Okay. And how does Sega do ITTL? And will Microsoft still enter the console market? And how different would the video game industry be?
  1. Also merging idea 2 in from my inaugural/other post (or coming to the same independently, of course,) is an open question for anybody who might end up fleshing idea 1 from there out, if anybody. Personally, though, I'm of two minds about Sega: on the one hand, it's definitely a shame that they never made any more consoles; on the other, I've enjoyed some of their games on other platforms before. Maybe timed exclusivity for some titles? I have no idea. I do see they do better in this thread series's timeline, so there's that.
  2. This timeline's somewhere between ours and this thread series's. Microsoft has an Xbox in both of the latter, so why not here, too?
  3. As I said earlier:

    Even beginning to sketch any of those out's beyond me, though, unfortunately.

    Also, I'm new here, both to the forums as a whole and to this series of threads in particular. Please cut me some slack.

If nobody could tell — though I'd be surprised if they didn't follow the link and figure it out immediately —, the thrust behind idea 3 from my other post was to give people writing fan fiction of its other source material (Sword Art Online) some new history to work with. Currently, canon at least partly implies and everybody assumes that things progressed mostly as they did in our timeline, then the NerveGear full-dive VR headset just…came mostly out of nowhere.

Coming back to this:

Even beginning to sketch any of those out's beyond me, though, unfortunately.

the best I could come up with was the barest beginnings of something I drafted a partial sketch out of elsewhere that merges ideas 1 and 3 from my other post:

  • Tentatively have this be the accelerated timeline, at least in terms of Nintendo hardware releases:
    • The following consoles see release just the same as they do in our timeline, though I'm not sure if their release dateswould be exactly the same:
      • The Nintendo Entertainment System (NES.)
      • The Super Nintendo Entertainment System (SNES.)
    • Then things diverge from there with the following later hardware releases:
      • Philips's comparable or better equivalent of our and [this thread series's] timelines' SNES-CD add-on.
      • Maybe a counterpart to the Super Famicom's Satellaview hardware and service that:
        • Can also work over landlines and different networks and protocols (using either the same hardware with additional ports compared to our timeline or hardware variants) and
        • Saw release internationally as an SNES peripheral.
      • A 'Game Boy' equivalent to our timeline's Game Boy Color, leapfrogging and skipping our timeline's original Game Boy and its revisions, the Game Boy Pocket and Japan-exclusive Game Boy Light. This alternate timeline's Game Boy's screen might be larger, though, comparable to the one on our timeline's Game Boy Pocket or Game Boy Light, while still being a color display.
      • A Nintendo 64 counterpart with the following differences and improvements:
        • A slightly upgraded CPU, a MIPS R4300i as opposed to the NEC VR4300 it got in our timeline, expanding its system bus width from 32 bits to 64. It might — well? — be a MIPS 4300i variant, though, with the ability to access 8 of this N64 counterpart's expanded 9 MB of RAM at once without any bank switching. (As mentioned next, 1 MB of memory's reserved solely for the GPU.)
        • 9 MB, double the RAM, from the beginning, equivalent to our timeline's N64 Expansion Pak coming built in. (Only 8 MB are visible to the CPU, however, leaving the last remaining megabyte to the 'Reality Coprocesssor' GPU to use for tasks like anti-aliasing and Z-buffering.)
        • With this expanded system RAM available in all retail units of this N64 counterpart without need for the Expansion Pak, more games would output in full 480i (NTSC,) though 240i (NTSC) half-resolution would still be available as an output resolution.
        • Maybe a modem/(broadband-compatible) LAN serial expansion port like the GameCube's?
          • This obviates the need for the modem cartridge (in N64 Game Pak form) which saw release alongside and was included in a variant bundle with our timeline's N64DD.
          • Additionally, like Philips's SNES-CD counterpart in this timeline, it can also work over landlines and different networks and protocols (using either the same hardware with additional ports compared to our timeline or hardware variants.)
          • If not, then this comes on this timeline's N64DD equivalent.
        • Save-data memory expansion cards use something our timeline's GameCube's format or something forward-compatible with it, inserting into the console's main unit, as opposed to our timeline's N64 Controller Paks.
        • A slightly beefier power supply to allow for more power flow to the controller bus (see below in the next entry of this sub-list.)
        • A controller bus with increased power output, allowing all of this N64 counterpart's controller ports to supply sufficient power for its controllers to come with rumble functionality built in, obviating the need for a separate, battery-power–supplemented Rumble Pak like in our timeline.
        • When it comes to controllers:
          • As mentioned just above, all of this N64 counterpart's controllers come with rumble functionality built in, obviating the need for a separate, battery-power–supplemented Rumble Pak like in our timeline.
          • Either the system's controller port module:
            • Is:
              • The same as in our timeline, except that it can carry more power,
              • Replaceable/upgradeable, or
            • Uses the controller port design that's either the same as or forward-compatible with the ones used in our timeline's GameCube from the beginning.
          • Depending on the previous entry, controllers are either:
            • Identical to our timeline's N64's or
            • Use controller plugs that're either the same as the ones on our timeline's GameCube controllers or forward-compatible with this timeline's equivalent of them.
      • A Nintendo 64DD (Disk Drive) counterpart with the following differences and improvements:
        • Greatly enhanced power, basically turning the N64 counterpart with this N64DD counterpart into a GameCube while still retaining something like our timeline's N64DD's online functionality (or better.)
        • Instead of our timeline's N64DD's proprietary, Zip disk–like double-thickness 3.5" floppy disks:
          • A slot-loading hybrid DVD/mini-DVD drive like our timeline's Wii with speeds of up to 6x, but with the added capabilities of also being able to:
            • Play CDs, both standard audio ones and Philips SNES-CD ones for backwards compatibility. (The N64 counterpart base unit's cartridge slot still doesn't take SNES cartridges, though.)
            • Play standard video DVDs, obviating the need for the Japan-exclusive Panasonic Q's existence as in our timeline.
            • Be a DVD/mini-DVD burner (not sure which kind) to enable read/write capabilities like our timeline's N64DD. Not all of this timeline's N64DD counterpart's game discs are writeable, however; writability's just an option some games can take advantage of.

            (Note that the maximum drive speed mentioned above is probably more than enough to offset the speed concerns that prevented Nintendo from using CDs with our timeline's N64DD.)
        • If this timeline's N64 base unit counterpart doesn't include it, a modem/(broadband-compatible) LAN serial expansion port like the GameCube's. Again:
          • This obviates the need for the modem cartridge (in N64 Game Pak form) which saw release alongside and was included in a variant bundle with our timeline's N64DD.
          • Additionally, like Philips's SNES-CD counterpart in this timeline, it can also work over landlines and different networks and protocols (using either the same hardware with additional ports compared to our timeline or hardware variants.)
        • Regarding controllers:
          • This timeline's N64DD counterpart comes with a new controller, identical to our timeline's GameCube's except for branding.
          • Depending on what the N64 counterpart base unit does with its controller port module:
            • If the N64 counterpart base unit's controller ports are identical to our timeline's N64's, then the N64DD counterpart has its own controller ports, identical to the ones on our timeline's GameCube's. (Awkward, but still workable, I guess.)
            • If the N64 counterpart base unit's controller port module is replaceable/upgradeable, then the N64DD counterpart also uses that slot with its own controller ports.
            • If the N64 counterpart base unit's controller ports are either the same as or forward-compatible with the ones used in our timeline's GameCube, then the N64DD counterpart doesn't add any controller ports to the N64 counterpart base unit.
        • Early introduction of the Virtual Console service first seen in our timeline with the Wii. This makes SNES cartridge and NES games available.
        • Similarly, early introduction of an online storefront that also provides download-only games.
      • An early Game Boy Advance instead of our timeline's Game Boy Color, except that it has a backlight to start with, obviating the need for the front-lit Game Boy Advance SP and its later backlit revision in the 'AGS-101' to see release.
      • No Game Boy Micro, I think.
      • (Open question: Since the GBA releases roughly around the same time as the N64 counterpart in this timeline, does the Game Boy Player really need to be a full-blown accessory that uses a parallel expansion port on the console itself? The N64 counterpart has a cartridge slot; the Game Boy Player could then just be a daisy-chain cartridge like the Super Game Boy was for the SNES in both our timeline and this new one.)
      • Definitely no Virtual Boy, I think. (What takes our timeline's Nintendo DS's place in this timeline later takes the Virtual Boy's place; see below. Equivalents to Virtual Boy games made in our timeline see release on other consoles, and with much better graphics.)
      • Basically just the Wii U, though perhaps/likely not by that name, instead of our timeline's GameCube, except:
        • It has full backwards compatibility with this timeline's N64DD counterpart, albeit not this timeline's N64 counterpart base unit and its cartridges, comparable to our timeline's Wii U retaining the Wii's GameCube backwards compatibility instead of dropping it. N64 counterpart base unit cartridge games are available via this full successor system's Virtual Console.
        • Its first controller is an equivalent of the Wii Remote, possibly with MotionPlus capabilities built in from the start. Its equivalent of the Wii U GamePad comes later as an accessory, not requiring a brand-new console to work.
        • Maybe it has a built-in Ethernet port in addition to Wi-Fi instead of needing a USB dongle for that?
      • A 'Nintendo DS' comparable to our timeline's Nintendo 3DS (or even NewNintendo 3DS,) except:
        • It retains better backwards compatibility with the Game Boy Advance than the original ('phat') Nintendo DS did in our timeline:
          • It still supports this timeline's Game Boy Game Paks in addition to Game Boy Advance ones, equivalent to our timeline's Nintendo DS's 'Slot-2' still supporting our timeline's Game Boy and Game Boy Color Game Paks and our timeline's Nintendo 3DS family of systems retaining at least Game Boy Advance backwards compatibility.
          • It still has a Game Boy Advance Game Link Cable port to support multiplayer in GBA games.
        • Maybe it has dual 16:9 displays?
      • No Nintendo 2DS. (If this timeline's 'Nintendo DS' equivalent to our timeline's Nintendo 3DS family becomes a system family as well, then it does so with a lower-cost model that retains the flagship one's clamshell design, but drops some of its features:
        • It drops backwards compatibility with this timeline's Game Boy and the Game Boy Advance, losing 'Slot-2' and its GBA link cable port. (Maybe that's still available as an accessory for this model, though?)
        • If the base 'Nintendo DS' model is comparable to our timeline's New Nintendo 3DS, then maybe this lower-cost model has less powerful specs, making it comparable to our timeline's base-model Nintendo 3DS in terms of capabilities?)
      • The Nintendo Switch early instead of the Wii U. Maybe it can even do the Wii U GamePad's job/trick/gimmick in reverse, sending video back to the dock for it to display on your TV? This'd be in addition to our timeline's Nintendo Switch's docked, portable, and tabletop modes. Hopefully this timeline's base-model Nintendo Switch would ship with a better stand to begin with.
    • I don't know what hardware appears after that; I haven't given it any thought.
    (Note also that this hardware lineage gives Nintendo consoles better online functionality earlier.)

I don't even know if this'd be viable for its tentatively originally intended purpose. If that scenario couldn't lead to the above, then I haven't thought about what would. I don't know what any potential consequences would be, either. Maybe this mess — and it is more than a bit of a mess; the presentation could certainly use some cleaning up — be interesting for another use, though? I've no clue.

I won't mention idea 3 from my other post again; if anyone ends up pursuing it, it should be in a separate, spin-off thread to avoid derailing this one any further.

Not sure how long I might stick around in this thread, including to see if anybody picks any of the ideas I had in my other post up, but I think I'll hang around for a bit longer.
 
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A Nintendo-Sony-Philips team-up TL would be interesting to see (Player One and a Third Start, I guess?). Or maybe even a Nintendo-Sony-Microsoft TL (Player Three Start, anyone?).
 
  1. Also merging idea 2 in from my inaugural/other post (or coming to the same independently, of course,) is an open question for anybody who might end up fleshing idea 1 from there out, if anybody. Personally, though, I'm of two minds about Sega: on the one hand, it's definitely a shame that they never made any more consoles; on the other, I've enjoyed some of their games on other platforms before. Maybe timed exclusivity for some titles? I have no idea. I do see they do better in this thread series's timeline, so there's that.
  2. This timeline's somewhere between ours and this thread series's. Microsoft has an Xbox in both of the latter, so why not here, too?
  3. As I said earlier:



    Also, I'm new here, both to the forums as a whole and to this series of threads in particular. Please cut me some slack.

If nobody could tell — though I'd be surprised if they didn't follow the link and figure it out immediately —, the thrust behind idea 3 from my other ost was to give people writing fan fiction of its other source material (Sword Art Online) some new history to work with. Currently, canon at least partly implies and everybody assumes that things progressed mostly as they did in our timeline, then the NerveGear full-dive VR headset just…came mostly out of nowhere.

Coming back to this:



the best I could come up with was the barest beginnings of something I drafted a partial sketch out of elsewhere that merges ideas 1 and 3 from my other post:



I don't even know if this'd be viable for its tentatively originally intended purpose. If that scenario couldn't lead to the above, then I haven't thought about what would. I don't know what any potential consequences would be, either. Maybe this mess — and it is more than a bit of a mess; the presentation could certainly use some cleaning up — be interesting for another use, though? I've no clue.

I won't mention idea 3 from my other post again; if anyone ends up pursuing it, it should be in a separate, spin-off thread to avoid derailing this one any further.

Not sure how long I might stick around in this thread, including to see if anybody picks any of the ideas I had in my other post up, but I think I'll hang around for a bit longer.
Very unique ideas, some could work very well. I would say you to apply KISS PRINCIPLE to the N64, with the extra ram, CD could be used since day one and not need cartridge as that ended up being a plan b after SGI fucked up the N64 chipset
 
A Nintendo-Sony-Philips team-up TL would be interesting to see (Player One and a Third Start, I guess?). (Snipped…)
No, wouldn't that be a…'Player One and Two Thirds Start?' 'Player One and Three Quarters Start?' 'Player 1+(2+sqrt(2))/4 Start?' Or make a successful Nintendo-Philips team-up 'Player One and a Third Start' instead of 'Player One and a Half Start' so a Nintendo-Sony-Philips team-up can be 'Player One and Two Thirds Start?' Eh, never mind.

Very unique ideas, some could work very well. …
Thanks!

…I would say you to apply KISS PRINCIPLE to the N64, with the extra ram, CD could be used since day one and not need cartridge…
That'd have its own problems or could otherwise prove a bit tricky, though? Namely:
  • I was thinking that one of the AU jumps in technology needed to make that accelerated-timeline sketch or anything similar happen would take place between the finalization of the N64's hardware and that of the N64DD's, so, before that, CD drives still wouldn't be fast enough for Nintendo to be comfortable using them with the N64 base unit.
  • If the N64 base unit used CDs and an add-on beefed it up to basically turn it into a GameCube, then the N64 with the DD attached would have two disc drives of unequal capability. That'd just be odd.
  • If the N64 used CDs, then this sketch's early counterpart to our timeline's Game Boy Player couldn't be a daisy-chain cartridge like the SNES's Super Game Boy. It'd still be an accessory that used a parallel expansion port on the console; that'd be the same as in our timeline, and I thought it'd be neat to have something different happen instead.
  • I was keeping that both the SNES and N64 had disc systems the same as the SNES having a prototype for one in our timeline and a retail one in PTS and the N64 having a retail one in our timeline, albeit one that was a market failure and didn't see international release.
I suppose you could collapse the sketch's N64 and N64DD-souped-up-into-a-GameCube-counterpart into just being one console, though, and keep (Nintendo's) hardware advancement getting compressed down from 7 to 5 generations the same.

(Edit: Added an accidentally omitted word back in.)

…as that ended up being a plan b after SGI fucked up the N64 chipset
In our timeline? Can I have a source for that, please?
 
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In our timeline? Can I have a source for that, please?
Google Up SGI and Ram Prices, SGI got the miscall that ram would be more expensive the market was aiming, plus according to assemblers(now offline) the N64 was far weaker the reference of SGI offered to Nintendo, the idea was that SGI have a fear that the N64 would outshine their overengineered and expensive SGI workstations making them looks bad, plus Genya Takeda comments(in japanese sadly) that the SGI Rambus and motherboard was a mess to make it cheaper and the proposed CD was discarded. I've some links but are in Spanish. https://disruptiveludens.wordpress....-es-el-gran-error-de-nintendo/comment-page-1/ https://disruptiveludens.wordpress....lo-fabricantes-y-los-editores-independientes/
I suppose you could collapse the sketch's N64 and N64DD-souped-up-into-a-GameCube-counterpart into just being one console, though, and keep (Nintendo's) hardware advancement getting compressed down from 7 to 5 the same.
I think Nintendo could left the expansion ports open for it
 
Google Up SGI and Ram Prices, SGI got the miscall that ram would be more expensive the market was aiming…plus Genya Takeda comments(in japanese sadly) that the SGI Rambus and motherboard was a mess to make it cheaper…
(Nod.) I wasn't really able to get any very good search results for those terms and similar. Most of them were just general discussions of N64 history and architecture, the latter without doing much analysis on design decisions. I did, however, find some of the same from this interview with N64 system and RDP architect Phil Gossett that I found after being pointed toward it by a thread on the Beyond3D forums, though I had to go searching for it on YouTube since the embed's broken:


(Important parts:
  • From about 41:12 –about 1:19:11 is when he talks about his time at SGI and his role in development of the N64.
  • At around 51:34, he starts talking about Rambus.)

…plus according to assemblers(now offline) the N64 was far weaker the reference of SGI offered to Nintendo, the idea was that SGI have a fear that the N64 would outshine their overengineered and expensive SGI workstations making them looks bad…
I didn't really find anything to support this.

…and the proposed CD was discarded. …
All I see documented online is the concerns about contemporary optical drives' lack of sufficient performance at the time.

Thank you, those were useful. Google Translate and Microsoft Edge's built-in translation features (probably powered by Bing) were enough to get most of those, and I also haven't entirely forgotten all my high school Spanish. Those sources pointed how the N64 handled graphics and audio with the same chip out. The problems with that are apparent and also see discussion elsewhere.

Come to think of it, a fic going into what could've happened if SGI hadn't gone out of business could well also be interesting to see.
 
I didn't really find anything to support this.
Check the link in Spanish, I'm paying up losing my old PC,all my development notes of p2S were there and now the reference links go offline.


All I see documented online is the concerns about contemporary optical drives' lack of sufficient performance at the time.
Ie the rambus was a slow mess made a CD drive impossible, this is why a plan B in 64DD was developed.


Come to think of it, a fic going into what could've happened if SGI hadn't gone out of business could well also be interesting to see.
More if they didn't fucked up the N64, having the N64 as the star reference product and they wouldn't have losses DR Wei yen as he ended up making his start up with Nintendo help that ended up saving ATI and lead to AMD to buy ATI,the butterflies are endless
 
Check the link in Spanish,
Yes, I see where the first one makes that claim in two places, but, unlike its technical analysis, that's something it doesn't really back up with sources. (And, as an aside, I had to dig into the Wayback Machine to get a version of the second blog post with all its pictures still intact.)

I'm paying up losing my old PC,all my development notes of p2S were there and now the reference links go offline.
Ack, oof. I hope you had a backup.

Ie the rambus was a slow mess made a CD drive impossible, this is why a plan B in 64DD was developed.
🤦‍♂️ Ah, right; of course that'd compound the latency and make it beyond workable on top of the drive performance issues.
 
right; of course that'd compound the latency and make it beyond workable on top of the drive performance issues.
Yeah, a Plan B was needed but seems Nintendo abandoned it once Compression technology become more advanced and Cartridges become big enough, plus move all effort to the dolphin/gamecube. Here unless something happen preproduction(need to rush the N64 to the market? A Phillips factory catches fire and is unable to deliver CD drive at time? something else) the Ultra/N64 would come with CD at launch, maybe leaving a cartridge like slot for expansions like the OTL Saturn

Ack, oof. I hope you had a backup.
I didn't and was a shame, I've all the notes about the saturn development and a partial translation about the real story of sony and videogames(ie sony was never honest the whole Nintendo deal and never told Nintendo about 3D System D, the predecessor PS1)
 
I've now spun some threads off for developing the ideas I set out in my first post to this thread:
I couldn't come up with a good opening post for a thread for a 'Sega survives/thrives' timeline like my second idea from that post, so I haven't created a thread for that or similar yet. Also, I didn't know if my later idea from the last part of this post was worth its own thread, so I didn't start one for that, either.
 
Here's what I have for an SNES PlayStation Mini that gets released in this verse in 2017. It includes 20 cartridge games and 30 CD games. What do you think of this lineup?

--Cartridge games—
  • ActRaiser
  • Alcahest
  • Contra III: The Alien Wars
  • Final Fantasy II [IV]
  • Fire Emblem
  • F-Zero
  • F-Zero: G-Force
  • Gradius III
  • Illusion of Gaia
  • Kirby’s Dream Course
  • Kirby’s Adventure 2
  • Mega Man X
  • The Legend of Zelda: A Link to the Past
  • Super Castlevania IV
  • Super Ghouls ‘N Ghosts
  • Super Mario World
  • Super Metroid
  • Super Punch-Out!
  • Super Squadron X
  • Yoshi’s Island
--CD games—
  • Ballistic Limit
  • Castlevania: Rondo of Blood
  • Chrono Trigger
  • The Darkest Ritual
  • Dog Dash
  • Donkey Kong Country
  • Donkey Kong Country 2: Diddy's Kong Quest
  • Final Fantasy VI
  • Frederico
  • Kid Icarus CD
  • Kirby Super Deluxe
  • The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Dreams
  • Mega Man X2
  • Pokémon Super Adventure
  • Policenauts
  • Pulseman
  • Rayman
  • Secret of Mana
  • Snatcher
  • Star Fox
  • Squad Four
  • Squad Four: Eclipse
  • Street Fighter II Turbo
  • Super Detective Club
  • Super Mario Kart
  • Super Mario RPG
  • Super Mario World 2
  • Tale Phantasia
  • Tales of the Seven Seas
  • Terranigma
 
I have but one complaint to raise.

Whiskey Tango Foxtrot happened to Kerbal Space Program? They got announced as a Nexus exclusive in 2011 or 2012's updates, and then we heard bupkiss.

Apologies if I sound angry, I'm more just confused (and tired, I really should go sleep now). Either way, thanks for the wonderful ride, everyone.
 
Here's what I have for an SNES PlayStation Mini that gets released in this verse in 2017. It includes 20 cartridge games and 30 CD games. What do you think of this lineup?

--Cartridge games—
  • ActRaiser
  • Alcahest
  • Contra III: The Alien Wars
  • Final Fantasy II [IV]
  • Fire Emblem
  • F-Zero
  • F-Zero: G-Force
  • Gradius III
  • Illusion of Gaia
  • Kirby’s Dream Course
  • Kirby’s Adventure 2
  • Mega Man X
  • The Legend of Zelda: A Link to the Past
  • Super Castlevania IV
  • Super Ghouls ‘N Ghosts
  • Super Mario World
  • Super Metroid
  • Super Punch-Out!
  • Super Squadron X
  • Yoshi’s Island
--CD games—
  • Ballistic Limit
  • Castlevania: Rondo of Blood
  • Chrono Trigger
  • The Darkest Ritual
  • Dog Dash
  • Donkey Kong Country
  • Donkey Kong Country 2: Diddy's Kong Quest
  • Final Fantasy VI
  • Frederico
  • Kid Icarus CD
  • Kirby Super Deluxe
  • The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Dreams
  • Mega Man X2
  • Pokémon Super Adventure
  • Policenauts
  • Pulseman
  • Rayman
  • Secret of Mana
  • Snatcher
  • Star Fox
  • Squad Four
  • Squad Four: Eclipse
  • Street Fighter II Turbo
  • Super Detective Club
  • Super Mario Kart
  • Super Mario RPG
  • Super Mario World 2
  • Tale Phantasia
  • Tales of the Seven Seas
  • Terranigma
For P2S-verse? I thought RySenkari already gave a list of SNES Classic games:


Or is this a suggestion for a different list?
 
For P2S-verse? I thought RySenkari already gave a list of SNES Classic games:


Or is this a suggestion for a different list?
Mine's an alternate list.
 
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Query: What did the vanilla SNES and the Playstation Combo Set look like ITTL?
As I can't Photoshop to save my life,like the mock prototype the media showed up, just the NTSC-U version is more blocky/ rectangular to fit SNES scheme. Imagine your otl SNES with a grey and purple base with the CD drive and controller port

The combo set we used one of the rejected SNES Jr redesign who makes it more art deco with a little screen on a little base to show you which track you are.
 
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