Author Topic: Magic and Technology  (Read 72110 times)

Offline Rel Fexive

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Re: Magic and Technology
« Reply #90 on: April 19, 2007, 06:21:18 PM »
If nothing else, the fact that one one has done it in the books yet is a pointer to the chances of success.
THE DOCTOR: I'll do a thing.
RIVER SONG: What thing?
THE DOCTOR: I don't know. It's a thing in progress. Respect the thing!

Offline cybrgrl

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Re: Magic and Technology - encircling the Blue Beetle
« Reply #91 on: April 19, 2007, 11:52:26 PM »
So just get a couple of extra bumpers to attach to the doors to make a full circle of bumpers. And it would be extra safe if someone tries to run Harry off the road.

LOL!  It would be safer! Nobody would cut off a car with bumpers on every side.  ;-)

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Offline Slife

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Re: Magic and Technology
« Reply #92 on: April 23, 2007, 01:57:42 AM »
If nothing else, the fact that one one has done it in the books yet is a pointer to the chances of success.

That's what Iago said about healing.  [/WN teaser]
Rule one of magic:  Never, ever, under any circumstances, trust someone named "Morningstar".

Offline Rel Fexive

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Re: Magic and Technology
« Reply #93 on: April 23, 2007, 07:15:01 PM »
Heh, true ;)

I'm really not sure the circle-around-the-car thing would work.  The whole idea is to insulate the car from the wizard, right?  If you put them both in the circle it won't achieve anything.  The "magic sink" (as opposed to heat sink) would be the better option.

That or having a driver and a stretch limo.  Keep the wizard as far from the most important working parts as possible ;)
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Offline Slife

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Re: Magic and Technology
« Reply #94 on: May 11, 2007, 06:46:31 PM »
Just had a funny thought...
If Harry wanted to work around computers, he'd probably need a circle for any long period.  And the circle would probably have to be made out of the same things a computers to allow him to use keyboards and stuff.  So what's a computer made of?  Silicon, plastic and copper wiring.  Of course, he'd have to find a way to use it without any hands...

"Harry, is that-"
"It's my portable murphionic field dampening device.  Very sophisticated."
"It looks like a hula hoop with some wires taped on."
Rule one of magic:  Never, ever, under any circumstances, trust someone named "Morningstar".

Offline Soulless Mystic5523

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Re: Magic and Technology
« Reply #95 on: May 12, 2007, 10:02:47 PM »
Just had a funny thought...
If Harry wanted to work around computers, he'd probably need a circle for any long period.  And the circle would probably have to be made out of the same things a computers to allow him to use keyboards and stuff.  So what's a computer made of?  Silicon, plastic and copper wiring.  Of course, he'd have to find a way to use it without any hands...

"Harry, is that-"
"It's my portable murphionic field dampening device.  Very sophisticated."
"It looks like a hula hoop with some wires taped on."

He could just use a handful of ribbon wires connected end to end.
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Offline The Doctor

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Re: Magic and Technology
« Reply #96 on: May 13, 2007, 07:59:39 PM »
He could just use a handful of ribbon wires connected end to end.
What about the magical equivalent of telekinesis?  He might not be able to touch type, but he might be able to manage point-and-click (as opposed to search-and-destroy).
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Offline Samldanach

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Re: Magic and Technology
« Reply #97 on: May 14, 2007, 11:13:59 AM »
He could just use a handful of ribbon wires connected end to end.

Nah, that's too practical.

The hula hoop is much more classic Dresden style....


Offline Elaikases

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Re: Magic and Technology
« Reply #98 on: May 25, 2007, 10:57:39 AM »
What about the magical equivalent of telekinesis?  He might not be able to touch type, but he might be able to manage point-and-click (as opposed to search-and-destroy).

Err, how does he do it without breaching the circle?
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Offline Rel Fexive

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Re: Magic and Technology
« Reply #99 on: May 26, 2007, 03:10:10 PM »
And wouldn't the magic telekinesis mess with the computer anyway, defying the whole point of the exercise?
THE DOCTOR: I'll do a thing.
RIVER SONG: What thing?
THE DOCTOR: I don't know. It's a thing in progress. Respect the thing!

Offline The Corvidian

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Re: Magic and Technology
« Reply #100 on: June 07, 2007, 03:09:45 AM »
What if you bought an EMP hardened computer?
Clarke's Third Law: Sufficently advanced technology is indistinguishable from magic.

Niven's Converse to Clarke's 3rd Law: Sufficently analyzed magic is indistinguishable from science.

Offline Lord Nedd

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Re: Magic and Technology
« Reply #101 on: June 07, 2007, 05:59:38 AM »
What if you bought an EMP hardened computer?

It is not clear that the murphyonic field that Wizards put out is EM based.  The problem is that every tool they use to test for it gets fried.  Butter seems to think that perhaps the field is EM.  But we don't really know the cause.

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Offline Soulless Mystic5523

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Re: Magic and Technology
« Reply #102 on: June 24, 2007, 09:11:26 PM »
It is not clear that the murphyonic field that Wizards put out is EM based.  The problem is that every tool they use to test for it gets fried.  Butter seems to think that perhaps the field is EM.  But we don't really know the cause.

-LN
But we do know that some electronics are more resistant to magic than others. IE.The lights in the cave in White Night are a good example. Harry even mentions how they must have spent some good money on the lighting system to last so long.
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Offline Lord Nedd

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Re: Magic and Technology
« Reply #103 on: June 25, 2007, 04:07:23 PM »
But we do know that some electronics are more resistant to magic than others. IE.The lights in the cave in White Night are a good example. Harry even mentions how they must have spent some good money on the lighting system to last so long.

Sure, it is a question of simplicity of moving parts.  The more comlex the tool, the fast it fries.  We still don't know why, though...

-LN
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Offline mikeryan

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Re: Magic and Technology
« Reply #104 on: June 25, 2007, 05:03:28 PM »
Sure, it is a question of simplicity of moving parts.  The more comlex the tool, the fast it fries.  We still don't know why, though...

-LN

When the game comes out, I'll have to pitch it to folks who aren't Dresden fans yet. So I've been thinking of how to pitch this. Otherwise I expect to hear things like "that's stupid and just an cop out way of artificially balancing wizards against non-wizards."

The explanation that I'm leaning towards is that since wizards can bend reality with their will, reality is constantly in flux near them. This isn't usually noticeable to the naked eye, but electronics and complicated mechanical devices can't handle the variations. Hope that'll work.