How I think magick should fall into all of this.

I'm going to see if I can get everything explained in a Q&A fashion, here goes.


Why the 'k' in "magick"?
Because that strictly denotes that it is not illusion-based entertainment.

Wait a second, this is a game set in space, as in Sci-fi. I don't ever remember Sci-Fi mixing with fantasy.
I've always hated how they never mixed, but that's a different topic. A large portion of people think that magick means to will something into existence. This is partially true, but most of the time, you need more than just will to change reality.

So, no spellcasting? Then how is this supposed to even be able to do anything?
I never said that, I just want to have a new unique mechanic that fuels magickal energy in a more appropriate sense.

What is it then?
Well, normally, magickal energy in games is represented by a giant limited cooldown that effects all spells, and we already know that there are no cooldown based functions in Starbound. Magickal energy should be drawn from objects by say, "focusing"(hovering the mouse over it) on it to drain the energy for yourself, you could even drain it from living things. It would take longer to take the energy if you were farther away, and it would be found in certain (not limited but still certain) amounts from different objects so that you would have to be conservative with it, of course, there would be objects that naturally had more energy in them, or were better at storing energy. And ways to attract energies such as altars, positive actions, and sites that hosted positive actions (negative actions and sites that hosted them would drive it away).
Oh yeah, and the amount of magickal energy that you have would be represented by a variable that doesn't have a cap, and the numbers would be randomly generated symbols based on character creation, that way, you learn more about it as you go long.

Is there anything else you would like to add?
Yes, in fact, there is. Although, this would probably fit in another thread, I'm saying it here anyway. I was thinking there should be meditation that allowed you to go to the "Spirit Realm" and while there, be able to find a "Spirit Guide" that has an appearance and personality based on what you did during character creation. (The Spirit Realm would not be character specific) And the Spirit Guide would give vague hints about the game that could help you progress if you understand them.

You're done now, right?
Yes I am, please share your constructive opinions and criticisms.

 

There could be a substitutuion of anti gravity effects to replace magic effects remembering that all magic is simply undiscovered science as a famous ufo researcher-xenodiplomatic speechwriter quotes. So advanced ingame technology can be explained as and appearing as magic until u discover advanced blueprints, technology or other elements that go into the system and then u come up with the magic is now science

 

Heh, this would work quite nicely. Great idea.
EDIT: Now that I read through this more thoroughly I now disagree with you.

 

This sounds so out of place. I don't even see the need for this when you could accomplish all this by saying it is advanced technology rather than trying to weave magic into things. Sci-fi and magic just doesn't mix.

 

I see that I didn't make myself clear, I am NOT trying to add fantasy magic into Starbound, I'm trying to add realistic magick, the kind that can be explained. Also, remember that this game technically is both Sci-Fi and Fantasy, since it already has elements from both.

 

I don't see starbound and "magick" mixing any time soon

 

Isn't magic, by definition, something that can't be explained. Once it can be explained it is just science.

 

Magick is a science, it's just one that so many people shun for no proper reason, which causes it to lack much understanding. You are correct in that it isn't needed for the game, I'm just trying to see how it would be possible to make it fit.

 

I like the general idea (except for the spirit realm part, which doesn't really seem to have a point), though you didn't detail what types of things this magickal energy could be used for. So, on the whole, this falls into the category of "I'd definitely give this a try if it was a mod, but I don't think it should be in the main game.".

 

The spirit realm part was entirely pointless, I'm putting that out here now. As for the "different types of magick" part, there are no "types" of magick, magick is magick, what you use it for is up to you.

 

Surely there are at least some vague guidelines that it would follow. Could I use it to crush a star till it becomes a black hole? Could I use it to heal allies? Could I use it to banish enemies to an alternate dimension that plays annoying music all the time? Could I use it to summon fluffy pink piranha that engage in thumb-wrestling matches while yodeling? Could I use it to plant a number of tulips equal to the square root of the number of milliseconds since the first Unix computer was turned on? Et cetera, et cetera, et cetera.

 

Yes to all, although some of those would take a tremendous amount of energy, concentration, and preparation.

 

Er... How exactly are the developers supposed to get that much flexibility into the game engine? Sure it would be awesome if the players were able to do literally anything they could think of, but that's not exactly something that is possible with current tech.

 

I was thinking the same thing, I guess for now, they would just have to create a giant list of spells that work :/

 

Why not make a couple lists of effects, each effect using Magika, and you could combine effects for different results?

Just thinking out loud.

 

I love this idea, though as you stated... and someone else... the spirit realm just seamed kinda... random.

Anyway my thoughts? Your correct this will not be in the main game but I've always been interested in thinking about a universe where unexplained (as you call it fantasy) magick and logical technology got along together or coexisted, it's why I love the Technic pack for Minecraft so much, EE and Thaumcraft mixed with Industrial Craft, Buildcraft, etc.

NOW my thoughts on this I like the idea of draining energy from objects or creatures just by draining them, obviously you would have some type of tool (like a sapper or drainer) but I also like the idea of distilling things down into their pure essence, like Thaumcraft has the crucible I would like to see something like that implemented into this. The way I see it you use the sapper to drain certain types of energies and the distiller/crucible thing to get another... the same for any other forms of collecting energy that came into this, this energy could than be used to create effects on the world when combined in different quantites, shapes, or sizes. I guess I completely left your idea of the explained scientific magick and went into my own type but... meh this is the kind of magic I like (yes I took out the k from mine ) What do you think on these ideas people?

 

Lol keep thinking, I like this idea, it reminds me of a game I played... what was it? Magicka? lol

 

I was hoping more so for something that doesn't use machinery to emulate the more potent natural human capabilities. They have confirmed races, so this whole concept could be a property of some unlockable race that isn't as negative towards it. As for using different methods for obtaining different types of energy, there's only one type of magickal energy. You don't need less common forms of electricity to power more complex machinery, you just need more of it.

 

You said Scifi and Magic cannot mix but look at Final Fantasy.
There are giant ships that fly trough skies by using fog as power source, built by enginners, using not magic at all, whit missile launchers and etc, but there are also mages capable of casting thunders, poison, heck even meteors.

And look how very popular it is.

I would really like to see some kind of magic in game, actually, i made an suggestion about some kind of magic that a few people liked. If you want search Twelve Cards in Side Quests.

 

Agreed, there is one form of magickal ENERGY my brain went off on it's own, I was talking about the actual essences that make up life - Mind, Soul, Life etc. dunno why... I just thought it would be interesting . But maybe you can gather the energy raw OR gather the essences than distill them into raw energy? Taking a bit longer but producing more (also being farther into the magickal tiers than just draining the energy from targets)

Agreed FF and, now that I think of it that way, some other games/shows do great mixing technology and magic, I would love to see something like that come into play here, if not in the main game than in an mod or some sort of optional stuff (like you can ban magic from your multiplayer)