Various things about the new Magi

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Eleazar
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Various things about the new Magi

Post by Eleazar »

this ground i'm trying to cover is rather broad, this seemed like the best forum.

First, thanks to Jetryl for starting the updating the Magi. They look cool, and less "generic."

• I understand why the recognizable colors have been removed, to allow for TColoring to show up, but the names don't make as much sense anymore, especially the "Red Mage" I propose he be renamed "Fire Mage", or something less misleading. The "Silver Mage" might be renamed as well, if a good name could be found, since color doesn't distinguish him much anymore.

• The Silver Mage looks more like the L2 Magi. His stance and gear isn't as impressive as the other L3s. Particularly he's not holding magical items in both hands.

• The female Arch Mage has a different magical gizmo in the off hand than her male counterpart. I think it would be cool if the female version had slightly different magical powers, perhaps for other magi units too.
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Re: Various things about the new Magi

Post by Sangel »

Eleazar wrote:this ground i'm trying to cover is rather broad, this seemed like the best forum.

First, thanks to Jetryl for starting the updating the Magi. They look cool, and less "generic."

• I understand why the recognizable colors have been removed, to allow for TColoring to show up, but the names don't make as much sense anymore, especially the "Red Mage" I propose he be renamed "Fire Mage", or something less misleading. The "Silver Mage" might be renamed as well, if a good name could be found, since color doesn't distinguish him much anymore.
I agree that the New Mages don't suit the old names. New names should be considered, though any renaming is going to be contentious.
Eleazar wrote:• The Silver Mage looks more like the L2 Magi. His stance and gear isn't as impressive as the other L3s. Particularly he's not holding magical items in both hands.
Though I do like the idea of the Silver Mage not being as overtly flashy as the others, a few tweaks might not go amiss.

Eleazar wrote:• The female Arch Mage has a different magical gizmo in the off hand than her male counterpart. I think it would be cool if the female version had slightly different magical powers, perhaps for other magi units too.
My concern is that the differences in the male/female Arch Mage currently vanish in the Great Mage. I'd prefer that those differences either don't exist, or are maintained through a level upgrade.

With regards to gender-differentiated magical powers - I'm all for that, so long as there are no differences in stats due to gender.
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Eleazar
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Post by Eleazar »

Another naming issue that i should have mentioned is the name "Arch Mage" indicates that these are the ruling mages. If "Arch Mage" is used as a name it should be the top rank, not the L3.

Code: Select all

L1                  "novice mage"
L2                  "mage"            "white mage"
L3   "silver mage"  "mage of fire"    "mage of light"
L4                  "arch mage"
L5                  "elder mage"(defador)
Of course i'm not especially trilled with the name "silver mage" but don't have a better idea.
Last edited by Eleazar on February 16th, 2007, 12:27 am, edited 1 time in total.
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Re: Various things about the new Magi

Post by torangan »

Eleazar wrote:• The female Arch Mage has a different magical gizmo in the off hand than her male counterpart. I think it would be cool if the female version had slightly different magical powers, perhaps for other magi units too.
I think the rule has always been that male / female do only differ visually and in description but not in gameplay. What you're proposing would make male / female more akin to a trait. To feed into common stereotypes: only male may get strong and only female may get intelligent? :wink:
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Post by Jetrel »

Code: Select all

L1                  "apprentice/novice mage"
L2                  "mage"            "white mage"
L3   "silver mage"  "master mage"    "mage of light"
L4                  "arch mage"
L5                  "elder mage"(defador)
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Post by Kestenvarn »

Master mage? That does not sound very good.

:?
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Post by ILikeProgramming »

Is there really a need to change the names of the magi? The old names work very well. Besides, everyone is used to them already.
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Post by Cuyo Quiz »

Grand Mage still sounds better to me than Master Mage.
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Post by turin »

ILikeProgramming wrote:Is there really a need to change the names of the magi? The old names work very well. Besides, everyone is used to them already.
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Post by Jetrel »

Kestenvarn wrote:Master mage? That does not sound very good.

:?
Master mage is one of the best-sounding names I've heard. :?

Such nomenclature was very common in medieval times; any construction project would have teams, each led by the Master Mason, the Master Carpenter, the Master Glassmaker, the Master Stonecutter, the Master Smith, et cetera.

It's where we get our word "Mister" from - a man would work at his profession until he became a "Master", and people would literally address people as Master such-and-such. The names of professions often translated literally into last names. Like Smith, Thatcher, Turner (guy who ran a Lathe). My last name was a term for a blacksmith specializing in making chains.

I think "Master Mage" is a good way to call up the Master->apprentice relationship they support in that field.
ILikeProgramming wrote:Is there really a need to change the names of the magi? The old names work very well. Besides, everyone is used to them already.
I don't really care either way; I only care that if we do change the names, we don't change them to something bad.
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Post by Eleazar »

Jetryl wrote:Master mage is one of the best-sounding names I've heard. :?
That gets my vote now. There's nothing uniquely "firey" about the L3.
These names imply a reasonably hierarchy in magedom with the white and the silver being specialist branches off the main core of fire-hurling mages.

Other possible names for the L1 "neophyte" and "initiate," though "initiate" sounds vaguely sinister to me.
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Post by Ranger M »

Jetryl wrote:My last name was a term for a blacksmith specializing in making chains.
Hmm, Master Goodenough... I can't even imagine where that came from.

Anyway, I think that the Level 2 mage should be changed to journeyman mage, mage on it's own looks boring compared to the others.
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