Reply to thread

Message

<blockquote data-quote="Terramotus" data-source="post: 4007693" data-attributes="member: 7220">It isn't necessarily a ripoff just because it mimics something from the real world.&nbsp; There's a reason why the development of things like aircraft and trains and the telegraph changed the world - they're horrendously useful.&nbsp; Anything that allows you to transport goods without using muscle power, especially if it's several orders of magnitude stronger than muscle power, is going to get used to its maximum extent.&nbsp; And likely the people who control those means will control the world.&nbsp; Much like the dragonmarked houses.&nbsp; Take away the rail, and the lightning rail isn't a train anymore...&nbsp; it's cars instead.&nbsp; Still mirrors the real world. Communication is so central to the human experience that one could accurately say that there would be no such thing as civilization or culture without it.&nbsp; Anything that allows more rapid communication will be quickly adopted.&nbsp; Witness the rise of cell phones and the internet.The reason why trains, planes, and telegraphs are in Eberron is because they're &quot;broken&quot;.&nbsp; No culture would ever NOT want to use these things if they were available.&nbsp; Any source of power, be it magic or fossil fuels or steam, or whatever will be turned towards these means eventually.&nbsp; And magic seems exceptionally suited.&nbsp; If you don't want these things, you kind of need to state why such things are not possible within the magic system.Heck, if I were running an Eberron campaign, one of the elements in there would be a Cannith scion who wants to take the creation forge technology and combine it with the elemental power sources of the lightning rail / airships and create automated factories and mass production.</blockquote>

[QUOTE="Terramotus, post: 4007693, member: 7220"] It isn't necessarily a ripoff just because it mimics something from the real world. There's a reason why the development of things like aircraft and trains and the telegraph changed the world - they're horrendously useful. Anything that allows you to transport goods without using muscle power, especially if it's several orders of magnitude stronger than muscle power, is going to get used to its maximum extent. And likely the people who control those means will control the world. Much like the dragonmarked houses. Take away the rail, and the lightning rail isn't a train anymore... it's cars instead. Still mirrors the real world. Communication is so central to the human experience that one could accurately say that there would be no such thing as civilization or culture without it. Anything that allows more rapid communication will be quickly adopted. Witness the rise of cell phones and the internet. The reason why trains, planes, and telegraphs are in Eberron is because they're "broken". No culture would ever NOT want to use these things if they were available. Any source of power, be it magic or fossil fuels or steam, or whatever will be turned towards these means eventually. And magic seems exceptionally suited. If you don't want these things, you kind of need to state why such things are not possible within the magic system. Heck, if I were running an Eberron campaign, one of the elements in there would be a Cannith scion who wants to take the creation forge technology and combine it with the elemental power sources of the lightning rail / airships and create automated factories and mass production. [/QUOTE]

Verification