How about "quantum algorithms"? A quantum computer (or just a regular one with lots of processing capacity) and a special mechanism to manipulate the fabric of time and space. The computer is required because though the mechanism can essentially do anything, it requires a set of instructions to shoot fireballs/freeze time/heal NPCs/etc. and a brain and fingers pressing buttons won't cut it. Obviously it would be ultra-rare and require programs on a disk or cartridge to do anything (the programs would also be quite rare, just not nearly as much).
It works somewhat, I just rather like to see a glowing orb of some element than a gun that shoots the same thing. I'd like to see that when you have a spell/magic thing equipped in one hand, that hand will have said glowing orb of the element the spell is. I just like the idea of magic. But that's opinion, I just hope they open up possibilities for people like me.
Good news, I never said it was shaped like a gun! I was actually thinking of either a helmet or HUD goggles as the actual interface, with the quantum computer responding to physical actions (such as hand waves and thrusting your palm forward) that are relevant to the currently loaded program.
I do not think we need magic to have cool spell like effects. Let's examine some terraria spells: Crytal Storm Fire Flower Magic Missile Crystal storm rapidly fired low damage crystals. This could easily be a gun in starbound, that uses either crystals as ammo or uses player energy to fabricate them. Fire flower could also be a gun of some sort. A bouncing projectile weapon is easy to design (Bouncy Bomb Blaster ) Magic Missile could be an energy/missile projectile that can be guided with the mouse. As for the OP's cryo spells, they can also easily be converted into a sci-fi setting. As the game is a Sci-fi game, not fantasy, it makes more sense to have the ideas incrorporated as technology rather then magic. There is no good reason to have these effects as magic given the setting of the game.
Um... you do realize that that dry ice burns whatever it comes in contact with? Including the hand inside the glove.
We have no place for logic in Sci-fi, where we have future technology! Perhaps what he means is a supercooled glove, that has a warm inside and using future technology! can supercool the outsied to freeze people that it touches.
Well of course. I was just pointing out that "dry ice" by no means fits the definition of "high-tech magic substitute". It's just frozen carbon dioxide.
But it's not cool. I mean its an acceptable alternative, but its just so much cooler to have a flying orb of energy shooting those things. (Which Terraria didn't have either). It's not the effects, it's the myths and lore that makes it awesome. But guns? It just seems to me like the easy way around, instead of adding the mysteries that magic comes with. But all lore aside, I guess they're the same thing. (Which only supports why I don't see why people doesn't want it) I see this as the best solution. It adds magic in all of its glory, and scientifically explains it:
Yeah, magic is cool. Nothing like beams of fire or ice to zap enemies with. However, I'm afraid you didn't really respond to my point. There is no good reason to have these effects as magic given the setting of the game. Given that Starbound is set in space as a science fiction game, and the lore is all about technological prowess enabling space exploration and so on, then why should we have magic? As far as I can see, it doesn't practically add anything to the game and may in fact detract from the sci-fi setting. Maybe there is a potential way that science could invent magic. And perhaps it could practically be implemented into the game. After all, as someone wise once said (I forget who) 'technology that is far advanced from what we know is indistinguishable from magic' However, given the already established sci-fi setting, I believe that the Dev's and majority of fans for starbound would prefer to keep fantasy elements out in favour of sci-fi elements. Like the dev's have said, this is not meant to be Terraria in space.
Or.... Nanobots... infused into your skin giving you the ability to control the temperature of the enviroment around a certain area with the concentration of your mind into a physical element of being. Nanobots that could be controlled to give you the ability to fly with the thoughts of your mind. Not magic. technology that is so advanced it's invisible to the naked eye.... WHY NOT!?
As long as they are minimally visible, I approve. And Nanobots must be expensive, which serves as good balance. And possibly a glowing orb of energy on the hand could be used to warn other players of the wielded weapon. (At that point it's basically the same) This is a great idea!
I completely agree something that's more of an obvioust transparent, but with an indication of some kind that shows the subtle animation of a glow. Like a glove that controls the tech that glows upon use. Or like you said an orb (used as a controller like an iphone) that controls the nanotech bots to cause the dmg. Something that would APPEAR to be a form of telek power but really it's just a highly tech manipulation. Expension, possible, and possibly extremely cool looking teck. A blade that heats so hot that it creates a glow (ummm no one said lightsaber its a ENERGYBLADE... wut..?) Or a glove that controls an orb that causes a HEAT manipulation or a glowing orb controlled by a hand device that shoots lasers at a target... anyways YOU know what I'm getting at.
That is an excellent idea! Maybe to ballance it out, when you are in water then the ability doesn't work? I don't know, just something that came to mind.
