   Tech and Fantasy
  What are some ways to imitate tech in a fantasy world? I am thinking of computer terminals specifically.Also, how might a mid/high tech world be melded with mid/high fantasy?   
  Some enchanted stones which can be set up to communicate with each other by writing? (scribble on one and it appears on the other)There are mysterious channels that run through the world, and if you place a suitably prepared obelisk over one of them it becomes a gateway through which communication with the channels is possible.I don't know how to answer your second question... can you give more background on what exactly you're hoping for?   ;  Hey  I always found that making magic run machines was quite a good way of doing this. Say instead of engine you have like a magic core. The key is making sure you have the two working in harmony (or not actually both works) if you're thinking about computer terminals, have them made out of stone/wood and have the computer screen made out of magic glass, have a pipe coming out of its back with magic green smoke coming out of it, make it emit a strange sound, some kind of whirling or sparking. Just some ideas, can't really think too much in detail at the moment.But I always like to hear people putting both Magic and Tech in their games.EDIT: Think Final Fantasy, the earlier ones.Cheers.   ;  So... you want steampunk?   ;  I very much like the idea of magic-based technology. ^_^One idea that occurs to me as being fairly obvious is that of constructs taking the place of robots.On the subject of computers, consider some of the things that magic might be able to do (depending heavily, of course, on your magic system):Create illusions in mid-air - much like a hologram, not so?  Thus magic might allow for something akin to a holographic screen, in which the illusion spell is controlled by the main computing apparatus.Completing a spell has an effect, which could be seen as analogous to the completion of a circuit having an effect on the charge within it.  Given this, perhaps a magi-pc might consist in part of partial simple spells in separated crystals (or metal rods, or whatever container for spells is appropriate).  Bringing these parts together, either magically or mechanically, might complete the spell and allow for knock-on effects - perhaps adding up to computing, given appropraite arrangement of sufficient and well-enough chosen parts?A spell has an effect of some sort (at least if successful), which might be complex.  Might a single, highly complex spell not act similarly to a computer?Note that communications devices seem to be fairly common in fantasy (scrying crystals, for instance, a good example of which might be the palantiri of Tolkein's world).  These might be useful in your magical technology - for example, as sensory devices.On a stylistic note, I would suggest metals as the main casing materials of my magi-pc, depending heavily on both your desired aesthetic style and any relevant magical concerns that might come into play (iron, for instance, may disrupt some magics, or silver prove an excellent conductor or amplifier for it, at your choice).Such things as flight are fairly simply treated in most fantasy work, I believe (although I seem to recall that Robert Jordan's Wheel of Time series considers it to be rather difficult, and reasonably so, I would say).What sort of technology might you want to emulate?And, for that matter, how might a magic-based society differ from a technological one?  Such a society may well develop in ways very different from one reliant on technology, I suspect...   ;  hmm. thank you for the suggestions so far.First of all, what is steampunk?Also, I I am thinking of making a fantasy RPG (yes i asked about horror in my other thread, but I think im going to come up with a good fantasy plot and go with that because I dont really want to make a horror game). I dont know if I want to imitate tech in a pure magic world, or just have them coexist. Would it be strangely out of place to have computer terminals built into walls? I considered the suggestions y'all made and honestly im really attracted to the idea of just using terminals to giv ethe player messages rather than trying to make something else with similar effects.What sort of visual and gameplay elements smack of tech? I dont want a grunge metal and conduits setting, but i dont want it to seem odd to run into a piece of tech like a computer screen in the wall or anything else techlike.   ;  Steampunk is a sub-genre of fantasy/sci-fi where many of the crazy inventions of the Victorian era actually work. Think giant steam powered robot spiders, dirigible yachts, clockwork golems....A game called arcanum implemented this, sort of. The steampunk stuff was at odds with magic stuff, and one failed to work around the other. Good idea/story, middling game.The final fantasy series also have done the 'terminals don't seem out of place' thing really well; usually via a "technology of the elders" sort of plot device.I'm ponding similar things for my game, and the key (imo) is creating the 'physics' for your magic first. What can it do, what's the range, who can use it, how often, at what price? You'll then have a much better idea about what sort of real world stuff it would replace or adjunct.   ;  I think anything like computer terminals would seem very odd in a standard medieval-fantasy setting. You might be able to do something interesting with a retro-futuristic art deco-ish look, though. I would merge the tech and magic rather than having them coexist, though. It seems to make more sense.What exactly do you want to do with these computer terminals, anyway?   ;Quote:I think anything like computer terminals would seem very odd in a standard medieval-fantasy setting.Not really. Its been done since the 80s. Wizardry, Might&Magic, Final Fantasy...there is also such a thing as "technomage".Quote:What are some ways to imitate tech in a fantasy world? I am thinking of computer terminals specifically.Trees.A forest is a natural network, and trees are the terminals.Quote:I'm ponding similar things for my game, and the key (imo) is creating the 'physics' for your magic first. What can it do, what's the range, who can use it, how often, at what price? You'll then have a much better idea about what sort of real world stuff it would replace or adjunct.Hehe, i'll point you to this article :http://www.designersnotebook.com/Columns/017_Magic/017_magic.htm   ;  i intend on the PCs being brought to a place unexpectedly, with no other NPCs around to talk to, save the monsters. The terminals are there for the non-personal communication of the PCs with others (obviously unknown to the PCs).I was just thinking, what if the medieval magic and modern tech are explained by the melding of two cultures from two different worlds. one without tech, the other without magic. they recognized that they each had something the other didnt and the other something they wanted, they began relations and traded magic for tech.after a few hundred years, this would yield, a society with tech, magic, magic powered tech, tech controlled magic, medieval relicts still in use, possible improved by both tech and magic.I'm sure that idea has been done somewhere at some point, so would anyone like to tell me if it worked very well? I think it could meld it all together well and allow the freedom for everything from computers to swords and armor to magic shields and fireballs.PS: A few things I don't want in my game though;cars and guns   