Re: UNITS & transport

[Steve Ames <steve>]

Actually what I described are spell units. Look at them from a new
angle. Instead of being the number of charges in your batter look
upon them as a measurement of how much magic you can _channel_
before getting fatigued. A beginning mage may only have 1 SU. This
means that he's new and magic tires him easily. But he recovers
his full strength after just a period of rest. Someone of Elesina's
stature can channel a dozen comets before being drained and needing
to rest.

Through the study of magic (ie learning new spells) you are able
to strengthen yourself and channel that much more magic.

I know... what about Teresium? Teresium is a form of rape. It pulls
magical energy through you without your permission. It will keep pulling
until you cannot handle anymore. Its not strong enough to force you
to burn yourself out (ie stress PWR) but it contact with teresium will
limit how much energy you can channel without resting.

Matrix Gems? Same theory. While holding a Matrix Gem you don't have
50% more units really. Thats a simplification to make the math easier.
What actually happens is that the Matrix Gem reduces the amount of
fatigue you get from spell casting. You take only 2/3 as much fatigue
while holding a matrix gem. Mathematically this comes out to 50% more
spell units and we represent it thus for playability reasons.

Given this theory of magic I'd say it was based on PWR and that PWR
is a mental stat.

						-Steve

> *grin* that just smacks of the 'one power' not that I see that as bad
> mind you.  Its definately one of the more interesting magical
> systems there is.  However its so over powering it isn't funny.
> To make it work you'd need to revamp the system a bit, esspecially
> the part where you learn magic.  Also make it so not everyone CAN
> use magic.
>
> Another option for it is one I read about..damn..what was that series..
> anyways, the reality of the world was shapeable by either strong minds
> or strong feelings.  So your fears came true if you believed strongly
> enough, and if you had enough will, you could do about anything.
> Always thought that would be a spiff system, but not sure how much
> it would work in AQ.
>
> Wright
>
> > 
> > Thats the spirit! Units are a measurement of magica fatigue. You
> > don't get more and you aren't a battery. You rest and you heal
> > and you slowly come back up to your full health. As you become more
> > powerful in the art you are able to perform more magic without
> > getting fatigued.
> > 
> > A beginner might be able to cast 1 minibolt and have to rest or
> > burn himself out. A master can cast 2 dozen lightning bolts before
> > he runs the risk of burning himself.
> > 
> > As such units are mental and not at all related to your body. They
> > are related to your _power_ which may or not be a physical stat.
> > 
> > That said, yeah they are less sophistated than some methods of handling
> > such things but certainly better than a chart saying I can cast 2
> > level 2 spells and 4 level 1 spells. *grin*
> > 
> > I'd also like to see DP following units like a little lemming over
> > the cliff :)
> > 
> > 							-Steve
> > 
> > > who started this thread anyway?  Why aren't we bickering about untis?
> > > Personally I think untis should be done away with all together, even to
> > > the last unti.  We just cant have this any more.
> > >
> > > Jevan
> > >
> > > On Thu, 29 Oct 1998, Kris Ames wrote:
> > >
> > > > Siphoning is also helped by the capillary effect.
> > > > 
> > > > ----------
> > > > > From: Steve Ames <steve@ns1.cioe.com>
> > > > > To: kklumb@expert.cc.purdue.edu; zodo@laf.cioe.com
> > > > > Cc: gmlist@cioe.com
> > > > > Subject: Re: Untis & transport
> > > > > Date: Thursday, October 29, 1998 5:10 PM
> > > > > 
> > > > > > exactly the ida behind a vacum pump is a big ass siphon.
> > > > > > Make some big ass bubble in the hose and vacum the bubble. It will
> > > > start
> > > > > > the water flow and same principle as a siphon it will keep flowing.
> > > > > 
> > > > > Am I daft? Siphoning works because liquid is constantly being pulled
> > > > from
> > > > > one end of the tube (first by the vacuum then by gravity). This creates
> > > > > a pressure differential and pulls more liquid into the hose. This works
> > > > > great as long as the liquid is at a higher elevation than the eventual
> > > > > destination.
> > > > > 
> > > > > Pumping water out of an ocean for your town won't work though unless
> > > > your
> > > > > town is below sea level?
> > > > > 
> > > > > > Aside from the invasion aspect of a portal between Galiea and the
> > > > other
> > > > > > side is the GM stand point. Galiea is different for a reason. If you
> > > > open
> > > > > > up a portal between the two then everyone is jumping from one side to
> > > > the
> > > > > > other on a whim.
> > > > > > 	After a while the settings would just start to look exactly alike.
> > > > > 
> > > > > Exactly why settings should really be in seperate universes entirely.
> > > > They
> > > > > aren't for a lot of reasons primarily that no one seemed willing to
> > > > > totally abandoned the other settings and wanted to be able to move
> > > > their
> > > > > adventurers between them. Silly reason in reality but thats the way it
> > > > > stands.
> > > > > 
> > > > > 						-Steve
> > > > 
> > >
> > 
>