Particle_Man
Explorer
I am curious as to how illusions are treated in various game systems, when those illusions are more than the standard "hologram with sound (and other sensory goodness)" and/or "mental hallucination that messes with your sensory abilities".
1st ed. through 3rd ed. has "shadow magic" which gives us "partially real" illusions. 1st ed. also had "alter reality" which took an illusion, and then made it real! (This would be a version of the "overlay" system, where what you imagine gains reality)). Phantasmal Killer also introduced the idea of a "mental hallucination that could scare you to death" as opposed to the "mental hallucination that messes with your sensory abilities".
Gurps has "creations" (objects, animals, servants or warriors) that are temporary, but can do stuff while they exist at your command (the last are not too far from Astral Constructs in psionics, now I think on it). Later expansions made these guys able to act on their own programs.
This could be extrapolated to illusions with awareness (so could act as spies and report to you later, for instance), as opposed to illusions that act as if they have awareness (so can't act as spies, as they are not conscious - sorta like constructs, I guess).
So what else is out there in the wacky world of illusions? What else have game systems done with them? This could be any game system at all, mind. I am just looking for alternatives. I am trying to draw as much info as possible because I have never found something that satisfies me 100%, although many have been quite good. And I understand that illusions (beyond holograms/sensory hallucinations) are a headache for game designers.
1st ed. through 3rd ed. has "shadow magic" which gives us "partially real" illusions. 1st ed. also had "alter reality" which took an illusion, and then made it real! (This would be a version of the "overlay" system, where what you imagine gains reality)). Phantasmal Killer also introduced the idea of a "mental hallucination that could scare you to death" as opposed to the "mental hallucination that messes with your sensory abilities".
Gurps has "creations" (objects, animals, servants or warriors) that are temporary, but can do stuff while they exist at your command (the last are not too far from Astral Constructs in psionics, now I think on it). Later expansions made these guys able to act on their own programs.
This could be extrapolated to illusions with awareness (so could act as spies and report to you later, for instance), as opposed to illusions that act as if they have awareness (so can't act as spies, as they are not conscious - sorta like constructs, I guess).
So what else is out there in the wacky world of illusions? What else have game systems done with them? This could be any game system at all, mind. I am just looking for alternatives. I am trying to draw as much info as possible because I have never found something that satisfies me 100%, although many have been quite good. And I understand that illusions (beyond holograms/sensory hallucinations) are a headache for game designers.
