Magic and Riptide

[Clinton R. Nixon]

(in another thread)
Riptide sounds kinda sweet. I've been dying for a game that mixes magic in with the everyday without being "otherworldly", but just part of the scenery. There was a game like that out way back when, but it did magic all wrong: too D&D. So, please no spell lists, but hopefully the magic will coexist comfortably with the setting without threatening to take it over.

So, how does magic stay just as a useful tool? What can/can't someone do with it? How pervasive is it?

I've been holding off on answering questions like this, as I worked out the kinks myself. Here it is, in a very condensed nutshell, though:

Imagine that everyone has an invisible friend. Notice I don't say imaginary - the friend really exists. The friend is you, though - an extension of self that isn't part of your body. If you could see it, it would look kind of like you, and kind of like an animal - not really a mix, as much as both and neither at the same time, like a hologram that changes as you look at it.

What could something like that do? Maybe it could grab your ankle as you fall off a building. Maybe it could separate from your body and look over a hill as you stay behind. Maybe it could grapple with someone else's self and confuse them, or even convince that self that it's seeing something that isn't real. Maybe it could thrash around when you're being jumped by a bully, hitting him. Maybe you could even meditate on your self and take on traits that it has.

That's magic in Riptide. There's a bit more to it - like why can only some people use it; and what is this invisible friend, anyway? - but that's the basics. It doesn't take over the setting because, well, no one can see it. Anything it does can be explained, or overlooked. Nothing it does it going to let a magician rule the world - but it might make him a more successful surfer, student, businessman, politician, scientist, or priest.

(Oh, and by the way, before anyone says "Hey, that sounds like Sorcerer":

a) Everything sounds like Sorcerer. Sorcerer rocks ass.
b) Just as Sorcerer depicts a dysfunctional relationship, Riptide should depict a functional relationship - accepting yourself and your self.)

[Jason L Blair]

This game keeps sounding better and better. Plus Riptide is a badass name for a game.

I had an idea for a game called Applesauce. I just thought Applesauce would be a great name for a game.

[Joe Murphy (Broin)]

Imagine that everyone has an invisible friend. Notice I don't say imaginary - the friend really exists. The friend is you, though - an extension of self that isn't part of your body. If you could see it, it would look kind of like you, and kind of like an animal - not really a mix, as much as both and neither at the same time, like a hologram that changes as you look at it.

Have you seen Donnie Darko? I just saw it the other day so it's been on my mind. (slight spoilers follow)

I'm not thinking of the 6-foot bunny that Donnie encounters. I'm thinking of the scenes where he perceives people's life-path as an elongated watery tentacle, stretching from their chest to wherever their future lies.

In one scene, the kid's father is about to get a beer. The tentacle stretches out from his chest towards the kitchen, and touches the fridge. The father 'follows' this tentacle, walks and gets a beer. Donnie is able to perceive these tentacles and thereby sense others' futures.

It's a mixture of one's future and hence externalised will, I suppose. Great imagery.

Joe.

[Spooky Fanboy]

I like that; both the Donnie Darko and the "special friend" thing. Does your other self get special abilities like seeing the future, reading people, etc.? What are the results if two "special friends" go attack one another? And most important, can it make you popular with the opposite sex, by getting rid of those damn zits and that puberty-stricken voice that cracks at all the worst times?

[Clinton R. Nixon]

I like that; both the Donnie Darko and the "special friend" thing. Does your other self get special abilities like seeing the future, reading people, etc.? What are the results if two "special friends" go attack one another? And most important, can it make you popular with the opposite sex, by getting rid of those damn zits and that puberty-stricken voice that cracks at all the worst times?

Um, no. (I haven't seen this Donnie Darko business, but will check it out.) Selves (not the final term, by the way) do display emotions, though, so your self might be able to tell you something about how someone else is feeling, though.

Unlike most of my games, I'm not going to develop this one online. I got kind of burned out doing that with Donjon, and had to take a long break from working on it. I want to finish this one pretty quickly, so I'll be posting information as I work on it, but will only be looking for input when I specifically ask for it.

[Spooky Fanboy]

Donnie Darko can be rented at a local Blockbuster or similar location. Story of a young man who ducks fate, learns to read time, all with the help of a demonic looking rabbit named Frank.

Cooler than it sounds.

Anyway, I understand about keeping the Peanut Gallery down toa dull roar. I was just overly enthusiastic. I also thought about The Shining in conjunction with your description of magic.

Anyway, do what you gotta do. I eagerly await the results.

[Gordon C. Landis]

My first thought was Golden Compass . . . and that's a cool thought.  Looking forward to this a little more because of that.

Gordon

[Clinton R. Nixon]

Gordon wins a cookie. I just read the entire "His Dark Materials" trilogy, and I'm kind of a rip-off artist. (Paladin - Star Wars, Donjon - D&D, Riptide - Harry Potter + His Dark Materials)

[Bailywolf]

Sounds delightful.  Any hints you want to drop about mechaincs?

[Spooky Fanboy]

Anything more about this game would be cool...