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I WOUDLN'T MIND SOME THOUGHTS ON MY MAGIC SYSTEM
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Max McGee
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CloseI Wouldn't Mind Some Thoughts On My Magic System...which is discussed here.
Excuse the somewhat folksy, stylized, "in-universe" style in which the information is written. It still contains all the needed info without too much obfuscation.
Sorry to just post a straight-up link like this, but I figured some (many) of you may not be checking the game page, and I could get some more thoughts by posting it here. I could have quoted the page, granted, and pasted it here for discussion, but my life is much easier if all the feedback is in one place rather than having to check two.
Excuse the somewhat folksy, stylized, "in-universe" style in which the information is written. It still contains all the needed info without too much obfuscation.
Sorry to just post a straight-up link like this, but I figured some (many) of you may not be checking the game page, and I could get some more thoughts by posting it here. I could have quoted the page, granted, and pasted it here for discussion, but my life is much easier if all the feedback is in one place rather than having to check two.
Killer Wolf
1235
My eyes only rolled once while I read it, so that is a good sign. I like the throwback to Vancian Magic, via the way High Arcana spells erase themselves from the caster's mind.
The way you fold alchemy in seems to work well. It reminds me of a series of books, which I can't call the name of up from the aether right now, where Technology is considered a rare/banned form of magic. I was fairly young when I first read them, but I remember it sort of "blowing my mind" that the young kid in the story stacking furniture up to reach a toy (or whatever it was he was after) was as magical in the story's world as spells of flight and causing robes to change color.
The way you fold alchemy in seems to work well. It reminds me of a series of books, which I can't call the name of up from the aether right now, where Technology is considered a rare/banned form of magic. I was fairly young when I first read them, but I remember it sort of "blowing my mind" that the young kid in the story stacking furniture up to reach a toy (or whatever it was he was after) was as magical in the story's world as spells of flight and causing robes to change color.
Cozzer
0
A question: you can create a spell by combining one of the five "elemental" runes with one of the twelve "verb" runes. Are the "verb" runes on par with each other in term of power?
I mean: I guess the player will start with few runes (or none at all) and will "get" (learn?) them during the game. Will he be able to create more powerful magic as he learns more powerful runes, or are all the low-Arcana spells on the same power level and getting more runes just ehnances his versatility?
Also: will every character be able to utilize every elemental rune? Will a character have elements he's more proficient with?
Also: will elements roughly define "types" of magic? (For example, Sun as a direct "damage-dealing" magic and Moon as "buff/debuff" magic)
Also: how is the creation of low-arcana and high-arcana integrated into the system? How hard is it to learn runes? Is it possible at all to learn high-arcana or are they just plot devices? Does learning an high-arcana cost exp (or its equivalent)?
The system is potentially very interesting, but I suggest you use this topic to describe it in a more crunch-oriented way.
(Oh, I forgot: HOW DO YOU DARE TO TALK ABOT YOUR GAME IN THE FORUMS YOU MONSTER?)
I mean: I guess the player will start with few runes (or none at all) and will "get" (learn?) them during the game. Will he be able to create more powerful magic as he learns more powerful runes, or are all the low-Arcana spells on the same power level and getting more runes just ehnances his versatility?
Also: will every character be able to utilize every elemental rune? Will a character have elements he's more proficient with?
Also: will elements roughly define "types" of magic? (For example, Sun as a direct "damage-dealing" magic and Moon as "buff/debuff" magic)
Also: how is the creation of low-arcana and high-arcana integrated into the system? How hard is it to learn runes? Is it possible at all to learn high-arcana or are they just plot devices? Does learning an high-arcana cost exp (or its equivalent)?
The system is potentially very interesting, but I suggest you use this topic to describe it in a more crunch-oriented way.
(Oh, I forgot: HOW DO YOU DARE TO TALK ABOT YOUR GAME IN THE FORUMS YOU MONSTER?)
Cozzer, may I ask a big favor? Can you funnel those questions to the appropriate section of my gamepage? This is not because +BUZZ+, it's because people interested in the game will probably want to be able to find those questions and my answers to them there.
But I'm more than happy to answer you (twice?).
1) Most of them are. There are one or two verbs that are better, but the associated spells will have proportionally higher mana costs, so it will all balance out. For instance "Harm" and "Wound" are both direct damage, but "Wound" uses a different element (for each school), does more damage, and has a higher mana cost.
2) The player starts the game with nothing. Literally nothing. Unequipped with no items and 3 Royals in cash. At least in the Short Game. The only runes you get will be the ones you can find, buy or in certain versions of the game...mine.
3) There is only one planned *real* PC for now. Additional PCs will be hirelings or summons, and most likely will not have any Mana, so teaching them spells will be worthless. I'm not sure about this yet.
4) No. Every school will be capable of dealing direct damage, healing, buffing, and debuffing. However every school's equivalent spell will function slightly differently and grant/inflict/cure different sets of status effects. For example, here are the Heal spells from all five schools.
There will be verbs for which one or two adjectives create spells that are superior or more important, but usually those spells will have balancing factors like increased Mana cost.
Sun + Heal = Cauterize: Heals one ally and cures Bleeding.
Moon + Heal = Moonlight : Heals one ally slightly and adds Infusion. (Regenerate 10% LP/Turn.)
Earth + Heal = Earthmeld: Heals one ally and cures Corroded.
Air + Heal = Healing Zephyr: Heals ALL allies, but costs more Mana.
Water + Heal = Purification: Heals one ally and cures all Poisons.
5) Runes aren't LEARNED. They're FOUND, BOUGHT, or MINED. They then get used up when you use them as a component to make a spell. Anyway, I'm not sure about the answer to all of these yet, except I will say that it will be possible to learn High Arcana spells in the game. Check the Magic page as I just posted some examples.
But I'm more than happy to answer you (twice?).
1) Most of them are. There are one or two verbs that are better, but the associated spells will have proportionally higher mana costs, so it will all balance out. For instance "Harm" and "Wound" are both direct damage, but "Wound" uses a different element (for each school), does more damage, and has a higher mana cost.
2) The player starts the game with nothing. Literally nothing. Unequipped with no items and 3 Royals in cash. At least in the Short Game. The only runes you get will be the ones you can find, buy or in certain versions of the game...mine.
3) There is only one planned *real* PC for now. Additional PCs will be hirelings or summons, and most likely will not have any Mana, so teaching them spells will be worthless. I'm not sure about this yet.
4) No. Every school will be capable of dealing direct damage, healing, buffing, and debuffing. However every school's equivalent spell will function slightly differently and grant/inflict/cure different sets of status effects. For example, here are the Heal spells from all five schools.
There will be verbs for which one or two adjectives create spells that are superior or more important, but usually those spells will have balancing factors like increased Mana cost.
Sun + Heal = Cauterize: Heals one ally and cures Bleeding.
Moon + Heal = Moonlight : Heals one ally slightly and adds Infusion. (Regenerate 10% LP/Turn.)
Earth + Heal = Earthmeld: Heals one ally and cures Corroded.
Air + Heal = Healing Zephyr: Heals ALL allies, but costs more Mana.
Water + Heal = Purification: Heals one ally and cures all Poisons.
5) Runes aren't LEARNED. They're FOUND, BOUGHT, or MINED. They then get used up when you use them as a component to make a spell. Anyway, I'm not sure about the answer to all of these yet, except I will say that it will be possible to learn High Arcana spells in the game. Check the Magic page as I just posted some examples.
Cozzer
0
HOW DO YOU DARE TO ASK ME TO POST IN YOUR GAMEPAGE YOU MONSTER?
(I'll copy the questions, and add some more)
(I'll copy the questions, and add some more)
Actually, I also wouldn't mind some thoughts on my worldbuilding, either, for that matter.
Does this fall under one of those unethical ways to get people to see your gamepage? Haha, just kidding.
The worldbuilding is good. I always feel like there's two hugely important sides to worldbuilding: history and culture.
You've got a pretty decently constructed history going. Personally, I get more carried away fleshing out culture than history, but this is well thought out. And I say this with a predisposition against Tolkienesque fantasy lore. I'm more into political history in games.
Obviously, presentation of your world is just as important. I'll hope you don't force an exposition onto the gamer and expect them to digest, but rather, throw them into the fire and let them piece to together the lore.
But I also wouldn't make it completely optional. If worldbuilding like this is optional, it becomes the lore of say an MMORPG world. It's there if you're interested, but most people don't read it anyway.
The worldbuilding is good. I always feel like there's two hugely important sides to worldbuilding: history and culture.
You've got a pretty decently constructed history going. Personally, I get more carried away fleshing out culture than history, but this is well thought out. And I say this with a predisposition against Tolkienesque fantasy lore. I'm more into political history in games.
Obviously, presentation of your world is just as important. I'll hope you don't force an exposition onto the gamer and expect them to digest, but rather, throw them into the fire and let them piece to together the lore.
But I also wouldn't make it completely optional. If worldbuilding like this is optional, it becomes the lore of say an MMORPG world. It's there if you're interested, but most people don't read it anyway.
Does this fall under one of those unethical ways to get people to see your gamepage? Haha, just kidding.
The worldbuilding is good. I always feel like there's two hugely important sides to worldbuilding: history and culture.
You've got a pretty decently constructed history going. Personally, I get more carried away fleshing out culture than history, but this is well thought out. And I say this with a predisposition against Tolkienesque fantasy lore. I'm more into political history in games.
Obviously, presentation of your world is just as important. I'll hope you don't force an exposition onto the gamer and expect them to digest, but rather, throw them into the fire and let them piece to together the lore.
But I also wouldn't make it completely optional. If worldbuilding like this is optional, it becomes the lore of say an MMORPG world. It's there if you're interested, but most people don't read it anyway.
Xah'thelos doesn't really HAVE a shared culture, the predominant culture is Dwarven, and the Dwarven culture is rather intentionally stereotypical.
Hmmm....anyway, thank you for the feedback. It made me think!
(There is a ton of political intrigue and infighting back on The End, but Ilandria is largely free from it, simply because it's not what Journeyman is about. If you like that kind of thing, you ought to play blueperiod's game Linus as it's full of it. Three The Hard Way also has some awesome politics in it as I recall.)
Er, culturally, I mean depth within a particular culture. Not the difference between cultures kinda deal.
For example, there's a continental sports league (like champions league) in my game. The intense rivalries between the major cities and their representative teams is tangible. It makes small talk with NPCs more varied and probably more realistic than simply talking about the war or the new king or that monster blocking that cave.
This can be done with any kind of cultural depth. Holidays, celebrities, local newspapers, dissenting political opinions. Anything that makes a town feel like more than the next weaponshop/armorshop/inn pitstop. I want my cities to have everything, because real cities usually have everything. I want to make the gamer feel as small and lost in the new big city as my main characters feel.
But that's what I meant, not what you were asking about.
Mass Effect has a great example of deep rich worldbuilding history. And the ramifications of that history are pervasive racial tensions.
This one krogan (giant anthropomophic reptile if you don't know) says to your human character:
"The Bloodpack recruit Krogan only, human! Go flash your smooth skin elsewhere!"
I love that kind of attention to detail. Of course the other races would have their own derogatory comments, but it'd be from their perspective. Yup, nonscaley skin would be pretty weird and gross to reptile people. But in developing your culture, it's easy to forget that you may need to illustrate that.
For example, there's a continental sports league (like champions league) in my game. The intense rivalries between the major cities and their representative teams is tangible. It makes small talk with NPCs more varied and probably more realistic than simply talking about the war or the new king or that monster blocking that cave.
This can be done with any kind of cultural depth. Holidays, celebrities, local newspapers, dissenting political opinions. Anything that makes a town feel like more than the next weaponshop/armorshop/inn pitstop. I want my cities to have everything, because real cities usually have everything. I want to make the gamer feel as small and lost in the new big city as my main characters feel.
But that's what I meant, not what you were asking about.
Mass Effect has a great example of deep rich worldbuilding history. And the ramifications of that history are pervasive racial tensions.
This one krogan (giant anthropomophic reptile if you don't know) says to your human character:
"The Bloodpack recruit Krogan only, human! Go flash your smooth skin elsewhere!"
I love that kind of attention to detail. Of course the other races would have their own derogatory comments, but it'd be from their perspective. Yup, nonscaley skin would be pretty weird and gross to reptile people. But in developing your culture, it's easy to forget that you may need to illustrate that.
I love that kind of stuff too. Honestly most of my other games are probably rife with it in various ways.
There is no racial strife on Ilandria, as everyone is human. The only other race that matters on Dwarves, and they aren't just lying around. Officially, there are no Dwarves in Ilandria, but this may not be so. : )
There is no racial strife on Ilandria, as everyone is human. The only other race that matters on Dwarves, and they aren't just lying around. Officially, there are no Dwarves in Ilandria, but this may not be so. : )
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