so ok ya then scratch the finding the scroll and change it with what Bombzero said. I am going to change it in the main post.
I'm sorry I pushed the debate so far. It takes courage to concede after arguing so long. Perhaps if we went with a suspension-of-specifics stance, we could recreate the same effects? A cannon that shoots balls of fire? Some kind of flux-capacitor item to allow temporal distortions? The great part about sci-fi is that you can write off almost anything with a bogus science explanation.
Tesla rifle to shoot lightning? Freeze ray for ice abilities? Acid slingshot? The world is our science experiment!
*punches in the gut* Is that a direct quote from Martin Prince? OT I still like Devilforces' idea, flame gauntlet (minus magical background) would be awesome.
There will be elves. George or some other dev desperately wanted to add space Elves, i personally don't care if they were added or not. Besides we already put that to the end and we decided to go with Bombzero's idea about a science group so the one who should let it go is you. The HeatArm could still be implemented some way or another.
Magic in most games if not all is about using elements, water, fire, lightning, earth, ice, etc, etc, etc... I think weapons in the game will be able to use elements like that... That's why I voted "I don't care." also because I think the weapons kinda just has to be epic.
It should be like elemental guns in Borderlands 1-2 if anything. I don't know how the bullets are lit on fire, charged with electricity, or able to spread corrosive acid to your enemies, but I do know it's pretty damn fun!
Dead Island has heavy use of electricity, fire and poison... It is pretty much Dead Island's form of magic... And what this suggestion seems like is that it would be like the skulls you collect in Dead Island to get the secret weapons (except for that literally magic one)...
I don't like the idea of magic in the literal sense, but lets say you find some old blueprint of some high tech...gauntlet i guess, that lets you shoot out plasma, or a laser, and it just drain from a energy pool, (not mana <.<). It would make the magic lovers happy, and still keep the sci fi feel of the game.
What do you think about a scroll found in dungeon not with a spell, but some sort of a plan of "mystery mechanism" that would work, but even the Apex won't know why? It could be used as a weapon, tool, engine(vehicles) and more. I think it would fit perfectly in the gap between mages and non-mages.
At this point you're falling into an issue called "excessive excuses" or "handwaving". Basically, you're not even trying to come up with logical conclusions and you're just saying "HURR DURR NOBUDY NOES HUW BUT IT WOKZ HEHEHE" which is a little annoying to anybody who likes detail in a game.
How do you think I should logically explain thing that meant to be a compromise between magic and technology? Even magic is unexplainable, so how? It didn't mean to be logic, it was just an idea, so think before posting and be cool.
No, what I'm saying is that you're pretty much saying "Well we couldn't think of something so lulz just believe it" Any explanation is better than simply saying "just accept it" that's terrible game design. So how bout you think before you post, before you try to tell off somebody who actually knows what they're talking about.
I bet you don't like magic (or it's me?), but it's not the thing. I don't think explaining everything is a good recipe for a game. Actually, it's a thing that can block it's evolution. ESPECIALLY for a sanbox game. How do you think would Minecraft or Terraria look if you would try to explain why you're alone on an unknown world and everything is trying to kill you? I'm not arguing with you, it's just my opinion and my way of thinking, so hold your fingers and THINK before you post(yes, I said that again).