tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3889388775673754833.post7066748214378806478..comments2024-02-24T03:34:18.060-05:00Comments on Stealing Commas: Why Wizards aren't on Youtubechris the cynichttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06872875475212333027noreply@blogger.comBlogger1125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3889388775673754833.post-29638678475523426382012-03-26T11:27:36.034-04:002012-03-26T11:27:36.034-04:00That's how it works in the Dresden Files. Peop...That's how it works in the Dresden Files. People have difficulty even getting X-rays of Harry Dresden, and he can't drive a car made after WWII without the electronics in it constantly burning out. Plus there is actually a cabal (or two, or more) of supernatural entities interested in keeping people ignorant of the Horrible Truth, and they have _mind control_, so yeah, it's a pretty well protected masquerade.<br /><br />There's also the game Arcanum, whereby magic played havoc with various physical constants - in a magical field, a pendulum would swing erratically, magnetic fields would fluctuate wildly, and even frictional forces would be erratic, making it very hard to use any reasonably complicated technology in the presence of strong magic. This kind of make sense - imagine trying to create electronics when you couldn't rely on the charge of an electron remaining constant. On the other hand, it worked the other way, too - strong technology would "reinforce" physical laws, making magic more difficult. I'm not a fan of this particular bit, as it seems to make technology just another, different type of magic.Snoofnoreply@blogger.com