Psionics are often more prevalent in science fiction than in fantasy, so it seems appropriate that there would be psionic powers and equipment related to technology.
So, any plans? I'd be keen.
They do make a good point. I know Conquest of the Universeis going to be psionics heavy game set in space but that's not Dreamscared Press, it's Tripod Machine.
If you read between the lines on their forum pages, Dreamscarred Press is approaching psionics from a "personal" level, pre-17th Century. So while you have psionic equivalencies of rings, wands, scrolls, boots, etc, there's not much in the way of the scientific method.
Notice that if you go beyond "duplicating a power with a psionic item" you quickly reach "artifact level" in DSP. It's much like a sword in 2.0, 3.0, 3.5, Pathfinder, etc becoming "Intelligent" instead of "artificially intelligent" like a computer. Psionic characters wouldn't be looking for a Babbage Machine; they would instead be making clockwork golems.
Where I see psionics in modern sci-fi is what I call the "gestalt" technology. That is where the power of the mind is augmented with electrical generators and such. A telepath becomes a world-class telepath; a telekinetic becomes a world-class telekinetic. You see the most obvious application of "gestalt" with Anne McCaffery's Rowan novels.
So most psionics in Dreamscarred Press are not "psionic but useless" as in some sci-fi (see Babylon 5). So like some people getting martial arts training in feudal Japan/China, or nobility having armor and swords in feudal England/Europe, there's not much for "the common people" to relate to with psionics. You either have it, in which case you are a class onto yourself, or you don't.
I would want to see a more complete technology guide before I looked for a Psi-tech guide.
I love psi-tech, very cool stuff, and like it as a way to give non-psionic characters a taste of psi.
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Now, if I happened to be a designer writing for Dreamscarred Press, and if I had any knowledge of upcoming DSP products, I might have insight into an upcoming DSP product that is really focused on futuristic tech and would inevitably include really cool psitech stuff. I might even be privy to the fact that they're trying realy, really hard to push their release schedule along so that those materials could be playtested alongside the Iron Gods AP.
You know, if I were a writer for Dreamscarred....
Now, if I happened to be a designer writing for Dreamscarred Press, and if I had any knowledge of upcoming DSP products, I might have insight into an upcoming DSP product that is really focused on futuristic tech and would inevitably include really cool psitech stuff. I might even be privy to the fact that they're trying realy, really hard to push their release schedule along so that those materials could be playtested alongside the Iron Gods AP.
You know, if I were a writer for Dreamscarred....
What are you implying?
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What are you implying?Now, if I happened to be a designer writing for Dreamscarred Press, and if I had any knowledge of upcoming DSP products, I might have insight into an upcoming DSP product that is really focused on futuristic tech and would inevitably include really cool psitech stuff. I might even be privy to the fact that they're trying realy, really hard to push their release schedule along so that those materials could be playtested alongside the Iron Gods AP.
You know, if I were a writer for Dreamscarred....
Half-Life 3 Confirmed.
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I could get behind a high tech book that just so happens to also have psi-tech.
I do like the cryptic archetype with guns, that already makes for some psytech. I can totally see this in a more scifi setting though, making everything and especially equipment more tech.
I would welcome more force effects then! Like shields or pushes etc.
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What are you implying?
That he'd like a job. <Grin>
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Now, if I happened to be a designer writing for Dreamscarred Press, and if I had any knowledge of upcoming DSP products, I might have insight into an upcoming DSP product that is really focused on futuristic tech and would inevitably include really cool psitech stuff. I might even be privy to the fact that they're trying realy, really hard to push their release schedule along so that those materials could be playtested alongside the Iron Gods AP.
You know, if I were a writer for Dreamscarred....
If I were a writer for Dreamscarred (OR a 3PP publisher who has worked with them), I would have sent them a finished 5K word sourcebook with psi-equipment and items already completed and asked them to publish it and take a percentage of the sales as payment, assuring me a future position with the company.
You know, if I were a writer who wanted to work for Dreamscarred....
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You know, if I were a writer who wanted to work for Dreamscarred....
If I were a guy who had volunteered repeatedly to do editing for Dreamscarred, this would be me volunteering my services again.
Heck, if I had done desktop publishing in my past, I'd probably also be volunteering to take a whack at layout, since I know Jeremy is looking for help in that regard.
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If I were a guy who had volunteered repeatedly to do editing for Dreamscarred, this would be me volunteering my services again.
Heck, if I had done desktop publishing in my past, I'd probably also be volunteering to take a whack at layout, since I know Jeremy is looking for help in that regard.
I'll be touching bases with you Anguish :)
The reality, as a couple people know, is that the Akashic Mysteries project wasn't actually my initial pitch to DSP. It just happened to be the thing that I also had a real interest in and a backlog of homebrew goodies ready for refinement and adaptation while we waited for the stars to align for that other project to come about.
I actually hint a bit at the nature of that other project in my note from the author in the upcoming Vizier release.
Since you've got that in your hands Anguish, see if you can spot it :)
I'll be touching bases with you Anguish :)If I were a guy who had volunteered repeatedly to do editing for Dreamscarred, this would be me volunteering my services again.
Heck, if I had done desktop publishing in my past, I'd probably also be volunteering to take a whack at layout, since I know Jeremy is looking for help in that regard.
Let it be known that my bases have been touched. <Grin> At least with regards to layout.
The reality, as a couple people know, is that the Akashic Mysteries project wasn't actually my initial pitch to DSP. It just happened to be the thing that I also had a real interest in and a backlog of homebrew goodies ready for refinement and adaptation while we waited for the stars to align for that other project to come about.
I actually hint a bit at the nature of that other project in my note from the author in the upcoming Vizier release.
Since you've got that in your hands Anguish, see if you can spot it :)
To be honest, while I see some things which are very likely the hints you're talking about, I confess I'm not up to the challenge of putting them together into one "oh yeah" moment. I can't tell what it is... though there's more than a small suggestion that it's not small.
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Now, if I happened to be a designer writing for Dreamscarred Press, and if I had any knowledge of upcoming DSP products, I might have insight into an upcoming DSP product that is really focused on futuristic tech and would inevitably include really cool psitech stuff. I might even be privy to the fact that they're trying realy, really hard to push their release schedule along so that those materials could be playtested alongside the Iron Gods AP.
You know, if I were a writer for Dreamscarred....
Sounds neat. I wonder if said "totally hypothetical" material needs any extra hands, were it to exist?
'Cause I might know a guy with some experience adding sci if to fantasy....
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Now, if I happened to be a designer writing for Dreamscarred Press, and if I had any knowledge of upcoming DSP products, I might have insight into an upcoming DSP product that is really focused on futuristic tech and would inevitably include really cool psitech stuff. I might even be privy to the fact that they're trying realy, really hard to push their release schedule along so that those materials could be playtested alongside the Iron Gods AP.
You know, if I were a writer for Dreamscarred....
Sounds neat. I wonder if said "totally hypothetical" material needs any extra hands, were it to exist?
'Cause I might know a guy with some experience adding sci if to fantasy....
I'm downloading that now :)
Pop me a PM so we can talk shop.
The challenges I face when trying to integrate Sci-Fi and fantasy are making technology and magic mechanically distinct, and balancing a world where sci-fi tech in the normal level technology and using full powered magic.
The first is basically my taste in gaming, if different options aren't mechanically distinct then they aren't different options and there is no point to including them.
The second is a more complex issue. I really like taking fantasy out of its native tech level. I want my game mechanics to feel like they have advanced out of the middle ages, but trying to use magic items as a balance point results in crazy technology pricing issues. There is a lot more to it, but that is easily its own thread.
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The challenges I face when trying to integrate Sci-Fi and fantasy are making technology and magic mechanically distinct, and balancing a world where sci-fi tech in the normal level technology and using full powered magic.
My problem is that I'm too big a fan of the tropes where magic and technology are antithetical, so whenever I write something I have to go back and ask myself if a restriction or ability actually makes sense in the context of the shared gaming world, not just my gaming world.
It's a bit of a hurdle with the concept of magic/psionics transparency, because to me, it makes perfect sense for psionics, unlike magic, to be naturally compatible with technology, with ideas like Minority Report, Cerebro and E.V.A. from the X-Men comics, all of the sentient tech in the DC comics, the bond between humans and Gears in Xenogear, etc.
My problem is that I'm too big a fan of the tropes where magic and technology are antithetical, so whenever I write something I have to go back and ask myself if a restriction or ability actually makes sense in the context of the shared gaming world, not just my gaming world.
Oh, wow, that is one of my least favorite tropes.
I much prefer magic, psi, and tech are all different solutions to the same problems and the only reason you generally only see one developed in a setting is because people already have one solution, why waste the effort on another.
I actually want to someday my a space opera style setting where different employ arcane magic, psi, or divine magic as an alternative science, along side groups that use science, or exotic sciences. Rate technology from 0 to 9 and then difference civilizations could be rated by how advanced they are in Science, Magic, Psionics, etc on a scale comparable to spells or powers.
But really, the Pathfinder world needs far more technology.
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I've been playing a lot of Final Fantasy to remind myself about what technology and magic mixed looks like done right.
Fortunately it's not really a factor other than inspiration with psitech goodies, and Paizo already did the TG, so my preference for weird yin-yang tropes isn't really anything that matters :P
I think I need to find a way to slip in Magitek suits specifically for Orthos though.
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I think I might have to make a few call and think about some psitech that might work for Dreamscarred Press. I mean a psi-whip inspired from Image Comics Blacklash would be my starting point.