Nanoha FanFiction Discussion

[DezoPenguin]

Originally Posted by synaesthetic

We've already seen the mages operate on planets that are not Earth--including a desert world that probably doesn't even have an oxygen atmosphere...

... and Nanoha passes out by flying too high?

hurrdurrhurr.

The whole "Rock Beats Laser" bit was difficult for me to overcome, due to many scenes in false light, so I created the linear rifles. Well, not really created, but borrowed from other sci-fi.

The linear rifles are essentially small mass drivers. They accelerate tiny (2mm) tungsten-iron slugs to many times the speed of sound, using a mana cell as a power source for the linear accelerator. They were developed, along with "mana guns" to allow non-mages to combat mages, at least to some degree.

(The weapons used by the Unit Epsilon protomages are a weird blend of a linear rifle and a mana gun--they use a magnetic accelerator to fire streams of raw magic.)

Much more powerful than your average modern assault rifle, but your average Bureau mage's kinetic barrier can withstand a moderate number of direct hits from the weapon before falling. The stronger canon characters' barriers can (and did in the fic) block full-auto barrages of linear rifle fire.

One thing I like about the linear rifle idea is that it was created in-universe by weapons designers who actually had access to test data about how barrier jackets work and could conceivably construct their items to have the kind of effect that they have in-story, as opposed to just saying "magic sucks and bullets rule." (Ironically, the Unit Epsilon weapons rather strongly resemble the effect of Nanoha's Strike Cannon in Force.)

Edit: Whoa, again? Pageclaim for powerful mages not sucking against conventional weaponry and rock otherwise not beating laser.

[Jimmy C]

Originally Posted by synaesthetic

(The weapons used by the Unit Epsilon protomages are a weird blend of a linear rifle and a mana gun--they use a magnetic accelerator to fire streams of raw magic.)

I'm sorry, but that doesn't work. You can only use magnets to accelerate things that can be magnetized. Raw magic is nonmagnetic. You might as well say you're using magnets to accelerate neutrons.

[Tiresias]

Originally Posted by synaesthetic

The linear rifles are essentially small mass drivers. They accelerate tiny (2mm) tungsten-iron slugs to many times the speed of sound, using a mana cell as a power source for the linear accelerator. They were developed, along with "mana guns" to allow non-mages to combat mages, at least to some degree.

So basically, something to allow the army of mooks to give the heroes a decent challenge

(The weapons used by the Unit Epsilon protomages are a weird blend of a linear rifle and a mana gun--they use a magnetic accelerator to fire streams of raw magic.)

Wait. Unless mana can be affected by magnetism, I don't see how a magnetic accelerator can be used to propel raw magic. . Mana Accelerator might be a better term.

[RadiantBeam]

Originally Posted by synaesthetic

So, while simultaneously being very sick and feeling like shit, I have started the tweak & edit process of false light.

I did have an interesting plot bunny gnaw on my foot as I did this, however.

Would anyone be interested in hearing Abraham Stele's origin story?

...

Please. Pretty please. Pretty please with sugar on top.

[Rising Dragon]

I imagine the linear rifles synae speaks of can do that because, well... magic. :k

[RadiantBeam]

Originally Posted by Justin_Brett

So I'm reading that one fanfic, Crash the Test Dummy...

Just started reading simply for reference, and already I have a question... why, of all names, is the Device called Battery? Small thing, I know, but it bugs me.

[Justin_Brett]

I dunno. Why are they called Raising Heart and Bardiche?

[Rising Dragon]

Because Raising Heart used to have a heart in its design, and because Bardiche looks like, um, a bardiche.

Just sayin'.

[RadiantBeam]

They sound cool?

*shrug* Maybe it's just me. But it seems like an odd, jarring name to pick for a Device.

[Yasanagi]

Originally Posted by Tiresias

And I always prefer to blame Tsuzuki for all the (lack of) military professionalism in the TSAB, he and the series that inspired him

Maybe it's just easier to blame Tsuzuki for ruining the universe.

[Rising Dragon]

Originally Posted by RadiantBeam

They sound cool?

*shrug* Maybe it's just me. But it seems like an odd, jarring name to pick for a Device.

To be fair, finding a good name for a Device is a right pain in the ass. I'm sure you remember how much trouble I had when I came up with Lancel's name. >.>

[Justin_Brett]

Or me calling a lightning-based Device Bolt.

[RadiantBeam]

Originally Posted by Yasanagi

Maybe it's just easier to blame Tsuzuki for ruining the universe.

It's pretty clear that Tsuzuki lost control of the universe at some point and gave up trying to get it back on track. Certainly causes a headache when it comes to the finer point of certain aspects of the universe.

[synaesthetic]

Originally Posted by RadiantBeam

Just started reading simply for reference, and already I have a question... why, of all names, is the Device called Battery? Small thing, I know, but it bugs me.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Out-of-battery

"Battery" is a military term regarding whether or not a weapon (generally an artillery piece) is in the correct mechanical and physical position to fire.

Coming up with the name for Celica's Device wasn't terribly easy, either. Signum's Device was named after a mythical sword--so I named Celica's Device after a historical sword. Tizona is one of the swords belonging to the Spanish hero El Cid.

[Tiresias]

Originally Posted by Rising Dragon

To be fair, finding a good name for a Device is a right pain in the ass.

And using mythology as inspiration doesn't always help. Most named mythic weapons are melee types, so those wanting to name their ranged devices will have to be more creative.

Originally Posted by Yasanagi

Maybe it's just easier to blame Tsuzuki for ruining the universe.

Originally Posted by RadiantBeam

It's pretty clear that Tsuzuki lost control of the universe at some point and gave up trying to get it back on track. Certainly causes a headache when it comes to the finer point of certain aspects of the universe.

Hmm? But I thought many fanfic writers consider it their holy duty to try to fill in certain aspects of the verse? Here alone there are many fics that focus on things untouched by canon (especially romance)

[synaesthetic]

Originally Posted by Jimmy C

I'm sorry, but that doesn't work. You can only use magnets to accelerate things that can be magnetized. Raw magic is nonmagnetic. You might as well say you're using magnets to accelerate neutrons.

Uh...

A Wizard Did It!

In all seriousness, not that I'm really arguing, but magic doesn't work at all, so pointing out that it's not affected by magnetic fields is kind of silly.

Secondly, how do you know goopy liquefied mystic matter can't be affected by magnetism? Have you ever held any to a magnet and it didn't stick?!

Huh?! Huh?!



Edit: There actually are particle accelerators that can accelerate neutrons...

Edit 2: Okay, my seriousness did not last long.

[Rising Dragon]

Originally Posted by Tiresias

And using mythology as inspiration doesn't always help. Most named mythic weapons are melee types, so those wanting to name their ranged devices will have to be more creative.

Using Laevatein as a reference, I just reserve mythological weapon names for combat-oriented Armed Devices--one of the other characters in my fic will be using a device named Tyrfing.

Naming Intelligent Devices are where it gets tricky. And I don't even want to consider trying to name a Boost Device.

[RadiantBeam]

Originally Posted by Tiresias

Hmm? But I thought many fanfic writers consider it their holy duty to try to fill in certain aspects of the verse? Here alone there are many fics that focus on things untouched by canon (especially romance)

Certainly true. But it gets annoying when you're trying to deal with small details of, say, how the TSAB operates, or when it was funded, or the general timeline of the universe as a whole, and it's a confusing mess because Tsuzuki never saw fit to really try and straighten it out.

[Tiresias]

Originally Posted by synaesthetic

Uh...

A Wizard Did It!
:

That's why you should just stick to Mana Accelerator instead. There's no Mana IRL so you wouldn't have to worry about having the description be rebuked by so-called experts

Originally Posted by Rising Dragon

Using Laevatein as a reference, I just reserve mythological weapon names for combat-oriented Armed Devices--one of the other characters in my fic will be using a device named Tyrfing.

Naming Intelligent Devices are where it gets tricky. And I don't even want to consider trying to name a Boost Device.

IIRC Levantine Laevatien Signum's device is an ID too. Or Were you talking about purely support ID's? Hmm, maybe using mythical sages for theme naming would work?

Originally Posted by RadiantBeam

Certainly true. But it gets annoying when you're trying to deal with small details of, say, how the TSAB operates, or when it was funded, or the general timeline of the universe as a whole, and it's a confusing mess because Tsuzuki never saw fit to really try and straighten it out.

IIRC there's a (not complete, but better than nothing) timeline in the Q&A thread which includes when the TSAB was founded...but there's no mention on who funded them (which would be a very interesting detail to know)

But yes, it's irritating on just how few the details are available to us...which is why I

Originally Posted by Tiresias

blame Tsuzuki

and

the series that inspired him

for

all the (lack of) military professionalism in the TSAB,

and how

the few depictions of the TSAB on the series (Organization Structure, Force Deployment, Doctrines, Squad Tactics) were decent proof that they're not the brightest military minds in the universe

[synaesthetic]

Originally Posted by Tiresias

That's why you should just stick to Mana Accelerator instead. There's no Mana IRL so you wouldn't have to worry about having the description be rebuked by so-called experts

True, however, I felt it was actually better to simply not explain the inner workings of the protomages' weapons in the fic itself. It'll come up as a plot point in the next story so I have to kick some ideas around as to how these primitive magitech weapons would function.

Edit: Laevateinn is actually an Armed Device. Signum even says so onscreen to Fate.