2014-04-22, 10:47 | Link #41 | |
Reader, thinker, Retard
Join Date: Apr 2014
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Yes i agree some things can be changed by simpler terms, but in this universe the author makes magic a science, and having some complicated things its need to make it look like a science and be a science. Some times you have to re read parts of the novels because you lose track on notions and terms, i guess the fact that magic is a science its what makes this universe so interesting. |
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2014-04-23, 03:17 | Link #42 |
Senior Member
Join Date: Dec 2005
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Well, you could describe the series in RPG terms easily, but part of the appeal is the more unique terminology that isn't completely bizarre. Although I guess I'm confused on if you're just saying the technobabble is a tad too much, or if you're actually requesting a simplified explanation of the magic and tech.
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2014-04-23, 03:48 | Link #43 |
Princess or Plunderer?
Join Date: May 2009
Location: the Philippines
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Both, actually. But I understand how the author is trying to illustrate as something that can't just be explained in layman's terms since he is trying to make magic as a science.
Unfortunately, that makes this series a bit troublesome to read because of the too much running around the bush.
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2014-04-23, 08:58 | Link #44 | |
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Join Date: Apr 2014
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The troublesome part starts when the author tries to give a scientific definition to those terms like what is it, how is it formed, how does it work. And trying to put scientific definitions like this to some terms that so far have been fantasy its a bit confusing. What else adds to the confusion is adding physics and chemistry processes to the mix. Like i`ll try to make a comparison : In a fantasy way: magicians uses mana to create a fireball and shot it at the enemy. Simple right no headache. IN mahouka things get a lot more complicated: Magician uses psions to construct a activation sequence(a blueprint for the spell) then he uses the blue print to create the spell. But the spell is just a set of different physics/chemical phenomena to create a desired effect, phenomena like gravity, mass, acceleration, inertia,speed,kinetic energy,thermal energy, electrical energy,drag,reflection,refraction etc. For example to create a fireball spell you will need things like heat,fuel,gravity etc In order to create the "fireball" you will need fuel so one needs to separate or create and gather hydrogen and oxygen molecules from the air, then uses gravity to gather those together and keep them in a contained form (a sphere), after that uses a acceleration to increase the speed of those molecules in the sphere, by increasing the speed of the particles there, the molecules are smashing each other and converting the kinetic energy into thermal energy resulting in an increase of temperature(maxwell and boltzman theory on gases), when the temperature reaches the ignition point of the hydrogen the hydrogen will ignite and start to burn forming the fireball. After the fireball is formed then the magician needs to move the fire ball towards a destination, this is accomplished by adding a move vector to the fireball in order to start moving it towards the destination,after that can apply an acceleration vector to increase its speed. This is just an explanation on how much pain in the ass and a headache is when you try to explain magic through science.... gave myself a headache just coming up with this nonsense. |
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2014-04-23, 13:39 | Link #46 | |
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Join Date: Apr 2014
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well you think science is complicated, i guess mixing up science and magic its down right insane lol |
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2014-04-23, 13:42 | Link #47 | |
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Join Date: Jul 2013
Location: UK
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- In this novel Magic is now a field of science, where 'Super Powers' are studied and made into technology that everyone can use. - Insubstantial particles used for magic exist all around, and a person must have a certain level of innate talent for manipulating and gathering these special magic particles of this world. Those capable can go onto to study this field of science and can train to one day become, Magic Technician(Magicians). - The current main system of magic - Modern magic - uses electronic tools that store magic spells as data and have systems that can enhance the speed and making of magic spells, which happens much liking compiling computer software. These devices can be made portable and come in different shapes, like cellular phones or guns. They must be individually tailored to each magic technician's magical bio-readings. Magic technician's who specialize in creating software and equipment for magic, including their maintenance, are called Magic Engineers. - The process by which magic works starts by the Magic Technician choosing a spell on their device. They then feed gathered magic particles into their device to be processed/compiled into an impotent spell blueprint, which they must reabsorb. Their subconscious then takes the intent in their imagination and the spell blueprint to further produce a working magic spell. -In this novel there exists a parallel dimension used for magic. This dimension perfectly reflects the entire real world as just information data, and is composed entirely of magic particles. Magic spells work by altering the information held in this parallel dimension, and then the laws of this novel has reality alter itself to match the updated parallel data. Changes to the information held in the parallel dimension causes changes to occur in reality, as if by ..... Magic. As simple as I can personally force myself to make it. |
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2014-04-23, 14:50 | Link #48 | |
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Join Date: Apr 2014
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And i like how magic as a science relates to other sciences like physics and chemistry and not bypassing them and quite frankly i don`t want a simpler explanations for magic in this universe, its it a science and science is no easily understood, its vast and its complex and that's the beauty of it. |
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2014-04-23, 15:55 | Link #49 | |
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Join Date: Dec 2005
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Think of the setting as a JRPG. Someone's "max Psion count" is, as expected, their max MP. However, in this setting, every turn of combat, your MP naturally refills completely. Using magic in this setting is literally converting MP into the effect. Your MP can also be fiddled with, and some magics that fiddle with your MP do so to counter whatever magic you're trying to use -- that kind of magic is called Counter Magic. Every spell in this game has a minimum magical stat requirement to use it and has at least one magic type. You can think of these stat requirements as falling in to the following categories: - Magic Strength - Magic Complexity - MP cost Characters also have a Casting Speed stat, and magic also has a minimum Cast time required in order to take effect. There are also some abilities in this JRPG analogy. For example, one ability is called BS Magic. BS Magic's benefit lets you ignore requirements for whatever magic types are associated with it. However, it has a downside -- your magic stats are treated as lower for almost all other magic types, and it's usually low enough that you just can't use anything else. The only exception to this penalty is for magic that directly affects other people's MP and magic. So Tatsuya, the main character, has BS Magic (Decomposition, Regrowth). This dropped his magical stats for practically everything else to zero except for his Counter Magic and other MP manipulating abilities. Magic also uses focus items. Some magics, like Counter Magic, don't require a focus item and don't get a lot of benefit (if any) from using one. However, most magics do get a benefit -- usually by increasing the user's casting speed -- and you would have to be insane not to use one. Examples of focus items are wands or talismans. Out of the focus items available, an electronic type of focus item called a CAD is currently popular because it lowers MP cost, drastically increases Casting Speed by a huge percentage over other focus items AND reducing the minimum Cast time because of how the magic is prepared, and requires very little preparation by the user, letting most users actually use magic quickly. This benefit is so drastic that users are totally willing to deal with the hassle of needing to have their magic stored as electronic data, just to be able to cast more spells in the same amount of time. Generally, if someone's not using a CAD, it's because they have abilities that focus on whatever other type focus item they've decided to use, whether it be talismans, carvings, or whatnot. Otherwise, everyone uses a CAD. (I'm not really done...but figured I may as well post it before going further.) |
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2014-04-23, 19:25 | Link #50 | |
Princess or Plunderer?
Join Date: May 2009
Location: the Philippines
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Basically, the restraints present in using magic is the time it takes to cast one spell and the psions needed to cast the spell. Aside from that, magicians can cast anything as long as their CADs can keep up and they know what they are casting.
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2014-04-23, 19:27 | Link #51 | ||
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Witness the Air bullet spam (and Gram Demolition counter spam) in the Nine Schools Competition. MP's a non-factor in the series unless you're using something stupidly expensive in cost (like Gram Demolition). Stuff like getting exhausted from using too much magic can occur, but so far it's just a plot device. Edit: There are possible limits, but that hasn't really been explicit. For example, it's possible that you can only use up to a certain amount of your Magical Strength stat in a turn, so if you are planning on firing more than that limit, you have to make them all weaker. But we know that all spells coming from the same person have the same complexity because of the mention of the higher quality of Masaki's spells leading to a higher difficulty to blast apart with Gram Demolition compared to the magic of the other rabble. I do know that they have mentioned targeting limits per spell however, like Tatsuya having something in the 30s for what was either Mist Dispersal or his Far Strike, I think, and Miyuki having something in the 10s for Freeze Flame per Freeze Flame casting. There's nothing else to allow us to credibly say that it extends to everything else they can cast though. Last edited by Rava; 2014-04-23 at 19:48. |
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2014-04-23, 21:17 | Link #52 | |
Princess or Plunderer?
Join Date: May 2009
Location: the Philippines
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I still can't wrap my head around the concept of spammable magic in Mahouka. Sure, science can help in optimizing psion consumption and there seems to be a psion ceiling for each burst of spell usage, but I don't think that both the environment and this "magical alternate world" can actually keep up with the things happening in the real world.
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2014-04-23, 22:23 | Link #53 | |
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2014-04-23, 23:00 | Link #54 | |
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Join Date: Jul 2013
Location: UK
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But this world's setting isn't an actual video game, magic is a science that uses advanced technology to make the casting process more efficient. These people have actual peaceful day Jobs as Magic Technicians where they might have to use their magic all day. |
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2014-04-23, 23:03 | Link #55 | |
Seiso Academy Student
Graphic Designer
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2014-04-24, 00:51 | Link #57 |
Princess or Plunderer?
Join Date: May 2009
Location: the Philippines
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Guest2: Sure, it's not a video game, but it simulates the slow natural recovery rate of the human body. That's the reason why we can't do a lot of things at the same time without getting tired. All this technology catering the efficiency of psion usage seemed excessively convenient, and I personally wanted psions to be used intelligently even by high-level characters.
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2014-04-24, 02:12 | Link #58 | |
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Join Date: Feb 2014
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Anyways, Volume 3, chapter 5 Spoiler for Tats explains fatigue to Leo:
(Scale of magic sequences refer to how much processes an activation sequence has or basically, how complex the sequence is) Vol 12 ch 16, this shows the above applied Spoiler for Tomitsuka:
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2014-04-24, 03:07 | Link #60 | |
Senior Member
Join Date: Feb 2014
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To each their own. I'm pretty sure the book just isn't for you. There are explanations in Mahouka that are even more technical than that passage. The exposition and all the details is one of the best parts of mahouka for someone like me. |
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