Most of the game would be social, negotiating deals and completing deliveries etc, but complications do tend to crop up....

The really cool thing is this does afford ample opportunity to form friendships and roleplay Firefly like character development aboard the ship and elsewhere. Hmm all the technologies are there. Anybody out there done levels or mods for other games?

SergeantX

"..and here's to all the dreamers, may our open hearts find rest." -- Nanci Griffith

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Thursday, July 10, 2003 1:43 AM

CYRIDEL

In response to question number 2:

As far as a standard pen and paper role playing game goes, there are systems already available to make a great Firefly game. It would mainly be getting a GM (game master, or DM for the old-timers) who knew their stuff about Firefly. Admittedly, I don't think it would be that difficult for an experienced roleplayer because in my opinion a true-to-life Firefly game would be about 80-90% roleplaying rather than action.

That being said, there are two game systems that I would recommend for a Firefly game. The first, D20 Star Wars. Get rid of the Force and all the aliens. Hell, you've already got the Alliance in the form of the Empire. They've got spaceships and rules for space travel. It would pretty much be a no brainer. Hell, you could even throw in a lighsaber and call it "The Lassiter".

'Course the only real downside I can think of that system is that it is heavily dependent on laser weapons with very few "Firefly" type weapons. So some tweaking would have to be done there.

The other one was a great system that was basically abandoned by Wizards called "Alternity". Again, spaceships and spacetravel are well thoughtout. Most of the story would have to be chunked although there was a conglomeration that would make a very good Alliance. If memory serves correctly it was based on Microsoft.

And finally, for computer gamers, in about a year one could hopefully see a possibility with the current online Star Wars game when they release the space expansion. The only problem with that really is that it's consensual Player vs. Player so you wouldn't even have to fear the Alliance...or Empire (whichever you choose). But theoretically it would give the sense of living on a ship and trying to live by what you can scrape by.

Ok, I've typed enough.

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Thursday, July 10, 2003 2:57 AM

JOHNNYREB

If you view Serenity as a base of operations, almost any RPG could fit the bill. Viewing it as a home is a bit more problematic. If the people playing view it as a home and treat each other like family, voila! You have a home. It's the people, the characters playing, that make it a home, not anything that the DM (oldtimer, eh?) could do to the campaign. You can add kitchens, bathrooms, common rooms, sure, but a base of operations have all those things too. One needs to define "home" before taking on the task of making it home, and I think you're going to find the definition of home lying in the laps of the human players, not behind the DM screen.

Viva Firefly!

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Thursday, July 10, 2003 6:50 AM

JUBILEE

I've been giving this a lot of thought over the past few days (since I started building the NWN module). What I want to see most in a Firefly RPG is a reflection of the Firefly universe that I've come to love. I want to explore why chinese is so imprinted into their culture. I want to know who the Alliance is and why Blue Sun is bad (bad, I tell you). I also want to see more of the Firefly crew and their interactions. More than that, I want to be able to interact with the crew and be a part of that universe. Possibly corny and maybe a little crazy, but hey, that's why River is my hero and avatar.

I'd love to see an entire RPG game based on Firefly. Until then, I'll just have to make do with building modules. Even though I'm happy with what I've created so far (and I hope other people will like it too), I'm well aware of the limitations of creating this 'verse within an RPG that wasn't intended for this setting. Luckily, people more talented than myself have created custom content that I can use to help build my tribute to Firefly.

I'm using Neverwinter Nights because it's what I have available. Currently, I don't know of many games that would support the perfect Firefly gaming experience. But right now, I'll settle for a good Firefly gaming experience and hope that a computer game company somewhere is paying attention.

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Thursday, July 10, 2003 7:00 AM

SARAHETC

There are lots of shiny ideas here but I'm gonna come at it from a totally differen perspective. I think Cyridel's come kinda close to what I would like to see.

I play shooters, some RPG stuff, and a very little RTS.

Hence, I'd like to see a shooter. I'd even like to see a stealth-shooter. Maybe a stealth-shooter with a flightsim aspect.

Y'all will scoff at the model game that comes to my mind, but I think it could work--NOLF 2. Or maybe a cross between NOLF and DiabloII. I am not on dope. It would be a basic action/adventure shooter, but you could choose to be any of the characters. For each character you would have a different skill set that you could put different points into to advance. Each character would also have a different mission that might intersect with other characters missions. Having nine characters with nine missions (Badger, Niksa, and YoSafBridge get to be the expansion packs) would give the game a high degree of replayability.

Sarah

I'm a dying breed who still believes, haunted by American dreams. ---Neko Case

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Thursday, July 10, 2003 11:52 AM

MANIACNUMBERONE

Quote:
Originally posted by StockTheMick:
Johhny Reb. The game you're thinking of is Shadowrun. It was based on a pencil and paper game with similar rules to Dungeons and Dragons also called Shadowrun.

Ha ha ha. Mine is an evil laugh.

Aren't you the crazy guy who always posts things on the taglog like "vagina"?

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Thursday, July 10, 2003 1:29 PM

FREMDFIRMA

Spend a couple bucks, if you can find a copy, on Origin Systems original "Privateer".

It's VERY Firefly-ish, and the storyline and background would hook most FF fans quite quickly.

I LOVE that damned game, even now (it was out when 486 was 'top of the line', mind) it rests in a place of honor on my hard drive.

I was surprised we didn't have more FF fans who'd been into Privateer, honestly...

Try it, trust me, you'll love it.

-Frem

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Thursday, July 10, 2003 5:45 PM

TALONPEST

I played a little bit of Privateer in my day. More recently, there was Freelancer (made by the same guys I think) which, if it had been allowed to stay in development for another six months or so, would have been a great game along the same lines.

Anyway, a good Firefly game would have to be an open-ended, non-linear, solo RPG. It would have to to have two aspects: a ship based game akin to Privateer (though with less ship-to-ship combat), with a comodities trade market and delivery missions, along with a first/third person shooter for ground-based missions. Features like hiring and firing crewmembers, repairing, refuling, and upgrading your ship, equpiment, and firarms, and being able to build positive and negative relationships with certain groups and governments would be nice.

And of course there would have to be illegal jobs that force you to evade Alliance ships and soldiers, for substantially higher pay than the legal alternatives.

One thing that kinda concerns me about that kind of game though, is that eventually you'd earn enough money to buy a nice new high-tech ship, at which point it wouldn't really feel like Firefly anymore.

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Thursday, July 10, 2003 6:37 PM

SERGEANTX

Everyone seems to like the idea of first person shooter solo games. Personally I'd like the comraderie and role-playing that would be possible in a MMORPG. To each his own I guess. Maybe the space expansion in Star Wars Galaxies will afford something like this, but I'm doubting it will have the crew dynamic I'd like to see, where you'd actually have to team up with other players to keep a ship up and running. We'll see. If I was getting my weekly fix of FF I wouldn't be much worried about a game.

SergeantX

"..and here's to all the dreamers, may our open hearts find rest." -- Nanci Griffith

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Friday, July 11, 2003 4:05 PM

ARCHER

Sarge demanded a reply, so here it is. No more flogging, please...

1. What element of Firefly would you most like to see represented in a game? Anything you can think of that made Firefly fun that you'd really like to see in a game.

For me, it's the setting. The post-war milieu, the adaptations to the new order, the contrast between low and high technology, and the clash of cultures and styles.

2. What kinds of games have you played that might be well suited to representing the above? These don't have to be computer related, or even science fiction games.

What haven't I played? Good god, over the past... er... lemme do the math... seventeen, eighteen years, I've played dozens of tabletop RPGs, online games, little MUD action, computer RPGS. I've taken to favoring online RPG games, though, in a text format with regular meetings and quality GMs and players.

3. If you don't play games much, (or even if you do) is there any other kind of interactive format that you think would be worth a Firefly treatment? Choose-your-own adventure stories, Firefly action figures... anything you can think of.

There was a fellow posting about a game mod he was working on in here a while back, that had trade and negotiation as part of the engine. Good old Privateer comes to mind, as well. Again, I'd prefer the RPG treatment, though.

4. Without any regard for what you think is possible, what would the perfect Firefly game be like? (I'll be in my bunk?)

One that followed the complexity and depth of the show, and emulated the twists and turns of the plot. One that mixes the comedic with the tragic and actually makes statements. One with character and feeling.

There ain't nothin' I can't overcome or come to know. So lay your heavy load down on me, strip everything I have away. I am not your prisoner, I am not afraid.

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Thursday, April 1, 2004 5:26 AM

CHRONICTHEHEDGEHOG

Slightly OT, but nevermind.

Does anyone else play freelancer? It's so very similar to firefly (except it's only you, not a whole crew). The earth got into a war between the alliance and another group, the alliance lost but it's core worlds (England, America, Germany... and one I can't remember) set off and found a new galaxy. You get to be a pirate or a trader or a fighter, taking jobs as they come and trying to keep enough money to run your ship. I've had it for 2 days and I'm already hooked.

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Thursday, April 1, 2004 7:31 AM

LINDLEY

I'm already working on a Firefly mod for Escape Velocity: Nova.

That's a very FF-like game, along the same lines as Freelancer and Elite II (predating the former, but not the latter, obviously).

Its shareware, so its free to download, but many people aren't aware of it because until about a year ago, it was Mac-only. Check it out here:

www.ambrosiasw.com/games/evn

You'll need to register if you want to play any mods. Aside from mine, there are two "official" total-conversion mods for EVN which allow Windows users to play the (still) Mac-only games Escape Velocity and EV: Override through the EV: Nova engine. Story-wise, EVO is my favorite.

About the total-conversion mod I'm working on: I've got 120 planets so far. I need another 10-20, at least, to complete the universe. If you've got any ideas for interesting planets, you can post them in this thread:
http://www.fireflyfans.net/thread.asp?b=2&t=3998

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Thursday, April 1, 2004 7:43 AM

CHRONICTHEHEDGEHOG

I'm a big fan of EV Nova, I actually think Freelancer is heavily based on it, it's essentially just a 3D version of that game.

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Thursday, April 1, 2004 7:47 AM

STEAMEDBAO3

I think the problem with Firefly as an RPG is that it would need to be way more about the interaction between characters rather than hack and slash or shoot'em up game. I LARP alot and find that that format would be Ideal for Firefly. It would place the focus on Character interation with enough action to keep people interested. I am coming up with LARP rules as I type this and will post them soon.

God created Mudder's Milk so the Independence wouldn't take over the 'verse.

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Thursday, April 1, 2004 11:40 AM

CALDEEN

Quote:
Originally posted by SergeantX:
There have been numerous threads discussing various ways to represent the Firefly experience in some kind of interactive "game" format. Early on someone on the official site was doing an Unreal Tournament mod, several people on the new Star Wars MMORPG are doing Firefly type stuff, Jubilee is working on a Neverwinter Nights mod, and there've been numerous threads discussing playing old style pencil and paper RPG's set in the Firefly universe. We've even been discussing an online chat-style RPG on the IRC channel.

I'd like this thread to be something of a survey of everyone's opinions and priorities when it comes to gaming and Firefly. A few important questions come to mind:

1. What element of Firefly would you most like to see represented in a game? Anything you can think of that made Firefly fun that you'd really like to see in a game.

2. What kinds of games have you played that might be well suited to representing the above? These don't have to be computer related, or even science fiction games.

3. If you don't play games much, (or even if you do) is there any other kind of interactive format that you think would be worth a Firefly treatment? Choose-your-own adventure stories, Firefly action figures... anything you can think of.

4. Without any regard for what you think is possible, what would the perfect Firefly game be like? (I'll be in my bunk?)

SergeantX

"..and here's to all the dreamers, may our open hearts find rest." -- Nanci Griffith

1. The characters would have to be real. No super chars that could wade though regiments of "bad guys". They would be vunerable, have streangths and weaknesses. Definatly the atmosphere. Rich and poor, haves and the have nots. The Alliance and Blue Sun. Would like to see an officaly game simply to clear up some of the questions. Mulitsystem vs single system.

2. Freelancer and SWG were okay. Freelancer was definatly closer. I played them both and left them both to go back to EQ. For the spirit of Firefly your gamers would be more important than the system. Are they role players or roll players. Role players get into the character. The character has substance and worries about things. Roll players are just there to roll the dice and kill stuff.

3. Merchandising is the money maker. I would say do it all. Personally dont like messing with other people's characters, but have had an idea for my own chars set in the Firefly verse.

4. It would be about surviving. Not about changing the world. Character interaction with some conflict.

This is my problem with most systems and why I prefer the cyberpunk 2020 system. Most games set the characters up to become major powers in that verse. The chars become so powerful it is very hard to kill them. Not impossible mind you, there is always another elephant to drop on the chars.

I am not worried about the bullet with my name on it. Just the thousands marked "Occupant".

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Thursday, April 1, 2004 11:49 AM

KALIMEERI

Quote:
Originally posted by chronicthehedgehog:
Slightly OT, but nevermind.

Does anyone else play freelancer? It's so very similar to firefly (except it's only you, not a whole crew). The earth got into a war between the alliance and another group, the alliance lost but it's core worlds (England, America, Germany... and one I can't remember) set off and found a new galaxy. You get to be a pirate or a trader or a fighter, taking jobs as they come and trying to keep enough money to run your ship. I've had it for 2 days and I'm already hooked.

I would, but I've jumped through hoops trying to get the speech to work (codecs, drivers, everything). No go ... and it's humped without it. Looks pretty, though. sigh. Have Privateer, IW3, Wing Commanders, Freespace...

Jen dao mei.

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