Re: [Forge-main] Worlds and magic

[Ricardo Gladwell]

On Sun, 2002-11-03 at 00:41, Enrique Perez wrote:
> > I've been thinking of creating an open "Ancient Greek epics in space" game, 
> > for example, in
> which
> > gods, heroes, monsters, and magic would be melded with spacecraft, 
> > technology, and space
> > exploration.  I think that it would be... well, perhaps not a classic (no 
> > pun intended), but
> > entertaining enough.  Could contain rules for tragic flaws, hamartia, 
> > prophecy, etc.
> 
> This sounds interesting and we certainly need a world to showcase and stretch 
> the envelope of
> forge. A concept that I just discussed with some hackers yesterday and that I 
> like reading about
> is where a portion of our world transported to an earlier time, like '1632' 
> by Eric Flint:
> http://www.baen.com/library/0671319728/0671319728.htm
> 
> Basically to meld it into 'Greeks in Space' you would take an area of earth 
> from the near future,
> preferably around a spaceport and transport it to a medieval, magical past.

Alternatively, you could have an alternative Earth where a Greek-like
civilization has managed to survive to the present day (or earlier with
no Dark Ages to inhibit scientific development). Alternatively, the
whole Greek cosmology could be correct, with Plato's world of forms and
Aristotle's Spheres. The Greeks could've simply developed technology to
exploit the new properties of the universe allowing them to expand and
encounter new worlds.

> it sounds like you have the skills and difficulties worked out and that 
> you're using a d6 system
> for unopposed action rolls. One thing I don't see is an advancement system, 
> for which I suggest
> giving experience primarily for missions, full for a success, half for a 
> glorious failure and a
> quarter for surviving a failure in a cowardly or dull way, as well as a bit 
> experience for role
> playing.

I thought it would be a much more open system, with experience awarded
for quest victory, but also for good roleplaying and bonus points for
contributing roleplaying material to the game (PC diaries, drawing
pictures, etc). Rather than have a d20 kill a monster, get points
system, have a simpler system that allows people greater freedom for
awarding points.
 
> Right now I'm developing it based on d20 because the items have to exist in 
> some kind of system,
> it's not really meant to be a d20 supplement and I'll be happy to move it 
> away to a completely
> free system. Once forge is stabilized I believe it will be straightforward, 
> although time
> consuming, to port it to that system. I'm assuming you'll have the spells 
> from Jerry's 'Gods and
> Monster' so I can use those as prerequisites instead of the d20 ones I'm 
> using now. For each feat,
> I assume they'll be some kind of similar skill or power.

Actually, I was going to create a completely new system of magic for
Fantasy Forge. You would have two sets of domains, one control and one
elemental. For example, there would be control domains for Creation,
Destruction, Transformation, etc. and elemental domains for Animals,
Fire, Earth, Air, Water, Wood, Mind, etc. Players would create spells by
selecting power traits (anima, range, etc.) and selecting one control
domain and on or more elemental domains. For example, throwing a
fireball would be Range 2, Area 2, Creation 2, Fire 3.

Similarly, there would be three styles of magic - true magic, hedge
magic and miracles. True magic would allow magic users to create effects
on demand (like Ars Magica/Mage). Hedge magic would be a spell-based
system, similar to the d20 system. Miracles would allow worshipers to
petition gods go intervention (you would use your god's domain scores
for power).

So, magic creation and spells would be slightly different to G&M or d20.
For example, you could create a fireball spell as above which would be a
level 6 spell (Power score 6).

That means we could still use your excellent magical items in the above
system, all that would be required would be some tweaking of the rules
you use. We would also first have to devise a stable system of magic
first.

> The other reason I like png is that some open source fantasy png's have 
> already been developed for
> the worldforge project which we can use.

Good point :)
 
> Essentially comparing the most powerful ability from each domain is the way 
> of calibrating the
> domains mecanic. What I mean is comparing the most powerful ability gives you 
> the 'power constant'
> for each domain in each game world.

Ahh.. sorry I misunderstood your point there. Yes, you're right, that is
the best way to develop a new system. You are, of course, absolutely
right here.

Again, thanks for your excellent comments. :) Let me know what you think
of mine. Yours...

-- 
Ricardo Gladwell
"They that can give up essential liberty to obtain a
       little temporary safety deserve neither liberty nor safety."
             - Benjamin Franklin