The Dresden Files > DFRPG

Magic and Technology

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TMW:
Well yes, it has been done before.  But how would it work within the magic system for the Dresden files, is what I'm asking.

johntfs:

--- Quote ---Well yes, it has been done before.  But how would it work within the magic system for the Dresden files, is what I'm asking.
--- End quote ---

It wouldn't.  You can be a tech guy, or you can be a wizard, but you can't be both.  At least not in Jim Butcher's world. 

That said, a wizard's handicap opens up some fairly good options for mortal players.  Sure, your wizard can throw fireballs, but he can't perform a simple internet search without making his PC explode.

Kalium:
Well, we don't conclusively know that. The only wizard we've seen anywhere near high tech stuff is Harry, and we know he's not a fair representative for all magedom.

finarvyn:

--- Quote from: Kalium on June 19, 2006, 05:41:37 AM ---Well, we don't conclusively know that. The only wizard we've seen anywhere near high tech stuff is Harry, and we know he's not a fair representative for all magedom.

--- End quote ---
Not conclusively, but...

If you plan to create a simulation of a literary world it often helps to look at examples from that world and build your simulation around that. With each book Jim adds a few new twists and elements to his world, but as a game designer that can be dangerous because it might not fit the big picture.

For example, look at Middle-earth:
1. Tolkien no longer can add to the world, so the picture is more clear. At least he can't change his mind.
2. Like Harry, Gandalf may be an exception to the rule. In Middle-earth this is because maiar (like Gandalf) are sort of like angels and each sems unique (the 5 wizards had differing abilities), plus Gandalf has one of the three great elven rings to assist him.
3. Gandalf has certain types of magic (fire, for example) but we notice that most of his magic is subtle and changes a process rather than crazy blasting magic. To use a "traditional" spell system for Middle-earth with a gaudy spell list, certain number of spells per day, and so on, would strip much of the life away from wizards in this world. That's just not the way they operate, so running a game that way doesn't work right. Would we want a "first lavel maiar" in the game?

Harry's world can be looked at in much the same way:
1. Jim clearly isn't dead and is still writing, so he may be adding twists as we go. This world still evolves, which makes our simulation very tricky.
2. Lots of people say that Harry is the exception, but in what way? Are all wizards different, and if so just how different? Harry has access to some non-traditional magic (for his world) and so we may not ever know how much is Harry and how much is the other stuff.
3. We have seen no examples of magic style X, but it may pop up in the next book. We don't want to rob the setting of its flavor, but if Jim doesn't use something we should be careful before we assume it should be in there.

So ... in my opinion we use Harry as the main template. Wizards mess up technology. Could there be a techno-mage (for example)? My answer is "no", unless Jim decides to put one in. In that case, we revise the model.  ;)

Just my two cents.

rdonoghue:
Actually, I am under the impression that Ramirez is even more tech-friendly than Harry is, but that's just an inference.

Honestly, I had a working theory for a while that the key of magic and technology was all about the wizard's level of _understanding_.  The wizard had to trust and understand somethings innards to not create a conflict with it.  This correlates soemwhat with simiplicity, but it also moves forward with age - there is tech that Harry can use because he has more of a natural understanding of it than an older wizard would, and a younger wizard, growing up now, may have even fewer problems.  it means that ebenezar's truck runs because it's one of those good old fashioned ones that he could take apart and put back together with tools in his barn if he needed.  He _knows_ every piece of it, and as such, nothing will go mysteriously wrong as a result of magic - there's no mystery to it. 

Not only did it work pretty well, it opened up a lot of possibilities in terms of what the trade off between magic and tech really is - can you be a good electrical engineer and still also have the time to learn to be a wizard? If so, could it open new an interesting vistas?  I had a lot of fun thinking about it.


Unfortunately, I was wrong.  Sad, but such is life.

-Rob D.

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