talkswithwind (![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png)
talkswithwind) wrote2015-09-08 08:27 am
talkswithwind) wrote2015-09-08 08:27 am
Entry tags:
Magic systems and world-building
Charles Stross had a guest-post on his blog recently, about magic system and the world-building process. In it, the author raises several questions they ask when doing the world-building.
I'd like to put forth another question to ask when considering a world with parallel magic and scientific systems:
Is the magic industrializable, or restricted to handi-crafts?
Because that's the difference between having levitating trains and mag-lev trains with enchanted room-temperature super-conductors as a key component. Really changes how the world looks.
If magic is restricted to handi-crafts, it means it's either The Secret Knowledge and isn't involved with science at all, or is used in industrial process in places were a bit of enchantment can do a lot of good. As in, streamlines the production of cell-phones, not used in cell-phones. That kind of thing.
I'd like to put forth another question to ask when considering a world with parallel magic and scientific systems:
Is the magic industrializable, or restricted to handi-crafts?
Because that's the difference between having levitating trains and mag-lev trains with enchanted room-temperature super-conductors as a key component. Really changes how the world looks.
If magic is restricted to handi-crafts, it means it's either The Secret Knowledge and isn't involved with science at all, or is used in industrial process in places were a bit of enchantment can do a lot of good. As in, streamlines the production of cell-phones, not used in cell-phones. That kind of thing.