Science Is So Hawt: Johann Becher (Principia: Master of Science)

[Izulde]

Inspired by Critch, I picked up Principia: Master of Science. I'm not a science guy at all (total lit nerd here, obvs), but a text-sim/RPG? Yes, please!

Important Note: To change the game's language to English, click the 4th button on the title screen, and then click Language button. Select English, and you'll know what the game says

Now, I could go for wunderkinds Isaac Newton or Gottfried Liebniz, but what's the fun in that? Liebniz is the youngest scientist available at age 21, and there's a couple of old dudes, like in their 50s and 60s, but since the game ends when you die, that would make for a very short dynasty, I imagine.

So instead, I'll go with 32 year old Johann Becher - an obscure physician to royalty (At 90 Fame, only the much younger Newton and Liebniz are lower), who is pretty darn smart at Thermodynamics and Biology (B rated in both), but isn't a rock star at anything, and sucks in most areas of science. Specialist is specialist. I wonder if there's a way to increase your aptitude rating. Oh, and he's B and B in Drawing and Engineering, so a well-rounded skillset, though he has no drawing knowledge to speak of.

We start off in Berlin. Neat. It's a city I've been to in real life, and my ancestors are German, so that's pretty sweet. He has also 0* because stars are increments of 100 Fame, I believe.

Incidentally, the most famous *and* richest scientist is Robert Boyle, 40 years old and based in London. 752 fame and 1545 florins, or whatever we're calling money in this time period. Rock Star Robert, indeed.

It's possible to move in this game, and Robert Boyle moves from London to Magdeburg. Why, I have no idea. It's a backwater city with no academy, no universities, and no observatories. Maybe he wants to hang out with Otto Von Guericke, who's already there? BTW, I recommend going into Options after Game Start and changing AI turns from Showing All to Text Only. Less spoilers that way.

At game start there's five universities: Cambridge, Paris, Leipzig, Leiden, and Bologna, the latter probably built by the de Semurs. As you might expect, Cambridge has the highest academic rating at 50, Paris is second at 40, and everyone else is 30. The academic quality affects scientist's increase in knowledge.

So it finally gets around to my turn. Some scientists have been conducting experiments or writing shitty papers (one with a 20% completion rate that's bound to get rejected, I'd think), and one dude kissed ass by sending Critch's rival, Robert Hooke, 100 florins. Hooke graciously accepted, but if a scientist hates you, he may tell you to fuck off with your money offer.

There's also two academies that accept papers: The Royal Society of London (80 Authority) and the French Academy of the Sciences (70 Authority). Publishing papers increases an academy's authority, and so does adding more scientists. The more authoritative the academy, the bigger the fame boost when you get published. Kind of like literary magazines that way.

Okay, first turn is now up. Now to decide what to do.

[Izulde]

So.. Capo dei capi Robert Boyle is the world's leading authority on the Disposition of Vacuums. I could start work in Combustion as the next field of Thermodynamics research... or I could establish myself as the foremost biologist since there's no one doing any research in any area there (similar to how Isaac Newton gets a jump on Optics at game start).

My dynasty title and skillset says I should do Thermodynamics, but fuck it. I want to be known as Plant Guy. So let's examine those plants!



Oh, and Robert Hooke is interested in plants, too. I guess Hooke is destined to be Captain Bad Guy in these dynasties.

A few months later, I discover that sketching an enlarged view of a leaf would be a huge advancement in science. Otto Von Guericke is accepted into the French Academy of Sciences that same month.

Here's my first attempt at drawing the sketch, which I hope to publish:



...Yeah, that didn't go so well.

My next attempt is equally poor, so the rest of 1667 is devoted to improving drawing skills. Isaac Newton publishes his paper in December and becomes a leading authority on the Disposition of Light. Someone else joined the Royal Academy, but I'm lazy and forgot to note who. I'm not going to keep track of that much, because I really want to focus on Johann.

January 1668 is a monumental month - I finally create a great sketch (70 Completion), and by March, I'm ready to submit to the French Academy, which is now almost equal to London in stature.

And it's unanimously accepted!!! My fame increases only modestly, from 90 to 107, while my funds increase from 462 to 547. But the best part? I'm now an authority on Examination of Plants! Say hello to Plant Guy, motherfuckers!

[Izulde]

I decide to keep investigating Plants so Robert Hooke can't get the jump on me, since no one else is interested in Combustion yet. May of 1668 brings the discovery that plants breathe through holes in leaves, and a couple months of proving it, and I write the same paper. That same month, Robert Hooke creates his own sketch of an enlarged leaf, so my instinct was right. September of 1668 sees acceptance and publication of my paper on that topic by the French Academy, and my fame and funds both skyrocket. The French Academy of the Sciences also becomes the most acclaimed academy on the back of my publication.

By January 1669, I've discovered that the tubular stem of plants act as a trachea in their respiration, so I'm learning a lot about how plants breathe. The next month, Johannes Hevelius writes me a letter, offering me 100 florins. The 58 year old astronomy professor at the University of Bologna, Polish by birth, has by this time become the leading authority on Comets and is a fellow at the Royal Academy in London. I'm stunned that such a prestigious scientist would take notice of me, and happily accept the grant.

It's about that time I start re-considering my options. While I've published my papers with the French Academy, perhaps I should be looking to London? And maybe I should move out of this Berlin backwater and head to warmer climates in Italy. But first, I want to get this third paper done and published. Unfortunately, I can only get so far with this latest discovery, and have to write a 40% complete paper.

Just as I feared, it's roundly rejected and my fame takes a small hit. Discouraged, I move to Bologna in August of 1669, where my slight friend Johaness Hevelius is still there. Prior to my arrival, Bologna was a hotbed of activity, with a leading 3 scientists, but by the time I arrive, two of the scientists left in the same month I was making the journey south. The change in location helps me recover from my discouragement, and I'm ready to move on with my research.

Side note: I'm not a royal physician - I'm just a regular physician. They're two separate jobs.

[Izulde]

I elect to start Examining Insects because Antoine Leeuwenhoek is also interested, but hasn't published anything yet, so I have a shot at becoming the leading authority in two Biological subjects. Plus, the skill and knowledge I gain from that may well help me rewrite this Plants paper to get it published.

By January of 1970, I've discovered the enlarged view of a mayfly and as I spend much of winter and spring working on improving my drawing, Robert Boyle sends me money. May 1970 rolls around, and we've now 4 scientists in Bologna and my re-sketch of the mayfly is complete. Since I have friends in London now, I submit my findings to the Royal Society of London, which has fallen slightly behind the French academy. With the unanimous acceptance and subsequent publication, the Royal Society moves ahead.

More scientists offer me money, which I take, and the resulting fame that arises from the mayfly drawing allows me to change from being a Physician to a Professor at the University of Bologna. A couple months of reading biology books later, I try revising the paper on trachea plants, but no improvement. Still, with friends in the Royal Society, I resubmit there. Sadly, it's again universally rejected and I'm discouraged anew.

Time to switch to Combustion. May 1971, I discover that caloric has negative mass, but progress in proving it is frustratingly slow, and by November 1971, I've hit a roadblock at 20, the same month Isaac Newton is accepted int to the Royal Society of London on the strength of his multiple advancements in Optics. Meanwhile, we've had a change in the leading authority on Saturn, as Giovanni Cassini has taken over.

Not quite sure where to go from here. I've hit stumbling blocks galore. Maybe go back to working on studying insects.