A few specific questions about my magic system

[BWFoster78]

Well, you obviously have a very clear idea of your magic system in your mind and you like to keep it that way, no matter what other people are saying. I'm not attacking you this at all, I'm feeling the same way about my own.

I understand what you're saying. I started this thread asking for help figuring out my magic system. Based on some of the responses, I was able to direct my research in a specific direction. Based on that research, I was able to resolve the original problem. I'm now quite happy with the system; it's much better and more well-defined than the original concept.

At first glance, this looks extremely complicated as many people including myself have already written. This doesn't mean that it can't work if you do it well, but it might be difficult to explain it to a reader without confusing them. Might be, if you do it well it doesn't have to be.

It's not as complicated as you think. Also, please keep in mind that a fantasy novel doesn't have to completely explain everything, be it history or the magic system, as long as consistency is maintained. The understanding I gained from the way I redefined the system will help me keep it consistent, rather I explain in detail to the reader or not. For example, the technology level in my universe isn't advanced enough for them to understand nuclear energy, so why would I ever bring it up?

If you really want to have answers concerning this, it might be more useful if you posted an actual scene with your magic in the Showcase so we would see how it's working out within the story.

I may do that when I rewrite those scenes. It's not a huge priority for me at this point, however.

One thing however: The "life energy" is still standing out as something problematic, especially if you're going for a very scientific apporach which seems to be quite important to you. It's more something that would belong in a more, well, magical setting. Everything else are actual forms of energy while life energy is not.

I think you're misunderstanding. I can break the rules of physics however I want as long as I know I'm breaking the rules, remain consistent, and provide an explanation. In my universe, "life" is a form of energy. People in my book live because the flow of life into them is greater than the flow out. They die because more life energy is draining than can be replaced.

That's the great thing about a fantasy setting, I can set the universe up however I want. I can say that gravity acts in reverse of how it works here. As long as I consider the consequences, make sure the reader understands this fundemental difference, and stay consistent, it works.

In my universe, physics works pretty much as it does here except I'm adding "life" as a form of energy.

If I read a book containing advanced physics in the background, this would put me off.

Sorry you feel that way, but not much I can do about your personal preferences.

One small thing: What's supposed to make kinetic and potential energy different from "mechanic energy"? At least as far as I remember physics class, mechanics mainly deals with objects in motion, falling etc.

Upon further reflection, I'm probably going to remove mechanical energy as a potential mage type. Mechanical devices don't create energy as much as they convert it from one form to another.

The fact that energy forms can change might pose some difficulties for your system as well, such as chemical energy being transfered into thermal energy during combustion. Which kinds of energy would fall under the power of your heat mages for example? The heat of fire is created by a chemical reaction, the heat of the sun is created by nuclear reactions happening there, the warmth within humans or animals once again through chemical reactions and so on. Where do you draw the line between different mages' fields?

The mage has the power to create, manipulate, and destroy energy using magic. A heat mage can make heat from an object disappear, making its temperature go down to absolute zero, or transfer a lot of thermal energy into an object making it melt. The intense heat might cause a chemical reaction that causes the object to burst into flame, but the heat mage cannot manipulate the flame itself. A heat mage could combat a chemical mage by removing heat from fires, putting them out. The chemical mage can create heat by making a fire but cannot otherwise transfer heat into an object directly and can't pull heat out of an object. As long as I keep the difference between the manipulation of thermal energy and the manipulation of chemical energy straight in my head, I should have no problem keeping the lines between the mages powers clear.

I'm not sure this explanation is going to be good enough for you, but the change of energy from one form to another isn't going to have a lot of impact. Just because a chemical mage can't create heat directly doesn't mean he can't produce something that produces heat. If a chemical mage wants more heat, he has to pour more and more magic into a fire. If the heat mage wants more heat, he simply converts magic directly.

Does that make sense?

I do appreciate your interest. Thanks.

 

[Queshire]

Ah, you're wrong about one thing, sure you can make up whatever you want when it comes to fantasy things, but you have to keep in mind the reader's willing suspension of disbelief. There's only so much you can do before they just go "no, just no, it doesn't work that way" and put the book down. Now, if you're just writing to write that's fine, but most of us write so that somebody reads it. After reading about using relatively believable physics for most of your magic, suddenly reading about the much more fantastical life energy might be too much for the average reader.

The fact is, that you don't seem to be consitent in focusing on your magic, going from the physics ruled rest of the magic to life magic.

Honestly, I don't have a much of a problem with it myself, but you should just keep that in consideration.

 

[BWFoster78]

Ah, you're wrong about one thing, sure you can make up whatever you want when it comes to fantasy things, but you have to keep in mind the reader's willing suspension of disbelief. There's only so much you can do before they just go "no, just no, it doesn't work that way" and put the book down. Now, if you're just writing to write that's fine, but most of us write so that somebody reads it. After reading about using relatively believable physics for most of your magic, suddenly reading about the much more fantastical life energy might be too much for the average reader.

The fact is, that you don't seem to be consitent in focusing on your magic, going from the physics ruled rest of the magic to life magic.

Honestly, I don't have a much of a problem with it myself, but you should just keep that in consideration.

I appreciate your concern. I'm willing to take the risk. Thanks again for your interest.