Thracyl
12-30-2000, 09:29 PM
Here is an ICQ conversation that I had with BelDragos last night while I was sending him a mIRC script. I've edited out non related conversation and fixed typos, but other than that it's exactly what we said. The conversation got cut short when our transfer completed and it became a lesson in mIRC basics. If BelDragos wishes to continue the debate here, I'm more than happy to oblige him. I'm sure he had more to say.
Thracyl:
I'm still going to push for a god of anti-magic to oppose the god of magic though. I like the idea of opposing dieties, but magic should be opposed by antimagic, not elemental. nothing against you personally, and I'm sure we'd also worship the Warrior goddess, but I want a real opposition to magic, not just trained defenses.
BelDragos:
Maybe you could convince Rolfe and staff to have it be a high level monk ability. Like the Quivering Palm ability.
Thracyl:
In RL I'm a huge dragon fan, one of the most potent forces of magic in the lore of a lot of places, but in game I like to take the hard road. It's much more difficult to make a character without any kind of magic.
Thracyl:
You remember the dwarves fromt he Dragonlance series?
BelDragos:
The Gully Dwarves?
Thracyl:
No, the followers of Reorx, they were not as affected by magic thru being taught and conditioned from a very young age that magic simply did not exist. The power of the mind is immense. I want to be able to do something like that. Faith in a god of anti magic strong enough would protect you from it simply by devout opposition and disbelief in its power.
BelDragos:
It would work against direct attacks but the indirect attacks would still affect you. It's hard to disbeleive a fireball when the forest fire caused by it boils you in your armor. If magic didn't exist, how do those people heal, make empowered items, or explain the Cataclysm that created the world and monsters you fight every day? Just a thought...
Thracyl:
The cataclysm was caused by a major natural disaster, not some guy wiggling his fingers. Magic items? PAH! Some people will believe everything. And those monsters were always there, created by the gods, they just chose not to be seen is all.
BelDragos:
Good answer. How about the power of the gods?
Thracyl:
Gods have power just like mortals breathe, it's not magic it's nature.
Thracyl:
I've played antimagic characters for a long time. i like to do it and it keeps the mages on their toes.
BelDragos:
So the mortals learned to manipulate this natural energy using their minds and their actions to channel it into the various effects. It involves the Chaos Theory
Thracyl:
That's not magic. That's discipline. like when a monk breaks a huge stone with his bare hands. Is that magic?
BelDragos:
If magic doesn't exist then your god has no reason to exist.
Thracyl:
If magic doesn't exist, then mages don't exist and I don't need a god, all I need is my discipline. Al I want to do is make others see that flash powder and quick fingers do not make a mage.
BelDragos:
What if they dont need flash powder and quick fingers to do their "tricks"
(I know I won't convince you but this is fun.)
Thracyl:
Anyone can coat a dagger in phosphorous, throw it at an opponent and call it a "magic missile". I colud punch you in the chest and rupture your heart, I could call it a "Touch of Death" spell, or tell it like it is. I concentrated my energy to all be released in a very confined area and do a specific task that I've taught myself to accomplish. Calling something magic doesn't make it so.
BelDragos:
How would you explain that ball of fire that lept from his empty hands and ignited that forest fire that you were trapped in? He concentrated all his energy to be released in a desired effect resulting in an exothermic rather than a kinetic effect.
Thracyl:
Concentrated kinetic energy is scientifically proven, fireballs are a handful of flour and suphur thrown through an ignition source, spectacular yes, but still just a trick for the gullible.
This is where the file transfer completed and we went into mIRC stuff. I hope this gives you a little insight into BelDragos' and my philosophies for the game.
Thanks for the cool conversation BelDragos, I look forward to more of the same.
Thracyl:
I'm still going to push for a god of anti-magic to oppose the god of magic though. I like the idea of opposing dieties, but magic should be opposed by antimagic, not elemental. nothing against you personally, and I'm sure we'd also worship the Warrior goddess, but I want a real opposition to magic, not just trained defenses.
BelDragos:
Maybe you could convince Rolfe and staff to have it be a high level monk ability. Like the Quivering Palm ability.
Thracyl:
In RL I'm a huge dragon fan, one of the most potent forces of magic in the lore of a lot of places, but in game I like to take the hard road. It's much more difficult to make a character without any kind of magic.
Thracyl:
You remember the dwarves fromt he Dragonlance series?
BelDragos:
The Gully Dwarves?
Thracyl:
No, the followers of Reorx, they were not as affected by magic thru being taught and conditioned from a very young age that magic simply did not exist. The power of the mind is immense. I want to be able to do something like that. Faith in a god of anti magic strong enough would protect you from it simply by devout opposition and disbelief in its power.
BelDragos:
It would work against direct attacks but the indirect attacks would still affect you. It's hard to disbeleive a fireball when the forest fire caused by it boils you in your armor. If magic didn't exist, how do those people heal, make empowered items, or explain the Cataclysm that created the world and monsters you fight every day? Just a thought...
Thracyl:
The cataclysm was caused by a major natural disaster, not some guy wiggling his fingers. Magic items? PAH! Some people will believe everything. And those monsters were always there, created by the gods, they just chose not to be seen is all.
BelDragos:
Good answer. How about the power of the gods?
Thracyl:
Gods have power just like mortals breathe, it's not magic it's nature.
Thracyl:
I've played antimagic characters for a long time. i like to do it and it keeps the mages on their toes.
BelDragos:
So the mortals learned to manipulate this natural energy using their minds and their actions to channel it into the various effects. It involves the Chaos Theory
Thracyl:
That's not magic. That's discipline. like when a monk breaks a huge stone with his bare hands. Is that magic?
BelDragos:
If magic doesn't exist then your god has no reason to exist.
Thracyl:
If magic doesn't exist, then mages don't exist and I don't need a god, all I need is my discipline. Al I want to do is make others see that flash powder and quick fingers do not make a mage.
BelDragos:
What if they dont need flash powder and quick fingers to do their "tricks"
(I know I won't convince you but this is fun.)
Thracyl:
Anyone can coat a dagger in phosphorous, throw it at an opponent and call it a "magic missile". I colud punch you in the chest and rupture your heart, I could call it a "Touch of Death" spell, or tell it like it is. I concentrated my energy to all be released in a very confined area and do a specific task that I've taught myself to accomplish. Calling something magic doesn't make it so.
BelDragos:
How would you explain that ball of fire that lept from his empty hands and ignited that forest fire that you were trapped in? He concentrated all his energy to be released in a desired effect resulting in an exothermic rather than a kinetic effect.
Thracyl:
Concentrated kinetic energy is scientifically proven, fireballs are a handful of flour and suphur thrown through an ignition source, spectacular yes, but still just a trick for the gullible.
This is where the file transfer completed and we went into mIRC stuff. I hope this gives you a little insight into BelDragos' and my philosophies for the game.
Thanks for the cool conversation BelDragos, I look forward to more of the same.