[Space/Thaumatology] Stargate: Fantasy - Worldbuilding thread

[TGLS]

I don't have much opinion on the first question, apart from 1 should be marginalized as much as possible. To explain through an example, let's say I wanted to make Star Trek but fantasy, I wouldn't take something like this:

Originally Posted by Chief Engineer La Forge

Captain, we need to extend these multispectral energy wave-guides to shutdown this multispectral resonance interface!

And turn it into:

Originally Posted by Archmage La Forge

Captain, we need to exorcise these mystical energy warblers to dispel this mystical resurrection interface!

Star Trek doesn't become fantasy when you replace all the nonsense words with other nonsense words, and stop pretending that the made-up rules are possible.

With Stargate, this applies only more so, as mystical things already have a larger presence in the setting. People should be looking at stargates saying, "It's amazing the Ancients created such stable and versatile magical artifacts." not, "It's amazing the Ancients had such understanding of wormholes." If you really want to emphasize that, have gates really easy to make, but have none of them go anywhere useful.

[apoc527]

Fascinating topic. It reminds me, in a way, of the Riftwar Cycle series by Ray Feist that I've been reading (yes, multiple decades late). Good stuff, particularly since Stargate: SG-1 is one of my favorite shows ever.

[Prince Charon]

Originally Posted by TGLS

I don't have much opinion on the first question, apart from 1 should be marginalized as much as possible. To explain through an example, let's say I wanted to make Star Trek but fantasy, I wouldn't take something like this:
<SNIP>

That sounds less like marginalizing Material Magic, and more like emphasizing magical terminology, which depends on how quickly the SGC-expy figures out that they're in a fantasy setting (which itself depends partly on when it starts, something else that's going to be put to a vote, and partly on what individual GMs do, if any run the setting).


Just so people know, the poll is still open until at least the weekend, and possibly later, depending on whether people keep voting, and what else I'm doing at the time.

[Pbuckley]

If you do less pretending on how the Ascended are basically god's a good way to mix up the Ascended Ori schism is to have them differ in how much they want to meddle in the lives of mortals. Ori are tyrants, and Ascended are not. Though I suppose the Ori's NEED for worship might be enough to accomplish this. Though to note that would still lead to more or less the same result... The very active, yet tyrannical Ori, Vs. the distant yet freedom respecting Ascended.

Honestly, I don't think you need to make Goa'uld into demons. They are just another race, one that happens to tend towards villainy, and is likely more competent at magic (thus their ability to pretend at godhood). One could even play as Tok'ra with little issue.

[Prince Charon]

Originally Posted by Pbuckley

If you do less pretending on how the Ascended are basically god's a good way to mix up the Ascended Ori schism is to have them differ in how much they want to meddle in the lives of mortals. Ori are tyrants, and Ascended are not. Though I suppose the Ori's NEED for worship might be enough to accomplish this. Though to note that would still lead to more or less the same result... The very active, yet tyrannical Ori, Vs. the distant yet freedom respecting Ascended.

Could be. Certainly sounds interesting.

Originally Posted by Pbuckley

Honestly, I don't think you need to make Goa'uld into demons. They are just another race, one that happens to tend towards villainy, and is likely more competent at magic (thus their ability to pretend at godhood). One could even play as Tok'ra with little issue.

The nature of the Goa'Uld and Tok'Ra are going to be in a later vote or votes, and I intend for that to be an option.

[TGLS]

Originally Posted by Prince Charon

That sounds less like marginalizing Material Magic, and more like emphasizing magical terminology

That's kind of the opposite of what I was trying to say. My point was more, "flipping labels around doesn't transform science fiction setting into a fantastical setting, it makes a science fiction setting with weird labels." And so, transforming a science fiction setting into a fantastic one means that you need to detechnologicalize the unusual elements of the setting.

Unusual elements ought to behave differently depending on who's using them. For example, some things ought to be only usable depending on intrinsic factors (like Magery). This is present in original Stargate to some degree, like with the Ancient gene, but it shouldn't be that comprehensible or hackable by something base like gene therapy.

Another example; there shouldn't be things like Zat guns. A weapon that shoots energy blasts shaped like a snake? Sure. Not needing a special intrinsic feature to use? Go ahead. But it's effects shouldn't be completely predictable either. Like, if you're trying to deduce its function, it shouldn't work as well. Or if you don't think the weapon would do damage, it should do less damage. Or if you're in a blind rage, it could do more damage.

But the main point to this is, the Earth humans shouldn't be coming out of Earth, concluding how mana is an as of yet undiscovered fundamental particle, and going out to other worlds to tell the other humans that the Goa'uld aren't gods, they just have fancy and difficult to explain technology. That's what Stargate already is, just without the weird labels.

[Varyon]

Originally Posted by Prince Charon

The nature of the Goa'Uld and Tok'Ra are going to be in a later vote or votes, and I intend for that to be an option.

Oh, I have ideas for the Goa'Uld/Tok'Ra, but I shall patiently wait for that to be the topic of discussion.

[ericthered]

Originally Posted by Varyon

Oh, I have ideas for the Goa'Uld/Tok'Ra, but I shall patiently wait for that to be the topic of discussion.

Better yet, you should VOTE and then patiently wait for that to be a topic of discussion. I've run this type of thread before, and if you are interested, you should be voting... even if you're only expressing mild opinions. Without votes, the thread will fall apart.

[Varyon]

Originally Posted by ericthered

Better yet, you should VOTE and then patiently wait for that to be a topic of discussion. I've run this type of thread before, and if you are interested, you should be voting... even if you're only expressing mild opinions. Without votes, the thread will fall apart.

I honestly have no real opinion on the magic system employed; I'd basically just be casting a vote for a random number.

[Fred Brackin]

okay, voting.

1 is necessary for the gates and other thigns msitaken for sufficiently advanced tech.

2. is necessary for the Powers of "Advanced" beings both fully "Evovled" spirits and evolving humanoids that aren't quite there yet.

6 (specifically its' Enchntment system)can be used to produce things that look like tech but actuallya ren't.

Everything else is very unlikely to be mistaken for tech or the powers of advanced beings.