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LAVA vs MAGMA

Discussion in 'Starbound Discussion' started by Lugubrious, Sep 24, 2012.

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  1. Breather

    Breather Oxygen Tank

    I'm so confused.
     
  2. The Enlightened Grue

    The Enlightened Grue Master Astronaut

    let me try my hand at this!
    Lava is like Jello.
    Magma is like the molten metal that gets literally poured into molds across the world in thousands of factories.

    You can, if heat resistant enough, step on lava but you will likely sink until you touch solid rock.
    Lava is just solid enough to retain the basics of a blob like shape if on a perfectly level surface.
    Magma is highly pressurized, and has zero exposure to air.
    For Magma to exist, it has to be surrounded in a thin "shell" of lava to preserve its heat.
    Basically Lava is the harmless, yet fragile, surface of an ice-covered lake. (harmless is such a relative term when you are properly equipped for the temperature/environment)
    Magma is the frigid water that will REALLY kill you if you start sinking.

    terrible analogy, but I did try.
     
    Vjedi729 likes this.
  3. Sir Logan

    Sir Logan Phantasmal Quasar

    Dammit this is a video game; fuck logic.
    Also magma= molten rock INSIDE THE EARTH'S CRUST
    lava= molten rock OUTSIDE THE CRUST.
    Jeez.
     
  4. TTCBuilder

    TTCBuilder Jackpot!

    Oh, in that case I am deeply sorry.
    I shall try to be more careful next time.
     
  5. Lugubrious

    Lugubrious Scruffy Nerf-Herder

    i mentioned it.
     
  6. Lugubrious

    Lugubrious Scruffy Nerf-Herder

    good analogy, it is. :yoda:
     
  7. thisisbleep

    thisisbleep Void-Bound Voyager

    I just made an account finally so I could respond to this, I have been lurking for a long time but have never felt the urge to post... until now!

    I am a geologist, so the below information is the technical answer, not that Starbound needs to follow it.

    • Lava and magma are the same thing, they are both molten rock with the same chemical composition and are the same temperature.
    • Magma contains gases (including steam) which reduce the density and this is what forces the magma from deep underground up towards the surface.
    • Once near the surface the gases in the magma can escape and then it is classed as lava.
    • Lava is "cooler/colder" because it is close to the surface and cools much more quickly, which also changes what happens when it solidifies.
    • Lava cools very quickly and forms glass or very small crystals.
    • Magma cools very slowly and forms big interlocking crystals.
    As far as the game goes, it gives potential to have volcanoes/geysers of magma and lakes/pools of lava. :)
    Realistically I don't think the game should differentiate between the two, they are both liquid (viscosity does vary a lot, but this is more detailed than the fluid engine) and both more than hot enough to kill. It would be good if you took damage when close to a heat source and died instantly/very quickly when touching the heat source, unless you have specific protection against it.
     
    Breather likes this.
  8. Vegas

    Vegas Subatomic Cosmonaut

    Vegas = guapo
     
    Tom Baker likes this.
  9. elisey777

    elisey777 Pangalactic Porcupine

    As far as is known. lava at 1200 degrees more liquid and moves with the running man, but the lava is molten rock land and iron. at 800 degrees or less is more viscous and moves slowly, but also more dangerous because it creates a crust "columnar basalt" for them is possible lava and likely to fail. If you go to the center of the probability to reach the mantle. but still the pressure of land may crush you. without special spacesuit there is more dangerous.
     
  10. Breather

    Breather Oxygen Tank

    So basically, magma is underground, and lava is above ground.
     
    Lugubrious likes this.
  11. 0ptimistPrime

    0ptimistPrime Big Damn Hero

    This went from starbound related to a lava debate :O
     
  12. Lugubrious

    Lugubrious Scruffy Nerf-Herder

    to be truthful, this was a debate over the definition of lava vs the definition of magma from the start.
     
  13. Vjedi729

    Vjedi729 Subatomic Cosmonaut

    I think it would be great to have a difference in gameplay, where you only sink in magma.

    While I do know that magma is always higher pressure (due to dissolved gassed, and it's location) and higher temperature (also due to location), this would mainly be just an interesting gameplay element.

    It would be cool if you could get magma or lava - Magma, a better heat source but risky to mine due to it's pressure and deeper underground. Lava, a lesser heat source (but still very good) but easier to get, and found close to the surface usually one or two blocks deep with a slower speed and a solid top (like wooden platforms from terraria).

    All in all, I, too, got caught up in the arguement for the meaning of lava and magma, but that is not the point. For the purpose of a Sci-Fi game, I would love it, because it is always good to have variety - that is what Starbound is about. It would just be an interesting element, it doesn't have to be true.

    ----------------------------------------------------------------------Sidenote-----------------------------------------------------------------------------
    On the side, I am suprised how many threads on this forum turn into science arguements. It would be nice if people just talked about how interesting it would be in-game rather than fretting over realism. It is great to follow facts, but if you want to argue facts, give me a credible source. Facts aren't supposed to be debated.

    (Oh wait, I didn't do that either - here - http://blogs.agu.org/georneys/2011/01/27/geology-word-of-the-week-m-is-for-magma/
    and these google defintions with many others below - M:fireball:GM:fireball: L:fireball: V:fireball: - There we go :up:)
     
    Lugubrious likes this.
  14. Lugubrious

    Lugubrious Scruffy Nerf-Herder

    :up::up::up:
     
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