Designing the Game play is one of the hardest and yet rewarding parts of game development. Perhaps of the most ambiguous parts of Project Rebirth is the Magic Based Game play intended for the project. In order to understand how we intend to use magic in game, we first have to understand the theory of magic Project Rebirth is based on. We draw our theory of Magic from the Manga Irregular at Magic High School, Mahouka Koukou no Rettousei. For those of you who haven’t read or watched this manga series, I suggest binge watching this on Netflix. So let drive into the new generation of magic head first.
For starters, gone are the wands, talismans, and incantations. Those who are able to use magic do so using Casting Assistant Device. This device incorporates synthetic materials (artificially manufactured Neurons) that convert Psion signals into electric signals, using the Psion from a magic ritual (sequence) to produce a collection of electronic magic — the Activation Sequence. CAD allows the processing of all the necessary components for magic in a single moment. In detail, these devices help accelerate the invocation of magic, as well as provide stability.There are CADs in different shapes or forms such as bracelet-shaped CADs, mobile terminal-shaped CADs, long and short gun-shaped CADs, rifle-shaped ones, and special weapons or ornaments that conceal a CAD.Although CADs show the superiority of modern magic, as it is a precise piece of machinery it requires regular maintenance involving the tuning of the machine to suit the traits of the user’s Psion waves. This is especially the case when dealing with the compatibility between the user’s Psion Wave Motions and the Receive-Release System. In this aspect, it is less useful than traditional mediums used in ancient magic. This makes it a requirement for the hardware and software of the CAD to be customized according to the user and its usage.
Modern Magic is categorized as systematic, non-systematic, outer-systematic, or sensory types. We farther divide this down into 4 System/8 Type magic,Speed, Weight”, “Movement, Vibration”, “Converge, Dissipate”, and “Absorb, Disperse”.
Speed Magic involves speeding up or slowing down the target, hence its name. A Magician can also use personal Speed Magic, allowing him to move at speeds surpassing human limits. Speed Magic directly alters the inertia of an object. Weight Magic involves the weight of objects, reducing or increasing it. It can help reduce the gravitational pull and allow for jumps that travel 100 yards.
Movement Magic involves altering an object’s velocity and path. Through Movement Magic, an object can change directions or completely stop in its tracks. The difference between Movement Magic and Speed Magic is that Movement Magic does not affect the inertia of an object. If an egg were subjected to only Movement magic, it would break itself apart because of the inertia inside the egg even though it has technically stopped moving.
Oscillation Magic involves the vibration of targets. Waves can be produced, controlled and dampened with this magic.Temperature change can also be achieved through this by forcibly increasing or reducing the vibration at the molecular level of the target.
Convergence Magic involves selectively isolating targets within a target area. It can create a space where carbon dioxide gathers in the center, while all other gasses are pushed out, for example.
Dispersion Systematic Type Magic is defined as magic that interferes with the movement and interaction of elementary and composite particles. Magic that manipulate gamma rays is categorized as Dispersal Type Magic because the magic interferes with light particles.
Absorb Systematic Magic affects the interaction between particles and energy. For example, absorption magic can affect how much light an object absorbs (can alter colors) or even how much oxygen iron absorbs to form rust.
Release Systematic Magic interferes with the movement and interaction of subatomic and composite particles.
I have probably bored half of you to death with these technical details but understanding this is key.So let break down a cast piece of magic that have been used in every rpg since Final Fantasy, Blizzard. The simple blizzard spell is broken down to 3 systematic magic skills, Spell , convergence, and release types. When magic tech cast blizzard, the first sequence converges all the water vapor in the air to create bullets. Next the release sequence slows the water vapor at atomic level creating ice. And final the speed system accelerates the ice bullets at the target.
So what does this mean for Project Rebirth? One of the feature we are working hard on implementing is CAD Programming mini-game. The goal is for players to be able to create their unique magic sequences tailor to their style of game play. By setting up sequences and different types of systematic magic, the player will be create anything from a flame sword to explosive trip mines.
Let know what you thinking of the possibility of procedural magic based attacks.