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Old 02-09-2018, 07:42 PM   #1
Fred Brackin
 
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Default Making metal transparent

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Originally Posted by mlangsdorf View Post
One of the PCs in my Fantasy game is a blacksmith Metal Control (Cosmetic), which she uses to make translucent, super-high DR visors for the PCs' armor.

It's not hugely unbalancing, but when everyone is cranking around in DR 12 armor except for their DR 5 eyeslits and then suddenly the PCs don't have eyeslits at all, it's a little weird. Especially since the PCs are supposed to be relative novices at magic and the Evil Magic Empire hasn't thought of this trick.
Note for persons who assume Magic-as-Powers is always better balanced than standard Magic if you do that trick the old fashioned way (Transparency Enchantment) it's 400 energy and not particularly cheap at all.
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Old 02-09-2018, 08:06 PM   #2
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Default Re: Surprising unbalance....

Cosmetic changes are only permanent if they're inherently stable. Steel can't be made transparent, so it can't be permanent. If I'm reading Control correctly, that is.
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Old 02-09-2018, 08:13 PM   #3
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Default Re: Surprising unbalance....

I'm not convinced that making metal thick enough to give DR transparent is cosmetic.
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Old 02-11-2018, 01:35 PM   #4
Andrew Hackard
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Default Re: Making metal transparent

Spun this off of a discussion in Roleplaying in General because this is pretty gritty GURPS content.
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Old 02-11-2018, 01:45 PM   #5
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Default Re: Making metal transparent

I agree Cosmetic shouldn't do the job here.
That makes minor changes like changing the tint.
I would borrow a tip from Create which uses Cosmic, +50% to make Essential elements.
A +50% Transparency enhancement seems to fit the utility level.
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Old 02-11-2018, 03:57 PM   #6
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Default Re: Making metal transparent

Wow, in my climate, transparent metal eye coverings on helmets would be useless the lion's share of the year, due to fogging/icing.
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Old 02-11-2018, 04:12 PM   #7
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Default Re: Making metal transparent

Checking specific heat, glass is actually worse than iron. So I'd assume that such transparent plates wouldn't fog more than a pair of glass glasses.
Annoying but not incapacitating.

I don't remember my first glass pairs ever icing over much even when below zero Fahrenheit.
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Old 02-11-2018, 04:19 PM   #8
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Default Re: Making metal transparent

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Checking specific heat, glass is actually worse than iron
...but the glasses aren’t set into a steel bucket you’re wearing on your head and breathing in.
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Old 02-11-2018, 04:29 PM   #9
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Default Re: Making metal transparent

(holds mouse to mouth) COMPUTER!

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Old 02-11-2018, 04:38 PM   #10
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Default Re: Making metal transparent

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(holds mouse to mouth) COMPUTER!

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