About: Miraculous Malfunction   Sponge Permalink

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In mad science, "malfunction" does not mean fried circuits and broken equipment. Well okay - that too. But quite often it turns out that a malfunction has created something wondrous (rather than just, yknow, giving you extra work). Usually there is no explanation to how a "malfunction" can make modifications that seem almost intelligent, and no mention to where it gets the parts for a technology that is entirely different from the intended - a toaster can easily become a time machine through Miraculous Malfunction, for example. Examples of Miraculous Malfunction include:

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  • Miraculous Malfunction
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  • In mad science, "malfunction" does not mean fried circuits and broken equipment. Well okay - that too. But quite often it turns out that a malfunction has created something wondrous (rather than just, yknow, giving you extra work). Usually there is no explanation to how a "malfunction" can make modifications that seem almost intelligent, and no mention to where it gets the parts for a technology that is entirely different from the intended - a toaster can easily become a time machine through Miraculous Malfunction, for example. Examples of Miraculous Malfunction include:
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  • In mad science, "malfunction" does not mean fried circuits and broken equipment. Well okay - that too. But quite often it turns out that a malfunction has created something wondrous (rather than just, yknow, giving you extra work). Usually there is no explanation to how a "malfunction" can make modifications that seem almost intelligent, and no mention to where it gets the parts for a technology that is entirely different from the intended - a toaster can easily become a time machine through Miraculous Malfunction, for example. This can be used as an Achievement In Ignorance for the Bungling Inventor (most of whose works are created in this manner). It can also serve as an alternative explanation to why there are No Plans, No Prototype, No Backup: it's not that the technology was lost but rather, the individual sample was a result of a one-time event that cannot be recreated. Particularly good researchers might then learn to reverse engineer this piece to create more, but usually they will be just as dumbfounded about how it works as everyone else even if they themselves have created it. Surpringly such technology will usually be surprisingly stable and not at all prone to Phlebotinum Breakdown, unless the plot suddenly calls for it Going Critical. Note, however, that because of the poorly understood nature of such technology it can unexpectedly become dangerous. (While there are real-world examples of inventors accidentally stumbling upon new things while researching something else, the fictional inventor will never need to bother with follow-up research: they will get the new tech from it ready-made.) Sister trope to Freak Lab Accident which gives people powers rather than creating and changing technological pieces. See also Instant AI, Just Add Water. Examples of Miraculous Malfunction include:
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