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If you could go back in time...

HaydenHayden
edited November 2010 in General Chat
...then what would you change?

(I thought it'd be fun to post a thread like this seeing as how we're all in a BTTF mood at the moment)

We all have things that we regret, we all have things that we wish went differently, we all have things that we wish we had somehow prevented, we all have passed up opportunities and then later thought what could have been.

So here's a bit of a dream thread, where we can all share what we would change if given the ability to travel back through time, or perhaps re-live a part of your life.

If I could travel back in time, then I'd stop my mum from throwing out all of my PC game boxes when I was younger.
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Comments

  • Comrade PantsComrade Pants
    edited November 2010
    I'd tell Congress that the Hindenburg was a fluke and, if anything, the use of explosive hydrogen in transportation should be expanded exponentially.

    Also, I'd leave 4chan memes embedded in religious texts. Furthermore, the first letters of the first words of each paragraph in all holy books ever would add up to: "No Gods or Kings, Only Men." Furthermore, the Constitution would be filled with raucous conjecture on the virtue of the King of England's parentage.
  • Rather DashingRather Dashing
    edited November 2010
    I'd salvage various works of literature, film, and music that would have otherwise been lost and profit from my ability to reintroduce these works to the world. Record music from before recording was even possible, rescue copies of lost film footage in prime condition such as "Metropolis" and "The Day the Clown Cried". Record the major speeches of world leaders throughout history. I'd probably not mess with things, and I'd probably return anything I took after I had it adequately copied. Oh, and ransack the Library of Alexandria(and other doomed centers of knowledge) the day before its texts were destroyed, produce copies, and spread them around the world.

    Oh, and I'd ask Jim Henson to go to a doctor about that thing he's fussing about.
  • Comrade PantsComrade Pants
    edited November 2010
    Oh, I see. Pants is bad cop, Dash is good cop. Shame on you all.
  • DrRocketGeniusDrRocketGenius
    edited November 2010
    I would build casinos on the moon.

    Though that'd probably be easier to do now, so I dunno.
  • RemolayRemolay
    edited November 2010
    I'd tell whoever gave Justin Beiber a record deal to wait until Fredrick Larrson started doing stuff and give him one instead.

    Swedish awesome vs. Canadian suck. What would you chose?

    Invader Zim would never have been cancelled. Adolf (or Adolph, I don't know/care. I could call him Squippy and it would change nothing.) Hitler would have been aborted. All human caused disasters would have been averted quickly! I WOULD BE MADE SUPREME RULER OF THE EARTH!

    okay, I got a little carried away with that last one, but the rest still stand
  • Comrade PantsComrade Pants
    edited November 2010
    Fuck, Christian Chandler should get a record deal before that missed abortion Bieber was inflicted upon the world.
  • coolsomecoolsome
    edited November 2010
    Id unleash armed hyper intellegent but chaotic monkeys through out the time streem.
  • AlcoremortisAlcoremortis
    edited November 2010
    I'd go back to 69 AD and tell Vespasian that he's awesome.

    Then, I'd go forward in time and tell the BBC that they'd be stupid to tape over the second and third seasons of Doctor Who. If they didn't listen to me, I'd steal all the episodes for mysterious re-release in a few years.
  • Secret FawfulSecret Fawful
    edited November 2010
    I'd screw up the time stream and then the time machine would end up in the wrong hands.

    ....

    Or I would change my name to Sherlock Holmes, and become a highly intelligent British detective in the 1800s who even manages to catch Jack the Ripper.
  • ShaggEShaggE
    edited November 2010
    I'd take my PC back to the 80s or 90s and blow some minds.

    I'd then troll every major artist, musician and writer in history by going back to the day before they start their greatest work, and releasing it myself.

    For my grand finale, I'd go back to 2010 and tell everybody at a random gaming forum about the major events that'll be coming up. The robot war, the zombie invasion, Half Life 2 Episode 3's cancellation, the invention of the bacon tree, and of course that meteor that'll be wiping out all life on January 1st, 201-... Shit. Who turned on the time machine when I wasn't looking? They aren't supposed to know about the meteor just yet! And why am I typing everything I'm supposed to be saying out loud?

    EDIT: And why did I click Post? Furthermore, why aren't I deleting all of this before anybody can read it?
  • Comrade PantsComrade Pants
    edited November 2010
    Secret Fawful wrote: »
    Or I would change my name to Sherlock Holmes, and become a highly intelligent British detective in the 1800s who even manages to catch Jack the Ripper.

    If you ever followed through on that, I'd be contractually obliged to go back and change my name to Moriarty, acquire a tenure as a Professor and use my considerable talents to outwit you.

    Hey Dash, wanna be Watson?
  • Rather DashingRather Dashing
    edited November 2010
    Comrade Pants wrote: »
    Hey Dash, wanna be Watson?
    I'm annoyed enough dealing with Fawful as it is, and I doubt his transformation into an obsessive psychoactive drug addict would help.
  • Comrade PantsComrade Pants
    edited November 2010
    Rather Dashing wrote: »
    I'm annoyed enough dealing with Fawful as it is, and I doubt his transformation into an obsessive psychoactive drug addict would help.

    I think it would make him more awesome, personally.
  • der_ketzerder_ketzer
    edited November 2010
    I would not buy certain CDs I got in the last years. And some games that will not run on my PC. I would also not buy Season 1 of S&M on Steam in that sale since I rebought it a few weeks later in the TT-Everything pack.
  • GuruGuru214GuruGuru214
    edited November 2010
    I'd go back to my first semester of college and tell myself to drop Japanese. I'd also go back to last September and tell my friend not to screw the girl he introduced us to and not to bring over his acquaintance Abby. And I'd go back a few years and try to get myself to ask out my sister's friend, with the knowledge that she had a crush on me. Of course, despite knowing the answer would be yes, past me would probably still chicken out on it, but it's worth a shot.

    Oh, and I'd tell my old elementary school principal horror stories about the woman hired to replace him when he was asked to move schools to help out one that was struggling, including the fact that this woman fired my mother under very shady circumstances. He's said that if he knew what would happen to the school he worked so hard to build up, he never would've left.

    Lastly, aside from fixing past mistakes, I would take whatever steps necessary to acquire enough 1967 money (possibly involving a present day sports almanac), and I would go back and buy a black 1967 Chevrolet Impala. If I could, I would bring the car back with me. If not, I would prepare it for long term storage for my retrieval in the future.
  • mgrantmgrant
    edited November 2010
    I'd probably go back to Britain pre Roman conquest and try to copy down the origin myths of the celtic tribes. Of course, I'd probably need a translation device because even Gaelic wouldn't be entirely close to what they spoke (linguistic development and all that), but it would be totally worth it to be able to finally document something that's absence has always hindered Celtic scholarship.

    On a pettier level, I'd probably go back to fall '09 and tell myself to drop Latin 2 so I wouldn't have to deal with the fall out of basically bombing that class.
  • tredlowtredlow
    edited November 2010
    DrRocketGenius wrote: »
    I would build casinos on the moon.

    Though that'd probably be easier to do now, so I dunno.

    If you were running for congress, I'd vote for you.

    Anyhoo, if I could change the past, I would probably give Tim Schafer my copy of Full Throttle right before he starts working on it, then tell him to use the budget they were gonna use to expand it instead.

    Then I'd take a picture with either Adam and Eve, or monkeys, and shock the world.
  • Rather DashingRather Dashing
    edited November 2010
    tredlow wrote: »
    Then I'd take a picture with either Adam and Eve, or monkeys, and shock the world.
    I could find naked hippies and monkeys too, why would yours be so amazing?
  • tredlowtredlow
    edited November 2010
    Rather Dashing wrote: »
    I could find naked hippies and monkeys too, why would yours be so amazing?

    Because leaves naturally stick to their privates. Also, my monkeys are always more amazing.
  • Gman5852Gman5852
    edited November 2010
    I would go back to when pong was just released and while everyone is excited like that, play kinect. I dont care if it isnt completly accurate, the look on their faces alone would be awesome.
  • GuruGuru214GuruGuru214
    edited November 2010
    I think the idea of showing off future technology in the past appeals to a lot of people (I know I've thought about it), but I think it would generally be a bad idea. I'd hate to go back to the Pong days and show off a current gen system, only to discourage future game developers who think there's no way they can aspire to that sort of technology. Imagine if you managed to prevent the Xbox from being invented, or if you even managed to make Shigeru Miyamoto give up on game making before Donkey Kong was even out.
  • IrishmileIrishmile
    edited November 2010
    I would ask a younger Audrey Hepburn on a date.
  • ShaggEShaggE
    edited November 2010
    GuruGuru214 wrote: »
    I think the idea of showing off future technology in the past appeals to a lot of people (I know I've thought about it), but I think it would generally be a bad idea. I'd hate to go back to the Pong days and show off a current gen system, only to discourage future game developers who think there's no way they can aspire to that sort of technology. Imagine if you managed to prevent the Xbox from being invented, or if you even managed to make Shigeru Miyamoto give up on game making before Donkey Kong was even out.

    It's all good. Just take every game/system ever with you and release them all yourself. :p I call it the Infinite Money Cheat. The only caveat is that you'd have to change the credits every time.

    ... Is it plagiarism when time travel is involved?

    Alternate idea: Only show them in private to select people. Namely, people who carry no clout and have a history of telling outrageous lies like "I was abducted by Elvis!" or "There shall come a game by the name of Crysis! And we shall know this game by the version number branded on it's splash screen... v. 6.66! The patch of the beast!"
  • VeronicanPlayVeronicanPlay
    edited November 2010
    I would go back and change who I am.

    I am tired of being scared, timid and shy of everything and everyone. I am tired of not being able to do anything without thinking about it so much that I get sick. Being able to go to work without being scared of serving costumers or asking my colleagues for help.
    But most of all, I would change my self so much that my self-esteem is the highest, I am tired of hating my self because I do something wrong.

    So yeah, I would go back and change myself in to a person that I have always wanted to be. :)
  • GuruGuru214GuruGuru214
    edited November 2010
    ShaggE wrote: »
    ... Is it plagiarism when time travel is involved?

    You could never prove it, but still yes.
  • RibsRibs
    edited November 2010
    GuruGuru214 wrote: »
    You could never prove it, but still yes.

    Unless the time traveler accidentally came back in time witht the Patent.
  • SunnyGuySunnyGuy
    edited November 2010
    I'd fix everything I screwed up at these past 4 years or so at school.

    Also, I'd change the numbers on my lottery ticket to the winning ones. (surprised no one said that before)

    Oh, and I'd also leak every last detail of Smash Bros Brawl not long after its reveal. Man that'd be hilarious to watch the consequences of considering how things were before its release.
  • PrizmPrizm
    edited November 2010
    For cash, I'd go back and buy stocks in Pixar and Google.

    I'd go back and stop that silly line in the second amendment that states "the right to bear arms" and in doing so save millions of lives, because there would be a lot more red tape required to possess a gun, which in turn causes a lot less guns on the street for criminals to get a hold of.

    I'd go back and kick my own shy ass in high school and make myself ask that one girl out.
    In fact, going back to high school with the knowledge and confidence I have now would be so awesome
    (15 years later.. :rolleyes:).

    Perhaps not so seriously, I'd go back to the end of the second world war and say "Hey, you know that second atomic bomb bound for Nagasaki? I have a better idea. Drop that mofo on the Middle East. You'll save the whole world a headache in years to come..."
  • GuruGuru214GuruGuru214
    edited November 2010
    Until you get back to the present and find a colossal world energy crisis going on...
  • mgrantmgrant
    edited November 2010
    Yeah. Also, given Japan's ridiculous dedication to the war, if we hadn't dropped the bomb, chances are WWII would have gone on a lot longer with a higher loss of life, so that'd kind of be on your conscience too....
  • doodo!doodo!
    edited November 2010
    ShaggE wrote: »
    I'd take my PC back to the 80s or 90s and blow some minds.

    I'd then troll every major artist, musician and writer in history by going back to the day before they start their greatest work, and releasing it myself.

    For my grand finale, I'd go back to 2010 and tell everybody at a random gaming forum about the major events that'll be coming up. The robot war, the zombie invasion, Half Life 2 Episode 3's cancellation, the invention of the bacon tree, and of course that meteor that'll be wiping out all life on January 1st, 201-... Shit. Who turned on the time machine when I wasn't looking? They aren't supposed to know about the meteor just yet! And why am I typing everything I'm supposed to be saying out loud?

    EDIT: And why did I click Post? Furthermore, why aren't I deleting all of this before anybody can read it?

    And people like you are the reason time travel and other miracles of science should be avoided, and the very idea of these miracles put to shame.
  • ShaggEShaggE
    edited November 2010
    doodo! wrote: »
    And people like you are the reason time travel and other miracles of science should be avoided, and the very idea of these miracles put to shame.

    You realize I was joking, right? It's a thread about time travel, for fuck's sake.

    Wow. I haven't been able to say anything lately without somebody getting on my ass for it.
  • coolsomecoolsome
    edited November 2010
    ShaggE wrote: »
    You realize I was joking, right? It's a thread about time travel, for fuck's sake.

    Wow. I haven't been able to say anything lately without somebody getting on my ass for it.

    I liked your plan.
  • tredlowtredlow
    edited November 2010
    doodo! wrote: »
    And people like you are the reason time travel and other miracles of science should be avoided, and the very idea of these miracles put to shame.

    I am actually the creator of Monkey Island, but Ron Gilbert went back in time and stole the idea from me. Jerk.
  • coolsomecoolsome
    edited November 2010
    tredlow wrote: »
    I am actually the creator of Monkey Island, but Ron Gilbert went back in time and stole the idea from me. Jerk.

    Whats the secret?!
  • doodo!doodo!
    edited November 2010
    http://answers.yahoo.com/question/index;_ylt=AuurbTAHzilBJhXj1d_Rxxzsy6IX;_ylv=3?qid=20101115073750AA7WnfP
    http://answers.yahoo.com/question/index;_ylt=AsD7atFaGKXKH4SZChymOMjsy6IX;_ylv=3?qid=20101115072743AASOuEw
  • PrizmPrizm
    edited November 2010
    GuruGuru214 wrote: »
    Until you get back to the present and find a colossal world energy crisis going on...

    True, that would be a likely result.
    mgrant wrote: »
    Yeah. Also, given Japan's ridiculous dedication to the war, if we hadn't dropped the bomb, chances are WWII would have gone on a lot longer with a higher loss of life, so that'd kind of be on your conscience too....

    Yeah that's the thing. If you go back with intentions to stop horrors like Hiroshima and Nagasaki, then there's always the chance it makes things worse, not better. Butterfly effect, I suppose.
  • Comrade PantsComrade Pants
    edited November 2010
    Prizm wrote: »
    I'd go back and stop that silly line in the second amendment that states "the right to bear arms" and in doing so save millions of lives, because there would be a lot more red tape required to possess a gun, which in turn causes a lot less guns on the street for criminals to get a hold of.

    That's stupid. Criminals, who I promise you care nothing about gun laws, will just go get them where they are legal. I, for one, would much rather have firearms be legal so that law abiding citizens may legally defend themselves.
  • Rather DashingRather Dashing
    edited November 2010
    Comrade Pants wrote: »
    That's stupid. Criminals, who I promise you care nothing about gun laws, will just go get them where they are legal. I, for one, would much rather have firearms be legal so that law abiding citizens may legally defend themselves.
    Right. This is why legal citizens should be able to purchase and own the means to produce and fire nuclear weapons(if they have the financial means) because criminals with the same means would not care about bans on privately owned nuclear warheads.
  • Comrade PantsComrade Pants
    edited November 2010
    Rather Dashing wrote: »
    Right. This is why legal citizens should be able to purchase and own the means to produce and fire nuclear weapons(if they have the financial means) because criminals with the same means would not care about bans on privately owned nuclear warheads.

    That's entirely different. I can guarantee that there's no nuclear weapon out there that won't kill innocent people. A firearm is more like a tool; in the wrong hands it can cause grievous harm, but in the right hands it can save (innocent) lives. I'd much rather shoot an attacker than wait for the police to show up when I might already be dead.
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