From: jasonr@syma.sussex.ac.uk (Jason F Ralph)
Subject: Re: Role Master Physics question
Organization: University of Sussex
X-Newsreader: Tin 1.1 PL4
Date: Tue, 17 Nov 1992 10:12:22 GMT

u894793@bruny.cc.utas.edu.au (T. Little) writes:
: jasonr@syma.sussex.ac.uk (Jason F Ralph) writes:
: 
: >What is all this discussion of physics doing in rec.games.frp.misc?
: 
: ... because someone asked a good question about the side-effects of a spell,
: and physics provides a reasonable starting-point for investigation of such
: effects.

Unfortunately I missed the original question and couldn't put it
together from the pieces left in the responses. I couldn't identify
which spell they were on about. I'm actually in favour of 'realistic'
magic but the question of whether somethings mass or weight changes is
either redundant or implied by the spell... which ever one it was?
 
: >Physics is a science and should therefore be confined to obscure places
: >of little or no interest.
: 
: ":-)" when you say that, or I'll jump down this datalink and eat your
: newsreader!  (semi :-)

Wor? 

: (In light of my voluntary confinement to obscure places of little or no
: interest - like this computer room - maybe I should have said "Hey!  I
: resemble that!" :-)

Where do you think I'm sitting then... a Physics Department.

: > No gamer should have to endure the rigourous
: >analysis of physics as it applies to any gaming system! Games should be
: >fun NOT science!!!
: 
: Hey!  I resent that!  I enjoy role-playing, computer games, and physics.
: (Other interests as well, of course, ...)  Especially when I can combine
: the lot into one big relativistic role-playing computer game.  :-)

You CANNOT have a role-playing computer game (excluding MUD's maybe),
relativistic or otherwise! (I do enjoy role-playing games and I'm a
research Physicist... which I also enjoy suprisingly enough... I hate
computer games however.

: I note that your statement does not exclude science from being fun, but it
: makes a very strong implication in that direction, and without any
: qualification, either.

Physics is fun, but you try convincing a 'civilian' that!
 
: >Remember gaming isn't 'real' and doesn't therefore have to conform to
: >anyones preconceived ideas about reality... and that's magic!
: 
: In Fantasy gaming, I use physics as a tool;  it is (one of) the most 
: coherent and powerful 'models of reality', and as such it can be a basis 
: for inventing other such models.  Besides, if you use it as a model you
: get the advantages of having all the work done for you, and you can just
: define the rest as 'magic'.  

Now why didn't I think of that? That solves all my problems, there was
me reinventing allthe laws of Physics just to play a silly little
game... how silly!

: (Recalling a quote from Douglas Adams, "We
: demand rigidly defined areas of doubt and uncertainty!")

Douglas Adams is a very good, if not excellent, writer... Unfortunately,
he is one of those annoying people who have read a little bit of
Quantum theory and think they understand it... don't worry NOONE
understands it!


I originally put that article up to illicit some sort of response. Thank
you, you have been most co-operative.

E.E. 'Doc' Splot.

Newsgroups: rec.games.frp.misc