As a huge Stargate fan, I really appreciate it hw often you brought it up because it really does have excellent world building for science fantasy. The progression of technology has a significant effect on the plot and all of the civilizations/characters within it. I like how your list has a comprehensive approach towards something that is more understood by the people within it. While magic systems do need their own rules if they are a hard magic system, Scientific technology doesn't have to be understood by the readers entirely in science fantasy. But the people inside the story do need some that know it inside and out. Even though Clark tech insinuates no difference between magic and technology, thematically, you were correct to address them differently.
One distinction that I see between magic and technology, as concepts, is that you can arbitrarily limit access to magic any way you like, when worldbuilding. Decisions have consequences, but there is nothing "implausible" from ground zero. Technology has that nasty ingredient of being just a consequence of the way the universe is, and explorations of it. Is possible (and very plausible) to have secret technologies. But secret don't last for ever.
Hi Marie, lots of good references to Star Trek. I was raised on this as a kid and watched all the shows. You also have good references for world building. I have created libraries of case studies from books to movies and shows as a reference. If you have any ideas for worldbuilding cases I would love to add them to my library. You ask good questions that has my gears working. This helps a lot. Thx
It’s hard to pin point my sources, because there are so many. I absolutely consumed books, both fiction and non fiction. For this video, a lot of my thought process went into our scientific discovery process and how one thing builds on another. So I’d say a lot of science history informed this video’s process. And as for the lore, Babylon 5, Star Trek, Stargate and Pern was my primary inspiration
Man, just when i needed to try and understand magi-tech in my own industrio-fantasy world, you come roght along Marie. Its just quite a pain for myself to figure out how exactly i can make a sort-of "wild magic" a power source for technology like in an instant communications system. As the wild magic in my... WIP setting, permeates the entire universe and makes others, so i thought it might also allow literally FTL communication much quicker since its connected to a source of energy that is spread throughout the universe. That likely doesn't have to be the case, I'm just not sure of what to do, and it feels like it'd be as potent as nuclear fusion or anti-matter, due to the fact that it's unstable. Just a great video on this topic overall
You're welcome. You should check out the one on magic in space :D Part of the Science Fantasy series, that actually does delve into magi-tech ;) And magic can help you overcome the energy problem of FTL
Also never forget that the universe reacts to new technology. In a series I'm reading they developed personal force fields no hand-held weapon could crack. Not one alone though. Soon they developed the technique of several soldiers aiming at the same point of the enemy's personal shield. Often two energy weapons were enough to break through the personal shield. It wasn't just the amount of power, but the amount of energy used. Even a small break-through would kill the target. While the speeds and distances made it much harder, the same trick was done in starship combat after the technique was successful in personal combat. Of course the enemies also hit on the idea. One more detail. The universe contains some aliens that are over 11 feet tall and very strong. Their hand energy weapons have enough power to punch through the personal shield of a human as they are essentially artillery to a human. Meanwhile these giants also have personal shields that are much stronger as that of a human as they can carry larger shield generators and power sources. They are essentially tanks on two legs in combat. Note: While the humans have access to power armour and could in theory build them to the same size, it would make them slower and easier targets which isn't good in this scenario. The logical reaction to that would be to target the soldiers with such power armour first. That's why they also use combat robots in war. Though on the Terran (human) side each soldier gets at least one such robot assigned to them. The soldier stays mobile and relatively well protected, while the robot is not just attacking, but also defending their charges to the point of sacrificing themselves (they are not AI's BTW).
So adjacent to who is developing the technology(or at least who is paying for the research), why was the tech invented? Was it meant as a consumer good, or as a military innovation?
Sorry, suggested a bunch of stuff early on in this series, but judging by the inclusion of Juicers in this, might have made some incorrect assumptions on what you might have been familiar with. Also, I think limitations can be good, but just saying they are the important part ignores the other methods from keeping characters from becoming OP, or for working around that. Sort of like in a videogame, just shooting the glowing weak points rather than using some clever strategy. Like I said though, that isn't to say limitations are bad in my opinion, just not the only method. And over all I think those are really good tips. Especially three and four as they are much less obvious.
Btw, if you ever want some harder sci in your stuff, or just some new ideas, Isaac Arthur is a great source for that stuff. For instance, technology based on black holes.
I really enjoy his content :) The reason I don’t do hard sci-fi is simply that I feel it’s a pot you need to sit on fully like Isaac does or get off. Half measures do the genre a disservice
Well, 5 to 7 years happens to be a very long period of time in the frontlines of modern wars. I am not sure if it was not equally long for soldiers in wars previous to Industrial Revolution in England. Perhaps it was even worse. As far as I know the big difference in structural terms if that before most people dying in war used to be military. Now a lot more civilians die than soldiers. In any case, 5 years sounds like a lot for battlefront lifestyle.
Well,@@JustInTimeWorldbuilding , that could be because I forgot to mention this detail. I am referring to a mention you make around 7:12 in the video, more or less, about an RPG named Rifts. As the "enormous flaw" of a combat oriented class in this game (I am not familiar to the game, by the way). Generally speaking, sure, having only 5 to 7 years left to live is less than ideal. Specially if (as I assume) the people getting that prospect are around the 18 years, which is when people usually enter military life. Or younger than that. That would be enough to not make the process an standard option for normal people, who are living normal lives in times of peace. However, for those who go to a war in the strong sense of the word War (where the existence of your nation is realistically in danger, not just it's "principles" or "interests") I suspect 5 to 7 years may feel like a very long period of time. The "enormous flaw" in this circumstance don't seems to mean all that much. It looks more like a nuisance than like a flaw. If the procedure would work in people around 95 years old then that would not be an reduction of life expectancy at all (in our world, taking in consideration how long we expect people to live) but I understand that logic is ridicule. Assuming the person getting the surgery to gain super-powers is 18 to 25, add 5 to 7 years to that, and certain death after, is a considerable reduction of life expectancy. For normal people, under normal circumstances, in times of peace. I don't suppose adventurers with common sense should have high hopes about surviving long enough to see their grandchildren reach adulthood. It may happen to one in one thousand, perhaps, if they change their occupation soon enough. Same goes for soldiers, I suppose, in wars that are actually wars. When you are more likely to not survive the year, than to survive it. And the next year is not going to be better, probably worse. The horizon of 5 years will look like a very distant dream.
Oh I see! I didn't mean that as a flaw in world building, I actually meant it as a compliment in world building. Like it's a great limitation to their technological boost. You turn into a super soldier, but you have a limited life span. It's a good trade off, in terms of the boost vs the cost. But you make a good point about 5 years feeling like a lifetime to a soldier. Though not all juicers are soldiers, many are assassins or gang members or such like.
I got that point, about it not being a negative opinion about the idea,@@JustInTimeWorldbuilding. It's an example to take under consideration. I suppose a juicer will seldom be someone who wants to get rich for selfish reasons. And expect to have time to enjoy all the money earned with those powers. (but it could happen. Perhaps someone has the hope that technology will evolve fast enough to solve the inconvenience of this death sentence in his life time. Or is the kind of person who thinks "rules don't apply to me", so "I will not die in 7 years". The ability of believe what we want despite evidences is a common trope in fiction. And still not half as common as it is in arguably real life.). Perhaps one could exchange years for months. Or make something between 1 and 2,5 years. Then I would see how that is a heavy price even in the context of war. Would still be a price many patriots would choose to pay for the sake of their nations, I assume. Some mercenaries would also take the deal to leave money for their families, of course. Braking Bad style.
Creo que convendría crear algún sistema de magia que la tecnología pueda explotar, por ejemplo: Que existan ángeles y que estos, al ser seres de luz, se pueda extraer su energía con paneles "solares". Por cierto, hay una serie en youtube llamada Daystone ¿Podría pertenecer al genero sci fantasy?
I just watched the first episode of Daystone and and I would say yes, it could be sci fantasy! I have a video coming up dealing specifically with magic in a science fantasy world :D
To create a technology even if not a possible technology, is just a matter of thinking what you WANT this tech would DO! Thats how technology is created irl, is purpose based design. Think about the purpose of the technology, then extrapolate on side effects for the in every aspects of existence. If your story leans more towards society and culture, you need to extrapolate what is the impact of this tech on society. If it it's something more personal, how it affects the characters what sort of advantages it gives to characters, what sort of draw backs it has. Maybe the tech itself is an obstacle that needed to be overcome.... Creating tech is simple all you need to ask is why you need this tech and what is the point of it.
"What could possibly go wrong?" 😂
great video as always! Looking forward to the rest of the miniseries 😀
I had a lot of fun with the magic and the AI one :D
@@JustInTimeWorldbuilding somehow that doesn't surprise me 😀
As a huge Stargate fan, I really appreciate it hw often you brought it up because it really does have excellent world building for science fantasy. The progression of technology has a significant effect on the plot and all of the civilizations/characters within it.
I like how your list has a comprehensive approach towards something that is more understood by the people within it. While magic systems do need their own rules if they are a hard magic system, Scientific technology doesn't have to be understood by the readers entirely in science fantasy. But the people inside the story do need some that know it inside and out. Even though Clark tech insinuates no difference between magic and technology, thematically, you were correct to address them differently.
Thanks! There's more to come on that topic, when I made the video about magic in science fantasy, I really delved into the thematic differences.
One distinction that I see between magic and technology, as concepts, is that you can arbitrarily limit access to magic any way you like, when worldbuilding. Decisions have consequences, but there is nothing "implausible" from ground zero. Technology has that nasty ingredient of being just a consequence of the way the universe is, and explorations of it.
Is possible (and very plausible) to have secret technologies. But secret don't last for ever.
@thiagom8478 Ooooo good point!
Hi Marie, lots of good references to Star Trek. I was raised on this as a kid and watched all the shows. You also have good references for world building. I have created libraries of case studies from books to movies and shows as a reference. If you have any ideas for worldbuilding cases I would love to add them to my library. You ask good questions that has my gears working. This helps a lot. Thx
It’s hard to pin point my sources, because there are so many. I absolutely consumed books, both fiction and non fiction. For this video, a lot of my thought process went into our scientific discovery process and how one thing builds on another. So I’d say a lot of science history informed this video’s process. And as for the lore, Babylon 5, Star Trek, Stargate and Pern was my primary inspiration
2:40 🎵 A teaspoon of science helps the fantasy go down 🎵
The fantasy go down
Fantasy go down
Just a spoonful of science helps the fantasy go down
In a most delightful way!
#HARRAH 🎉WANDZ..& WARP_Not_👎🏼AI_JUICE😅
Thanks 😃
Man, just when i needed to try and understand magi-tech in my own industrio-fantasy world, you come roght along Marie. Its just quite a pain for myself to figure out how exactly i can make a sort-of "wild magic" a power source for technology like in an instant communications system. As the wild magic in my... WIP setting, permeates the entire universe and makes others, so i thought it might also allow literally FTL communication much quicker since its connected to a source of energy that is spread throughout the universe. That likely doesn't have to be the case, I'm just not sure of what to do, and it feels like it'd be as potent as nuclear fusion or anti-matter, due to the fact that it's unstable. Just a great video on this topic overall
You're welcome. You should check out the one on magic in space :D Part of the Science Fantasy series, that actually does delve into magi-tech ;) And magic can help you overcome the energy problem of FTL
Also never forget that the universe reacts to new technology.
In a series I'm reading they developed personal force fields no hand-held weapon could crack. Not one alone though. Soon they developed the technique of several soldiers aiming at the same point of the enemy's personal shield. Often two energy weapons were enough to break through the personal shield. It wasn't just the amount of power, but the amount of energy used. Even a small break-through would kill the target.
While the speeds and distances made it much harder, the same trick was done in starship combat after the technique was successful in personal combat.
Of course the enemies also hit on the idea.
One more detail. The universe contains some aliens that are over 11 feet tall and very strong. Their hand energy weapons have enough power to punch through the personal shield of a human as they are essentially artillery to a human. Meanwhile these giants also have personal shields that are much stronger as that of a human as they can carry larger shield generators and power sources. They are essentially tanks on two legs in combat.
Note: While the humans have access to power armour and could in theory build them to the same size, it would make them slower and easier targets which isn't good in this scenario. The logical reaction to that would be to target the soldiers with such power armour first.
That's why they also use combat robots in war. Though on the Terran (human) side each soldier gets at least one such robot assigned to them. The soldier stays mobile and relatively well protected, while the robot is not just attacking, but also defending their charges to the point of sacrificing themselves (they are not AI's BTW).
So adjacent to who is developing the technology(or at least who is paying for the research), why was the tech invented? Was it meant as a consumer good, or as a military innovation?
Sorry, suggested a bunch of stuff early on in this series, but judging by the inclusion of Juicers in this, might have made some incorrect assumptions on what you might have been familiar with.
Also, I think limitations can be good, but just saying they are the important part ignores the other methods from keeping characters from becoming OP, or for working around that. Sort of like in a videogame, just shooting the glowing weak points rather than using some clever strategy.
Like I said though, that isn't to say limitations are bad in my opinion, just not the only method. And over all I think those are really good tips. Especially three and four as they are much less obvious.
Btw, if you ever want some harder sci in your stuff, or just some new ideas, Isaac Arthur is a great source for that stuff. For instance, technology based on black holes.
I really enjoy his content :) The reason I don’t do hard sci-fi is simply that I feel it’s a pot you need to sit on fully like Isaac does or get off. Half measures do the genre a disservice
@@JustInTimeWorldbuilding Good point. And glad you like him.
Well, 5 to 7 years happens to be a very long period of time in the frontlines of modern wars. I am not sure if it was not equally long for soldiers in wars previous to Industrial Revolution in England. Perhaps it was even worse. As far as I know the big difference in structural terms if that before most people dying in war used to be military. Now a lot more civilians die than soldiers. In any case, 5 years sounds like a lot for battlefront lifestyle.
I'm not sure what you mean?
Well,@@JustInTimeWorldbuilding , that could be because I forgot to mention this detail. I am referring to a mention you make around 7:12 in the video, more or less, about an RPG named Rifts. As the "enormous flaw" of a combat oriented class in this game (I am not familiar to the game, by the way).
Generally speaking, sure, having only 5 to 7 years left to live is less than ideal. Specially if (as I assume) the people getting that prospect are around the 18 years, which is when people usually enter military life. Or younger than that. That would be enough to not make the process an standard option for normal people, who are living normal lives in times of peace. However, for those who go to a war in the strong sense of the word War (where the existence of your nation is realistically in danger, not just it's "principles" or "interests") I suspect 5 to 7 years may feel like a very long period of time.
The "enormous flaw" in this circumstance don't seems to mean all that much. It looks more like a nuisance than like a flaw.
If the procedure would work in people around 95 years old then that would not be an reduction of life expectancy at all (in our world, taking in consideration how long we expect people to live) but I understand that logic is ridicule.
Assuming the person getting the surgery to gain super-powers is 18 to 25, add 5 to 7 years to that, and certain death after, is a considerable reduction of life expectancy. For normal people, under normal circumstances, in times of peace.
I don't suppose adventurers with common sense should have high hopes about surviving long enough to see their grandchildren reach adulthood. It may happen to one in one thousand, perhaps, if they change their occupation soon enough. Same goes for soldiers, I suppose, in wars that are actually wars.
When you are more likely to not survive the year, than to survive it. And the next year is not going to be better, probably worse. The horizon of 5 years will look like a very distant dream.
Oh I see! I didn't mean that as a flaw in world building, I actually meant it as a compliment in world building. Like it's a great limitation to their technological boost. You turn into a super soldier, but you have a limited life span. It's a good trade off, in terms of the boost vs the cost.
But you make a good point about 5 years feeling like a lifetime to a soldier. Though not all juicers are soldiers, many are assassins or gang members or such like.
I got that point, about it not being a negative opinion about the idea,@@JustInTimeWorldbuilding. It's an example to take under consideration.
I suppose a juicer will seldom be someone who wants to get rich for selfish reasons. And expect to have time to enjoy all the money earned with those powers. (but it could happen. Perhaps someone has the hope that technology will evolve fast enough to solve the inconvenience of this death sentence in his life time. Or is the kind of person who thinks "rules don't apply to me", so "I will not die in 7 years". The ability of believe what we want despite evidences is a common trope in fiction. And still not half as common as it is in arguably real life.).
Perhaps one could exchange years for months. Or make something between 1 and 2,5 years. Then I would see how that is a heavy price even in the context of war. Would still be a price many patriots would choose to pay for the sake of their nations, I assume.
Some mercenaries would also take the deal to leave money for their families, of course. Braking Bad style.
Creo que convendría crear algún sistema de magia que la tecnología pueda explotar, por ejemplo: Que existan ángeles y que estos, al ser seres de luz, se pueda extraer su energía con paneles "solares".
Por cierto, hay una serie en youtube llamada Daystone ¿Podría pertenecer al genero sci fantasy?
I just watched the first episode of Daystone and and I would say yes, it could be sci fantasy! I have a video coming up dealing specifically with magic in a science fantasy world :D
@@JustInTimeWorldbuilding Lo esperaré con ansias.
To create a technology even if not a possible technology, is just a matter of thinking what you WANT this tech would DO!
Thats how technology is created irl, is purpose based design.
Think about the purpose of the technology, then extrapolate on side effects for the in every aspects of existence.
If your story leans more towards society and culture, you need to extrapolate what is the impact of this tech on society.
If it it's something more personal, how it affects the characters what sort of advantages it gives to characters, what sort of draw backs it has.
Maybe the tech itself is an obstacle that needed to be overcome....
Creating tech is simple all you need to ask is why you need this tech and what is the point of it.