[OOC] ATLAS (A True Cooperative Worldbuilding & Roleplay Game)

[Rhymer]

I don't have a premise picked out yet, BUT I might just leave this here:

relevant

Any sufficiently advanced technology is indistinguishable from magic.

- Arthur C. Clarke

[Duck]

Any sufficiently advanced technology is indistinguishable from magic.

@Rhymer

I'm with you. I just think it'd be cool with real techno-mages is all.

[VitaVitaAR]

The thing with that is to follow it you'd be going do pure sci-fi and it'd probably be pretty soft sci-fi.

If we're doing magic, it's going to be magic, since the consensus doesn't appear to be pure and very soft sci-fi.

[Duck]

The thing with that is to follow it you'd be going do pure sci-fi and it'd probably be pretty soft sci-fi.

If we're doing magic, it's going to be magic, since the consensus doesn't appear to be pure and very soft sci-fi.

@VitaVitaAR

Why couldn't it be magic just because you need gadgets to use it? Is Harry Potter sci-fi because they need to use wands in order to perform magic? Maybe our bodies aren't really suited to this fantastical force, but science has given us the chance to wield it (which could also add a dilemma to the plot - are we meant to use it?). Magic is magic is magic, similar but different in every story that has ever used it, involving technology or not.

EDIT: What does "soft" sci-fi even mean?

[VitaVitaAR]

<Snipped quote by VitaVitaAR>

Why couldn't it be magic just because you need gadgets to use it? Is Harry Potter sci-fi because they need to use wands in order to perform magic? Maybe our bodies aren't really suited to this fantastical force, but science has given us the chance to wield it (which could also add a dilemma to the plot - are we meant to use it?). Magic is magic is magic, similar but different in every story that has ever used it, involving technology or not.

EDIT: What does "soft" sci-fi even mean?

@Duck

That's what I mean, we're doing magitech, not pure sci-fi. ^^;

"Soft" sci-fi is stuff like, um... Star Wars, where it's not at all based around realism.

[Duck]

Then I don't see what the fuss is about. Magic is still magic regardless of whether you need technology to use it or not.

[Rhymer]

Then I don't see what the fuss is about. Magic is still magic regardless of whether you need technology to use it or not.

@Duck

No fuss at all. I think Mr. Clarke was talking about the perception of the people in the world. Like in star trek when they beam down to a planet that doesn't know about transporters... they simply think it's magic. Or the Aztecs mistaking Cortez for a god. It was meant to inspire more than conflagerate-my bad lol.

[Duck]

<Snipped quote by Duck>

No fuss at all. I think Mr. Clarke was talking about the perception of the people in the world. Like in star trek when they beam down to a planet that doesn't know about transporters... they simply think it's magic. Or the Aztecs mistaking Cortez for a god. It was meant to inspire more than conflagerate-my bad lol.

@Rhymer

I do not mean, in any way, that you're the source of the fuss. I understood completely.

[VitaVitaAR]

I misunderstood what was being said, I wasn't trying to make a fuss.

[Duck]

I misunderstood what was being said, I wasn't trying to make a fuss.

@VitaVitaAR

Alrighty then, seems I misunderstood you in turn :)

EDIT

So we're pretty clear about the premise then? Magitech space adventures? Would someone care to phrase that nicely? :P

[Rhymer]

<Snipped quote by VitaVitaAR>

Alrighty then, seems I misunderstood you in turn :)

EDIT

So we're pretty clear about the premise then? Magitech space adventures? Would someone care to phrase that nicely? :P

@Duck

Yes and we can move on to timeline

[VitaVitaAR]

Hmm, okay, let's see, timeline...

Well, I think a definite is humanity using magic to reach the stars.

[Duck]

Hmm... The starting point could be the discovery of "mana" (or whatever we want to call magical energy/whatever). Maybe humanity (if it is them we are following) thought they were on the verge of discovering some source of power, but got more than they bargained for, more than they had ever dared dream of. Through science, they found something that defies science.

[TalijaKey]

For timeline, hm... *goes to check first page to see what of the timeline point was asked*
So from when do we start and when do we end...

1) after the earth destruction a few good centuries, so colonies and such are established.
then we get a conflict, maybe a war which roots lie in history and till then everything was status quo. And end some years later either with peace or disposing the thread pullers for the war. -insert some organisation-

2) Or maybe a golden age. we start with the efects of discovering magic by science and the first wizards. Exploitation of the magic. The first organisation/school. First colonies. And end it with earth being in shambles/ruined and colonies being the only place for surviving.

both ideas are if we gonna destroy earth XP

3) A far further, Earth is basically the holy lands. No one lives there anymore, as it heavily protected by -insert organisation of order-. Why would they protect it? We can use that idea for powering magitech. It has to be from earth(farming plants XP? for low tech, and water for mid and maybe ores/dirt for high tech?). So there is a monopoly. Have space pirates who steal and plunder the transport ships, have rebels. Maybe add that dilemma if we should use magic, or return to live on earth. All conflicts happen and we end it with the resolution of all those conflicts?

4) The dark lord raises again to finish what he/she started. //shot for Harry Poter and star wars references all in one XD Well maybe the first time around earth survived but the second time it got destroyed?

[Duck]

2) Or maybe a golden age. we start with the efects of discovering magic by science and the first wizards. Exploitation of the magic. The first organisation/school. First colonies. And end it with earth being in shambles/ruined and colonies being the only place for surviving.

@TalijaKey

This I like.

[Rhymer]

I think we should start with the destruction of Earth and end with humanity finding a 'new home'.

[VitaVitaAR]

I'll be honest and say that I don't really like the direction this is heading in right now.

Um, I don't really think it's necessary to destroy the Earth or anything like that. Honestly I feel like that kind of damages worldbuilding potential, especially if we focus on refugees rather then having established colonies and stuff like that. Also, since this is magitech, I feel like we could go with a less "gritty" setting and do something a bit more "fun"?

It doesn't have to be about monopolies and an Earth getting drained of resources or something, and I honestly think having Earth and a fair amount of colonies allows for a lot more worldbuilding potential anyway.

[Rin]

Was trying to figure out how to say that myself, really. There's plenty of room for conflict without making things as dark and gritty as possible.

[xCRAZYxFACEx]

Earth in shambles no bueno.

But otherwise, I'm liking it. So start with the discovery of magic through technology. Next would be a golden age of expansion. Then we'd need conflict of some type, whether natural or human made, to end the golden age.

Off the top of my head, maybe because of the distances involved, magitech evolves on different paths, leading to differences in philosophy. Some would focus on augmenting humans themselves with magitech, and others would focus on changing worlds and environments. One side that has god like individuals, and one side that has the power to create nearly anything.

Good for a jumping off point?

[Duck]

Maybe people start doing crazy shit with magic, or conflict arise around the hows and whys of magical practice.