09-16-2019, 11:47 AM | #11 |
Join Date: Feb 2016
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Re: Magic and Hard SF
Magical energy is still energy, so transforming magical energy into another form of energy does not violate anything (and transmutation would likewise not violate anything).
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09-16-2019, 11:59 AM | #12 | |
On Notice
Join Date: Aug 2004
Location: Sumter, SC
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Re: Magic and Hard SF
Quote:
The Law of Mass and Energy Conservation just took it on the chin because you had energy come from nowhere. If you say this is due to the universe not being a closed system than all the other laws of conservation take a dirt nap. Never mind that one of the Laws in Authentic Thaumaturgy is The Law of Positive Attraction which is summed up as “That which is sent, returns.” ie "Like attracts like; to create a particular reality you must put out energy of a similar sort." This is effectively the The Law of Equivalent Exchange out of Full Metal Alchemist Brotherhood .
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Help make a digital reference for GURPS by coming to the GURPS wiki and provide some information and links (such as to various Fanmade 4e Bestiaries) . Please, provide more then just a title and a page number. Last edited by maximara; 09-16-2019 at 12:06 PM. |
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09-16-2019, 01:30 PM | #13 |
Join Date: Jul 2007
Location: West Virginia
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Re: Magic and Hard SF
I would think that those studying the brain in any Hard Science world with magic, would simply call magic PSI. Isaac Bonewits declaration that "Magic is folk parapsychology." would rule on the university scene. If magic is unknown to science, I assume most wizards would pass themselves off as new age occultist hucksters.
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Per Ardua Per Astra! Ancora Imparo |
09-16-2019, 02:48 PM | #14 |
Join Date: Feb 2005
Location: Berkeley, CA
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Re: Magic and Hard SF
Depends on the rules the magic follows and the origin of the study. Plenty of magical theories are rigorous enough to allow scientific study other than the minor problem that they don't actually work.
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09-16-2019, 03:15 PM | #15 |
Join Date: May 2007
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Re: Magic and Hard SF
I've always wanted to write a fantasy novel about the people who, in the local equivalent of the seventeenth and eighteenth centuries, are working out the laws of magic in the same way the laws of nature were worked out in our world.
"Nature and nature's laws lay hid in night Newton cast "Fiat Lux", and all was light!"
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09-16-2019, 04:36 PM | #16 |
Join Date: Sep 2019
Location: UK
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Re: Magic and Hard SF
I agree with other posters, we need more information about what Whitewings is hoping to do with this. For instance, if transmuting matter is possible, these star systems would suddenly become the biggest news in the galaxy as everyone rushes to get there and make gold. Unless in your setting making gold is already straightforward, in which case you might have a problem with there not being much left for your magic to do that far-future technology isn't already covering.
ravenfish, that sounds like a very good book. |
09-16-2019, 06:59 PM | #17 | |
On Notice
Join Date: Aug 2004
Location: Sumter, SC
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Re: Magic and Hard SF
Quote:
Never mind that if the hard science means no FTL then it will take so long to get to these systems that it would not be worth it for that reason. IMHO Isaac Arthur should be the go to youtube channel for hard space scifi.
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09-17-2019, 12:48 PM | #18 | |
Join Date: Jun 2013
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Re: Magic and Hard SF
Quote:
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09-17-2019, 02:21 PM | #19 |
Join Date: Oct 2007
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Re: Magic and Hard SF
Just replace "gold" with any material with useful properties. Something being used as energy sources, in the production of energy sources, reactor shielding, crucial parts of computers, construction, production, entertainment or anything else.
Star systems that allow for easier creation of useful substances will be valuable to everyone. Depending on the rarity of these star systems and the people able to utilize whatever force is behind magic, having control of just a single of these systems (and enough people that can utilize magic) could make a faction a major player on a galactic scale. Note that if Gate spells exist, travel between magic enabled systems would also be a lot easier than between any other system. This would make for some interesting tactical and strategic considerations. If it was only discovered in a specific system due to the inhabitants of that system, events will likely be unkind to that system and the inhabitants. Every known system will likely be examined as fast as possible, the inhabitants of the original system will likely be thoroughly examined by every other species. If the setting is actually resembling "Hard SF" (with allowance for magic), there will be something to discover and replicate. A lot of the examination will likely be unpleasant for those inhabitants. |
09-17-2019, 02:29 PM | #20 |
Join Date: Feb 2016
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Re: Magic and Hard SF
One thing to consider would be the quantification of magic. For example, if mages are capable of channeling (Will)^(Magery) kW of magical energy, someone with Will 10 and Magery 0 can channel 1 kW of magical energy while someone with Will 20 and Magery 3 can channel 8 MW of magical energy, giving scientific measures to magic. Of course, energy is cheap in a TL12 society, so it is what a mage can do with that energy that matters.
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Tags |
magic, rules modification, science fiction, setting building |
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