--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Or was it running the world’s weirdest…" description: "\"“Or was it running the world’s weirdest Turing-complete variant Dungeons & Dragons campaign using a rule set isomorphic with first-order transdimension..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/76f/charles-stross-896_weirdest-turing_or-was-it-running-the-world-s-weirdest-t_847760.png" --- # Or was it running the world’s weirdest Turing-complete… ![“Or was it running the world’s weirdest Turing-complete variant Dungeons & Dragons campaign using a rule set isomorphic with first-order transdimensional summoning algebra—” quote by Charles Stross](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/76f/charles-stross-896_weirdest-turing_or-was-it-running-the-world-s-weirdest-t_847760.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/76f/charles-stross-896_weirdest-turing_or-was-it-running-the-world-s-weirdest-t_847760.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/76f/charles-stross-896_weirdest-turing_or-was-it-running-the-world-s-weirdest-t_847760.png) > ““Or was it running the world’s weirdest Turing-complete variant Dungeons & Dragons campaign using a rule set isomorphic with first-order transdimensional summoning algebra—”” [Charles Stross](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-stross/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. A complex, meta‑gaming scenario blends advanced computation with fantasy, highlighting absurdity of over‑engineered systems. **In simple terms:** Complex game meets sci‑fi. Key Takeaway Embrace simplicity over needless complexity. Themes complexity gaming science fiction absurdity Mood irical thought‑provoking Type literary satirical When to use this quote - role‑playing games - software design - creative writing Key Concepts Turing completeness transdimensional algebra rule systems Questions to Reflect On - How does over‑engineering hinder creativity? - When is simplicity more effective? A Different Perspective Complex systems can become unmanageable and obscure purpose. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet ## Related quotes > [Simon grinned. "You've never heard of Dungeons and Dragons?" "I've heard of dungeons," Jace said. "Also dragons. Although they're mostly extinct.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cassandra-clare/simon-grinned-you-ve-never-heard-of-dungeons-and-dragons-i-ve-heard/) [Cassandra Clare](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cassandra-clare/) > [I came ready to fight Genghis Khan and I walk in on a shut-in playing the biggest Dungeons and Dragons game in history.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-kadrey/i-came-ready-to-fight-genghis-khan-and-i-walk-in-on-a-shut-in-playing/) [Richard Kadrey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-kadrey/) > ['Dungeons and Dragons' has evolved over the years, and so has the community that played the game. It had a lot of lingering stigma…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/matthew-mercer/dungeons-and-dragons-has-evolved-over-the-years-and-so-has-the/) [Matthew Mercer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/matthew-mercer/) > [“He was a very tall, very thin creature that could only be described as a wood elf. His long, ponytailed hair was every color…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nils-johnson-shelton/he-was-a-very-tall-very-thin-creature-that-could-only-be-described-as/) Nils Johnson-Shelton > [I think the first things I did, I used to try to create digital versions of Dungeons & Dragons that would help me generate…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/randy-pitchford/i-think-the-first-things-i-did-i-used-to-try-to-create-digital/) [Randy Pitchford](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/randy-pitchford/) > [My favorite video game of all time is called 'Black Tiger'. It's a Capcom Dungeons and Dragons game from 1987. I have the actual…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ernest-cline/my-favorite-video-game-of-all-time-is-called-black-tiger-it-s-a/) [Ernest Cline](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ernest-cline/) > [I played Dungeons & Dragons and have read comic books since I was a kid.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/phil-lamarr/i-played-dungeons-dragons-and-have-read-comic-books-since-i-was-a-kid/) [Phil LaMarr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/phil-lamarr/) > [I love 'Battlestar Galactica;' I was a geeky kid. I was into Dungeons and Dragons. I had the 24-sided dice.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jesse-spencer/i-love-battlestar-galactica-i-was-a-geeky-kid-i-was-into-dungeons-and/) [Jesse Spencer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jesse-spencer/) > [“I have an idea," Simon said. "Remember how before, I was talking about Dungeons and Dragons?" "Vividly," Jace said. "It was a dark time.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cassandra-clare/i-have-an-idea-simon-said-remember-how-before-i-was-talking-about/) [Cassandra Clare](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cassandra-clare/) > [The more you know about the Dungeons and Dragons, the more you'll see the thought process that went into the Chronicles of Riddick mythology.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vin-diesel/the-more-you-know-about-the-dungeons-and-dragons-the-more-you-ll-see/) [Vin Diesel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vin-diesel/) > [Anyone wanna play Dungeons & Dragons for the next quadrillion years?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gary-gygax/anyone-wanna-play-dungeons-dragons-for-the-next-quadrillion-years/) [Gary Gygax](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gary-gygax/) > [I've never played Dungeons & Dragons, but I'm actually pretty familiar with it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeremy-shada/i-ve-never-played-dungeons-dragons-but-i-m-actually-pretty-familiar/) [Jeremy Shada](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeremy-shada/) > [“Remember how before, I was talking about Dungeons and Dragons? Vividly, Jace said. It was a dark time.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cassandra-clare/remember-how-before-i-was-talking-about-dungeons-and-dragons-vividly/) [Cassandra Clare](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cassandra-clare/) > [I loved 'Dungeons & Dragons'. That was actually a good cartoon to me.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jim-rash/i-loved-dungeons-dragons-that-was-actually-a-good-cartoon-to-me/) [Jim Rash](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jim-rash/) > [It's been a challenge for me my whole life in that my insides don't necessarily match my outsides... People try to strike up a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-rust/it-s-been-a-challenge-for-me-my-whole-life-in-that-my-insides-don-t/) [Paul Rust](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-rust/) ## More by Charles Stross > [We are Bay Aryans from Berkeley: prepare to be reengineered in an attractive range of color schemes for your safety and comfort!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-stross/we-are-bay-aryans-from-berkeley-prepare-to-be-reengineered-in-an/) [Charles Stross](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-stross/) > [“Shut up. Stand up. Put this on. That’s right . . . if you were the kind of man who found it easy to do that kind…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-stross/shut-up-stand-up-put-this-on-that-s-right-if-you-were-the-kind-of-man/) [Charles Stross](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-stross/) > [Generating ideas isn't some mystical talent that you have to be born with: it's a skill you can develop.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-stross/generating-ideas-isn-t-some-mystical-talent-that-you-have-to-be-born/) [Charles Stross](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-stross/) > [Any replacement to the current copyright position (life plus 70 years) needs to have an answer lined up for this, and similar, messy edge cases.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-stross/any-replacement-to-the-current-copyright-position-life-plus-70-years/) [Charles Stross](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-stross/) > [Time is a corrosive fluid, dissolving motivation, destroying novelty, and leaching the joy from life.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-stross/time-is-a-corrosive-fluid-dissolving-motivation-destroying-novelty/) [Charles Stross](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-stross/) > [“- Toma un puro, Sherlock. - Lo siento; sólo echo humo cuando me enchufan a la red eléctrica.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-stross/toma-un-puro-sherlock-lo-siento-s-lo-echo-humo-cuando-me-enchufan-a/) [Charles Stross](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-stross/) > [I have no policy, for or against: only a personal style. Which is to say, I use them when I think it's appropriate to;…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-stross/i-have-no-policy-for-or-against-only-a-personal-style-which-is-to-say/) [Charles Stross](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-stross/) > [“To boldly go where no uploaded metahuman colony has gone before”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-stross/to-boldly-go-where-no-uploaded-metahuman-colony-has-gone-before/) [Charles Stross](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-stross/) > [I was raised thinking that moral and ethical standards are universals that apply equally to everyone. 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Memory is liberty.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-stross/if-i-forget-then-it-might-as-well-never-have-happened-memory-is/) [Charles Stross](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-stross/) > [“If he wakes the ancient sleeping horrors I am going to have to brief the private secretary and the Joint Intelligence Oversight Committee so…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-stross/if-he-wakes-the-ancient-sleeping-horrors-i-am-going-to-have-to-brief/) [Charles Stross](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-stross/) > [“Crawling eldritch horrors don’t get planning permission unless they’re Trump’s hairpiece.)”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-stross/crawling-eldritch-horrors-don-t-get-planning-permission-unless-they/) [Charles Stross](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-stross/) > [“A historian who works for a bank: That’s not the most likely background for someone who capers around the cosmos having adventures, is it?”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-stross/a-historian-who-works-for-a-bank-that-s-not-the-most-likely/) [Charles Stross](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-stross/) [Explore all 331 Charles Stross quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-stross/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "“Or was it running the world’s weirdest Turing-complete variant Dungeons & Dragons campaign using a rule set isomorphic with first-order transdimensional summoning algebra—”", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Charles Stross" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-stross/or-was-it-running-the-world-s-weirdest-turing-complete-variant/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Weirdest Turing" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-stross/or-was-it-running-the-world-s-weirdest-turing-complete-variant/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/76f/charles-stross-896_weirdest-turing_or-was-it-running-the-world-s-weirdest-t_847760.png", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/76f/charles-stross-896_weirdest-turing_or-was-it-running-the-world-s-weirdest-t_847760.png", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/76f/charles-stross-896_weirdest-turing_or-was-it-running-the-world-s-weirdest-t_847760.png", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“Or was it running the world’s weirdest Turing-complete variant Dungeons & Dragons campaign using a rule set…” — Charles Stross", "creditText": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "creator": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } } }, { "@type": "BreadcrumbList", "itemListElement": [ { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 1, "name": "Home", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 2, "name": "Quotes", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 3, "name": "Charles Stross", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-stross/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "“Or was it running the world’s...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-stross/or-was-it-running-the-world-s-weirdest-turing-complete-variant/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-stross/or-was-it-running-the-world-s-weirdest-turing-complete-variant/#breadcrumb" }, { "@type": "WebSite", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "publisher": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } }, { "@type": "Organization", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "logo": { "@type": "ImageObject", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wp-content/themes/sq/assets/icons/icon-512.png", "width": 512, "height": 512 } } ] } ```