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Do you design worlds according to fantastical physics?
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<blockquote data-quote="Man in the Funny Hat" data-source="post: 7576793" data-attributes="member: 32740"><p>I guess this has me confused then. You dislike fantasy that simply tacks on magic to real physics, but say that magic needs to confirm the same things that real physics does?</p><p>Your issue may be with the fact that you're trying to apply logic to that which is inherently NOT logical. Magic DEFIES logic and physical laws - it doesn't <em>conform</em> to them or support their existence.</p><p></p><p>Lurking under the hood of magic is the physics of Schroedingers Cat. You don't know until you look exactly what makes magic work - and simply by the ACT of looking and saying "I need to know HOW this works, not just THAT it works," you unavoidably change what it is, or what it needs to be.</p><p></p><p>I guess my example would be diseases, infections and similar medical maladies. If I introduce something like that into the game then I think about it in real-world terms. Some kind of bacteria maybe that affects the liver and causes related symptoms. But there are no D&D scientists who understand liver functions much less most bodily organ functions. I may have the bacteria function like a real-world bacteria for purposes of what it does to victims, but for clerics in the game their assessment might be that it's a curse inflicted by contact with the wrong faerie toadstools - <em>and they are probably right!</em> It might be fixed by a cure disease spell, an herbal remedy rubbed on the fingers and hands where you may have touched the toadstool, or a ritual dance in a meadow by moonlight. So which system of physical laws is that all based on? Real world biology or completely fantastical myth? Ultimately it doesn't matter if the underlying origins ARE based on real-world rules. It's the game world rules that win out EVERY time and a lot of time they only work as they do for convenience of play. But when you say that fantasy wins, it changes the basis FROM reality to fantasy. But then you can say the opposite as well. Lycanthropy can be interpreted as a strictly supernatural infliction since some people say that paladin immunity to disease shouldn't affect it - but it can be cured by eating belladonna within 1 hour of contracting it. Now is that fantasy or real homeopathic medicinal science? It can be either, or both, or perhaps even NEITHER.</p><p></p><p>I have never found that what makes it tick under the hood matters because the players never look there. They only look at the surface. What matters is only what the PC's experience firsthand and can affect - and that can be governed by science, myth, both or neither, and it's why I just assume real physics and science until the rules say different (and Shroedingers Cat turns over in its box). But if it makes your game better to open the box and rebuild reality with LOGICAL but entirely fantasy foundations of physics and science and seeing where all the tubes and wires REALLY go, don't let ME stop you. <img src="data:image/gif;base64,R0lGODlhAQABAIAAAAAAAP///yH5BAEAAAAALAAAAAABAAEAAAIBRAA7" class="smilie smilie--sprite smilie--sprite6" alt=":cool:" title="Cool :cool:" loading="lazy" data-shortname=":cool:" /></p></blockquote><p></p>
[QUOTE="Man in the Funny Hat, post: 7576793, member: 32740"] I guess this has me confused then. You dislike fantasy that simply tacks on magic to real physics, but say that magic needs to confirm the same things that real physics does? Your issue may be with the fact that you're trying to apply logic to that which is inherently NOT logical. Magic DEFIES logic and physical laws - it doesn't [I]conform[/I] to them or support their existence. Lurking under the hood of magic is the physics of Schroedingers Cat. You don't know until you look exactly what makes magic work - and simply by the ACT of looking and saying "I need to know HOW this works, not just THAT it works," you unavoidably change what it is, or what it needs to be. I guess my example would be diseases, infections and similar medical maladies. If I introduce something like that into the game then I think about it in real-world terms. Some kind of bacteria maybe that affects the liver and causes related symptoms. But there are no D&D scientists who understand liver functions much less most bodily organ functions. I may have the bacteria function like a real-world bacteria for purposes of what it does to victims, but for clerics in the game their assessment might be that it's a curse inflicted by contact with the wrong faerie toadstools - [I]and they are probably right![/I] It might be fixed by a cure disease spell, an herbal remedy rubbed on the fingers and hands where you may have touched the toadstool, or a ritual dance in a meadow by moonlight. So which system of physical laws is that all based on? Real world biology or completely fantastical myth? Ultimately it doesn't matter if the underlying origins ARE based on real-world rules. It's the game world rules that win out EVERY time and a lot of time they only work as they do for convenience of play. But when you say that fantasy wins, it changes the basis FROM reality to fantasy. But then you can say the opposite as well. Lycanthropy can be interpreted as a strictly supernatural infliction since some people say that paladin immunity to disease shouldn't affect it - but it can be cured by eating belladonna within 1 hour of contracting it. Now is that fantasy or real homeopathic medicinal science? It can be either, or both, or perhaps even NEITHER. I have never found that what makes it tick under the hood matters because the players never look there. They only look at the surface. What matters is only what the PC's experience firsthand and can affect - and that can be governed by science, myth, both or neither, and it's why I just assume real physics and science until the rules say different (and Shroedingers Cat turns over in its box). But if it makes your game better to open the box and rebuild reality with LOGICAL but entirely fantasy foundations of physics and science and seeing where all the tubes and wires REALLY go, don't let ME stop you. :cool: [/QUOTE]
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