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 Posted: Tue May 11, 2010 12:25 am
I would have preferred to name this
A Generalized Exploration of Non-Systematic Extra-Normal Abilities
but there's a limit to how long a topic's title can be To begin with, this thread seeks to explore the depths and quantify the thought processes, long term repercussions, and generally the considerations you should make in building an RP that allows for extra-normal abilities, and the characters that go into such a game. It should be noted that I'm not terribly good at being unbiased but this thread is not attempting to say any way of doing it is better than any other, but simply to look into the questions and explore the answers so that you can better decide what will fit your game/character. Additionally this thread does not pertain to structured magical systems (Systematic Extra-Normal Abilities, SENAs), any system that universally functions in a fairly reliable way and thus can be taught to anyone with the aptitude and capacity for it, in example, almost anything referred to as magic, specifically that of Harry Potter, Dragon Ball (Z, etc), or Lord of the Rings. In opposition Non-Systematic Extra-Normal Abilities (NENAs) which are highly unique to the individual wielding them and as such can not be taught, though tactics and knowledge pertaining to their use may apply to more than one. Part 1. Vocabulary. Given that we almost entirely make up everything that happens we as architects have a tendency to figure out our own way of naming things, which is fine, but for clarity I am going to define some things as I will be using them here. For the sake of me being an idiot this list will be developed through the writing of this document instead of upfront. Magic - What you get when you don't try to explain things at all; which is fine if that's how you want to do it, just know that not trying to explain things leaves the possiblity of loopholes, and those can destroy an RP, by accident or on purpose.
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Posted: Tue May 11, 2010 12:32 am
In, Out, or Both
Really, that's the first question. As I've been able to figure out all powers will generally fit into one of those two categories, and the rest fit into both of them. Introvert abilities effect the person using them directly, things such as enhanced strength, healing, resilience, speed, teleportation*, etc. Extrovert abilities effect the world around the person using them, things like throwing fireballs, shooting lasers, telekinesis, or almost any kinesis really, which just about covers everything, oh, and teleportation*.
Where it gets complicated is that there's usually a large number of ways to accomplish any feat, and how you go about it infers what else the same ability can do, for instance one of my RPs had a character who had the ability to manipulate her own biochemistry to the ends of enhanced speed and strength and accelerated healing, but if we had stopped to ask how she does it we may have found that she can effect other people's biochemistry as well, which would mean she in fact has an extrovert ability that is just normally being used on her own body, whereas introvert abilities can only be used on your own body.
*Teleportation is a prime example of 'it is what it is based on how it works', there are many, many ways to achieve teleportation, everything from wormholes to phase shift to time manipulation to magic. Wormholes, as we should all know by now, create a dimensional tunnel between two points in space/time, this means the ability is effecting space, extrovert. A number of magic based methods allow someone to simply stop being where they are and start being somewhere else. It's common for a teleportation ability to allow passengers, if it does, it's extrovert, if it doesn't, it's almost guaranteed to be introvert but there can be complicating circumstance like say "He can take passengers but there's a good chance they'll die in transit so he doesn't"
This might seem like it's getting too complicated and technical but there's the trick! You don't really need to figure out exactly how your power works, certainly not down to the chemical reactions it's based on. You just need to decide if it's introvert or extrovert, given the limits each places on your power. A theme I'll be trying to convey through this exploration is that the details don't matter nearly as much as their effects do, so you might as well jump to the effects
By the way, an example of both, say you have the ability to create a strong electrical charge inside your body, well then if you touched somebody that charge would dissipate to them, extrovert effect through introvert ability.
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Posted: Thu May 13, 2010 2:29 am
Create, Destroy, Effect
Everything comes down to those three things as well as the two previous things, like the previous these three are not exclusive.
Creation and destruction are really the same thing going in different directions, you're making something that wasn't there before or making something that was there not be there anymore. Simple as that. In my experience there are not many destruction abilities floating around, because regardless of what you're destroying there's really only one thing happening, things going away. Creation is by far more diverse, because in exact opposition to destruction it's all about the thing that's being created, not the fact that something's being destroyed.
There are numerous ways to achieve both, from the magical to the chemical to the trans-dimensional to quantum physics. Really, in that aspect it just doesn't matter unless you expect some sort of interference and then you need to lay out hot that works so you can figure out it's limits, but even then it doesn't matter much.
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